A Feature Learning Siamese Model for Intelligent Control of the Dynamic Range Compressor

In this paper, a siamese DNN model is proposed to learn the characteristics of the audio dynamic range compressor (DRC). This facilitates an intelligent control system that uses audio examples to configure the DRC, a widely used non-linear audio signal conditioning technique in the areas of music production, speech communication and broadcasting. Several alternative siamese DNN architectures are proposed to learn feature embeddings that can characterise subtle effects due to dynamic range compression. These models are compared with each other as well as handcrafted features proposed in previous work. The evaluation of the relations between the hyperparameters of DNN and DRC parameters are also provided. The best model is able to produce a universal feature embedding that is capable of predicting multiple DRC parameters simultaneously, which is a significant improvement from our previous research. The feature embedding shows better performance than handcrafted audio features when predicting DRC parameters for both mono-instrument audio loops and polyphonic music pieces.Comment: 8 pages, accepted in IJCNN 201

Elusive justice for victims of the Abdoulay Yerodia International Crimes of August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In order to access justice, victims of human rights abuses must first find a jurisdiction that is willing to hear their case. In the Abdoulay Yerodia Ndombasi (Yerodia) case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), victims of Yerodia’s intentional crimes brought their case in Belgium because they were unable to introduce it in domestic courts. Belgium launched an international arrest warrant against Yerodia who, at the time of accusation by Belgium, was Foreign Minister of the DRC. This has led to a dispute between the DRC and Belgium before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The DRC accused Belgium of violating the diplomatic immunity of its Foreign Minister. However, the international crimes in question were committed before Yerodia became Foreign Minister of the DRC and the ICJ rendered its decision in his case after he had ceased to hold that position. Despite this, the ICJ ruled in favor of Yerodia's diplomatic immunity and consequently this decision has only protected him from criminal liability. This paper examines first the historical background of the discrimination of Yerodia’s victims to support the claim that they cannot access justice in the DRC. It also argues that the ICJ’s decision in this case has only contributed to shielding Yerodia from justice rather than preserving smooth operation of the DRC’s diplomatic activities abroad. Finally, this paper suggests that the ICJ’sdecision in this case has closed the doors to victims in their endeavors to access justice

Investigating Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Through Critical Discourse Analysis

This paper addresses the large-scale sexual violence that has taken place (and still continues) within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) using critical discourse analysis. Disturbing statistics have resulted in the identification of the DRC as the rape capital of the world, and a variety of national, regional, and international actors have employed sexual violence as a weapon of war. Victims frequently receive little assistance, perpetrators act without fear of serious repercussions, and the government of the DRC fails to successfully implement relative legislation. Through an investigation of the discourse surrounding victims, perpetrators, and political institutions respectively, I will develop an understanding of how specific language portrays each of these participants in multiple reports and publications, and how this discourse can shape one\u27s perspective of the complex situation the DRC faces involving sexual violence

Deformation Control in Rest-to-Rest Motion of Mechanisms with Flexible Links

This paper develops and validates experimentally a feedback strategy for the reduction of the link deformations in rest-to-rest motion of mechanisms with flexible links, named Delayed Reference Control (DRC). The technique takes advantage of the inertial coupling between rigid-bodymotion and elasticmotion to control the undesired link deformations by shifting in time the position reference through an action reference parameter. The action reference parameter is computed on the fly based on the sensed strains by solving analytically an optimization problem. An outer control loop is closed to compute the references for the position controllers of each actuator, which can be thought of as the inner control loop. The resulting multiloop architecture of the DRC is a relevant advantage over several traditional feedback controllers: DRC can be implemented by just adding an outer control loop to standard position controllers. A validation of the proposed control strategy is provided by applying the DRC to the real-time control of a four-bar linkage

New Ebola Outbreak in Africa Is a Major Test for the WHO

On May 8, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a confirmed outbreak of Ebola in Bikoro, on the shores of Lake Tumba in Équateur Province. Ebola in the DRC is not unexpected. The first-ever identified Ebola outbreak occurred in the DRC—then Zaire—in 1976. This is the ninth of DRC’s outbreaks, which until now have been confined mainly to rural areas. With high fatality rates, earlier outbreaks quickly burned out due to the natural firewall of remoteness. Bikoro and a nearby village, Ikoko-Impenge, are rural, but on May 16, the WHO confirmed spread to Mbandaka, home to 1.2 million people. Peter Salama, MD, MPH, head of the WHO’s Emergencies Program, called urban spread a game changer that could spill over porous borders. Lake Tumba flows to the Congo River, connecting 2 capital cities (Kinshasa, DRC, and Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo) along the waterway. The WHO warned that 9 neighboring countries, including the Central African Republic, are at high risk

Assessing the severity and the incidence of Cassava Root Necrosis Disease (CRND) in western Democratic Republic of Congo

Open Access ArticleCassava is the staple food in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where both the roots and leaves are consumed. This crop is susceptible to several viral diseases, including Cassava Mosaic Disease(CMD) and Cassava Brown Streak Disease(CBSD) in eastern DRC. Following earlier studies that show root necrosis occurring in western DR Care not due to CBSD but to Cassava Root Necrosis Disease (CRND), an exploratory survey was conducted in western DRC from 2016 to 2017 in order to determine the distribution, the severity and the incidence of this disease (previously known as CBSD-like disease). NGS ( Next Generation Sequencing) results confirmed all the previous negative results obtained using PCR and CBSV primers. This suggests that microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi could be responsible for cassava root necrosis in western DRC and is not CBSD as predicted. Five provinces (Bas-Congo, Kinshasa, Bandundu, Equateur and Kasai-Oriental) were surveyed and data were collected according to the harmonized protocols adopted by countries within the West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) project. Statistical tests (ANOVA) performed on our data showed that CRND severity did not vary significantly among the provinces of Kinshasa, Bandundu and Bas-Congo which are the areas most affected by the disease. Bas-Congo and Kinshasa provinces presented the highest maximum disease severity (score 3 and 5 respectively), while Equateur province had the lowest disease severity score. Equateur province also had the highest percentage of healthy plants and few plants presented mild symptoms. The overall average of cassava root necrosis severity in western DRC ranged around 1.88 ± 0.08, an approximate score of 2. The overall mean incidence of CRND in western DRC was 22.24 ± 2.4% but reached 100% in localities considered as hotspots (Lukuakua in Bas-Congo and Nguma in Plateau des Batékés). The behaviour of cassava varieties against CRND is similar with CBSD in East Africa, most of improved varieties and landraces are susceptible to both diseases. Correlation analyses showed a positive correlation (r = 0.6940) between severity and incidence of CRND. Therefore, Bas-Congo province is the most affected province, while the province of Equateur is the least affected province in western DRC. Further investigations, including genomic surveillance, should also be conducted in the eastern DRC where CBSD is confirmed to know if CRND is found in conjunction with CBSD and to report possible instances of mixed infections. For medium-term disease control, our study suggests that the development and deployment of control measures including cultivars with resistance to CRND and CBSD should be a priority