The Janus-III Translation System: Speech-to-Speech Translation in Multiple Domains

The Janus-III system translates spoken languages in limiteddomains. The current research focus is on expanding beyond tasksinvolving a single limited semantic domain to significantly broaderand richer domains. To achieve this goal, The MT components of oursystem have been engineered to build and manipulate multi-domain parselattices that are based on modular grammars for multiple semanticdomains. This approach yields solutions to several problems includingmulti-domain disambiguation, segmentation of spoken utterances intosentence units, modularity of system design, and re-use of earliersystems with incompatible output.     

Analytic threshold calculation of frequency estimation for OFDM communication

In this paper, we introduce an improved expression for the normalized variance of a frequency offset estimator, which successfully estimates the actual behavior of the normalized variance of the frequency offset estimator below and above the threshold. Therefore, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing designer does not need any more to simulate the whole system in order to obtain the actual, normalized variance of the frequency offset estimator for the lower range of signal to noise ratio. We also present the source for the threshold phenomenon and the “threshold region”.     

Construction of an amperometric polyphenol biosensor based on PVA membrane

A method is described for construction of an amperometric biosensor for determination of polyphenolic content using polyvinyl alcohol membrane bound polyphenol oxidase mounted on a gold coated Ag wire as a working electrode, a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) reference electrode and Pt wire as auxiliary electrode. The biosensor showed optimum response within 30 s, when operated at 30 °C. A linear relationship was obtained between L-DOPA concentration (0.5–20 μM) and current (μA). Limit of detection of the method was 0.5 μM. The biosensor measured polyphenols in tea leaves, alcoholic beverages and water. The enzyme electrode was used 280 times over 6 months, when stored at 4 °C. The biosensor is better than earlier membrane based biosensors in terms of detection limit (0.5 μM) and stability (6 months).     

Regularization and the inflection point method for sensor signal in gas concentration measurement

In this work, we focus on a transient state of sensor as a source of chemical information. This problem deserves attention for many reasons. As an example, utilization of transient states may allow for faster and more accurate information acquisition. We have considered a transient state gas sensor response to test analyte applied for quantitative gas determination. We examined the inflection point which is a promising feature of a signal resulting from transient sensor responses. This particular feature was found to be linearly dependent on the target gas concentration. However, the applicability of inflection point method is dependent on the precision of its determination. It raises a number of issues related to signal regularization. The regularization problem was studied from a theoretical point of view. A number of a-priori estimates for regularization strategies were obtained yielding some practical algorithms for calculating the inflection point in a stable way. Next, they were validated using numerical simulations and real data analysis procedure. This work provides a rigorous mathematical evaluation of the inflection point method and it may contribute to the improvement of gas sensor performance.     

Experimental study of the nonlinear effects generated in a concrete structure with damaged integrity

The paper deals with nonlinear interaction between elastic waves and structural defects in concrete specimens. Three groups of concrete specimens which differed from each other in the structure quality as a consequence of different ripening conditions were performed. Nonstandard concrete ripening conditions resulted in the development of microcracks in the specimen structure. The nonlinear elastic properties of the structure were tested by using the analysis of response frequency spectrum generated from a continuous wave transmission through the concrete specimens. It was tested whether or not the microcracks in the structure gave rise to parasitic components which were able to generate nonlinear phenomena in the signal transmission. A single harmonic ultrasonic signal method was applied to the specimens and evaluation, especially of the second and third harmonic components as indicators of nonlinearity was carried out. Verification measurements which have been carried out in parallel with the ultrasonic ones, give evidence of the specimen structure integrity deteriorations and confirm the correlation between the nonlinear effects on the transfer characteristics with the existence of defects in the specimen internal structure.     

Anti-aphrodisiac Compounds of Male Butterflies Increase the Risk of Egg Parasitoid Attack by Inducing Plant Synomone Production

During mating in many butterfly species, males transfer spermatophores that contain anti-aphrodisiacs to females that repel conspecific males. For example, males of the large cabbage white, Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), transfer the anti-aphrodisiac, benzyl cyanide (BC) to females. Accessory reproductive gland (ARG) secretion of a mated female P. brassicae that is deposited with an egg clutch contains traces of BC, inducing Brussels sprouts plants (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) to arrest certain Trichogramma egg parasitoids. Here, we assessed whether deposition of one egg at a time by the closely related small cabbage white, Pieris rapae, induced B. oleracea var. gemmifera to arrest Trichogramma wasps, and whether this plant synomone is triggered by substances originating from male P. rapae seminal fluid. We showed that plants induced by singly laid eggs of P. rapae arrest T. brassicae wasps three days after butterfly egg deposition. Elicitor activity was present in ARG secretion of mated female butterflies, whereas the secretion of virgin females was inactive. Pieris rapae used a mixture of methyl salicylate (MeSA) and indole as an anti-aphrodisiac. We detected traces of both anti-aphrodisiacal compounds in the ARG secretion of mated female P. rapae, whereas indole was lacking in the secretion of virgin female P. rapae. When applied onto the leaf, indole induced changes in the foliar chemistry that arrested T. brassicae wasps. This study shows that compounds of male seminal fluid incur possible fitness costs for Pieris butterflies by indirectly promoting egg parasitoid attack.     

Therapeutic effects of exercise: Wheel running reverses stress-induced interference with shuttle box escape.

Exercise can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in humans, but therapeutic effects of exercise in an animal model of stress-related mood disorders have yet to be demonstrated. In the current study, the authors investigated the ability of wheel running to reverse a long-lasting interference with shuttle box escape produced by uncontrollable stress. Rats who remained sedentary following uncontrollable foot shock demonstrated robust conditioned freezing behavior to the stressor environment and deficits in shuttle box escape learning. Voluntary access to running wheels for 6 weeks, but not 2 weeks, following uncontrollable foot shock reduced the expression of conditioned freezing and reversed the escape deficit. Results demonstrate a long-lasting interference with shuttle box escape that can be reversed by exercise in a duration-dependent fashion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetic analysis of new progesterone-based fertility traits in dairy cows measured on-farm

The objectives of this study were (1) to analyze the agreement of a standard laboratory ELISA for progesterone (P4) with an automated on-farm ELISA kit operated under commercial conditions in 1,297 milk samples from 50 dairy cows; (2) to study the influence of the method of detection of luteal activity on genetic parameters of fertility traits based on P4 measured with an automated on-farm ELISA once weekly from wk 3 to 9 postpartum in the milk of 1,304 cows; and (3) to study the influence of sampling frequency (once or twice weekly from wk 3 to 9) on the same traits from 296 cows. Luteal activity can be detected when there is an active corpus luteum in the ovary producing P4 and indicating the onset of reproductive cyclicity after calving. The on-farm ELISA overestimated P4 contents by a mean square error of prediction of 2.76 ng/mL and had an intermediate Spearman correlation with the laboratory kit (0.54). For the second objective, the postpartum interval to the commencement of luteal activity (C-LA), proportion of luteal activity between d 15 and 63 postpartum (P-LA), calculated as the number of samples above the threshold for high P4 values divided by the number of all samples, and delay of first ovulation (DOV1), defined as C-LA occurring later than d 45 postpartum, were derived from the P4 profiles. Both C-LA and DOV1 were determined by (a) thorough qualitative visual inspection of the profile, (b) the profile's mean as threshold for the first increase in P4 postpartum, indicating commencement of luteal activity, and (c) 3 ng/mL as threshold for the first increase in P4, a value that has been used by many other studies. Similarly, P-LA was determined by using methods (b) and (c). Estimates of heritability were 0.04 to 0.13 for C-LA, 0.12 to 0.23 for P-LA, and 0.03 to 0.07 for DOV1. Genetic correlation of P-LA with C-LA and with the profile's mean P4 was ?1.00. The profile's mean had a higher estimate of heritability (0.11–0.12) than C-LA or DOV1. It can be calculated as the arithmetic mean of all P4 values of a profile, whereas C-LA, P-LA, and DOV1 need a definition of a threshold for high P4 values. We therefore suggest the profile's mean as a promising candidate for further research. For the third objective, once-weekly sampling was mimicked by neglecting every second sample, and C-LA and DOV1 shifted toward a later onset of cyclicity. Thus, a common standard for sampling regimen and detection algorithm is essential to avoid incompatibility between studies.