Speech recognition in living rooms: Integrated speech enhancement and recognition system based on spatial,spectral and temporal modeling of sounds

Research on noise robust speech recognition has mainly focused on dealing with relatively stationary noise that may differ from the noise conditions in most living environments. In this paper, we introduce a recognition system that can recognize speech in the presence of multiple rapidly time-varying noise sources as found in a typical family living room. To deal with such severe noise conditions, our recognition system exploits all available information about speech and noise; that is spatial (directional), spectral and temporal information. This is realized with a model-based speech enhancement pre-processor, which consists of two complementary elements, a multi-channel speech–noise separation method that exploits spatial and spectral information, followed by a single channel enhancement algorithm that uses the long-term temporal characteristics of speech obtained from clean speech examples. Moreover, to compensate for any mismatch that may remain between the enhanced speech and the acoustic model, our system employs an adaptation technique that combines conventional maximum likelihood linear regression with the dynamic adaptive compensation of the variance of the Gaussians of the acoustic model. Our proposed system approaches human performance levels by greatly improving the audible quality of speech and substantially improving the keyword recognition accuracy.     

Development of Fluorogenic Probes for Rapid High-Contrast Imaging of Transient Nuclear Localization of Sirtuin 3

Protein labeling using fluorogenic probes enables the facile visualization of proteins of interest. Herein, we report new fluorogenic probes consisting of a rationally designed coumarin ligand for the live-cell fluorogenic labeling of the photoactive yellow protein (PYP)-tag. On the basis of the photochemical mechanisms of coumarin and the probe–tag interactions, we introduced a hydroxy group into an environment-sensitive coumarin ligand to modulate its spectroscopic properties and increase the labeling reaction rate. The resulting probe had a higher labeling reaction rate constant and a greater fluorescence OFF–ON ratio than any previously developed PYP-tag labeling probe. The probe enabled the fluorogenic labeling of intracellular proteins within minutes. Furthermore, we used our probe to investigate the localization of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase. Although the nuclear localization of SIRT3 has been controversial, this transient nuclear localization was clearly captured by the rapid, high-contrast imaging enabled by our probe.     

Decoupling torque control system for automotive engine tester

This paper presents a novel decoupling control method for the engine torque control of an automobile engine tester. The engine tester is mainly composed of a dynamometer control system and an engine control system. The conventional engine tester has the problem that the performance of the engine torque control system is deteriorated by the influences of the interference between the dynamometer speed control system and the engine torque control system. The authors proposed the practical engine torque control system based on an observer and an identification system to eliminate the interference of the dynamometer speed control system. The effect of observer's parameter error on the engine torque estimation response was analyzed. According to the result of this analysis, a practical method is proposed to identify the engine inertia moment and the shaft spring coefficient that are parameters of the observer. The authors confirmed through simulation and experiments that the proposed decoupling engine torque control system realizes a robust control system from the interference with the dynamometer speed control system     

Coexistence of proguanylin (1-15) and somatostatin in the gastrointestinal tract

In order to identify proguanylin-secreting cells, we have raised an antiserum against the synthetic fragment of human proguanylin (1-15) and have examined the proguanylin-positive cells in the human and rat gastrointestinal tract by immunohistochemical methods. Numerous proguanylin (1-15)-immunoreactive cells were found in the gastrointestinal tract. They were either pyramidal or spindle shaped in the stomach. Spindle-shaped cells, frequently possessing long slender processes, were located at the base of the pyloric epithelium and did not extend to the lumen. In the duodenum and jejunum, these cells were mostly pyramidal in shape and often had a slender process towards the lumen. The immunostaining was completely blocked by the human proguanylin (1-15) fragment. Paneth and goblet cells were negative against this antiserum. The number of serotonin-positive cells was much larger than that of proguanylin-positive cells in all the segments tested. The number of proguanylin-positive cells decreased from the jejunum to the ileum and very few cells were observed in the colon. In contrast to serotonin-positive cells, most somatostatin-positive cells were also positive for proguanylin. Thus, proguanylin (1-15) or its related protein appears to coexist with somatostatin in intestinal endocrine D cells which may be a source of circulating proguanylin. Proguanylin, like somatostatin, may also regulate intestinal function as a local regulator.     

Impurity scattering effect on the anisotropic resistivity for La2−x Sr x CuO4−δ with a wide range of x

We have investigated the effect of the impurity scattering due to a small amount of oxygen defect, ( < 0.01) on the anisotropic resistivity of La _2–x Sr _x CuO _4– in a wide x range up to x = 0.26. In the superconducting region with 0.06 x 0.22, we found that impurity scattering by the oxygen defect remarkably decreases the c-axis resistivity c over the whole temperature range. The finding is interpreted in terms of the nonmetallic conduction along the c axis which is enhanced by scattering the confined carriers in the CuO ₂ plane. On the other hand, the enhancement of the c-axis conduction diminishes in the nonsuperconducting region. This is consistent with the two-dimensional nature of the electronic state which stabilizes the superconducting ground state in the cuprates.     

活性炭及工艺参数对所制固体活性炭性能的影响

以煤焦油基活性炭(TAC)和椰子壳活性炭(CAC)为原料,以聚乙烯醇缩丁醛(PVB)为粘接剂,以邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)为增塑剂,通过混合、成型、硬化及炭化处理,最终制得固体活性炭。详细地考查了工艺条件(如强度、收率、收缩率、比表面积等)的影响。研究结果表明对于椰子壳活性炭来说,制备高强度(>5000kPa)的固体活性炭是困难的,其主要原因在于椰子壳活性炭比煤焦油基活性炭含有更少的表面官能团(-COOH,-OH等),而这些官能团可能增强PVB在活性炭表面的粘接,并且参与粘接剂的氧化硬化,硬化的粘接剂在炭化过程中在活性炭颗粒间形成炭桥或者枝状结构而粘接这些颗粒。因此,为了制备高强度的固体活性炭,椰子壳活性炭的表面改性是必要的。     

Super environment-friendly electrodeposition paint

Super low VOC due to new composition/reaction mechanism can minimize the environmental risk as it does not contain lead and tin, hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and endocrine disrupters (EPA/67 items, SPEED’98/JEA/67 items) currently specified as contaminants. New EAD (electrolyzed activate deposition paint) is not the only conventional cure agent or solvent, but also the super low VOC, HAPs materials and endocrine disrupters. The electric energy used by EAD is utilized for the reaction but not for the deposition. EAD consists of two technologies. One is propargyl group change to the allene by using electrodeposition. Propargyl group is stable, but allene group is highly polymerizing. As a result, EAD had high bath stability. The other is sulfonium change to sulfide by using electrodeposition. This sulfonium salt is lost as a result of the electrolytic reduction, and hence can be irreversibly rendered non-conductive. As a result, EAD showed high throwing power.     

Photocatalytic degradation of trichloroethylene in water using TiO2 pellets

A recirculating system of aqueous trichloroethylene (TCE) solutions through the packed bed reactor with TiO2 pellets has been developed in order to mineralize TCE without difficulties for filtration and recovery of catalyst. The TiO2 pellets prepared by sol gel method have photocatalytic activity similar to commercially available PC-101 and PC-102 in the powder form and to ST-B11 pellets. In batch experiments with TiO2 powders, Degussa P-25 is the most active photocatalyst, which indicates that specific surface area is not an important factor controlling the photocatalytic activity in aqueous solutions. The degradation rates of TCE in the recirculating system with TiO2 pellets decreased in the presence of H2O2, while were remarkably accelerated by adding S2O8(2-). The presence of S2O8(2-) ions more than 0.01 mol dm(-3) completely suppressed hole-electron recombination and mineralized 50 ppm TCE with the 2 h irradiation. In a reactor without TiO2 photocatalysts, TCE was photodegraded by SO4- radicals which produced by photodissociation of S2O8(2-). The degradation rates increased with increase of the initial S2O8(2-) concentration. However, TCE was not mineralized but converted to intermediates which were slowly degraded to Cl- by continuing the irradiation.