Phone-level pronunciation scoring and assessment for interactive language learning

This paper investigates a method of automatic pronunciation scoring for use in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) systems. The method utilizes a likelihood-based `Goodness of Pronunciation' (GOP) measure which is extended to include individual thresholds for each phone based on both averaged native confidence scores and on rejection statistics provided by human judges. Further improvements are obtained by incorporating models of the subject's native language and by augmenting the recognition networks to include expected pronunciation errors. The various GOP measures are assessed using a specially recorded database of non-native speakers which has been annotated to mark phone-level pronunciation errors. Since pronunciation assessment is highly subjective, a set of four performance measures has been designed, each of them measuring different aspects of how well computer-derived phone-level scores agree with human scores. These performance measures are used to cross-validate the reference annotations and to assess the basic GOP algorithm and its refinements. The experimental results suggest that a likelihood-based pronunciation scoring metric can achieve usable performance, especially after applying the various enhancements.

SU8 bio-chemical sensor microarrays

Microfabricated cantilevers have recently attracted considerable attention as novel label-free chemical and biological biosensors which translate surface reactions into nanomechanical bending motion. However these studies have primarily focused on commercially available silicon cantilevers and relatively little work has been performed on cantilevers fabricated from other materials. Polymeric materials, offer significant advantages over silicon by virtue of the low Young's modulus, ease of microfabrication and reduced cost. In this paper, we report a non-vacuum fabrication process to produce arrays of SU8 cantilevers and demonstrate their application as chemical sensors using in situ reference cantilevers. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

大蹼铃蟾多肽及其制备方法和在制药中的应用

本发明属于生物医学领域。大蹼铃蟾多肽是从中国两栖类动物大蹼铃蟾皮肤分泌物中分离得到的一种单链多肽，分子量2698.4，等电点10.0，多肽全序列一级结构为：NH2—TITTKKLSGLKTALKGAAKELASTYT—COOH。制备方是将活体大蹼铃蟾用水清洗干净，置于带盖的玻璃容器中，滴加无水乙醚，密闭容器3—5分钟，可见大量的泡沫状物质从大蹼铃蟾皮肤分泌出来，收集分泌物，离心去除沉淀、冷冻干燥后，经离子交换、凝胶过滤、高压液相反相柱层析分离纯化后得到。具有显著的抑制细菌和真菌生长、肿瘤细胞生长、和抗艾滋病病毒活性的作用。适用于制备抗微生物感染、抗肿瘤、抗艾滋病药物。

Effect of gamma radiation in combination with freezing on the microbiological changes in frozen shrimp Penaeus monodon

In this study gamma radiation (3, 6 and 9 kGy) in combination with low temperature (-20°C) were applied to retain the quality and shelf-life of shrimp, Penaeus monodon for a longer period. The quality was assessed by monitoring microbiological changes (TBC, TMC, TYC, TCC and Salmonella count) in irradiated and non-irradiated (control) samples. Among microbiological indicators of spoilage, total bacterial count (TBC) values for irradiated shrimps were found to be 1875, 1625 and 1525 cfugˉ¹ of sample at 3, 6 and 9 kGy respectively after 90 days whereas for non-irradiated samples it was found 2475 cfugˉ¹ of sample. Total moulds count (TMC) value for non-irradiated samples after 90 days were found 425 cfugˉ¹ sample whereas that for irradiated shrimps at 3, 6 and 9 kGy were found to be 275, 250 and 200 cfugˉ¹ sample respectively. Total yeast count (TYC) value for non-irradiated samples after 90 days were found 4125 cfugˉ¹ sample whereas that for irradiated shrimps at 3, 6 and 9 kGy were found to be 2850, 2150 and 1725 cfugˉ¹ sample respectively. Total coliform count and Salmonella count showed that those were absent during 90 days storage period. From this study, it was clear that gamma radiation in combination with low temperature showed shelf-life extension (90 days) in each dose of radiation used but during the use of 9 kGy radiation, Penaeus monodon showed best quality.

曲拉通一影响脑内递质及合成酶免疫组化定位‘

目的研究曲拉通一一, 是否会改变脑内递质及合成酶免疫组织化学定位特征, 及是 否与其浓度有关。材料与方法观察了高、低浓度预处理脑切片, 对胆碱乙酞化酶、物质和羊氨基丁酸样免 疫反应神经元胞体及终末, 在树晌内侧隔核、斜带核及海马, 免疫组化定位的影响。并在树殉和猫脑探索了缓冲的 低浓度梯度酒精替代的可能性。结果在树的脑, 当为时, 内侧隔核、斜带核三类神经元胞体染色 变浅, 数量减少, 甚至消失, 而海马及内侧隔核、斜带核的物质同及一氨基丁酸阳性终末明显增加。当为。 时, 以上情况正好相反。以酒精替代, 在树动和猫的海马及 内侧隔核、斜带核能相当好地同时显示不氨基丁酸和物质阳性神经元胞体和终末。结论不同浓度的处理 脑切片, 可能对脑内众多神经活性物质的免疫组化定位特征产生不同影响。提高或降低浓度, 分别有助于显 示神经元终末或胞体。上述梯度酒精替代, 在免疫组化光、电镜研究中, 有助于同时显示阳性神经元胞体和终 末。

Aquaculture of the mangrove red snapper

Mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) is an important marketable species throughout the Indo-Pacific region. It is a euryhaline species; it can tolerate freshwater, brackishwater and marine water. Modular culture is the common system in snapper production in the Philippines. Stocking density is 4,000 fry per cropping; there could be 2 croppings per year. Brief details are given of investment costs and returns for culture in brackishwater pens.