A noise cross PSD estimator based on improved minimum statistics method for two-microphone speech enhancement dedicated to a bilateral cochlear implant

Coherence based methods have been successfully applied to dual-microphone noise reduction systems. These techniques showed good results when noise signals on two microphones were uncorrelated, but their performance decreased with correlated noises. It could be improved when the cross power spectral density (CPSD) of received noises is available.In this paper, an improved minimum tracking (IMT) technique for noise CPSD estimation was proposed. The performance of this technique was compared to two other noise CPSD estimators based on voice activity detection (VAD) and minimum tracking (MT) approaches. Evaluation was performed at four signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and two interfering noise source configurations.Results showed a superiority of the IMT approach in terms of low computing time and quality indicated by the perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) scores. Then, subjective listening tests were carried out with 50 normal hearing listeners using a specific bilateral cochlear implant (BCI) simulator and utilizing the French Lafon database corrupted by additional babble noise. Results obtained with the proposed technique were better than the two previously mentioned noise CPSD estimators.     

Synthesis of New 3-Carboxamidine Iminocoumarins and Benzopyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidines

A new approach to synthesis of a series of 3-carboxamidine iminocoumarins derivatives and substituted benzopyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidines was developed. The chemical structure of all the compounds was investigated by infrared, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass, and elemental analysis. The anticholinesterase activity of compound 12 was evaluated according to the modified Ellman’s method.     

Some characteristic behavior of spin-1 Ising nanotube

We have investigated Blume-Capel model on a cylindrical Ising nanotube by using the effective field theory with correlations. We have found first- and second-order phase transition. Magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, internal energy, specific heat and free energy expressions have been found and calculated numerically for different crystal field parameter. Moreover, we have obtained that tricritical point depends on the coupling constant between core and surface shell.     

Ground state analysis of XCNi3 (X=Mg, Zn, and Ga) from first-principles

The ground state properties of recent antiperovskite MgCNi₃ and related systems ZnCNi₃ and GaCNi₃ are studied using full-potential augmented plane waves method. The obtained quantities agree well with the recent experiments and theoretical data. The band structure is dominated by the Ni d band as shown in the charge density and density of states. Besides, the effect of external pressure has been addressed.     

Spin symmetric solutions of Dirac equation with Pöschlben Teller potential

The approximate analytical solutions of the Dirac equation with the Pöschl—Teller potential is presented for arbitrary spin-orbit quantum number kappa within the framework of the spin symmetry concept. The energy eigenvalues and the corresponding two Dirac spinors are obtained approximately in closed forms. The limiting cases of the energy eigenvalues and the two Dirac spinors are briefly discussed.     

Highly efficient short length Bismuth-based erbium-doped fiber amplifier

An efficient 21 cm Bismuth-based erbium doped fiber amplifier (Bi-EDFA) operating in both C- and L-band wavelength regions is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed Bi-EDFA uses the gain medium with an erbium ion concentration of 6300 ppm in conjunction with a double-pass configuration. Compared to conventional silica-based erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (Si-EDFAs) with the same amount of Erbium ions, the Bi-EDFA provides a higher attainable gain as well as a greater amplification bandwidth ranging from 1525 to 1620 nm. The proposed Bi-EDFA achieved a flat-gain of around 23 dB with gain variation of ±3.5 dB within the wavelength region from 1530 to 1565 nm at the maximum pump power of 150 mW. The corresponding noise figures are obtained at an average of 6 dB.     

Mode-locked 2 μm fiber laser with a multi-walled carbon nanotube as a saturable absorber

We propose and demonstrate a passively mode-locked fiber laser operating at 1951.8 nm using a commercial thulium-doped fiber(TDF) laser, a homemade double-clad thulium–ytterbium co-doped fiber(TYDF)as the gain media, and a multi-walled carbon nanotube(MWCNT) based saturable absorber(SA). We prepare the MWCNT composite by mixing a homogeneous solution of MWCNTs with a diluted polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) polymer solution and then drying it at room temperature to form a film. The film is placed between two fiber connectors as a SA before it is integrated into a laser ring cavity. The cavity consists of a 2 m long TDF pumped by a 800 nm laser diode and a 15 m long homemade TYDF pumped by a 905 nm multimode laser diode. A stable mode-locking pulse with a repetition rate of 34.6 MHz and a pulse width of 10.79 ps is obtained when the 905 nm multimode pump power reaches 1.8–2.2 W, while the single-mode 800 nm pump power is fixed at 141.5 m W at all times. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported mode-locked fiber laser using a MWCNT-based SA.     

Bis(thiocarbamates): Synthesis and Substituent Effects on the Barrier to N‐CO Rotation

The synthesis of a new series of variously substituted bis(thiocarbamates) from the addition of dithiols to isocyanates is described. These bis(thiocarbamates) were fully characterized by NMR, IR, and HRMS analyses. In addition, the effect of different substituents on the hindered rotation about the N‐CO bond in these bis‐thiocarbamates was investigated through dynamic NMR experiments.     

XPS analysis of chitosan–hydroxyapatite biomaterials: from elements to compounds

Chitosan (Cs) and hydroxyapatite (Ha) were analysed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Phosphorylated Cs microparticles and hybrid Cs/Ha microparticles were prepared and analysed by XPS before and after immersion in a solution 1.5 times more concentrated than a simulated body fluid (SBF). The accuracy of spectrum recording, peak decomposition and peak component assignment was insured by a post‐control of charge stabilization, and by the examination of correlations between spectral data guided by stoichiometry and charge balance. The concentration of organic oxygen was determined from the concentrations of the oxidized forms of carbon, allowing a sharper insight into speciation and O 1s peak shape. This indicated that the hydroxide ion of Ha, and hydrogenophosphate if present, give a contribution near 532.4 eV, which overlaps with organic oxygen. As a result of immersion in the 1.5*SBF solution, the formation of CaCO₃ and of Ha material occurred. A quantification could be made for the constituents of biomaterial interest, contaminating salts and paraffin oil residues from the microparticle manufacturing process. The uncertainties regarding the nature of the model calcium phosphate used and the best marker for calcium carbonate were addressed by comparing the possible effect on the output, which was facilitated by using ternary composition diagrams. Whatever their formulation, the native microparticles were found to be coated by a thick layer of paraffin oil. The induction of calcium carbonate and phosphate precipitation or the retention of precipitates by the microparticles was favored by the presence of phosphate in the initial formulation either by phosphorylation or by incorporation of Ha. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cosolvent‐promoted electrophilic amination of organozinc reagents

In this study, we aimed to develop a simple and efficient method for the electrophilic amination of organozinc reagents. For this reason, 12 cosolvents were screened in the electrophilic amination of ordinary organozinc reagents. By the use of a cosolvent, an easily applicable and high‐yielding method for the preparation of arylamines by electrophilic amination of arylzinc reagents was developed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.