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Voice morphing means the transition of one speech signal into another. Like image morphing, speech morphing aims to preserve the shared characteristics of the starting and final signals, while generating a smooth transition between them. Speech morphing is analogous to image morphing. In image morphing the in-between images all show one face smoothly changing its shape and texture until it turns into the target face. It is this feature that a speech morph should possess. One speech signal should smoothly change into another, keeping the shared characteristics of the starting and ending signals but smoothly changing the other properties. The major properties of concern as far as a speech signal is concerned are its pitch and envelope information. These two reside in a convolved form in a speech signal. Hence some efficient method for extracting each of these is necessary. We have adopted an uncomplicated approach namely cepstral analysis to do the same. Pitch and formant information in each signal is extracted using the cepstral approach. Necessary processing to obtain the morphed speech signal include methods like Cross fading of envelope information, Dynamic Time Warping to match the major signal features (pitch) and Signal Re-estimation to convert the morphed speech signal back into the acoustic waveform.

The present case involves the management of severe tooth wear in elderly patient using a multidisciplinary treatment approach, which includes full mouth rehabilitation to restore upper and lower generalized tooth wear due to attrition, re- treatment of failing root treated teeth, stabilizing localized periodontal problem, restoring the missing multiple upper teeth (sparse dentition) and management of bruxism. The treatment provided include non- surgical management of localized moderate chronic periodontitis affecting the posterior teeth, re-root treatment of the lower anterior teeth, direct resin composite restorations at an increased occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) and an upper removable cobalt-chromium partial denture (overdenture) with tooth 24 and 28 as abutments. Finally a lower soft splint was given to protect the restorations and remaining dentition due to bruxism.

To compare the essential oil composition of two Thyme species T.daenensis and T.fedtschenkoi, the aerial parts of them were collected at flowering stage. The essential oil was obtained by hydro distillation method for 3 hours and their chemical components of essential oil were identified by GC and GC/MS. The main constituents of T.daenensis were thymol (73.86 %), caryophyllene (5.55 %), ?-terpinene (5.03 %), p-cymene (3.92 %) and carvacrol (2.92 %). While the main constituents of T.fedtschenkoi were linalool (63.77 %), ?-terpineol (10.17 %), 1,8-cineole (4.01 %), thymol (3.3 %), sabinene (2.66 %).

Objectives: We compare the analgesic efficiency of the endo-rectal instillation of xylocaine gel compared to peri-prostatic infiltration xylocaine biopsies before transrectal ultrasound guided prostate. Patients and Methods: Between November 2013 and March 2014, candidates for prostate biopsies were randomized into 2 groups. In group 1, 10 ml of Xylocaine 2% gel was instilled in the rectum 10 minutes before biopsy, while patients in group 2 benefited from the periprostatic infiltration of 5 ml injection of Xylocaine 2% in two equal injections , 4 min before prostate biopsies. A visual analogue scale possible to assess pain during anesthesia (VAS 1) and during prostate biopsies (VAS 2) and finally 30 min after the end of these (VAS 3). Results: 69 patients were included in the study, 35 in group 1 and 34 in group 2. The pain experienced by patients was statistically lower in Group 2 for the VAS 2 score (3.5 in group 1 vs 1.5 in group 2) and the VAS score 3 (0.5 in group 1 vs 0.1 in group 2). No major complications were reported. Conclusion: periprostatic block infiltration of xylocaine, allows better patient comfort during biopsies and 30 min after the end thereof

Conflict, in some forms and degrees, is part and parcel of virtually every facet of human life. Workplace conflict is varied, pervasive, and costly to the organization in many ways. Conflict management strategy has an important place in the study of organizational commitment. The commitment of the workers of an organization is a very important factor for an organization to be successful. This research examined the influence of conflict management strategies on perceived organizational commitment. Subjects for the study were 253 respondents which comprised 198 males and 55 females. Three hypotheses were tested and the findings of the study revealed that there was a joint effect of yielding and problem-solving on organizational commitment {F(2,250) = 7.857; R = .243, R2 = .059, Adj. R2 = 0.052; P < .05}. The result also showed that the joint effect of problem-solving, compromising, avoiding, forcing and yielding was significant {F(5,247) =7.514; R = .363, R2 = .132, Adj. R2 = 0.114; P < .05}. Lastly, the result also showed that there was no significant difference in the organizational commitment of male and female respondents {t(251) = 1.96; p > .05}. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended among others that managers should develop diverse but appropriate strategies to resolve and manage conflicts as they arise before it escalates to unmanageable levels. Hence, organizations should take time to analyze the source, type and amount of conflict before making a decision on which strategy to adopt for the effective management of the conflict.

This study attempted to bring Critical Language Testing principles into practice by means of distributing the power, traditionally hold by teachers as the only source of knowledge, in a more unprejudiced way. The study took advantages of three features of fifteen CLT principles proposed by Shohamy (2001).Based on the first feature, which is encouraging an active, critical response from test-takers; learners could develop an assessment scale including five components which was used in the subsequent steps in their peer assessment. In line with the second principle, which is admitting to the limited knowledge of any tester and the need for multiple sources of knowledge, learners moved toward the leading edge taking the control of assessment process to some extent. Peer assessment as one criterion of democratic assessment was applied. The third principle exploited in the study was considering ‘interpretive’ approaches to assessment that allow for different meanings and interpretations rather than a single absolute truth. Students’ scores were reported by both quantitative and interpretive modes with some suggestive sentences. In this way learners’ voices are validated. After that and in line with “consequential validity” as one component of alternative assessment, it went through completing the process by bringing testees’ problematic areas into the teaching syllabus in a systematic way. With a qualitative study learners’ (the most critical figures of all assessment procedures) attitudes toward rejecting or retaining CLT principles were inquired. They, offering one caveat, which was the significance of teacher assessment to them, pronounced the method as a striking system.

The past half-decade has witnessed exponential use of the social media in Kenya. This has been made possible through enhanced internet connectivity especially through the use of mobile phones. Cybercrime has therefore emerged as a serious threat. Surprisingly, cybercriminals appear undeterred by the prospect of arrest and prosecution as they operate with impunity on the internet posing a risk to the financial health of corporations, privacy of the citizens who use the internet and also posing a threat to the security of the nation. The media has reported numerous occasions when cybercriminals have managed to interfere with the operations of the state. The alleged interference of Russian hackers in the 2016 US presidential election demonstrated how cybercriminals posed a threat to democratic institutions and democratic processes. Similar allegations were made in relation to the2013 and 2017 presidential elections in Kenya. It has also been reported that the terrorist group, ISIS (Islamic State of Syria and Iraq) has unit of hackers known as the Cyber Caliphate whose primary function is to propagate the ISIS agenda online. Most recently, the members of parliament in Kenya called upon the Inspector General of the Police and mobile service providers to launch investigations into cons who are registering numbers in their names and sending obscene images. This paper will examine the laws governing cybercrime in Kenya and make suggestions on law review to deal with the cybercrime menace.

Multilevel inverters are used extensively in many applications due to their increased power rating, improving harmonic performance and reduced electromagnetic interference. However, the usage of more switches in the conventional configuration poses a limitation to its wide range application. This may leads to vast size and price of the inverter is very high. So in order to overcome this problem the new multilevel inverter is proposed with reduced number of switches. The configuration of the PV system is based on the multi-string technology and the maximum power point is obtained using PSO Algorithm. The output of the MPPT tracker controls the duty cycle of the boost converter. To control this power converter, SVPWM based modulation technique is implemented. The results are validated through the harmonic spectrum of the FFT window by using Matlab/simulink.

This research paper concerned with the detail procedure for development of ecological inventories of a child with mild intellectual and developmental disabilities. The main purpose of this study is to develop the instrument which helps in need assessment of functional skills and development of functional curriculum for children intellectual disabilities. First stage three main environments were selected such as home, school, and community then each environment was divided into different sub-environments. The information about environment and sub environment were collected from different sources such siblings, parents, teachers and observation of the child through different instruments. Collected information were organized into catalog. The developed ecological inventories were finalized in the light of feedback received from experts. The experts reported as the best tool for assessment of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Albizzia lebbeck and Syzygium cumini are two natural plants with secondary metabolites and antioxidant properties, which was shown to have a diabeto-protective effect in animal experiments. There were major reductions in the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione after 30 days of experimental period with STZ suggesting the generation of free radicals in animals. The co-administration of aqueous, methanolic and methanolic fraction of aqueous extract of Albizzia lebbeck and Syzygium cumini significantly increased these antioxidant enzymes and reduced the elevated serum levels of malondialdehyde in the experimental animals. The established diabetoprotective actions of various extracts of Albizzia lebbeck and Syzygium cumini in experimental hepatic injury in rats widens the scope for further investigations in the field of research on other models either alone or in combination with other herbal molecules with proven diabeto-hepato-protective action in clinical practice.