Hydrogen production from abundant renewable biomass would decrease reliance on crude oils, achieve nearly zero net greenhouse gas emissions, create more jobs, and enhance national energy security. Cell-free synthetic pathway biotransformation (SyPaB) is the implementation of complicated chemical reaction by the in vitro assembly of numerous enzymes and coenzymes. Two of the biggest challenges for its commercialization are: effective release of fermentable sugars from pretreated biomass, and preparations of thermostable enzymes with low-cost. The hydrolysis performance of 21 reconstituted bacterial cellulase mixtures containing the glycoside hydrolase family 5 Bacillus subtilis endoglucanase, family 9 Clostridium phytofermentans processive endoglucanase, and family 48 Clostridium phytofermentans cellobiohydrolase was investigated on microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) and regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC). The optimal ratios for maximum cellulose digestibility were dynamic for Avicel but nearly fixed for RAC. Processive endoglucanase CpCel9 was most important for high cellulose digestibility regardless of substrate type. These results suggested that the hydrolysis performance of reconstituted cellulase cocktail strongly depended on experimental conditions. Thermobifida fusca YX was hypothesized to have a thermophilic polyphosphate glucokinase. T. fusca YX ORF Tfu_1811 encoding a putative PPGK was cloned and the recombinant protein fused with a family 3 cellulose-binding module (CBM-PPGK) was over expressed in Escherichia coli. By a simple one-step immobilization, the half-life time increased to 2 h, at 50 °C. These results suggest that this enzyme was the most thermostable PPGK reported. My studies would provide important information for the on-going project: high-yield hydrogen production from cellulose by cell-free synthetic enzymatic pathway. / Master of Science

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Este trabalho estuda o modelo de análise em componentes independentes (ICA) para misturas instantâneas, aplicado na separação de sinais de áudio. Três algoritmos de separação de misturas instantâneas são avaliados: FastICA, PP (Projection Pursuit) e PearsonICA; possuindo dois princípios básicos em comum: as fontes devem ser independentes estatisticamente e não-Gaussianas. Para analisar a capacidade de separação dos algoritmos foram realizados dois grupos de experimentos. No primeiro grupo foram geradas misturas instantâneas, sinteticamente, a partir de sinais de áudio pré-definidos. Além disso, foram geradas misturas instantâneas a partir de sinais com características específicas, também geradas sinteticamente, para avaliar o comportamento dos algoritmos em situações específicas. Para o segundo grupo foram geradas misturas convolutivas no laboratório de acústica do LPS. Foi proposto o algoritmo PP, baseado no método de Busca de Projeções comumente usado em sistemas de exploração e classificação, para separação de múltiplas fontes como alternativa ao modelo ICA. Embora o método PP proposto possa ser utilizado para separação de fontes, ele não pode ser considerado um método ICA e não é garantida a extração das fontes. Finalmente, os experimentos validam os algoritmos estudados. / This work studies Independent Component Analysis (ICA) for instantaneous mixtures, applied to audio signal (source) separation. Three instantaneous mixture separation algorithms are considered: FastICA, PP (Projection Pursuit) and PearsonICA, presenting two common basic principles: sources must be statistically independent and non-Gaussian. In order to analyze each algorithm separation capability, two groups of experiments were carried out. In the first group, instantaneous mixtures were generated synthetically from predefined audio signals. Moreover, instantaneous mixtures were generated from specific signal generated with special features, synthetically, enabling the behavior analysis of the algorithms. In the second group, convolutive mixtures were probed in the acoustics laboratory of LPS at EPUSP. The PP algorithm is proposed, based on the Projection Pursuit technique usually applied in exploratory and clustering environments, for separation of multiple sources as an alternative to conventional ICA. Although the PP algorithm proposed could be applied to separate sources, it couldnt be considered an ICA method, and source extraction is not guaranteed. Finally, experiments validate the studied algorithms.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Este trabalho estuda o modelo de análise em componentes independentes (ICA) para misturas instantâneas, aplicado na separação de sinais de áudio. Três algoritmos de separação de misturas instantâneas são avaliados: FastICA, PP (Projection Pursuit) e PearsonICA; possuindo dois princípios básicos em comum: as fontes devem ser independentes estatisticamente e não-Gaussianas. Para analisar a capacidade de separação dos algoritmos foram realizados dois grupos de experimentos. No primeiro grupo foram geradas misturas instantâneas, sinteticamente, a partir de sinais de áudio pré-definidos. Além disso, foram geradas misturas instantâneas a partir de sinais com características específicas, também geradas sinteticamente, para avaliar o comportamento dos algoritmos em situações específicas. Para o segundo grupo foram geradas misturas convolutivas no laboratório de acústica do LPS. Foi proposto o algoritmo PP, baseado no método de Busca de Projeções comumente usado em sistemas de exploração e classificação, para separação de múltiplas fontes como alternativa ao modelo ICA. Embora o método PP proposto possa ser utilizado para separação de fontes, ele não pode ser considerado um método ICA e não é garantida a extração das fontes. Finalmente, os experimentos validam os algoritmos estudados. / This work studies Independent Component Analysis (ICA) for instantaneous mixtures, applied to audio signal (source) separation. Three instantaneous mixture separation algorithms are considered: FastICA, PP (Projection Pursuit) and PearsonICA, presenting two common basic principles: sources must be statistically independent and non-Gaussian. In order to analyze each algorithm separation capability, two groups of experiments were carried out. In the first group, instantaneous mixtures were generated synthetically from predefined audio signals. Moreover, instantaneous mixtures were generated from specific signal generated with special features, synthetically, enabling the behavior analysis of the algorithms. In the second group, convolutive mixtures were probed in the acoustics laboratory of LPS at EPUSP. The PP algorithm is proposed, based on the Projection Pursuit technique usually applied in exploratory and clustering environments, for separation of multiple sources as an alternative to conventional ICA. Although the PP algorithm proposed could be applied to separate sources, it couldnt be considered an ICA method, and source extraction is not guaranteed. Finally, experiments validate the studied algorithms.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-17T14:52:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Natalia Costa Leite Abreu.pdf: 841490 bytes, checksum: 00ff55b62f0819b502a66a2304564bf4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-12-11 / The constant search for the improvement and strengthening of the relationship between humans and machines turning it more natural is common place. Consequently, the recognition of speech will turn, easier and practical the handling of equipments supplied with the capacity to understand the human speech. In this sense and with the use of the available knowledge information in the literature as how the human brain processes informations, some suggested methods try to simulate this ability in the computer, especially devoted to the extraction of a speech signal of mixed sounds, attempting, for example to increase the recognition and comprehension rate. The extraction of speech can be obtained by measures of a single-channel or multiple the channels. In order to extract the speech in a single channel, it is proposed here to use the speech characteristics introducing the concept of efficient codification, that tries to imitate the way the auditory cortex gets information using the method of Independent Component Analysis (ICA), getting the basis functions of the input signals and retrieving the estimated signal even when we add interferences to it. Our simulations also prove the efficiency of our method against reverberation effects and the recovery of speech signal by the handling of basis function of other speech signals. This technique can be used efficiently both to extract a single speech, as well as highlighting new ways of approaching the speech/speaker recognition problem. / A constante busca para aperfeiçoar e estreitar o relacionamento entre homens e máquinas, tornando-o mais natural, não é nenhuma novidade. Conseqüentemente, o reconhecimento da voz possibilitará uma manipulação mais fácil e prática de equipamentos dotados com a capacidade de compreender a fala humana. Neste sentido e utilizando-se dos conhecimentos disponíveis na literatura de como o cérebro humano processa informações, alguns métodos propostos procuram simular computacionalmente essa habilidade, voltados principalmente à extração de um sinal de voz de uma mistura de sons, na tentativa de, por exemplo, aumentar a taxa de reconhecimento e inteligibilidade. A extração da voz pode ser obtida usando medidas de um único ou múltiplos canais. Para extrair uma voz em um único canal, propomos usar as características da voz pelo conceito de codificação eficiente, que procura imitar o modo como o córtex auditivo trata as informações, utilizando-se da técnica de Análise de Componentes Independentes (ICA), obtendo as funções bases dos sinais de entrada e recuperando o sinal estimado, mesmo quando são adicionadas interferências. Através de simulações comprovamos também a eficiência da técnica usada, primeiro, na recuperação de um sinal de voz com a utilização das funções bases de outro sinal e, segundo, frente a efeitos de reverberação. Esta técnica pode ser usada para extrair uma única fala eficazmente, como também prenuncia um modo novo de chegar ao problema de reconhecimento da fala/orador.

The Short-Time Target Cancellation (STTC) algorithm, developed as part of this dissertation research, is a “Cocktail Party Problem” processor that can boost speech intelligibility for a target talker from a specified “look” direction, while suppressing the intelligibility of competing talkers. The algorithm holds promise for both automatic speech recognition and assistive listening device applications. The STTC algorithm operates on a frame-by-frame basis, leverages the computational efficiency of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and is designed to run in real time. Notably, performance in objective measures of speech intelligibility and sound source segregation is comparable to that of the Ideal Binary Mask (IBM) and Ideal Ratio Mask (IRM). Because the STTC algorithm computes a time-frequency mask that can be applied independently to both the left and right signals, binaural cues for spatial hearing, including Interaural Time Differences (ITDs), Interaural Level Differences (ILDs) and spectral cues, can be preserved in potential hearing aid applications. A minimalist design for a proposed STTC Assistive Listening Device (ALD), consisting of six microphones embedded in the frame of a pair of eyeglasses, is presented and evaluated using virtual room acoustics and both objective and behavioral measures. The results suggest that the proposed STTC ALD can provide a significant speech intelligibility benefit in complex auditory scenes comprised of multiple spatially separated talkers. / 2020-10-22T00:00:00Z

At a cocktail party, one can choose to scan the room for conversations of interest, attend to a specific conversation partner, switch between conversation partners, or not attend to anything at all. The ability of the normal-functioning auditory system to flexibly listen in complex acoustic scenes plays a central role in solving the cocktail party problem (CPP). In contrast, certain demographics (e.g., individuals with hearing impairment or older adults) are unable to solve the CPP, leading to psychological ailments and reduced quality of life. Since the normal auditory system still outperforms machines in solving the CPP, an effective solution may be found by mimicking the normal-functioning auditory system. Spatial hearing likely plays an important role in CPP-processing in the auditory system. This thesis details the development of a biologically based approach to the CPP by modeling specific neural mechanisms underlying spatial tuning in the auditory cortex. First, we modeled bottom-up, stimulus-driven mechanisms using a multi-layer network model of the auditory system. To convert spike trains from the model output into audible waveforms, we designed a novel reconstruction method based on the estimation of time-frequency masks. We showed that our reconstruction method produced sounds with significantly higher intelligibility and quality than previous reconstruction methods. We also evaluated the algorithm's performance using a psychoacoustic study, and found that it provided the same amount of benefit to normal-hearing listeners as a current state-of-the-art acoustic beamforming algorithm. Finally, we modeled top-down, attention driven mechanisms that allowed the network to flexibly operate in different regimes, e.g., monitor the acoustic scene, attend to a specific target, and switch between attended targets. The model explains previous experimental observations, and proposes candidate neural mechanisms underlying flexible listening in cocktail-party scenarios. The strategies proposed here would benefit hearing-assistive devices for CPP processing (e.g., hearing aids), where users would benefit from switching between various modes of listening in different social situations. / 2022-05-19T00:00:00Z

Chemiker sind Alchemisten, Köche Hexenmeister des Geschmacks. Beide Berufsgruppen haben sich in den vergangenen Jahren den Abenteuern des experimentellen Kochens bei sehr kalten Temperaturen verschrieben. Die Kombination von Chemie und Kochen bringt neue und spektakuläre kulinarische Kreationen hervor und schafft avantgardistische Gaumenverführungen mit verblüffenden Sinneserlebnissen und dies bei den sehr tiefen Temperaturen des flüssigen Stickstoffs (-196 °C) und des Trockeneises (-78.5 °C). Das Molekulare Kochen bei tiefen Temperaturen lebt von den spannungsgeladenen Gegensätzen von Wärme und Kälte und führt im Resultat zu neuartigen, bisher unbekannten Geschmackserlebnissen. Gleichzeitig wirkt die Molekulare Küche bei tiefen Temperaturen als Ideen- und Impulsgeber für innovative Speisen und Getränke und betritt dabei Neuland der Avantgarde-Küche, in der es dem sinnlichen Genuss eine neue, richtungsweisende Dimension verleiht. Dabei bedient sich das Molekulare Kochen mit flüssigem Stickstoff bzw. Trockeneis des Wissens um chemische und physikalische Prozesse. Dies macht die Molekularküche in der Kälte so spannend, denn sie bewegt sich damit auf dem Grenzgebiet der traditionellen Cuisine und den Wissensgebieten der Naturwissenschaften Chemie und Physik und führt zu einer gegenseitigen Wissensbereicherung in diesen Disziplinen. In diesem Buch wird der Autor, ein Chemiker, zum Grenzgänger seines Fachgebiets und verknüpft sein Wissen aus dem Chemielabor mit dem aus der Küche. Er schafft damit einen Ort für das Kochen mit Kälte und lässt Sie an außergewöhnlichen, unvergesslichen Geschmackserlebnissen sowie an chemischen und kulinarischen Augenfreuden teilhaben. Voraussetzung für ein erfolgreiches Kochen in der Kälte ist das Wissen um die Kältemittel wie dem flüssigen Stickstoff und dem Trockeneis. Deshalb befasst sich diese Schrift neben avantgardistischen Kochrezepten auch mit den beiden Kältemitteln, so dass beide Aspekte, nämlich die Chemie und die Küche, miteinander vereint werden. Basierend darauf, und gepaart mit diesen Erkenntnissen, werden innovative, „eiskalte“ Cocktails und Speisen vom Popcorn, über Bananasplit bis zu Espuma vorgestellt. Es handelt sich dabei um Speisen, die im Inneren flüssig bleiben, aber außen eine feste, krustige Hülle aufweisen, die beim Erwärmen im Mund zerplatzt, dabei kalte „Nebel“ bildet und sich so ein köstlicher Geschmack auf der Zunge ausbreitet. Ein unvergessliches Gaumen-Erlebnis! Des Weiteren werden einfache, aber spektakuläre und effektvolle chemische Experimente zu vereinzelten Kochrezepten rund um das Thema Molekulare Küche bei tiefen Temperaturen vorgestellt, die die Kochvorführungen bereichern und zeigen, dass die „Chemie“ zwischen Chemikern und Köchen stimmt. Die chemischen Vorgänge mit Reaktionsgleichungen zu den einzelnen Experimenten sind in Kapitel 4 dieser Schrift für Chemieinteressierte aufgeführt. In diesem Sinne wünscht der Autor beim Lesen, Experimentieren mit Flüssigstickstoff und Trockeneis, sowie beim Genießen der zubereiteten Köstlichkeiten viel Vergnügen und verspricht eine interessante Reise in die Molekulare Küche bei tiefen Temperaturen.

The twelve patterns presented in this collection represent the period 1920 through 1945. It is in no way a complete study of the period, but a representation of garments throughout this period in sketch and pattern form. The patterns presented are complete working patterns in full scale with no seams allowed. The garments have been dated according to research into the period. In addition to the pattern, sketch, and description of each garment, construction notes are included to aid in the building of these garments. Hopefully this collection will be useful for theatre costuming or where ever there is a need for authentic patterns of the period 1920 through 1945. The collection of patterns will be housed in the Department of Theatre's costume shop. The garments studied in this collection were obtained from the Virginia Commonwealth University Apparel Museum, Fashion Design Department. My sincere thanks to Alex Bodea, Department Chairman for his help and support.