Eardrum-inspired soft viscoelastic diaphragms for CNN-based speech recognition with audio visualization images.

In this study, we present initial efforts for a new speech recognition approach aimed at producing different input images for convolutional neural network (CNN)-based speech recognition. We explored the potential of the tympanic membrane (eardrum)-inspired viscoelastic membrane-type diaphragms to deliver audio visualization images using a cross-recurrence plot (CRP). These images were formed by the two phase-shifted vibration responses of viscoelastic diaphragms. We expect this technique to replace the fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum currently used for speech recognition. Herein, we report that the new creation method of color images enabled by combining two phase-shifted vibration responses of viscoelastic diaphragms with CRP shows a lower computation burden and a promising potential alternative way to STFT (conventional spectrogram) when the image resolution (pixel size) is below critical resolution.

Clinical and cost effectiveness of bevacizumab + FOLFIRI combination versus FOLFIRI alone as first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab has been extensively investigated in combination with various standard chemotherapies in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, a comparison to irinotecan + infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFIRI) is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adding bevacizumab to a regimen of FOLFIRI for the first-line treatment of mCRC in the Republic of Korea by conducting an indirect treatment comparison. METHODS: A health-economic model was developed to investigate the possible health outcomes (life-years gained [LYG]), direct costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of adding bevacizumab to a FOLFIRI regimen. Data on progression-free and overall survival were derived from randomized clinical trials and were used in the indirect treatment comparison. The annual discount rate for costs and outcomes was 5%. A lifetime horizon of 8 years was used. Sensitivity analyses were carried out on all pivotal model assumptions. RESULTS: Incremental mean overall survival among patients treated with bevacizumab + FOLFIRI varied between 8.6 and 15.7 months compared with patients treated with FOLFIRI alone. The deterministic base-case result was 1.177 LYG. The discounted ICERs ranged from µ31.8 to µ39.5 million/LYG, with the base-case result being µ34.5 million/LYG. Treatment effect had the most impact on the outcomes in this model. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is no formal threshold for ICER per LYG in Korea, funding may be considered for bevacizumab + FOLFIRI, particularly if the severity and end-of-life nature of mCRC is taken into account.

Biological and molecular characterization of Soybean yellow common mosaic virus, a new species in the genus Sobemovirus.

A novel soybean-infecting sobemovirus termed Soybean yellow common mosaic virus (SYCMV) was characterized. The virus has a single, positive-strand RNA genome of 4152 nucleotides. The virus contains four putative open reading frames encoding P1 (78-566 nt), polyprotein ORF2a (524-2248 nt), polymerase domain ORF2b (1852-3417 nt), and CP (3227-4030 nt). The entire nucleotide sequence of SYCMV showed 31.2-71.3% nucleotide identity with the previously known eleven species of sobemovirus. In host range analysis of SYCMV, in which twenty one species and three different Nicotiana tabacum cultivars belonging to seven families were inoculated with the virus, SYCMV had a narrow host range, infecting only Glycine max and G. soja. Based on the obtained sequence, full-length clones of SYCMV were constructed. Symptoms produced by inoculation with clones were indistinguishable from those produced by inoculation with sap from symptomatic plants. Viral RNA accumulation of SYCMV was detected in the upper leaves by Northern blotting. This indicated that full-length clones of SYCMV were sufficient to produce disease symptoms. Genomic organization, the predicted amino acid sequence, and phylogenetic analyses with known sobemoviruses confirmed the assignment of SYCMV as a new member of the genus Sobemovirus.