Abstract The differences between the formant trajectories of British and broad Australian English accents are analysed and used for accent conversion. An improved formant model based on linear prediction (LP) feature analysis and a 2-D hidden Markov model (HMM) of formants is employed for estimation of the formant trajectories of vowels and diphthongs. Comparative analysis of the formant values, the formant trajectories and the formant target points of British and broad Australian accents are presented. A method for ranking the contribution of formants to accent identity is proposed whereby formants are ranked according to the normalised distances between formants across accents. The first two formants are considered more sensitive to accents than other formants. Finally a set of experiments on accent conversion is presented to transform the broad Australian accent of a speaker to British Received Pronunciation (RP) accent by formant mapping and prosody modification. Perceptual evaluations of accent conversion results illustrate that besides prosodic correlates such as pitch and duration, formants also play an important role in conveying accents.

This paper explores the estimation and mapping of probability models of formant parameter vectors for voice conversion. The formant parameter vectors consist of the frequency, bandwidth and intensity of resonance at formants. Formant parameters are derived from the coefficients of a linear prediction (LP) model of speech. The formant distributions are modelled with phonemedependent two-dimensional hidden Markov models with state Gaussian mixture densities. The HMMs are subsequently used for re-estimation of the formant trajectories of speech. Two alternative methods are explored for voice morphing. The first is a non-uniform frequency warping method and the second is based on spectral mapping via rotation of the formant vectors of the source towards those of the target. Both methods transform all formant parameters (Frequency, Bandwidth and Intensity). In addition, the factors that affect the selection of the warping ratios for the mapping function are presented. Experimental evaluation of voice morphing examples is presented.

PURPOSE To investigate quality of life in prostate cancer patients after radical retropubic prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS 401 men who underwent radical prostatectomy between January 1995 and September 1999 at our clinic were asked for information concerning daily life activities, overall satisfaction, voiding ability and sexual activity in standardized questionnaire. RESULTS The average follow-up was 36 months, 72 % (n = 289) of our patients replied. In 53 (18%) of the men who replied to our questionnaire, the nerve-sparing technique had been used. At the time our patients were questioned, 202 (70%) did not use any pads, and 211 (73%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome. Of these patients 98% would undergo a radical prostatectomy again. 13% (n = 37) of our patients reported limited satisfaction, 14% (n = 41) were not satisfied with their postoperative status. However, 69% of this latter group would nevertheless decide to have a radical prostatectomy again. Of the patients who underwent the nerve-sparing technique, 68% (n = 36) reported sufficient erections for sexual intercourse, four of them under medication with sildenafil. Patients who underwent the nerve-sparing technique reported better results in daily life activities, general health status, IPSS-score and continence. While age at the time of radical prostatectomy did not influence life quality, we found substantial correlation with the postoperative tumor stage. CONCLUSIONS Our results underline the importance of early prostate cancer detection, not only regarding a lower recurrence rate, but also because of a better postoperative quality of life.

Cardiovascular diseases are leading cause of morbidity in the world. Measurement of the level of biochemical markers in the serum is one of World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Non-specific clinical state of patients and insufficiently sensitive electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnostics, at patient's hospital admission time, point out the importance of biochemical markers in acute myocardial infarction diagnosis. Technology development and new diagnostic methods lead to the invention of highly sensitive and specific marker as myocardial damage evidence. Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) is specific marker for myocardial damage1. Its elevation in the serum within myocardial ischemia symptomatology is important in diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Polytrauma with significant lesion of peripheral nerves is a specific war injury. It is also one of the most delicate problems in rehabilitation treatment because it requires a close cooperation with surgeon and timely surgical interventions. Based on our experience, the best results in the treatment of injured persons with lesion of peripheral nerves have been accomplished after the surgical treatment. Results in the neurolysis were better than those accomplished in neurorrhaphy. Total of 436 patients with lesion of peripheral nerves were recorded and 56 patients with plexus lesion. Out of this number, 78 patients (about 15%) had surgical treatment (41 neurorrhaphy and 37 neurolysis). Due to lack of adequate ENMG diagnostics, the objective valorisation of treatment outcome was not possible.

In this paper we present introduction and development of some new analytical methods for identification of anabolic steroids, their metabolites and certain hormones, especially determination of exogenous testosterone by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Identification of central nervous stimulants and corticosteroides has been performed by high performance liquid chromatography. In desire to achieve better results, to increase strength and endurance, to sharpen reflexes and to reduce stress and anxiety athletes as well as other people use different pharmacological substances, hormones or even illicit drugs. Use of these substances without medical supervision can lead to adverse effects to one's health or even cause a death. At the same time, use of such substances means a kind of cheat that could not be accepted. This is why International Olympic Committee started at 1968 with official doping control that is permanently carried out and continuously increasing number of banned substances. Doping control demands for discover and development of new sensitive and specific methods for detection of banned substances and their metabolites in urine and blood.

Coumarin and its derivatives are reactive compounds, suitable for many syntheses. They are used as anticoagulants, antibacterial, animistic compounds. The interest in coumarins has increased because it was found that they reduce the HIV virus activity. The synthesis of 4-arylaminocoumarin derivatives from 4-hydroxycoumarin, has been carried out, and their antimycotic effects were tested. In the QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) QSPR (quantitative structure-property-activity relationship) study we have used physicochemical properties and topological indices (Balaban index J(G), Wiener index W(G), information-theoretical index I(G), and valence connectivity index (G), to predict bioactivity of the newly synthesized coumarin compounds. By using methods of molecular modelling, the relationships between structure, properties and activity of coumarin compounds have been investigated. The best QSPR models were obtained using valence connectivity index or combination indices. According Rekker's method the best correlation of calculated values log P, has been obtained with the model based on the inhibition zone (I) 4-arylaminocoumarin derivatives expressed in mm. The results obtained in this study enable further synthesis of new coumarin derivatives and predict their biological activity and properties.