In this paper we describe how unit selection for concatenative speech synthesis can be implemented efficiently for sub-phonetic units using weighted finite state transducers (WFST). We also introduce splicing costs as a measure to indicate which unit boundaries are particularly good or poor joint points. Splicing costs extend the flexibility offered by the unit selection paradigm. Through a per...

CONTEXT Iatrogenic injuries are very common in critically ill adults. However, the financial implications of these events are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE To determine the costs of adverse events in patients in the medical intensive care unit and in the cardiac intensive care unit. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS We performed a matched case-control analysis on data collected during a pr...

BACKGROUND Adherence to antiretroviral medication regimens is essential to good clinical outcomes for HIV-infected patients. Little is known about the costs of case management (CM) designed to improve adherence for patients identified as being at risk for poor adherence in resource-constrained settings. This study analyzed the costs, outputs, unit costs and correlates of unit cost variation for...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to quantify the healthcare costs per unit increase in body mass index (BMI). METHODS This cross-sectional study included 35,932 employees and spouses in a manufacturing company who participated in an indemnity/PPO plan and one health risk appraisal during 2001 and 2002. RESULTS Within the BMI range of 25 to 45 kg/m, medical costs and pharmaceutical ...

BACKGROUND Pathogen inactivation (PI) is a new approach to blood safety that may introduce additional costs. This study identifies costs that could be eliminated, thereby mitigating the financial impact. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Cost information was obtained from five institutions on tests and procedures (e.g., irradiation) currently performed, that could be eliminated. The impact of increase...

OBJECTIVE To calculate the variable costs involved with the process of delivering erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) in European dialysis practices. METHODS A conceptual model was developed to classify the processes and sub-processes followed in the pharmacy (ordering from supplier, receiving/storing/delivering ESA to the dialysis unit), dialysis unit (dose determination, ordering, recei...

background and objectives: efficient hospital management requires appropriate cost and price strategies. informed decision on costs and prices of healthcare services needs estimation of costs of unit services using microeconomic techniques. there is lack of knowledge and skills for such costing methods in the healthcare sector of developing countries such as iran. this study aims at detail desc...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to estimate the annual costs of information, education, and communication (IEC), both community- and school-based; strengthened public and private sexually transmitted infections treatment; condom social marketing (CSM); and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) implemented in Masaka, Uganda, over 4 years, and to explore how unit costs change with varyi...

OBJECTIVE To present evidence on the total costs and unit costs of delivering six integrated sexual reproductive health and HIV services in a high and medium HIV prevalence setting, in order to support policy makers and planners scaling up these essential services. DESIGN A retrospective facility based costing study conducted in 40 non-government organization and public health facilities in K...