The sound pressure field in the ear canal of the cat [Abstract]

Publisher’s permission requested and denied.The object of this investigation was to study the sound pressure field in a region of the ear canal of the cat, close to the drum head. A condenser microphone cartridge was used as a source of pure tone plane waves at the input end of an ear bar inserted into the ear canal of the cat. The sound pressure was measured using a probe tube that could be positioned accurately in the ear bar and in the ear canal. A frequency analysis of each steady state signal was made. Initially, sound pressure measurements were made along a line parallel to the axis of the ear bar. The results show that a distributed field description should be used above 700 Hz with the ear bar used in the experiment. It is also noted that the ear canal appears to behave as an extension of the ear bar

A speech processing strategy for an electro-tactile vocoder [Abstract]

Abstract of a paper presented at the 10th International Congress on AcousticsPast attempts at using the skin for recognition of tactile patterns derived from acoustic speech signals have largely been unsuccessful for perception of running speech. Problems facing researchers in this field include: frequency discrimination, especially for electrical stimulation, temporal and spatial resolution, real time speech processing and tactile pattern configuration strategies. It is considered that recent developments in speech processing which allow real time estimation of formant frequencies and vocal tract area functions will enable a successful speech aid to be developed. Based on results of the Tadoma (or Hofgaard) Method, in which speech is perceived by the deaf-blind using tactile and kinesthetic senses to determine movements of a speaker's articulators, a model is evaluated which enables a tactile display of articulatry information derived from parameters extracted from the speech signal by real time speech processing. Psychophysical measurements of percepts of computer derived patterns were carried out concentrating in particular on patterns more likely to be important for phonemic and speech discrimination. In this way it is hoped to validate the model as a useful speech aid for the profoundly and partially deaf.198

Management of raised glucose, a clinical decision tool to reduce length of stay of patients with hyperglycaemia.

To assess whether the introduction of a management of raised glucose clinical decision tool could improve assessment of patients with hyperglycaemia by non-specialist physicians, leading to early discharge and improved quality of inpatient care

Re-evaluating sowing time of spring canola ('Brassica napus' L.) in south-eastern Australia - how early is too early?

Optimising the sowing date of canola ('Brassica napus' L.) in specific environments is an important determinant of yield worldwide. In eastern Australia, late April to early May has traditionally been considered the optimum sowing window for spring canola, with significant reduction in yield and oil in later sown crops. Recent and projected changes in climate, new vigorous hybrids, and improved fallow management and seeding equipment have stimulated a re-evaluation of early-April sowing to capture physiological advantages of greater biomass production and earlier flowering under contemporary conditions. Early-mid-April sowing generated the highest or equal highest yield and oil content in eight of nine field experiments conducted from 2002 to 2012 in south-eastern Australia. Declines in seed yield (-6.0% to -6.5%), oil content (-0.5% to -1.5%) and water-use efficiency (-3.8% to -5.5%) per week delay in sowing after early April reflected levels reported in previous studies with sowings from late April. Interactions with cultivar phenology were evident at some sites depending on seasonal conditions. There was no consistent difference in performance between hybrid and non-hybrid cultivars at the earliest sowing dates. Despite low temperatures thought to damage early pods at some sites

Management of raised glucose, a clinical decision tool to reduce length of stay of patients with hyperglycaemia.

To assess whether the introduction of a management of raised glucose clinical decision tool could improve assessment of patients with hyperglycaemia by non-specialist physicians, leading to early discharge and improved quality of inpatient care

Reply to discussion by Dr. Katalin Bagi

Well-designed agricultural decision support tools (DS) equip farmers with a rapid, easy way to compare multiple scenarios as well as the influence of different management strategies on crop production. One such tool, CropARM (http://www.armonline.com.au) assists users in establishing a framework of risk, with simulations incorporating climate scenarios and management actions, such as fertiliser rates, sowing time, row spacing, and irrigation regimes. When used in conjunction with soil and climate characteristics, biophysical model-based DS tools provide information that complements farmer experience and helps establish a framework for risk management given local climate characteristics. In this study, we used the APSIM model to provide the simulation data necessary to expand CropARM for new management conditions and environments in southern Australia. Prior to this work being undertaken, no CropARM data was available for Tasmania and no sites in CropARM allowed users to compare rainfed and irrigated wheat crops. This study collated data from 27 plots across ten sites in Tasmania, from the period 1981 to 2011, under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. APSIM was parameterised with these field observations and the subsequent scenario simulations were used to populate CropARM. Wheat cultivars used in the parameterisation of APSIM include Brennan, Isis, Mackeller, Revenue, Tennant (winter types) and Kellalac (spring type). The validation showed reliable model parameterisation, with an r2 value of close to 1, which is considered satisfactory. 670,680 simulations were undertaken and incorporated within the CropARM database for wheat cropping systems across Tasmania. With regularly updated climate streams, the free online framework provided by CropARM gives users the ability to assess downside risks associated with several different crop management alternatives, and by simultaneously comparing multiple scenarios, users can select management options that are likely to adhere most closely with their desired management objectives