Artykuły w czasopismach na temat „Interference free window”

The guard interval (GI) filling with cyclic prefix (CP) is inserted in the conventional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system in order to be free of the inter-symbol interference (ISI). The frequency spectrum leakage out of band is mitigated by using the time-domain windowing method. Meanwhile, the GI-free OFDM have been studied in order to achieve high efficiency of bandwidth usage. This paper addresses the windowing method of partial response function for this case. It is shown that the information data can be detected precisely and the frequency spectrum leakage is mitigated without loss of bandwidth efficiency.

Epitaxially laterally overgrown GaN on sapphire was used to reduce the number of threading dislocations originating from the interface of the GaN epilayer with the sapphire substrate. The GaN layer above the SiO2 mask area surrounding the window and corresponding to the lateral overgrowth was nearly free of threading dislocations. A high density of threading dislocations was observed in the vicinity of GaN grown in the window regions. InGaN multiquantum well-structure laser diodes (LDs) grown on pure GaN substrates, which were fabricated by removing the sapphire substrate, were demonstrated. The LDs with an output power of 5 mW exhibited a lifetime of more than 290 h and an estimated lifetime of 10,000 h despite a relatively large threshold current density. The far-field pattern of the LDs with a cleaved mirror facet revealed single-mode emission without any interference effects.

Mitotane therapy is associated with many side effects, including thyroid function perturbations mimicking central hypothyroidism, possibly due to laboratory test interference or pituitary direct effects of mitotane. We investigated whether increasing concentrations of mitotane in the therapeutic range might interfere with thyroid hormone assays and evaluated the effects of mitotane on a mouse TSH-producing pituitary cell line. TSH, free T4, and free T3 levels do not significantly change in sera from hypo-, hyper-, or euthyroid patients after addition of mitotane at concentrations in the therapeutic window. In the mouse TαT1 cell line, mitotane inhibits both TSH expression and secretion, blocks TSH response to TRH, and reduces cell viability, inducing apoptosis at concentrations in the therapeutic window. TRH is not capable of rescuing TαT1 cells from the inhibitory effects of mitotane on TSH expression and secretion, which appear after short time treatment and persist over time. Our results demonstrate that mitotane does not interfere with thyroid hormone laboratory tests but directly reduces both secretory activity and cell viability on pituitary TSH-secreting mouse cells. These data represent a possible explanation of the biochemical picture consistent with central hypothyroidism in patients undergoing mitotane therapy and open new perspectives on the direct pituitary effects of this drug.

Sparse code multiple access (SCMA) is a promising code domain non-orthogonal multiple-access scheme which is able to support massive connectivity and grant-free transmission in future satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) communication networks. Traditional grant-free SCMA is based on time synchronization, which is no longer favorable in such satellite communication networks since the amount of signaling generated to keep all transmitters’ time synchronized is impractical for large networks. Moreover, without centralized codebook assignment, grant-free SCMA suffers from codebook collisions which mean more than one terminal selecting the same codebook being interfered. Motivated by these issues, a novel uplink grant-free asynchronous flipped SCMA scheme named AF-SCMA is proposed in this paper. With the concept of flipped diversity, a specific SCMA-encoded packet is transmitted with its flipped replica together. Successive interference cancellation technique combined with a sliding window is adopted to resolve the packet collisions including codebook collisions at the gateway station. The performance of AF-SCMA is investigated via both mathematical analysis and simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed AF-SCMA provides remarkable performance in terms of throughput and packet loss ratio (PLR), and can benefit from the received signal power unbalance.

The accurate determination of seismic attenuation, or [Formula: see text], is useful for signal enhancement and reservoir characterization. To arrive at the necessary accuracy however, a number of issues must be addressed in the measurement technique. Specifically, spectral interference from closely spaced reflections is a major concern, in addition to the assumptions and errors associated with the raypath geometries of the reference and measured reflections. We have developed a robust method for measuring attenuation from prestack surface seismic gathers that helps minimize these issues. In our prestack [Formula: see text]-inversion technique; the presence of spectral interference was first reduced by making use of a variable-window time-frequency transform. To minimize the effects of the remaining interference, we then made use of an inversion scheme operating simultaneously in the frequency and traveltime-difference coordinates. A by-product of this inversion was a collection of the frequency-independent amplitude changes, which in the absence of geometric spreading, contains valuable amplitude variation with angle information, free from attenuation amplitude losses. Furthermore, under the assumption of locally 1D velocity and attenuation distributions, we made use of the [Formula: see text] transform to operate on traces of constant horizontal slowness. This allowed angle-dependent effects in the overburden such as attenuation anisotropy and source or receiver directivity to be eliminated. In the second part of our study, published separately, this technique was also demonstrated upon a shallow 3D seismic survey, and the measurements compared to another Q-estimation technique, as well as measurements from a vertical seismic profile.

Light element data are required for robust and accurate lithogeochemical interpretations and are important components in the study of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization processes. In this contribution we review the latest available portable energy dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) technologies exclusively in the context of light element analysis, with focus on the acquisition of data for Na, Mg, Al and Si. We discuss pXRF hardware design limitations, quantify variables that attenuate X-ray energies through numerical modelling, including common pXRF configurations, and empirically investigate modern pXRF technologies used to mitigate X-ray attenuation and improve light element analysis.The void between the sample and detector is a key issue regarding the success of pXRF light element analysis. Dry-air (normal conditions), vacuum purge and helium flush systems are evaluated. Modelled data that use a nominal sample-detector void of 10 mm show that using helium in lieu of air improves X-ray transmission effectiveness from ≈2% to ≈99% for Na and ≈10% to ≈100% for Mg. Modelled detector window data show that using a graphene detector window in lieu of a traditional beryllium detector window improves X-ray transmission effectiveness for Na from ≈38% to ≈64% and ≈57% to ≈77% for Mg. Progressive X-ray transmission effectiveness equates to ≈63% Na and ≈76% Mg when using a helium-graphene pXRF configuration v. ≈1% for Na and ≈6% Mg when using a traditional in-air beryllium pXRF arrangement (i.e. without sample or X-ray entrance window media).Empirically determined improvements of the resolved signal are more modest than those of modelled X-ray transmission effectiveness data. Instrument noise, spectral overlaps and random counting errors are unavoidable and inherent with the limitations of modern detector technologies. However, the employment of helium with graphene detector window technology allows very precise data to be obtained at significantly shorter scan times (i.e. 20 s, instead of the traditional 60–180 s, i.e. 3–9 times faster): a scan time of 20 s can achieve a precision of ≈18% @ ≈0.4% Na and ≈8% @ ≈0.3% Mg for elemental interference-free samples. Precision will improve with increasing analyte concentration.

Abstract. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) profile retrievals were performed by ship-borne Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) using a compact/low-power spectrometer on the Japanese research vessel Kaiyo during two ocean cruises around Japan and Japan-Bali (Indonesia)-Indian Ocean. DOAS analysis using a 425–450 nm fitting window revealed a clear land–ocean contrast in NO2 differential slant column densities (DSCDs) but poor fitting results and negative values, especially at low elevation angles at low latitudes (< ~20° N). The poor fitting resulted in sparse NO2 volume mixing ratio (VMR) data for the 0–1 km layer after applying our vertical profile retrieval method. In contrast, NO2 VMRs retrieved using fitting results from 460–490 nm are positive even at low latitudes, while they are reasonably similar to those obtained from 425–450 nm at mid-latitudes. Because NO2 DSCD for 425–450 nm shows a negative correlation with water vapor (H2O) DSCD, the poor fitting appears to be due primarily to interference by H2O. We analyzed a 338–370 nm fitting window, which is free from H2O, and found good agreement between NO2 VMRs retrieved from 460–490 nm and 338–370 nm, even at low latitudes, at NO2 VMRs higher than ~0.2 ppbv. The results indicate that the background value of NO2 VMR over the western Pacific and Indian Ocean during the cruises was less than ~0.2 ppbv, with occasional enhancement to levels of ~0.2–0.4 ppbv.

Arginase-1, an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of L-arginine to L-ornithine, is implicated in the tumor immune response and represents an interesting therapeutic target in immuno-oncology. Initiating arginase drug discovery efforts remains a challenge due to a lack of suitable high-throughput assay methodologies. This report describes the combination of self-assembled monolayers and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry to enable the first label-free and high-throughput assay for arginase activity. The assay was optimized for kinetically balanced conditions and miniaturized, while achieving a robust assay (Z-factor > 0.8) and a significant assay window [signal-to-background ratio > 20] relative to fluorescent approaches. To validate the assay, the inhibition of the reference compound nor-NOHA (Nω-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine) was evaluated, and the IC50 measured to be in line with reported results (IC50 = 180 nM). The assay was then used to complete a screen of 175,000 compounds, demonstrating the high-throughput capacity of the approach. The label-free format also eliminates opportunities for false-positive results due to interference from library compounds and optical readouts. The assay methodology described here enables new opportunities for drug discovery for arginase and, due to the assay flexibility, can be more broadly applicable for measuring other amino acid–metabolizing enzymes.

Signals transmitted over long distances through underwater acoustic channels are prone to corruption due to wind interference, ambient noises and various other sources of disturbance. Adaptive filters can be used to extenuate the effect of ambient noise in acoustic signals. A competent technique to denoise acoustic signals using adaptive filters has been proposed. Adaptive filtering techniques such as least mean square (LMS), normalized least mean square (NLMS) and Kalman least mean square (KLMS) have been analyzed based on their performance, with the help of characteristics like signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and mean square error (MSE) for various wind speeds. An exhaustive set of data, collected using a custom made fixture containing two hydrophones, from shallow water regions in Bay of Bengal, have been used to verify the efficacy of this method. Based on the results obtained by simulation and Lab window simulator, hardware has been designed to denoise the useful signal. The defective source signal is passed through a Kalman filter based denoising hardware system. This system performs necessary operations to denoise the defective source signal and the final turnout is made free from ambient noise. The denoised signal is then stored in an external device for future use.

Little is known about how the initial endothelial plexus is remodelled into a mature and functioning vascular network. Studying postnatal remodelling of the retina vasculature, we show that a critical step in vascular maturation, namely pericyte recruitment, proceeds by outmigration of cells positive for (alpha)-smooth muscle actin from arterioles and that coverage of primary and smaller branches lags many days behind formation of the endothelial plexus. The transient existence of a pericyte-free endothelial plexus coincides temporally and spatially with the process of hyperoxia-induced vascular pruning, which is a mechanism for fine tuning of vascular density according to available oxygen. Acquisition of a pericyte coating marks the end of this plasticity window. To substantiate that association with pericytes stabilizes the vasculature, endothelial-pericyte associations were disrupted by intraocular injection of PDGF-BB. Ectopic PDGF-BB caused the detachment of PDGF-beta receptor-positive pericytes from newly coated vessels, presumably through interference with endogenous cues, but had no effect on mature vessels. Disruption of endothelial-pericyte associations resulted in excessive regression of vascular loops and abnormal remodelling. Conversely, intraocular injection of VEGF accelerated pericyte coverage of the preformed endothelial plexus, thereby revealing a novel function of this pleiotropic angiogenic growth factor. These findings also provide a cellular basis for clinical observations that vascular regression in premature neonates subjected to oxygen therapy [i.e. in retinopathy of prematurity] drops precipitously upon maturation of retina vessels and a mechanistic explanation to our previous findings that VEGF can rescue immature vessels from hyperoxia-induced regression.

One of the major current challenges to both medicine and neuroscience is the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, which pose an ever-increasing medical, social and economic burden in the developed world. These disorders, which include Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases, and the rarer prion diseases, are separate entities clinically but have common features, including aggregates of misfolded proteins and varying patterns of neurodegeneration. A key barrier to effective treatment is that patients present clinically with advanced, irreversible, neuronal loss. Critically, mechanisms of neurotoxicity are poorly understood. Prevention of neuronal loss, ideally by targeting underlying pathogenic mechanisms, must be the aim of therapy. The present review describes the rationale and experimental approaches that have allowed such prevention, rescuing neurons in mice with prion disease. This rescue cured animals of a rapidly fatal neurodegenerative condition, resulting in symptom-free survival for their natural lifespan. Early pathological changes were reversed; behavioural, cognitive and neurophysiological deficits were recovered; and there was no neuronal loss. This was achieved by targeting the central pathogenic process in prion disease rather than the presumed toxic species, first by proof-of-principle experiments in transgenic mice and then by treatment using RNA interference for gene knockdown. The results have been a new therapeutic target for prion disease, further insight into mechanisms of prion neurotoxicity and the discovery of a window of reversibility in neuronal damage. Furthermore, the work gives rise to new concepts for treatment strategies for other neurodegenerative disorders, and highlights the need for clinical detection of early neuronal dysfunction, so that similar early rescue can also be achieved for these disorders.

AbstractPreplant (PP) herbicide applications are an important tool within an integrated weed management system, specifically in no-till production. An understanding of crop tolerance regarding PP applications is important for effectively integrating a new herbicide into no-till cropping systems. Twelve field trials (six in corn and six in soybean) were conducted over a 2-yr period (2018 and 2019) near Exeter and Ridgetown, ON. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the tolerance of soybean and corn to halauxifen-methyl applied PP, PRE, or POST at the registered rate (5 g a.i. ha−1) and twice the registered rate (10 g a.i. ha−1), hereafter referred to as the 1× and 2× rate, respectively. All trials were kept weed-free throughout the growing season to remove the confounding effect of weed interference. Halauxifen-methyl applied 14 d preplant (DPP), 7 DPP, 1 DPP, and 5 d after seeding (DAS) at the 1× and 2× rates caused ≤10% visible soybean injury. In contrast, halauxifen-methyl applied POST (cotyledon–unifoliate stage, VE-VC) caused 67% to 87% visible soybean injury, a 50% to 53% reduction in height, 65% to 81% decrease in population, 56% to 67% lower biomass, and 53% to 63% decline in yield. Halauxifen-methyl applied 10 DPP, 5 DPP, 1 DPP, 5 DAS, and POST (spike–one leaf stage, VE-V1) at the 1× and 2× rate caused ≤3% visible corn injury and caused no effect on corn height or biomass. Halauxifen-methyl applied at VE-V1 at the 2× rate reduced corn yield 10%. Based on these studies, the current application restriction of 7 DPP in soybean and 5 DPP in corn is conservative and could be expanded. Expanding the application window of halauxifen-methyl would increase the utility of this herbicide for producers.

The oxygenation state of myoglobin and the redox state of cytochrome c provide information on the[Formula: see text] in the cytosol and mitochondria, respectively. An optical “window” from ∼540 to 585 nm was found in the pig heart in vivo that permitted the monitoring of myoglobin and cytochrome c without interference from Hb oxygenation or blood volume. Scanning reflectance spectroscopy was performed on the surgically exposed left ventricle of pigs. Difference spectra between control and a total left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion revealed maxima and minima in this spectral region consistent with myoglobin deoxygenation and cytochrome c and b reduction. Comparison of in vivo data with in vitro fractions of the heart, including Hb-free tissue whole heart and homogenates, mitochondria, myoglobin, and pig red blood cells, reveals minimal contributions of Hb in vivo. This conclusion was confirmed by expanding the blood volume of the myocardium and increasing mean Hb O2 saturation with an intracoronary infusion of adenosine (20 μg ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1), which had no significant effect on the 540- to 585-nm region. These results also suggested that myoglobin O2 saturation was not blood flow limited under these conditions in vivo. Work jump studies with phenylephrine also failed to change cytochrome c redox state or myoglobin oxygenation. Computer simulations using recent physical data are consistent with the notion that myoglobin O2 saturation is >92% under basal conditions and does not change significantly with moderate workloads. These studies show that reflectance spectroscopy can assess myocardial oxygenation in vivo. Myoglobin O2 saturation is very high and is not labile to moderate changes in cardiac workload in the open-chest pig model. These findings indicate that myoglobin does not contribute significantly to O2 transport via facilitated diffusion under these conditions.

Abstract An adaptive spectral moments estimation technique has been developed for analyzing the Doppler spectra of the mesosphere–stratosphere–troposphere (MST) radar signals. The technique, implemented with the MST radar at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79°E), is based on certain criteria, set up for the Doppler window, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and wind shear parameters, which are used to adaptively track the signal in the range–Doppler spectral frame. Two cases of radar data, one for low and the other for high SNR conditions, have been analyzed and the results are compared with those from the conventional method based on the strongest peak detection in each range gate. The results clearly demonstrate that by using the adaptive method the height coverage can be considerably enhanced compared to the conventional method. For the low SNR case, the height coverage for the adaptive and conventional methods is about 22 and 11 km, respectively; the corresponding heights for the high SNR case are 24 and 13 km. To validate the results obtained through the adaptive method, the velocity profile is compared with global positioning system balloon sounding (GPS sonde) observations. The results of the adaptive method show excellent agreement with the GPS sonde measured wind speeds and directions throughout the height profile. To check the robustness and reliability of the adaptive algorithm, data taken over a diurnal cycle at 1-h intervals were analyzed. The results demonstrate the reliability of the algorithm in extracting wind profiles that are self-consistent in time. The adaptive method is thus found to be of considerable advantage over the conventional method in extracting information from the MST radar signal spectrum, particularly under low SNR conditions that are free from interference and ground clutter.

The recent development of quantum cascade lasers, with room-temperature emission in the mid-infrared range, opened new opportunities for the implementation of ultra-wideband communication systems. Specifically, the mid-infrared atmospheric transparency windows, comprising wavelengths between 3–5 µm and 8–14 µm, have great potential for free-space communications, as they provide a wide unregulated spectrum with low Mie and Rayleigh scattering and reduced background noise. Despite the great efforts devoted to the development of mid-infrared sources and detectors, little attention is dedicated to the management of polarization for signal processing. In this work, we used Ge-rich SiGe alloys to build a wideband and polarization-insensitive mid-infrared photonic platform. We showed that the gradual index change in the SiGe alloys enabled the design of waveguides with remarkably low birefringence, below 2 × 10−4, over ultra-wide wavelength ranges within both atmospheric transparency windows, near wavelengths of 3.5 µm and 9 µm. We also report on the design of a polarization-independent multimode interference device achieving efficient power splitting in an unprecedented 4.5-µm bandwidth at around 10-µm wavelength. The ultra-wideband polarization-insensitive building blocks presented here pave the way for the development of high-performance on-chip photonic circuits for next-generation mid-infrared free-space communication systems.

Cochlear implants are now the treatment of choice for patients with severe to profound hearing loss. Inclusion criteria for cochlear implantation have expanded, and a whole array of implantable hearing devices have been introduced over the years. To date, more than 250 cochlear implantations have now been performed in the Philippines (Figure 1). In 2006, the first auditory brainstem implantation, and first vibroplasty or middle ear implantation in the country were done at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). In 2008, the first electroacoustic stimulation or partial deafness cochlear implantation surgery in the country was performed at the Capitol Medical Center by Professor Joachim Müeller of the University of Würzburg and the author. This concept, that cochlear implantation can be performed for patients with residual hearing or only partial deafness, is quite novel. There are patients whose low frequency hearing below 1.5 kHz is still be quite good while high frequency hearing loss above 1.5 kHz is in the severe to profound range (Figure 2). For such patients speech discrimination scores will typically fall below 60% at 65 dB sound pressure level (SPL) in the best aided condition. This technological advancement, often called electroacoustic stimulation (EAS), was developed in 1999 after Christoph Von Ilberg demonstrated preserved residual low frequency hearing in a patient who underwent cochlear implantation such that the patient wore a hearing aid in the implanted ear.1 Currently, EAS devices are available from two manufacturers. Contraindications to the use of EAS are shown in Table 1. Candidates for EAS devices should have stable low frequency hearing. There should be no progressive or autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss. Also there should be no history of meningitis, otosclerosis, or any other malformation that might cause an obstruction. The patient’s air-bone gap should be < 15 dB. Finally, there should not be any external auditory canal problems that can impede placement of the ear mould for the acoustic component. There are two main components of the EAS system (Figure 3). The external component is made up of a microphone that picks up sounds and a processor that separately encodes low and high frequency energy. After processing, low frequency energy is converted into an acoustic signal via the loudspeaker located in the ear hook and delivered into the external auditory canal. This acoustic signal will vibrate the tympanic membrane and ossicles so that cochlear fluids as well as the relatively intact structures of the cochlea in the apical region are stimulated. In contrast, high frequency energy is coded into radio-wave-like signals which are transmitted transcutaneously to the internal receiver. There, electric signals are delivered to the electrode array that has been surgically implanted into the cochlea. Thus the auditory nerve receives information using two different pathways from low and high frequency sounds, and the auditory nerve signals are then transmitted to the brain. Our Experience: Of the more than 100 implantations done under the Philippine National Ear Institute “CHIP” or Cochlear and Hearing Implants Programme only one was a case of EAS implantation. This particular case demonstrates key principles and concepts that every otolaryngologist should consider. Among these are audiological evaluation, temporal bone imaging, surgical technique for hearing preservation and some quality of life issues. Audiological Evaluation A 33 year old man had been seen at the clinic for over 7 years, with serial audiograms (Figure 4-6) illustrating the presence of good and stable low frequency hearing while high frequency hearing loss increased somewhat. The patient had been continually advised to get the best hearing aids available. However, a series of high-end hearing aids did not solve his problem of poor hearing in noisy places nor his difficulty understanding words when watching television and movies. Figure 7A shows the speech perception scores of this patient obtained with a Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification (WIPI) test, a “closed-set test” using isolated words while Figure 7B represents speech scores when “open-set” Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) Sentence Lists were presented to the listener in both quiet and noise prior to the implantation. Temporal bone imaging A combination of high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) of the temporal bone with both coronal and axial cochlear views, and T2-weighted normal anatomic Fast Spin Echo (T2 FSE) or 3D Constructive Interference in Steady State (3D CISS) MRI sequences of the inner ear should be done. Results from both studies should ascertain whether the cochlear duct is patent, ruling out any cochlear fibrosis or obstructive pathology. This patient’s HRCT and 3-D CISS MRI studies showed no such cochlear obliteration that would have posed intraoperative difficulties and constituted contraindications to EAS surgery (Figure 8). Surgical Technique for Hearing Preservation A variety of techniques have evolved over the years into what is now commonly called minimally invasive cochlear implantation. Using minimally invasive techniques, residual hearing can indeed be preserved in over 80%-90% of patients 3,4 Initially, a “Soft Cochleostomy” technique was introduced. This entailed careful low-speed drilling of the promontory with a Skeeter® drill (Medtronic Xomed, Jacksonville FL, USA) followed by the use of a mini-lancet to make an opening in the membranous labyrinth. This method avoids direct suctioning and prevents ingress of blood and bone dust into the intracochlear compartment. Also, for this method, the endosteum is left intact after drilling a cochleostomy antero-inferior to the round window. This allows proper placement of the electrode into the scala tympani with less chance of injury to the basilar membrane. Later, a round window approach was introduced, and it also proved to be a reliable way to preserve residual hearing during cochlear implantation. For this method, a more direct round window approach is performed after careful drilling of the round window niche. A limited incision is made just large enough to allow the electrode to be inserted. For both methods, after the endosteal or round window membrane incision is made with a micro lancet, a very flexible electrode of 20 mm length is slowly inserted. During the insertion process, the cochleostomy or round window is kept under direct vision so that insertion forces are minimized. Topical antibiotics and steroids are applied at this time to reduce any inflammatory or apoptotic reactions related to the trauma of opening the cochlea and introducing an electrode. Finally, a soft tissue plug is placed tightly around the electrode entry point into the membranous labyrinth to prevent perilymph leakage. New electrode designs that are thinner and more flexible are important contributors to the preservation of hearing. Postoperative Outcomes and Quality of Life After about 4-6 weeks from the time of surgery the EAS implant is switched on. Based on our experience and that of others,3 speech perception performance improves with prolonged experience with the implant. Roughly 1 ½ years post-surgery this patient has achieved dramatic improvement in hearing both in quiet and in noise using the EAS compared to using only the hearing aid component or the CI component alone. Figure 9 shows this dramatic improvement in free-field pure tone thresholds. Figure 10 demonstrates the speech perception following EAS implantation compared to pre-EAS implantation. Audiologic evaluation done at the PGH Ear Unit using 20 phonetically balanced Filipino words familiar to the patient in quiet and with 55 dB masking noise in the side of the implanted ear clearly showed an advantage with the EAS configuration compared to either hearing aid or CI component alone. Even with noise, this patient actually performed better presumably because he may have concentrated more with the introduction of masking noise. Another factor of course is that the words have now become familiar to the patient with the previous testing done in quiet. Notably, he reported great subjective improvement after only 10 months post-surgery.5 Interestingly the patient’s only complaint during his last follow-up was that he had not been offered bilateral EAS implantation. It is always important for the otolaryngologist to consider the quality of hearing and quality of life of patients with hearing loss. Intervention should not end with a referral note to a hearing aid center or dispenser. It is important to request proof of improvement not only of hearing thresholds but of speech perception outcomes in quiet and in noise. That is, one should document actual performance with the device in place, regardless of the type of device (hearing aid, an EAS device, or a Cochlear implant). Minimal disturbance of the remaining intact structures of the cochlea of patients with low frequency residual hearing can be achieved by employing a meticulous surgical technique, by using the advanced and flexible electrodes developed by some manufacturers, and instilling intraoperative antibiotics and steroids. Thus when one is faced with a ski-slope type audiogram it is likely the patient with this audiogram will not benefit from hearing aids. Such patients should be offered the option of EAS implantation which combines good acoustic stimulation with electric stimulation using a shorter (than conventional cochlear implantation) but very flexible electrode system. Counseling must also be done with a special emphasis on the risk of losing residual hearing, and noting that post-operative rehabilitation may take a long period of time. This patient now has a better quality of life than was obtainable from the most expensive and advanced hearing aids in the market, and has demonstrated a new implantable solution to partial deafness. Truly, EAS technology has opened a new era in prosthetic rehabilitation for hearing impaired adults and children.5 Acknowledgement Dr. Maria Rina Reyes-Quintos is gratefully acknowledged for performing all the excellent audiological testing following the surgery while Susan Javier and Angie Tongko of Manila Hearing Aid Center performed all the audiological testing prior to the surgery. Ms. Celina Ann Tobias, Professional Education Manager of Med-El is also credited with thanks for preparing the figures, reviewing the manuscript and interviewing the patient regarding his hearing performance following the surgery.

Background: The determination of drugs in pharmaceutical formulations and human biologic fluids is important for pharmaceutical and medical sciences. Successful analysis requires low sensitivity, high selectivity and minimum interference effects. Current analytical methods can detect drugs at very low levels but these methods require long sample preparation steps, extraction prior to analysis, highly trained technical staff and high-cost instruments. Biosensors offer several advantages such as short analysis time, high sensitivity, real-time analysis, low-cost instruments, and short pretreatment steps over traditional techniques. Biosensors allow quantification not only of the active component in pharmaceutical formulations, but also the degradation products and metabolites in biological fluids. The present review gives comprehensive information on the application of biosensors for drug discovery and analysis. Moreover, this review focuses on the fabrication of these biosensors. Methods: Biosensors can be classified as the utilized bioreceptor and the signal transduction mechanism. The classification based on signal transductions includes electrochemical optical, thermal or acoustic. Electrochemical and optic transducers are mostly utilized transducers used for drug analysis. There are many biological recognition elements, such as enzymes, antibodies, cells that have been used in fabricating of biosensors. Aptamers and antibodies are the most widely used recognition elements for the screening of the drugs. Electrochemical sensors and biosensors have several advantages such as low detection limits, a wide linear response range, good stability and reproducibility. Optical biosensors have several advantages such as direct, real-time and label-free detection of many biological and chemical substances, high specificity, sensitivity, small size and low cost. Modified electrodes enhance sensitivity of the electrodes to develop a new biosensor with desired features. Chemically modified electrodes have gained attention in drug analysis owing to low background current, wide potential window range, simple surface renewal, low detection limit and low cost. Modified electrodes produced by modifying of a solid surface electrode via different materials (carbonaceous materials, metal nanoparticles, polymer, biomolecules) immobilization. Recent advances in nanotechnology offer opportunities to design and construct biosensors. Unique features of nanomaterials provide many advantages in the fabrication of biosensors. Nanomaterials have controllable chemical structures, large surface to volume ratios, functional groups on their surface. To develop proteininorganic hybrid nanomaterials, four preparation methods have been used. These methods are immobilization, conjugation, crosslinking and self-assembly. In the present manuscript, applications of different biosensors, fabricated by using several materials, for drug analysis are reviewed. The biosensing strategies are investigated and discussed in detail. Results: Several analytical techniques such as chromatography, spectroscopy, radiometry, immunoassays and electrochemistry have been used for drug analysis and quantification. Methods based on chromatography require timeconsuming procedure, long sample-preparation steps, expensive instruments and trained staff. Compared to chromatographic methods, immunoassays have simple protocols and lower cost. Electrochemical measurements have many advantages over traditional chemical analyses and give information about drug quantity, metabolic fate of drugs, and pharmacological activity. Moreover, the electroanalytical methods are useful to determine drugs sensitively and selectivity. Additionally, these methods decrease analysis cost and require low-cost instruments and simple sample pretreatment steps. Conclusion: In recent years, drug analyses are performed using traditional techniques. These techniques have a good detection limit, but they have some limitations such as long analysis time, expensive device and experienced personnel requirement. Increased demand for practical and low-cost analytical techniques biosensor has gained interest for drug determinations in medical sciences. Biosensors are unique and successful devices when compared to traditional techniques. For drug determination, different electrode modification materials and different biorecognition elements are used for biosensor construction. Several biosensor construction strategies have been developed to enhance the biosensor performance. With the considerable progress in electrode surface modification, promotes the selectivity of the biosensor, decreases the production cost and provides miniaturization. In the next years, advances in technology will provide low cost, sensitive, selective biosensors for drug analysis in drug formulations and biological samples.

Compact Astronomical Low-frequency, Low-cost Instrument for Spectroscopy in Transportable Observatories (CALLISTO) is a global network of spectrometer system with the purpose to observe the Sun’s activities. There are 25 stations that are used for this purpose. Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) is a major obstacle when performing observation with CALLISTO. We have confirmed at least 2 stations out of 10 stations with a complete overview spectral (OVS) made available to us showed clear detection of these consistent types of RFI for each specific region. In Malaysia, these RFI are also clearly detected. The major RFI affecting CALLISTO within radio astronomical windows below 1 GHz are local electronic system specifically radio navigation (at 73.1 MHz and 75.2 MHz), broadcasting (at (i) 151 MHz, (ii) 151.8 MHz and 152 MHz), aeronautical navigation (at (i) 245.5 MHz, (ii) 248.7 MHz and (iii) 249 MHz and fixed mobile at (i) 605 MHz, (ii) 608.3 MHz, (iii) 612.2 MHz, (iv) 613.3 MHz). It is obviously showed that all sites within this region are free from interference at 320-330 MHz and is the best specific region to be considered for solar burst monitoring. We also investigate the effect of RFI on detection of solar burst. We have considered type III solar bursts on 9th March 2012 in order to measure the percentage of RFI level during the solar burst. The RFI level is as low as 6.512% to 80.769% above solar burst detection.

This paper describes a newly developed algorithm for CAD-based dimensional inspection path planning utilizing coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The algorithm guarantees to provide optimum collision-free inspection probe paths by using the topological structure of the boundary representation (B-rep) solid CAD models of the inspected parts. A concept of automatic generation of optimum and collision free path in three dimensional space using available CAD database is proposed. The algorithm is generic for generating probe path over prismatic polyhedral parts. It serves as a principal part of the inspection path planning system. It is based on the modified ray tracing technique which uses a B-Rep data from any geometric modeling systems. Between start point and target point, an imaginary ray is established and if an intersection with part is encountered, an optimal detour path is created avoiding interference of the probe with the part. The generated path consists of linear segments joining start point and target point by various intermediate points. To locate these intermediate points in the consideration space, topological and geometrical structures of the part models are used at the time of decision making. To examine and implement the algorithm, a user-friendly application is developed employing AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARX) development environment with object oriented programming (OOP) techniques, running on a Windows NT workstation. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by the results of the implementation demonstrating optimum collision-free dimensional inspection path generation for four representative prismatic part models. All in all, this work contributes to the knowledge-base formation of automated dimensional inspection research area and paves a way for the integration of CMMs into a CAD/CAM environment, thus automate the process of design, manufacturing and quality assurance.

Multicomponent sinusoidal frequency modulated (SFM) signals are widely used in radar, acoustics, and biomedicine. The instantaneous frequency (IF) characterizes important physical parameters of the real applications. In this paper, a sinusoidal frequency modulation Fourier-Bessel (SFMFB) series is defined for IF estimation. It provides the signal decomposition on the Bessel function basis with a finer resolution, which proposes an extension of the performance and the applicability of the classic Fourier-Bessel transform (FBT). Based on the property analysis of the SFMFB series, an algorithm of IF estimation and signal separation is introduced. Unlike the existing estimation methods which apply sliding windows to make an instantaneous approximation, the proposed method uses the global data, which provides a longer period gain, therefore achieving a better estimation performance. Moreover, considering that most estimation methods are invalid in multicomponent separation, the individual signals are well separated by the proposed algorithm, which facilitates the further monocomponent analysis. A performance comparison between the proposed method, the FBT, and another recently proposed sinusoidal frequency modulation Fourier transform (SFMFT) is also provided. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods in estimation precision and computation load, and it is free of interference which exists in SFMFT.

This paper describes the design and the performance of simultaneous, multifrequency impedance measurement system for four inductive-loop (IL) sensors which have been developed for vehicle parameters measurement based on vehicle magnetic profile (VMP) analysis. Simultaneous impedance measurement on several excitation frequencies increases the VMP measurement reliability because typical electromagnetic interferences (EMI) are narrowband, and should not simultaneously affect, in the same way, all measurement bands that are spread in the frequency, i.e., it is expected that at least one measurement band is disturbance-free. The system consists of two standard and two slim IL sensors, specially designed and installed, the analogue front-end, and an industrial computer with digital-to-analogue and analogue-to-digital converters accessed via field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The impedance of the IL sensors is obtained by vector measurement of voltages from auto-balancing bridge (ABB) front-end. Complex voltages are demodulated from excitation frequencies with FIR filters designed with the flat-top windows. The system is capable of delivering VMPs in real-time mode, and also storing voltages for off-line postprocessing and analysis. Field distributions and sensitivities of slim and standard IL sensors are also discussed. Field test confirmed assumed increased reliability of VMP measurement for proposed simultaneous multifrequency operational mode.

Groundwater level in wells, i.e., well water level (WWL) is an important index in hydrological monitoring during earthquakes. Due to the complex dynamics of groundwater, the WWL might change under seismic actions. This paper attempts to identify the long-term correlation between WWL and earthquakes, and disclose the topological features of groundwater dynamics. Taking Nanxi Well as an example, the authors conducted state space analysis on the raw series and trend of WWL to eliminate interferences like barometric pressure, rainfall, and solid tide, creating the trend time series. Then, the raw series and trend time series were converted into the raw visible graph (VG) network and trend VG network, respectively. Further, the global period was divided into five local time windows, and the two VG networks were compared by global aspect, local aspect, and topological properties of complex networks. The results show that the nodes of high degrees are closely related to the seismic response of the WWL in Nanxi Well; all VG networks are scale free and hierarchical; the seismic response of the WWL in the well is reflected by degree correlation; the community division of raw VG network was basically the same as that of trend VG network. The research findings provide insights to the seismic response of WWL and the dynamic fluctuation of groundwater level.

The role of progesterone (P4) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in early bovine embryo development is still not clear. P4 has been administered at different times of embryo development, and a direct effect on IVF-derived bovine 8-cell embryos has been noted even if there was an interference due to the P4 vehicle (Ferguson et al. 2005 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17, 219 abst). EGF has been added to the culture medium from the presumptive zygote stage at different concentrations, resulting in improved blastocyst rates compared to that in control medium (Mtango et al. 2003 Theriogenology 59, 1393–1402; Sirisathien et al. 2003 Anim. Reprod. Sci. 77, 21–32), and gave results similar to those with 5% or 10% FCS (Palasz et al. 2000 Anim. Reprod. Sci. 58, 229–240). The objective if this experiment was to determine the effect of P4 and EGF on development of in vitro-produced bovine embryos when administered alone or in combination at the 8-cell stage in the absence of serum. In vitro-produced bovine 8-cell embryos were randomly allotted to treatments: (1) control, SOFaaBSA medium (BSA, 16 mg mL−1; n = 198); (2) P4, SOFaaBSA + P4 (15 ng mL−1 in ethanol; n = 198); (3) EGF, SOFaaBSA + EGF (25 ng mL−1; n = 200); (4) P4 + EGF, SOFaaBSA + P4 (15 ng mL−1 in ethanol) + EGF (25 ng mL−1; n = 201); and (5) FBS, SOFaaBSA + FBS (5%; n = 197). In order to minimize the toxic effect of ethanol, it was allowed to evaporate from the culture dish and then medium was added. All in vitro procedures were carried out at 38.5°C in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air; presumptive zygotes were cultured in SOFaaBSA until 8-cell stage. Embryo development was evaluated on Day 6 and on Day 8 after IVF (Day 0), and rates calculated from 8-cell embryos. The study was done in 4 replicates and chi-square test was used for statistical analysis (Statistica for Windows; Stat Soft Inc., Tulsa, OK, USA); significance was assessed at P &lt; 0.05. Results are reported in Table 1. No differences were found in the number of morulae between P4 and control, between P4 + EGF and FBS, and between P4 + EGF and EGF (P &gt; 0.05), whereas the combination P4 + EGF was better than P4 alone (P &lt; 0.05). Blastocyst rate was not different (P &gt; 0.05) among EGF, P4 + EGF, and FBS groups. P4 achieved an higher (P &lt; 0.05) blastocyst rate than control but it was lower (P &lt; 0.05) than that of P4 + EGF or FBS. In conclusion, P4 alone improves embryo development from the 8-cell embryo to the blastocyst stage in a serum-free culture system, and EGF alone achieves a blastocyst rate not significantly different from that of FBS; furthermore, the combination of P4 and EGF can be considered the most suitable as an alternative to FBS because similar results were obtained in terms of both morulae and blastocysts. Table 1.Eight-cell bovine embryo development in SOFaaBSA medium in presence of P4, EGF, P4+EGF, or FBS

Bearing multi-fault detection from stochastic vibration signal is still a thorny task to dispose of because of the complex interplay between different fault components under severe noise interference. In such case, conventional techniques such as filter processing and envelope demodulation may cause undesired results. To overcome the limitation, this article explores a filtering-free technique combined probabilistic principal component analysis denoising with the Higuchi fractal dimension transformation to diagnose the bearing multi-faults. Fractal theory is used to optimize the model parameters and stabilize the random vibrational signal for fast Fourier transform spectrum analysis. Noise interference in the Higuchi transformation is capped using a probabilistic principal component analysis model whose parameters are optimized through embedding dimension Cao algorithm and correlation dimension Grassberger and Procaccia algorithm. The fault diagnostic scheme mainly falls into three steps. First, the original vibration signal is truncated into a series of sub-signal segments by moving window whose length is determined as twice the value of maximum time delay that is provided by examining the steady Higuchi fractal dimension value of a raw signal in a process of plotting the fractal dimension over a range of time delay. Then, the Higuchi approach is used to estimate the average fractal dimension for each segment to create a quasi-stationary Higuchi fractal dimension sequence on which, finally, the fault features are straightforwardly extracted by the fast Fourier transform algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated using simulated and experimental compound bearing fault vibration signals. Some fault components may be clouded if applied Higuchi fractal dimension alone because of the noise interference, but using the probabilistic principal component analysis–Higuchi fractal dimension method leads to clear diagnostic results. It indicates that the proposed approach can be incorporated into bearing multi-fault extraction from raw vibration signals.

Background: Weed populations reduce crop yields by influencing the pattern of crop growth and development throughout the season and by directly competing with the crop for limiting precious resources, like light, water or nutrients. A number of the factors that influence magnitude of crop yield losses from weed interference include the timing of weed emergence relative to the crop, weed density, pattern of weed growth and development. Weed management is one among the foremost critical factors influencing crop yield. By providing a window of weed-free growth early within the season, the size advantage that crop seedlings have over weeds can be utilized to reduce the intensity of direct competition for resources at the stages of crop development when yield is being determined. Weeds are identified as a significance drawback since they create biotic stress in realizing the genetic yield potential of this valuable crop.Methods: A field experiment was carried out during the rabi season of 2010-11 to 2014-15 at ICAR- National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer, Rajasthan to estimate the yield losses because of weed infestation and to work out the critical period for weed control (CPWC) in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.). There were 14 treatments comprising of initial weedy periods of 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 days after sowing (DAS) and weed free period upto 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 DAS along with weedy till harvest (un-weeded check) and weed free till harvest (weed free check). The treatments were replicated three times in a randomized block design.Result: Maximum pod length (cm), number of pods/plant, number of seed/pod, test weight (g), seed yield (kg/ha), straw yield (kg/ha) and harvesting index (%) to the tune of 9.47, 41.2, 16.67, 12.60, 2297, 4954 and 31.73 were recorded at weed free throughout growth period. Weed infestation up to 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 DAS and weedy throughout growth period reduced the seed yield significantly to the magnitude of 567.3, 801.7, 913.3, 1253.3, 1393.7 and 1736.3 kg/ha. Yield losses in fenugreek increase from 2.95 kg/ha/day at 15 days weed infestation to 12.31 kg/ha/day at 135 days weed infestation. Maximum gross return (`104248/ha), net return (`67018/ha) were obtained at weed free throughout growth period with the B:C ratio 2.80 among the weed free treatments. The employment of response curves with weed free or weed competition period showed that seed yield of fenugreek were the highest with the field free from weeds throughout the growth period and the critical period of weed/fenugreek competition was 32 days after sowing and lies between 30-45 days after sowing. In regression approach for fenugreek seed yield and weed free or weed competition period the quadratic function was fitted to estimate the expected yields which had the high significant with the data recorded and have the highest values of R2. If we predict the seed yield losses based on the quadratic model for weed free period model, it declined from 42.04 at 0 DAS to 0.0% at 135 days. Similarly, weed infestation period model predicted the seed yield losses increased from 0.00 at 0 days weed infestation to 73.42% at 135 days. Critical period for weed competition in fenugreek was found to be 32 days after sowing. The CPWC is helpful for making decisions on the necessity for and timing of weed control.

The first main shock of the off-Sanriku earthquake sequence (02/11/89, M 7.1; 18/07/92, M 6.9; 28/12/94, M 7.5) was preceded by a precursory seismic quiescence lasting 2.5 ± 1 year and up to this main shock. The detailed properties of this quiescence were mapped as a function of time and space by a gridding technique using the ZMAP computer code, and the statistical significance was estimated by generating a synthetic catalog based on the microearthquake catalog of Tohoku University, which was the data set used. The statistically most significant expression of this precursory quiescence has a probability of 0.1% to have occurred at random and was located in the eastern part of the 1989 aftershock area, at a point to which the 1994 aftershocks extended also. If we define the dimensions of the quiescence anomaly by a vertical cylinder with the depth of the entire seismogenic layer, centered at the point of most significant quiescence and showing a rate decrease of 75%, then we find its radius is 25 ± 9 km. If we allow other shapes, such as the simplified aftershock volume of 1989, or other simple geometric figures, to define the rate decrease we find dimensions of 80 by 80 km. The characteristics of the quiescence anomaly do not depend strongly on the choice of free parameters within the following ranges: 100 ? number of events ? 400, 2.0 ? Mmin £ 3.0, 1 ? time window ? 3 years. With our method, a thorough analysis of the period before the 1994 main shock is not possible because of the interference of the extended aftershock sequence of 1989. Nevertheless, we identified a quiescence of nearly zero earthquakes located near the center of the 1994 aftershock area that lasted for one year up to that main shock. However, this quiescence period ranked only 46th in significance, behind other quiescences of equal duration and similar dimensions distributed in time and space through the data set. Because of the ubiquitous existence of periods of near zero activity during short periods like one year, we find that quiescences shorter than about 1.5 years cannot be defined with high statistical significance in most earthquake catalogs. In the last two years of the data (1995.3-1997.3) we see no extensive quiescence of high significance off the east coast of Honshu between 36.5° and 42°N in the currently available data.

In 2013, the Capricornia Arts Mob (CAM), an Indigenous collective of artists situated in Rockhampton, central Queensland, Australia, successfully tendered for one of three public art projects that were grouped under the title Flood Markers (Roberts; Roberts and Mackay; Robinson and Mackay). Commissioned as part of the Queensland Government's Community Development and Engagement Initiative, Flood Markers aims to increase awareness of Rockhampton’s history, with particular focus on the Fitzroy River and the phenomena of flooding. Honouring Land Connections is CAM’s contribution to the project and consists of several “memory poles” that stand alongside the Fitzroy River in Toonooba Park. Rockhampton lies on Dharumbal Country with Toonooba being the Dharumbal name for the Fitzroy River and the inspiration for the work due to its cultural significance to the Aboriginal people of that region. The name Toonooba, as well as other images and icons including boomerangs, spears, nets, water lily, and frogs, amongst others, are carved, burnt, painted and embedded into the large ironbark poles. These stand with the river on one side and the colonial infrastructure of Rockhampton on the other (see fig. 1, 2 and 3).Figure 1 Figure 2Figure 3Within this article, we discuss Honouring Land Connections as having two main functions which contribute to its significance as Indigenous cultural expression and identity affirmation. Firstly, the memory poles (as well as the process of sourcing materials and producing the final product) are a manifestation of Country and a representation of its stories and lived memories. Honouring Land Connections provides a means for Aboriginal people to revel in Country and maintain connections to a vital component of their being as Indigenous. Secondly, by revealing Indigenous stories, experiences, and memories, Honouring Land Connections emphasises Indigenous voices and perspectives within a place dominated by Eurocentric outlooks and knowledges. Toonooba provides the backdrop on which the complexities of cultural and identity formation within settler-colonial spaces are highlighted whilst revelling in continuous Indigenous presence.Flood Markers as ArtArtists throughout the world have used flood markers as a means of visual expression through which to explore and reveal local histories, events, environments, and socio-cultural understandings of the relationships between persons, places, and the phenomena of flooding. Geertz describes art as a social text embedded within wider socio-cultural systems; providing insight into cultural, social, political, economic, gendered, religious, ethnic, environmental, and biographical contexts. Flood markers are not merely metric tools used for measuring the height of a river, but rather serve as culture artefacts or indexes (Gell Art and Agency; Gell "Technology of Enchantment") that are products and producers of socio-culture contexts and the memories and experiences embedded within them. Through different methods, mediums, and images, artists have created experiential and intellectual spaces where those who encounter their work are encouraged to engage their surroundings in thought provoking and often-new ways.In some cases, flood markers have brought attention to the “character and natural history” of a particular place, where artists such as Louise Lavarack have sought to provoke consciousness of the movement of water across flood plains (Lavarack). In other works, flood markers have served as memorials to individuals such as Gilbert White whose daughter honoured his life and research through installing a glass spire at Boulder Creek, Colorado in 2011 (White). Tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 have also been commemorated through flood markers. Artist Christopher Saucedo carved 1,836 waves into a freestanding granite block; each wave representing a life lost (University of New Orleans). The weight of the granite symbolises the endurance and resilience of those who faced, and will continue to face, similar forces of nature. The Pillar of Courage erected in 2011 in Ipswich, Queensland, similarly contains the words “resilience, community, strength, heroes, caring and unity” with each word printed on six separate sections of the pillar, representing the six major floods that have hit the region (Chudleigh).Whilst these flood markers provide valuable insights into local histories, specific to each environmental and socio-cultural context, works such as the Pillar of Courage fail to address Indigenous relationships to Country. By framing flooding as a “natural disaster” to be overcome, rather than an expression of Country to be listened to and understood, Euro and human-centric perspectives are prioritised over Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Indigenous knowledges however encourages a reorientation of Eurocentric responses and relationships to Country, and in doing so challenge compartmentalised views of “nature” where flooding is separated from land and Country (Ingold Perception; Seton and Bradley; Singer). Honouring Land Connections symbolises the voice and eternal presence of Toonooba and counters presentations of flooding that depict it as historian Heather Goodall (36) once saw “as unusual events of disorder in which the river leaves its proper place with catastrophic results.”Country To understand flooding from Indigenous perspectives it is first necessary to discuss Country and apprehend what it means for Indigenous peoples. Country refers to the physical, cosmological, geographical, relational, and emotional setting upon which Indigenous identities and connections to place and kin are embedded. Far from a passive geographic location upon which interactions take place, Country is an active and responsive agent that shapes and contextualises social interactions between and amongst all living beings. Bob Morgan writes of how “Country is more than issues of land and geography; it is about spirituality and identity, knowing who we are and who we are connected to; and it helps us understand how all living things are connected.” Country is also an epistemological frame that is filled with knowledge that may be known and familiarised whilst being knowledge itself (Langton "Sacred"; Rose Dingo; Yunupingu).Central to understanding Country is the fact that it refers to a living being’s spiritual homeland which is the ontological place where relationships are formed and maintained (Yunupingu). As Country nurtures and provides the necessities for survival and prosperity, Indigenous people (but also non-Indigenous populations) have moral obligations to care for Country as kin (Rose Nourishing Terrains). Country is epistemic, relational, and ontological and refers to both physical locations as well as modes of “being” (Heidegger), meaning it is carried from place to place as an embodiment within a person’s consciousness. Sally Morgan (263) describes how “our country is alive, and no matter where we go, our country never leaves us.” Country therefore is fluid and mobile for it is ontologically inseparable to one’s personhood, reflected through phrases such as “I am country” (B. Morgan 204).Country is in continuous dialogue with its surroundings and provides the setting upon which human and non-human beings; topographical features such as mountains and rivers; ancestral beings and spirits such as the Rainbow Snake; and ecological phenomena such as winds, tides, and floods, interact and mutually inform each other’s existence (Rose Nourishing Terrains). For Aboriginal people, understanding Country requires “deep listening” (Atkinson; Ungunmerr), a responsive awareness that moves beyond monological and human-centric understandings of the world and calls for deeper understandings of the mutual and co-dependant relationships that exist within it. The awareness of such mutuality has been discussed through terms such as “kincentrism” (Salmón), “meshworks” (Ingold Lines), “webs of connection” (Hokari), “nesting” (Malpas), and “native science” (Cajete). Such concepts are ways of theorising “place” as relational, physical, and mental locations made up of numerous smaller interactions, each of which contribute to the identity and meaning of place. Whilst each individual agent or object retains its own autonomy, such autonomy is dependent on its wider relation to others, meaning that place is a location where “objectivity, subjectivity and inter-subjectivity converge” (Malpas 35) and where the very essence of place is revealed.Flooding as DialogueWhen positioned within Indigenous frameworks, flooding is both an agent and expression of Toonooba and Country. For the phenomenon to occur however, numerous elements come into play such as the fall of rain; the layout of the surrounding terrain; human interference through built weirs and dams; and the actions and intervention of ancestral beings and spirits. Furthermore, flooding has a direct impact on Country and all life within it. This is highlighted by Dharumbal Elder Uncle Billy Mann (Fitzroy Basin Association "Billy Mann") who speaks of the importance of flooding in bringing water to inland lagoons which provide food sources for Dharumbal people, especially at times when the water in Toonooba is low. Such lagoons remain important places for fishing, hunting, recreational activities, and cultural practices but are reliant on the flow of water caused by the flowing, and at times flooding river, which Uncle Mann describes as the “lifeblood” of Dharumbal people and Country (Fitzroy Basin Association "Billy Mann"). Through her research in the Murray-Darling region of New South Wales, Weir writes of how flooding sustains life though cycles that contribute to ecological balance, providing nourishment and food sources for all beings (see also Cullen and Cullen 98). Water’s movement across land provokes the movement of animals such as mice and lizards, providing food for snakes. Frogs emerge from dry clay plains, finding newly made waterholes. Small aquatic organisms flourish and provide food sources for birds. Golden and silver perch spawn, and receding waters promote germination and growth. Aboriginal artist Ron Hurley depicts a similar cycle in a screen-print titled Waterlily–Darambal Totem. In this work Hurley shows floodwaters washing away old water lily roots that have been cooked in ant bed ovens as part of Dharumbal ceremonies (UQ Anthropology Museum). The cooking of the water lily exposes new seeds, which rains carry to nearby creeks and lagoons. The seeds take root and provide food sources for the following year. Cooking water lily during Dharumbal ceremonies contributes to securing and maintaining a sustainable food source as well as being part of Dharumbal cultural practice. Culture, ecological management, and everyday activity are mutually connected, along with being revealed and revelled in. Aboriginal Elder and ranger Uncle Fred Conway explains how Country teaches Aboriginal people to live in balance with their surroundings (Fitzroy Basin Association "Fred Conway"). As Country is in constant communication, numerous signifiers can be observed on land and waterscapes, indicating the most productive and sustainable time to pursue certain actions, source particular foods, or move to particular locations. The best time for fishing in central Queensland for example is when Wattles are in bloom, indicating a time when fish are “fatter and sweeter” (Fitzroy Basin Association "Fred Conway"). In this case, the Wattle is 1) autonomous, having its own life cycle; 2) mutually dependant, coming into being because of seasonal weather patterns; and 3) an agent of Country that teaches those with awareness how to respond and benefit from its lessons.Dialogue with Country As Country is sentient and responsive, it is vital that a person remains contextually aware of their actions on and towards their surroundings. Indigenous peoples seek familiarity with Country but also ensure that they themselves are known and familiarised by it (Rose Dingo). In a practice likened to “baptism”, Langton ("Earth") describes how Aboriginal Elders in Cape York pour water over the head of newcomers as a way of introducing them to Country, and ensuring that Country knows those who walk upon it. These introductions are done out of respect for Country and are a way of protecting outsiders from the potentially harmful powers of ancestral beings. Toussaint et al. similarly note how during mortuary rites, parents of the deceased take water from rivers and spit it back into the land, symbolising the spirit’s return to Country.Dharumbal man Robin Hatfield demonstrates the importance of not interfering with the dialogue of Country through recalling being told as a child not to disturb Barraru or green frogs. Memmott (78) writes that frogs share a relationship with the rain and flooding caused by Munda-gadda, the Rainbow Snake. Uncle Dougie Hatfield explains the significance of Munda-gadda to his Country stating how “our Aboriginal culture tells us that all the waterways, lagoons, creeks, rivers etc. and many landforms were created by and still are protected by the Moonda-Ngutta, what white people call the Rainbow Snake” (Memmott 79).In the case of Robin Hatfield, to interfere with Barraru’s “business” is to threaten its dialogue with Munda-gadda and in turn the dialogue of Country in form of rain. In addition to disrupting the relational balance between the frog and Munda-gadda, such actions potentially have far-reaching social and cosmological consequences. The rain’s disruption affects the flood plains, which has direct consequences for local flora and transportation and germination of water lily seeds; fauna, affecting the spawning of fish and their movement into lagoons; and ancestral beings such as Munda-gadda who continue to reside within Toonooba.Honouring Land Connections provided artists with a means to enter their own dialogue with Country and explore, discuss, engage, negotiate, and affirm aspects of their indigeneity. The artists wanted the artwork to remain organic to demonstrate honour and respect for Dharumbal connections with Country (Roberts). This meant that materials were sourced from the surrounding Country and the poles placed in a wave-like pattern resembling Munda-gadda. Alongside the designs and symbols painted and carved into the poles, fish skins, birds, nests, and frogs are embalmed within cavities that are cut into the wood, acting as windows that allow viewers to witness components of Country that are often overlooked (see fig. 4). Country therefore is an equal participant within the artwork’s creation and continuing memories and stories. More than a representation of Country, Honouring Land Connections is a literal manifestation of it.Figure 4Opening Dialogue with Non-Indigenous AustraliaHonouring Land Connections is an artistic and cultural expression that revels in Indigenous understandings of place. The installation however remains positioned within a contested “hybrid” setting that is informed by both Indigenous and settler-colonial outlooks (Bhabha). The installation for example is separated from the other two artworks of Flood Markers that explore Rockhampton’s colonial and industrial history. Whilst these are positioned within a landscaped area, Honouring Land Connections is placed where the grass is dying, seating is lacking, and is situated next to a dilapidated coast guard building. It is a location that is as quickly left behind as it is encountered. Its separation from the other two works is further emphasised through its depiction in the project brief as a representation of Rockhampton’s pre-colonial history. Presenting it in such a way has the effect of bookending Aboriginal culture in relation to European settlement, suggesting that its themes belong to a time past rather than an immediate present. Almost as if it is a revelation in and of itself. Within settler-colonial settings, place is heavily politicised and often contested. In what can be seen as an ongoing form of colonialism, Eurocentric epistemologies and understandings of place continue to dominate public thought, rhetoric, and action in ways that legitimise White positionality whilst questioning and/or subjugating other ways of knowing, being, and doing (K. Martin; Moreton-Robinson; Wolfe). This turns places such as Toonooba into agonistic locations of contrasting and competing interests (Bradfield). For many Aboriginal peoples, the memories and emotions attached to a particular place can render it as either comfortable and culturally safe, or as unsafe, unsuitable, unwelcoming, and exclusionary (Fredericks). Honouring Land Connections is one way of publicly asserting and recognising Toonooba as a culturally safe, welcoming, and deeply meaningful place for Indigenous peoples. Whilst the themes explored in Honouring Land Connections are not overtly political, its presence on colonised/invaded land unsettles Eurocentric falsities and colonial amnesia (B. Martin) of an uncontested place and history in which Indigenous voices and knowledges are silenced. The artwork is a physical reminder that encourages awareness—particularly for non-Indigenous populations—of Indigenous voices that are continuously demanding recognition of Aboriginal place within Country. Similar to the boomerangs carved into the poles representing flooding as a natural expression of Country that will return (see fig. 5), Indigenous peoples continue to demand that the wider non-Indigenous population acknowledge, respect, and morally responded to Aboriginal cultures and knowledges.Figure 5Conclusion Far from a historic account of the past, the artists of CAM have created an artwork that promotes awareness of an immediate and emerging Indigenous presence on Country. It creates a space that is welcoming to Indigenous people, allowing them to engage with and affirm aspects of their living histories and cultural identities. Through sharing stories and providing “windows” into Aboriginal culture, Country, and lived experiences (which like the frogs of Toonooba are so often overlooked), the memory poles invite and welcome an open dialogue with non-Indigenous Australians where all may consider their shared presence and mutual dependence on each other and their surroundings.The memory poles are mediatory agents that stand on Country, revealing and bearing witness to the survival, resistance, tenacity, and continuity of Aboriginal peoples within the Rockhampton region and along Toonooba. Honouring Land Connections is not simply a means of reclaiming the river as an Indigenous space, for reclamation signifies something regained after it has been lost. What the memory poles signify is something eternally present, i.e. Toonooba is and forever will be embedded in Aboriginal Country in which we all, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, human and non-human, share. The memory poles serve as lasting reminders of whose Country Rockhampton is on and describes the life ways of that Country, including times of flood. Through celebrating and revelling in the presence of Country, the artists of CAM are revealing the deep connection they have to Country to the wider non-Indigenous community.ReferencesAtkinson, Judy. Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines: The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia. Spinifex Press, 2002.Bhabha, Homi, K. The Location of Culture. Taylor and Francis, 2012.Bradfield, Abraham. "Decolonizing the Intercultural: A Call for Decolonizing Consciousness in Settler-Colonial Australia." Religions 10.8 (2019): 469.Cajete, Gregory. Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence. 1st ed. 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