Audio Program Research Articles

Effect of Health Educational Program for Females Blinded Adolescents Students regarding Reproductive Health

Aim of this study: This study was aimed to assess effect of audio teaching programme on blind girls about reproductive health knowledge & attitude. Design: A quasi-experimental design was applied to achieve the aim of the study. Setting: The study was carried out in El-Nor and El-Aml School in Cairo City( Mustafa Asaker), Elfayoum City& Benisuef City. Sample :purposive sample included 60(6%) blind girl were found in El-Nor and El-Aml school, staying and not staying at school. Criteria: Aged 12-19 years, blind girls, attained menarche, unmarried & able to communicate. Tool: Data was collected through An interviewing questionnaire which include three parts 1) socio-demographic characteristics of the girl 2) assess their knowledge about reproductive health. 3) Likert rating scale to assess attitude regard reproductive health. Results: after applying the audio teaching program the study shows high significant improvement in blind girl's knowledge and attitude regarding reproductive health post program with highly statistically differences (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the finding and research hypothesis, the blind girl's in El-Nor and El-Aml schools their knowledge & Attitude were upgrading after implementation of the audio teaching program about reproductive health. Recommendations: The study recommended that continuous health educational program should be provided to adolescents blinded students& their teacher's about reproductive health & findings emphasize that information about reproductive health should be included in the school curriculum, and that there should be better communication between female students and their teachers, and between daughters and mothers.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Knowledge-Transfer Interventions on Animal Health Knowledge of Rural Working Equid Owners in Central Ethiopia: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of several knowledge-transfer interventions about donkey health, utilizing a cluster-randomized controlled trial (c-RCT), on the long-term knowledge change (~6 months post intervention) of Ethiopian rural working equid owners. Knowledge transfer interventions included: an audio programme, a village meeting and a diagrammatic hand-out, which were also compared to a control group, which received no intervention. All interventions addressed identical learning objectives. Thirty-two villages were randomly selected and interventions randomly assigned to blocks of eight villages. All participants in a village received the same intervention, and knowledge levels were assessed by questionnaire administration both pre and post intervention. Data analysis included multilevel linear and logistic regression models (allowing for clustering of individuals within villages) to evaluate the change in knowledge between the different knowledge-transfer interventions, and to look at other factors associated with change in knowledge. A total of 516 randomly selected participants completed pre-intervention questionnaires, 476 undertook a post-dissemination questionnaire ~6 months later, a follow-up response rate of 92%. All interventions significantly improved the overall knowledge score on the post intervention questionnaire compared to the control group, with the diagrammatic hand-out [coefficient (coef) 10.0, S.E. = 0.5] and the village meeting (coef 8.5, S.E = 0.5) having a significantly greater impact than the audio programme (coef 4.0, S.E = 0.5). There were differences in learning across interventions, learning objectives, age and education levels of the participants. Participants with higher levels of formal education had greater knowledge change but this varied across interventions. In conclusion, knowledge of donkey health was substantially increased by a diagrammatic hand-out and the impact of this simple, low-cost intervention should be further evaluated in other communities in low-income countries. This study should assist in the design and development of effective knowledge-transfer materials for adult learning for rural villagers in low-income countries.

Audio and Computer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study was to develop and explore the feasibility of audio-based (ACBT) and computer-based (CCBT) cognitive behavioral therapies for older adults with depressive symptoms. The audio program consisted of 8 compact discs and a workbook while the computer program consisted of 11 modules of similar duration provided on a tablet PC. Both interventions consisted of the following topics: identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts, addressing feelings, relaxation, engaging in pleasant events, assertiveness, and problem-solving. Fifty-one older adults were recruited from medical settings and rural communities. Participants were randomly assigned to immediate treatment (ACBT or CCBT) or delayed treatment control condition. Analyses were conducted to examine change on interviewer-based and self-reported depression. A significant interaction effect between time and condition was found on the interviewer-based depression scale. This suggests that both types of treatments decreased depressive symptoms over time when compared to a delayed treatment control. Computer-based and audio-based cognitive behavioral treatments may be valuable low-cost modalities to deliver psychotherapy to older adults with depressive symptoms.

Maltreatment, Coping, and Substance Use in Youth in Foster Care: Examination of Moderation Models.

Child maltreatment is associated with negative outcomes such as substance use (SU). This study tested relations among maltreatment history, coping behavior, and SU behavior in youth residing in foster care. Participants were 210 youth ( Mage = 12.71 years; SD = 2.95) in foster care who completed self-report measures through an audio computer-assisted self-interview program. Using a structural equation modeling framework and latent measurement constructs, positive associations were identified between maltreatment at baseline and coping behavior outcomes as well as SU behavior outcome approximately 4.5 months later. Specifically, greater severity and chronicity of maltreatment was associated with greater SU behavior as well as indirect action, prosocial, and asocial coping behavior. Maltreatment was not significantly related to direct action coping behavior. In moderation tests, only asocial coping provided a significant interaction effect for SU behavior outcomes; SU behavior did not moderate pathways between maltreatment and coping behavior. For youth in foster care, the coping approach may be varied and relate differentially to SU behavior outcomes, with asocial approaches to coping acting as a buffer for the maltreatment/SU relation. Additionally, SU remains an important target for intervention and prevention in youth residing in foster care.

An Efficient Workflow for Collecting, Entering, and Proofing Field Data: Harnessing Voice Recording and Dictation Software

An Efficient Workflow for Collecting, Entering, and Proofing Field Data: Harnessing Voice Recording and Dictation Software

Sleep Enhancement Training for Pregnant Women

(Obstet Gynecol. 2016;128(5):964–971) Poor sleep in the late stages of pregnancy as well as in the early postpartum period is known to be associated with various problems. There are few sleep improvement interventions that are available although a well-known one is the Sleep Enhancement Training System. This training is a cognitive-behavioral intervention in which sound-enhanced audio programs are used to promote relaxation and reduce hyperarousal. The objective of this study was to analyze the feasibility and effectiveness of the Sleep Enhancement Training System for Pregnancy to help enhance sleep among pregnant women as their sleep becomes more disrupted during late pregnancy as well as in the early postpartum period.

The blind men and the elephant: Identification of a latent maltreatment construct for youth in foster care

Child maltreatment is a major public health concern due to its impact on developmental trajectories and consequences across mental and physical health outcomes. Operationalization of child maltreatment has been complicated, as research has used simple dichotomous counts to identification of latent class profiles. This study examines a latent measurement model assessed within foster youth inclusive of indicators of maltreatment chronicity and severity across four maltreatment types: physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and neglect. Participants were 500 foster youth with a mean age of 12.99 years (SD=2.95years). Youth completed survey questions through a confidential audio computer-assisted self-interview program. A two-factor model with latent constructs of chronicity and severity of maltreatment revealed excellent fit across fit indices; however, the latent constructs were correlated 0.972. A one-factor model also demonstrated excellent model fit to the data (χ2 (16, n=500)=28.087, p=0.031, RMSEA (0.012–0.062)=0.039, TLI=0.990, CFI=0.994, SRMR=0.025) with a nonsignificant chi-square difference test comparing the one- and two-factor models. Invariance tests across age, gender, and placement type also were conducted with recommendations provided. Results suggest a single-factor latent model of maltreatment severity and chronicity can be attained. Thus, the maltreatment experiences reported by foster youth, though varied and complex, were captured in a model that may prove useful in later predictions of outcome behaviors. Appropriate identification of both the chronicity and severity of maltreatment inclusive of the range of maltreatment types remains a high priority for future research.

0368 OPEN LOOP AUDIO VISUAL STIMULATION INDUCES DELTA ACTIVITY IN OLDER ADULTS WITH PAIN AND INSOMNIA

Human brainwaves mimic frequencies of stimuli received. Insomniacs often have excessive gamma (35–45 Hz), suggesting cortical hyperarousal. We tested an open-loop Audio and Visual Stimulation (AVS) program that progressively downward stimulates brainwaves to induce slow (delta; 1–3 Hz) brainwaves. We conducted a small randomized controlled trial in 15 older adults with clinically significant co-morbid insomnia and osteoarthritis (OA) pain (mean age 68.3 ± 4.8 years). The Procyon (MindPlace) AVS device with goggles (flashing light) and earphones (pulsing sound) was used to stimulate brainwaves from 8Hz to 1Hz over 30 minutes in the experimental group. The control group received placebo AVS that idled below 0.5Hz, outside of the brainwave entrainment range. Cortical activity was evaluated using a 19-channel quantitative electroencephalographic system (Discovery 24E, BrainMaster) at baseline (immediately prior to AVS training) and during the initial AVS training. All initial trainings were scheduled in the early afternoon (1-3pm). Compared to norms, mean baseline gamma (35–45 Hz) was elevated in both groups (experimental: gamma z-score 4.5 ± 2.3 versus control: 3.6 ± 1.3). After AVS, delta induction mean average of all 19 channels was different between the groups (p=.02) with the experimental group showing significant delta induction from baseline (p<.001) compared to the placebo (n.s.). Brain locations corresponding to the sensory-thalamic pathway had most delta induction compared to placebo: Cz (p=.003), Fp (p=.02), O1 (p=.03), and O2 (p=.003). AVS increased delta brainwaves, the brainwaves that characterize deep sleep. Further research is needed to test AVS as a sleep promoting approach for home use. Research & Intramural Funding Program; School of Nursing University of Washington.

Design of a Loudspeaker Array for Personal Audio in a Car Cabin

With an increasing interest in personal audio systems, the car cabin is an important environment in which to generate different audio programs in different regions, without the use of headphones. Two algorithms, acoustic contrast control and the least squares method, are considered for producing two independent listening zones, one zone including the front passengers and the other including the rear passengers. The generation of an acceptable acoustic contrast between the front and rear zones, using an array of four standard audio loudspeakers, is limited to relatively low frequencies. In order to provide acceptable control over a larger audio bandwidth, a loudspeaker array mounted on the ceiling of a car cabin is investigated in this paper. A selection process for the configuration of the source array is described. Free field simulations are used to calculate the response of the source array and investigate the performance of the two control algorithms. Since the performance of the least squares method is dependent on the chosen target sound pressures, a method for selecting the target sound pressures is also proposed. Finally, the proposed loudspeaker array is implemented in a real car and the measured results are found to be similar to those predicted from the simulations.

Development of the MPEG-H TV Audio System for ATSC 3.0

A new TV audio system based on the MPEG-H 3D audio standard has been designed, tested, and implemented for ATSC 3.0 broadcasting. The system offers immersive sound to increase the realism and immersion of programming, and offers audio objects that enable interactivity or personalization by viewers. Immersive sound may be broadcast using loudspeaker channel-based signals or scene-based components in combination with static or dynamic audio objects. Interactivity can be enabled through broadcaster-authored preset mixes or through user control of object gains and positions. Improved loudness and dynamic range control allows tailoring the sound for best reproduction on a variety of consumer devices and listening environments. The system includes features to allow operation in HD-SDI broadcast plants, storage, and editing of complex audio programs on existing video editor software or digital audio workstations, frame-accurate switching of programs, and new technologies to adapt current mixing consoles for live broadcast production of immersive and interactive sound. Field tests at live broadcast events were conducted during system design and a live demonstration test bed was constructed to prove the viability of the system design. The system also includes receiver-side components to enable interactivity, binaural rendering for headphone, or tablet computer listening, a “3D soundbar” for immersive playback without overhead speakers, and transport over HDMI 1.4 connections in consumer equipment. The system has been selected as a proposed standard of ATSC 3.0 and is the sole audio system of the UHD ATSC 3.0 broadcasting service currently being deployed in South Korea.

Potato production through telecounselling mode of extension education

There are several modes are available for teaching to the farmers through distance training system, out of which telecast of video programme, broadcast of audio programmes, telecounselling etc. are eco-friendly modes, solving the farmers problems. The telecounselling is a ecofriendly and easy system of distance training, which is available in rural area in the form of mobiles and landline. The experiment on telecounselling for improvement of potato yield was tried in the villages Bhawanipur and Daipur of district Kannauj and Rajpura, Baghauli, Jasharau and Shaidpur of district Mainpuri for the first time. The soil of experimental site was sandy loam with poor fertility. There is certain drawback in the cultivation of potato. The farmers are not using the recommended agronomic practices, resulting in, the low yield obtained from potato. The farm families of potato growers were linked with C.S.Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur and KVK, Kannauj. The growers put up their problems of potato cultivation before the scientists through telecouselling mode of distance training as and when required. The scientists solved their problems immediately with same mode of distance training. The cultivation of potato was recommended with three varieties i.e. Kufri Bahar, Kufri Pukhraj and Kufri Pushkar through telecounselling mode. Cultivars Kufri Bahar, Kufri Pukhraj and Kufri Pushkar gave tuber yield by 331.55 q/ha, 354.22 q/ha and 383.71 q/ha, respectively. The growth and yield traits were concordant to yield obtained from potato cultivars. The highest net return Rs. 123569/ha and BCR 1:2.15 were obtained from adoption of cultivation of cultivar Kufri Pushkar closely followed by the net return Rs. 106031/ha and BCR 1:2.00 available from the cultivation of Kufri Pukhraj.

Bobbi Be Best: the development and evaluation of an audio program and discussion guide to promote exclusive breastfeeding in Cameroon, Central Africa.

One risk factor for infant and childhood morbidity is not exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life. Entertainment Education (EE) is a communication strategy consisting of placing educational information into television, movies, and radio programs. In developing countries this form of behavioral change communication has proven effective in addressing health-related issues; however, no research has determined if EE is effective in promoting EBF. The objective of this research was to develop an EE audio program and discussion guide and to determine if a series of four 15-minute episodes and post-listening discussion improved knowledge, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and intention and decreased misconceptions and perceived barriers toward EBF in the Kumbo West Health District, Cameroon. Pregnant women and their partners were assigned to either the control group (N = 116; 74 women, 42 partners) or intervention group (N = 148; 99 women, 49 partners) based on expected date of delivery. All control and intervention group participants completed a questionnaire prior to listening to the first and after the last episode. Pre- and post-listening questionnaires were used to determine changes in the EBF knowledge, misconceptions, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and intention variables as a result of exposure to the audio program. The Wilcoxon Sign Rank test showed significant improvement in all of the variables, except perceived barriers, within the intervention group (p < 0.05) and the Mann-Whitney test indicated significant differences between the control and intervention group in all of the variables (p < 0.05), indicating that using an audio program and discussion guide based on the EE model is an effective tool for promoting EBF in this setting. The strength of this approach is that it goes beyond simply telling women about what constitutes EBF, but addresses misconceptions and perceived barriers that may prevent women from practicing EBF for six months.

A randomized controlled trial of an audio-based treatment program for child anxiety disorders

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an audio-based cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) program for child anxiety disorders. Twenty-four children aged 5–11 years were randomly allocated into either the audio-based CBT program condition (Audio, n = 12) or a waitlist control (WL; n = 12) group. Outcome measures included a clinical diagnostic interview, clinician-rated global assessment of functioning, and parent and child self-report ratings of anxiety and internalisation. Assessments were conducted prior to treatment, 12 weeks following treatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Results indicated that at post-assessment, 58.3% of children receiving treatment compared to 16.7% of waitlist children were free of their primary diagnosis, with this figure rising to 66.67% at the 3-month follow-up time point. Additionally, at post-assessment, 25.0% of children in the treatment condition compared to .0% of the waitlist condition were free of all anxiety diagnoses, with this figure rising to 41.67% for the treatment group at 3-month follow-up. Overall, the findings suggest that the audio program tested in this study has the potential to be an efficacious treatment alternative for anxious children.

ChucK: A Strongly Timed Computer Music Language

ChucK is a programming language designed for computer music. It aims to be expressive and straightforward to read and write with respect to time and concurrency, and to provide a platform for precise audio synthesis and analysis and for rapid experimentation in computer music. In particular, ChucK defines the notion of a strongly timed audio programming language, comprising a versatile time-based programming model that allows programmers to flexibly and precisely control the flow of time in code and use the keyword now as a time-aware control construct, and gives programmers the ability to use the timing mechanism to realize sample-accurate concurrent programming. Several case studies are presented that illustrate the workings, properties, and personality of the language. We also discuss applications of ChucK in laptop orchestras, computer music pedagogy, and mobile music instruments. Properties and affordances of the language and its future directions are outlined.

Analisis Terhadap Kemampuan Pemahaman Dan Berpikir Kreatif Matematis Siswa Yang Belajar Dengan discovery Learning

This study reports the findings of a entitled Analysis of CreativeThinking Ability and Mathematical Understanding Student Learning Using Discovery Learning. This study aimed to examine/ analyze the ability of understanding and creative thinking mathematically of vocational students byquantitativemethod design. The subjects of this study are54 students from two classes, ofeleventh grade of SMK,video audio engineering expertise program in Bandung. The research instrument consists of a written test of understanding ability andmathematical creative thinking. Based on the analysis of the study found: the description of understanding abiility and mathematical creative thinking of students wholearn using discovery learning aren’t differences the inprovement andin direct learningare differences the inprovemen. In the inprovement of understanding ability and mathematical creative thinking of students who learn using discovery learning is greater than the students who learn by direct learning.

Prototyping of Ubiquitous Music Ecosystems

This paper focuses on the prototyping stage of the design cycle of ubiquitous music ecosystems. The authors present three case studies of prototype deployments for creative musical activities. The first case exemplifies a ubimus system for synchronous musical interaction using a hybrid Java-JavaScript development platform, mow3s-ecolab. The second case study makes use of the HTML5 Web Audio library to implement a loop-based sequencer. The third prototype—a sine-wave oscillator—provides an example of using the Chromium open-source sand-boxing technology Portable Native Client (PNaCl) platform for audio programming on the web. This new approach involved porting the Csound language and audio engine to the PNaCl web technology. The PNaCl Csound environment provides programming tools for ubiquitous audio applications that go beyond theWeb Audio framework. The limitations and advantages of the three approaches proposed—the hybrid Java/JavaScript environment, the HTML5 audio library and the PNaCl Csound infrastructure—are discussed in the context of rapid prototyping of ubimus ecosystems.

Electric guitar—From measurement arrays to recording studio microphones

A joint research effort by the audio recording programs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and New York University has made use of a 32-microphone measurement array in the quantification and visualization of the spectral radiation of musical instruments. Work to date has focused on electric guitar and piano. The measured directivities of the guitar amplifiers offer rich insight for the recording engineer. Traditional microphone selection and placement strategies formed over decades, before such data existed, are found to have merit. The data also shed light on those potentially unattractive microphone locations to be avoided. The measurements, taken with high spatial resolution, reveal a process for microphone placement as much as providing a window into showing exactly where to place them. Measurements of the acoustic radiation from electric guitar amplifiers reveal a spatial complexity that many recording engineers anticipate, and add valuable further insight.

Ubiquitous Music Ecosystems: Faust Programs in Csound

This paper describes the combination of two high-level audio and music programming systems, Faust and Csound. The latter is a MUSIC N-derived language, with a large set of unit generators, and a long history of development. The former is a purely functional language designed to describe audio processing algorithms that can be compiled into a variety of formats. The two systems are combined in the Faust Csound opcodes, which allow the on-the-fly programming, compilation and instantiation of Faust DSP programs in a running Csound environment. Examples are presented and the concept of ubiquitous music ecosystem is discussed.

Predictors of Adherence to Relaxation Guided Imagery During Pregnancy in Women with Preterm Labor.

To examine adherence to relaxation guided imagery in women experiencing preterm labor as well as predictors influencing adherence. This study used a longitudinal follow-up approach. Each of the 57 participating women received a mini-MP3 player containing a 13-minute relaxation guided imagery audio program that they were instructed to follow daily until giving birth. Follow-up interviews were conducted weekly. A generalized estimating equation was used to predict adherence. The total adherence rate was 58%. Higher adherence was predicted by the presence of at least a college degree (p=0.006), greater perceived stress (p=0.006), a higher risk of preterm delivery (p<0.001), and greater relaxation effects (p=0.028). Older maternal age was associated with lower adherence (p=0.001). In addition, adherence decreased significantly over time (p<0.001). Adherence was not related to marital status, employment, parity, the baseline level of anxiety, or hospitalization. Pregnant women with a high risk for preterm birth and greater perceived stress showed higher adherence to relaxation guided imagery. For women with a lower adherence to relaxation guided imagery, health care professionals may consider individual preferences regarding relaxation techniques.

Using music[al] knowledge to represent expressions of emotions

ObjectiveBeing able to identify expressions of emotion is crucial to effective clinical communication research. However, traditional linguistic coding systems often cannot represent emotions that are expressed nonlexically or phonologically (i.e., not through words themselves but through vocal pitch, speed/rhythm/tempo, and volume). MethodsUsing audio recording of a palliative care consultation in the natural hospital setting, two experienced music scholars employed Western musical notation, as well as the graphic realization of a digital audio program (Piano roll visualization), to visually represent the sonic features of conversation where a patient has an emotional “choke” moment. ResultsWestern musical notation showed the ways that changes in pitch and rate correspond to the patient’s emotion: rising sharply in intensity before slowly fading away. Piano roll visualization is a helpful supplement. ConclusionsUsing musical notation to illustrate palliative care conversations in the hospital setting can render visible for analysis several aspects of emotional expression that researchers otherwise experience as intuitive or subjective. Various forms and formats of musical notation techniques and sonic visualization technologies should be considered as fruitful and complementary alternatives to traditional coding tools in clinical communications research. Practice implicationsMusical notation offers opportunity for both researchers and learners to “see” how communication evolves in clinical encounters, particularly where the lexical and phonological features of interpersonal communication are concordant and discordant with one another.