Direct Hearing Research Articles

Direct hearing measurements in a baleen whale suggest ultrasonic sensitivity.

Predicting and mitigating the impacts of anthropogenic ocean noise on marine animals is hindered by a lack of information on hearing in these species. We established a catch-and-release program to temporarily hold adolescent minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) for hearing tests during their summer migration. In 2023, two minke whales provided measures of the auditory brainstem response and data on the frequency range of their hearing. Results show that minke whales are sensitive to sound frequencies as high as 45 to 90 kilohertz. These tests provide information on the types of anthropogenic noise that could affect minke whales and potentially, other related baleen whale species.

The voice of the child and the implementation of the child's right to be heard in parental responsibility matters and cases

AbstractThe article deals with a very up-to-date issue, the ‘voice of the child’, i.e. the implementation of the child's right to be heard in parental responsibility matters and cases. My aim is to find an answer to the question of how the Hungarian codification, judiciary and academic legal literature have changed over the last decade and how they have adapted to the modern child-focused standards. The significance of the topic emerges from the fact that both the exercise and the rendering of parental responsibilities is somehow problematic in many families and this difficulty is burdened by the requirements of child-friendly justice. The issues dealt with in this paper concern the significance of the child's right to be heard, the necessity of the child's hearing, the connection between the child's protection and child's hearing, the difficulty of determination whether the child is capable of forming his or her own views, the direct and indirect hearing of the child and the difference between the child's hearing and the child's voice.

Hearing aid utilization in Ontario – a population based study

Background Hearing loss is one of the most common sensory impairments and hearing aids are the most common unmet assistive device need among individuals with a disability. The benefits of hearing interventions are well-documented as they are known to deter the sequalae of hearing loss including social isolation, poor mental health, falls and cognitive decline. Identifying trends in hearing aid users can provide valuable information for improving access to hearing loss interventions. Methods Data were retrieved from ICES databases that were used to generate a cohort of 372,448 individuals in Ontario, Canada, who first claimed hearing aids between April 2007 and March 2018 through the Assistive Devices Program. Results The data indicated that the frequency distribution of hearing aids has steadily inclined since 2007. The mean age of hearing aid users was 70.25 ± 14.70 years and higher neighbourhood income quintile was associated with greater hearing aid use (p < 0.001). Most first claims occurred after visiting primary care physicians (70.60%) compared with otolaryngology (13.39%). An examination of clinical comorbidities revealed hypertension (63.41%), and diabetes (24.93%) to be the most common. Regression analysis demonstrated a positive associated between age and most comorbidities. Furthermore, higher neighbourhood income quintiles were associated with a reduced risk of having the examined comorbidities. Conclusions This study examines patient demographics and clinical comorbidities in a cohort of hearing aid users in Ontario. The results identify associations between demographics and comorbidities that provide information relevant for improving access to hearing interventions and clinical decision-making in primary care. Implications for Rehabilitation Screening for hearing loss (using an audiogram) in elderly individuals that manage multiple comorbidities, and any patient with significant risk factors for hearing loss (e.g., noise exposure history, prior ototoxic medications, prior head injury, history of ear surgery, family history of hearing loss) will identify deficits and direct appropriate hearing interventions. Improving access to care in low-income communities should include community-based education around expectation management and communication strategies to reinforce proper use and care of hearing devices. Geographic proximity to hearing testing facilities and hearing aid dispensaries is a significant barrier to hearing rehabilitation strategies.

Rehabilitace jednostranné hluchoty pomocí implantabilního systému pro přímé kostní vedení – Bonebridge

Overview Introduction: Bonebridge is a direct bone conduction hearing implantable system. The aim of the work is to present pilot results of rehabilitation of single sided deafness using this system. Material and methods: Analysis of three patients with single-sideded deafness, who underwent BB implantation in 2018 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of St. Anna Hospital in Brno. Evaluation parameters: Bern Benefi t in Single-Sided Deafness Questionnaire, experimental examination of directional hearing and hearing in noise test. Results: Questionnaire: Within the visual analog scale in the range of –5 to +5 points, the average rating was + 2.4 points, so listening was rated as easier with Bonebridge than without hearing aids. The ability to locate the sound source was evaluated by 4 and 0–1 points in one and two respondents, respectively. Examination of spatial hearing: without hearing aid, the ability to locate the sound source was signifi cantly impaired in all the examined. With Bonebridge, with a tolerated deviation of 45°, the success rate of sound source localization was 75–100% in the range of 0–360° in the horizontal plane. Hearing in noise test: the greatest improvement in intelligibility (by 30–100%) was achieved with Bonebridge at SNR –5 dB. Conclusion: Bonebridge is not able to restore binaural hearing in patients with single sided deafness, it is a pseudo-binaural correction. Like other implantable bone conduction systems, Bonebridge is benefi tial for patients with single sided deafness in a variety of listening situations. Using experimental audiological tests, the contribution of Bonebridge to understanding sentences in acoustic noise and improving the ability to locate the sound source was found. However, validation of the results would require a larger number of probands. Keywords: single-sided deafness – BAHD – Bonebridge – bone conduction hearing implant – hearing in noise – directional hearing test

Recorded Sounds and Auditory Media

A widespread view among philosophers and scientists is that recorded sounds and assisted hearing differ fundamentally from natural sounds and direct hearing. It is commonly claimed, for example, that the sounds we hear over the phone are not sounds emitted by the voice of our interlocutor, but the sounds reproduced by the phone’s loudspeaker. According to this view, hearing distant sounds through communication and audio equipment is at best indirect and at worst illusory. In what follows, I shall reject these claims and argue in favor of a transparent view of auditory media, including radio, telephone, phonograph, etc. According to this approach, the great gift of Scott de Martinville and Edison is not to have invented devices able to reproduce vanished sounds but rather to have created technological instruments literally able to store and transmit them to future and distant listeners.

Age-Related Hearing Loss Associations With Changes in Brain Morphology.

Age-related hearing loss has been associated with varied auditory cortex morphology in human neuroimaging studies. These findings have suggested that peripheral auditory system declines cause changes in brain morphology but could also be due to latent variables that affect the auditory periphery and brain. The current longitudinal study was designed to evaluate these explanations for pure-tone threshold and brain morphology associations. Thirty adults (mean age at Time 1 = 64.12 ± 10.32 years) were studied at two time points (average duration between visits = 2.62 ± 0.81 years). Small- to medium-effect size associations were observed between high-frequency pure-tone thresholds and auditory cortex gray matter volume at each time point. Although there were significant longitudinal changes in low- and high-frequency hearing measures and brain morphology, those longitudinal changes were not significantly correlated across participants. High-frequency hearing measures at Time 1 were significantly related to more lateral ventricle expansion, such that participants with higher measures exhibited larger increases in ventricle size. This ventricle effect was statistically independent of high-frequency hearing associations with auditory cortex morphology. Together, these results indicate that there are at least two mechanisms for associations between age-related hearing loss and brain morphology. Potential explanations for a direct hearing loss effect on brain morphology, as well as latent variables that likely affect both the inner ear and brain, are discussed.

Grant Alerts

National Endowment for the Arts' Our Town grants D'Addario Foundation grants for music education programs Kids Run the Nation grants for youth running programs American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation grants Grants for opioid education, safe disposal programs Cancer research grants National Ataxia Foundation research grants Grants for HIV/AIDS education, research and direct services American Hearing Research Foundation research grants Migraine research grants Sociological and linguistic issues research grants

Adjudicating a ban on contacts with a child in the practice of Polish courts

The article presents the main findings of the survey of files of 181 cases in which a ban on contact with children was adjudicated and became legally binding by the end of 2017. The survey was carried out by the Institute of Justice. The survey showed that ban on contact with a child is adjudicated relatively rarely. The general assessment of the case law is positive, nevertheless the author presents a number of suggestions of how it can be improved. She suggests, among others, a change in the practice of treating the child as a participant in the proceedings; more frequent use of direct hearing of the child; treating the admission of psychological and pedagogical opinions as a rule; effective actions in order to establish the position in respect of the person who is to be banned from contacting the child. The author points to the validity of the long-term assessment of the child’s good and distinction between the protection of the child’s interest and the interest of the ‘primary carer’.

城乡交错带景感生态规划的基本思路与实现

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 城乡交错带景感生态规划的基本思路与实现 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201605251009 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金青年基金项目（41301167） “Landsenses” ecological planning for urban-rural ecotones Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:传统城市规划方法多集中在城市用地、人口规模和交通优先等方面，而较少关注城市环境质量和环境福利。要构筑一个与未来居民生活品质相适应的城市形态，城市生态规划就必须考虑更多样化的数据基础和可获得性的技术，尤其是居民对这些规划的实际感受，合理和科学的规划需要综合分析城市生态系统，包括自然和人为因素。一个新的概念和理论"景感生态学"能够将城市规划蓝图与人类感知相耦合。景感生态规划理应包括人类对规划的各种感知需求，包括视觉、听觉、味觉、嗅觉和触觉等。本文秉承景感生态学的基本理论，以西集镇为执行案例，探索性地针对城乡交错带开展景感生态规划，以阐明将居民感觉信息融入生态规划过程的挑战性和重要性。 Abstract:Traditional methods of urban planning focus primarily on urban land use, population size, and transportation priorities, and often fail to consider the environmental quality and welfare of urban systems. Development of formats that improve the future quality of life for urban residents requires the incorporation of available data and technologies, and especially residents' actual experiences, into urban planning frameworks. Moreover, rational, scientific planning is dependent on comprehensive analyses of urban ecosystems, including both natural and human factors. A novel concept and theory, "landsenses ecology", can assist urban planners in integrating human experiences into urban-planning frameworks by incorporating information deriving from direct sensory experience, including vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch, into planning frameworks. Based on the framework of landsenses ecology, and using the town of Xiji as a case study, we constructed a provisional landsenses plan for the urban-rural ecotone, in which we addressed the importance and challenges of incorporating sense-based information into the ecological planning process. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

The effect of cognitive processing therapy and schema therapy on marital satisfaction and avoidant coping in war veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder

Background and Purpose: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a kind of psychiatric disorders, which is related to trauma and stress and created as a result of direct experience, observation, or hearing. The avoidance of trauma reminders is a perpetuating factor of this disorder. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and schema therapy (ST) in marital satisfaction and avoidance coping among the war veterans with chronic PTSD. Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted on 34 Iran-Iraq war veterans with PTSD, living in Kermanshah province, Iran. The participants of the study were selected using the purposive sampling technique, and then randomly assigned into two experimental groups, including the CPT and ST groups, and a control group. The data were collected by the PTSD Checklist-Military Version, escape-avoidance subscale from the Coping Styles Questionnaire, Golombok Rust Inventory, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders. The data analysis was performed using the multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance with 95% confidence level through the SPSS version 22. Results: Acceding to the results, there was a significant difference between the experimental groups and control group in terms of the marital satisfaction and avoidance coping (P<0.05). Accordingly, the administration of the CPT and ST resulted in the enhancement of marital satisfaction in the experimental groups, compared to that in the control group. The post-test mean marital satisfactions were 31.58±6.28 and 33.80±11.60 in the CPT and ST groups, respectively, while this value was 52.08±12.87 in the control group. Furthermore, CPT was observed to be more effective in reducing the avoidance coping, compared to the ST. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, CPT, which is exclusively focused on trauma, and ST can encourage the clinicians to utilize an effective treatment for the recovery of PTSD.

Psychological and physiological response of low frequency noise of ordinary persons and complainants

In Japan, there are some complainants of low frequency noise. There are two sorts of complains on low frequency noise. One complain is the phenomenon of rattling noise. Light windows or doors are vibrated and rattled by the pressure of low frequency noise. Sound sources are a big diesel engine, pass by of a heavy truck on a highway bridge, a gas turbine engine generator etc. The other complaints are the direct hearing or detection of low frequency noise. Sound sources are a boiler, a cooling tower, etc., near neighbors, or solid borne noise inside a room. But recently, there are some complains at very low level and the sound source cannot be detected. In these cases, there may be much influences by mass media and Internet knowledge. In this paper we explain the mechanism of complains on low frequency noise as bellows. Hearing thresholds of ordinary persons and complainants. Physiological response of ordinary persons and complainants. Time history of annoyance of complainants according to on-and-off of sound source. Recent complains against low frequency noise. Guideline on low frequency noise: Mechanism of complaint in brain to wind turbine low frequency noise.

Marine mammal hearing and the effects of noise

Marine mammals use sound for critical life functions through passive listening and, in some species, active sonar. Major recent advances have been made in understanding what sounds they make, how they hear, and how noise affects their hearing, behavior, and physiology. While data are lacking for whole groups, notably baleen whales, direct hearing measurements are available for most taxa. Some species, such as odontocete cetaceans, hear extremely broad frequency ranges, well into ultrasonic biosonar frequencies. Pinnipeds have more limited frequency ranges but are adapted for aerial and underwater hearing. Indirect data suggest whales use and are more sensitive to low frequencies. For most species, quite high received sound levels are required to temporarily or permanently affect hearing. Direct experimental measurements of behavioral responses have revealed strong species and context dependencies, with factors such as proximity, novelty, and spatial relationships influencing response probability as well as relative loudness. For active surveillance sonar systems operating in the 30-200 kHz range, whales and otariid pinnipeds are of much less concern in terms of audibility and potential behavioral disturbance than phocid pinniped and odontocete cetaceans, notably porpoises. Hearing loss or other injuries from such systems are quite unlikely in almost all practical scenarios.

Low intensity ultrasound—Diverse biomedical applications

Low intensity ultrasound has been useful in a surprisingly wide range of biomedical applications. Ultrasound can affect both the central nervous system (CNS; brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Ultrasound methods offer the possibility of stimulating receptor structures and unmyelinated nerve fibers not just on the surface but also those otherwise inaccessible, deeper in the body or brain. Preliminary work indicates that information can be transferred via unmyelinated nerve fibers when normal avenues of sensing are damaged or inoperative. Tones and acoustic speech have been directly transferred through nerves without direct hearing. Radiation force effects can provide a variety of sensational effects and can be employed in ultrasound dynamic tactile arrays. Early prototype devices for diagnosis of diseases of hearing and audio prosthetics were developed in the early 1980s in the Soviet Union by Gavrilov and Tsirulnikov. Neuromodulation of the brain transcranially has demonstrated activation of motor responses. Low intensity ultrasound has also been applied to bone and wound healing. In a related application, it has been applied to the growth of artificial neovessels.

Randomized Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Management

Background. The perception of sound in the absence of an external sound is tinnitus. Tinnitus can have a severe negative impact on quality of life. Objective. This trial investigated whether multisession anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left temporoparietal area would enhance sound therapy from hearing aids. Methods. Forty participants (mean age = 54 years) experiencing chronic tinnitus (minimum 2 years) completed a 7-month long double-blind randomized clinical trial. Participants were randomized into 2 groups: control receiving sham tDCS and experimental receiving tDCS. Each group underwent multisession (5 consecutive sessions with 24-hour gap) anodal tDCS (2 mA intensity and 20 minutes duration) of the left temporoparietal area, followed by hearing aid use for 6 months. The impact of tDCS and hearing aid use on tinnitus was assessed using questionnaires (primary measure: Tinnitus Functional Index) and minimum masking level measurement. Results. There was a significant reduction in the overall Tinnitus Functional Index score with time, F(2, 37) = 11.9, P = .0001, for both the groups. Similar patterns were seen for secondary measures. tDCS appeared to have a positive effect on minimum masking levels but not questionnaire responses. Conclusions. After 3 months of hearing aid use, there were significant improvements in tinnitus, which were sustained at 6 months of use. The hearing aid effects appeared independent of tDCS. Further investigations of tDCS or other neuromodulators priming the auditory system for sound therapy based tinnitus treatments are warranted.

FITTING AND VERIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR DIRECT BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICES

The present invention relates to a method for fitting and verification of direct bone conduction hearing devices to a patient, wherein a. in a first step the hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are measured directly on a titanium implant of a patient, b. in a second step these hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are converted to equivalent force thresholds (F HT ) and loudness discomfort levels (F LDL ) on an artificial skull force measuring device, c. in a final step the output force levels of the direct bone conduction hearing device is measured in a free sound field with the device attached to the said artificial skull force measuring device and compared to the F HT and the F LDL as the base for final adjustments of the device.

Power Direct Bone Conduction Hearing Aid System

The hearing aid system ( 102 ) has a sound-to-vibration conversion circuitry including a microphone system ( 108 ), an electronic amplifier ( 114 ) and a vibrator ( 120 ). A housing ( 121 ) accommodates the vibrator ( 120 ). The vibrator ( 120 ) is connected to an abutment ( 124 ) that goes through the skin. The abutment ( 124 ) is connected to a fixture ( 126 ) that is anchored in the skull bone ( 128 ). The sound-to-vibration conversion circuitry has an AfD converter ( 212 ) that converts an analogue microphone signal into a digital signal.

The Noetic Turn in Jewish Thought

AbstractThe noetic turn—perhaps the most important development in Jewish theological discourse after that from prophetic literature to apocalypticism—denotes the translation of the biblical and particularly apocalyptic ontological and epistemological categories, generally conceived according to the norms and categories of everyday knowledge, into noetic categories. God, his throne, light, angels and heavens are re-conceived from a noetic perspective. Noetic perception takes the place of direct vision, hearing and dreams in apprehending the heavenly mysteries of the apocalyptic literature. The noetic turn introduces new ontological layers and degrees in heaven, new doctrines regarding the levels of divine concealment and manifestation and new theories about human epistemic capacities. This turn exerts a momentous influence on philosophically educated authors of Jewish and Christian cultures, on such classics as Philo, Clement, Origen, Halevi, Maimonides and Gersonides and many other thinkers of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Sužavanje načela neposrednosti u parničnom postupku

The aim of the last changes of the Law on Civil Procedure was to bring it in line with the Constitution and judicial organizational laws. However the legislator used an opportunity to amend some of the significant principles of the civil procedure. The court decides in the civil lawsuit based on the oral, direct and public hearing; however the principle of directness has been significantly limited by the last changes of the Law on Civil Procedure. That may be seen especially in the provisions of the Law on Civil Procedure that relate to holding of a hearing before the panel with the different composition and provisions that relate to the postponement of the hearing. By granting significant powers in the civil procedure to the judicial assistants, the Constitution of Serbia and European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms have been disregarded. Although the principle of directness in the civil procedure is almost destroyed, its violation is still considered as an absolute major infringement of the Civil Law Procedure provisions.

HNO-ärztliche Hörgeräte-Direktversorgung: Empfehlungen zur Vermeidung und Behandlung von Komplikationen bei der Ohrabdrucknahme

In times of budgeting, rising costs and monetary losses, an increasing number of ENT specialists considers the hearing system sector due to the distinct undersupply and the expected demographic development to be a market of the future and appropriate to enlarge their field of competence. Exact prevalence of direct hearing aid provision by German otorhinolaryngologists as well as its complication rate are not well-known. Retrospectively, all patients were evaluated who presented at our department with complications in the context of outpatient direct hearing aid supply within the last 3 years. Inappropriate fitting contains the danger of malformed or displaced ear impressions with various injury patterns comprising the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane and ossicular chain. Practical advices for prevention of complications include the accurate modeling and placement of sufficient impression pads behind the second bend of the auditory canal, using an adequate type of impression material as well as performing the correct application procedures. Recommendations for diagnostic patterns and treatment of complications after taking ear impressions are presented, the differences between German "traditional" and "direct" hearing aid provision are critically discussed.

Patient Preferences for Direct Hearing Aid Provision by a Private Dispenser. A Discrete Choice Experiment

Our objective was to elicit patient preferences for transferring elements of hearing aid provision from the medical sector [Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists and audiological centers] to private hearing aid dispensers, and to understand the trade-offs between different elements of hearing aid provision. A discrete choice experiment was administered from 150 hearing-impaired persons in the Netherlands. Mean age was 71 (range 18-95) and 57% were male. Participants preferred the initial assessment at the dispenser, higher accuracy in identifying persons in need of medical care, shorter duration of the total hearing aid provision, and a follow-up at the ENT specialist. They required compensation of at least euro 17 per 2 mo extra duration, euro 54 for an initial assessment at the ENT specialist, euro 119 per 10% decrease in accuracy, and euro 227 to forgo the follow-up at the ENT specialist. Preferences were influenced by sex, age, educational level, and experience with hearing aid provision. Hearing-impaired persons are receptive to transferring elements of hearing aid provision from the medical sector to private dispensers. Although safety and efficiency issues should also be considered, from the present study we can conclude that in the organization of hearing aid provision hearing-impaired persons prefer an initial assessment at a private dispenser when the dispenser is at least 95% as accurate as the ENT specialist, and prefer a follow-up visit at the ENT specialist.