Loud Noise Research Articles

Functional ultrasound reveals effects of MRI acoustic noise on brain function

Loud acoustic noise from the scanner during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can affect functional connectivity (FC) observed in the resting state, but the exact effect of the MRI acoustic noise on resting state FC is not well understood. Functional ultrasound (fUS) is a neuroimaging method that visualizes brain activity based on relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), a similar neurovascular coupling response to that measured by fMRI, but without the audible acoustic noise. In this study, we investigated the effects of different acoustic noise levels (silent, 80 dB, and 110 dB) on FC by measuring resting state fUS (rsfUS) in awake mice in an environment similar to fMRI measurement. Then, we compared the results to those of resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) conducted using an 11.7 Tesla scanner. RsfUS experiments revealed a significant reduction in FC between the retrosplenial dysgranular and auditory cortexes (0.56 ± 0.07 at silence vs 0.05 ± 0.05 at 110 dB, p=.01) and a significant increase in FC anticorrelation between the infralimbic and motor cortexes (−0.21 ± 0.08 at silence vs −0.47 ± 0.04 at 110 dB, p=.017) as acoustic noise increased from silence to 80 dB and 110 dB, with increased consistency of FC patterns between rsfUS and rsfMRI being found with the louder noise conditions. Event-related auditory stimulation experiments using fUS showed strong positive rCBV changes (16.5% ± 2.9% at 110 dB) in the auditory cortex, and negative rCBV changes (−6.7% ± 0.8% at 110 dB) in the motor cortex, both being constituents of the brain network that was altered by the presence of acoustic noise in the resting state experiments. Anticorrelation between constituent brain regions of the default mode network (such as the infralimbic cortex) and those of task-positive sensorimotor networks (such as the motor cortex) is known to be an important feature of brain network antagonism, and has been studied as a biological marker of brain disfunction and disease. This study suggests that attention should be paid to the acoustic noise level when using rsfMRI to evaluate the anticorrelation between the default mode network and task-positive sensorimotor network.

Testing the reliability and validity of the modified Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap in career firefighters in the United States.

Firefighters are routinely exposed to loud noise that put them at risk for hearing loss. A reliable and valid measure to assess firefighters' hearing function is important. This study aims to test the reliability and validity of the modified Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap ((m)AIADH) in firefighters. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 239 career firefighters from six partnered fire departments in Central Texas and Northern California. The internal consistency, convergent and criterion validity, and the ability to discriminate groups by measured hearing, perceived hearing, and a combination of measured and perceived hearing, were examined using the total score and score for each of the five subscales of the (m)AIADH. The study participants were primarily men (93%). Satisfactory internal consistency was revealed for the (m)AIADH with Cronbach's alpha above 0.80 for all five subscales. Criterion analysis presented a moderate correlation between the (m)AIADH and the average of hearing threshold at high frequencies (4, 6, and 8 kHz). For convergent validity, the (m)AIADH was moderately to highly related with perceived hearing. There were statistically significant differences in the total (m)AIADH score and the five subscales for measured hearing thresholds except for "intelligibility in quiet." The (m)AIADH also showed a discriminative ability to distinguish between the group with good perceived hearing and the group with bad perceived hearing. The (m)AIADH is a reliable and valid measure to assess various dimensions of hearing function among firefighters.

Effect of first week-intermittent fasting during Ramadan on the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia: A prospective study

BackgroundFasting has been well-reported as an adjunctive therapeutic approach in some chronic pain syndromes.Aim of the workTo study the effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia.Patients and methodsThis prospective observational study was conducted on 130 females with primary fibromyalgia eligible to fast the first week of Ramadan. The included patients were requested to answer the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire twice; the first targets the last week of Shaaban, while the second targets the first week of Ramadan.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 42.3 ± 11.03 years. The percentage of patients who improved in pain scores was 47.7%, depression (58.5%) and anxiety (55.4%) after the first week of RIF. The median value for the percent of improvement in pain, depression, and anxiety scores were 20%, 25%, and 25%, respectively. On the other hand, most patients showed worsening in the scores of energy level (56.9%) and sleep quality (60%) after the first week of RIF. The median value for the percent of worsening in the energy level and sleep quality scores were 33.3% and 36.7%, respectively. The percentage of patients who showed no change in stiffness scores was 40%, memory problems (67.7%), tenderness to touch (60.8%), balance problems (88.5%), or sensitivity to loud noises, bright lights, odors, and cold (66.9%) after the first week of RIF.ConclusionRIF may improve pain, anxiety, and depression, while it has deleterious effects on sleep and fatigue among patients with fibromyalgia.

Protective effect of astaxanthin nanoemulsion on mammalian inner ear hair cells.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are used for treating certain acute infections. However, these drugs cause ototoxicity by inducing inner ear hair cell death. We investigated the protective effect of a nanoemulsion of the carotenoid astaxanthin on mammalian inner ear hair cells against neomycin-induced ototoxicity. Dose-response relationship, quantification of hair cell loss, and reactive oxygen species production were assayed in response to neomycin with and without astaxanthin in cultured utricles of CBA/N mice. In addition, auditory brain response (ABR) and hair cell loss after exposure to the nanoformulation and loud noise were examined in vivo in guinea pigs. Astaxanthin suppressed neomycin-induced reduction of hair cells by reducing the production of hydroxy radicals. Furthermore, hair cell loss in the second rotation of the cochlea was significantly lower in the astaxanthin group than in the noise-only group. The blood-labyrinth barrier limits the successful delivery of drugs for inner ear complications. However, in the nanoemulsion form, astaxanthin can penetrate the round window (fenestra ovale) membrane, enabling topical administration. Thus, astaxanthin nanoemulsion could be useful in treating ototoxicity in individuals with inner ear complications.

Optimization Design and Comparative Analysis of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Anti-Vibration Performance of Twisted-Elliptic-Tube Heat Exchanger: A Case Study

The intercooler is a crucial component of the rich gas compressor. Due to the shortcomings of the conventional segmental baffle intercooler, an optimization design of the novel industrial-grade twisted-elliptic-tube intercooler is proposed. This study aims to compare the heat-transfer performance of these two types of intercoolers in a delayed coking unit at Sinopec. During the plant revamp operation, the original segmental baffle intercooler was replaced by the novel twisted-elliptic-tube intercooler. Experimental determination and comparison analysis of the industrial locale operation of the two types of intercoolers before and after the revamps were conducted. The evaluation results show that the novel twisted-elliptic-tube intercooler has a higher cooling capacity, with a 13.2% increase, compared to the conventional intercooler. Under identical operating conditions, the overall heat-transfer coefficients increase by 87.8%. Moreover, the heat-transfer area and gas pressure drop decrease by 37.4% and 36.9%, respectively. The tube bundles’ vibration and loud noise problems of the old intercooler are eliminated. The average exit temperature of the enriched gas that requires cooling is 38.4 °C, which is 7.3 °C lower than that of the conventional intercooler. These outcomes indicate that utilizing this innovative twisted-elliptic-tube heat exchanger can provide substantial advantages in terms of high heat-transfer efficiency and exceptional anti-vibration performance.

Trigger Factors of Migraine in Patients Attending Headache and Neurology Outpatient Clinics at Ain Shams University Hospitals

Abstract Background Migraine is the second most common cause of headache, affecting approximately 15% of women and 6% of men. Also, it is one of the most ten disabling diseases in the world. Objectives To determine the triggers of migraine headache in migraine patients attending Headache clinic at Ain Shams university hospitals. Methods A descriptive study was carried out among 292 migraine subjects from different parts of Cairo governorate from December 2019 to March 2020. Case definition of migraine was based on the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria. Results Females constituted 85.6% of the study sample. The majority of the sample (71.3%) aged 18-39 years. Psychological problems as: stress and family problems were the commonest triggers (89%), followed by fatigue (86.3%), too little sleep (staying up late) (82.2%), loud noises (77.7%), hunger, fasting and missing meals (75.3%), bright lights or and sun exposure (75%), and in relation to females menstruation (61.9%), hot weather (61.3%), too much sleep (46.9%), odors (46.2%). The least triggers were physical exercise, caffeinated drinks, smoking, chocolate and dairy products, and ice-cream were 28.8%, 26%, 24.7%, 23.3%, 16.1% respectively. Forty percent of the study population had positive family history of migraine, 30.1% of them reported major stresses (moving of residence, marriage, or death of a close relative) in the last year. Conclusion Stress, anxiety, family problems, fatigue, too little sleep, and loud noises were the commonest triggers of migraine headache. Family history was present in 41.1% of migraine patients.

A power source for E-devices based on green energy

Abstract Mobile and wearable devices are now the main part of our lives. The power consumed by these devices is usually in the range of μW or mW. Due to the requirement of periodic recharging, this work tries to present an economic renewable energy harvesting source for the process of charging. In this paper, authors exploit a huge amount of energy dissipated daily in the form of loud noise through streets up to 85 dB to generate a sufficient rate of energy to recharge the lithium batteries of wearable and mobile devices (more than 4.01 V). The piezoelectric model 7BB-27-4 was used in this work through a proposed design circuit. Suitable software was used to simulate the design. In comparison to previous research findings, the authors’ findings are sufficiently satisfactory.

Oracle text positioning system based on improved YOLOv7-FC model

In recent years, how to use computer to efficiently and accurately recognize oracle characters on oracle rubbings has become the focus of research. Due to the severe damage caused by the natural environment and the characteristics of complex background and loud noise, the oracle bone rubbings are difficult to separate the foreground and back of the oracle bone inscriptions. Therefore, it will be the future research direction to eliminate the negative impact of complex background and accurately locate the Oracle bone inscriptions. This paper puts forward the YOLOv7-FC neural network model and realizes the specific application in the oracle topology data set, and presents the system of single oracle character positioning results.The experimental results show that on the HWOBC-A dataset, the mAP value of the YOLOv7-FC neural network model proposed in this paper reaches 0.937. Compared with the original YOLOv7 model, it has improved by 0.22, effectively balancing the relationship between running speed and average accuracy, and providing feasibility for Oracle text localization machine learning method.

Correlation between psychological co-morbidities and functional capacity in hospitalized coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) patients.

Background: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery(CABG) is used to treat blockage or narrowing of one or more coronary arteries, hence it restore blood supply to the heart muscle. It can effectively relieve patient previous symptoms such as discomfort from chest pain (angina), fatigue ,breathlessness and heart attack and increases life expectancy. It is usually a stressful events for patients. After cardiac surgery. If there is alterations in psychological comorbidities are common during recovery. Functional capacity is ability to perform daily tasks or exercise.This well documented value gives information to the doctors, medical staff, physiotherapist and caregivers to give early intervention for emotional disorders after surgery in hospitalized patients Aim: to find the Correlation Between Psychological Co-Morbidities And Functional Capacity. In Hospitalized Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients. Study design: cross-sectional, observational & correlation study. Method: A total of 40 hospitalized CABG patients from tertiary healthcare centre of a metropolitan city. The assessment tool used in this study was Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), 6 Minute walk test(6MWT), and Borg scale. The patients taken who fulfilled inclusion criteria and were willing to participate. After obtaining written consent, the DAS Scale was administered to patient and made to performing 6 minute walk test in cardio-vascular & thoracic surgery(CVTS) wards. For each participants required time was 30-40 mins. Results: Pearson correlation was used to find correlation between Psychological Comorbidities and Functional Capacity. r value for Psychological Comorbidities (DASS Scale score) and percent predicted value of 6MWT (Functional Capacity) is -.399 which shows weak negative correlation and is statistically significant with p value of 0.011. This implicates that if slightly high DASS Scale score for measuring psychological comorbidities was slightly reduced functional capacity. Conclusion: The result of this study showed weak negative correlation between Psychological comorbidities and Functional capacity. It may be due to post operative fatigue, incisional pain, unable to fall a sleep, loud noises in wards, coughing etc. So this study gives us an understanding to improve quality of life of patients.

Healthcare Experience of Pediatric Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face several challenges in the healthcare setting. This study defines the challenges experienced by children with autism in hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire for guardians of autistic children in outpatient clinics, autism support groups, and rehabilitation centers. A total of 199 participants were included. The medical procedures causing the most anxiety to children were injections and getting their blood drawn (68.3%), vital sign measurement (41.6%), and height and weight measurement (37.8%). Long waiting hours (44.1%), increased sensory stimuli (33.2%), and overcrowding of hospital staff (27.9%) were stress-inducing in the healthcare environment. The guardians recommended that loud noises (44.7%), crowdedness (41.2%), and long waiting hours (42.1%) be avoided. The nonverbal children experienced significantly higher levels (p < 0.001) of agitation, irritability, and outbursts during doctor visits than their verbal counterparts. The children with intellectual disabilities were more tense and unresponsive during doctor visits (33.3%) than their intellectually able counterparts, who more frequently were calm and responsive (44.9%) during visits. Most patients with ASD face hardships during hospital visits. Nonverbal patients and those with intellectual disabilities have a higher tendency for hospital setting anxiety-induced outbursts, which may be eased by avoiding loud noise and overcrowding.

Literature study: Superior semicircular canal syndrome (SSCS)

Superior Semicircular Canal Syndrome (SSCS) or Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome is a rare abnormality in the medical field in the form of balance disturbance or vertigo caused by loud noises or changes in pressure causing rupture of the roof of the superior semicircular canal. SSCS was first described by Lloyd Minor in 1998 after more than 70 years since Tullio and Hennebert discovered the Tullio phenomenon, a condition in which vertigo or nystagmus is triggered by loud noises, and the Hennebert phenomenon, a condition in which vertigo or nystagmus, is triggered by changes in pressure. The exact prevalence of superior semicircular canal syndrome is not known until now. Estimates of prevalence varied from 0.5–2% of cases in temporal bone studies, to 3–9% of cases in studies performed with CT scans. Cases of SSCS are more common in males than females. Clinical symptoms that appear in SSCS are caused by dehiscence so that patients will complain of autophonia, which the sound produced by their body sounds louder, hyperacusis, tinnitus, vertigo which is triggered by loud noises, and nystagmus. A Careful history, an examination of hearing and balance function, also high-resolution CT scan are needed to establish the diagnose of SSCS. Management can be done conservatively. If the complaints are severe, then operative options can be considered.

The role of stress factors in the formation of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children: characteristics of anxiety-phobic and depressive disorders

Introduction. There is enough evidence of the influence of the psycho-emotional state of children on the development of gas-troesophageal reflux disease, numerous studies reveal anxiety and depressive disorders in them. However, there is no common understanding of the specific causal relationships underlying the pathogenesis of this disease.Aim. To identify the features and possible causes of anxiety and depressive disorders in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease and analyze their role using Yu.I. Burlan's system-vector psychology.Materials and methods. 677 adolescents aged 11-17 years were examined on the basis of the pediatric department in the Clinic of the Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North (Krasnoyarsk). The gastroesophageal reflux diseasewas diagnosed by testing according to the Russian version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire. Computerized testing “The Development and Well-Being Assessment” was used to identify mental disorders.Results. In children with gastroesophageal reflux disease, all kinds of fears were significantly more common: fear of separation - 50.0 (25.1-74.9)%; darkness, thunderstorms, thunder, heights - 66.7 (38.6-86.1)%; blood injections, wounds - 58.3 (31.6-80.8)%; loud noise - 33.3 (13.9-61.4)%; to be far from home - 41.7 (19.2-68.4)%. 41.7 (19.2-68.4)% of children had manifestations of depression, which is 2 times more often than in the control group, and every fourth had self-harm. Separation from friends, panic attacks, fear of death, melancholy, resentment, learning problems, appearance were indicated as the causes of depression.Conclusions. The causal relationships disclosed by the system-vector psychology, according to which certain stress factors play an important role in the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease. These factors depend on the type of character: for emotional children, these are all kinds of fears, phobias, breaking emotional ties, problems in relationships with others, and for obedient and calm children - resentment, learning problems and any factor of novelty (change of the usual environment, living conditions, team).

Reducing barking in a Brazilian animal shelter: A practical intervention

Barking is a common problem in animal shelters. Loud noise is an irritant and stressful to both humans and other animals. In the present study, we tested a positive reinforcement intervention using food delivery with 70 dogs at a municipal animal shelter in Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experiment consisted of three conditions with three daily phases: pre-intervention (A1), intervention (B), and post-intervention (A2). The intervention consisted of the experimenter (ALB) entering the building in which dogs were housed, stopping at each of its 12 kennels (between 4 and 6 dogs in each kennel), and delivering food to the dogs after they had ceased barking. After the first study condition with its single experimenter, we conducted two other conditions to test the generalization of the intervention with novel stimuli. In Condition 2, the experimenter was accompanied by a student; and in Condition 3, the experimenter was with the same student and a shelter employee. Continuous sound levels (Leq dB) and duration of barking were measured pre- and post-intervention throughout the study’s three conditions as well as the amount of time needed to carry out the intervention each day. We found that, on average, both Leq dB and barking duration reduced following the intervention with a decrease in both measures from the beginning to the end of the study. Furthermore, intervention implementation time shortened across the study’s conditions, with less than three minutes needed for the intervention to be carried out in Condition 3. In total, our findings suggest that the Barking Reduction Protocol (BRP) is an effective, low-effort intervention that reduces dog barking in the animal shelter. When considering the many issues that compromise the daily lives of shelter dogs, this intervention may be a useful tool in changing dogs’ barking behavior in response to people and improve their welfare as they await adoption.

Analisis Framing pada Pemberitaan Pengaturan Pengeras Suara Masjid di Media Online Akurat.co

The emergence of regulations governing the use of loudspeakers in mosques seems to have caused a lot of controversy, especially when there was a statement from the Chief Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. This polemic certainly gets a lot of attention from various news media by way of reporting that is in accordance with the ideology and interests of the media. Every news text contained in print media, as well as online is the result of construction by framing the point of view of an event. This study aims to find out the construction of accurate.co news regarding the Minister of Religion's rules regarding loudspeakers in mosques. Which parts will be eliminated and highlighted by Akurat.co to convey the reality of the news that has been constructed. This study uses the constructivism paradigm with the Zhong Dang Pan and Gerald M. Kosicki model media framing analysis method. This framing analysis model is divided into four analysis structures, namely: syntactic structure, script structure, thematic structure, and rhetorical structure. This study found that there was news framing that led to the element of media Accuracy.co's partiality towards the Ministry of Religion's regulations regarding the rules for loudspeakers in mosques. The construction of reality in the news text carried out by the media accurate.co was carried out as an effort to direct public opinion that Yaqut Cholil Qoumas' statement as chief minister was not to compare the sound of the call to prayer and the sound of dogs barking, but as an example that loud noises can disrupt tolerance in social life.

Effect of Driving Sound of Electric Vehicle on Product Attractiveness

Product sounds are an effective means of communicating product features. However, the existing research on electric vehicle (EV) driving sounds has focused on noise reduction and pedestrian safety. Discussions from the perspective of improving product attractiveness and creating value are lacking. This study examined the effects of the driving sounds of gasoline-powered vehicles and EVs in the Japanese automobile market using randomized controlled trials. For verification, we prepared four types of cars with three types of driving sounds (gasoline-powered engines, gasoline-powered sports engines, and EV motors) for 12 movies. This makes it possible to evaluate the effects of the driving sounds equally. As a result, we clarified that the driving sound of EVs enhances the evaluation of product attractiveness compared to the sound of gasoline-powered sports vehicles. This result implies that practitioners should be aware that recent consumers tend to be more attracted to EVs than gasoline-powered vehicles. Consumers have a beautiful and sophisticated impression of the EV category and electrified future. The results confirm that consumers find the engine of a sports car confusing but find the quietness of EV attractive. The trend toward a higher evaluation of EV motors is more pronounced among younger generations and men. Therefore, although products that restore loud engine noise, despite EVs, exist, the concern is that the direction that companies should aim for is different. This study goes beyond noise reduction and safety assurance and demonstrates the importance of sound design that conveys attractiveness.

Determination of steady-state transcriptome modifications associated with repeated homotypic stress in the rat rostral posterior hypothalamic region.

Chronic stress is epidemiologically correlated with physical and psychiatric disorders. Whereas many animal models of chronic stress induce symptoms of psychopathology, repeated homotypic stressors to moderate intensity stimuli typically reduce stress-related responses with fewer, if any, pathological symptoms. Recent results indicate that the rostral posterior hypothalamic (rPH) region is a significant component of the brain circuitry underlying response reductions (habituation) associated with repeated homotypic stress. To test whether posterior hypothalamic transcriptional regulation associates with the neuroendocrine modifications induced by repeated homotypic stress, RNA-seq was performed in the rPH dissected from adult male rats that experienced either no stress, 1, 3, or 7 stressful loud noise exposures. Plasma samples displayed reliable increases of corticosterone in all stressed groups, with the smallest increase in the group exposed to 7 loud noises, indicating significant habituation compared to the other stressed groups. While few or no differentially expressed genes were detected 24-h after one or three loud noise exposures, relatively large numbers of transcripts were differentially expressed between the group exposed to 7 loud noises when compared to the control or 3-stress groups, respectively, which correlated with the corticosterone response habituation observed. Gene ontology analyses indicated multiple significant functional terms related to neuron differentiation, neural membrane potential, pre- and post-synaptic elements, chemical synaptic transmission, vesicles, axon guidance and projection, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. Some of the differentially expressed genes (Myt1l, Zmat4, Dlx6, Csrnp3) encode transcription factors that were independently predicted by transcription factor enrichment analysis to target other differentially regulated genes in this study. A similar experiment employing in situ hybridization histochemical analysis in additional animals validated the direction of change of the 5 transcripts investigated (Camk4, Gabrb2, Gad1, Grin2a and Slc32a) with a high level of temporal and regional specificity for the rPH. In aggregate, the results suggest that distinct patterns of gene regulation are obtained in response to a repeated homotypic stress regimen; they also point to a significant reorganization of the rPH region that may critically contribute to the phenotypic modifications associated with repeated homotypic stress habituation.

Evaluation of Low-Frequency Noise, Infrasound, and Health Symptoms at an Administrative Building and Men's Shelter: A Case Study.

Responses to complaints about low-frequency noise and infrasound at workplaces have not been extensively documented in the literature. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health evaluated low-frequency noise, infrasound, and health symptoms among employees of an organization providing services to homeless persons. The organization's campus was evacuated after two loud noise and vibration incidents related to methane flare on an adjacent landfill. Employees were interviewed about health symptoms, perceptions of noise, and how the incidents were handled. Available medical records were reviewed. Sound level and noise frequency measurements taken in vacated campus buildings not during these incidents revealed overall levels across frequencies up to 100 hertz were 64 to 73 dB, well below those associated with adverse health effects. However, an unbalanced frequency spectrum could have contributed to the unusual sounds or vibrations reported before the first incident. Some symptoms predating the incidents are consistent with low-frequency noise exposure but are also common and nonspecific. Most interviewed employees (57%) reported being uncomfortable returning to work on the campus. Multiple factors such as noise characteristics, health effects, and employee perceptions need to be considered when assessing health concerns related to low-frequency noise and infrasound.

New Strategies Show Promise for Concussion

New Strategies Show Promise for Concussion

Exploring challenges in learning grammar during Covid-19 era

This study aimed to explore challenges in learning grammar in an Intermediate Grammar class during COVID-19 era. The participants were English as a Foreign Language students from 2019 until 2021 who failed in Intermediate Grammar class or received C-E as the final score of this class during COVID-19. Close-ended questionnaire and interview were used as the instruments to collect the data in May and June 2022. The questionnaire asked the participants to choose responses to the statements. In the interview, the researcher involved six participants from the survey to clarify and dig in their responses using the same questions on the questionnaire. The results of this study would seem to indicate that the students failed in learning grammar class during the COVID-19 era because the grammar materials were too difficult to understand, loud noises made them unable to study peacefully when joining the online class from home. Their online grammar class was boring, and students experienced a bad internet connection. In addition, teachers and friends seemed to take an essential role in enhancing students’ grammar. At the end, this study proposed some explicit learning strategies to improve learners’ learning in an online grammar class.

A Review on the Influence of Noise on the Welfare of Dogs

The purpose of ears is to receive and transmit sound information to the brain. All ears have a dynamic functioning range but if sounds are excessively loud, it may harm the auditory system whereas those that are too low in intensity are simply not processed. One-third of canine population suffers from noise aversion. Dogs are frequently startled by loud noises like gunshots, thunder, or fireworks. Research indicates that some dog breeds are significantly less likely to experience loud noise phobia. Older dogs are more prone to react emotionally negatively to loud noises. Extreme phobic reactions can result from a single traumatic encounter as well as recurrent exposure to frightful stimuli. While phobic responses might include panic, acute agitation, and/or destructive activity, mild fear responses can include panting, pacing and hiding attempts. Sudden, loud noises are one of the most common triggers for fearful behaviours in dogs and many companion dogs suffer from noise sensitivity. This review deals with physiology of canine ear, breed differences in hearing capacities, frequencies of sound that affect dogs and the physiological and behavioural responses of dogs to noise stress. The effect of music on canine welfare and strategies for noise abetment is also elucidated. To protect the wellbeing of dogs and to limit the emergence of anxiety-related behavioural stress issues, a better understanding of interpreting canine responses to noise is imperative.