ABSTRACT
The statistical parameters that influence the reliability of delta and residualized change were examined in the context of the assessment of cardiovascular reactivity. A comparison of the ...relative reliabilities of these two quantification methods was performed using systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate data from two samples of 134 and 109 subjects observed during baseline and either two or four behavioral challenges. The results indicated that both delta and residualized change scores can yield reliable measures of blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to behavioral challenges, and that their reliabilities will be comparable under the conditions observed in laboratory reactivity studies. Correlations between baseline and delta did not indicate that these two measures were systematically related. Finally, delta scores are more appropriate than residuals when assessing the generalizability of responses across a variety of tasks.
Cochlear implantation is associated with poor music perception and enjoyment. Reducing music complexity has been shown to enhance music enjoyment in cochlear implant (CI) recipients. In this study, ...we assess the impact of harmonic series reduction on music enjoyment.
Prospective analysis of music enjoyment in normal-hearing (NH) individuals and CI recipients.
Single tertiary academic medical center.
NH adults (N = 20) and CI users (N = 8) rated the Happy Birthday song on three validated enjoyment modalities-musicality, pleasantness, and naturalness.
Subjective rating of music excerpts.
Participants listened to seven different instruments play the melody, each with five levels of harmonic reduction (Full, F3+F2+F1+F0, F2+F1+F0, F1+F0, F0). NH participants listened to the segments both with and without CI simulation. Linear mixed effect models (LME) and likelihood ratio tests were used to assess the impact of harmonic reduction on enjoyment.
NH listeners without simulation rated segments with the first four harmonics (F3+F2+F1+F0) most pleasant and natural (p <0.001, p = 0.004). NH listeners with simulation rated the first harmonic alone (F0) most pleasant and natural (p <0.001, p = 0.003). Their ratings demonstrated a positive linear relationship between harmonic reduction and both pleasantness (slope estimate = 0.030, SE = 0.004, p <0.001, LME) and naturalness (slope estimate = 0.012, SE = 0.003, p = 0.003, LME). CI recipients also found the first harmonic alone (F0) to be most pleasant (p = 0.003), with a positive linear relationship between harmonic reduction and pleasantness (slope estimate = 0.029, SE = 0.008, p <0.001, LME).
Harmonic series reduction increases music enjoyment in CI and NH individuals with or without CI simulation. Therefore, minimization of the harmonics may be a useful strategy for enhancing musical enjoyment among both NH and CI listeners.
The purpose of this study was to compare sound level meter (SLM) readings obtained using a Larson-Davis (Depew, NY) Model 831 Type 1 SLM, a RadioShack (Fort Worth, TX) SLM, and iPhone 5 (Apple, ...Cupertino, CA) SLM apps.
In Procedure 1, pure tones were measured in an anechoic chamber (125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz); sound pressure levels (SPLs) ranged from 60 to 100 dB SPL in 10-dB increments. In Procedure 2, human voices were measured. Participants were 20 vocally healthy adults (7 women, 13 men; mean age = 25.1 years). The task was to sustain a vowel "ah" at 3 intensity levels: soft, habitual, and loud. Microphones were lined up equal distances from the participant's mouth, and recordings were captured simultaneously.
Overall, the 3 SLM apps and the RadioShack SLM yielded inconsistent readings compared with the Type 1 SLM.
The use of apps for SPL readings in the clinical setting is premature because all 3 apps adopted were incomparable with the Type 1 SLM.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
•Previous small studies have contributed to accounts of a gender discrepancy in the offspring of the fighter jet community.•This study is the first large retrospective review of male active duty ...pilots and their offspring.•There was no statistical difference in the offspring gender ratios of modern fighter pilots’ compared to the general population and flight community.•Further analysis is needed to explore occupational exposures that our national defense force assumes and their potential reproductive effects.
It has been reported in small studies that fighter pilots have a higher likelihood of producing female offspring secondary to job-related exposures. No large-scale study has investigated this potential gender disparity.
This retrospective study utilized electronic medical record systems to identify men with flight-related occupations within the U.S. military from September 2012 to January 2018. The gender of offspring born to those men at least one year after entry into the flight community were compared to gender rates of children born to the U.S. general population during the same time period.
10,879 and 62,624 children born to fighter pilots and pilots of non-fighter type aircraft respectively were compared. The gender distribution of children born to both communities was similar to U.S. general population trends.
This large-scale study provides social reassurances that the degree of risk imposed on our nation’s air defense force does not influence the gender balance of the subsequent generation.
Objectives/Hypothesis
To investigate the impact of subway station design on platform noise levels.
Study Design
Observational.
Methods
Continuous A‐weighted decibel (dBA) sound levels were recorded ...in 20 New York City subway stations, where trains entered on either a straight track or curved track in 10 stations each. Equivalent continuous noise levels (Leq) at various locations on the boarding platform (inbound end, midplatform, and outbound end) during train entry and exit were compared between the straight and curved stations in broadband as well as narrow one‐third octave bands.
Results
Overall, curved stations trended louder than straight stations, although the difference in broadband Leq did not reach statistical significance (curve, 83.4 dBA; straight, 82.6 dBA; P = .054). Noise levels were significantly louder at the inbound end of the platform during train entry (inbound, 89.7 dBA; mid, 85.5 dBA; outbound, 78.7 dBA; P < .001) and at the outbound end during train exit (inbound, 79.7 dBA; mid, 85.3 dBA; outbound, 89.1 dBA; P < .001). Narrow band analysis showed that curved stations were significantly louder than straight stations at 100 Hz and high frequencies from 8 to 20 kHz. Peak impact levels ranged from 104 to 121 dBA.
Conclusions
Curved stations have a different noise profile compared to straight stations and are significantly louder than straight stations at high frequencies. Designing stations with straight tracks within the platform can help reduce commuter noise exposure.
Level of Evidence
NA Laryngoscope, 127:1169–1174, 2017
This paper reviews the development of technology for eyewear‐based wearable displays, including the microdisplay, viewing optics, electronics and frame systems, that are necessary for the ...commercialization of consumer products, and ultimately for the complete integration of the system within eyewear. The eyewear display industry has its origins in projects funded by DARPA, starting in 1990. Today, several technologies have proved viable including LCOS, transmissive LCD, and oLED. In addition to the microdisplay itself, the development of viewing optics that can be incorporated in eyewear has been essential, and several teams have developed optics that will be reviewed here. Supporting electronics must also be incorporated in eyewear, and this is made possible today by the high degree of integration in systems on a chip. Today's technologies allow our industry to satisfy a number of “design rules” for eyewear displays that will be discussed. Additionally, wireless connectivity now provides access to almost unlimited information from the cloud. The final step in the commercialization of this technology is the creation of compelling consumer applications, and the companies that provide this final step will lead an expansion of the consumer electronics industry.
To determine the long-term audiometric stability and the types and frequency of management challenges encountered when working with elderly cochlear implant users.
Retrospective chart review.
...University hospital.
The final sample is 23 cochlear implantees over the age of 60, followed an average of 8.4 years.
Rehabilitative (cochlear implantation for clinical purposes, audiologic management).
Warble tone thresholds, spondee thresholds, speech recognition scores, and frequency counts of management problems.
Warble tone thresholds were stable over the study period. Speech recognition performance was not significantly changed statistically over the study period, but examination of individual results showed that 26% improved in performance, 17% participants decreased, and 17% remained the same. Thirteen percent of the sample had noteworthy thinning of the flap, including one individual whose flap deteriorated and required explantation.Management challenges relating to failing health, broken and lost equipment, thinning of the skin flap, critical judgment and emotional difficulties during programming sessions, and the need for repeated instructions on device use were noted with varying frequencies.
Cochlear implantation is beneficial for elderly patients with severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss as demonstrated by long-term stability of function, with the caveat that some individuals may experience significant decreases in speech recognition over time. However, unique management challenges resulting from age-related cognitive decline, health problems, and/or reduced dexterity may present themselves. Audiologists must keep these issues in mind during preoperative counseling and when structuring postoperative follow-up sessions.
The LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire is a parent questionnaire created to assess development of age-dependent auditory behaviors of children in the pre-verbal stage. The original questionnaire was ...developed in Austria (in German), and is now being introduced in the United States in English. This study was designed to obtain normative data on a Spanish translation. Fifty parents or caregivers participated. Responses were obtained at their child’s visit to a hospital clinic or an external ambulatory site. Children ranged in age from .5 to 21.4 months (mean = 9.5 months). Parents were either Spanish monolingual or bilingual representing 5 national origins. Analyses included correlation of age with total score, and with individual questions, index of difficulty, discrimination and selectivity indices, scale analysis, split-half reliability and internal consistency. Specifically, correlation between age and number of observed behaviors was 0.927. A measure of internal consistency was high, 0.95. Results indicated that the translated LittlEARS for use with Spanish speakers is a potentially useful tool for clinicians assessing pre-verbal auditory behavior. High correlations of total score with age suggested that the questionnaire reflects a progression of auditory skills in the 0 to 24 months age group.
Objective
Although speech perception tests are available to evaluate hearing, there is no standardized validated tool to quantify speech quality. The objective of this study is to develop a validated ...tool to measure quality of speech heard.
Study Design
Prospective instrument validation study of 35 normal hearing adults recruited at a tertiary referral center.
Methods
Participants listened to 44 speech clips of male/female voices reciting the Rainbow Passage. Speech clips included original and manipulated excerpts capturing goal qualities such as mechanical and garbled. Listeners rated clips on a 10‐point visual analog scale (VAS) of 18 characteristics (e.g. cartoonish, garbled).
Results
Skewed distribution analysis identified mean ratings in the upper and lower 2‐point limits of the VAS (ratings of 8–10, 0–2, respectively); items with inconsistent responses were eliminated. The test was pruned to a final instrument of nine speech clips that clearly define qualities of interest: speech‐like, male/female, cartoonish, echo‐y, garbled, tinny, mechanical, rough, breathy, soothing, hoarse, like, pleasant, natural. Mean ratings were highest for original female clips (8.8) and lowest for not‐speech manipulation (2.1). Factor analysis identified two subsets of characteristics: internal consistency demonstrated Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and 0.82 per subset. Test–retest reliability of total scores was high, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76.
Conclusion
The Speech Quality Instrument (SQI) is a concise, valid tool for assessing speech quality as an indicator for hearing performance. SQI may be a valuable outcome measure for cochlear implant recipients who, despite achieving excellent speech perception, often experience poor speech quality.
Level of Evidence
2b. Laryngoscope, 128:1622–1627, 2018
Noise reduction algorithm (NRA) in speech processing strategy has positive impact on speech perception among cochlear implant (CI) listeners. We sought to evaluate the effect of NRA on music ...enjoyment.
Prospective analysis of music enjoyment.
Academic medical center.
Normal-hearing (NH) adults (N = 16) and CI listeners (N = 9).
Subjective rating of music excerpts.
NH and CI listeners evaluated country music piece on three enjoyment modalities: pleasantness, musicality, and naturalness. Participants listened to the original version and 20 modified, less complex versions created by including subsets of musical instruments from the original song. NH participants listened to the segments through CI simulation and CI listeners listened to the segments with their usual speech processing strategy, with and without NRA.
Decreasing the number of instruments was significantly associated with increase in the pleasantness and naturalness in both NH and CI subjects (p < 0.05). However, there was no difference in music enjoyment with or without NRA for either NH listeners with CI simulation or CI listeners across all three modalities of pleasantness, musicality, and naturalness (p > 0.05): this was true for the original and the modified music segments with one to three instruments (p > 0.05).
NRA does not affect music enjoyment in CI listener or NH individual with CI simulation. This suggests that strategies to enhance speech processing will not necessarily have a positive impact on music enjoyment. However, reducing the complexity of music shows promise in enhancing music enjoyment and should be further explored.
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