Modeling of speech localization in a multi-talker mixture using periodicity and energy-based auditory features

A recent study showed that human listeners are able to localize a short speech target simultaneously masked by four speech tokens in reverberation [Kopčo, Best, and Carlile (2010). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 127, 1450–1457]. Here, an auditory model for solving this task is introduced. The model has three processing stages: (1) extraction of the instantaneous interaural time difference (ITD) information, (2) selection of target-related ITD information (“glimpses”) using a template-matching procedure based on periodicity, spectral energy, or both, and (3) target location estimation. The model performance was compared to the human data, and to the performance of a modified model using an ideal binary mask (IBM) at stage (2). The IBM-based model performed similarly to the subjects, indicating that the binaural model is able to accurately estimate source locations. Template matching using spectral energy and using a combination of spectral energy and periodicity achieved good results, while using periodicity alone led to poor results. Particularly, the glimpses extracted from the initial portion of the signal were critical for good performance. Simulation data show that the auditory features investigated here are sufficient to explain human performance in this challenging listening condition and thus may be used in models of auditory scene analysis.

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Frequencies, bandwidths and magnitudes of vocal tract and surrounding tissue resonances, measured through the lips during phonation

The frequencies, magnitudes, and bandwidths of vocal tract resonances are all important in understanding and synthesizing speech. High precision acoustic impedance spectra of the vocal tracts of 10 subjects were measured from 10 Hz to 4.2 kHz by injecting a broadband acoustic signal through the lips. Between 300 Hz and 4 kHz the acoustic resonances R (impedance minima measured through the lips) and anti-resonances (impedance maxima) associated with the first three voice formants, have bandwidths of ∼50 to 90 Hz for men and ∼70 to 90 Hz for women. These acoustic resonances approximate those of a smooth, dry, rigid cylinder of similar dimensions, except that their bandwidths indicate higher losses in the vocal tract. The lossy, inertive load and airflow caused by opening the glottis further increase the bandwidths observed during phonation. The vocal tract walls are not rigid and measurements show an acousto-mechanical resonance R0 ∼ 20 Hz and anti-resonance . These give an estimate of wall inertance consistent with an effective thickness of 1–2 cm and a wall stiffness of 2–4 kN m⁻¹. The non-rigidity of the tract imposes a lower limit of the frequency of the first acoustic resonance f R1 and the first formant F1.

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Physiological motivated transmission-lines as front end for loudness models

The perception of loudness is strongly influenced by peripheral auditory processing, which calls for a physiologically correct peripheral auditory processing stage when constructing advanced loudness models. Most loudness models, however, rather follow a functional approach: a parallel auditory filter bank combined with a compression stage, followed by spectral and temporal integration. Such classical loudness models do not allow to directly link physiological measurements like otoacoustic emissions to properties of their auditory filterbank. However, this can be achieved with physiologically motivated transmission-line models (TLMs) of the cochlea. Here two active and nonlinear TLMs were tested as the peripheral front end of a loudness model. The TLMs are followed by a simple generic back end which performs integration of basilar-membrane “excitation” across place and time to yield a loudness estimate. The proposed model approach reaches similar performance as other state-of-the-art loudness models regarding the prediction of loudness in sones, equal-loudness contours (including spectral fine structure), and loudness as a function of bandwidth. The suggested model provides a powerful tool to directly connect objective measures of basilar membrane compression, such as distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and loudness in future studies.

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A comparative study on the contour tracking algorithms in ultrasound tongue images with automatic re-initialization

The feasibility of an automatic re-initialization of contour tracking is explored by using an image similarity-based method in the ultrasound tongue sequences. To this end, the re-initialization method was incorporated into current state-of-art tongue tracking algorithms, and a quantitative comparison was made between different algorithms by computing the mean sum of distances errors. The results demonstrate that with automatic re-initialization, the tracking error can be reduced from an average of 5–6 to about 4 pixels, a result obtained by using a large number of hand-labeled frames and similarity measurements to extract the contours, which results in improved performance.

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Low frequency sound attenuation in a flow duct using a thin slow sound material

A thin subwavelength material that can be flush mounted in a duct and that gives an attenuation band at low frequencies in air flow channels is presented. To decrease the material thickness, the sound is slowed in the material using folded side branch tubes. The impedance of the material is compared to the optimal value given by the Cremer condition, which can differ greatly from the air characteristic impedance. Grazing flow on this material increases the losses at the interface between the flow and the material.

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A comparative study on the contour tracking algorithms in ultrasound tongue images with automatic re-initialization

The feasibility of an automatic re-initialization of contour tracking is explored by using an image similarity-based method in the ultrasound tongue sequences. To this end, the re-initialization method was incorporated into current state-of-art tongue tracking algorithms, and a quantitative comparison was made between different algorithms by computing the mean sum of distances errors. The results demonstrate that with automatic re-initialization, the tracking error can be reduced from an average of 5–6 to about 4 pixels, a result obtained by using a large number of hand-labeled frames and similarity measurements to extract the contours, which results in improved performance.

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Low frequency sound attenuation in a flow duct using a thin slow sound material

A thin subwavelength material that can be flush mounted in a duct and that gives an attenuation band at low frequencies in air flow channels is presented. To decrease the material thickness, the sound is slowed in the material using folded side branch tubes. The impedance of the material is compared to the optimal value given by the Cremer condition, which can differ greatly from the air characteristic impedance. Grazing flow on this material increases the losses at the interface between the flow and the material.

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Small Compartment Toxicity: CN VIII and Quality of Life: Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Balance Disorders.

Small Compartment Toxicity: CN VIII and Quality of Life: Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Balance Disorders.

Int J Toxicol. 2016 May 18;

Authors: Gauvin DV, Yoder JD, Tapp RL, Baird TJ

Abstract
Life experiences, industrial/environmental exposures, and administration of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs may have unintended but detrimental effects on peripheral and central auditory pathways. Most relevant to the readership of this journal is the role that drug treatments approved by the FDA as safe and effective appear to interact with 3 independent modes of toxicity within the small compartment of the ear. What may seem to be trivial drug-induced toxicity has the potential to change important measures of quality of life and functional capacity of mid- to late-life patients. Drugs meant to treat can become the source of interference in the activities of daily living, and as a result, treatment compliance may be jeopardized. Ototoxicity has been defined as the tendency of certain therapeutic agents and other chemical substances to cause functional impairments and cellular degeneration of the tissues of the inner ear resulting in hearing loss. However, one of the largest contributors to hospitalizations is fall-related injuries in the elderly patients associated with disorders of vestibular function linked to progressive and drug-induced toxicities. Tinnitus affects 35 to 50 million adults representing approximately 25% of the US population, with 12 million seeking medical care and 2 to 3 million reporting symptoms that were severely debilitating. This review is intended to highlight these targets of neurotoxicity that threaten the usefulness of drug treatments deemed safe and effective prior to access by the general public.

PMID: 27194512 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Extracellular vesicles derived from human vestibular schwannomas associated with poor hearing damage cochlear cells.

Extracellular vesicles derived from human vestibular schwannomas associated with poor hearing damage cochlear cells.

Neuro Oncol. 2016 May 18;

Authors: Soares VY, Atai NA, Fujita T, Dilwali S, Sivaraman S, Landegger LD, Hochberg FH, Oliveira CA, Bahmad F, Breakefield XO, Stankovic KM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a tumor of the vestibular nerve that transmits balance information from the inner ear to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in 95% of patients with these tumors, but the cause of this loss is not well understood. We posit a role of VS-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a major contributing factor in cochlear nerve damage.
METHODS: Using differential centrifugation, we isolated EVs from VS cell line HEI-193 and primary cultured human VS cells from patients with good hearing or poor hearing. The EVs were characterized using a Nanosight device and transmission electron microscopy and by extracting their RNA content. The EVs' effects on cultured murine spiral ganglion cells and organotypic cochlear cultures were studied using a transwell dual-culture system and by direct labeling of EVs with PKH-67 dye. EV-induced changes in cochlear cells were quantified using confocal immunohistochemistry. Transfection of VS cells with a green fluorescent protein-containing plasmid was confirmed with reverse transcription PCR.
RESULTS: Human VS cells, from patients with poor hearing, produced EVs that could damage both cultured murine cochlear sensory cells and neurons. In contrast, EVs derived from VS cells from patients with good hearing did not damage the cultured cochlear cells.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on EVs derived from VSs and on the capacity of EVs from VSs from patients with hearing loss to selectively damage cochlear cells, thereby identifying a potential novel mechanism of VS-associated sensorineural hearing loss.

PMID: 27194145 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Small Compartment Toxicity: CN VIII and Quality of Life: Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Balance Disorders.

Small Compartment Toxicity: CN VIII and Quality of Life: Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Balance Disorders.

Int J Toxicol. 2016 May 18;

Authors: Gauvin DV, Yoder JD, Tapp RL, Baird TJ

Abstract
Life experiences, industrial/environmental exposures, and administration of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs may have unintended but detrimental effects on peripheral and central auditory pathways. Most relevant to the readership of this journal is the role that drug treatments approved by the FDA as safe and effective appear to interact with 3 independent modes of toxicity within the small compartment of the ear. What may seem to be trivial drug-induced toxicity has the potential to change important measures of quality of life and functional capacity of mid- to late-life patients. Drugs meant to treat can become the source of interference in the activities of daily living, and as a result, treatment compliance may be jeopardized. Ototoxicity has been defined as the tendency of certain therapeutic agents and other chemical substances to cause functional impairments and cellular degeneration of the tissues of the inner ear resulting in hearing loss. However, one of the largest contributors to hospitalizations is fall-related injuries in the elderly patients associated with disorders of vestibular function linked to progressive and drug-induced toxicities. Tinnitus affects 35 to 50 million adults representing approximately 25% of the US population, with 12 million seeking medical care and 2 to 3 million reporting symptoms that were severely debilitating. This review is intended to highlight these targets of neurotoxicity that threaten the usefulness of drug treatments deemed safe and effective prior to access by the general public.

PMID: 27194512 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Extracellular vesicles derived from human vestibular schwannomas associated with poor hearing damage cochlear cells.

Extracellular vesicles derived from human vestibular schwannomas associated with poor hearing damage cochlear cells.

Neuro Oncol. 2016 May 18;

Authors: Soares VY, Atai NA, Fujita T, Dilwali S, Sivaraman S, Landegger LD, Hochberg FH, Oliveira CA, Bahmad F, Breakefield XO, Stankovic KM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a tumor of the vestibular nerve that transmits balance information from the inner ear to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in 95% of patients with these tumors, but the cause of this loss is not well understood. We posit a role of VS-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a major contributing factor in cochlear nerve damage.
METHODS: Using differential centrifugation, we isolated EVs from VS cell line HEI-193 and primary cultured human VS cells from patients with good hearing or poor hearing. The EVs were characterized using a Nanosight device and transmission electron microscopy and by extracting their RNA content. The EVs' effects on cultured murine spiral ganglion cells and organotypic cochlear cultures were studied using a transwell dual-culture system and by direct labeling of EVs with PKH-67 dye. EV-induced changes in cochlear cells were quantified using confocal immunohistochemistry. Transfection of VS cells with a green fluorescent protein-containing plasmid was confirmed with reverse transcription PCR.
RESULTS: Human VS cells, from patients with poor hearing, produced EVs that could damage both cultured murine cochlear sensory cells and neurons. In contrast, EVs derived from VS cells from patients with good hearing did not damage the cultured cochlear cells.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on EVs derived from VSs and on the capacity of EVs from VSs from patients with hearing loss to selectively damage cochlear cells, thereby identifying a potential novel mechanism of VS-associated sensorineural hearing loss.

PMID: 27194145 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-8

Authors: Welch D, Reddy R, Hand J, Devine IM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the change in hearing-health behaviour amongst teenagers trained to deliver the Dangerous Decibels programme to younger children.
DESIGN: The Dangerous Decibels programme uses a two-stage process to train 8-12 year-old children to protect their hearing from noise: (1) a team of experts train 'Educators' who (2) give classroom training to children in schools. Training teenagers as Educators may add a second level of benefit if teenagers internalize the hearing-health messages that they present and thus protect their own hearing better. They were assessed before training, immediately after, and three months later (after all had presented the classroom training) using a questionnaire. In addition, a focus group was conducted with a subgroup of the Educators to assess their subjective experience.
STUDY SAMPLE: We trained 44 Educators aged 14-17 years.
RESULTS: Results were generally positive: there were significant and sustained improvements in knowledge, self-reported behaviour, and perceived supports towards protecting hearing, and trends but not significant changes in attitudes or perceived barriers to hearing protection.
CONCLUSIONS: Providing training to teenagers had benefits beyond the delivery of training to younger children, but improvements in the delivery model may increase the uptake and impact on the teenagers.

PMID: 27196113 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Aazh H, Moore BC, Lammaing K, Cropley M

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess patients' judgements of the effectiveness of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapies offered in a specialist UK National Health Service audiology department.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional service evaluation questionnaire survey. Patients were asked to rank the effectiveness of the treatment they received on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = no effect, 5 = very effective).
STUDY SAMPLE: The questionnaire was sent to all patients who received treatment between January and March 2014 (n = 200) and 92 questionnaires were returned.
RESULTS: The mean score was greatest for counselling (Mean = 4.7, SD = 0.6), followed by education (Mean = 4.5, SD = 0.8), cognitive behavioural therapy - CBT (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.7), and hearing tests (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.9). Only 6% of responders rated counselling as 3 or below. In contrast, bedside sound generators, hearing aids, and wideband noise generators were rated as 3 or below by 25%, 36%, and 47% of participants, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The most effective components of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy interventions were judged by the patients to be counselling, education, and CBT.

PMID: 27195947 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Fredriksson S, Hammar O, Magnusson L, Kähäri K, Persson Waye K

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic.
DESIGN: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing disorder was diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and HINT (Hearing In Noise Test).
STUDY SAMPLE: Fifty-five female obstetrics personnel aged 22-63 participated; including 26 subjects reporting hearing loss, poor hearing, tinnitus, or sound sensitivity, and 29 randomly selected subjects who did not report these symptoms.
RESULTS: The questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue had the best combination of sensitivity ≥85% (95% CIs 56 to 100%) and specificity ≥70% (95% CIs 55 to 84%) for hearing disorder diagnosed by audiometry or otoacoustic emission. Of those reporting sound-induced auditory fatigue 71% were predicted to have disorder diagnosed by otoacoustic emission. Participants reporting any hearing-related symptom had slightly worse measured hearing.
CONCLUSIONS: We suggest including sound-induced auditory fatigue in questionnaires for identification of hearing disorder among healthcare personnel, though larger studies are warranted for precise estimates of diagnostic performance. Also, more specific and accurate hearing tests are needed to diagnose mild hearing disorder.

PMID: 27195802 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-8

Authors: Welch D, Reddy R, Hand J, Devine IM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the change in hearing-health behaviour amongst teenagers trained to deliver the Dangerous Decibels programme to younger children.
DESIGN: The Dangerous Decibels programme uses a two-stage process to train 8-12 year-old children to protect their hearing from noise: (1) a team of experts train 'Educators' who (2) give classroom training to children in schools. Training teenagers as Educators may add a second level of benefit if teenagers internalize the hearing-health messages that they present and thus protect their own hearing better. They were assessed before training, immediately after, and three months later (after all had presented the classroom training) using a questionnaire. In addition, a focus group was conducted with a subgroup of the Educators to assess their subjective experience.
STUDY SAMPLE: We trained 44 Educators aged 14-17 years.
RESULTS: Results were generally positive: there were significant and sustained improvements in knowledge, self-reported behaviour, and perceived supports towards protecting hearing, and trends but not significant changes in attitudes or perceived barriers to hearing protection.
CONCLUSIONS: Providing training to teenagers had benefits beyond the delivery of training to younger children, but improvements in the delivery model may increase the uptake and impact on the teenagers.

PMID: 27196113 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Aazh H, Moore BC, Lammaing K, Cropley M

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess patients' judgements of the effectiveness of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapies offered in a specialist UK National Health Service audiology department.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional service evaluation questionnaire survey. Patients were asked to rank the effectiveness of the treatment they received on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = no effect, 5 = very effective).
STUDY SAMPLE: The questionnaire was sent to all patients who received treatment between January and March 2014 (n = 200) and 92 questionnaires were returned.
RESULTS: The mean score was greatest for counselling (Mean = 4.7, SD = 0.6), followed by education (Mean = 4.5, SD = 0.8), cognitive behavioural therapy - CBT (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.7), and hearing tests (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.9). Only 6% of responders rated counselling as 3 or below. In contrast, bedside sound generators, hearing aids, and wideband noise generators were rated as 3 or below by 25%, 36%, and 47% of participants, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The most effective components of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy interventions were judged by the patients to be counselling, education, and CBT.

PMID: 27195947 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Fredriksson S, Hammar O, Magnusson L, Kähäri K, Persson Waye K

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic.
DESIGN: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing disorder was diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and HINT (Hearing In Noise Test).
STUDY SAMPLE: Fifty-five female obstetrics personnel aged 22-63 participated; including 26 subjects reporting hearing loss, poor hearing, tinnitus, or sound sensitivity, and 29 randomly selected subjects who did not report these symptoms.
RESULTS: The questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue had the best combination of sensitivity ≥85% (95% CIs 56 to 100%) and specificity ≥70% (95% CIs 55 to 84%) for hearing disorder diagnosed by audiometry or otoacoustic emission. Of those reporting sound-induced auditory fatigue 71% were predicted to have disorder diagnosed by otoacoustic emission. Participants reporting any hearing-related symptom had slightly worse measured hearing.
CONCLUSIONS: We suggest including sound-induced auditory fatigue in questionnaires for identification of hearing disorder among healthcare personnel, though larger studies are warranted for precise estimates of diagnostic performance. Also, more specific and accurate hearing tests are needed to diagnose mild hearing disorder.

PMID: 27195802 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-8

Authors: Welch D, Reddy R, Hand J, Devine IM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the change in hearing-health behaviour amongst teenagers trained to deliver the Dangerous Decibels programme to younger children.
DESIGN: The Dangerous Decibels programme uses a two-stage process to train 8-12 year-old children to protect their hearing from noise: (1) a team of experts train 'Educators' who (2) give classroom training to children in schools. Training teenagers as Educators may add a second level of benefit if teenagers internalize the hearing-health messages that they present and thus protect their own hearing better. They were assessed before training, immediately after, and three months later (after all had presented the classroom training) using a questionnaire. In addition, a focus group was conducted with a subgroup of the Educators to assess their subjective experience.
STUDY SAMPLE: We trained 44 Educators aged 14-17 years.
RESULTS: Results were generally positive: there were significant and sustained improvements in knowledge, self-reported behaviour, and perceived supports towards protecting hearing, and trends but not significant changes in attitudes or perceived barriers to hearing protection.
CONCLUSIONS: Providing training to teenagers had benefits beyond the delivery of training to younger children, but improvements in the delivery model may increase the uptake and impact on the teenagers.

PMID: 27196113 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Aazh H, Moore BC, Lammaing K, Cropley M

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess patients' judgements of the effectiveness of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapies offered in a specialist UK National Health Service audiology department.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional service evaluation questionnaire survey. Patients were asked to rank the effectiveness of the treatment they received on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = no effect, 5 = very effective).
STUDY SAMPLE: The questionnaire was sent to all patients who received treatment between January and March 2014 (n = 200) and 92 questionnaires were returned.
RESULTS: The mean score was greatest for counselling (Mean = 4.7, SD = 0.6), followed by education (Mean = 4.5, SD = 0.8), cognitive behavioural therapy - CBT (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.7), and hearing tests (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.9). Only 6% of responders rated counselling as 3 or below. In contrast, bedside sound generators, hearing aids, and wideband noise generators were rated as 3 or below by 25%, 36%, and 47% of participants, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The most effective components of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy interventions were judged by the patients to be counselling, education, and CBT.

PMID: 27195947 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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via IFTTT

Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Fredriksson S, Hammar O, Magnusson L, Kähäri K, Persson Waye K

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic.
DESIGN: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing disorder was diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and HINT (Hearing In Noise Test).
STUDY SAMPLE: Fifty-five female obstetrics personnel aged 22-63 participated; including 26 subjects reporting hearing loss, poor hearing, tinnitus, or sound sensitivity, and 29 randomly selected subjects who did not report these symptoms.
RESULTS: The questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue had the best combination of sensitivity ≥85% (95% CIs 56 to 100%) and specificity ≥70% (95% CIs 55 to 84%) for hearing disorder diagnosed by audiometry or otoacoustic emission. Of those reporting sound-induced auditory fatigue 71% were predicted to have disorder diagnosed by otoacoustic emission. Participants reporting any hearing-related symptom had slightly worse measured hearing.
CONCLUSIONS: We suggest including sound-induced auditory fatigue in questionnaires for identification of hearing disorder among healthcare personnel, though larger studies are warranted for precise estimates of diagnostic performance. Also, more specific and accurate hearing tests are needed to diagnose mild hearing disorder.

PMID: 27195802 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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via IFTTT

Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-8

Authors: Welch D, Reddy R, Hand J, Devine IM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the change in hearing-health behaviour amongst teenagers trained to deliver the Dangerous Decibels programme to younger children.
DESIGN: The Dangerous Decibels programme uses a two-stage process to train 8-12 year-old children to protect their hearing from noise: (1) a team of experts train 'Educators' who (2) give classroom training to children in schools. Training teenagers as Educators may add a second level of benefit if teenagers internalize the hearing-health messages that they present and thus protect their own hearing better. They were assessed before training, immediately after, and three months later (after all had presented the classroom training) using a questionnaire. In addition, a focus group was conducted with a subgroup of the Educators to assess their subjective experience.
STUDY SAMPLE: We trained 44 Educators aged 14-17 years.
RESULTS: Results were generally positive: there were significant and sustained improvements in knowledge, self-reported behaviour, and perceived supports towards protecting hearing, and trends but not significant changes in attitudes or perceived barriers to hearing protection.
CONCLUSIONS: Providing training to teenagers had benefits beyond the delivery of training to younger children, but improvements in the delivery model may increase the uptake and impact on the teenagers.

PMID: 27196113 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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via IFTTT

Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients' evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Aazh H, Moore BC, Lammaing K, Cropley M

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess patients' judgements of the effectiveness of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapies offered in a specialist UK National Health Service audiology department.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional service evaluation questionnaire survey. Patients were asked to rank the effectiveness of the treatment they received on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = no effect, 5 = very effective).
STUDY SAMPLE: The questionnaire was sent to all patients who received treatment between January and March 2014 (n = 200) and 92 questionnaires were returned.
RESULTS: The mean score was greatest for counselling (Mean = 4.7, SD = 0.6), followed by education (Mean = 4.5, SD = 0.8), cognitive behavioural therapy - CBT (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.7), and hearing tests (Mean = 4.4, SD = 0.9). Only 6% of responders rated counselling as 3 or below. In contrast, bedside sound generators, hearing aids, and wideband noise generators were rated as 3 or below by 25%, 36%, and 47% of participants, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The most effective components of the tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy interventions were judged by the patients to be counselling, education, and CBT.

PMID: 27195947 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 19;:1-9

Authors: Fredriksson S, Hammar O, Magnusson L, Kähäri K, Persson Waye K

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic.
DESIGN: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing disorder was diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and HINT (Hearing In Noise Test).
STUDY SAMPLE: Fifty-five female obstetrics personnel aged 22-63 participated; including 26 subjects reporting hearing loss, poor hearing, tinnitus, or sound sensitivity, and 29 randomly selected subjects who did not report these symptoms.
RESULTS: The questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue had the best combination of sensitivity ≥85% (95% CIs 56 to 100%) and specificity ≥70% (95% CIs 55 to 84%) for hearing disorder diagnosed by audiometry or otoacoustic emission. Of those reporting sound-induced auditory fatigue 71% were predicted to have disorder diagnosed by otoacoustic emission. Participants reporting any hearing-related symptom had slightly worse measured hearing.
CONCLUSIONS: We suggest including sound-induced auditory fatigue in questionnaires for identification of hearing disorder among healthcare personnel, though larger studies are warranted for precise estimates of diagnostic performance. Also, more specific and accurate hearing tests are needed to diagnose mild hearing disorder.

PMID: 27195802 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178859<br/>David Welch

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients’ evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178400<br/>Hashir Aazh

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178859<br/>David Welch

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients’ evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178400<br/>Hashir Aazh

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178859<br/>David Welch

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients’ evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178400<br/>Hashir Aazh

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Educating teenagers about hearing health by training them to educate children

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178859<br/>David Welch

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Tinnitus and hyperacusis therapy in a UK National Health Service audiology department: Patients’ evaluations of the effectiveness of treatments

10.1080/14992027.2016.1178400<br/>Hashir Aazh

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