Publication date: Available online 29 July 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Tobias Neher, Kirsten C. Wagener, Matthias Latzel
Hearing aid (HA) users can differ markedly in their benefit from directional processing (or beamforming) algorithms. The current study therefore investigated candidacy for different bilateral directional processing schemes. Groups of elderly listeners with symmetric (N = 20) or asymmetric (N = 19) hearing thresholds for frequencies below 2 kHz, a large spread in the binaural intelligibility level difference (BILD), and no difference in age, overall degree of hearing loss, or performance on a measure of selective attention took part. Aided speech reception was measured using virtual acoustics together with a simulation of a linked pair of completely occluding behind-the-ear HAs. Five processing schemes and three acoustic scenarios were used. The processing schemes differed in the tradeoff between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement and binaural cue preservation. The acoustic scenarios consisted of a frontal target talker presented against two speech maskers from ±60° azimuth or spatially diffuse cafeteria noise. For both groups, a significant interaction between BILD, processing scheme, and acoustic scenario was found. This interaction implied that, in situations with lateral speech maskers, HA users with BILDs larger than about 2 dB profited more from preserved low-frequency binaural cues than from greater SNR improvement, whereas for smaller BILDs the opposite was true. Audiometric asymmetry reduced the influence of binaural hearing. In spatially diffuse noise, the maximal SNR improvement was generally beneficial. N0Sπ detection performance at 500 Hz predicted the benefit from low-frequency binaural cues. Together, these findings provide a basis for adapting bilateral directional processing to individual and situational influences. Further research is needed to investigate their generalizability to more realistic HA conditions (e.g., with low-frequency vent-transmitted sound).
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Σάββατο 29 Ιουλίου 2017
Identifying Knowledge Gaps in Clinicians Who Evaluate and Treat Vocal Performing Artists in College Health Settings
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Leah McKinnon-Howe, Jayme Dowdall
ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to identify knowledge gaps in clinicians who evaluate and treat performing artists for illnesses and injuries that affect vocal function in college health settings.Study DesignThis pilot study utilized a web-based cross-sectional survey design incorporating common clinical scenarios to test knowledge of evaluation and management strategies in the vocal performing artist.MethodsA web-based survey was administered to a purposive sample of 28 clinicians to identify the approach utilized to evaluate and treat vocal performing artists in college health settings, and factors that might affect knowledge gaps and influence referral patterns to voice specialists.ResultsTwenty-eight clinicians were surveyed, with 36% of respondents incorrectly identifying appropriate vocal hygiene measures, 56% of respondents failing to identify symptoms of vocal fold hemorrhage, 84% failing to identify other indications for referral to a voice specialist, 96% of respondents acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Voice Handicap Index and the Singers Voice Handicap Index, and 68% acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Reflux Symptom Index.ConclusionThe data elucidated specific knowledge gaps in college health providers who are responsible for evaluating and treating common illnesses that affect vocal function, and triaging and referring students experiencing symptoms of potential vocal emergencies. Future work is needed to improve the standard of care for this population.
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Auditory Phenotype of Smith-Magenis Syndrome.
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Related Articles |
Auditory Phenotype of Smith-Magenis Syndrome.
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2017 Apr 14;60(4):1076-1087
Authors: Brendal MA, King KA, Zalewski CK, Finucane BM, Introne W, Brewer CC, Smith ACM
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the auditory phenotype of a large cohort with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS), a rare disorder including physical anomalies, cognitive deficits, sleep disturbances, and a distinct behavioral phenotype.
Method: Hearing-related data were collected for 133 individuals with SMS aged 1-49 years. Audiogram data (97 participants) were used for cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Caregivers completed a sound sensitivity survey for 98 individuals with SMS and a control group of 24 unaffected siblings.
Results: Nearly 80% of participants with interpretable audiograms (n = 76) had hearing loss, which was typically slight to mild in degree. When hearing loss type could be determined (40 participants), sensorineural hearing loss (48.1%) occurred most often in participants aged 11-49 years. Conductive hearing loss (35.2%) was typically observed in children aged 1-10 years. A pattern of fluctuating and progressive hearing decline was documented. Hyperacusis was reported in 73.5% of participants with SMS compared with 12.5% of unaffected siblings.
Conclusions: This study offers the most comprehensive characterization of the auditory phenotype of SMS to date. The auditory profile in SMS is multifaceted and can include a previously unreported manifestation of hyperacusis. Routine audiologic surveillance is recommended as part of standard clinical care.
PMID: 28384694 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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New Study Finds Noise Exposure Not Linked to Hearing Loss in Youths
Researchers have found that prolonged or recent noise exposure is not consistently associated with an increased risk of hearing loss among those aged 12-19 based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2010 (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 [Epub ahead of print]). They analyzed the audiometric measurements of 7,036 survey participants in this study; and while there was an overall rise in exposure to loud noise or music through headphones 24 hours prior to audiometric testing, they discovered that the prevalence of hearing loss has dropped to 15.2 percent in 2009-2010, compared with 17 and 22.5 percent in the 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 surveys respectively. The authors concluded that there was no association between noise-induced threshold shift and noise exposures and that their findings call into question previous conclusions that increasing noise exposure is responsible for increasing levels of pediatric hearing loss.
One of the authors, Dylan Chan, MD, PhD, spoke to the New York Times about the study and attributed the decrease in prevalence to behavioral changes such as avoiding noise and wearing volume-limiting headphones designed for children. "I hope people don't take this as an excuse to say noise-induced hearing loss is not a problem, so we can go back to listening to headphones at full volume," he said.
Published: 7/28/2017 9:33:00 AM
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New Study Finds Noise Exposure Not Linked to Hearing Loss in Youths
Researchers have found that prolonged or recent noise exposure is not consistently associated with an increased risk of hearing loss among those aged 12-19 based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2010 (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 [Epub ahead of print]). They analyzed the audiometric measurements of 7,036 survey participants in this study; and while there was an overall rise in exposure to loud noise or music through headphones 24 hours prior to audiometric testing, they discovered that the prevalence of hearing loss has dropped to 15.2 percent in 2009-2010, compared with 17 and 22.5 percent in the 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 surveys respectively. The authors concluded that there was no association between noise-induced threshold shift and noise exposures and that their findings call into question previous conclusions that increasing noise exposure is responsible for increasing levels of pediatric hearing loss.
One of the authors, Dylan Chan, MD, PhD, spoke to the New York Times about the study and attributed the decrease in prevalence to behavioral changes such as avoiding noise and wearing volume-limiting headphones designed for children. "I hope people don't take this as an excuse to say noise-induced hearing loss is not a problem, so we can go back to listening to headphones at full volume," he said.
Published: 7/28/2017 9:33:00 AM
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New Study Finds Noise Exposure Not Linked to Hearing Loss in Youths
Researchers have found that prolonged or recent noise exposure is not consistently associated with an increased risk of hearing loss among those aged 12-19 based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988 to 2010 (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 [Epub ahead of print]). They analyzed the audiometric measurements of 7,036 survey participants in this study; and while there was an overall rise in exposure to loud noise or music through headphones 24 hours prior to audiometric testing, they discovered that the prevalence of hearing loss has dropped to 15.2 percent in 2009-2010, compared with 17 and 22.5 percent in the 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 surveys respectively. The authors concluded that there was no association between noise-induced threshold shift and noise exposures and that their findings call into question previous conclusions that increasing noise exposure is responsible for increasing levels of pediatric hearing loss.
One of the authors, Dylan Chan, MD, PhD, spoke to the New York Times about the study and attributed the decrease in prevalence to behavioral changes such as avoiding noise and wearing volume-limiting headphones designed for children. "I hope people don't take this as an excuse to say noise-induced hearing loss is not a problem, so we can go back to listening to headphones at full volume," he said.
Published: 7/28/2017 9:33:00 AM
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