The influence of pitch and loudness changes on the acoustics of vocal tremor.

PubMed

Dromey, Christopher; Warrick, Paul; Irish, Jonathan

2002-10-01

The effect of tremor on phonation is to modulate an otherwise steady sound source in its amplitude, fundamental frequency, or both. The severity of untreated vocal tremor has been reported to change under certain conditions that may be related to muscle tension. In order to better understand the phenomenon of vocal tremor, its acoustic properties were examined as individuals volitionally altered their pitch and loudness. These voice conditions were anticipated to alter the tension of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. The voices of 10 individuals with a diagnosis of vocal tremor were recorded before participating in a longitudinal treatment study. They produced vowels at low and high pitch and loudness levels as well as in a comfortable voice condition. Acoustic analyses quantified the amplitude and frequency modulations of the speakers' voices across the various conditions. Individual speakers varied in the way the pitch and loudness changes affected their tremor, but the following statistically significant effects for the speakers as a group were observed: Higher pitch phonation was associated with a more rapid rate for both amplitude and frequency modulations. Amplitude modulation become faster for louder phonation. Low-pitched phonotion led to decreases in the extent of amplitude tremor. Varying pitch led to dramatic changes in the phase relationship between amplitude and frequency modulation in some of the speakers, whereas this effect was not apparent in other speakers.

Radiologic and functional evaluation of electrode dislocation from the scala tympani to the scala vestibuli in patients with cochlear implants.

PubMed

Fischer, N; Pinggera, L; Weichbold, V; Dejaco, D; Schmutzhard, J; Widmann, G

2015-02-01

Localization of the electrode after cochlear implantation seems to have an impact on auditory outcome, and conebeam CT has emerged as a reliable method for visualizing the electrode array position within the cochlea. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the frequency and clinical impact of scalar dislocation of various electrodes and surgical approaches and to evaluate its influence on auditory outcome. This retrospective single-center study analyzed a consecutive series of 63 cochlear implantations with various straight electrodes. The placement of the electrode array was evaluated by using multiplanar reconstructed conebeam CT images. For the auditory outcome, we compared the aided hearing thresholds and the charge units of maximum comfortable loudness level at weeks 6, 12, and 24 after implantation. In 7.9% of the cases, the electrode array showed scalar dislocation. In all cases, the electrode array penetrated the basal membrane within 45° of the electrode insertion. All 3 cases of cochleostomy were dislocated in the first 45° segment. No hearing differences were noted, but the charge units of maximum comfortable loudness level seemed to increase with time in patients with dislocations. The intracochlear dislocation rate of various straight electrodes detected by conebeam CT images is relatively low. Scalar dislocation may not negatively influence the hearing threshold but may require an increase of the necessary stimulus charge and should be reported by the radiologist. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Neck and shoulder muscle activity and thorax movement in singing and speaking tasks with variation in vocal loudness and pitch.

PubMed

Pettersen, Viggo; Bjørkøy, Kåre; Torp, Hans; Westgaard, Rolf Harald

2005-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine respiratory phasing and loading levels of sternocleidomastoideus (STM), scalenus (SC), and upper trapezius (TR) muscles in vocalization tasks with variation in vocal loudness and pitch. Eight advanced singing students, aged 22 to 28 years, participated. Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded from STM, SC, and TR. Thorax movement was detected by two strain gauge sensors placed around the upper (upper TX) and lower (lower TX) thorax. A glissando and simplified singing and speaking tasks were performed. Sustained vowels /a:-i-ae-o:/ were sung in a glissando from lowest to highest pitch (mixed voice/falsetto) back to lowest pitch and in short singing sequences at comfortable, low, and high pitches. The same vowels were spoken softly and loudly for about the same length. The subjects inhaled between the vowels. It was concluded that the inspiratory phased STM and SC muscles produced a counterforce to compression of upper TX at high pitches in glissando. STM and SC were activated to higher levels during phonation than in inhalation. As breathing demands were reduced, STM and SC activity was lowered and the respiratory phasing of peak amplitude changed to inhalation. TR contributed to exhalation in demanding singing with long breathing cycles, but it was less active in singing tasks with short breathing cycles and was essentially inactive in simplified speaking tasks.

The Relationship Between Intensity Coding and Binaural Sensitivity in Adults With Cochlear Implants.

PubMed

Todd, Ann E; Goupell, Matthew J; Litovsky, Ruth Y

Many bilateral cochlear implant users show sensitivity to binaural information when stimulation is provided using a pair of synchronized electrodes. However, there is large variability in binaural sensitivity between and within participants across stimulation sites in the cochlea. It was hypothesized that within-participant variability in binaural sensitivity is in part affected by limitations and characteristics of the auditory periphery which may be reflected by monaural hearing performance. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between monaural and binaural hearing performance within participants with bilateral cochlear implants. Binaural measures included dichotic signal detection and interaural time difference discrimination thresholds. Diotic signal detection thresholds were also measured. Monaural measures included dynamic range and amplitude modulation detection. In addition, loudness growth was compared between ears. Measures were made at three stimulation sites per listener. Greater binaural sensitivity was found with larger dynamic ranges. Poorer interaural time difference discrimination was found with larger difference between comfortable levels of the two ears. In addition, poorer diotic signal detection thresholds were found with larger differences between the dynamic ranges of the two ears. No relationship was found between amplitude modulation detection thresholds or symmetry of loudness growth and the binaural measures. The results suggest that some of the variability in binaural hearing performance within listeners across stimulation sites can be explained by factors nonspecific to binaural processing. The results are consistent with the idea that dynamic range and comfortable levels relate to peripheral neural survival and the width of the excitation pattern which could affect the fidelity with which central binaural nuclei process bilateral inputs.

Discrimination between sequential and simultaneous virtual channels with electrical hearing

PubMed Central

Landsberger, David; Galvin, John J.

2011-01-01

In cochlear implants (CIs), simultaneous or sequential stimulation of adjacent electrodes can produce intermediate pitch percepts between those of the component electrodes. However, it is unclear whether simultaneous and sequential virtual channels (VCs) can be discriminated. In this study, CI users were asked to discriminate simultaneous and sequential VCs; discrimination was measured for monopolar (MP) and bipolar + 1 stimulation (BP + 1), i.e., relatively broad and focused stimulation modes. For sequential VCs, the interpulse interval (IPI) varied between 0.0 and 1.8 ms. All stimuli were presented at comfortably loud, loudness-balanced levels at a 250 pulse per second per electrode (ppse) stimulation rate. On average, CI subjects were able to reliably discriminate between sequential and simultaneous VCs. While there was no significant effect of IPI or stimulation mode on VC discrimination, some subjects exhibited better VC discrimination with BP + 1 stimulation. Subjects’ discrimination between sequential and simultaneous VCs was correlated with electrode discrimination, suggesting that spatial selectivity may influence perception of sequential VCs. To maintain equal loudness, sequential VC amplitudes were nearly double those of simultaneous VCs, presumably resulting in a broader spread of excitation. These results suggest that perceptual differences between simultaneous and sequential VCs might be explained by differences in the spread of excitation. PMID:21895094

Discrimination between sequential and simultaneous virtual channels with electrical hearing.

PubMed

Landsberger, David; Galvin, John J

2011-09-01

In cochlear implants (CIs), simultaneous or sequential stimulation of adjacent electrodes can produce intermediate pitch percepts between those of the component electrodes. However, it is unclear whether simultaneous and sequential virtual channels (VCs) can be discriminated. In this study, CI users were asked to discriminate simultaneous and sequential VCs; discrimination was measured for monopolar (MP) and bipolar + 1 stimulation (BP + 1), i.e., relatively broad and focused stimulation modes. For sequential VCs, the interpulse interval (IPI) varied between 0.0 and 1.8 ms. All stimuli were presented at comfortably loud, loudness-balanced levels at a 250 pulse per second per electrode (ppse) stimulation rate. On average, CI subjects were able to reliably discriminate between sequential and simultaneous VCs. While there was no significant effect of IPI or stimulation mode on VC discrimination, some subjects exhibited better VC discrimination with BP + 1 stimulation. Subjects' discrimination between sequential and simultaneous VCs was correlated with electrode discrimination, suggesting that spatial selectivity may influence perception of sequential VCs. To maintain equal loudness, sequential VC amplitudes were nearly double those of simultaneous VCs, presumably resulting in a broader spread of excitation. These results suggest that perceptual differences between simultaneous and sequential VCs might be explained by differences in the spread of excitation. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

A Comparison of Presentation Levels to Maximize Word Recognition Scores

PubMed Central

Guthrie, Leslie A.; Mackersie, Carol L.

2010-01-01

Background While testing suprathreshold word recognition at multiple levels is considered best practice, studies on practice patterns do not suggest that this is common practice. Audiologists often test at a presentation level intended to maximize recognition scores, but methods for selecting this level are not well established for a wide range of hearing losses. Purpose To determine the presentation level methods that resulted in maximum suprathreshold phoneme-recognition scores while avoiding loudness discomfort. Research Design Performance-intensity functions were obtained for 40 participants with sensorineural hearing loss using the Computer-Assisted Speech Perception Assessment. Participants had either gradually sloping (mild, moderate, moderately severe/severe) or steeply sloping losses. Performance-intensity functions were obtained at presentation levels ranging from 10 dB above the SRT to 5 dB below the UCL (uncomfortable level). In addition, categorical loudness ratings were obtained across a range of intensities using speech stimuli. Scores obtained at UCL – 5 dB (maximum level below loudness discomfort) were compared to four alternative presentation-level methods. The alternative presentation-level methods included sensation level (SL; 2 kHz reference, SRT reference), a fixed-level (95 dB SPL) method, and the most comfortable loudness level (MCL). For the SL methods, scores used in the analysis were selected separately for the SRT and 2 kHz references based on several criteria. The general goal was to choose levels that represented asymptotic performance while avoiding loudness discomfort. The selection of SLs varied across the range of hearing losses. Results Scores obtained using the different presentation-level methods were compared to scores obtained using UCL – 5 dB. For the mild hearing loss group, the mean phoneme scores were similar for all presentation levels. For the moderately severe/severe group, the highest mean score was obtained using UCL - 5 dB. For the moderate and steeply sloping groups, the mean scores obtained using 2 kHz SL were equivalent to UCL - 5 dB, whereas scores obtained using the SRT SL were significantly lower than those obtained using UCL - 5 dB. The mean scores corresponding to MCL and 95 dB SPL were significantly lower than scores for UCL - 5 dB for the moderate and the moderately severe/severe group. Conclusions For participants with mild to moderate gradually sloping losses and for those with steeply sloping losses, the UCL – 5 dB and the 2 kHz SL methods resulted in the highest scores without exceeding listeners' UCLs. For participants with moderately severe/severe losses, the UCL - 5 dB method resulted in the highest phoneme recognition scores. PMID:19594086

The Relationship Between Intensity Coding and Binaural Sensitivity in Adults With Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Todd, Ann E.; Goupell, Matthew J.; Litovsky, Ruth Y.

2016-01-01

Objectives Many bilateral cochlear implant users show sensitivity to binaural information when stimulation is provided using a pair of synchronized electrodes. However, there is large variability in binaural sensitivity between and within participants across stimulation sites in the cochlea. It was hypothesized that within-participant variability in binaural sensitivity is in part affected by limitations and characteristics of the auditory periphery which may be reflected by monaural hearing performance. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between monaural and binaural hearing performance within participants with bilateral cochlear implants. Design Binaural measures included dichotic signal detection and interaural time difference discrimination thresholds. Diotic signal detection thresholds were also measured. Monaural measures included dynamic range and amplitude modulation detection. In addition, loudness growth was compared between ears. Measures were made at three stimulation sites per listener. Results Greater binaural sensitivity was found with larger dynamic ranges. Poorer interaural time difference discrimination was found with larger difference between comfortable levels of the two ears. In addition, poorer diotic signal detection thresholds were found with larger differences between the dynamic ranges of the two ears. No relationship was found between amplitude modulation detection thresholds or symmetry of loudness growth and the binaural measures. Conclusions The results suggest that some of the variability in binaural hearing performance within listeners across stimulation sites can be explained by factors non-specific to binaural processing. The results are consistent with the idea that dynamic range and comfortable levels relate to peripheral neural survival and the width of the excitation pattern which could affect the fidelity with which central binaural nuclei process bilateral inputs. PMID:27787393

Application of the Envelope Difference Index to Spectrally Sparse Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souza, Pamela; Hoover, Eric; Gallun, Frederick

2012-01-01

Purpose: Amplitude compression is a common hearing aid processing strategy that can improve speech audibility and loudness comfort but also has the potential to alter important cues carried by the speech envelope. In previous work, a measure of envelope change, the Envelope Difference Index (EDI; Fortune, Woodruff, & Preves, 1994), was moderately…

The effect of instantaneous input dynamic range setting on the speech perception of children with the nucleus 24 implant.

PubMed

Davidson, Lisa S; Skinner, Margaret W; Holstad, Beth A; Fears, Beverly T; Richter, Marie K; Matusofsky, Margaret; Brenner, Christine; Holden, Timothy; Birath, Amy; Kettel, Jerrica L; Scollie, Susan

2009-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a wider instantaneous input dynamic range (IIDR) setting on speech perception and comfort in quiet and noise for children wearing the Nucleus 24 implant system and the Freedom speech processor. In addition, children's ability to understand soft and conversational level speech in relation to aided sound-field thresholds was examined. Thirty children (age, 7 to 17 years) with the Nucleus 24 cochlear implant system and the Freedom speech processor with two different IIDR settings (30 versus 40 dB) were tested on the Consonant Nucleus Consonant (CNC) word test at 50 and 60 dB SPL, the Bamford-Kowal-Bench Speech in Noise Test, and a loudness rating task for four-talker speech noise. Aided thresholds for frequency-modulated tones, narrowband noise, and recorded Ling sounds were obtained with the two IIDRs and examined in relation to CNC scores at 50 dB SPL. Speech Intelligibility Indices were calculated using the long-term average speech spectrum of the CNC words at 50 dB SPL measured at each test site and aided thresholds. Group mean CNC scores at 50 dB SPL with the 40 IIDR were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than with the 30 IIDR. Group mean CNC scores at 60 dB SPL, loudness ratings, and the signal to noise ratios-50 for Bamford-Kowal-Bench Speech in Noise Test were not significantly different for the two IIDRs. Significantly improved aided thresholds at 250 to 6000 Hz as well as higher Speech Intelligibility Indices afforded improved audibility for speech presented at soft levels (50 dB SPL). These results indicate that an increased IIDR provides improved word recognition for soft levels of speech without compromising comfort of higher levels of speech sounds or sentence recognition in noise.

Spectral and binaural loudness summation for hearing-impaired listeners.

PubMed

Oetting, Dirk; Hohmann, Volker; Appell, Jens-E; Kollmeier, Birger; Ewert, Stephan D

2016-05-01

Sensorineural hearing loss typically results in a steepened loudness function and a reduced dynamic range from elevated thresholds to uncomfortably loud levels for narrowband and broadband signals. Restoring narrowband loudness perception for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners can lead to overly loud perception of broadband signals and it is unclear how binaural presentation affects loudness perception in this case. Here, loudness perception quantified by categorical loudness scaling for nine normal-hearing (NH) and ten HI listeners was compared for signals with different bandwidth and different spectral shape in monaural and in binaural conditions. For the HI listeners, frequency- and level-dependent amplification was used to match the narrowband monaural loudness functions of the NH listeners. The average loudness functions for NH and HI listeners showed good agreement for monaural broadband signals. However, HI listeners showed substantially greater loudness for binaural broadband signals than NH listeners: on average a 14.1 dB lower level was required to reach "very loud" (range 30.8 to -3.7 dB). Overall, with narrowband loudness compensation, a given binaural loudness for broadband signals above "medium loud" was reached at systematically lower levels for HI than for NH listeners. Such increased binaural loudness summation was not found for loudness categories below "medium loud" or for narrowband signals. Large individual variations in the increased loudness summation were observed and could not be explained by the audiogram or the narrowband loudness functions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Practical ranges of loudness levels of various types of environmental noise, including traffic noise, aircraft noise, and industrial noise.

PubMed

Salomons, Erik M; Janssen, Sabine A

2011-06-01

In environmental noise control one commonly employs the A-weighted sound level as an approximate measure of the effect of noise on people. A measure that is more closely related to direct human perception of noise is the loudness level. At constant A-weighted sound level, the loudness level of a noise signal varies considerably with the shape of the frequency spectrum of the noise signal. In particular the bandwidth of the spectrum has a large effect on the loudness level, due to the effect of critical bands in the human hearing system. The low-frequency content of the spectrum also has an effect on the loudness level. In this note the relation between loudness level and A-weighted sound level is analyzed for various environmental noise spectra, including spectra of traffic noise, aircraft noise, and industrial noise. From loudness levels calculated for these environmental noise spectra, diagrams are constructed that show the relation between loudness level, A-weighted sound level, and shape of the spectrum. The diagrams show that the upper limits of the loudness level for broadband environmental noise spectra are about 20 to 40 phon higher than the lower limits for narrowband spectra, which correspond to the loudness levels of pure tones. The diagrams are useful for assessing limitations and potential improvements of environmental noise control methods and policy based on A-weighted sound levels.

Thinking out Loud about Teaching Bioethics: A Contribution from the Edge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solberg, Mary M.

2005-01-01

Teaching bioethics might be likened to a rollercoaster ride of twists, turns, and dips that invite teachers and students to experience something of their own edges of fear and comfort. Here the author provides readers with a glimpse into her distinctive approach to teaching bioethics that encourages students to move beyond boundaries of personal…

Effect of sonic boom asymmetry on subjective loudness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, Jack D.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1992-01-01

The NASA Langley Research Center's sonic boom apparatus was used in an experimental study to quantify subjective loudness response to a wide range of asymmetrical N-wave sonic boom signatures. Results were used to assess the relative performance of several metrics as loudness estimators for asymmetrical signatures and to quantify in detail the effects on subjective loudness of varying both the degree and direction of signature loudness asymmetry. Findings of the study indicated that Perceived Level (Steven's Mark 7) and A-weighted sound exposure level were the best metrics for quantifying asymmetrical boom loudness. Asymmetrical signatures were generally rated as being less loud than symmetrical signatures of equivalent Perceived Level. The magnitude of the loudness reductions increased as the degree of boom asymmetry increased, and depended upon the direction of asymmetry. These loudness reductions were not accounted for by any of the metrics. Corrections were determined for use in adjusting calculated Perceived Level values to account for these reductions. It was also demonstrated that the subjects generally incorporated the loudness components of the complete signatures when making their subjective judgments.

Relations among pure-tone sound stimuli, neural activity, and the loudness sensation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howes, W. L.

1972-01-01

Both the physiological and psychological responses to pure-tone sound stimuli are used to derive formulas which: (1) relate the loudness, loudness level, and sound-pressure level of pure tones; (2) apply continuously over most of the acoustic regime, including the loudness threshold; and (3) contain no undetermined coefficients. Some of the formulas are fundamental for calculating the loudness of any sound. Power-law formulas relating the pure-tone sound stimulus, neural activity, and loudness are derived from published data.

Loudness growth in 1/2-octave bands (LGOB)--a procedure for the assessment of loudness.

PubMed

Allen, J B; Hall, J L; Jeng, P S

1990-08-01

In this paper, a method that has been developed for the assessment and quantification of loudness perception in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired persons is described. The method has been named LGOB, which stands for loudness growth in 1/2-octave bands. The method uses 1/2-octave bands of noise, centered at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz, with subjective levels between a subject's threshold of hearing and the "too loud" level. The noise bands are presented to the subject, randomized over frequency and level, and the subject is asked to respond with a loudness rating (one of: VERY SOFT, SOFT, OK, LOUD, VERY LOUD, TOO LOUD). Subject responses (normal and hearing-impaired) are then compared to the average responses of a group of normal-hearing subjects. This procedure allows one to estimate the subject's loudness growth relative to normals, as a function of frequency and level. The results may be displayed either as isoloudness contours or as recruitment curves. In its present form, the measurements take less than 30 min. The signal presentation and analysis is done using a PC and a PC plug-in board having a digital to analog converter.

Categorical loudness scaling and equal-loudness contours in listeners with normal hearing and hearing loss

PubMed Central

Rasetshwane, Daniel M.; Trevino, Andrea C.; Gombert, Jessa N.; Liebig-Trehearn, Lauren; Kopun, Judy G.; Jesteadt, Walt; Neely, Stephen T.; Gorga, Michael P.

2015-01-01

This study describes procedures for constructing equal-loudness contours (ELCs) in units of phons from categorical loudness scaling (CLS) data and characterizes the impact of hearing loss on these estimates of loudness. Additionally, this study developed a metric, level-dependent loudness loss, which uses CLS data to specify the deviation from normal loudness perception at various loudness levels and as function of frequency for an individual listener with hearing loss. CLS measurements were made in 87 participants with hearing loss and 61 participants with normal hearing. An assessment of the reliability of CLS measurements was conducted on a subset of the data. CLS measurements were reliable. There was a systematic increase in the slope of the low-level segment of the CLS functions with increase in the degree of hearing loss. ELCs derived from CLS measurements were similar to standardized ELCs (International Organization for Standardization, ISO 226:2003). The presence of hearing loss decreased the vertical spacing of the ELCs, reflecting loudness recruitment and reduced cochlear compression. Representing CLS data in phons may lead to wider acceptance of CLS measurements. Like the audiogram that specifies hearing loss at threshold, level-dependent loudness loss describes deficit for suprathreshold sounds. Such information may have implications for the fitting of hearing aids. PMID:25920842

Autophonic Loudness of Singers in Simulated Room Acoustic Environments.

PubMed

Yadav, Manuj; Cabrera, Densil

2017-05-01

This paper aims to study the effect of room acoustics and phonemes on the perception of loudness of one's own voice (autophonic loudness) for a group of trained singers. For a set of five phonemes, 20 singers vocalized over several autophonic loudness ratios, while maintaining pitch constancy over extreme voice levels, within five simulated rooms. There were statistically significant differences in the slope of the autophonic loudness function (logarithm of autophonic loudness as a function of voice sound pressure level) for the five phonemes, with slopes ranging from 1.3 (/a:/) to 2.0 (/z/). There was no significant variation in the autophonic loudness function slopes with variations in room acoustics. The autophonic room response, which represents a systematic decrease in voice levels with increasing levels of room reflections, was also studied, with some evidence found in support. Overall, the average slope of the autophonic room response for the three corner vowels (/a:/, /i:/, and /u:/) was -1.4 for medium autophonic loudness. The findings relating to the slope of the autophonic loudness function are in agreement with the findings of previous studies where the sensorimotor mechanisms in regulating voice were shown to be more important in the perception of autophonic loudness than hearing of room acoustics. However, the role of room acoustics, in terms of the autophonic room response, is shown to be more complicated, requiring further inquiry. Overall, it is shown that autophonic loudness grows at more than twice the rate of loudness growth for sounds created outside the human body. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current steering with partial tripolar stimulation mode in cochlear implants.

PubMed

Wu, Ching-Chih; Luo, Xin

2013-04-01

The large spread of excitation is a major cause of poor spectral resolution for cochlear implant (CI) users. Partial tripolar (pTP) mode has been proposed to reduce current spread by returning an equally distributed fraction (0.5 × σ) of current to two flanking electrodes and the rest to an extra-cochlear ground. This study tested the efficacy of incorporating current steering into pTP mode to add spectral channels. Different proportions of current [α × σ and (1 - α) × σ] were returned to the basal and apical flanking electrodes respectively to shape the electric field. Loudness and pitch perception with α from 0 to 1 in steps of 0.1 was simulated with a computational model of CI stimulation and tested on the apical, middle, and basal electrodes of six CI subjects. The highest σ allowing for full loudness growth within the implant compliance limit was chosen for each main electrode. Pitch ranking was measured between pairs of loudness-balanced steered pTP stimuli with an α interval of 0.1 at the most comfortable level. Results demonstrated that steered pTP stimuli with α around 0.5 required more current to achieve equal loudness than those with α around 0 or 1, maybe due to more focused excitation patterns. Subjects usually perceived decreasing pitches as α increased from 0 to 1, somewhat consistent with the apical shift of the center of gravity of excitation pattern in the model. Pitch discrimination was not better with α around 0.5 than with α around 0 or 1, except for some subjects and electrodes. For three subjects with better pitch discrimination, about half of the pitch ranges of two adjacent main electrodes overlapped with each other in steered pTP mode. These results suggest that current steering with focused pTP mode may improve spectral resolution and pitch perception with CIs.

Loudness function derives from data on electrical discharge rates in auditory nerve fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howes, W. L.

1973-01-01

Judgements of the loudness of pure-tone sound stimuli yield a loudness function which relates perceived loudness to stimulus amplitude. A loudness function is derived from physical evidence alone without regard to human judgments. The resultant loudness function is L=K(q-q0), where L is loudness, q is effective sound pressure (specifically q0 at the loudness threshold), and K is generally a weak function of the number of stimulated auditory nerve fibers. The predicted function is in agreement with loudness judgment data reported by Warren, which imply that, in the suprathreshold loudness regime, decreasing the sound-pressure level by 6 db results in halving the loudness.

Influences of age, gender, and parents' educational level in knowledge, behavior and preferences regarding noise, from childhood to adolescence.

PubMed

Knobel, Keila Alessandra Baraldi; Lima, Maria Cecília Marconi Pinheiro

2014-01-01

Exposure to loud sound during leisure activities for long periods of time is an important area to implement preventive health education, especially among young people. The aim was to identify the relations among awareness about the damaging effects of loud levels of sounds, previous exposures do loud sounds, preferences-related to sound levels and knowledge about hearing protection with age, gender, and their parent's educational level among children. Prospective cross-sectional. Seven hundred and forty students (5-16 years old) and 610 parents participated in the study. Chi-square test, Fisher exact test and linear regression. About 86.5% of the children consider that loud sounds damage the ears and 53.7% dislike noisy places. Children were previously exposed to parties and concerts with loud music, Mardi Gras, firecrackers and loud music at home or in the car and loud music with earphones. About 18.4% of the younger children could select the volume of the music, versus 65.3% of the older ones. Children have poor information about hearing protection and do not have hearing protection device. Knowledge about the risks related to exposures to loud sounds and about strategies to protect their hearing increases with age, but preference for loud sounds and exposures to it increases too. Gender and parents' instructional level have little influence on the studied variables. Many of the children's recreational activities are noisy. It is possible that the tendency of increasing preference for loud sounds with age might be a result of a learned behavior.

Using Electrically-evoked Compound Action Potentials to Estimate Perceptive Levels in Experienced Adult Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Joly, Charles-Alexandre; Péan, Vincent; Hermann, Ruben; Seldran, Fabien; Thai-Van, Hung; Truy, Eric

2017-10-01

The cochlear implant (CI) fitting level prediction accuracy of electrically-evoked compound action potential (ECAP) should be enhanced by the addition of demographic data in models. No accurate automated fitting of CI based on ECAP has yet been proposed. We recorded ECAP in 45 adults who had been using MED-EL CIs for more than 11 months and collected the most comfortable loudness level (MCL) used for CI fitting (prog-MCL), perception thresholds (meas-THR), and MCL (meas-MCL) measured with the stimulation used for ECAP recording. Linear mixed models taking into account cochlear site factors were computed to explain prog-MCL, meas-MCL, and meas-THR. Cochlear region and ECAP threshold were predictors of the three levels. In addition, significant predictors were the ECAP amplitude for the prog-MCL and the duration of deafness for the prog-MCL and the meas-THR. Estimations were more accurate for the meas-THR, then the meas-MCL, and finally the prog-MCL. These results show that 1) ECAP thresholds are more closely related to perception threshold than to comfort level, 2) predictions are more accurate when the inter-subject and cochlear regions variations are considered, and 3) differences between the stimulations used for ECAP recording and for CI fitting make it difficult to accurately predict the prog-MCL from the ECAP recording. Predicted prog-MCL could be used as bases for fitting but should be used with care to avoid any uncomfortable or painful stimulation.

Binaural Loudness Summation in the Hearing Impaired.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, David B.; And Others

1987-01-01

Binaural loudness summation was measured using three different paradigms with 10 normally hearing and 20 bilaterally symmetrical high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss subjects. Binaural summation increased with presentation level using the loudness matching procedure, with values in the 6-10 dB range. Summation decreased with level using the…

Automatic loudness control in short-form content for broadcasting.

PubMed

Pires, Leandro da S; Vieira, Maurílio N; Yehia, Hani C

2017-03-01

During the early years of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) loudness calculation standard for sound broadcasting [ITU-R (2006), Rec. BS Series, 1770], the need for additional loudness descriptors to evaluate short-form content, such as commercials and live inserts, was identified. This work proposes a loudness control scheme to prevent loudness jumps, which can bother audiences. It employs short-form content audio detection and dynamic range processing methods for the maximum loudness level criteria. Detection is achieved by combining principal component analysis for dimensionality reduction and support vector machines for binary classification. Subsequent processing is based on short-term loudness integrators and Hilbert transformers. The performance was assessed using quality classification metrics and demonstrated through a loudness control example.

Psychoacoustic Tinnitus Loudness and Tinnitus-Related Distress Show Different Associations with Oscillatory Brain Activity

PubMed Central

Balkenhol, Tobias; Wallhäusser-Franke, Elisabeth; Delb, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Background The phantom auditory perception of subjective tinnitus is associated with aberrant brain activity as evidenced by magneto- and electroencephalographic studies. We tested the hypotheses (1) that psychoacoustically measured tinnitus loudness is related to gamma oscillatory band power, and (2) that tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress are related to distinct brain activity patterns as suggested by the distinction between loudness and distress experienced by tinnitus patients. Furthermore, we explored (3) how hearing impairment, minimum masking level, and (4) psychological comorbidities are related to spontaneous oscillatory brain activity in tinnitus patients. Methods and Findings Resting state oscillatory brain activity recorded electroencephalographically from 46 male tinnitus patients showed a positive correlation between gamma band oscillations and psychoacoustic tinnitus loudness determined with the reconstructed tinnitus sound, but not with the other psychoacoustic loudness measures that were used. Tinnitus-related distress did also correlate with delta band activity, but at electrode positions different from those associated with tinnitus loudness. Furthermore, highly distressed tinnitus patients exhibited a higher level of theta band activity. Moreover, mean hearing loss between 0.125 kHz and 16 kHz was associated with a decrease in gamma activity, whereas minimum masking levels correlated positively with delta band power. In contrast, psychological comorbidities did not express significant correlations with oscillatory brain activity. Conclusion Different clinically relevant tinnitus characteristics show distinctive associations with spontaneous brain oscillatory power. Results support hypothesis (1), but exclusively for the tinnitus loudness derived from matching to the reconstructed tinnitus sound. This suggests to preferably use the reconstructed tinnitus spectrum to determine psychoacoustic tinnitus loudness. Results also support hypothesis (2). Moreover, hearing loss and minimum masking level correlate with oscillatory power in distinctive frequency bands. The lack of an association between psychological comorbidities and oscillatory power may be attributed to the overall low level of mental health problems in the present sample. PMID:23326394

A practical method of predicting the loudness of complex electrical stimuli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Colette M.; Henshall, Katherine R.; Farrell, Rebecca J.; McDermott, Hugh J.

2003-04-01

The output of speech processors for multiple-electrode cochlear implants consists of current waveforms with complex temporal and spatial patterns. The majority of existing processors output sequential biphasic current pulses. This paper describes a practical method of calculating loudness estimates for such stimuli, in addition to the relative loudness contributions from different cochlear regions. The method can be used either to manipulate the loudness or levels in existing processing strategies, or to control intensity cues in novel sound processing strategies. The method is based on a loudness model described by McKay et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 1514-1524 (2001)] with the addition of the simplifying approximation that current pulses falling within a temporal integration window of several milliseconds' duration contribute independently to the overall loudness of the stimulus. Three experiments were carried out with six implantees who use the CI24M device manufactured by Cochlear Ltd. The first experiment validated the simplifying assumption, and allowed loudness growth functions to be calculated for use in the loudness prediction method. The following experiments confirmed the accuracy of the method using multiple-electrode stimuli with various patterns of electrode locations and current levels.

Quinine reduces the dynamic range of the human auditory system.

PubMed

Berninger, E; Karlsson, K K; Alván, G

1998-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate and quantify quinine-induced changes in the human auditory dynamic range, as a model for cochlear hearing loss. Six otologically normal volunteers (21-40 years old) received quinine hydrochloride (15 mg/kg body weight) in two identical oral doses and one intravenous infusion. Refined hearing tests were performed monaurally at threshold, at moderate hearing levels and at high hearing levels. Quinine induced a maximal pure-tone threshold shift of 23 dB (1000-2000 Hz). The increase in the psychoacoustical click threshold agreed with an increase in the detection threshold of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions. The change in the stimulus-response relationship of the emissions reflected recruitment. The self-attained most comfortable speech level and the acoustic stapedius reflex thresholds were not affected by quinine administration. Quinine is a useful model substance for reversibly inducing complete loudness recruitment in humans as it acts specifically on some parts of the hearing function. Its mechanism of action on the molecular level is likely to reveal further information on the physiology of hearing.

In dubio pro silentio - Even Loud Music Does Not Facilitate Strenuous Ergometer Exercise.

PubMed

Kreutz, Gunter; Schorer, Jörg; Sojke, Dominik; Neugebauer, Judith; Bullack, Antje

2018-01-01

Background: Music listening is wide-spread in amateur sports. Ergometer exercise is one such activity which is often performed with loud music. Aim and Hypotheses: We investigated the effects of electronic music at different intensity levels on ergometer performance (physical performance, force on the pedal, pedaling frequency), perceived fatigue and heart rate in healthy adults. We assumed that higher sound intensity levels are associated with greater ergometer performance and less perceived effort, particularly for untrained individuals. Methods: Groups of high trained and low trained healthy males ( N = 40; age = 25.25 years; SD = 3.89 years) were tested individually on an ergometer while electronic dance music was played at 0, 65, 75, and 85 dB. Participants assessed their music experience during the experiment. Results: Majorities of participants rated the music as not too loud (65%), motivating (77.50%), appropriate for this sports exercise (90%), and having the right tempo (67.50%). Participants noticed changes in the acoustical environment with increasing intensity levels, but no further effects on any of the physical or other subjective measures were found for neither of the groups. Therefore, the main hypothesis must be rejected. Discussion: These findings suggest that high loudness levels do not positively influence ergometer performance. The high acceptance of loud music and perceived appropriateness could be based on erroneous beliefs or stereotypes. Reasons for the widespread use of loud music in fitness sports needs further investigation. Reducing loudness during fitness exercise may not compromise physical performance or perceived effort.

Loudness of dynamic stimuli in acoustic and electric hearing.

PubMed

Zhang, C; Zeng, F G

1997-11-01

Traditional loudness models have been based on the average energy and the critical band analysis of steady-state sounds. However, most environmental sounds, including speech, are dynamic stimuli, in which the average level [e.g., the root-mean-square (rms) level] does not account for the large temporal fluctuations. The question addressed here was whether two stimuli of the same rms level but different peak levels would produce an equal loudness sensation. A modern adaptive procedure was used to replicate two classic experiments demonstrating that the sensation of "beats" in a two- or three-tone complex resulted in a louder sensation [E. Zwicker and H. Fastl, Psychoacoustics-Facts and Models (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1990)]. Two additional experiments were conducted to study exclusively the effects of the temporal envelope on the loudness sensation of dynamic stimuli. Loudness balance was performed by normal-hearing listeners between a white noise and a sinusoidally amplitude-modulated noise in one experiment, and by cochlear implant listeners between two harmonic stimuli of the same magnitude spectra, but different phase spectra, in the other experiment. The results from both experiments showed that, for two stimuli of the same rms level, the stimulus with greater temporal fluctuations sometimes produced a significantly louder sensation, depending on the temporal frequency and overall stimulus level. In normal-hearing listeners, the louder sensation was produced for the amplitude-modulated stimuli with modulation frequencies lower than 400 Hz, and gradually disappeared above 400 Hz, resulting in a low-pass filtering characteristic which bore some similarity to the temporal modulation transfer function. The extent to which loudness was greater was a nonmonotonic function of level in acoustic hearing and a monotonically increasingly function in electric hearing. These results suggest that the loudness sensation of a dynamic stimulus is not limited to a 100-ms temporal integration process, and may be determined jointly by a compression process in the cochlea and an expansion process in the brain. A level-dependent compression scheme that may better restore normal loudness of dynamic stimuli in hearing aids and cochlear implants is proposed.

Laboratory study of effects of sonic boom shaping on subjective loudness and acceptability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, Jack D.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1992-01-01

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effects of sonic boom signature shaping on subjective loudness and acceptability. The study utilized the sonic boom simulator at the Langley Research Center. A wide range of symmetrical, front-shock-minimized signature shapes were investigated together with a limited number of asymmetrical signatures. Subjective loudness judgments were obtained from 60 test subjects by using an 11-point numerical category scale. Acceptability judgments were obtained using the method of constant stimuli. Results were used to assess the relative predictive ability of several noise metrics, determine the loudness benefits of detailed boom shaping, and derive laboratory sonic boom acceptability criteria. These results indicated that the A-weighted sound exposure level, the Stevens Mark 7 Perceived Level, and the Zwicker Loudness Level metrics all performed well. Significant reductions in loudness were obtained by increasing front-shock rise time and/or decreasing front-shock overpressure of the front-shock minimized signatures. In addition, the asymmetrical signatures were rated to be slightly quieter than the symmetrical front-shock-minimized signatures of equal A-weighted sound exposure level. However, this result was based on a limited number of asymmetric signatures. The comparison of laboratory acceptability results with acceptability data obtained in more realistic situations also indicated good agreement.

Fitting and verification of frequency modulation systems on children with normal hearing.

PubMed

Schafer, Erin C; Bryant, Danielle; Sanders, Katie; Baldus, Nicole; Algier, Katherine; Lewis, Audrey; Traber, Jordan; Layden, Paige; Amin, Aneeqa

2014-06-01

Several recent investigations support the use of frequency modulation (FM) systems in children with normal hearing and auditory processing or listening disorders such as those diagnosed with auditory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Friedreich ataxia, and dyslexia. The American Academy of Audiology (AAA) published suggested procedures, but these guidelines do not cite research evidence to support the validity of the recommended procedures for fitting and verifying nonoccluding open-ear FM systems on children with normal hearing. Documenting the validity of these fitting procedures is critical to maximize the potential FM-system benefit in the above-mentioned populations of children with normal hearing and those with auditory-listening problems. The primary goal of this investigation was to determine the validity of the AAA real-ear approach to fitting FM systems on children with normal hearing. The secondary goal of this study was to examine speech-recognition performance in noise and loudness ratings without and with FM systems in children with normal hearing sensitivity. A two-group, cross-sectional design was used in the present study. Twenty-six typically functioning children, ages 5-12 yr, with normal hearing sensitivity participated in the study. Participants used a nonoccluding open-ear FM receiver during laboratory-based testing. Participants completed three laboratory tests: (1) real-ear measures, (2) speech recognition performance in noise, and (3) loudness ratings. Four real-ear measures were conducted to (1) verify that measured output met prescribed-gain targets across the 1000-4000 Hz frequency range for speech stimuli, (2) confirm that the FM-receiver volume did not exceed predicted uncomfortable loudness levels, and (3 and 4) measure changes to the real-ear unaided response when placing the FM receiver in the child's ear. After completion of the fitting, speech recognition in noise at a -5 signal-to-noise ratio and loudness ratings at a +5 signal-to-noise ratio were measured in four conditions: (1) no FM system, (2) FM receiver on the right ear, (3) FM receiver on the left ear, and (4) bilateral FM system. The results of this study suggested that the slightly modified AAA real-ear measurement procedures resulted in a valid fitting of one FM system on children with normal hearing. On average, prescriptive targets were met for 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz within 3 dB, and maximum output of the FM system never exceeded and was significantly lower than predicted uncomfortable loudness levels for the children. There was a minimal change in the real-ear unaided response when the open-ear FM receiver was placed into the ear. Use of the FM system on one or both ears resulted in significantly better speech recognition in noise relative to a no-FM condition, and the unilateral and bilateral FM receivers resulted in a comfortably loud signal when listening in background noise. Real-ear measures are critical for obtaining an appropriate fit of an FM system on children with normal hearing. American Academy of Audiology.

A laboratory study of subjective response to sonic booms measured at White Sands Missile Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Brenda M.; Leatherwood, Jack D.

1993-01-01

The Sonic Boom Simulator of the Langley Research Center was used to quantify subjective loudness response to boom signatures consisting of: (1) simulator reproductions of booms recently recorded at White Sands Missile Range; (2) idealized N-waves; and (3) idealized booms having intermediate shocks. The booms with intermediate shocks represented signatures derived from CFD predictions. The recorded booms represented those generated by F15 and T38 aircraft flyovers and represented a variety of waveforms reflecting the effects of propagation through a turbulent atmosphere. These waveforms included the following shape categories: N-waves, peaked, rounded, and U-shaped. Results showed that Perceived Level and Zwicker Loudness Level were good estimators of the loudness of turbulence modified sonic booms. No significant differences were observed between loudness responses for the several shape categories when expressed in terms of Perceived Level. Thus, Perceived Level effectively accounted for waveform differences due to turbulence. Idealized booms with intermediate shocks, however, were rated as being approximately 2.7 dB(PL) less loud than the recorded signatures. This difference was not accounted for by PL.

A factor analytical study of tinnitus complaint behaviour.

PubMed

Jakes, S C; Hallam, R S; Chambers, C; Hinchcliffe, R

1985-01-01

Two separate factor analyses were conducted on various self-rated complaints about tinnitus and related neuro-otological symptoms, together with audiometric measurements of tinnitus 'intensity' (masking level and loudness matching levels). Two general tinnitus complaint factors were identified, i.e. 'intrusiveness of tinnitus' and 'distress due to tinnitus'. 3 specific tinnitus complaint factors were also found, i.e. 'sleep disturbance', 'medication use' and 'interference with passive auditory entertainments'. Other neuro-otological symptoms and the audiometric measures did not load on these factors. An exception was provided by loudness matches at 1 kHz, which had a small loading on the 'intrusiveness of tinnitus' factor. Self-rated loudness had a high loading on this factor. Otherwise, the loudness (either self-rated or determined by loudness matching) was unrelated to complaint dimensions. The clinical implications of the multifactorial nature of tinnitus complaint behaviour are considered.

The impact of rate reduction and increased loudness on fundamental frequency characteristics in dysarthria.

PubMed

Tjaden, Kris; Wilding, Greg

2011-01-01

This study examined the extent to which articulatory rate reduction and increased loudness were associated with adjustments in utterance-level measures of fundamental frequency (F(0)) variability for speakers with dysarthria and healthy controls that have been shown to impact on intelligibility in previously published studies. More generally, the current study sought to compare and contrast how a slower-than-normal rate and increased vocal loudness impact on a variety of utterance-level F(0) characteristics for speakers with dysarthria and healthy controls. Eleven speakers with Parkinson's disease, 15 speakers with multiple sclerosis, and 14 healthy control speakers were audio recorded while reading a passage in habitual, loud, and slow conditions. Magnitude production was used to elicit variations in rate and loudness. Acoustic measures of duration, intensity and F(0) were obtained. For all speaker groups, a slower-than-normal articulatory rate and increased vocal loudness had distinct effects on F(0) relative to the habitual condition, including a tendency for measures of F(0) variation to be greater in the loud condition and reduced in the slow condition. These results suggest implications for the treatment of dysarthria. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Impact of Rate Reduction and Increased Loudness on Fundamental Frequency Characteristics in Dysarthria

PubMed Central

Tjaden, Kris; Wilding, Greg

2011-01-01

Objective This study examined the extent to which articulatory rate reduction and increased loudness were associated with adjustments in utterance-level measures of fundamental frequency (F0) variability for speakers with dysarthria and healthy controls that have been shown to impact on intelligibility in previously published studies. More generally, the current study sought to compare and contrast how a slower-than-normal rate and increased vocal loudness impact on a variety of utterance-level F0 characteristics for speakers with dysarthria and healthy controls. Patients and Methods Eleven speakers with Parkinson's disease, 15 speakers with multiple sclerosis, and 14 healthy control speakers were audio recorded while reading a passage in habitual, loud, and slow conditions. Magnitude production was used to elicit variations in rate and loudness. Acoustic measures of duration, intensity and F0 were obtained. Results and Conclusions For all speaker groups, a slower-than-normal articulatory rate and increased vocal loudness had distinct effects on F0 relative to the habitual condition, including a tendency for measures of F0 variation to be greater in the loud condition and reduced in the slow condition. These results suggest implications for the treatment of dysarthria. PMID:20938199

In dubio pro silentio – Even Loud Music Does Not Facilitate Strenuous Ergometer Exercise

PubMed Central

Kreutz, Gunter; Schorer, Jörg; Sojke, Dominik; Neugebauer, Judith; Bullack, Antje

2018-01-01

Background: Music listening is wide-spread in amateur sports. Ergometer exercise is one such activity which is often performed with loud music. Aim and Hypotheses: We investigated the effects of electronic music at different intensity levels on ergometer performance (physical performance, force on the pedal, pedaling frequency), perceived fatigue and heart rate in healthy adults. We assumed that higher sound intensity levels are associated with greater ergometer performance and less perceived effort, particularly for untrained individuals. Methods: Groups of high trained and low trained healthy males (N = 40; age = 25.25 years; SD = 3.89 years) were tested individually on an ergometer while electronic dance music was played at 0, 65, 75, and 85 dB. Participants assessed their music experience during the experiment. Results: Majorities of participants rated the music as not too loud (65%), motivating (77.50%), appropriate for this sports exercise (90%), and having the right tempo (67.50%). Participants noticed changes in the acoustical environment with increasing intensity levels, but no further effects on any of the physical or other subjective measures were found for neither of the groups. Therefore, the main hypothesis must be rejected. Discussion: These findings suggest that high loudness levels do not positively influence ergometer performance. The high acceptance of loud music and perceived appropriateness could be based on erroneous beliefs or stereotypes. Reasons for the widespread use of loud music in fitness sports needs further investigation. Reducing loudness during fitness exercise may not compromise physical performance or perceived effort. PMID:29867622

Effect of Pulse Rate on Loudness Discrimination in Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Azadpour, Mahan; McKay, Colette M; Svirsky, Mario A

2018-03-12

Stimulation pulse rate affects current amplitude discrimination by cochlear implant (CI) users, indicated by the evidence that the JND (just noticeable difference) in current amplitude delivered by a CI electrode becomes larger at higher pulse rates. However, it is not clearly understood whether pulse rate would affect discrimination of speech intensities presented acoustically to CI processors, or what the size of this effect might be. Intensity discrimination depends on two factors: the growth of loudness with increasing sound intensity and the loudness JND (or the just noticeable loudness increment). This study evaluated the hypothesis that stimulation pulse rate affects loudness JND. This was done by measuring current amplitude JNDs in an experiment design based on signal detection theory according to which loudness discrimination is related to internal noise (which is manifested by variability in loudness percept in response to repetitions of the same physical stimulus). Current amplitude JNDs were measured for equally loud pulse trains of 500 and 3000 pps (pulses per second) by increasing the current amplitude of the target pulse train until it was perceived just louder than a same-rate or different-rate reference pulse train. The JND measures were obtained at two presentation levels. At the louder level, the current amplitude JNDs were affected by the rate of the reference pulse train in a way that was consistent with greater noise or variability in loudness perception for the higher pulse rate. The results suggest that increasing pulse rate from 500 to 3000 pps can increase loudness JND by 60 % at the upper portion of the dynamic range. This is equivalent to a 38 % reduction in the number of discriminable steps for acoustic and speech intensities.

Near-threshold equal-loudness contours for harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) derived from reaction times during underwater audiometry: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Kastelein, Ronald A; Wensveen, Paul J; Terhune, John M; de Jong, Christ A F

2011-01-01

Equal-loudness functions describe relationships between the frequencies of sounds and their perceived loudness. This pilot study investigated the possibility of deriving equal-loudness contours based on the assumption that sounds of equal perceived loudness elicit equal reaction times (RTs). During a psychoacoustic underwater hearing study, the responses of two young female harbor seals to tonal signals between 0.125 and 100 kHz were filmed. Frame-by-frame analysis was used to quantify RT (the time between the onset of the sound stimulus and the onset of movement of the seal away from the listening station). Near-threshold equal-latency contours, as surrogates for equal-loudness contours, were estimated from RT-level functions fitted to mean RT data. The closer the received sound pressure level was to the 50% detection hearing threshold, the more slowly the animals reacted to the signal (RT range: 188-982 ms). Equal-latency contours were calculated relative to the RTs shown by each seal at sound levels of 0, 10, and 20 dB above the detection threshold at 1 kHz. Fifty percent detection thresholds are obtained with well-trained subjects actively listening for faint familiar sounds. When calculating audibility ranges of sounds for harbor seals in nature, it may be appropriate to consider levels 20 dB above this threshold.

78 FR 70907 - Implementation of the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... television industry can monitor and control the loudness level of digital TV programming. The rules took... references ITU-R BS.1770-3.''). As explained in the CALM Act Report and Order, the ITU-R BS.1770 measurement... includes improved guidance for measuring the loudness of surround programming in both its multichannel...

Why Do People Like Loud Sound? A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Welch, David; Fremaux, Guy

2017-08-11

Many people choose to expose themselves to potentially dangerous sounds such as loud music, either via speakers, personal audio systems, or at clubs. The Conditioning, Adaptation and Acculturation to Loud Music (CAALM) Model has proposed a theoretical basis for this behaviour. To compare the model to data, we interviewed a group of people who were either regular nightclub-goers or who controlled the sound levels in nightclubs (bar managers, musicians, DJs, and sound engineers) about loud sound. Results showed four main themes relating to the enjoyment of loud sound: arousal/excitement, facilitation of socialisation, masking of both external sound and unwanted thoughts, and an emphasis and enhancement of personal identity. Furthermore, an interesting incidental finding was that sound levels appeared to increase gradually over the course of the evening until they plateaued at approximately 97 dBA Leq around midnight. Consideration of the data generated by the analysis revealed a complex of influential factors that support people in wanting exposure to loud sound. Findings were considered in terms of the CAALM Model and could be explained in terms of its principles. From a health promotion perspective, the Social Ecological Model was applied to consider how the themes identified might influence behaviour. They were shown to influence people on multiple levels, providing a powerful system which health promotion approaches struggle to address.

[Subjective difficulties in young people related to extensive loud music listening].

PubMed

Budimcić, Milenko; Ignatović, Snezana; Zivić, Ljubica

2010-01-01

For human ear, noise represents every undesirable and valueless sound. In disco clubs, as in some other places with loud music mostly attended by young people, the level of noise sometimes attains over 100 dB. As reported by numerous studies, a high noise level could induce subjective difficulties (ear buzzing, audition loss, vertigo and palpitations, anxiety, high blood pressure, decreased concentration, lowered memory storing). Assessment of subjective difficulties occurring in young people when staying in places with a high noise level (cafes, disco clubs, rock concerts), which can produce health problems, due to loud music, in association with demographic data, addictions and personal life style data. One of the goals is to find factors leading to subjective difficulties, which would be objectively studied in the second stage of the research and marked as early predictors of possible health problems. The study was conducted among 780 students of the Higher Healthcare School of Professional Studied in Belgrade. We used a questionnaire with 20 questions, divided into four categories: demographic data, case-history data, subjective problems and addictions of the subjects. In the statistical data processing we used the methods of descriptive and exploratory analysis, chi-square tests, correlation tests and Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio. After listening loud music, 54.0% of examined subjects felt ear buzzing, and 4.6% had hearing damage. The habit of visiting places with loud music, mostly once a week in duration of 2-3 hours per visit had 80.4% of subjects. The presence of subjective complaints after listening of loud music was in association with loud music listening and disco clubs visits.The major reasons of the present subjective difficulties could be predicated by listening of loud music and club visits (r = 0.918 and r = 0.857). A relative risk for subjective difficulties presentation was 1.599. According to the results of our study, over half of children develop loud music-induced subjective problems involving ear buzzing and occasionally hearing loss.

Categorical scaling of partial loudness in a condition of masking release.

PubMed

Verhey, Jesko L; Heeren, Wiebke

2015-08-01

Categorical loudness scaling was used to measure suprathreshold release from masking. The signal was a 986-Hz sinusoid that was embedded in a bandpass-filtered masking noise. This noise was either unmodulated or was amplitude modulated with a square-wave modulator. The unmodulated noise had either the same level as the modulated noise or had a level that was reduced by the difference in thresholds for the 986-Hz signal obtained with the modulated and unmodulated noise masker presented at the same level (i.e., the masking release). A comparison with loudness matching data of the same set of subjects showed that the data obtained with loudness scaling capture main aspects of the change in suprathreshold perception of the sinusoid when the masker was modulated. The scaling data for the signal masked by the unmodulated noise with the reduced masker level were similar to that for the signal embedded in the modulated noise. This similarity supports the hypothesis that the mechanism eliciting the masking release is effectively reducing the masker level.

Variability of measured sonic boom signatures. Volume 2: Data report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmer, K. R.; Joshi, M. C.

1994-01-01

Sonic boom signatures from two databases, the BOOMFILE and the XB-70, were analyzed in terms of C-weighted sound exposure level (CSEL), A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL), and Stevens Mark VII perceived level (PLdB), as well as the more traditional peak positive overpressure and rise time. The variability of these parameters due to propagation through atmosphere was analyzed for different aircraft Mach number and altitude groups. The low Mach number/low altitude group had significantly greater variation in rise time, overpressure, and loudness level than the high Mach number/high altitude group. The loudness of measured booms were found to have a variation of up to 25 dB relative to the loudness of boom predicted for a non-turbulent atmosphere. This is due primarily to the steeper ray paths of the high Mach number/high altitude group and the corresponding shorter distances traveled by these rays through the lower atmosphere resulting in reduced refraction effects. The general trend of decreased overpressure and loudness level with increasing lateral distance was also seen. Sonic boom signatures from early morning flights had less variation in rise time and overpressure than afternoon flights because of reduced turbulence. Measures of asymmetry (difference between compression and expansion portion of the signature) showed that the variability in Delta loudness level was greater than the variability in Delta overpressure due to the large influence of turbulence on rise time. Lastly, analysis of data within 50 percent of lateral cutoff showed that the mean value for overpressure and loudness level was independent of time of day but that the frequency with which it occurred was greater in the morning. This is a clear indicator of increased turbulence in the afternoon.

Real-time loudness normalisation with combined cochlear implant and hearing aid stimulation

PubMed Central

Van Eeckhoutte, Maaike; Van Deun, Lieselot; Francart, Tom

2018-01-01

Background People who use a cochlear implant together with a contralateral hearing aid—so-called bimodal listeners—have poor localisation abilities and sounds are often not balanced in loudness across ears. In order to address the latter, a loudness balancing algorithm was created, which equalises the loudness growth functions for the two ears. The algorithm uses loudness models in order to continuously adjust the two signals to loudness targets. Previous tests demonstrated improved binaural balance, improved localisation, and better speech intelligibility in quiet for soft phonemes. In those studies, however, all stimuli were preprocessed so spontaneous head movements and individual head-related transfer functions were not taken into account. Furthermore, the hearing aid processing was linear. Study design In the present study, we simplified the acoustical loudness model and implemented the algorithm in a real-time system. We tested bimodal listeners on speech perception and on sound localisation, both in normal loudness growth configuration and in a configuration with a modified loudness growth function. We also used linear and compressive hearing aids. Results The comparison between the original acoustical loudness model and the new simplified model showed loudness differences below 3% for almost all tested speech-like stimuli and levels. We found no effect of balancing the loudness growth across ears for speech perception ability in quiet and in noise. We found some small improvements in localisation performance. Further investigation with a larger sample size is required. PMID:29617421

Effects of Loud and Amplified Speech on Sentence and Word Intelligibility in Parkinson Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neel, Amy T.

2009-01-01

Purpose: In the two experiments in this study, the author examined the effects of increased vocal effort (loud speech) and amplification on sentence and word intelligibility in speakers with Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: Five talkers with PD produced sentences and words at habitual levels of effort and using loud speech techniques. Amplified…

Development of an Improved Time Varying Loudness Model with the Inclusion of Binaural Loudness Summation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charbonneau, Jeremy

As the perceived quality of a product is becoming more important in the manufacturing industry, more emphasis is being placed on accurately predicting the sound quality of everyday objects. This study was undertaken to improve upon current prediction techniques with regard to the psychoacoustic descriptor of loudness and an improved binaural summation technique. The feasibility of this project was first investigated through a loudness matching experiment involving thirty-one subjects and pure tones of constant sound pressure level. A dependence of binaural summation on frequency was observed which had previously not been a subject of investigation in the reviewed literature. A follow-up investigation was carried out with forty-eight volunteers and pure tones of constant sensation level. Contrary to existing theories in literature the resulting loudness matches revealed an amplitude versus frequency relationship which confirmed the perceived increase in loudness when a signal was presented to both ears simultaneously as opposed to one ear alone. The resulting trend strongly indicated that the higher the frequency of the presented signal, the greater the increase in observed binaural summation. The results from each investigation were summarized into a single binaural summation algorithm and inserted into an improved time-varying loudness model. Using experimental techniques, it was demonstrated that the updated binaural summation algorithm was a considerable improvement over the state of the art approach for predicting the perceived binaural loudness. The improved function retained the ease of use from the original model while additionally providing accurate estimates of diotic listening conditions from monaural WAV files. It was clearly demonstrated using a validation jury test that the revised time-varying loudness model was a significant improvement over the previously standardized approach.

Psycho-acoustic evaluation of the indoor noise in cabins of a naval vessel using a back-propagation neural network algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Hyung-Suk

2012-12-01

The indoor noise of a ship is usually determined using the A-weighted sound pressure level. However, in order to better understand this phenomenon, evaluation parameters that more accurately reflect the human sense of hearing are required. To find the level of the satisfaction index of the noise inside a naval vessel such as "Loudness" and "Annoyance", psycho-acoustic evaluation of various sound recordings from the naval vessel was performed in a laboratory. The objective of this paper is to develop a single index of "Loudness" and "Annoyance" for noise inside a naval vessel according to a psycho-acoustic evaluation by using psychological responses such as Noise Rating (NR), Noise Criterion (NC), Room Criterion (RC), Preferred Speech Interference Level (PSIL) and loudness level. Additionally, in order to determine a single index of satisfaction for noise such as "Loudness" and "Annoyance", with respect to a human's sense of hearing, a back-propagation neural network is applied.

Why Do People Like Loud Sound? A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Welch, David; Fremaux, Guy

2017-01-01

Many people choose to expose themselves to potentially dangerous sounds such as loud music, either via speakers, personal audio systems, or at clubs. The Conditioning, Adaptation and Acculturation to Loud Music (CAALM) Model has proposed a theoretical basis for this behaviour. To compare the model to data, we interviewed a group of people who were either regular nightclub-goers or who controlled the sound levels in nightclubs (bar managers, musicians, DJs, and sound engineers) about loud sound. Results showed four main themes relating to the enjoyment of loud sound: arousal/excitement, facilitation of socialisation, masking of both external sound and unwanted thoughts, and an emphasis and enhancement of personal identity. Furthermore, an interesting incidental finding was that sound levels appeared to increase gradually over the course of the evening until they plateaued at approximately 97 dBA Leq around midnight. Consideration of the data generated by the analysis revealed a complex of influential factors that support people in wanting exposure to loud sound. Findings were considered in terms of the CAALM Model and could be explained in terms of its principles. From a health promotion perspective, the Social Ecological Model was applied to consider how the themes identified might influence behaviour. They were shown to influence people on multiple levels, providing a powerful system which health promotion approaches struggle to address. PMID:28800097

When tinnitus loudness and annoyance are discrepant: audiological characteristics and psychological profile.

PubMed

Hiller, Wolfgang; Goebel, Gerhard

2007-01-01

This study evaluates sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients reporting discrepant levels of tinnitus loudness and annoyance. 4958 subjects recruited from a national tinnitus association completed a comprehensive screening questionnaire including Klockhoff and Lindblom's loudness grading system and the psychometric Mini-TQ (Tinnitus Questionnaire). There was a moderate correlation of 0.45 between loudness and annoyance. Of the subjects reporting very loud tinnitus, about one third had only mild or moderate annoyance scores. They were not different from those with high annoyance regarding age, gender and tinnitus duration, but annoyance was increased when subjects had additional hearing loss (OR = 1.71), vertigo/dizziness (OR = 1.94) or hyperacusis (OR = 4.96). Another significant predictor was history of neurological disease (OR = 3.16). Subjects reported low annoyance despite high loudness more often if not feeling low/depressed and not considering themselves as victims of their noises. A specific psychological profile was found to characterize annoyed tinnitus sufferers. Permanent awareness of the noises, decreased ability to ignore them and concentration difficulties were reported frequently even when overall annoyance scores were comparatively low. It is concluded that the coexistence of tinnitus with hearing loss, vertigo/dizziness and hyperacusis as complicating otological conditions seems to be of clinical relevance for the prediction of high annoyance levels. Tinnitus loudness and annoyance are not necessarily congruent and should be assessed separately. (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Four odontocete species change hearing levels when warned of impending loud sound.

PubMed

Nachtigall, Paul E; Supin, Alexander Ya; Pacini, Aude F; Kastelein, Ronald A

2018-03-01

Hearing sensitivity change was investigated when a warning sound preceded a loud sound in the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the beluga whale (Delphinaperus leucas) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Hearing sensitivity was measured using pip-train test stimuli and auditory evoked potential recording. When the test/warning stimuli preceded a loud sound, hearing thresholds before the loud sound increased relative to the baseline by 13 to 17 dB. Experiments with multiple frequencies of exposure and shift provided evidence of different amounts of hearing change depending on frequency, indicating that the hearing sensation level changes were not likely due to a simple stapedial reflex. © 2017 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Loudness perception and speech intensity control in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Clark, Jenna P; Adams, Scott G; Dykstra, Allyson D; Moodie, Shane; Jog, Mandar

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine loudness perception in individuals with hypophonia and Parkinson's disease. The participants included 17 individuals with hypophonia related to Parkinson's disease (PD) and 25 age-equivalent controls. The three loudness perception tasks included a magnitude estimation procedure involving a sentence spoken at 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 dB SPL, an imitation task involving a sentence spoken at 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 dB SPL, and a magnitude production procedure involving the production of a sentence at five different loudness levels (habitual, two and four times louder and two and four times quieter). The participants with PD produced a significantly different pattern and used a more restricted range than the controls in their perception of speech loudness, imitation of speech intensity, and self-generated estimates of speech loudness. The results support a speech loudness perception deficit in PD involving an abnormal perception of externally generated and self-generated speech intensity. Readers will recognize that individuals with hypophonia related to Parkinson's disease may demonstrate a speech loudness perception deficit involving the abnormal perception of externally generated and self-generated speech intensity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulation frequency discrimination with single and multiple channels in cochlear implant users

PubMed Central

Galvin, John J.; Oba, Sandy; Başkent, Deniz; Fu, Qian-Jie

2015-01-01

Temporal envelope cues convey important speech information for cochlear implant (CI) users. Many studies have explored CI users’ single-channel temporal envelope processing. However, in clinical CI speech processors, temporal envelope information is processed by multiple channels. Previous studies have shown that amplitude modulation frequency discrimination (AMFD) thresholds are better when temporal envelopes are delivered to multiple rather than single channels. In clinical fitting, current levels on single channels must often be reduced to accommodate multi-channel loudness summation. As such, it is unclear whether the multi-channel advantage in AMFD observed in previous studies was due to coherent envelope information distributed across the cochlea or to greater loudness associated with multi-channel stimulation. In this study, single- and multi-channel AMFD thresholds were measured in CI users. Multi-channel component electrodes were either widely or narrowly spaced to vary the degree of overlap between neural populations. The reference amplitude modulation (AM) frequency was 100 Hz, and coherent modulation was applied to all channels. In Experiment 1, single- and multi-channel AMFD thresholds were measured at similar loudness. In this case, current levels on component channels were higher for single- than for multi-channel AM stimuli, and the modulation depth was approximately 100% of the perceptual dynamic range (i.e., between threshold and maximum acceptable loudness). Results showed no significant difference in AMFD thresholds between similarly loud single- and multi-channel modulated stimuli. In Experiment 2, single- and multi-channel AMFD thresholds were compared at substantially different loudness. In this case, current levels on component channels were the same for single-and multi-channel stimuli (“summation-adjusted” current levels) and the same range of modulation (in dB) was applied to the component channels for both single- and multi-channel testing. With the summation-adjusted current levels, loudness was lower with single than with multiple channels and the AM depth resulted in substantial stimulation below single-channel audibility, thereby reducing the perceptual range of AM. Results showed that AMFD thresholds were significantly better with multiple channels than with any of the single component channels. There was no significant effect of the distribution of electrodes on multi-channel AMFD thresholds. The results suggest that increased loudness due to multi-channel summation may contribute to the multi-channel advantage in AMFD, and that that overall loudness may matter more than the distribution of envelope information in the cochlea. PMID:25746914

An evaluation of musician earplugs with college music students.

PubMed

Chesky, Kris; Pair, Marla; Yoshimura, Eri; Landford, Scott

2009-01-01

Musician earplugs are marketed and recommended for use in music settings but no studies have evaluated these products with musicians. This study evaluated the influences of earplugs on college students' perception and abilities to communicate in a musical environment, attitudes of earplugs, comfort over time, and the influence of earplugs on ability to play music. College students (N = 323) were provided with earplugs for use during and following an experimental condition designed to mimic a night club. Results underline the challenges of earplugs in environments that are both loud and require verbal interaction. Responses to comfort questions were variable and suggest a multi-factorial set of influences that may include intrinsic variables. Despite these limitations, subjects in this study generally liked the earplugs and believed that they are valuable. However, the earplugs were not viewed favorably by musicians willing to use the earplugs while playing music. This study supports the view that earplugs are subject to many problems and should be considered as a last resort.

How Loud Is Too Loud?

MedlinePlus

... minute risks permanent hearing loss 110 Chain saw, rock concert 105 Personal stereo system at maximum level ... too. Doctors, parents, and educators worry about portable music players and other noisy gadgets damaging hearing in ...

Loudness and annoyance response to simulated outdoor and indoor sonic booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, Jack D.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1993-01-01

The sonic boom simulator of the Langley Research Center was used to quantify subjective loudness and annoyance response to simulated indoor and outdoor sonic boom signatures. The indoor signatures were derived from the outdoor signatures by application of house filters that approximated the noise reduction characteristics of a residential structure. Two indoor listening situations were simulated: one with the windows open and the other with the windows closed. Results were used to assess loudness and annoyance as sonic boom criterion measures and to evaluate several metrics as estimators of loudness and annoyance. The findings indicated that loudness and annoyance were equivalent criterion measures for outdoor booms but not for indoor booms. Annoyance scores for indoor booms were significantly higher than indoor loudness scores. Thus, annoyance was recommended as the criterion measure of choice for general use in assessing sonic boom subjective effects. Perceived level was determined to be the best estimator of annoyance for both indoor and outdoor booms, and of loudness for outdoor booms. It was recommended as the metric of choice for predicting sonic boom subjective effects.

A Preliminary Quantitative Comparison of Vibratory Amplitude Using Rigid and Flexible Stroboscopic Assessment.

PubMed

Hosbach-Cannon, Carly J; Lowell, Soren Y; Kelley, Richard T; Colton, Raymond H

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to establish preliminary, quantitative data on amplitude of vibration during stroboscopic assessment in healthy speakers with normal voice characteristics. Amplitude of vocal fold vibration is a core physiological parameter used in diagnosing voice disorders, yet quantitative data are lacking to guide the determination of what constitutes normal vibratory amplitude. Eleven participants were assessed during sustained vowel production using rigid and flexible endoscopy with stroboscopy. Still images were extracted from digital recordings of a sustained /i/ produced at a comfortable pitch and loudness, with F0 controlled so that levels were within ±15% of each participant's comfortable mean level as determined from connected speech. Glottal width (GW), true vocal fold (TVF) length, and TVF width were measured from still frames representing the maximum open phase of the vibratory cycle. To control for anatomic and magnification differences across participants, GW was normalized to TVF length. GW as a ratio of TVF width was also computed for comparison with prior studies. Mean values and standard deviations were computed for the normalized measures. Paired t tests showed no significant differences between rigid and flexible endoscopy methods. Interrater and intrarater reliability values for raw measurements were found to be high (0.89-0.99). These preliminary quantitative data may be helpful in determining normality or abnormality of vocal fold vibration. Results indicate that quantified amplitude of vibration is similar between endoscopic methods, a clinically relevant finding for individuals performing and interpreting stroboscopic assessments. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectro-Temporal Weighting of Loudness

PubMed Central

Oberfeld, Daniel; Heeren, Wiebke; Rennies, Jan; Verhey, Jesko

2012-01-01

Real-world sounds like speech or traffic noise typically exhibit spectro-temporal variability because the energy in different spectral regions evolves differently as a sound unfolds in time. However, it is currently not well understood how the energy in different spectral and temporal portions contributes to loudness. This study investigated how listeners weight different temporal and spectral components of a sound when judging its overall loudness. Spectral weights were measured for the combination of three loudness-matched narrowband noises with different center frequencies. To measure temporal weights, 1,020-ms stimuli were presented, which randomly changed in level every 100 ms. Temporal weights were measured for each narrowband noise separately, and for a broadband noise containing the combination of the three noise bands. Finally, spectro-temporal weights were measured with stimuli where the level of the three narrowband noises randomly and independently changed every 100 ms. The data consistently showed that (i) the first 300 ms of the sounds had a greater influence on overall loudness perception than later temporal portions (primacy effect), and (ii) the lowest noise band contributed significantly more to overall loudness than the higher bands. The temporal weights did not differ between the three frequency bands. Notably, the spectral weights and temporal weights estimated from the conditions with only spectral or only temporal variability were very similar to the corresponding weights estimated in the spectro-temporal condition. The results indicate that the temporal and the spectral weighting of the loudness of a time-varying sound are independent processes. The spectral weights remain constant across time, and the temporal weights do not change across frequency. The results are discussed in the context of current loudness models. PMID:23209670

Considerations in the Development of a Sound Tolerance Interview and Questionnaire Instrument

PubMed Central

Sherlock, LaGuinn P.; Formby, Craig

2017-01-01

Most clinicians approach the objective fitting of hearing aids with three goals in mind: audibility, comfort, and tolerance. When these three amplification goals have been met, the hearing aid user is more likely to adapt to and perceive benefit from hearing aid use. However, problems related to the loudness of sounds and reduced sound tolerance, which may or may not be reported by the aided user, can adversely impact adaptation to amplification and the individual's quality of life. Although there are several standardized questionnaires available to evaluate hearing aid benefit and satisfaction, there is no standardized questionnaire or interview tool for evaluating reduced sound tolerance and the related impact on hearing aid use. We describe a 36-item tool, the Sound Tolerance Questionnaire (STQ), consisting of six sections, including experience with hearing aids, sound sensitivity/intolerance, medical and noise exposure histories, coexisting tinnitus problems, and a final question to differentiate the primary and secondary problems related to sound intolerance, tinnitus, and hearing loss. In its current format as a research tool, the STQ was sensitive in pinpointing vague sound tolerance complaints not reported by the study participants in eligibility screening by Formby et al. A refined version of the STQ, the Sound Tolerance Interview and Questionnaire Instrument (STIQI), structured as a two-part tool, is presented in the appendix for prospective clinical use. The STIQI has potential utility to delineate factors contributing to loudness complaints and/or reduced sound tolerance in individuals considering hearing aid use, as well as those who have been unsuccessful hearing aid users secondary to loudness complaints or sound intolerance. The STIQI, when validated and refined, also may hold promise for predicting hearing aid benefit and/or assessing treatment-related change over time of hearing aid use or interventions designed to remediate problems of loudness and/or sound intolerance among hearing aid candidates or users. PMID:28286364

A Psychophysics experimental software to evaluate electrical pitch discrimination in Nucleus cochlear implanted patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez Zaballos, M. T.; Ramos de Miguel, A.; Killian, M.; Ramos Macías, A.

2016-02-01

Multichannel electrode array design in cochlear implants has evolved into two major categories: straight and perimodiolar electrodes. When implanted, the former lies along the outer wall of the scala tympani, while the later are located closer to the modiolus, where the neural ends are. Therefore, a perimodiolar position of the electrode array could be expected to result in reduced stimulus thresholds and stimulating currents, increased dynamic range, and more localized stimulation of the neural elements. However, their advantage for pitch discrimination has not been conclusively stated. Therefore, in order to study electrode independence, a psychophysical software has been developed, making use of Nucleus Implant Communicator tools provided by Cochlear company under a research agreement. The application comprises a graphical interface to facilitate its use, since previous software has always required some type of computer language skills. It allows for customization of electrical pulse parameters, measurement of threshold and comfort levels, loudness balancing and alternative forced choice experiments to determine electrode discrimination in Nucleus© users.

The Dynamic Range Paradox: A Central Auditory Model of Intensity Change Detection

PubMed Central

Simpson, Andrew J.R.; Reiss, Joshua D.

2013-01-01

In this paper we use empirical loudness modeling to explore a perceptual sub-category of the dynamic range problem of auditory neuroscience. Humans are able to reliably report perceived intensity (loudness), and discriminate fine intensity differences, over a very large dynamic range. It is usually assumed that loudness and intensity change detection operate upon the same neural signal, and that intensity change detection may be predicted from loudness data and vice versa. However, while loudness grows as intensity is increased, improvement in intensity discrimination performance does not follow the same trend and so dynamic range estimations of the underlying neural signal from loudness data contradict estimations based on intensity just-noticeable difference (JND) data. In order to account for this apparent paradox we draw on recent advances in auditory neuroscience. We test the hypothesis that a central model, featuring central adaptation to the mean loudness level and operating on the detection of maximum central-loudness rate of change, can account for the paradoxical data. We use numerical optimization to find adaptation parameters that fit data for continuous-pedestal intensity change detection over a wide dynamic range. The optimized model is tested on a selection of equivalent pseudo-continuous intensity change detection data. We also report a supplementary experiment which confirms the modeling assumption that the detection process may be modeled as rate-of-change. Data are obtained from a listening test (N = 10) using linearly ramped increment-decrement envelopes applied to pseudo-continuous noise with an overall level of 33 dB SPL. Increments with half-ramp durations between 5 and 50,000 ms are used. The intensity JND is shown to increase towards long duration ramps (p<10−6). From the modeling, the following central adaptation parameters are derived; central dynamic range of 0.215 sones, 95% central normalization, and a central loudness JND constant of 5.5×10−5 sones per ms. Through our findings, we argue that loudness reflects peripheral neural coding, and the intensity JND reflects central neural coding. PMID:23536749

Quality and loudness judgments for music subjected to compression limiting.

PubMed

Croghan, Naomi B H; Arehart, Kathryn H; Kates, James M

2012-08-01

Dynamic-range compression (DRC) is used in the music industry to maximize loudness. The amount of compression applied to commercial recordings has increased over time due to a motivating perspective that louder music is always preferred. In contrast to this viewpoint, artists and consumers have argued that using large amounts of DRC negatively affects the quality of music. However, little research evidence has supported the claims of either position. The present study investigated how DRC affects the perceived loudness and sound quality of recorded music. Rock and classical music samples were peak-normalized and then processed using different amounts of DRC. Normal-hearing listeners rated the processed and unprocessed samples on overall loudness, dynamic range, pleasantness, and preference, using a scaled paired-comparison procedure in two conditions: un-equalized, in which the loudness of the music samples varied, and loudness-equalized, in which loudness differences were minimized. Results indicated that a small amount of compression was preferred in the un-equalized condition, but the highest levels of compression were generally detrimental to quality, whether loudness was equalized or varied. These findings are contrary to the "louder is better" mentality in the music industry and suggest that more conservative use of DRC may be preferred for commercial music.

The effect of loudness on the reverberance of music: reverberance prediction using loudness models.

PubMed

Lee, Doheon; Cabrera, Densil; Martens, William L

2012-02-01

This study examines the auditory attribute that describes the perceived amount of reverberation, known as "reverberance." Listening experiments were performed using two signals commonly heard in auditoria: excerpts of orchestral music and western classical singing. Listeners adjusted the decay rate of room impulse responses prior to convolution with these signals, so as to match the reverberance of each stimulus to that of a reference stimulus. The analysis examines the hypothesis that reverberance is related to the loudness decay rate of the underlying room impulse response. This hypothesis is tested using computational models of time varying or dynamic loudness, from which parameters analogous to conventional reverberation parameters (early decay time and reverberation time) are derived. The results show that listening level significantly affects reverberance, and that the loudness-based parameters outperform related conventional parameters. Results support the proposed relationship between reverberance and the computationally predicted loudness decay function of sound in rooms. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Assessing Linearity in the Loudness Envelope of the Messa di Voce Singing Exercise Through Acoustic Signal Analysis.

PubMed

Yadav, Manuj; Cabrera, Densil; Kenny, Dianna T

2015-09-01

Messa di voce (MDV) is a singing exercise that involves sustaining a single pitch with a linear change in loudness from silence to maximum intensity (the crescendo part) and back to silence again (the decrescendo part), with time symmetry between the two parts. Previous studies have used the sound pressure level (SPL, in decibels) of a singer's voice to measure loudness, so as to assess the linearity of each part-an approach that has limitations due to loudness and SPL not being linearly related. This article studies the loudness envelope shapes of MDVs, comparing the SPL approach with approaches that are more closely related to human loudness perception. The MDVs were performed by a cohort of tertiary singing students, recorded six times (once per semester) over a period of 3 years. The loudness envelopes were derived for a typical audience listening position, and for listening to one's own singing, using three models: SPL, Stevens' power law-based model, and a computational loudness model. The effects on the envelope shape due to room acoustics (an important effect) and vibrato (minimal effect) were also considered. The results showed that the SPL model yielded a lower proportion of linear crescendi and decrescendi, compared with other models. The Stevens' power law-based model provided results similar to the more complicated computational loudness model. Longitudinally, there was no consistent trend in the shape of the MDV loudness envelope for the cohort although there were some individual singers who exhibited improvements in linearity. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Loud Noise Exposure Produces DNA, Neurotransmitter and Morphological Damage within Specific Brain Areas.

PubMed

Frenzilli, Giada; Ryskalin, Larisa; Ferrucci, Michela; Cantafora, Emanuela; Chelazzi, Silvia; Giorgi, Filippo S; Lenzi, Paola; Scarcelli, Vittoria; Frati, Alessandro; Biagioni, Francesca; Gambardella, Stefano; Falleni, Alessandra; Fornai, Francesco

2017-01-01

Exposure to loud noise is a major environmental threat to public health. Loud noise exposure, apart from affecting the inner ear, is deleterious for cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems and it is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study we investigated DNA, neurotransmitters and immune-histochemical alterations induced by exposure to loud noise in three major brain areas (cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum) of Wistar rats. Rats were exposed to loud noise (100 dBA) for 12 h. The effects of noise on DNA integrity in all three brain areas were evaluated by using Comet assay. In parallel studies, brain monoamine levels and morphology of nigrostriatal pathways, hippocampus and cerebellum were analyzed at different time intervals (24 h and 7 days) after noise exposure. Loud noise produced a sudden increase in DNA damage in all the brain areas under investigation. Monoamine levels detected at 7 days following exposure were differently affected depending on the specific brain area. Namely, striatal but not hippocampal dopamine (DA) significantly decreased, whereas hippocampal and cerebellar noradrenaline (NA) was significantly reduced. This is in line with pathological findings within striatum and hippocampus consisting of a decrease in striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) combined with increased Bax and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Loud noise exposure lasting 12 h causes immediate DNA, and long-lasting neurotransmitter and immune-histochemical alterations within specific brain areas of the rat. These alterations may suggest an anatomical and functional link to explain the neurobiology of diseases which prevail in human subjects exposed to environmental noise.

Development and Current Status of the “Cambridge” Loudness Models

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This article reviews the evolution of a series of models of loudness developed in Cambridge, UK. The first model, applicable to stationary sounds, was based on modifications of the model developed by Zwicker, including the introduction of a filter to allow for the effects of transfer of sound through the outer and middle ear prior to the calculation of an excitation pattern, and changes in the way that the excitation pattern was calculated. Later, modifications were introduced to the assumed middle-ear transfer function and to the way that specific loudness was calculated from excitation level. These modifications led to a finite calculated loudness at absolute threshold, which made it possible to predict accurately the absolute thresholds of broadband and narrowband sounds, based on the assumption that the absolute threshold corresponds to a fixed small loudness. The model was also modified to give predictions of partial loudness—the loudness of one sound in the presence of another. This allowed predictions of masked thresholds based on the assumption that the masked threshold corresponds to a fixed small partial loudness. Versions of the model for time-varying sounds were developed, which allowed prediction of the masked threshold of any sound in a background of any other sound. More recent extensions incorporate binaural processing to account for the summation of loudness across ears. In parallel, versions of the model for predicting loudness for hearing-impaired ears have been developed and have been applied to the development of methods for fitting multichannel compression hearing aids. PMID:25315375

Hearing protection for clubbers is music to their ears.

PubMed

Beach, Elizabeth; Williams, Warwick; Gilliver, Megan

2010-12-01

while it is difficult to promote the use of hearing protectors in noisy workplaces and leisure settings, some nightclub attendees choose to wear earplugs when exposed to loud music. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of clubbers about the advantages and disadvantages of earplug use in nightclubs. Such first-hand information could potentially be used to educate non-wearers about the features of different earplug types, the experience of wearing earplugs and their relative merits. structured telephone interviews were conducted with 20 regular clubbers who wear different types of earplugs at nightclubs. Participants were asked about their experience of wearing earplugs and, in particular, what they perceive to be the advantages and disadvantages of earplugs. participants' responses revealed that cheaper foam earplugs are considered less satisfactory than more expensive earplugs, which are relatively discreet and comfortable, facilitate communication with others, create minimal music distortion and, in some cases, improve music sound quality. In terms of effectiveness, all types of earplugs were considered beneficial in reducing the after-effects of loud music and providing hearing protection. the perceived advantages of earplugs, which are often not recognised by non-earplug wearers, should be communicated in order to encourage the use of earplugs among clubbers.

A Dynamically Focusing Cochlear Implant Strategy Can Improve Vowel Identification in Noise.

PubMed

Arenberg, Julie G; Parkinson, Wendy S; Litvak, Leonid; Chen, Chen; Kreft, Heather A; Oxenham, Andrew J

2018-03-09

The standard, monopolar (MP) electrode configuration used in commercially available cochlear implants (CI) creates a broad electrical field, which can lead to unwanted channel interactions. Use of more focused configurations, such as tripolar and phased array, has led to mixed results for improving speech understanding. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a physiologically inspired configuration called dynamic focusing, using focused tripolar stimulation at low levels and less focused stimulation at high levels. Dynamic focusing may better mimic cochlear excitation patterns in normal acoustic hearing, while reducing the current levels necessary to achieve sufficient loudness at high levels. Twenty postlingually deafened adult CI users participated in the study. Speech perception was assessed in quiet and in a four-talker babble background noise. Speech stimuli were closed-set spondees in noise, and medial vowels at 50 and 60 dB SPL in quiet and in noise. The signal to noise ratio was adjusted individually such that performance was between 40 and 60% correct with the MP strategy. Subjects were fitted with three experimental strategies matched for pulse duration, pulse rate, filter settings, and loudness on a channel-by-channel basis. The strategies included 14 channels programmed in MP, fixed partial tripolar (σ = 0.8), and dynamic partial tripolar (σ at 0.8 at threshold and 0.5 at the most comfortable level). Fifteen minutes of listening experience was provided with each strategy before testing. Sound quality ratings were also obtained. Speech perception performance for vowel identification in quiet at 50 and 60 dB SPL and for spondees in noise was similar for the three tested strategies. However, performance on vowel identification in noise was significantly better for listeners using the dynamic focusing strategy. Sound quality ratings were similar for the three strategies. Some subjects obtained more benefit than others, with some individual differences explained by the relation between loudness growth and the rate of change from focused to broader stimulation. These initial results suggest that further exploration of dynamic focusing is warranted. Specifically, optimizing such strategies on an individual basis may lead to improvements in speech perception for more adult listeners and improve how CIs are tailored. Some listeners may also need a longer period of time to acclimate to a new program.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

THE EFFECTS ON LEARNING FROM A MOTION PICTURE FILM OF SELECTIVE CHANGES IN SOUND TRACK LOUDNESS LEVEL. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MOAKLEY, FRANCIS X.

EFFECTS OF PERIODIC VARIATIONS IN AN INSTRUCTIONAL FILM'S NORMAL LOUDNESS LEVEL FOR RELEVANT AND IRRELEVANT FILM SEQUENCES WERE MEASURED BY A MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST. RIGOROUS PILOT STUDIES, RANDOM GROUPING OF SEVENTH GRADERS FOR TREATMENTS, AND RATINGS OF RELEVANT AND IRRELEVANT PORTIONS OF THE FILM BY AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF JUDGES PRECEDED THE…

Perceptual assessment of quality of urban soundscapes with combined noise sources and water sounds.

PubMed

Jeon, Jin Yong; Lee, Pyoung Jik; You, Jin; Kang, Jian

2010-03-01

In this study, urban soundscapes containing combined noise sources were evaluated through field surveys and laboratory experiments. The effect of water sounds on masking urban noises was then examined in order to enhance the soundscape perception. Field surveys in 16 urban spaces were conducted through soundwalking to evaluate the annoyance of combined noise sources. Synthesis curves were derived for the relationships between noise levels and the percentage of highly annoyed (%HA) and the percentage of annoyed (%A) for the combined noise sources. Qualitative analysis was also made using semantic scales for evaluating the quality of the soundscape, and it was shown that the perception of acoustic comfort and loudness was strongly related to the annoyance. A laboratory auditory experiment was then conducted in order to quantify the total annoyance caused by road traffic noise and four types of construction noise. It was shown that the annoyance ratings were related to the types of construction noise in combination with road traffic noise and the level of the road traffic noise. Finally, water sounds were determined to be the best sounds to use for enhancing the urban soundscape. The level of the water sounds should be similar to or not less than 3 dB below the level of the urban noises.

The impact of tinnitus characteristics and associated variables on tinnitus-related handicap.

PubMed

Degeest, S; Corthals, P; Dhooge, I; Keppler, H

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of tinnitus and tinnitus-related variables and explore their possible relationship with tinnitus-related handicap. Eighty-one patients with chronic tinnitus were included. The study protocol measured hearing status, tinnitus pitch, loudness, maskability and loudness discomfort levels. All patients filled in the Tinnitus Sample Case History Questionnaire, the Hyperacusis Questionnaire and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. The relationship of each variable with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Five univariables were associated with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score: loudness discomfort level, subjective tinnitus loudness, tinnitus awareness, noise intolerance and Hyperacusis Questionnaire score. Multiple regression analysis showed that the Hyperacusis Questionnaire score and tinnitus awareness were independently associated with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score. Hyperacusis and tinnitus awareness were independently associated with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score. Questionnaires on tinnitus and hyperacusis are especially suited to providing additional insight into tinnitus-related handicap and are therefore useful for evaluating tinnitus patients.

Agreement and Reliability of Tinnitus Loudness Matching and Pitch Likeness Rating

PubMed Central

Hoare, Derek J.; Edmondson-Jones, Mark; Gander, Phillip E.; Hall, Deborah A.

2014-01-01

The ability to reproducibly match tinnitus loudness and pitch is important to research and clinical management. Here we examine agreement and reliability of tinnitus loudness matching and pitch likeness ratings when using a computer-based method to measure the tinnitus spectrum and estimate a dominant tinnitus pitch, using tonal or narrowband sounds. Group level data indicated a significant effect of time between test session 1 and 2 for loudness matching, likely procedural or perceptual learning, which needs to be accounted in study design. Pitch likeness rating across multiple frequencies appeared inherently more variable and with no systematic effect of time. Dominant pitch estimates reached a level of clinical acceptability when sessions were spaced two weeks apart. However when dominant tinnitus pitch assessments were separated by three months, acceptable agreement was achieved only for group mean data, not for individual estimates. This has implications for prescription of some sound-based interventions that rely on accurate measures of individual dominant tinnitus pitch. PMID:25478690

Tinnitus: Distinguishing between Subjectively Perceived Loudness and Tinnitus-Related Distress

PubMed Central

Wallhäusser-Franke, Elisabeth; Brade, Joachim; Balkenhol, Tobias; D'Amelio, Roberto; Seegmüller, Andrea; Delb, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

Objectives Overall success of current tinnitus therapies is low, which may be due to the heterogeneity of tinnitus patients. Therefore, subclassification of tinnitus patients is expected to improve therapeutic allocation, which, in turn, is hoped to improve therapeutic success for the individual patient. The present study aims to define factors that differentially influence subjectively perceived tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress. Methods In a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey, the data of 4705 individuals with tinnitus were analyzed. The self-report questionnaire contained items about subjective tinnitus loudness, type of onset, awareness and localization of the tinnitus, hearing impairment, chronic comorbidities, sleep quality, and psychometrically validated questionnaires addressing tinnitus-related distress, depressivity, anxiety, and somatic symptom severity. In a binary step-wise logistic regression model, we tested the predictive power of these variables on subjective tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress. Results The present data contribute to the distinction between subjective tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress. Whereas subjective loudness was associated with permanent awareness and binaural localization of the tinnitus, tinnitus-related distress was associated with depressivity, anxiety, and somatic symptom severity. Conclusions Subjective tinnitus loudness and the potential presence of severe depressivity, anxiety, and somatic symptom severity should be assessed separately from tinnitus-related distress. If loud tinnitus is the major complaint together with mild or moderate tinnitus-related distress, therapies should focus on auditory perception. If levels of depressivity, anxiety or somatic symptom severity are severe, therapies and further diagnosis should focus on these symptoms at first. PMID:22529921

The effects of digital signal processing features on children's speech recognition and loudness perception.

PubMed

Crukley, Jeffery; Scollie, Susan D

2014-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of hearing instruments set to Desired Sensation Level version 5 (DSL v5) hearing instrument prescription algorithm targets and equipped with directional microphones and digital noise reduction (DNR) on children's sentence recognition in noise performance and loudness perception in a classroom environment. Ten children (ages 8-17 years) with stable, congenital sensorineural hearing losses participated in the study. Participants were fitted bilaterally with behind-the-ear hearing instruments set to DSL v5 prescriptive targets. Sentence recognition in noise was evaluated using the Bamford-Kowal-Bench Speech in Noise Test (Niquette et al., 2003). Loudness perception was evaluated using a modified version of the Contour Test of Loudness Perception (Cox, Alexander, Taylor, & Gray, 1997). Children's sentence recognition in noise performance was significantly better when using directional microphones alone or in combination with DNR than when using omnidirectional microphones alone or in combination with DNR. Children's loudness ratings for sounds above 72 dB SPL were lowest when fitted with the DSL v5 Noise prescription combined with directional microphones. DNR use showed no effect on loudness ratings. Use of the DSL v5 Noise prescription with a directional microphone improved sentence recognition in noise performance and reduced loudness perception ratings for loud sounds relative to a typical clinical reference fitting with the DSL v5 Quiet prescription with no digital signal processing features enabled. Potential clinical strategies are discussed.

Effects of pedagogical ideology on the perceived loudness and noise levels in preschools.

PubMed

Jonsdottir, Valdis; Rantala, Leena M; Oskarsson, Gudmundur Kr; Sala, Eeva

2015-01-01

High activity noise levels that result in detrimental effects on speech communication have been measured in preschools. To find out if different pedagogical ideologies affect the perceived loudness and levels of noise, a questionnaire study inquiring about the experience of loudness and voice symptoms was carried out in Iceland in eight private preschools, called "Hjalli model", and in six public preschools. Noise levels were also measured in the preschools. Background variables (stress level, age, length of working career, education, smoking, and number of children per teacher) were also analyzed in order to determine how much they contributed toward voice symptoms and the experience of noisiness. Results indicate that pedagogical ideology is a significant factor for predicting noise and its consequences. Teachers in the preschool with tighter pedagogical control of discipline (the "Hjalli model") experienced lower activity noise loudness than teachers in the preschool with a more relaxed control of behavior (public preschool). Lower noise levels were also measured in the "Hjalli model" preschool and fewer "Hjalli model" teachers reported voice symptoms. Public preschool teachers experienced more stress than "Hjalli model" teachers and the stress level was, indeed, the background variable that best explained the voice symptoms and the teacher's perception of a noisy environment. Discipline, structure, and organization in the type of activity predicted the activity noise level better than the number of children in the group. Results indicate that pedagogical ideology is a significant factor for predicting self-reported noise and its consequences.

Learning and extinction of conditioned hearing sensation change in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas).

PubMed

Nachtigall, Paul E; Supin, Alexander Ya; Estaban, Jose-Antonio; Pacini, Aude F

2016-02-01

Ice-dwelling beluga whales are increasingly being exposed to anthropogenic loud sounds. Beluga's hearing sensitivity measured during a warning sound just preceding a loud sound was tested using pip-train stimuli and auditory evoked potential recording. When the test/warning stimulus with a frequency of 32 or 45 kHz preceded the loud sound with a frequency of 32 kHz and a sound pressure level of 153 dB re 1 μPa, 2 s, hearing thresholds before the loud sound increased relative to the baseline. The threshold increased up to 15 dB for the test frequency of 45 kHz and up to 13 dB for the test frequency of 32 kHz. These threshold increases were observed during two sessions of 36 trials each. Extinction tests revealed no change during three experimental sessions followed by a jump-like return to baseline thresholds. The low exposure level producing the hearing-dampening effect (156 dB re 1 µPa(2)s in each trial), and the manner of extinction, may be considered as evidence that the observed hearing threshold increases were a demonstration of conditioned dampening of hearing when the whale anticipated the quick appearance of a loud sound in the same way demonstrated in the false killer whale and bottlenose dolphin.

Vocal responses to unanticipated perturbations in voice loudness feedback: an automatic mechanism for stabilizing voice amplitude.

PubMed

Bauer, Jay J; Mittal, Jay; Larson, Charles R; Hain, Timothy C

2006-04-01

The present study tested whether subjects respond to unanticipated short perturbations in voice loudness feedback with compensatory responses in voice amplitude. The role of stimulus magnitude (+/- 1,3 vs 6 dB SPL), stimulus direction (up vs down), and the ongoing voice amplitude level (normal vs soft) were compared across compensations. Subjects responded to perturbations in voice loudness feedback with a compensatory change in voice amplitude 76% of the time. Mean latency of amplitude compensation was 157 ms. Mean response magnitudes were smallest for 1-dB stimulus perturbations (0.75 dB) and greatest for 6-dB conditions (0.98 dB). However, expressed as gain, responses for 1-dB perturbations were largest and almost approached 1.0. Response magnitudes were larger for the soft voice amplitude condition compared to the normal voice amplitude condition. A mathematical model of the audio-vocal system captured the main features of the compensations. Previous research has demonstrated that subjects can respond to an unanticipated perturbation in voice pitch feedback with an automatic compensatory response in voice fundamental frequency. Data from the present study suggest that voice loudness feedback can be used in a similar manner to monitor and stabilize voice amplitude around a desired loudness level.

Underwater Equal-Latency Contours of a Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for Tonal Signals Between 0.5 and 125 kHz.

PubMed

Wensveen, Paul J; Huijser, Léonie A E; Hoek, Lean; Kastelein, Ronald A

2016-01-01

Loudness perception can be studied based on the assumption that sounds of equal loudness elicit equal reaction time (RT; or "response latency"). We measured the underwater RTs of a harbor porpoise to narrowband frequency-modulated sounds and constructed six equal-latency contours. The contours paralleled the audiogram at low sensation levels (high RTs). At high-sensation levels, contours flattened between 0.5 and 31.5 kHz but dropped substantially (RTs shortened) beyond those frequencies. This study suggests that equal-latency-based frequency weighting can emulate noise perception in porpoises for low and middle frequencies but that the RT-loudness correlation is relatively weak for very high frequencies.

Relative contributions of specific frequency bands to the loudness of broadband sounds.

PubMed

Jesteadt, Walt; Walker, Sara M; Ogun, Oluwaseye A; Ohlrich, Brenda; Brunette, Katyarina E; Wróblewski, Marcin; Schmid, Kendra K

2017-09-01

Listeners with normal hearing (NH) and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were asked to compare pairs of noise stimuli and choose the louder noise in each pair. Each noise was made up of 15, two-ERB N (equivalent rectangular bandwidth) wide frequency bands that varied independently over a 12-dB range from one presentation to the next. Mean levels of the bands followed the long-term average speech spectrum (LTASS) or were set to 43, 51, or 59 dB sound pressure level (SPL). The relative contribution of each band to the total loudness of the noise was determined by computing the correlation between the difference in levels for a given band on every trial and the listener's decision on that trial. Weights for SNHL listeners were governed by audibility and the spectrum of the noise stimuli, with bands near the spectral peak of the LTASS noise receiving greatest weight. NH listeners assigned greater weight to the lowest and highest bands, an effect that increased with overall level, but did not assign greater weight to bands near the LTASS peak. Additional loudness-matching and paired-comparison studies using stimuli missing one of the 15 bands showed a significant contribution by the highest band, but properties other than loudness may have contributed to the decisions.

A study of listening habits in adolescents: Correlating stated loudness preferences with actual listening levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Laura; Warren, Jean; Cheenne, Dominique

2004-05-01

Evidence suggests that children are damaging their hearing in substantial numbers [Niskar et al., J. Am. Med. Assoc. (1998)]. Conventional thinking would suggest that cultural norms and attitudes contribute to a desire in children to model what they have seen in the media, thus implying that they would be listening to music at levels that are considered harmful. Our study focused on a gender-balanced group of 316 elementary-age students and aimed at assessing a correlation between an attitudinal survey related to loud music and the children's own listening levels. The study was broader in scope and in sample size than previous work [Fucci, 138th ASA Meeting, 11/99]. Findings were both surprising and encouraging, citing that a majority of children who expressed favoritism towards loud music listened to the presented samples at lower levels than expected. The study also proposes a set of listening level distribution curves that may prove useful for future studies with older participants.

High resolution 1H NMR-based metabonomic study of the auditory cortex analogue of developing chick (Gallus gallus domesticus) following prenatal chronic loud music and noise exposure.

PubMed

Kumar, Vivek; Nag, Tapas Chandra; Sharma, Uma; Mewar, Sujeet; Jagannathan, Naranamangalam R; Wadhwa, Shashi

2014-10-01

Proper functional development of the auditory cortex (ACx) critically depends on early relevant sensory experiences. Exposure to high intensity noise (industrial/traffic) and music, a current public health concern, may disrupt the proper development of the ACx and associated behavior. The biochemical mechanisms associated with such activity dependent changes during development are poorly understood. Here we report the effects of prenatal chronic (last 10 days of incubation), 110dB sound pressure level (SPL) music and noise exposure on metabolic profile of the auditory cortex analogue/field L (AuL) in domestic chicks. Perchloric acid extracts of AuL of post hatch day 1 chicks from control, music and noise groups were subjected to high resolution (700MHz) (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Multivariate regression analysis of the concentration data of 18 metabolites revealed a significant class separation between control and loud sound exposed groups, indicating a metabolic perturbation. Comparison of absolute concentration of metabolites showed that overstimulation with loud sound, independent of spectral characteristics (music or noise) led to extensive usage of major energy metabolites, e.g., glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate and ATP. On the other hand, high glutamine levels and sustained levels of neuromodulators and alternate energy sources, e.g., creatine, ascorbate and lactate indicated a systems restorative measure in a condition of neuronal hyperactivity. At the same time, decreased aspartate and taurine levels in the noise group suggested a differential impact of prenatal chronic loud noise over music exposure. Thus prenatal exposure to loud sound especially noise alters the metabolic activity in the AuL which in turn can affect the functional development and later auditory associated behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Candidacy for bilateral hearing aids: a retrospective multicenter study.

PubMed

Boymans, Monique; Goverts, S Theo; Kramer, Sophia E; Festen, Joost M; Dreschler, Wouter A

2009-02-01

The goal of this study was to find factors for refining candidacy criteria for bilateral hearing aid fittings. Clinical files of 1,000 consecutive hearing aid fittings were analyzed. Case history, audiometric, and rehabilitation data were collected from clinical files, and an extensive questionnaire on long-term outcome measures was conducted. After at least 2 years of hearing aid use, 505 questionnaires were returned. In order to compare differences in benefits between unilateral and bilateral fittings, two subgroups were composed in which most relevant variables (age, degree of hearing loss, and audiometric asymmetry) were matched for unilateral fittings (n=212) and bilateral fittings (n=477). The bilateral group had significantly higher benefit scores than the unilateral group for detection, speech intelligibility in reverberation, and localization, but poorer scores for comfort of loud sounds. The benefit of bilateral hearing aids was not significantly related to the level of technology of the hearing aids. The analysis of the relation between objective parameters and the subjective outcome measures showed that candidacy for a successful bilateral fitting could not be predicted from age, maximum speech intelligibility, employment, exposure to background noise, or social activities.

Attitudes, Risk Behavior, and Noise Exposure among Young Adults with Hearing Problems: Identifying a Typology.

PubMed

Hunter, Abby

2017-11-01

This study explored attitudes toward leisure noise, use of hearing protection, and perceived susceptibility to leisure-noise damage in young adults with hearing problems. Twelve participants aged between 18 and 35 years took part in a semistructured interview. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. The results showed that a positive attitude to noise, a passion for loud music, a lack of knowledge of the consequences of noise damage, and perceived low risk of hearing problems were associated with people not using earplugs. The aesthetics, comfort, perceived effects on music quality and attitude of others were all barriers to earplug use. Of those who had used earplugs, previous hearing-related symptoms and concern about future hearing damage were the main motivators for use. Four types of people were identified to describe the variation in attitudes and behaviors: those who had no change in behavior or concern about damage; those who were concerned and used earplugs; those who were concerned and avoided loud venues; and those who were concerned about communication difficulties only. Considering the wide variability, it may be more effective to shift attention from trying to change individual attitudes and behaviors to considering systemic changes to protect hearing, through ensuring the music industry and relevant authorities take greater responsibility.

Effects of pedagogical ideology on the perceived loudness and noise levels in preschools

PubMed Central

Jonsdottir, Valdis; Rantala, Leena M.; Oskarsson, Gudmundur Kr.; Sala, Eeva

2015-01-01

High activity noise levels that result in detrimental effects on speech communication have been measured in preschools. To find out if different pedagogical ideologies affect the perceived loudness and levels of noise, a questionnaire study inquiring about the experience of loudness and voice symptoms was carried out in Iceland in eight private preschools, called “Hjalli model”, and in six public preschools. Noise levels were also measured in the preschools. Background variables (stress level, age, length of working career, education, smoking, and number of children per teacher) were also analyzed in order to determine how much they contributed toward voice symptoms and the experience of noisiness. Results indicate that pedagogical ideology is a significant factor for predicting noise and its consequences. Teachers in the preschool with tighter pedagogical control of discipline (the “Hjalli model”) experienced lower activity noise loudness than teachers in the preschool with a more relaxed control of behavior (public preschool). Lower noise levels were also measured in the “Hjalli model” preschool and fewer “Hjalli model” teachers reported voice symptoms. Public preschool teachers experienced more stress than “Hjalli model” teachers and the stress level was, indeed, the background variable that best explained the voice symptoms and the teacher's perception of a noisy environment. Discipline, structure, and organization in the type of activity predicted the activity noise level better than the number of children in the group. Results indicate that pedagogical ideology is a significant factor for predicting self-reported noise and its consequences. PMID:26356370

Decibels via Loudness--Distance Properties of a Loudspeaker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Alan

2014-01-01

Loudness, or sound intensity level, is a human perceived or subjective measurement with units, decibels, based on the response of the human ear to different sound intensities. The response of the human ear at fixed frequency is close to being logarithmic. The experiment reported here investigates the relationship between measured sound intensity…

Structured Counseling for Auditory Dynamic Range Expansion.

PubMed

Gold, Susan L; Formby, Craig

2017-02-01

A structured counseling protocol is described that, when combined with low-level broadband sound therapy from bilateral sound generators, offers audiologists a new tool for facilitating the expansion of the auditory dynamic range (DR) for loudness. The protocol and its content are specifically designed to address and treat problems that impact hearing-impaired persons who, due to their reduced DRs, may be limited in the use and benefit of amplified sound from hearing aids. The reduced DRs may result from elevated audiometric thresholds and/or reduced sound tolerance as documented by lower-than-normal loudness discomfort levels (LDLs). Accordingly, the counseling protocol is appropriate for challenging and difficult-to-fit persons with sensorineural hearing losses who experience loudness recruitment or hyperacusis. Positive treatment outcomes for individuals with the former and latter conditions are highlighted in this issue by incremental shifts (improvements) in LDL and/or categorical loudness judgments, associated reduced complaints of sound intolerance, and functional improvements in daily communication, speech understanding, and quality of life leading to improved hearing aid benefit, satisfaction, and aided sound quality, posttreatment.

Structured Counseling for Auditory Dynamic Range Expansion

PubMed Central

Gold, Susan L.; Formby, Craig

2017-01-01

A structured counseling protocol is described that, when combined with low-level broadband sound therapy from bilateral sound generators, offers audiologists a new tool for facilitating the expansion of the auditory dynamic range (DR) for loudness. The protocol and its content are specifically designed to address and treat problems that impact hearing-impaired persons who, due to their reduced DRs, may be limited in the use and benefit of amplified sound from hearing aids. The reduced DRs may result from elevated audiometric thresholds and/or reduced sound tolerance as documented by lower-than-normal loudness discomfort levels (LDLs). Accordingly, the counseling protocol is appropriate for challenging and difficult-to-fit persons with sensorineural hearing losses who experience loudness recruitment or hyperacusis. Positive treatment outcomes for individuals with the former and latter conditions are highlighted in this issue by incremental shifts (improvements) in LDL and/or categorical loudness judgments, associated reduced complaints of sound intolerance, and functional improvements in daily communication, speech understanding, and quality of life leading to improved hearing aid benefit, satisfaction, and aided sound quality, posttreatment. PMID:28286367

Murmur intensity in adult dogs with pulmonic and subaortic stenosis reflects disease severity.

PubMed

Caivano, D; Dickson, D; Martin, M; Rishniw, M

2018-03-01

The aims of this study were to determine whether murmur intensity in adult dogs with pulmonic stenosis or subaortic stenosis reflects echocardiographic disease severity and to determine whether a six-level murmur grading scheme provides clinical advantages over a four-level scheme. In this retrospective multi-investigator study on adult dogs with pulmonic stenosis or subaortic stenosis, murmur intensity was compared to echocardiographically determined pressure gradient across the affected valve. Disease severity, based on pressure gradients, was assessed between sequential murmur grades to identify redundancy in classification. A simplified four-level murmur intensity classification scheme ('soft', 'moderate', 'loud', 'palpable') was evaluated. In total, 284 dogs (153 with pulmonic stenosis, 131 with subaortic stenosis) were included; 55 dogs had soft, 59 had moderate, 72 had loud and 98 had palpable murmurs. 95 dogs had mild stenosis, 46 had moderate stenosis, and 143 had severe stenosis. No dogs with soft murmurs of either pulmonic or subaortic stenosis had transvalvular pressure gradients greater than 50 mmHg. Dogs with loud or palpable murmurs mostly, but not always, had severe stenosis. Stenosis severity increased with increasing murmur intensity. The traditional six-level murmur grading scheme provided no additional clinical information than the four-level descriptive murmur grading scheme. A simplified descriptive four-level murmur grading scheme differentiated stenosis severity without loss of clinical information, compared to the traditional six-level scheme. Soft murmurs in dogs with pulmonic or subaortic stenosis are strongly indicative of mild lesions. Loud or palpable murmurs are strongly suggestive of severe stenosis. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Perceptual Bias and Loudness Change: An Investigation of Memory, Masking, and Psychophysiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Kirk N.

Loudness is a fundamental aspect of human auditory perception that is closely associated with a sound's physical acoustic intensity. The dynamic quality of intensity change is an inherent acoustic feature in real-world listening domains such as speech and music. However, perception of loudness change in response to continuous intensity increases (up-ramps) and decreases (down-ramps) has received relatively little empirical investigation. Overestimation of loudness change in response to up-ramps is said to be linked to an adaptive survival response associated with looming (or approaching) motion in the environment. The hypothesised 'perceptual bias' to looming auditory motion suggests why perceptual overestimation of up-ramps may occur; however it does not offer a causal explanation. It is concluded that post-stimulus judgements of perceived loudness change are significantly affected by a cognitive recency response bias that, until now, has been an artefact of experimental procedure. Perceptual end-level differences caused by duration specific sensory adaptation at peripheral and/or central stages of auditory processing may explain differences in post-stimulus judgements of loudness change. Experiments that investigate human responses to acoustic intensity dynamics, encompassing topics from basic auditory psychophysics (e.g., sensory adaptation) to cognitive-emotional appraisal of increasingly complex stimulus events such as music and auditory warnings, are proposed for future research.

Effect on LTAS of vocal loudness variation.

PubMed

Nordenberg, Maria; Sundberg, Johan

2004-01-01

Long-term-average spectrum (LTAS) is an efficient method for voice analysis, revealing both voice source and formant characteristics. However, the LTAS contour is non-uniformly affected by vocal loudness. This variation was analyzed in 15 male and 16 female untrained voices reading a text 7 times at different degrees of vocal loudness, mean change in overall equivalent sound level (Leq) amounting to 27.9 dB and 28.4 dB for the female and male subjects. For all frequency values up to 4 kHz, spectrum level was strongly and linearly correlated with Leq for each subject. The gain factor, that is to say, the rate of level increase, varied with frequency, from about 0.5 at low frequencies to about 1.5 in the frequency range 1.5-3 kHz. Using the gain factors for a subject, LTAS contours could be predicted at any Leq within the measured range, with an average accuracy of 2-3 dB below 4 kHz. Mean LTAS calculated for an Leq of 70 dB for each subject showed considerable individual variation for both males and females, SD of the level varying between 7 dB and 4 dB depending on frequency. On the other hand, the results also suggest that meaningful comparisons of LTAS, recorded for example before and after voice therapy, can be made, provided that the documentation includes a set of recordings at different loudness levels from one recording session.

Abnormal Auditory Gain in Hyperacusis: Investigation with a Computational Model

PubMed Central

Diehl, Peter U.; Schaette, Roland

2015-01-01

Hyperacusis is a frequent auditory disorder that is characterized by abnormal loudness perception where sounds of relatively normal volume are perceived as too loud or even painfully loud. As hyperacusis patients show decreased loudness discomfort levels (LDLs) and steeper loudness growth functions, it has been hypothesized that hyperacusis might be caused by an increase in neuronal response gain in the auditory system. Moreover, since about 85% of hyperacusis patients also experience tinnitus, the conditions might be caused by a common mechanism. However, the mechanisms that give rise to hyperacusis have remained unclear. Here, we have used a computational model of the auditory system to investigate candidate mechanisms for hyperacusis. Assuming that perceived loudness is proportional to the summed activity of all auditory nerve (AN) fibers, the model was tuned to reproduce normal loudness perception. We then evaluated a variety of potential hyperacusis gain mechanisms by determining their effects on model equal-loudness contours and comparing the results to the LDLs of hyperacusis patients with normal hearing thresholds. Hyperacusis was best accounted for by an increase in non-linear gain in the central auditory system. Good fits to the average patient LDLs were obtained for a general increase in gain that affected all frequency channels to the same degree, and also for a frequency-specific gain increase in the high-frequency range. Moreover, the gain needed to be applied after subtraction of spontaneous activity of the AN, which is in contrast to current theories of tinnitus generation based on amplification of spontaneous activity. Hyperacusis and tinnitus might therefore be caused by different changes in neuronal processing in the central auditory system. PMID:26236277

Automatic feedback to promote safe walking and speech loudness control in persons with multiple disabilities: two single-case studies.

PubMed

Lancioni, Giulio E; Singh, Nirbhay N; O'Reilly, Mark F; Green, Vanessa A; Alberti, Gloria; Boccasini, Adele; Smaldone, Angela; Oliva, Doretta; Bosco, Andrea

2014-08-01

Assessing automatic feedback technologies to promote safe travel and speech loudness control in two men with multiple disabilities, respectively. The men were involved in two single-case studies. In Study I, the technology involved a microprocessor, two photocells, and a verbal feedback device. The man received verbal alerting/feedback when the photocells spotted an obstacle in front of him. In Study II, the technology involved a sound-detecting unit connected to a throat and an airborne microphone, and to a vibration device. Vibration occurred when the man's speech loudness exceeded a preset level. The man included in Study I succeeded in using the automatic feedback in substitution of caregivers' alerting/feedback for safe travel. The man of Study II used the automatic feedback to successfully reduce his speech loudness. Automatic feedback can be highly effective in helping persons with multiple disabilities improve their travel and speech performance.

Validation of a Korean Version of the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Yoo, Ik Won; Hwang, Sun Jin; Hwang, Soon Young

2015-01-01

Objectives The goal of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the tinnitus handicap questionnaire (THQ-K). Methods A total of 60 patients were included in this study. Patients responded to the THQ-K, the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), Beck's depression index (BDI), and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for loudness and pitch, loudness match, and minimum masking level (MML) test were performed. Results Internal consistency of the THQ-K was examined using Cronbach coefficient alpha. Cronbach alpha was 0.96. The THQ-K showed a significant correlation with THI, BDI, VAS for distress, and VAS for loudness, but no significant correlation with psychoacoustic measurement of tinnitus, such as loudness match, pitch match, and MML. Conclusion The THQ-K is a reliable and valid test for evaluating the degree of handicap due to tinnitus for both research and clinical use. PMID:26330911

The influence of crowd density on the sound environment of commercial pedestrian streets.

PubMed

Meng, Qi; Kang, Jian

2015-04-01

Commercial pedestrian streets are very common in China and Europe, with many situated in historic or cultural centres. The environments of these streets are important, including their sound environments. The objective of this study is to explore the relationships between the crowd density and the sound environments of commercial pedestrian streets. On-site measurements were performed at the case study site in Harbin, China, and a questionnaire was administered. The sound pressure measurements showed that the crowd density has an insignificant effect on sound pressure below 0.05 persons/m2, whereas when the crowd density is greater than 0.05 persons/m2, the sound pressure increases with crowd density. The sound sources were analysed, showing that several typical sound sources, such as traffic noise, can be masked by the sounds resulting from dense crowds. The acoustic analysis showed that crowd densities outside the range of 0.10 to 0.25 persons/m2 exhibited lower acoustic comfort evaluation scores. In terms of audiovisual characteristics, the subjective loudness increases with greater crowd density, while the acoustic comfort decreases. The results for an indoor underground shopping street are also presented for comparison. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

10 Hz Amplitude Modulated Sounds Induce Short-Term Tinnitus Suppression

PubMed Central

Neff, Patrick; Michels, Jakob; Meyer, Martin; Schecklmann, Martin; Langguth, Berthold; Schlee, Winfried

2017-01-01

Objectives: Acoustic stimulation or sound therapy is proposed as a main treatment option for chronic subjective tinnitus. To further probe the field of acoustic stimulations for tinnitus therapy, this exploratory study compared 10 Hz amplitude modulated (AM) sounds (two pure tones, noise, music, and frequency modulated (FM) sounds) and unmodulated sounds (pure tone, noise) regarding their temporary suppression of tinnitus loudness. First, it was hypothesized that modulated sounds elicit larger temporary loudness suppression (residual inhibition) than unmodulated sounds. Second, with manipulation of stimulus loudness and duration of the modulated sounds weaker or stronger effects of loudness suppression were expected, respectively. Methods: We recruited 29 participants with chronic tonal tinnitus from the multidisciplinary Tinnitus Clinic of the University of Regensburg. Participants underwent audiometric, psychometric and tinnitus pitch matching assessments followed by an acoustic stimulation experiment with a tinnitus loudness growth paradigm. In a first block participants were stimulated with all of the sounds for 3 min each and rated their subjective tinnitus loudness to the pre-stimulus loudness every 30 s after stimulus offset. The same procedure was deployed in the second block with the pure tone AM stimuli matched to the tinnitus frequency, manipulated in length (6 min), and loudness (reduced by 30 dB and linear fade out). Repeated measures mixed model analyses of variance (ANOVA) were calculated to assess differences in loudness growth between the stimuli for each block separately. Results: First, we found that all sounds elicit a short-term suppression of tinnitus loudness (seconds to minutes) with strongest suppression right after stimulus offset [F(6, 1331) = 3.74, p < 0.01]. Second, similar to previous findings we found that AM sounds near the tinnitus frequency produce significantly stronger tinnitus loudness suppression than noise [vs. Pink noise: t(27) = −4.22, p < 0.0001]. Finally, variants of the AM sound matched to the tinnitus frequency reduced in sound level resulted in less suppression while there was no significant difference observed for a longer stimulation duration. Moreover, feasibility of the overall procedure could be confirmed as scores of both tinnitus loudness and questionnaires were lower after the experiment [tinnitus loudness: t(27) = 2.77, p < 0.01; Tinnitus Questionnaire: t(27) = 2.06, p < 0.05; Tinnitus Handicap Inventory: t(27) = 1.92, p = 0.065]. Conclusion: Taken together, these results imply that AM sounds, especially in or around the tinnitus frequency, may induce larger suppression than unmodulated sounds. Future studies should thus evaluate this approach in longitudinal studies and real life settings. Furthermore, the putative neural relation of these sound stimuli with a modulation rate in the EEG α band to the observed tinnitus suppression should be probed with respective neurophysiological methods. PMID:28579955

Unilateral Cochlear Implantation Reduces Tinnitus Loudness in Bimodal Hearing: A Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Servais, Jérôme J.; Hörmann, Karl; Wallhäusser-Franke, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

Perceptive and receptive aspects of subjective tinnitus like loudness and tinnitus-related distress are partly independent. The high percentage of hearing loss in individuals with tinnitus suggests causality of hearing impairment particularly for the tinnitus percept, leading to the hypothesis that restoration of auditory input has a larger effect on tinnitus loudness than on tinnitus-related distress. Furthermore, it is assumed that high levels of depression or anxiety prevent reductions of tinnitus loudness and distress following restoration of activity in the cochlea. This prospective study investigated the influence of unilateral cochlear implant (CI) on tinnitus in 19 postlingually deafened adults during 6 months following implantation. All had bimodal provision with the other ear being continuously supported by a hearing aid. On the day before CI implantation (T1, T2), and at about 3 and 6 months postsurgery (T3, T4), participants were questioned about their current tinnitus. Loudness was rated on a Numeric Rating Scale, distress was assessed by the TQ12 Tinnitus Questionnaire, and depression and anxiety were recorded with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. At T2, 79% experienced tinnitus, one participant developed tinnitus after implantation. Following implantation, tinnitus loudness was reduced significantly by 42%, while reductions in tinnitus-related distress (−24%), depression (−20%), and anxiety (−20%) did not attain statistical significance. Significant correlations existed between tinnitus measures, and between postimplantation tinnitus-related distress and anxiety and depression scores. Moreover, improvement of hearing in the CI ear was significantly correlated with reduction in tinnitus loudness. A new aspect of this study is the particular influence of CI provision on perceptive aspects of preexisting tinnitus (hypothesis 1), with the effect size regarding postimplant reduction of perceived tinnitus loudness (1.40) being much larger than effect sizes on the reduction of tinnitus-related distress (0.38), depression (0.53), and anxiety (0.53). Contrary to expectation both tinnitus measures reduce even in the majority of CI recipients with increased levels of anxiety or depression. This suggests that reduction of the tinnitus signal by restoring activity in the cochlea cannot be entirely compensated for by central tinnitus mechanisms and results in a reduction of perceptive and less so of reactive aspects of subjective tinnitus. PMID:28326059

The functions of sound production in the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus, and effects of loud ambient noise on its behavior and physiology in captive environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Paul August

Loud noise in aquaria represents a cacophonous environment for captive fishes. I tested the effects of loud noise on acoustic communication, feeding behavior, courtship behavior, and the stress response of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus. Total Root Mean Square (RMS) power of ambient noise to which seahorses are exposed in captivity varies widely but averages 126.1 +/- 0.8 deciBels with reference to one micropascal (dB re: 1 muPa) at the middle of the water column and 133.7 +/- 1.1 dB at the tank bottom, whereas ambient noise in the wild averages 119.6 +/- 3.5 dB. Hearing sensitivity of H. erectus, measured from auditory evoked potentials, demonstrated maximum spectrum-level sensitivities of 105.0 +/- 1.5 dB and 3.5 x 10-3 + 7.6 x 10-4 m/s2 at 200 Hz; which is characteristic of hearing generalists. H. erectus produces acoustic clicks with mean peak spectrum-level amplitudes of 94.3 +/- 0.9 dB at 232 +/- 16 Hz and 1.5 x 10 -3 +/- 1.9 x 10-4 m/s2 at 265 +/- 22 Hz. Frequency matching of clicks to best hearing sensitivity, and estimates of audition of broadband signals suggest that seahorses may hear conspecific clicks, especially in terms of particle motion. Behavioral investigations revealed that clicking did not improve prey capture proficiency. However, animals clicked more often as time progressed in a courtship sequence, and mates performed more courtship behaviors with control animals than with muted animals, lending additional evidence to the role of clicking as an acoustic signal during courtship. Despite loud noise and the role of clicking in communication, masking of the acoustic signal was not demonstrated. Seahorses exposed to loud noise in aquaria for one month demonstrated physiological, chronic stress responses: reduced weight and body condition, and increased heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. Behavioral alterations were characterized by greater mean and variance of activity among animals housed in loud tanks in the first week, followed by habituation. By week four, animals in loud tanks demonstrated variable performance of clicking and piping, putative distress behaviors. Despite the physiological stress response, animals in loud tanks did not reduce feeding response or courtship behavior, suggesting allostasis.

Interaction levels between comfort and discomfort in aircraft seats.

PubMed

da Silva Menegon, Lizandra; Vincenzi, Silvana Ligia; Andrés Diaz Merino, Eugênio; Barbetta, Pedro Alberto; de Andrade, Dalton Francisco

2016-07-19

Although comfort and discomfort on seats have been widely investigated, their nature is still not well described by literature and it is not known exactly how the interaction between these two phenomena happens. To investigate the multidimensional nature of comfort and discomfort in aircraft seats as well as their levels of interaction. A comfort-discomfort questionnaire has been given to 1500 passengers in Brazil. The results brought evidence that comfort and discomfort are different phenomena with a strong negative correlation. At extreme levels, the presence of comfort implies the absence of discomfort; however at the other levels of comfort (minimum to moderate) there is the presence of discomfort. Estimating the scores given by the passengers has allowed them to be placed at scales of comfort and discomfort with their different levels. However, no passenger has achieved the levels of maximum comfort or of maximum discomfort. It is possible to infer that comfort, as much as discomfort are multidimensional phenomena and must be evaluated through scales with different levels, since at the extreme levels there is no interaction between the phenomena, but at the intermediate levels the passengers could perceive comfort and discomfort at the same time.

A Mixed-Methods Trial of Broad Band Noise and Nature Sounds for Tinnitus Therapy: Group and Individual Responses Modeled under the Adaptation Level Theory of Tinnitus.

PubMed

Durai, Mithila; Searchfield, Grant D

2017-01-01

Objectives: A randomized cross-over trial in 18 participants tested the hypothesis that nature sounds, with unpredictable temporal characteristics and high valence would yield greater improvement in tinnitus than constant, emotionally neutral broadband noise. Study Design: The primary outcome measure was the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). Secondary measures were: loudness and annoyance ratings, loudness level matches, minimum masking levels, positive and negative emotionality, attention reaction and discrimination time, anxiety, depression and stress. Each sound was administered using MP3 players with earbuds for 8 continuous weeks, with a 3 week wash-out period before crossing over to the other treatment sound. Measurements were undertaken for each arm at sound fitting, 4 and 8 weeks after administration. Qualitative interviews were conducted at each of these appointments. Results: From a baseline TFI score of 41.3, sound therapy resulted in TFI scores at 8 weeks of 35.6; broadband noise resulted in significantly greater reduction (8.2 points) after 8 weeks of sound therapy use than nature sounds (3.2 points). The positive effect of sound on tinnitus was supported by secondary outcome measures of tinnitus, emotion, attention, and psychological state, but not interviews. Tinnitus loudness level match was higher for BBN at 8 weeks; while there was little change in loudness level matches for nature sounds. There was no change in minimum masking levels following sound therapy administration. Self-reported preference for one sound over another did not correlate with changes in tinnitus. Conclusions: Modeled under an adaptation level theory framework of tinnitus perception, the results indicate that the introduction of broadband noise shifts internal adaptation level weighting away from the tinnitus signal, reducing tinnitus magnitude. Nature sounds may modify the affective components of tinnitus via a secondary, residual pathway, but this appears to be less important for sound effectiveness. The different rates of adaptation to broadband noise and nature sound by the auditory system may explain the different tinnitus loudness level matches. In addition to group effects there also appears to be a great deal of individual variation. A sound therapy framework based on adaptation level theory is proposed that accounts for individual variation in preference and response to sound. Clinical Trial Registration: www.anzctr.org.au, identifier #12616000742471.

A Mixed-Methods Trial of Broad Band Noise and Nature Sounds for Tinnitus Therapy: Group and Individual Responses Modeled under the Adaptation Level Theory of Tinnitus

PubMed Central

Durai, Mithila; Searchfield, Grant D.

2017-01-01

Objectives: A randomized cross-over trial in 18 participants tested the hypothesis that nature sounds, with unpredictable temporal characteristics and high valence would yield greater improvement in tinnitus than constant, emotionally neutral broadband noise. Study Design: The primary outcome measure was the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). Secondary measures were: loudness and annoyance ratings, loudness level matches, minimum masking levels, positive and negative emotionality, attention reaction and discrimination time, anxiety, depression and stress. Each sound was administered using MP3 players with earbuds for 8 continuous weeks, with a 3 week wash-out period before crossing over to the other treatment sound. Measurements were undertaken for each arm at sound fitting, 4 and 8 weeks after administration. Qualitative interviews were conducted at each of these appointments. Results: From a baseline TFI score of 41.3, sound therapy resulted in TFI scores at 8 weeks of 35.6; broadband noise resulted in significantly greater reduction (8.2 points) after 8 weeks of sound therapy use than nature sounds (3.2 points). The positive effect of sound on tinnitus was supported by secondary outcome measures of tinnitus, emotion, attention, and psychological state, but not interviews. Tinnitus loudness level match was higher for BBN at 8 weeks; while there was little change in loudness level matches for nature sounds. There was no change in minimum masking levels following sound therapy administration. Self-reported preference for one sound over another did not correlate with changes in tinnitus. Conclusions: Modeled under an adaptation level theory framework of tinnitus perception, the results indicate that the introduction of broadband noise shifts internal adaptation level weighting away from the tinnitus signal, reducing tinnitus magnitude. Nature sounds may modify the affective components of tinnitus via a secondary, residual pathway, but this appears to be less important for sound effectiveness. The different rates of adaptation to broadband noise and nature sound by the auditory system may explain the different tinnitus loudness level matches. In addition to group effects there also appears to be a great deal of individual variation. A sound therapy framework based on adaptation level theory is proposed that accounts for individual variation in preference and response to sound. Clinical Trial Registration: www.anzctr.org.au, identifier #12616000742471. PMID:28337139

Contribution of tonal components to the overall loudness, annoyance and noisiness of noise: Relation between single tones and noise spectral shape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hellman, R. P.

1985-01-01

A large scale laboratory investigation of loudness, annoyance, and noisiness produced by single-tone-noise complexes was undertaken to establish a broader data base for quanitification and prediction of perceived annoyance of sounds containing tonal components. Loudness, annoyance, and noisiness were distinguished as separate, distinct, attributes of sound. Three different spectral patterns of broadband noise with and without added tones were studied: broadband-flat, low-pass, and high-pass. Judgments were obtained by absolute magnitude estimation supplement by loudness matching. The data were examined and evaluated to determine the potential effects of (1) the overall sound pressure level (SPL) of the noise-tone complex, (2) tone SPL, (3) noise SPL, (4) tone-to-noise ratio, (5) the frequency of the added tone, (6) noise spectral shape, and (7) subjective attribute judged on absolute magnitude of annoyance. Results showed that, in contrast to noisiness, loudness and annoyance growth behavior depends on the relationship between the frequency of the added tone and the spectral shape of the noise. The close correspondence between the frequency of the added tone and the spectral shape of the noise. The close correspondence between loundness and annoyance suggests that, to better understand perceived annoyance of sound mixtures, it is necessary to relate the results to basic auditory mechanisms governing loudness and masking.

Dimensionality in voice quality.

PubMed

Bele, Irene Velsvik

2007-05-01

This study concerns speaking voice quality in a group of male teachers (n = 35) and male actors (n = 36), as the purpose was to investigate normal and supranormal voices. The goal was the development of a method of valid perceptual evaluation for normal to supranormal and resonant voices. The voices (text reading at two loudness levels) had been evaluated by 10 listeners, for 15 vocal characteristics using VA scales. In this investigation, the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the vocal characteristics used in this method are presented, reflecting four dimensions of major importance for normal and supranormal voices. Special emphasis is placed on the effects on voice quality of a change in the loudness variable, as two loudness levels are studied. Furthermore, the vocal characteristics Sonority and Ringing voice quality are paid special attention, as the essence of the term "resonant voice" was a basic issue throughout a doctoral dissertation where this study was included.

A physical classification scheme for blazars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landt, Hermine; Padovani, Paolo; Perlman, Eric S.; Giommi, Paolo

2004-06-01

Blazars are currently separated into BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) and flat spectrum radio quasars based on the strength of their emission lines. This is performed rather arbitrarily by defining a diagonal line in the Ca H&K break value-equivalent width plane, following Marchã et al. We readdress this problem and put the classification scheme for blazars on firm physical grounds. We study ~100 blazars and radio galaxies from the Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS) and 2-Jy radio survey and find a significant bimodality for the narrow emission line [OIII]λ5007. This suggests the presence of two physically distinct classes of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). We show that all radio-loud AGN, blazars and radio galaxies, can be effectively separated into weak- and strong-lined sources using the [OIII]λ5007-[OII]λ3727 equivalent width plane. This plane allows one to disentangle orientation effects from intrinsic variations in radio-loud AGN. Based on DXRBS, the strongly beamed sources of the new class of weak-lined radio-loud AGN are made up of BL Lacs at the ~75 per cent level, whereas those of the strong-lined radio-loud AGN include mostly (~97 per cent) quasars.

Using practical ergonomic evaluations in the restaurant industry to enhance safety and comfort: a case study.

PubMed

Gentzler, Marc D; Smither, Janan A

2012-01-01

Restaurant employees must deal with loud noise, busy environments, difficult customers, heavy, awkward, sharp, and hot objects, repetitive motions, and stress on various joints, all of which can lead to fatigue, sudden accidents, and longterm musculoskeletal injury. The goal of this case study was to assess the risk of injuries and accidents from conducting various tasks in the restaurant, specifically carrying/lifting, table management, and polishing silverware. The nine participants were servers at a local country club restaurant. Physical workload was measured by a scale of physical exertion. Cognitive workload was assessed, as well as cumulative trauma disorder risk. Overall results show that there is sufficient risk in some of the tasks to warrant concern. Specific results are discussed, as well as recommendations for improved safety.

Pure-Tone-Spondee Threshold Relationships in Functional Hearing Loss: A Test of Loudness Contribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlauch, Robert S.; Han, Heekyung J.; Yu, Tzu-Ling J.; Carney, Edward

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine explanations for pure-tone average-spondee threshold differences in functional hearing loss. Method: Loudness magnitude estimation functions were obtained from 24 participants for pure tones (0.5 and 1.0 kHz), vowels, spondees, and speech-shaped noise as a function of level (20-90 dB SPL).…

Clinical applications of selected binaural effects.

PubMed

Noffsinger, D

1982-01-01

Examination was made of the behaviors exhibited on selected binaural tasks by 556 persons with diagnosed peripheral hearing loss or central nervous system damage. The tasks used included loudness balancing (LB), intracranial midline imaging (MI), masking level differences (MLD), and binaural beats (BB). The methods used were chosen for their clinical utility. Loudness balancing and midline imaging were of the most diagnostic value when hearing loss was present. Masking level differences were best at detecting pathology which did not produce hearing loss. None of the techniques were sensitive to cortical damage.

Characteristics of Gamma-Ray Loud Blazars in the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linford, J. D.; Taylor, G. B.; Romani, R. W.; Healey, S. E.; Helmboldt, J. F.; Readhead, A. C.; Reeves, R.; Richards, J. L.; Cotter, G.

2010-01-01

The radio properties of blazars detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have been observed as part of the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey. This large, flux-limited sample of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) provides insights into the mechanism that produces strong gamma-ray emission. At lower flux levels, radio flux density does not directly correlate with gamma-ray flux. We find that the LAT-detected BL Lac objects tend to be similar to the non-LAT BL Lac objects, but that the LAT-detected FSRQs are often significantly different from the non-LAT FSRQs. The differences between the gamma-ray loud and quiet FSRQS can be explained by Doppler boosting; these objects appear to require larger Doppler factors than those of the BL Lac objects. It is possible that the gamma-ray loud FSRQs are fundamentally different from the gamma-ray quiet FSRQs. Strong polarization at the base of the jet appears to be a signature for gamma-ray loud AGNs.

Sonic boom acceptability studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, Kevin P.; Sullivan, Brenda M.; Leatherwood, Jack D.; Mccurdy, David A.

1992-01-01

The determination of the magnitude of sonic boom exposure which would be acceptable to the general population requires, as a starting point, a method to assess and compare individual sonic booms. There is no consensus within the scientific and regulatory communities regarding an appropriate sonic boom assessment metric. Loudness, being a fundamental and well-understood attribute of human hearing was chosen as a means of comparing sonic booms of differing shapes and amplitudes. The figure illustrates the basic steps which yield a calculated value of loudness. Based upon the aircraft configuration and its operating conditions, the sonic boom pressure signature which reaches the ground is calculated. This pressure-time history is transformed to the frequency domain and converted into a one-third octave band spectrum. The essence of the loudness method is to account for the frequency response and integration characteristics of the auditory system. The result of the calculation procedure is a numerical description (perceived level, dB) which represents the loudness of the sonic boom waveform.

Effects of serum zinc level on tinnitus.

PubMed

Berkiten, Güler; Kumral, Tolgar Lütfi; Yıldırım, Güven; Salturk, Ziya; Uyar, Yavuz; Atar, Yavuz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess zinc levels in tinnitus patients, and to evaluate the effects of zinc deficiency on tinnitus and hearing loss. One-hundred patients, who presented to an outpatient clinic with tinnitus between June 2009 and 2014, were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups according to age: Group I (patients between 18 and 30years of age); Group II (patients between 31 and 60years of age); and Group III (patients between 61 and 78years of age). Following a complete ear, nose and throat examination, serum zinc levels were measured and the severity of tinnitus was quantified using the Tinnitus Severity Index Questionnaire (TSIQ). Patients were subsequently asked to provide a subjective judgment regarding the loudness of their tinnitus. The hearing status of patients was evaluated by audiometry and high-frequency audiometry. An average hearing sensitivity was calculated as the mean value of hearing thresholds between 250 and 20,000Hz. Serum zinc levels between 70 and 120μg/dl were considered normal. The severity and loudness of tinnitus, and the hearing thresholds of the normal zinc level and zinc-deficient groups, were compared. Twelve of 100 (12%) patients exhibited low zinc levels. The mean age of the zinc-deficient group was 65.41±12.77years. Serum zinc levels were significantly lower in group III (p<0.01). The severity and loudness of tinnitus were greater in zinc-deficient patients (p=0.011 and p=0.015, respectively). Moreover, the mean thresholds of air conduction were significantly higher in zinc-deficient patients (p=0.000). We observed that zinc levels decrease as age increases. In addition, there was a significant correlation between zinc level and the severity and loudness of tinnitus. Zinc deficiency was also associated with impairments in hearing thresholds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female Listeners' Autonomic Responses to Dramatic Shifts Between Loud and Soft Music/Sound Passages: A Study of Heavy Metal Songs.

PubMed

Cheng, Tzu-Han; Tsai, Chen-Gia

2016-01-01

Although music and the emotion it conveys unfold over time, little is known about how listeners respond to shifts in musical emotions. A special technique in heavy metal music utilizes dramatic shifts between loud and soft passages. Loud passages are penetrated by distorted sounds conveying aggression, whereas soft passages are often characterized by a clean, calm singing voice and light accompaniment. The present study used heavy metal songs and soft sea sounds to examine how female listeners' respiration rates and heart rates responded to the arousal changes associated with auditory stimuli. The high-frequency power of heart rate variability (HF-HRV) was used to assess cardiac parasympathetic activity. The results showed that the soft passages of heavy metal songs and soft sea sounds expressed lower arousal and induced significantly higher HF-HRVs than the loud passages of heavy metal songs. Listeners' respiration rate was determined by the arousal level of the present music passage, whereas the heart rate was dependent on both the present and preceding passages. Compared with soft sea sounds, the loud music passage led to greater deceleration of the heart rate at the beginning of the following soft music passage. The sea sounds delayed the heart rate acceleration evoked by the following loud music passage. The data provide evidence that sound-induced parasympathetic activity affects listeners' heart rate in response to the following music passage. These findings have potential implications for future research on the temporal dynamics of musical emotions.

Skilful force control in expert pianists.

PubMed

Oku, Takanori; Furuya, Shinichi

2017-05-01

Dexterous object manipulation in skilful behaviours such as surgery, craft making, and musical performance involves fast, precise, and efficient control of force with the fingers. A challenge in playing musical instruments is the requirement of independent control of the magnitude and rate of force production, which typically vary in relation to loudness and tempo. However, it is unknown how expert musicians skilfully control finger force to elicit tones with a wide range of loudness and tempi. Here, we addressed this issue by comparing the variation of spatiotemporal characteristics of force during repetitive and simultaneous piano keystrokes in relation to the loudness and tempo between pianists and musically untrained individuals. While the peak key-descending velocity varied with loudness but not with tempo in both groups, the peak and impulse of the key-depressing force were smaller in pianists than in the non-musicians, specifically when eliciting loud tones, suggesting superior energetic efficiency in the trained individuals. The key-depressing force was more consistent across strikes in pianists than in the non-musicians at all loudness levels but only at slow tempi, confirming expertise-dependency of precise force control. A regression analysis demonstrated that individual differences in the keystroke rates when playing at the fastest tempo across the trained pianists were negatively associated with the force impulse during the key depression but not with the peak force only at the loudest tone. This suggests that rapid reductions of force following the key depression plays a role in considerably fast performance of repetitive piano keystrokes.

2Loud?: Community mapping of exposure to traffic noise with mobile phones.

PubMed

Leao, Simone; Ong, Kok-Leong; Krezel, Adam

2014-10-01

Despite ample medical evidence of the adverse impacts of traffic noise on health, most policies for traffic noise management are arbitrary or incomplete, resulting in serious social and economic impacts. Surprisingly, there is limited information about citizen's exposure to traffic noise worldwide. This paper presents the 2Loud? mobile phone application, developed and tested as a methodology to monitor, assess and map the level of exposure to traffic noise of citizens with focus on the night period and indoor locations, since sleep disturbance is one of the major triggers for ill health related to traffic noise. Based on a community participation experiment using the 2Loud? mobile phone application in a region close to freeways in Australia, the results of this research indicates a good level of accuracy for the noise monitoring by mobile phones and also demonstrates significant levels of indoor night exposure to traffic noise in the study area. The proposed methodology, through the data produced and the participatory process involved, can potentially assist in planning and management towards healthier urban environments.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Blazars equivalent widths and radio luminosity (Landt+, 2004)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landt, H.; Padovani, P.; Perlman, E. S.; Giommi, P.

2004-07-01

Blazars are currently separated into BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) and flat spectrum radio quasars based on the strength of their emission lines. This is performed rather arbitrarily by defining a diagonal line in the Ca H&K break value-equivalent width plane, following Marcha et al. (1996MNRAS.281..425M). We readdress this problem and put the classification scheme for blazars on firm physical grounds. We study ~100 blazars and radio galaxies from the Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS, Cat. and ) and 2-Jy radio survey and find a significant bimodality for the narrow emission line [OIII]{lambda}5007. This suggests the presence of two physically distinct classes of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). We show that all radio-loud AGN, blazars and radio galaxies, can be effectively separated into weak- and strong-lined sources using the [OIII]{lambda}5007-[OII]{lambda}3727 equivalent width plane. This plane allows one to disentangle orientation effects from intrinsic variations in radio-loud AGN. Based on DXRBS, the strongly beamed sources of the new class of weak-lined radio-loud AGN are made up of BL Lacs at the ~75 per cent level, whereas those of the strong-lined radio-loud AGN include mostly (~97 per cent) quasars. (4 data files).

Effects of Posture and Stimulus Spectral Composition on Peripheral Physiological Responses to Loud Sounds

PubMed Central

Koch, Jennifer; Flemming, Jan; Zeffiro, Thomas; Rufer, Michael; Orr, Scott P.; Mueller-Pfeiffer, Christoph

2016-01-01

In the “loud-tone” procedure, a series of brief, loud, pure-tone stimuli are presented in a task-free situation. It is an established paradigm for measuring autonomic sensitization in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Successful use of this procedure during fMRI requires elicitation of brain responses that have sufficient signal-noise ratios when recorded in a supine, rather than sitting, position. We investigated the modulating effects of posture and stimulus spectral composition on peripheral psychophysiological responses to loud sounds. Healthy subjects (N = 24) weekly engaged in a loud-tone-like procedure that presented 500 msec, 95 dB sound pressure level, pure-tone or white-noise stimuli, either while sitting or supine and while peripheral physiological responses were recorded. Heart rate, skin conductance, and eye blink electromyographic responses were larger to white-noise than pure-tone stimuli (p’s < 0.001, generalized eta squared 0.073–0.076). Psychophysiological responses to the stimuli were similar in the sitting and supine position (p’s ≥ 0.082). Presenting white noise, rather than pure-tone, stimuli may improve the detection sensitivity of the neural concomitants of heightened autonomic responses by generating larger responses. Recording in the supine position appears to have little or no impact on psychophysiological response magnitudes to the auditory stimuli. PMID:27583659

Loudness enhancement and decrement in four paradigms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmasian, R.; Galambos, R.; Bernheim, A., Jr.

1980-01-01

When one tone burst (the conditioner) preceeds another (the target) by 100 ms, target loudness is enhanced if the conditioner is more intense and decreased if it is less intense. We show here that similar loudness enhancements and decrements occur when the conditioner follows the target. In all instances, monaural loudness enhancements (in which the conditioner and target are delivered to the same ear) are greater than the dichotic enhancements (in which the conditioner is presented contralaterally), but the decrements, which are smaller than the enhancements, are similar in magnitude. Loudness enhancements and decrements are similar to sequential loudness effects and central tendency effects; the major difference is the relatively very large increases in loudness obtainable in loudness enhancement experiments. We outline a mechanism to account for these loudness phenomena and suggest that this mechanism is responsible for similar perceptual effects that occur in other stimulus dimensions and modalities.

Early age noise exposure increases loudness perception - A novel animal model of hyperacusis.

PubMed

Alkharabsheh, Ana'am; Xiong, Fen; Xiong, Binbin; Manohar, Senthilvelan; Chen, Guangdi; Salvi, Richard; Sun, Wei

2017-04-01

The neural mechanisms that give rise to hyperacusis, a reduction in loudness tolerance, are largely unknown. Some reports suggest that hyperacusis is linked to childhood hearing loss. However, the evidence for this is largely circumstantial. In order to rigorously test this hypothesis, we studied loudness changes in rats caused by intense noise exposure (12 kHz narrow band noise, 115 dB SPL, 4 h) at postnatal 16 days. Rats without noise exposure were used as controls. The exposed noise group (n = 7) showed a mean 40-50 dB hearing loss compared to the control group (n = 8) at high frequencies (>= 8 kHz) and less hearing loss at lower frequencies. Loudness was evaluated using sound reaction time and loudness response functions in an operant conditioning-based behavioral task using narrow-band noise (40-110 dB SPL, centered at 2, 4 and 12 kHz). Interestingly, the sound reaction time of the noise group was significantly shorter than the control group at supra-threshold levels. The average reaction time was less than 100 ms in the noise group at 100 dB SPL, which was three times shorter than the control group. Our results indicate that early noise-induced hearing loss leads to a significant increase of loudness, a behavior indicative of hyperacusis. Our results are consistent with clinical reports suggesting that hearing loss at an early age is a significant risk factor for hyperacusis. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Female Listeners’ Autonomic Responses to Dramatic Shifts Between Loud and Soft Music/Sound Passages: A Study of Heavy Metal Songs

PubMed Central

Cheng, Tzu-Han; Tsai, Chen-Gia

2016-01-01

Although music and the emotion it conveys unfold over time, little is known about how listeners respond to shifts in musical emotions. A special technique in heavy metal music utilizes dramatic shifts between loud and soft passages. Loud passages are penetrated by distorted sounds conveying aggression, whereas soft passages are often characterized by a clean, calm singing voice and light accompaniment. The present study used heavy metal songs and soft sea sounds to examine how female listeners’ respiration rates and heart rates responded to the arousal changes associated with auditory stimuli. The high-frequency power of heart rate variability (HF-HRV) was used to assess cardiac parasympathetic activity. The results showed that the soft passages of heavy metal songs and soft sea sounds expressed lower arousal and induced significantly higher HF-HRVs than the loud passages of heavy metal songs. Listeners’ respiration rate was determined by the arousal level of the present music passage, whereas the heart rate was dependent on both the present and preceding passages. Compared with soft sea sounds, the loud music passage led to greater deceleration of the heart rate at the beginning of the following soft music passage. The sea sounds delayed the heart rate acceleration evoked by the following loud music passage. The data provide evidence that sound-induced parasympathetic activity affects listeners’ heart rate in response to the following music passage. These findings have potential implications for future research on the temporal dynamics of musical emotions. PMID:26925009

Hearing at low and infrasonic frequencies.

PubMed

Møller, H; Pedersen, C S

2004-01-01

The human perception of sound at frequencies below 200 Hz is reviewed. Knowledge about our perception of this frequency range is important, since much of the sound we are exposed to in our everyday environment contains significant energy in this range. Sound at 20-200 Hz is called low-frequency sound, while for sound below 20 Hz the term infrasound is used. The hearing becomes gradually less sensitive for decreasing frequency, but despite the general understanding that infrasound is inaudible, humans can perceive infrasound, if the level is sufficiently high. The ear is the primary organ for sensing infrasound, but at levels somewhat above the hearing threshold it is possible to feel vibrations in various parts of the body. The threshold of hearing is standardized for frequencies down to 20 Hz, but there is a reasonably good agreement between investigations below this frequency. It is not only the sensitivity but also the perceived character of a sound that changes with decreasing frequency. Pure tones become gradually less continuous, the tonal sensation ceases around 20 Hz, and below 10 Hz it is possible to perceive the single cycles of the sound. A sensation of pressure at the eardrums also occurs. The dynamic range of the auditory system decreases with decreasing frequency. This compression can be seen in the equal-loudness-level contours, and it implies that a slight increase in level can change the perceived loudness from barely audible to loud. Combined with the natural spread in thresholds, it may have the effect that a sound, which is inaudible to some people, may be loud to others. Some investigations give evidence of persons with an extraordinary sensitivity in the low and infrasonic frequency range, but further research is needed in order to confirm and explain this phenomenon.

Emotion dynamics and tinnitus: Daily life data from the “TrackYourTinnitus” application

PubMed Central

Probst, Thomas; Pryss, Rüdiger; Langguth, Berthold; Schlee, Winfried

2016-01-01

It is well established that emotions influence tinnitus, but the role of emotion dynamics remains unclear. The present study investigated emotion dynamics in N = 306 users of the “TrackYourTinnitus” application who completed the Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ) at one assessment point and provided complete data on at least five assessment points for the following state variables: tinnitus loudness, tinnitus distress, arousal, valence. The repeated arousal and valence ratings were used for two operationalizations of emotion dynamics: intra-individual variability of affect intensity (pulse) as well as intra-individual variability of affect quality (spin). Pearson correlation coefficients showed that the Mini-TQ was positively correlated with pulse (r = 0.19; p < 0.05) as well as with spin (r = 0.12; p < 0.05). Multilevel models revealed the following results: increases in tinnitus loudness were more strongly associated with increases in tinnitus distress at higher levels of pulse as well as at higher levels of spin (both p < 0.05), whereby increases in tinnitus loudness correlated even stronger with increases in tinnitus distress when both pulse as well as spin were high (p < 0.05). Moreover, increases in spin were associated with a less favorable time course of tinnitus loudness (p < 0.05). To conclude, equilibrating emotion dynamics might be a potential target in the prevention and treatment of tinnitus. PMID:27488227

MP3 players and hearing loss: adolescents' perceptions of loud music and hearing conservation.

PubMed

Vogel, Ineke; Brug, Johannes; Hosli, Esther J; van der Ploeg, Catharina P B; Raat, Hein

2008-03-01

To explore adolescents' behaviors and opinions about exposure to loud music from MP3 players. We conducted a qualitative analysis of focus-group discussions with adolescents aged 12 to 18 years from 2 large secondary schools (1 urban and 1 rural) for pre-vocational and pre-university education. The semi-structured question route was theoretically framed within the protection motivation theory. Most adolescents-especially male students and students from pre-vocational schools-indicated that they often played their MP3 players at maximum volume. Although they appeared to be generally aware of the risks of exposure to loud music, they expressed low personal vulnerability to music-induced hearing loss. Most adolescents said that they would not accept any interference with their music-exposure habits. Interventions should target students from pre-vocational schools and should focus on increasing adolescents' knowledge of the risks of loud music and how to protect themselves. Besides hearing education for adolescents and technical modifications of MP3 players, volume-level regulations for MP3 players may be warranted.

How do laryngeal and respiratory functions contribute to differentiate actors/actresses and untrained voices?

PubMed

Master, Suely; Guzman, Marco; Azócar, Maria Josefina; Muñoz, Daniel; Bortnem, Cori

2015-05-01

The present study aimed to compare actors/actresses's voices and vocally trained subjects through aerodynamic and electroglottographic (EGG) analyses. We hypothesized that glottal and breathing functions would reflect technical and physiological differences between vocally trained and untrained subjects. Forty participants with normal voices participated in this study (20 professional theater actors and 20 untrained participants). In each group, 10 male and 10 female subjects were assessed. All participants underwent aerodynamic and EGG assessment of voice. From the Phonatory Aerodynamic System, three protocols were used: comfortable sustained phonation with EGG, voice efficiency with EGG, and running speech. Contact quotient was calculated from EGG. All phonatory tasks were produced at three different loudness levels. Mean sound pressure level and fundamental frequency were also assessed. Univariate, multivariate, and correlation statistical analyses were performed. Main differences between vocally trained and untrained participants were found in the following variables: mean sound pressure level, phonatory airflow, subglottic pressure, inspiratory airflow duration, inspiratory airflow, and inspiratory volume. These variables were greater for trained participants. Mean pitch was found to be lower for trained voices. The glottal source seemed to have a weak contribution when differentiating the training status in speaking voice. More prominent changes between vocally trained and untrained participants are demonstrated in respiratory-related variables. These findings may be related to better management of breathing function (better breath support). Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The sound intensity and characteristics of variable-pitch pulse oximeters.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Hiroo; Haruna, Junichi; Mashimo, Takashi; Akita, Takeshi; Kinouchi, Keiko

2008-06-01

Various studies worldwide have found that sound levels in hospitals significantly exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and that this noise is associated with audible signals from various medical devices. The pulse oximeter is now widely used in health care; however the health effects associated with the noise from this equipment remain largely unclarified. Here, we analyzed the sounds of variable-pitch pulse oximeters, and discussed the possible associated risk of sleep disturbance, annoyance, and hearing loss. The Nellcor N 595 and Masimo SET Radical pulse oximeters were measured for equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels (L(Aeq)), loudness levels, and loudness. Pulse beep pitches were also identified using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis and compared with musical pitches as controls. Almost all alarm sounds and pulse beeps from the instruments tested exceeded 30 dBA, a level that may induce sleep disturbance and annoyance. Several alarm sounds emitted by the pulse oximeters exceeded 70 dBA, which is known to induce hearing loss. The loudness of the alarm sound of each pulse oximeter did not change in proportion to the sound volume level. The pitch of each pulse beep did not correspond to musical pitch levels. The results indicate that sounds from pulse oximeters pose a potential risk of not only sleep disturbance and annoyance but also hearing loss, and that these sounds are unnatural for human auditory perception.

Intensity coding in electric hearing: effects of electrode configurations and stimulation waveforms.

PubMed

Chua, Tiffany Elise H; Bachman, Mark; Zeng, Fan-Gang

2011-01-01

Current cochlear implants typically stimulate the auditory nerve with biphasic pulses and monopolar electrode configurations. Tripolar stimulation can increase spatial selectivity and potentially improve place pitch related perception but requires higher current levels to elicit the same loudness as monopolar stimulation. The present study combined delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses, which produce lower thresholds, with tripolar stimulation in an attempt to solve the power-performance tradeoff problem. The present study systematically measured thresholds, dynamic range, loudness growth, and intensity discrimination using either biphasic or delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses under both monopolar and tripolar stimulation. Participants were five Clarion cochlear implant users. For each subject, data from apical, middle, and basal electrode positions were collected when possible. Compared with biphasic pulses, delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses increased the dynamic range by lowering thresholds while maintaining comparable maximum allowable levels under both electrode configurations. However, delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses did not change the shape of loudness growth function and actually increased intensity discrimination limens, especially at lower current levels. The present results indicate that delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses coupled with tripolar stimulation cannot provide significant power savings nor can it increase the functional dynamic range. Whether this combined stimulation could improve functional spectral resolution remains to be seen.

The effect of audiovisual and binaural listening on the acceptable noise level (ANL): establishing an ANL conceptual model.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Hsiang; Stangl, Elizabeth; Pang, Carol; Zhang, Xuyang

2014-02-01

Little is known regarding the acoustic features of a stimulus used by listeners to determine the acceptable noise level (ANL). Features suggested by previous research include speech intelligibility (noise is unacceptable when it degrades speech intelligibility to a certain degree; the intelligibility hypothesis) and loudness (noise is unacceptable when the speech-to-noise loudness ratio is poorer than a certain level; the loudness hypothesis). The purpose of the study was to investigate if speech intelligibility or loudness is the criterion feature that determines ANL. To achieve this, test conditions were chosen so that the intelligibility and loudness hypotheses would predict different results. In Experiment 1, the effect of audiovisual (AV) and binaural listening on ANL was investigated; in Experiment 2, the effect of interaural correlation (ρ) on ANL was examined. A single-blinded, repeated-measures design was used. Thirty-two and twenty-five younger adults with normal hearing participated in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In Experiment 1, both ANL and speech recognition performance were measured using the AV version of the Connected Speech Test (CST) in three conditions: AV-binaural, auditory only (AO)-binaural, and AO-monaural. Lipreading skill was assessed using the Utley lipreading test. In Experiment 2, ANL and speech recognition performance were measured using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) in three binaural conditions, wherein the interaural correlation of noise was varied: ρ = 1 (N(o)S(o) [a listening condition wherein both speech and noise signals are identical across two ears]), -1 (NπS(o) [a listening condition wherein speech signals are identical across two ears whereas the noise signals of two ears are 180 degrees out of phase]), and 0 (N(u)S(o) [a listening condition wherein speech signals are identical across two ears whereas noise signals are uncorrelated across ears]). The results were compared to the predictions made based on the intelligibility and loudness hypotheses. The results of the AV and AO conditions appeared to support the intelligibility hypothesis due to the significant correlation between visual benefit in ANL (AV re: AO ANL) and (1) visual benefit in CST performance (AV re: AO CST) and (2) lipreading skill. The results of the N(o)S(o), NπS(o), and N(u)S(o) conditions negated the intelligibility hypothesis because binaural processing benefit (NπS(o) re: N(o)S(o), and N(u)S(o) re: N(o)S(o)) in ANL was not correlated to that in HINT performance. Instead, the results somewhat supported the loudness hypothesis because the pattern of ANL results across the three conditions (N(o)S(o) ≈ NπS(o) ≈ N(u)S(o) ANL) was more consistent with what was predicted by the loudness hypothesis (N(o)S(o) ≈ NπS(o) < N(u)S(o) ANL) than by the intelligibility hypothesis (NπS(o) < N(u)S(o) < N(o)S(o) ANL). The results of the binaural and monaural conditions supported neither hypothesis because (1) binaural benefit (binaural re: monaural) in ANL was not correlated to that in speech recognition performance, and (2) the pattern of ANL results across conditions (binaural < monaural ANL) was not consistent with the prediction made based on previous binaural loudness summation research (binaural ≥ monaural ANL). The study suggests that listeners may use multiple acoustic features to make ANL judgments. The binaural/monaural results showing that neither hypothesis was supported further indicate that factors other than speech intelligibility and loudness, such as psychological factors, may affect ANL. The weightings of different acoustic features in ANL judgments may vary widely across individuals and listening conditions. American Academy of Audiology.

Too Loud! For Too Long!

MedlinePlus

... work or away from work? Top of Page Videos Videos View Low Resolution Video Keep the volume down – Too loud and too ... damage your hearing Audio Description View Low Resolution Video Too loud for too long: Loud noises damage ...

Elevated Acoustic Startle Responses in Humans: Relationship to Reduced Loudness Discomfort Level, but not Self-Report of Hyperacusis.

PubMed

Knudson, Inge M; Melcher, Jennifer R

2016-06-01

Increases in the acoustic startle response (ASR) of animals have been reported following experimental manipulations to induce tinnitus, an auditory disorder defined by phantom perception of sound. The increases in ASR have been proposed to signify the development of hyperacusis, a clinical condition defined by intolerance of normally tolerable sound levels. To test this proposal, the present study compared ASR amplitude to measures of sound-level tolerance (SLT) in humans, the only species in which SLT can be directly assessed. Participants had clinically normal/near-normal hearing thresholds, were free of psychotropic medications, and comprised people with tinnitus and without. ASR was measured as eyeblink-related electromyographic activity in response to a noise pulse presented at a range of levels and in two background conditions (noise and quiet). SLT was measured as loudness discomfort level (LDL), the lowest level of sound deemed uncomfortable, and via a questionnaire on the loudness of sounds in everyday life. Regardless of tinnitus status, ASR amplitude at a given stimulus level increased with decreasing LDL, but showed no relationship to SLT self-reported via the questionnaire. These relationships (or lack thereof) could not be attributed to hearing threshold, age, anxiety, or depression. The results imply that increases in ASR in the animal work signify decreases in LDL specifically and may not correspond to the development of hyperacusis as would be self-reported by a clinic patient.

How to Choose Between Measures of Tinnitus Loudness for Clinical Research? A Report on the Reliability and Validity of an Investigator-Administered Test and a Patient-Reported Measure Using Baseline Data Collected in a Phase IIa Drug Trial.

PubMed

Hall, Deborah A; Mehta, Rajnikant L; Fackrell, Kathryn

2017-09-18

Loudness is a major auditory dimension of tinnitus and is used to diagnose severity, counsel patients, or as a measure of clinical efficacy in audiological research. There is no standard test for tinnitus loudness, but matching and rating methods are popular. This article provides important new knowledge about the reliability and validity of an audiologist-administered tinnitus loudness matching test and a patient-reported tinnitus loudness rating. Retrospective analysis of loudness data for 91 participants with stable subjective tinnitus enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a novel drug for tinnitus. There were two baseline assessments (screening, Day 1) and a posttreatment assessment (Day 28). About 66%-70% of the variability from screening to Day 1 was attributable to the true score. But measurement error, indicated by the smallest detectable change, was high for both tinnitus loudness matching (20 dB) and tinnitus loudness rating (3.5 units). Only loudness rating captured a sensation that was meaningful to people who lived with the experience of tinnitus. The tinnitus loudness rating performed better against acceptability criteria for reliability and validity than did the tinnitus loudness matching test administered by an audiologist. But the rating question is still limited because it is a single-item instrument and is probably able to detect only large changes (at least 3.5 points).

Reducing Current Spread using Current Focusing in Cochlear Implant Users

PubMed Central

Landsberger, David M.; Padilla, Monica; Srinivasan, Arthi G.

2012-01-01

Cochlear implant performance in difficult listening situations is limited by channel interactions. It is known that partial tripolar (PTP) stimulation reduces the spread of excitation (SOE). However, the greater the degree of current focusing, the greater the absolute current required to maintain a fixed loudness. As current increases, so does SOE. In experiment 1, the SOE for equally loud stimuli with different degrees of current focusing is measured via a forward-masking procedure. Results suggest that at a fixed loudness, some but not all patients have a reduced SOE with PTP stimulation. Therefore, it seems likely that a PTP speech processing strategy could improve spectral resolution for only those patients with a reduced SOE. In experiment 2, the ability to discriminate different levels of current focusing was measured. In experiment 3, patients subjectively scaled verbal descriptors of stimuli of various levels of current focusing. Both discrimination and scaling of verbal descriptors correlated well with SOE reduction, suggesting that either technique have the potential to be used clinically to quickly predict which patients would receive benefit from a current focusing strategy. PMID:22230370

Inlet Trade Study for a Low-Boom Aircraft Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heath, Christopher M.; Slater, John W.; Rallabhandi, Sriram K.

2016-01-01

Propulsion integration for low-boom supersonic aircraft requires careful inlet selection, placement, and tailoring to achieve acceptable propulsive and aerodynamic performance, without compromising vehicle sonic boom loudness levels. In this investigation, an inward-turning streamline-traced and axisymmetric spike inlet are designed and independently installed on a conceptual low-boom supersonic demonstrator aircraft. The airframe was pre-shaped to achieve a target ground under-track loudness of 76.4 PLdB at cruise using an adjoint-based design optimization process. Aircraft and inlet performance characteristics were obtained by solution of the steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Isolated cruise inlet performance including total pressure recovery and distortion were computed and compared against installed inlet performance metrics. Evaluation of vehicle near-field pressure signatures, along with under- and off-track propagated loudness levels is also reported. Results indicate the integrated axisymmetric spike design offers higher inlet pressure recovery, lower fan distortion, and reduced sonic boom. The vehicle with streamline-traced inlet exhibits lower external wave drag, which translates to a higher lift-to-drag ratio and increased range capability.

Comfortably numb: desensitizing effects of violent media on helping others.

PubMed

Bushman, Brad J; Anderson, Craig A

2009-03-01

Two studies tested the hypothesis that exposure to violent media reduces aid offered to people in pain. In Study 1, participants played a violent or nonviolent video game for 20 min. After game play, while completing a lengthy questionnaire, they heard a loud fight, in which one person was injured, outside the lab. Participants who played violent games took longer to help the injured victim, rated the fight as less serious, and were less likely to "hear" the fight in comparison to participants who played nonviolent games. In Study 2, violent- and nonviolent-movie attendees witnessed a young woman with an injured ankle struggle to pick up her crutches outside the theater either before or after the movie. Participants who had just watched a violent movie took longer to help than participants in the other three conditions. The findings from both studies suggest that violent media make people numb to the pain and suffering of others.

Self-Reported Training Adequacy, Experience, and Comfort Level in Performing Schizophrenia-Related Clinical Skills among Psychiatry Residents and Fellows.

PubMed

Greene, Laurence; Moreo, Kathleen; Nasrallah, Henry; Tandon, Rajiv; Sapir, Tamar

2017-08-01

In the context of an educational program on schizophrenia for psychiatry trainees, this survey study analyzed associations between self-reported training adequacy, experience in providing patient care, and comfort level in performing schizophrenia-related clinical skills. The influence of the education on comfort level was also assessed for each skill. Survey respondents were psychiatry residents and fellows who participated in a schizophrenia education program at an in-person workshop or through online videos recorded at the workshop. In a pre-program survey, participants reported their experience in providing schizophrenia patient care and rated their training adequacy and comfort level for performing seven clinical skills involved in diagnosing and treating schizophrenia. The post-program survey included items for reassessing comfort level in performing the skills. Across the seven clinical skills, the proportion of respondents (n = 79) who agreed or strongly agreed that their training was adequate ranged from 29 to 88 %. The proportion of high ratings for comfort level in skill performance ranged from 45 to 83 %. Comfort level was significantly associated with training adequacy for all seven clinical skills and with experience in providing patient care for four skills. For all skills, comfort level ratings were significantly higher after versus before the educational workshop. Commonly indicated needs for further training included education on new therapies, exposure to a broader range of patients, and opportunities for longitudinal patient management. Psychiatry trainees' self-reported, disease-specific training adequacy, experiences, and comfort level have unique applications for developing and evaluating graduate medical curriculum.

Can Loud Music Hurt My Ears?

MedlinePlus

... Videos for Educators Search English Español Can Loud Music Hurt My Ears? KidsHealth / For Kids / Can Loud Music Hurt My Ears? Print en español La música ... up? Oh! You want to know if loud music can hurt your ears . Are you asking because ...

Does Tinnitus Depend on Time-of-Day? An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study with the “TrackYourTinnitus” Application

PubMed Central

Probst, Thomas; Pryss, Rüdiger C.; Langguth, Berthold; Rauschecker, Josef P.; Schobel, Johannes; Reichert, Manfred; Spiliopoulou, Myra; Schlee, Winfried; Zimmermann, Johannes

2017-01-01

Only few previous studies used ecological momentary assessments to explore the time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus. The present study used data from the mobile application “TrackYourTinnitus” to explore whether tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress fluctuate within a 24-h interval. Multilevel models were performed to account for the nested structure of assessments (level 1: 17,209 daily life assessments) nested within days (level 2: 3,570 days with at least three completed assessments), and days nested within participants (level 3: 350 participants). Results revealed a time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus. In particular, tinnitus was perceived as louder and more distressing during the night and early morning hours (from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.) than during the upcoming day. Since previous studies suggested that stress (and stress-associated hormones) show a circadian rhythm and this might influence the time-of-day-dependence of tinnitus, we evaluated whether the described results change when statistically controlling for subjectively reported stress-levels. Correcting for subjective stress-levels, however, did not change the result that tinnitus (loudness and distress) was most severe at night and early morning. These results show that time-of-day contributes to the level of both tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress. Possible implications of our results for the clinical management of tinnitus are that tailoring the timing of therapeutic interventions to the circadian rhythm of individual patients (chronotherapy) might be promising. PMID:28824415

Comparing NAL-NL1 and DSL v5 in Hearing Aids Fit to Children with Severe or Profound Hearing Loss: Goodness of Fit-to-Targets, Impacts on Predicted Loudness and Speech Intelligibility.

PubMed

Ching, Teresa Y C; Quar, Tian Kar; Johnson, Earl E; Newall, Philip; Sharma, Mridula

2015-03-01

An important goal of providing amplification to children with hearing loss is to ensure that hearing aids are adjusted to match targets of prescriptive procedures as closely as possible. The Desired Sensation Level (DSL) v5 and the National Acoustic Laboratories' prescription for nonlinear hearing aids, version 1 (NAL-NL1) procedures are widely used in fitting hearing aids to children. Little is known about hearing aid fitting outcomes for children with severe or profound hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prescribed and measured gain of hearing aids fit according to the NAL-NL1 and the DSL v5 procedure for children with moderately severe to profound hearing loss; and to examine the impact of choice of prescription on predicted speech intelligibility and loudness. Participants were fit with Phonak Naida V SP hearing aids according to the NAL-NL1 and DSL v5 procedures. The Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) and estimated loudness were calculated using published models. The sample consisted of 16 children (30 ears) aged between 7 and 17 yr old. The measured hearing aid gains were compared with the prescribed gains at 50 (low), 65 (medium), and 80 dB SPL (high) input levels. The goodness of fit-to-targets was quantified by calculating the average root-mean-square (RMS) error of the measured gain compared with prescriptive gain targets for 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. The significance of difference between prescriptions for hearing aid gains, SII, and loudness was examined by performing analyses of variance. Correlation analyses were used to examine the relationship between measures. The DSL v5 prescribed significantly higher overall gain than the NAL-NL1 procedure for the same audiograms. For low and medium input levels, the hearing aids of all children fit with NAL-NL1 were within 5 dB RMS of prescribed targets, but 33% (10 ears) deviated from the DSL v5 targets by more than 5 dB RMS on average. For high input level, the hearing aid fittings of 60% and 43% of ears deviated by more than 5 dB RMS from targets of NAL-NL1 and DSL v5, respectively. Greater deviations from targets were associated with more severe hearing loss. On average, the SII was higher for DSL v5 than for NAL-NL1 at low input level. No significant difference in SII was found between prescriptions at medium or high input level, despite greater loudness for DSL v5 than for NAL-NL1. Although targets between 0.25 and 2 kHz were well matched for both prescriptions in commercial hearing aids, gain targets at 4 kHz were matched for NAL-NL1 only. Although the two prescriptions differ markedly in estimated loudness, they resulted in comparable predicted speech intelligibility for medium and high input levels. American Academy of Audiology.

Effect of Parkinson's disease on the production of structured and unstructured speaking tasks: Respiratory physiologic and linguistic considerations

PubMed Central

Huber, Jessica E.; Darling, Meghan

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of cognitive-linguistic deficits and respiratory physiologic changes on respiratory support for speech in PD, using two speech tasks, reading and extemporaneous speech. Methods Five women with PD, 9 men with PD, and 14 age- and sex-matched control participants read a passage and spoke extemporaneously on a topic of their choice at comfortable loudness. Sound pressure level, syllables per breath group, speech rate, and lung volume parameters were measured. Number of formulation errors, disfluencies, and filled pauses were counted. Results Individuals with PD produced shorter utterances as compared to control participants. The relationships between utterance length and lung volume initiation and inspiratory duration were weaker in individuals with PD than for control participants, particularly for the extemporaneous speech task. These results suggest less consistent planning for utterance length by individuals with PD in extemporaneous speech. Individuals with PD produced more formulation errors in both tasks and significantly fewer filled pauses in extemporaneous speech. Conclusions Both respiratory physiologic and cognitive-linguistic issues affected speech production by individuals with PD. Overall, individuals with PD had difficulty planning or coordinating language formulation and respiratory support, in particular during extemporaneous speech. PMID:20844256

Impacts of pavement types on in-vehicle noise and human health.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Qiao, Fengxiang; Yu, Lei

2016-01-01

Noise is a major source of pollution that can affect the human physiology and living environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an exposure for longer than 24 hours to noise levels above 70 dB(A) may damage human hearing sensitivity, induce adverse health effects, and cause anxiety to residents nearby roadways. Pavement type with different roughness is one of the associated sources that may contribute to in-vehicle noise. Most previous studies have focused on the impact of pavement type on the surrounding acoustic environment of roadways, and given little attention to in-vehicle noise levels. This paper explores the impacts of different pavement types on in-vehicle noise levels and the associated adverse health effects. An old concrete pavement and a pavement with a thin asphalt overlay were chosen as the test beds. The in-vehicle noise caused by the asphalt and concrete pavements were measured, as well as the drivers' corresponding heart rates and reported riding comfort. Results show that the overall in-vehicle sound levels are higher than 70 dB(A) even at midnight. The newly overlaid asphalt pavement reduced in-vehicle noise at a driving speed of 96.5 km/hr by approximately 6 dB(A). Further, on the concrete pavement with higher roughness, driver heart rates were significantly higher than on the asphalt pavement. Drivers reported feeling more comfortable when driving on asphalt than on concrete pavement. Further tests on more drivers with different demographic characteristics, along highways with complicated configurations, and an examination of more factors contributing to in-vehicle noise are recommended, in addition to measuring additional physical symptoms of both drivers and passengers. While there have been many previous noise-related studies, few have addressed in-vehicle noise. Most studies have focused on the noise that residents have complained about, such as neighborhood traffic noise. As yet, there have been no complaints by drivers that their own in-vehicle noise is too loud. Nevertheless, it is a fact that in-vehicle noise can also result in adverse health effects if it exceeds 85 dB(A). Results of this study show that in-vehicle noise was strongly associated with pavement type and roughness; also, driver heart rate patterns presented statistically significant differences on different types of pavement with different roughness.

Quantitative analysis of macrophages in wound healing of rat skin subjected to loud noise stress.

PubMed

Rafi, Aisha; Khan, Muhammad Yunus; Minhas, Liaqat Ali

2014-01-01

Factors affecting skin wound healing have always been a central consideration in medical practice. Loud noise is biological stressor affecting the body systems at various levels. The present study was taken to study the effect of loud noise stress on the macrophages during wound healing process in male rat skin. One hundred and eighty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group-A and experimental group-B. Each group comprised 90 animals. Control and experimental groups were further subdivided into three subgroups of 30 animals each, corresponding to the day of sacrifice of animals, i.e., day 3, 5 and 7 after surgery. After induction of local anaesthesia a linear full thickness incision paravertebral to thoracic spine was made on the dorsum of rat. The experimental group B was exposed to loud noise stimulus (recorded noise of aero planes and gun fire) set at 97dBA to 102 dBA with a sound level meter. The animals were decapitated on day 3, 5 and 7 after surgery. Tissue was processed for paraffin embedding and stained by Hematoxylin and Eosin and Mallory's trichrome stain. Data was collected for the incisional space of the wound. Quantitative data of number of macrophages was analysed by Student's' test for the detection of any significant differences between the mean number in the experimental and control groups. All the quantitative data was expressed as means ± SE. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. In this study macrophages were decreased statistically significantly at day 3 after surgery and thereafter increased significantly on day 5 and 7 after surgery in the experimental subgroups as compared to their match control subgroups. These results show that loud noise stress affects the cells (macrophages) involved in the healing of the wound therefore it is expected to have impact on the stages of wound healing.

Measuring the Evolution of Contemporary Western Popular Music

PubMed Central

Serrà, Joan; Corral, Álvaro; Boguñá, Marián; Haro, Martín; Arcos, Josep Ll.

2012-01-01

Popular music is a key cultural expression that has captured listeners' attention for ages. Many of the structural regularities underlying musical discourse are yet to be discovered and, accordingly, their historical evolution remains formally unknown. Here we unveil a number of patterns and metrics characterizing the generic usage of primary musical facets such as pitch, timbre, and loudness in contemporary western popular music. Many of these patterns and metrics have been consistently stable for a period of more than fifty years. However, we prove important changes or trends related to the restriction of pitch transitions, the homogenization of the timbral palette, and the growing loudness levels. This suggests that our perception of the new would be rooted on these changing characteristics. Hence, an old tune could perfectly sound novel and fashionable, provided that it consisted of common harmonic progressions, changed the instrumentation, and increased the average loudness. PMID:22837813

Measuring the Evolution of Contemporary Western Popular Music

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrà, Joan; Corral, Álvaro; Boguñá, Marián; Haro, Martín; Arcos, Josep Ll.

2012-07-01

Popular music is a key cultural expression that has captured listeners' attention for ages. Many of the structural regularities underlying musical discourse are yet to be discovered and, accordingly, their historical evolution remains formally unknown. Here we unveil a number of patterns and metrics characterizing the generic usage of primary musical facets such as pitch, timbre, and loudness in contemporary western popular music. Many of these patterns and metrics have been consistently stable for a period of more than fifty years. However, we prove important changes or trends related to the restriction of pitch transitions, the homogenization of the timbral palette, and the growing loudness levels. This suggests that our perception of the new would be rooted on these changing characteristics. Hence, an old tune could perfectly sound novel and fashionable, provided that it consisted of common harmonic progressions, changed the instrumentation, and increased the average loudness.

Measuring the evolution of contemporary western popular music.

PubMed

Serrà, Joan; Corral, Alvaro; Boguñá, Marián; Haro, Martín; Arcos, Josep Ll

2012-01-01

Popular music is a key cultural expression that has captured listeners' attention for ages. Many of the structural regularities underlying musical discourse are yet to be discovered and, accordingly, their historical evolution remains formally unknown. Here we unveil a number of patterns and metrics characterizing the generic usage of primary musical facets such as pitch, timbre, and loudness in contemporary western popular music. Many of these patterns and metrics have been consistently stable for a period of more than fifty years. However, we prove important changes or trends related to the restriction of pitch transitions, the homogenization of the timbral palette, and the growing loudness levels. This suggests that our perception of the new would be rooted on these changing characteristics. Hence, an old tune could perfectly sound novel and fashionable, provided that it consisted of common harmonic progressions, changed the instrumentation, and increased the average loudness.

A loudness calculation procedure applied to shaped sonic booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, Kevin P.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1991-01-01

Described here is a procedure that can be used to calculate the loudness of sonic booms. The procedure is applied to a wide range of sonic booms, both classical N-waves and a variety of other shapes of booms. The loudness of N-waves is controlled by overpressure and the associated rise time. The loudness of shaped booms is highly dependent on the characteristics of the initial shock. A comparison of the calculated loudness values indicates that shaped booms may have significantly reduced loudness relative to N-waves having the same peak overpressure. This result implies that a supersonic transport designed to yield minimized sonic booms may be substantially more acceptable than an unconstrained design.

Features of determining the nonmanufacturing premises comfort level by the integrated microclimate quality criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhmirov, V. V.; Prorokova, M. V.

2015-01-01

The method of determining a microclimate comfort level have been developed, taking into account the main parameters influencing the microclimate in residential, public and administration buildings, their mutual influence on the comfort level, and air quality.

Comparison of the produced and perceived voice range profiles in untrained and trained classical singers.

PubMed

Hunter, Eric J; Svec, Jan G; Titze, Ingo R

2006-12-01

Frequency and intensity ranges (in true decibel sound pressure level, 20 microPa at 1 m) of voice production in trained and untrained vocalists were compared with the perceived dynamic range (phons) and units of loudness (sones) of the ear. Results were reported in terms of standard voice range profiles (VRPs), perceived VRPs (as predicted by accepted measures of auditory sensitivities), and a new metric labeled as an overall perceptual level construct. Trained classical singers made use of the most sensitive part of the hearing range (around 3-4 kHz) through the use of the singer's formant. When mapped onto the contours of equal loudness (depicting nonuniform spectral and dynamic sensitivities of the auditory system), the formant is perceived at an even higher sound level, as measured in phons, than a flat or A-weighted spectrum would indicate. The contributions of effects like the singer's formant and the sensitivities of the auditory system helped the trained singers produce 20% to 40% more units of loudness, as measured in sones, than the untrained singers. Trained male vocalists had a maximum overall perceptual level construct that was 40% higher than the untrained male vocalists. Although the A-weighted spectrum (commonly used in VRP measurement) is a reasonable first-order approximation of auditory sensitivities, it misrepresents the most salient part of the sensitivities (where the singer's formant is found) by nearly 10 dB.

Examining Acoustic and Kinematic Measures of Articulatory Working Space: Effects of Speech Intensity.

PubMed

Whitfield, Jason A; Dromey, Christopher; Palmer, Panika

2018-05-17

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of speech intensity on acoustic and kinematic vowel space measures and conduct a preliminary examination of the relationship between kinematic and acoustic vowel space metrics calculated from continuously sampled lingual marker and formant traces. Young adult speakers produced 3 repetitions of 2 different sentences at 3 different loudness levels. Lingual kinematic and acoustic signals were collected and analyzed. Acoustic and kinematic variants of several vowel space metrics were calculated from the formant frequencies and the position of 2 lingual markers. Traditional metrics included triangular vowel space area and the vowel articulation index. Acoustic and kinematic variants of sentence-level metrics based on the articulatory-acoustic vowel space and the vowel space hull area were also calculated. Both acoustic and kinematic variants of the sentence-level metrics significantly increased with an increase in loudness, whereas no statistically significant differences in traditional vowel-point metrics were observed for either the kinematic or acoustic variants across the 3 loudness conditions. In addition, moderate-to-strong relationships between the acoustic and kinematic variants of the sentence-level vowel space metrics were observed for the majority of participants. These data suggest that both kinematic and acoustic vowel space metrics that reflect the dynamic contributions of both consonant and vowel segments are sensitive to within-speaker changes in articulation associated with manipulations of speech intensity.

Intensity coding in electric hearing: Effects of electrode configurations and stimulation waveforms

PubMed Central

Chua, Tiffany Elise H.; Bachman, Mark; Zeng, Fan-Gang

2011-01-01

Objectives Current cochlear implants typically stimulate the auditory nerve with biphasic pulses and monopolar electrode configurations. Tripolar stimulation can increase spatial selectivity and potentially improve place pitch related perception, but requires higher current levels to elicit the same loudness as monopolar stimulation. The present study combined delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses, which produce lower thresholds, with tripolar stimulation in an attempt to solve the power-performance tradeoff problem. Design The present study systematically measured thresholds, dynamic range, loudness growth, and intensity discrimination using either biphasic or delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses under both monopolar and tripolar stimulation. Participants were 5 Clarion cochlear implant users. For each subject, data from apical, middle and basal electrode positions were collected when possible. Results Compared with biphasic pulses, delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses increased the dynamic range by lowering thresholds while maintaining comparable maximum allowable levels under both electrode configurations. However, delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses did not change the shape of loudness growth function and actually increased intensity discrimination limens, especially at lower current levels. Conclusions The present results indicate that delayed pseudomonophonasic pulses coupled with tripolar stimulation cannot provide significant power savings, nor can it increase the functional dynamic range. Whether this combined stimulation could improve functional spectral resolution remains to be seen. PMID:21610498

Analysis of high-frequency energy in long-term average spectra of singing, speech, and voiceless fricatives.

PubMed

Monson, Brian B; Lotto, Andrew J; Story, Brad H

2012-09-01

The human singing and speech spectrum includes energy above 5 kHz. To begin an in-depth exploration of this high-frequency energy (HFE), a database of anechoic high-fidelity recordings of singers and talkers was created and analyzed. Third-octave band analysis from the long-term average spectra showed that production level (soft vs normal vs loud), production mode (singing vs speech), and phoneme (for voiceless fricatives) all significantly affected HFE characteristics. Specifically, increased production level caused an increase in absolute HFE level, but a decrease in relative HFE level. Singing exhibited higher levels of HFE than speech in the soft and normal conditions, but not in the loud condition. Third-octave band levels distinguished phoneme class of voiceless fricatives. Female HFE levels were significantly greater than male levels only above 11 kHz. This information is pertinent to various areas of acoustics, including vocal tract modeling, voice synthesis, augmentative hearing technology (hearing aids and cochlear implants), and training/therapy for singing and speech.

Amplitude modulation reduces loudness adaptation to high-frequency tones.

PubMed

Wynne, Dwight P; George, Sahara E; Zeng, Fan-Gang

2015-07-01

Long-term loudness perception of a sound has been presumed to depend on the spatial distribution of activated auditory nerve fibers as well as their temporal firing pattern. The relative contributions of those two factors were investigated by measuring loudness adaptation to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated 12-kHz tones. The tones had a total duration of 180 s and were either unmodulated or 100%-modulated at one of three frequencies (4, 20, or 100 Hz), and additionally varied in modulation depth from 0% to 100% at the 4-Hz frequency only. Every 30 s, normal-hearing subjects estimated the loudness of one of the stimuli played at 15 dB above threshold in random order. Without any amplitude modulation, the loudness of the unmodulated tone after 180 s was only 20% of the loudness at the onset of the stimulus. Amplitude modulation systematically reduced the amount of loudness adaptation, with the 100%-modulated stimuli, regardless of modulation frequency, maintaining on average 55%-80% of the loudness at onset after 180 s. Because the present low-frequency amplitude modulation produced minimal changes in long-term spectral cues affecting the spatial distribution of excitation produced by a 12-kHz pure tone, the present result indicates that neural synchronization is critical to maintaining loudness perception over time.

Nursing home employee perceptions of culture change.

PubMed

Palmer, Jennifer A; Meterko, Mark; Zhao, Shibei; Berlowitz, Dan; Mobley, Esther; Hartmann, Christine W

2013-07-01

This study examined nursing home staff members' comfort levels with specific culture change scenarios and observed whether there were differences by occupation. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 218 staff members in all occupational categories at four Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers (i.e., nursing homes). Staff indicated their comfort level using a 9-point scale (1 = not at all comfortable to 9 = extremely comfortable). The culture change scenarios were divided into three subscales: Resident Safety (5 items), Resident Experience (5 items), and Staff Experience (2 items). Overall, respondents were slightly uncomfortable with the scenarios (overall mean = 4.57). Staff reported least comfort with the Resident Safety subscale (mean = 3.63) and most comfort with the Resident Experience subscale (mean = 5.65), with significant differences within these two subscales by occupational category. Existent power differentials among staff may influence comfort levels with culture change. Assessing staff comfort with culture change may help guide implementation efforts in a strategic manner. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

24 CFR Appendix I to Subpart B of... - Definition of Acoustical Quantities

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... micropascals. Day-night average sound level, abbreviated as DNL, and symbolized mathematically as Ldn is... day-night average sound level produced by the loud impulsive sounds shall have 8 decibels added to it...

Physiological characteristics of the supported singing voice. A preliminary study.

PubMed

Griffin, B; Woo, P; Colton, R; Casper, J; Brewer, D

1995-03-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a definition of the supported singing voice based on physiological characteristics by comparing the subjects' concepts of a supported voice with objective measurements of their supported and unsupported voice. This preliminary report presents findings based on data from eight classically trained singers. Subjects answered questions about their concepts of the characteristics of the supported singing voice and how it is produced. Samples of the supported and unsupported singing voice produced at low, medium, and high pitches at a comfortable loudness level were collected for acoustic, spectral, airflow, electroglottographic, air volume, and stroboscopic analyses. Significant differences between the supported and unsupported voice were found for sound pressure level (SPL), peak airflow, subglottal pressure (Ps), glottal open time, and frequency of the fourth formant (F4). Mean flow and F2 frequency differences were sex and pitch related. Males adjusted laryngeal configuration to produce supported voice, whereas glottal configuration differences were greater in females. Breathing patterns were variable and not significantly different between supported and unsupported voice. Subjects in this study believe that the supported singing voice is resonant, clear, and easy to manage and is produced by correct breath management. Results of data analysis show that the supported singing voice has different spectral characteristics from and higher SPL, peak airflow, and Ps than the unsupported voice. Singers adjust laryngeal and/or glottal configuration to account for these changes, but no significant differences in breathing activity were found.

Factors influencing tinnitus loudness and annoyance.

PubMed

Hiller, Wolfgang; Goebel, Gerhard

2006-12-01

To evaluate the 2 major components of tinnitus severity, loudness and annoyance, and their degree of dependence on characteristics of tinnitus manifestation, history, and etiology. Cross-sectional survey performed during the first months of 2004. Nonclinical population. A total of 4995 members of the German Tinnitus League. Comprehensive screening questionnaire, including the Klockhoff and Lindblom loudness grading system and the miniversion of the Tinnitus Questionnaire. A moderate correlation of 0.45 was found between tinnitus loudness and annoyance. Both factors were generally higher in men, those older than 50 years, those with binaural and centrally perceived tinnitus, those with increased noise sensitivity, and those who had continuous tinnitus without interruptions. Tinnitus that lasted 12 months or less had a stronger influence on annoyance (odds ratio [OR], 1.96) than on loudness (OR, 0.45), whereas the contrary was found for tinnitus of more than 5 years' duration (ORs, 0.72 and 2.11, respectively). Loudness and annoyance were increased in subjects with coexisting hearing loss, vertigo, and hyperacusis. The impact of hyperacusis on annoyance was clearly stronger than on loudness (ORs, 21.91 vs 9.47). Several clinical factors of tinnitus influence perceived loudness and annoyance. Both are distinguishable components of tinnitus severity.

What is a melody? On the relationship between pitch and brightness of timbre.

PubMed

Cousineau, Marion; Carcagno, Samuele; Demany, Laurent; Pressnitzer, Daniel

2013-01-01

Previous studies showed that the perceptual processing of sound sequences is more efficient when the sounds vary in pitch than when they vary in loudness. We show here that sequences of sounds varying in brightness of timbre are processed with the same efficiency as pitch sequences. The sounds used consisted of two simultaneous pure tones one octave apart, and the listeners' task was to make same/different judgments on pairs of sequences varying in length (one, two, or four sounds). In one condition, brightness of timbre was varied within the sequences by changing the relative level of the two pure tones. In other conditions, pitch was varied by changing fundamental frequency, or loudness was varied by changing the overall level. In all conditions, only two possible sounds could be used in a given sequence, and these two sounds were equally discriminable. When sequence length increased from one to four, discrimination performance decreased substantially for loudness sequences, but to a smaller extent for brightness sequences and pitch sequences. In the latter two conditions, sequence length had a similar effect on performance. These results suggest that the processes dedicated to pitch and brightness analysis, when probed with a sequence-discrimination task, share unexpected similarities.

Comfort and anxiety levels of women with early stage breast cancer who receive radiotherapy.

PubMed

Tuncer, Gamze; Yucel, Sebnem Cinar

2014-01-01

The aim of this planned research was to determine the comfort and anxiety levels of women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy. This descriptive type study covered patients that applied to the radiation oncology breast polyclinic of our university hospital between January and May 2011. Patient Identification Form, Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire (RTCQ), Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were completed and analysed. The mean age of the women who participated in the study was 51.6 ± 10.4 years. Mean scores of women were 3.73 ± 0.31 for RTCQ, 29.1 ± 5.88 for SAI and 37.8±6.91 for TAI. While the comfort levels of the women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy were moderate, they experienced only low levels of anxiety. By determining the comfort level of the patient before radiotherapy, besides providing comfort in this direction, eliminating/minimizing anxiety and stress will positively affect radiotherapy application. More attention of nurses to this issue is to be recommended.

Family medicine residents’ perceived level of comfort in treating common sports injuries across residency programs in the United States

PubMed Central

Amoako, Adae O; Amoako, Agyenim B; Pujalte, George GA

2015-01-01

Background and objective Family physicians are expected to be comfortable in treating common sports injuries. Evidence shows a limited level of comfort in treating these injuries in pediatric and internal medicine residents. Studies are lacking, however, in family medicine residents. The purpose of this study is to assess the comfort level of family medicine residents in treating common sports injuries in adults and children based on their perceived level of knowledge and attitudes. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of family medicine residents in the United Sates. A written survey of 25 questions related to sports injury knowledge and factors affecting comfort level were collected. A chi-square test was implemented in calculating P-values. Results Five hundred and fifty-seven residents responded to the survey. A higher percentage of doctors of osteopathy (86.6%, 82.5%, 69.6%, and 68.7%) compared to doctors of medicine (78.5%, 71.6%, 53.4%, and 52.8%) respectively identified ankle sprain, concussion, plantar fasciitis, and lateral epicondylitis as common injuries, and felt comfortable in treating them (P-values =0.015, 0.004, 0.0001, and 0.0002, respectively). Residents with high interest in sports medicine correctly identified the injuries as common and felt comfortable treating them as well (knowledge, P=0.027, 0.0029, <0.0001, and 0.0001, respectively; comfort level, P=0.0016, <0.0001, 0.0897, and 0.0010, respectively). Conclusion Medical education background, factors that affect training, and an interest in sports medicine contribute to residents’ knowledge and comfort level in treatment of common sports injuries. PMID:25848326

TNF-α inhibition using etanercept prevents noise-induced hearing loss by improvement of cochlear blood flow in vivo.

PubMed

Arpornchayanon, Warangkana; Canis, Martin; Ihler, Friedrich; Settevendemie, Claudia; Strieth, Sebastian

2013-08-01

Exposure to loud noise can impair cochlear microcirculation and cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). TNF-α signaling has been shown to be activated in NIHL and to control spiral modiolar artery vasoconstriction that regulates cochlear microcirculation. It was the aim of this experimental study to analyse the effects of the TNF-α inhibitor etanercept on cochlear microcirculation and hearing threshold shift in NIHL in vivo. After assessment of normacusis using ABR, loud noise (106 dB SPL, 30 minutes) was applied on both ears in guinea pigs. Etanercept was administered systemically after loud noise exposure while control animals received a saline solution. In vivo fluorescence microscopy of strial capillaries was performed after surgical exposure of the cochlea for microcirculatory analysis. ABR measurements were derived from the contralateral ear. Guinea pigs (n = 6, per group). Compared to controls, cochlear blood flow in strial capillary segments was significantly increased in etanercept-treated animals. Additionally, hearing threshold was preserved in animals receiving the TNF-α inhibitor in contrast to a significant threshold raising in controls. TNF-α inhibition using etanercept improves cochlear microcirculation and protects hearing levels after loud noise exposure and appears as a promising treatment strategy for human NIHL.

Global loudness of rising- and falling-intensity tones: How temporal profile characteristics shape overall judgments.

PubMed

Ponsot, Emmanuel; Susini, Patrick; Meunier, Sabine

2017-07-01

The mechanisms underlying global loudness judgments of rising- or falling-intensity tones were further investigated in two magnitude estimation experiments. By manipulating the temporal characteristics of such stimuli, it was examined whether judgments could be accounted for by an integration of their loudest portion over a certain temporal window associated to a "decay mechanism" downsizing this integration over time for falling ramps. In experiment 1, 1-kHz intensity-ramps were stretched in time between 1 and 16 s keeping their dynamics (difference between maximum and minimum levels) unchanged. While global loudness of rising tones increased up to 6 s, evaluations of falling tones increased at a weaker rate and slightly decayed between 6 and 16 s, resulting in significant differences between the two patterns. In experiment 2, ramps were stretched in time between 2 and 12 s keeping their slopes (rate of change in dB/s) unchanged. In this context, the main effect of duration became non-significant and the interaction between the two profiles remained, although the decay of falling tones was not significant. These results qualitatively support the view that the global loudness computation of intensity-ramps involves an integration of their loudest portions; the presence of a decay mechanism could, however, not be attested.

Estimating occupant satisfaction of HVAC system noise using quality assessment index.

PubMed

Forouharmajd, Farhad; Nassiri, Parvin; Monazzam, Mohammad R; Yazdchi, Mohammadreza

2012-01-01

Noise may be defined as any unwanted sound. Sound becomes noise when it is too loud, unexpected, uncontrolled, happens at the wrong time, contains unwanted pure tones or unpleasant. In addition to being annoying, loud noise can cause hearing loss, and, depending on other factors, can affect stress level, sleep patterns and heart rate. The primary object for determining subjective estimations of loudness is to present sounds to a sample of listeners under controlled conditions. In heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems only the ventilation fan industry (e.g., bathroom exhaust and sidewall propeller fans) uses loudness ratings. In order to find satisfaction, percent of exposure to noise is the valuable issue for the personnel who are working in these areas. The room criterion (RC) method has been defined by ANSI standard S12.2, which is based on measured levels of in HVAC systems noise in spaces and is used primarily as a diagnostic tool. The RC method consists of a family of criteria curves and a rating procedure. RC measures background noise in the building over the frequency range of 16-4000 Hz. This rating system requires determination of the mid-frequency average level and determining the perceived balance between high-frequency (HF) sound and low-frequency (LF) sound. The arithmetic average of the sound levels in the 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz octave bands is 44.6 dB; therefore, the RC 45 curve is selected as the reference for spectrum quality evaluation. The spectral deviation factors in the LF, medium-frequency sound and HF regions are 2.9, 7.5 and -2.3, respectively, giving a Quality Assessment Index (QAI) of 9.8. This concludes the QAI is useful in estimating an occupant's probable reaction when the system design does not produce optimum sound quality. Thus, a QAI between 5 and 10 dB represents a marginal situation in which acceptance by an occupant is questionable. However, when sound pressure levels in the 16 or 31.5 Hz octave bands exceed 65 dB, vibration in lightweight office construction is possible.

Mental Imagery for Musical Changes in Loudness

PubMed Central

Bailes, Freya; Bishop, Laura; Stevens, Catherine J.; Dean, Roger T.

2012-01-01

Musicians imagine music during mental rehearsal, when reading from a score, and while composing. An important characteristic of music is its temporality. Among the parameters that vary through time is sound intensity, perceived as patterns of loudness. Studies of mental imagery for melodies (i.e., pitch and rhythm) show interference from concurrent musical pitch and verbal tasks, but how we represent musical changes in loudness is unclear. Theories suggest that our perceptions of loudness change relate to our perceptions of force or effort, implying a motor representation. An experiment was conducted to investigate the modalities that contribute to imagery for loudness change. Musicians performed a within-subjects loudness change recall task, comprising 48 trials. First, participants heard a musical scale played with varying patterns of loudness, which they were asked to remember. There followed an empty interval of 8 s (nil distractor control), or the presentation of a series of four sine tones, or four visual letters or three conductor gestures, also to be remembered. Participants then saw an unfolding score of the notes of the scale, during which they were to imagine the corresponding scale in their mind while adjusting a slider to indicate the imagined changes in loudness. Finally, participants performed a recognition task of the tone, letter, or gesture sequence. Based on the motor hypothesis, we predicted that observing and remembering conductor gestures would impair loudness change scale recall, while observing and remembering tone or letter string stimuli would not. Results support this prediction, with loudness change recalled less accurately in the gestures condition than in the control condition. An effect of musical training suggests that auditory and motor imagery ability may be closely related to domain expertise. PMID:23227014

Musical Expertise and the Ability to Imagine Loudness

PubMed Central

Bishop, Laura; Bailes, Freya; Dean, Roger T.

2013-01-01

Most perceived parameters of sound (e.g. pitch, duration, timbre) can also be imagined in the absence of sound. These parameters are imagined more veridically by expert musicians than non-experts. Evidence for whether loudness is imagined, however, is conflicting. In music, the question of whether loudness is imagined is particularly relevant due to its role as a principal parameter of performance expression. This study addressed the hypothesis that the veridicality of imagined loudness improves with increasing musical expertise. Experts, novices and non-musicians imagined short passages of well-known classical music under two counterbalanced conditions: 1) while adjusting a slider to indicate imagined loudness of the music and 2) while tapping out the rhythm to indicate imagined timing. Subtests assessed music listening abilities and working memory span to determine whether these factors, also hypothesised to improve with increasing musical expertise, could account for imagery task performance. Similarity between each participant’s imagined and listening loudness profiles and reference recording intensity profiles was assessed using time series analysis and dynamic time warping. The results suggest a widespread ability to imagine the loudness of familiar music. The veridicality of imagined loudness tended to be greatest for the expert musicians, supporting the predicted relationship between musical expertise and musical imagery ability. PMID:23460791

Musical expertise and the ability to imagine loudness.

PubMed

Bishop, Laura; Bailes, Freya; Dean, Roger T

2013-01-01

Most perceived parameters of sound (e.g. pitch, duration, timbre) can also be imagined in the absence of sound. These parameters are imagined more veridically by expert musicians than non-experts. Evidence for whether loudness is imagined, however, is conflicting. In music, the question of whether loudness is imagined is particularly relevant due to its role as a principal parameter of performance expression. This study addressed the hypothesis that the veridicality of imagined loudness improves with increasing musical expertise. Experts, novices and non-musicians imagined short passages of well-known classical music under two counterbalanced conditions: 1) while adjusting a slider to indicate imagined loudness of the music and 2) while tapping out the rhythm to indicate imagined timing. Subtests assessed music listening abilities and working memory span to determine whether these factors, also hypothesised to improve with increasing musical expertise, could account for imagery task performance. Similarity between each participant's imagined and listening loudness profiles and reference recording intensity profiles was assessed using time series analysis and dynamic time warping. The results suggest a widespread ability to imagine the loudness of familiar music. The veridicality of imagined loudness tended to be greatest for the expert musicians, supporting the predicted relationship between musical expertise and musical imagery ability.

Hearing Sensation Changes When a Warning Predicts a Loud Sound in the False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens).

PubMed

Nachtigall, Paul E; Supin, Alexander Y

2016-01-01

Stranded whales and dolphins have sometimes been associated with loud anthropogenic sounds. Echolocating whales produce very loud sounds themselves and have developed the ability to protect their hearing from their own signals. A false killer whale's hearing sensitivity was measured when a faint warning sound was given just before the presentation of an increase in intensity to 170 dB. If the warning occurred within 1-9 s, as opposed to 20-40 s, the whale showed a 13-dB reduction in hearing sensitivity. Warning sounds before loud pulses may help mitigate the effects of loud anthropogenic sounds on wild animals.

Is 9 louder than 1? Audiovisual cross-modal interactions between number magnitude and judged sound loudness.

PubMed

Alards-Tomalin, Doug; Walker, Alexander C; Shaw, Joshua D M; Leboe-McGowan, Launa C

2015-09-01

The cross-modal impact of number magnitude (i.e. Arabic digits) on perceived sound loudness was examined. Participants compared a target sound's intensity level against a previously heard reference sound (which they judged as quieter or louder). Paired with each target sound was a task irrelevant Arabic digit that varied in magnitude, being either small (1, 2, 3) or large (7, 8, 9). The degree to which the sound and the digit were synchronized was manipulated, with the digit and sound occurring simultaneously in Experiment 1, and the digit preceding the sound in Experiment 2. Firstly, when target sounds and digits occurred simultaneously, sounds paired with large digits were categorized as loud more frequently than sounds paired with small digits. Secondly, when the events were separated, number magnitude ceased to bias sound intensity judgments. In Experiment 3, the events were still separated, however the participants held the number in short-term memory. In this instance the bias returned. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ground-recorded sonic boom signatures of F-18 aircraft formation flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahm, Catherine M.; Haering, Edward A., Jr.

1995-01-01

Two F-18 aircraft were flown, one above the other, in two formations, in order for the shock systems of the two aircraft to merge and propagate to the ground. The first formation had the canopy of the lower F-18 in the inlet shock of the upper F-18 (called inlet-canopy). The flight conditions were Mach 1.22 and an altitude of 23,500 ft. An array of five sonic boom recorders was used on the ground to record the sonic boom signatures. This paper describes the flight test technique and the ground level sonic boom signatures. The tail-canopy formation resulted in two, separated, N-wave signatures. Such signatures probably resulted from aircraft positioning error. The inlet-canopy formation yielded a single modified signature; two recorders measured an approximate flattop signature. Loudness calculations indicated that the single inlet-canopy signatures were quieter than the two, separated tail-canopy signatures. Significant loudness occurs after a sonic boom signature. Such loudness probably comes from the aircraft engines.

Analysis of high-frequency energy in long-term average spectra of singing, speech, and voiceless fricatives

PubMed Central

Monson, Brian B.; Lotto, Andrew J.; Story, Brad H.

2012-01-01

The human singing and speech spectrum includes energy above 5 kHz. To begin an in-depth exploration of this high-frequency energy (HFE), a database of anechoic high-fidelity recordings of singers and talkers was created and analyzed. Third-octave band analysis from the long-term average spectra showed that production level (soft vs normal vs loud), production mode (singing vs speech), and phoneme (for voiceless fricatives) all significantly affected HFE characteristics. Specifically, increased production level caused an increase in absolute HFE level, but a decrease in relative HFE level. Singing exhibited higher levels of HFE than speech in the soft and normal conditions, but not in the loud condition. Third-octave band levels distinguished phoneme class of voiceless fricatives. Female HFE levels were significantly greater than male levels only above 11 kHz. This information is pertinent to various areas of acoustics, including vocal tract modeling, voice synthesis, augmentative hearing technology (hearing aids and cochlear implants), and training/therapy for singing and speech. PMID:22978902

Unusually loud ambient noise in tidewater glacier fjords: a signal of ice melt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pettit, Erin C.; Lee, Kevin M.; Brann, Joel P.; Nystuen, Jeffrey A.; Wilson, Preston S.; O'Neel, Shad

2015-01-01

In glacierized fjords, the ice-ocean boundary is a physically and biologically dynamic environment that is sensitive to both glacier flow and ocean circulation. Ocean ambient noise offers insight into processes and change at the ice-ocean boundary. Here we characterize fjord ambient noise and show that the average noise levels are louder than nearly all measured natural oceanic environments (significantly louder than sea ice and non-glacierized fjords). Icy Bay, Alaska has an annual average sound pressure level of 120 dB (re 1 μPa) with a broad peak between 1000 and 3000 Hz. Bubble formation in the water column as glacier ice melts is the noise source, with variability driven by fjord circulation patterns. Measurements from two additional fjords, in Alaska and Antarctica, support that this unusually loud ambient noise in Icy Bay is representative of glacierized fjords. These high noise levels likely alter the behavior of marine mammals.

A Sound Therapy-Based Intervention to Expand the Auditory Dynamic Range for Loudness among Persons with Sensorineural Hearing Losses: Case Evidence Showcasing Treatment Efficacy

PubMed Central

Formby, Craig; Sherlock, LaGuinn P.; Hawley, Monica L.; Gold, Susan L.

2017-01-01

Case evidence is presented that highlights the clinical relevance and significance of a novel sound therapy-based treatment. This intervention has been shown to be efficacious in a randomized controlled trial for promoting expansion of the dynamic range for loudness and increased sound tolerance among persons with sensorineural hearing losses. Prior to treatment, these individuals were unable to use aided sound effectively because of their limited dynamic ranges. These promising treatment effects are shown in this article to be functionally significant, giving rise to improved speech understanding and enhanced hearing aid benefit and satisfaction, and, in turn, to enhanced quality of life posttreatment. These posttreatment sound therapy effects also are shown to be sustained, in whole or part, with aided environmental sound and to be dependent on specialized counseling to maximize treatment benefit. Importantly, the treatment appears to be efficacious for hearing-impaired persons with primary hyperacusis (i.e., abnormally reduced loudness discomfort levels [LDLs]) and for persons with loudness recruitment (i.e., LDLs within the typical range), which suggests the intervention should generalize across most individuals with reduced dynamic ranges owing to sensorineural hearing loss. An exception presented in this article is for a person describing the perceptual experience of pronounced loudness adaptation, which apparently rendered the sound therapy inaudible and ineffectual for this individual. Ultimately, these case examples showcase the enormous potential of a surprisingly simple sound therapy intervention, which has utility for virtually all audiologists to master and empower the adaptive plasticity of the auditory system to achieve remarkable treatment benefits for large numbers of individuals with sensorineural hearing losses. PMID:28286368

Psychoacoustic Assessment to Improve Tinnitus Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Hutchins, Sean; Hébert, Sylvie

2013-01-01

The diagnosis of tinnitus relies on self-report. Psychoacoustic measurements of tinnitus pitch and loudness are essential for assessing claims and discriminating true from false ones. For this reason, the quantification of tinnitus remains a challenging research goal. We aimed to: (1) assess the precision of a new tinnitus likeness rating procedure with a continuous-pitch presentation method, controlling for music training, and (2) test whether tinnitus psychoacoustic measurements have the sensitivity and specificity required to detect people faking tinnitus. Musicians and non-musicians with tinnitus, as well as simulated malingerers without tinnitus, were tested. Most were retested several weeks later. Tinnitus pitch matching was first assessed using the likeness rating method: pure tones from 0.25 to 16 kHz were presented randomly to participants, who had to rate the likeness of each tone to their tinnitus, and to adjust its level from 0 to 100 dB SPL. Tinnitus pitch matching was then assessed with a continuous-pitch method: participants had to match the pitch of their tinnitus to an external tone by moving their finger across a touch-sensitive strip, which generated a continuous pure tone from 0.5 to 20 kHz in 1-Hz steps. The predominant tinnitus pitch was consistent across both methods for both musicians and non-musicians, although musicians displayed better external tone pitch matching abilities. Simulated malingerers rated loudness much higher than did the other groups with a high degree of specificity (94.4%) and were unreliable in loudness (not pitch) matching from one session to the other. Retest data showed similar pitch matching responses for both methods for all participants. In conclusion, tinnitus pitch and loudness reliably correspond to the tinnitus percept, and psychoacoustic loudness matches are sensitive and specific to the presence of tinnitus. PMID:24349414

Glottal Adduction and Subglottal Pressure in Singing.

PubMed

Herbst, Christian T; Hess, Markus; Müller, Frank; Švec, Jan G; Sundberg, Johan

2015-07-01

Previous research suggests that independent variation of vocal loudness and glottal configuration (type and degree of vocal fold adduction) does not occur in untrained speech production. This study investigated whether these factors can be varied independently in trained singing and how subglottal pressure is related to average glottal airflow, voice source properties, and sound level under these conditions. A classically trained baritone produced sustained phonations on the endoscopic vowel [i:] at pitch D4 (approximately 294 Hz), exclusively varying either (a) vocal register; (b) phonation type (from "breathy" to "pressed" via cartilaginous adduction); or (c) vocal loudness, while keeping the others constant. Phonation was documented by simultaneous recording of videokymographic, electroglottographic, airflow and voice source data, and by percutaneous measurement of relative subglottal pressure. Register shifts were clearly marked in the electroglottographic wavegram display. Compared with chest register, falsetto was produced with greater pulse amplitude of the glottal flow, H1-H2, mean airflow, and with lower maximum flow declination rate (MFDR), subglottal pressure, and sound pressure. Shifts of phonation type (breathy/flow/neutral/pressed) induced comparable systematic changes. Increase of vocal loudness resulted in increased subglottal pressure, average flow, sound pressure, MFDR, glottal flow pulse amplitude, and H1-H2. When changing either vocal register or phonation type, subglottal pressure and mean airflow showed an inverse relationship, that is, variation of glottal flow resistance. The direct relation between subglottal pressure and airflow when varying only vocal loudness demonstrated independent control of vocal loudness and glottal configuration. Achieving such independent control of phonatory control parameters would be an important target in vocal pedagogy and in voice therapy. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Special Training and Field Experiences upon Preservice Teachers' Level of Comfort with Multicultural Music Teaching Situations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Nancy H.

This paper reports on a study examining preservice teachers' level of comfort in working with students and colleagues of a different race, and exploring the effects of special training and field experience on their level of comfort with multicultural situations. The study involved 55 predominantly white preservice teachers enrolled in 2 different…

An Analysis of Training Effects on School Personnel's Knowledge, Attitudes, Comfort, and Confidence Levels toward Educating Students about HIV/AIDS in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deutschlander, Sharon

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the training effects on school personnel's knowledge, attitudes, comfort, and confidence levels toward educating students about HIV/AIDS in Pennsylvania. The following four research questions were explored: (a) What is the knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and comfort levels of school personnel regarding…

Psychosomatic Medicine for Non-Psychiatric Residents: Video Education and Incorporation of Technology.

PubMed

Saunders, J; Gopalan, P; Puri, N; Azzam, P N; Zhou, L; Ghinassi, F; Jain, A; Travis, M; Ryan, N D

2015-12-01

Psychiatric education for non-psychiatric residents varies between training programs, and may affect resident comfort with psychiatric topics. This study's goals were to identify non-psychiatric residents' comfort with psychiatric topics and to test the effectiveness of a video intervention. Residents in various departments were given a survey. They were asked to rank their comfort level with multiple psychiatric topics, answer questions about medical decision making capacity (MDMC), watch a 15-min video about MDMC, and answer a post-test section. In total, 91 Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Obstetrics and Gynecology residents responded to the study. Of the 91 residents, 55 completed the pre- and post-test assessments. There was no significant difference in correct responses. Residents' comfort levels were assessed, and a significant improvement in comfort level with MDMC was found. This study highlights potential opportunities for psychiatric education, and suggests brief video interventions can increase resident physicians' comfort with a psychiatric topic.

Elevator ride comfort monitoring and evaluation using smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang; Sun, Xiaowei; Zhao, Xuefeng; Su, Wensheng

2018-05-01

With rapid urbanization, the demand for elevators is increasing, and their level of safety and ride comfort under vibrating conditions has also aroused interest. It is therefore essential to monitor the ride comfort level of elevators. The traditional method for such monitoring depends significantly on regular professional inspections, and requires expensive equipment and professional skill. With this regard, a new method for elevator ride comfort monitoring using a smartphone is demonstrated herein in detail. A variety of high-precision sensors are installed in a smartphone with strong data processing and telecommunication capabilities. A series of validation tests were designed and completed, and the international organization for standardization ISO2631-1997 was applied to evaluate the level of elevator ride comfort. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is stable and reliable, its precision meets the engineering requirements, and the elevator ride comfort level can be accurately monitored under various situations. The method is very economical and convenient, and provides the possibility for the public to participate in elevator ride comfort monitoring. In addition, the method can both provide a wide range of data support and eliminate data errors to a certain extent.

What is a melody? On the relationship between pitch and brightness of timbre

PubMed Central

Cousineau, Marion; Carcagno, Samuele; Demany, Laurent; Pressnitzer, Daniel

2014-01-01

Previous studies showed that the perceptual processing of sound sequences is more efficient when the sounds vary in pitch than when they vary in loudness. We show here that sequences of sounds varying in brightness of timbre are processed with the same efficiency as pitch sequences. The sounds used consisted of two simultaneous pure tones one octave apart, and the listeners’ task was to make same/different judgments on pairs of sequences varying in length (one, two, or four sounds). In one condition, brightness of timbre was varied within the sequences by changing the relative level of the two pure tones. In other conditions, pitch was varied by changing fundamental frequency, or loudness was varied by changing the overall level. In all conditions, only two possible sounds could be used in a given sequence, and these two sounds were equally discriminable. When sequence length increased from one to four, discrimination performance decreased substantially for loudness sequences, but to a smaller extent for brightness sequences and pitch sequences. In the latter two conditions, sequence length had a similar effect on performance. These results suggest that the processes dedicated to pitch and brightness analysis, when probed with a sequence-discrimination task, share unexpected similarities. PMID:24478638

Loudness of steady sounds - A new theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howes, W. L.

1979-01-01

A new mathematical theory for calculating the loudness of steady sounds from power summation and frequency interaction, based on psychoacoustic and physiological information, assuems that loudness is a subjective measure of the electrical energy transmitted along the auditory nerve to the central nervous system. The auditory system consists of the mechanical part modeled by a bandpass filter with a transfer function dependent on the sound pressure, and the electrical part where the signal is transformed into a half-wave reproduction represented by the electrical power in impulsive discharges transmitted along neurons comprising the auditory nerve. In the electrical part the neurons are distributed among artificial parallel channels with frequency bandwidths equal to 'critical bandwidths for loudness', within which loudness is constant for constant sound pressure. The total energy transmitted to the central nervous system is the sum of the energy transmitted in all channels, and the loudness is proportional to the square root of the total filtered sound energy distributed over all channels. The theory explains many psychoacoustic phenomena such as audible beats resulting from closely spaced tones, interaction of sound stimuli which affect the same neurons affecting loudness, and of individually subliminal sounds becoming audible if they lie within the same critical band.

Accuracy of Perceptual and Acoustic Methods for the Detection of Inspiratory Loci in Spontaneous Speech

PubMed Central

Wang, Yu-Tsai; Nip, Ignatius S. B.; Green, Jordan R.; Kent, Ray D.; Kent, Jane Finley; Ullman, Cara

2012-01-01

The current study investigates the accuracy of perceptually and acoustically determined inspiratory loci in spontaneous speech for the purpose of identifying breath groups. Sixteen participants were asked to talk about simple topics in daily life at a comfortable speaking rate and loudness while connected to a pneumotach and audio microphone. The locations of inspiratory loci were determined based on the aerodynamic signal, which served as a reference for loci identified perceptually and acoustically. Signal detection theory was used to evaluate the accuracy of the methods. The results showed that the greatest accuracy in pause detection was achieved (1) perceptually based on the agreement between at least 2 of the 3 judges; (2) acoustically using a pause duration threshold of 300 ms. In general, the perceptually-based method was more accurate than was the acoustically-based method. Inconsistencies among perceptually-determined, acoustically-determined, and aerodynamically-determined inspiratory loci for spontaneous speech should be weighed in selecting a method of breath-group determination. PMID:22362007

47 CFR 73.4075 - Commercials, loud.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Commercials, loud. 73.4075 Section 73.4075 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations § 73.4075 Commercials, loud. See Memorandum Opinion and Order...

47 CFR 73.4075 - Commercials, loud.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Commercials, loud. 73.4075 Section 73.4075 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations § 73.4075 Commercials, loud. See Memorandum Opinion and Order...

Noise levels in fitness classes are still too high: evidence from 1997-1998 and 2009-2011.

PubMed

Beach, Elizabeth Francis; Nie, Valerie

2014-01-01

Fitness instructors routinely use high music volumes that may be harmful to hearing. This study assessed noise levels during 35 low-intensity and 65 high-intensity fitness classes in 1997-1998 and 2009-2011. Questionnaires examined instructors' and clients' preferred music volumes and whether they found loud music "stressful" or "motivating." Noise levels in 1997-1998 and 2009-2011 were similar, frequently exceeding 90 dB(A). Although noise levels in low-intensity classes dropped from 88.9 to 85.6 dB(A), they remained high for high-intensity classes, averaging 93.1 dB(A). In 2009-2011, instructors preferred significantly higher volumes than clients for high-intensity classes. In both time periods, about 85% of instructors found loud music motivating, whereas about one fifth of clients found it stressful. The results suggest that noise exposure from fitness classes, particularly high-intensity classes, continues to pose a potential risk to hearing.

Research on optimization of test cycles for comfort to the special vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitroi, Marian; Chiru, Anghel

2017-10-01

The comfort of vehicles, regardless of their type is represent a requirement to by fulfilled in the context of current technological developments special vehicles generally move under different soil, time, or season conditions, and the land in which the vehicles move is complex and varied in the physical structure. Due to the high level of involvement in the driveability, safety and comfort of automotive, suspension system is a key factor with major implications for vibration and noise, affecting the human body. The objective of the research is related to determining the test cycles of special vehicles that are approaching real situations, to determine the level of comfort. The evaluate of the degree of comfort will be realized on acceleration values recorded, especially the vertical ones that have the highest influence on the human body. Thus, in this way the tests can be established needed to determine the level of comfort required for each particular type of special vehicle. The utility of the test cycles to optimize comfort is given to the accurate identification of the specific test needs, depending on the each vehicle.

Preliminary evaluation of a novel bone-conduction device for single-sided deafness.

PubMed

Popelka, Gerald R; Derebery, Jennifer; Blevins, Nikolas H; Murray, Michael; Moore, Brian C J; Sweetow, Robert W; Wu, Ben; Katsis, Mina

2010-04-01

A new intraoral bone-conduction device has advantages over existing bone-conduction devices for reducing the auditory deficits associated with single-sided deafness (SSD). Existing bone-conduction devices effectively mitigate auditory deficits from single-sided deafness but have suboptimal microphone locations, limited frequency range, and/or require invasive surgery. A new device has been designed to improve microphone placement (in the ear canal of the deaf ear), provide a wider frequency range, and eliminate surgery by delivering bone-conduction signals to the teeth via a removable oral appliance. Forces applied by the oral appliance were compared with forces typically experienced by the teeth from normal functions such as mastication or from other appliances. Tooth surface changes were measured on extracted teeth, and transducer temperature was measured under typical use conditions. Dynamic operating range, including gain, bandwidth, and maximum output limits, were determined from uncomfortable loudness levels and vibrotactile thresholds, and speech recognition scores were measured using normal-hearing subjects. Auditory performance in noise (Hearing in Noise Test) was measured in a limited sample of SSD subjects. Overall comfort, ease of insertion, and removal and visibility of the oral appliance in comparison with traditional hearing aids were measured using a rating scale. The oral appliance produces forces that are far below those experienced by the teeth from normal functions or conventional dental appliances. The bone-conduction signal level can be adjusted to prevent tactile perception yet provide sufficient gain and output at frequencies from 250 to 12,000 Hz. The device does not damage tooth surfaces nor produce heat, can be inserted and removed easily, and is as comfortable to wear as traditional hearing aids. The new microphone location has advantages for reducing the auditory deficits caused by SSD, including the potential to provide spatial cues introduced by reflections from the pinna, compared with microphone locations for existing devices. A new approach for SSD has been proposed that optimizes microphone location and delivers sound by bone conduction through a removable oral appliance. Measures in the laboratory using normal-hearing subjects indicate that the device provides useful gain and output for SSD patients, is comfortable, does not seem to have detrimental effects on oral function or oral health, and has several advantages over existing devices. Specifically, microphone placement is optimized for reducing the auditory deficit caused by SSD, frequency bandwidth is much greater, and the system does not require surgical placement. Auditory performance in a small sample of SSD subjects indicated a substantial advantage compared with not wearing the device. Future studies will involve performance measures on SSD patients wearing the device for longer periods.

Shape design of an optimal comfortable pillow based on the analytic hierarchy process method

PubMed Central

Liu, Shuo-Fang; Lee, Yann-Long; Liang, Jung-Chin

2011-01-01

Objective Few studies have analyzed the shapes of pillows. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the pillow shape design and subjective comfort level for asymptomatic subjects. Methods Four basic pillow designs factors were selected on the basis of literature review and recombined into 8 configurations for testing the rank of degrees of comfort. The data were analyzed by the analytic hierarchy process method to determine the most comfortable pillow. Results Pillow number 4 was the most comfortable pillow in terms of head, neck, shoulder, height, and overall comfort. The design factors of pillow number 4 were using a combination of standard, cervical, and shoulder pillows. A prototype of this pillow was developed on the basis of the study results for designing future pillow shapes. Conclusions This study investigated the comfort level of particular users and redesign features of a pillow. A deconstruction analysis would simplify the process of determining the most comfortable pillow design and aid designers in designing pillows for groups. PMID:22654680

Disability and Sexuality: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Level of Comfort among Certified Rehabilitation Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazukauskas, Kelly A.; Lam, Chow S.

2010-01-01

This study investigated certified rehabilitation counselors' (CRCs) attitudes, knowledge, and comfort in addressing disability and sexuality issues. One hundred ninety-nine CRCs completed a modified version of the "Knowledge, Comfort, Approach and Attitudes toward Sexuality Scale" to determine the effect of knowledge and attitudes on level of…

Subjective response to sonic booms having different shapes, rise times, and durations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1994-01-01

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to quantify the subjective response of people to simulated outdoor sonic booms having different pressure signatures. The specific objectives of the experiments were to compare subjective response to sonic booms when described in terms of 'loudness' and 'annoyance'; to determine the ability of various noise metrics to predict subjective response to sonic booms; to determine the effects on subjective response of rise time, duration, and level; and to compare the subjective response to 'N-wave' sonic boom signatures with the subjective response to 'minimized' sonic boom signatures. The experiments were conducted in a computer-controlled, man-rated sonic boom simulator capable of reproducing user-specified pressure signatures for a wide range of sonic boom parameters. One hundred and fifty sonic booms representing different combinations of two wave shapes, four rise times, seven durations, and three peak overpressures were presented to 36 test subjects in each experiment. The test subjects in the first experiment made judgments of 'loudness' while the test subjects in the second experiment judged 'annoyance.' Subjective response to sonic booms was the same whether expressed in terms of loudness or in terms of annoyance. Analyses of several different noise metrics indicated that A-weighted sound exposure level and Perceived Level were the best predictors of subjective response. Further analyses indicated that, of these two noise metrics, only Perceived Level completely accounted for the effects of wave shape, rise time, and peak overpressure. Neither metric fully accounted for the effect of duration. However, the magnitude of the duration effect was small over the very wide range of durations considered.

Nurses' comfort level with spiritual assessment: a study among nurses working in diverse healthcare settings.

PubMed

Cone, Pamela H; Giske, Tove

2017-10-01

To gain knowledge about nurses' comfort level in assessing spiritual matters and to learn what questions nurses use in practice related to spiritual assessment. Spirituality is important in holistic nursing care; however, nurses report feeling uncomfortable and ill-prepared to address this domain with patients. Education is reported to impact nurses' ability to engage in spiritual care. This cross-sectional exploratory survey reports on a mixed-method study examining how comfortable nurses are with spiritual assessment. In 2014, a 21-item survey with 10 demographic variables and three open-ended questions were distributed to Norwegian nurses working in diverse care settings with 172 nurse responses (72 % response rate). SPSS was used to analyse quantitative data; thematic analysis examined the open-ended questions. Norwegian nurses reported a high level of comfort with most questions even though spirituality is seen as private. Nurses with some preparation or experience in spiritual care were most comfortable assessing spirituality. Statistically significant correlations were found between the nurses' comfort level with spiritual assessment and their preparedness and sense of the importance of spiritual assessment. How well-prepared nurses felt was related to years of experience, degree of spirituality and religiosity, and importance of spiritual assessment. Many nurses are poorly prepared for spiritual assessment and care among patients in diverse care settings; educational preparation increases their comfort level with facilitating such care. Nurses who feel well prepared with spirituality feel more comfortable with the spiritual domain. By fostering a culture where patients' spirituality is discussed and reflected upon in everyday practice and in continued education, nurses' sense of preparedness, and thus their level of comfort, can increase. Clinical supervision and interprofessional collaboration with hospital chaplains and/or other spiritual leaders can facilitate tailor spiritual assessment of patients based on patient concerns and view of life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

COMPARISON OF THE PRODUCED AND PERCEIVED VOICE RANGE PROFILES IN UNTRAINED AND TRAINED CLASSICAL SINGERS

PubMed Central

Hunter, Eric J.; Švec, Jan G.; Titze, Ingo R.

2016-01-01

Frequency and intensity ranges (in true dB SPL re 20 μPa at 1 meter) of voice production in trained and untrained vocalists were compared to the perceived dynamic range (phons) and units of loudness (sones) of the ear. Results were reported in terms of standard Voice Range Profiles (VRPs), perceived VRPs (as predicted by accepted measures of auditory sensitivities), and a new metric labeled as an Overall Perceptual Level Construct. Trained classical singers made use of the most sensitive part of the hearing range (around 3–4 KHz) through the use of the singer’s formant. When mapped onto the contours of equal-loudness (depicting non-uniform spectral and dynamic sensitivities of the auditory system), the formant is perceived at an even higher sound level, as measured in phons, than a flat or A-weighted spectrum would indicate. The contributions of effects like the singer’s formant and the sensitivities of the auditory system helped the trained singers produce 20–40 percent more units of loudness, as measured in sones, than the untrained singers. Trained male vocalists had a maximum Overall Perceptual Level Construct that was 40% higher than the untrained male vocalists. While the A-weighted spectrum (commonly used in VRP measurement) is a reasonable first order approximation of auditory sensitivities, it misrepresents the most salient part of the sensitivities (where the singer’s formant is found) by nearly 10 dB. PMID:16325373

Gender, music, and distortion product otoacoustic emission components.

PubMed

Torre, Peter; Grace, Jennifer; Hansen, Christina; Millman, Paige; Martin, Hannah

2013-01-01

The prevalence of personal music (PM) system use with earphones is high among young adults. Although previous research has demonstrated that the majority of these adults may not be listening at levels or for durations considered dangerous, the long-term consequences of PM system use are not fully understood. In this report the relationship between self-reported PM use (i.e., non, light, moderate, or heavy) and peripheral auditory function as assayed through distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) components and fine structure was explored. The purpose was to evaluate the relationship between PM system use and peripheral auditory function. One hundred and one (N = 101) young adults, 18 to 30 years of age, with normal hearing. Survey data were first obtained to determine PM system user status along with type of earphones used, most common listening volume, and most common listening duration. Once normal-hearing sensitivity was confirmed with a hearing screening, the DPOAE research protocol was administered. DPOAEs (2f1 to f2) were measured between 1 and 6 kHz with stimulus levels fixed at L1, L2 = 55,40 dB SPL and f2/f1 = 1.22. DPOAE level as well as fine-structure depth and spacing in 1/3rd octave (oct) bands around 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 6 kHz were compared across various PM system user groups. The ear-canal DPOAE was separated into the so-called generator and characteristic frequency (CF) components. The characteristics of the components were also compared across user groups. Almost all participants reported listening to a PM system between < 1 hr/d to 3 hr/d, and 67% of the participants reported medium/comfortable as the most common volume used during a typical day. There was no significant effect of user status on 3rd oct DPOAE data, 1/3rd oct band component data, or fine-structure spacing data. Women exhibited significantly higher DPOAE as well as generator and CF component levels in the lower half of the frequency range evaluated. There were no significant gender differences for fine-structure spacing or depth. The slope of the CF component was significantly steeper in women. In this cross-sectional study, there were no significant effects of self-reported PM use on either the ear-canal DPOAE or its constituent parts. Fine-structure depth varied across user groups in a nonsystematic manner. Women exhibited higher DPOAE and component levels in the lower portion of the frequency range evaluated. It is interesting to note that a greater proportion of men reported listening to their PM system at loud or very loud levels. The size of the effect relative to the sample size of each user group may be masking the deleterious effects of PM system use on the peripheral auditory system.

Rate and Loudness Manipulations in Dysarthria: Acoustic and Perceptual Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tjaden, Kris; Wilding, Gregory E.

2004-01-01

Both rate reduction and increased loudness reportedly are associated with an increase in the size of the articulatory-acoustic working space and improved acoustic distinctiveness for speakers with dysarthria. Improved intelligibility also has been reported. Few studies have directly compared rate and loudness effects for speakers with dysarthria,…

SDSS J013127.34-032100.1: A Newly Discovered Radio-loud Quasar at z = 5.18 with Extremely High Luminosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Wei-Min; Wang, Feige; Wu, Xue-Bing; Yang, Jinyi; Bai, Jin-Ming; Fan, Xiaohui; Brandt, William N.; Ho, Luis C.; Zuo, Wenwen; Kim, Minjin; Wang, Ran; Yang, Qian; Zhang, Ju-jia; Wang, Fang; Wang, Jian-Guo; Ai, Yanli; Fan, Yu-Feng; Chang, Liang; Wang, Chuan-Jun; Lun, Bao-Li; Xin, Yu-Xin

2014-11-01

Very few of the z > 5 quasars discovered to date have been radio-loud, with radio-to-optical flux ratios (radio-loudness parameters) higher than 10. Here we report the discovery of an optically luminous radio-loud quasar, SDSS J013127.34-032100.1 (J0131-0321 in short), at z = 5.18 ± 0.01 using the Lijiang 2.4 m and Magellan telescopes. J0131-0321 has a spectral energy distribution consistent with that of radio-loud quasars. With an i-band magnitude of 18.47 and a radio flux density of 33 mJy, its radio-loudness parameter is ~100. The optical and near-infrared spectra taken by Magellan enable us to estimate its bolometric luminosity to be L bol ~ 1.1 × 1048 erg s-1, approximately 4.5 times greater than that of the most distant quasar known to date. The black hole mass of J0131-0321 is estimated to be 2.7 × 109 M ⊙, with an uncertainty up to 0.4 dex. Detailed physical properties of this high-redshift, radio-loud, potentially super-Eddington quasar can be probed in the future with more dedicated and intensive follow-up observations using multi-wavelength facilities.

The relationship between loudness intensity functions and the click-ABR wave V latency.

PubMed

Serpanos, Y C; O'Malley, H; Gravel, J S

1997-10-01

To assess the relationship of loudness growth and the click-evoked auditory brain stem response (ABR) wave V latency-intensity function (LIF) in listeners with normal hearing or cochlear hearing loss. The effect of hearing loss configuration on the intensity functions was also examined. Behavioral and electrophysiological intensity functions were obtained using click stimuli of comparable intensities in listeners with normal hearing (Group I; n = 10), and cochlear hearing loss of flat (Group II; n = 10) or sloping (Group III; n = 10) configurations. Individual intensity functions were obtained from measures of loudness growth using the psychophysical methods of absolute magnitude estimation and production of loudness (geometrically averaged to provide the measured loudness function), and from the wave V latency measures of the ABR. Slope analyses for the behavioral and electrophysiological intensity functions were separately performed by group. The loudness growth functions for the groups with cochlear hearing loss approximated the normal function at high intensities, with overall slope values consistent with those reported from previous psychophysical research. The ABR wave V LIF for the group with a flat configuration of cochlear hearing loss approximated the normal function at high intensities, and was displaced parallel to the normal function for the group with sloping configuration. The relationship between the behavioral and electrophysiological intensity functions was examined at individual intensities across the range of the functions for each subject. A significant relationship was obtained between loudness and the ABR wave V LIFs for the groups with normal hearing and flat configuration of cochlear hearing loss; the association was not significant (p = 0.10) for the group with a sloping configuration of cochlear hearing loss. The results of this study established a relationship between loudness and the ABR wave V latency for listeners with normal hearing, and flat cochlear hearing loss. In listeners with a sloping configuration of cochlear hearing loss, the relationship was not significant. This suggests that the click-evoked ABR may be used to estimate loudness growth at least for individuals with normal hearing and those with a flat configuration of cochlear hearing loss. Predictive equations were derived to estimate loudness growth for these groups. The use of frequency-specific stimuli may provide more precise information on the nature of the relationship between loudness growth and the ABR wave V latency, particularly for listeners with sloping configurations of cochlear hearing loss.

Participant Comfort with and Application of Inquiry-Based Learning: Results from 4-H Volunteer Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugen, Heidi; Stevenson, Anne; Meyer, Rebecca L.

2016-01-01

This article explores how a one-time training designed to support learning transfer affected 4-H volunteers' comfort levels with the training content and how comfort levels, in turn, affected the volunteers' application of tools and techniques learned during the training. Results of a follow-up survey suggest that the training participants…

Operators' perception of comfort in two tractor cabs.

PubMed

Ferrari, E; Cavallo, E

2013-01-01

Workspace characteristics affect the perceived comfort level of the operator and uncomfortable working conditions have been found to have a negative impact on productivity and safety. The comfort of the operator is increasingly recognized by manufacturers as a product's added value. Comfort can positively distinguish a product and increase its competitiveness. The concept of comfort is controversial, and a clear operational definition is missing. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that comfort is a subjective phenomenon that can be evaluated by the final users. In this study, comfort aspects of the tractor workspace interior (i.e., the cab) were investigated. Users with various levels of expertise and two medium-power utility tractors of different brands were used in a 2 x 2 mixed-factorial experimental design. Participants were involved in a dynamic assessment of the cabs, and their opinions about the different workspaces were collected through a questionnaire. Additionally, objective measurements were taken on both tractors, and subjective data were compared with objective data. Results indicate significant differences in terms of the ease of locating and operating the controls (i.e., rear-mounted three-point linkage, hydraulic system, and power take-off), the ease of starting the tractor, the ease exiting the cab, the required level of concentration in executing the tasks, the adequacy of lateral visibility from the driving station, and the level of noise at the operator's position. This article provides guidance for improving the comfort of tractor workspace interiors. Agricultural machinery manufactures would benefit from research results, differentiating themselves from competitors.

Tinnitus Intensity Dependent Gamma Oscillations of the Contralateral Auditory Cortex

PubMed Central

van der Loo, Elsa; Gais, Steffen; Congedo, Marco; Vanneste, Sven; Plazier, Mark; Menovsky, Tomas; Van de Heyning, Paul; De Ridder, Dirk

2009-01-01

Background Non-pulsatile tinnitus is considered a subjective auditory phantom phenomenon present in 10 to 15% of the population. Tinnitus as a phantom phenomenon is related to hyperactivity and reorganization of the auditory cortex. Magnetoencephalography studies demonstrate a correlation between gamma band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex and the presence of tinnitus. The present study aims to investigate the relation between objective gamma-band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex and subjective tinnitus loudness scores. Methods and Findings In unilateral tinnitus patients (N = 15; 10 right, 5 left) source analysis of resting state electroencephalographic gamma band oscillations shows a strong positive correlation with Visual Analogue Scale loudness scores in the contralateral auditory cortex (max r = 0.73, p<0.05). Conclusion Auditory phantom percepts thus show similar sound level dependent activation of the contralateral auditory cortex as observed in normal audition. In view of recent consciousness models and tinnitus network models these results suggest tinnitus loudness is coded by gamma band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex but might not, by itself, be responsible for tinnitus perception. PMID:19816597

Music exposure and hearing disorders: an overview.

PubMed

Zhao, Fei; Manchaiah, Vinaya K C; French, David; Price, Sharon M

2010-01-01

It has been generally accepted that excessive exposure to loud music causes various hearing symptoms (e.g. tinnitus) and consequently leads to a risk of permanent hearing damage, known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Such potential risk of NIHL due to loud music exposure has been widely investigated in musicians and people working in music venues. With advancements in sound technology and rapid developments in the music industry, increasing numbers of people, particularly adolescents and young adults, are exposing themselves to music on a voluntary basis at potentially harmful levels, and over a substantial period of time, which can also cause NIHL. However, because of insufficient audiometric evidence of hearing loss caused purely by music exposure, there is still disagreement and speculation about the risk of hearing loss from music exposure alone. Many studies have suggested using advanced audiological measurements as more sensitive and efficient tools to monitor hearing status as early indicators of cochlear dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to provide further insight into the potential risk of hearing loss caused by exposure to loud music, and thus contribute to further raising awareness of music induced hearing loss.

Neural Correlates of Efficacy of Voice Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease Identified by Performance–Correlation Analysis

PubMed Central

Narayana, Shalini; Fox, Peter T.; Zhang, Wei; Franklin, Crystal; Robin, Donald A.; Vogel, Deanie; Ramig, Lorraine O.

2009-01-01

LSVT® LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) is efficacious in the treatment of speech disorders in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD), particularly hypophonia. Functional imaging in patients with IPD has shown abnormalities in several speech regions and changes in these areas immediately following treatment. This study serves to extend the analysis by correlating changes of regional neural activity with the main behavioral change following treatment, namely, increased vocal intensity. Ten IPD participants with hypophonia were studied before and after LSVT LOUD. Cerebral blood flow during rest and reading conditions were measured by H215O-positron emission tomography. Z-score images were generated by contrasting reading with rest conditions for pre- and post-LSVT LOUD sessions. Neuronal activity during reading in the pre- versus post-LSVT LOUD contrast was correlated with corresponding change in vocal intensity to generate correlation images. Behaviorally, vocal intensity for speech tasks increased significantly after LSVT LOUD. The contrast and correlation analyses indicate a treatment-dependent shift to the right hemisphere with modification in the speech motor regions as well as in prefrontal and temporal areas. We interpret the modification of activity in these regions to be a top–down effect of LSVT LOUD. The absence of an effect of LSVT LOUD on the basal ganglion supports this argument. Our findings indicate that the therapeutic effect of LSVT LOUD in IPD hypophonia results from a shift in cortical activity to the right hemisphere. These findings demonstrate that the short-term changes in the speech motor and multimodal integration areas can occur in a top–down manner. PMID:19639554

Neural correlates of efficacy of voice therapy in Parkinson's disease identified by performance-correlation analysis.

PubMed

Narayana, Shalini; Fox, Peter T; Zhang, Wei; Franklin, Crystal; Robin, Donald A; Vogel, Deanie; Ramig, Lorraine O

2010-02-01

LSVT LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) is efficacious in the treatment of speech disorders in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), particularly hypophonia. Functional imaging in patients with IPD has shown abnormalities in several speech regions and changes in these areas immediately following treatment. This study serves to extend the analysis by correlating changes of regional neural activity with the main behavioral change following treatment, namely, increased vocal intensity. Ten IPD participants with hypophonia were studied before and after LSVT LOUD. Cerebral blood flow during rest and reading conditions were measured by H(2)(15)O-positron emission tomography. Z-score images were generated by contrasting reading with rest conditions for pre- and post-LSVT LOUD sessions. Neuronal activity during reading in the pre- versus post-LSVT LOUD contrast was correlated with corresponding change in vocal intensity to generate correlation images. Behaviorally, vocal intensity for speech tasks increased significantly after LSVT LOUD. The contrast and correlation analyses indicate a treatment-dependent shift to the right hemisphere with modification in the speech motor regions as well as in prefrontal and temporal areas. We interpret the modification of activity in these regions to be a top-down effect of LSVT LOUD. The absence of an effect of LSVT LOUD on the basal ganglion supports this argument. Our findings indicate that the therapeutic effect of LSVT LOUD in IPD hypophonia results from a shift in cortical activity to the right hemisphere. These findings demonstrate that the short-term changes in the speech motor and multimodal integration areas can occur in a top-down manner. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Behavioural Contexts of Red Langur (Presbytis rubicunda) Loud Calls in the Wehea Forest, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

PubMed

D'Agostino, Justin; Spehar, Stephanie N; Delgado, Roberto

2016-01-01

Researchers hypothesize that male loud calls play several roles in primate societies including in the context of intergroup spacing and spatial coordination. Field studies examining the behavioural correlates of vocalizations are essential to evaluate the function of these calls. This preliminary study, from July 2011 to January 2012, explores the behavioural contexts and correlates of male loud calls in a habituated group of red langurs (Presbytis rubicunda) in the Wehea Forest, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. In analysing 418 h of data collection, we find a total of 87 vocal behaviours, including bouts of multiple calls in rapid succession (i.e. calling events) and individual loud calls. In this sample, most vocal behaviour takes place in the morning with 59% of calling events occurring before 8.00 h. The mean rate of calling events is 0.12 events/h, and the mean rate of individual loud calls is 0.20 calls/h. The mean number of calling events per day is 1.31 (range: 0-4), and the mean number of individual loud calls per day is 2.81 (range: 0-13). The rate of calling events is highest in the context of intragroup conflict, followed by intergroup encounters, predator threat, group travel, and the highest number of individual loud calls occurred during intergroup encounters. Although these results are preliminary, they suggest that adult male loud calls among red langurs at Wehea may play a role in both intergroup spacing and social coordination, supporting the hypothesis that these calls can serve different functions. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ride quality evaluation 1: Questionnaire studies of airline passenger comfort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, L. G.; Jacobson, I. D.

1974-01-01

As part of a larger effort to assess passenger comfort in aircraft, two questionnaires were administered: one to ground-based respondents; the other to passengers in flight. Respondents indicated the importance of various factors influencing their satisfaction with a trip, the perceived importance of various physical factors in determining their level of comfort, and the ease of time spent performing activities in flight. The in-flight sample also provided a rating of their level of comfort and of their willingness to fly again. Comfort ratings were examined in relation to (1) type of respondent, (2) type of aircraft, (3) characteristics of the passengers, (4) ease of performing activities, and (5) willingness to fly again.

Effects of comfort food on food intake, anxiety-like behavior and the stress response in rats.

PubMed

Ortolani, D; Oyama, L M; Ferrari, E M; Melo, L L; Spadari-Bratfisch, R C

2011-07-06

It has been suggested that access to high caloric food attenuates stress response. The present paper investigates whether access to commercial chow enriched with glucose and fat, here referred to as comfort food alters behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal parameters of rats submitted to three daily sessions of foot-shock stress. Food intake, anxiety-like behaviors, and serum levels of insulin, leptin, corticosterone, glucose and triglycerides were determined. The rats submitted to stress decreased the intake of commercial chow, but kept unaltered the intake of comfort food. During the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, stressed rats increased the number of head dipping, entries into the open arms, as well as the time spent there, and decreased the number of stretched-attend posture and risk assessment. These effects of stress were independent of the type of food consumed. Non-stressed rats ingesting comfort food decreased risk assessment as well. Stress and comfort food increased time spent in the center of the open field and delayed the first crossing to a new quadrant. Stress increased the plasma level of glucose and insulin, and reduced triglycerides, although consumption of comfort food increases glucose, triglyceride and leptin levels; no effect on leptin level was associated to stress. The stress induced increase in serum corticosterone was attenuated when rats had access to comfort food. It was concluded that foot-shock stress has an anorexigenic effect that is independent of leptin and prevented upon access to comfort food. Foot-shock stress also has an anxiolytic effect that is potentiated by the ingestion of comfort food and that is evidenced by both EPM and open field tests. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Daily versus monthly disposable contact lens: Which is better for ocular surface physiology and comfort?

PubMed

Sapkota, Kishor; Franco, Sandra; Lira, Madalena

2018-06-01

To investigate the effect of soft contact lenses (SCL) wearing modality and lens materials on the changes in conjunctival bulbar and limbal redness and conjunctival and corneal staining after two months of SCL wear. Comfort level was also analyzed. In this longitudinal clinical trial, forty-seven neophyte myopic subjects were fitted with a monthly disposable lens (lotrafilcon-B or comfilcon-A or balafilcon-A) in one eye and a daily disposable lens (nelfilcon-A or stenofilcon-A or nesofilcon-A) in the other eye, randomly selected. Conjunctival bulbar and limbal redness and conjunctival and corneal staining were evaluated before and after lens wear. Effect of lens wearing modality and lens materials on these changes was also determined. Level of comfort was evaluated subjectively twice per day. Comfort level and reduction in end-of-day comfort were compared between different lens wearing modalities and materials. Bulbar and limbal redness and conjunctival and corneal staining were increased (p<0.001) after lens wear, and changes were similar with daily and monthly disposable lens wear (p>0.05). Limbal redness was associated with lens materials, and lotrafilcon-B induced the least among the studied lenses (p<0.05). There was no significant association between the wearing modality and the average comfort level and reduction of end-of-day comfort (p>0.05). Two months of SCL wear increased conjunctival redness, conjunctival and corneal staining, which were not associated with the lens wearing modality. There was a reduction in end-of-day comfort, similar to daily and monthly lenses. The change in limbal redness and reduction in end-of-day comfort were associated with the characteristics of the lens material. Copyright © 2017 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of Energy Consumption for Air Conditioning While Maintaining Acceptable Human Comfort.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

Fanger, 1972). It is not always possible, or, practical, to obtain optimi thermal comfort conditions. Therefore Frofessor Fanger devised an index to...understand the complex interaction of the six key variables that affect human comfort. Thermal comfort is not exclusively a function of air temperature... Thermal comfort also depends on five other, less obvious, parameters: mean radiant temperature, relative air velocity, humidity, activity level, and

Comfort and hope in the preanesthesia stage in patients undergoing surgery.

PubMed

Seyedfatemi, Naima; Rafii, Forough; Rezaei, Mahboubeh; Kolcaba, Katharine

2014-06-01

Comfort and hope have been identified as important components in the care of perianesthesia patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between comfort and hope in the preanesthesia stage in patients undergoing surgery. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 191 surgical patients. Data were collected using the Perianesthesia Comfort Questionnaire and Herth Hope Index. Direct and significant relationships were observed between comfort and hope (P≤.001, r=0.65). Also, significant relationships were observed between educational level and marital status with comfort (P≤.01). The relationship between educational level and hope was significant (P≤.001). Significant relationships were also observed between gender and marital status with hope (P≤.01). Overall, this study showed that a significant relationship exists between comfort and hope. Additionally, some demographic characteristics influenced comfort and hope in these patients. Health care providers should arrange the environment in a way that allows the surgical patients to experience comfort and hope and recognize the impact of personal characteristics when caring for surgical patients, particularly in the preanesthesia stage. Copyright © 2014 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robotic comfort zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likhachev, Maxim; Arkin, Ronald C.

2000-10-01

The paper investigates how the psychological notion of comfort can be useful in the design of robotic systems. A review of the existing study of human comfort, especially regarding its presence in infants, is conducted with the goal being to determine the relevant characteristics for mapping it onto the robotics domain. Focus is place on the identification of the salient features in the environment that affect the comfort level. Factors involved include current state familiarity, working conditions, the amount and location of available resources, etc. As part of our newly developed comfort function theory, the notion of an object as a psychological attachment for a robot is also introduced, as espoused in Bowlby's theory of attachment. The output space of the comfort function and its dependency on the comfort level are analyzed. The results of the derivation of this comfort function are then presented in terms of the impact they have on robotic behavior. Justification for the use of the comfort function are then presented in terms of the impact they have on robotic behavior. Justification for the use of the comfort function in the domain of robotics is presented with relevance for real-world operations. Also, a transformation of the theoretical discussion into a mathematical framework suitable for implementation within a behavior-based control system is presented. The paper concludes with results of simulation studies and real robot experiments using the derived comfort function.

Design of outdoor urban spaces for thermal comfort

Treesearch

Harriet J. Plumley

1977-01-01

Microclimates in outdoor urban spaces may be modified by controlling the wind and radiant environments in these spaces. Design guidelines were developed to specify how radiant environments may be selected or modified to provide conditions for thermal comfort. Fanger's human-thermal-comfort model was used to determine comfortable levels of radiant-heat exchange for...

Asking patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs: Cross-sectional study of family physicians.

PubMed

Lee-Poy, Michael; Stewart, Moira; Ryan, Bridget L; Brown, Judith Belle

2016-09-01

To examine family physicians' practices in and opinions on asking patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs, as well as physicians' comfort levels in asking. Cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires. Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. A total of 155 family physicians with office practices. Frequency of asking patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs and physicians' comfort levels in asking. Separate multiple linear regression analyses were conducted for each of these outcomes. A total of 139 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 89.7 %. Of the respondents, 51.8 % stated that they asked patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs sometimes. Physician opinion that it was important to ask patients about religious and spiritual beliefs (P = .001) and physician comfort level with asking (P < .001) were significantly associated with physicians' frequency of asking patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs. Comfort level with asking patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs was significantly associated with the opinions that it was important to ask (P = .004) and that it was their business to ask (P = .003), as well as with lack of training as the reason for not asking (P = .007). This study found that family physicians were more likely to ask patients about their religious and spiritual beliefs if they had higher comfort levels in asking or if they believed that asking was important. Further, this study found that family physicians' comfort level with asking was higher if they believed that it was important to ask and that it was their business to ask about religious and spiritual beliefs. Physician comfort levels with asking patients about religious and spiritual beliefs can be addressed through adequate training and education. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Loud Music Exposure and Cochlear Synaptopathy in Young Adults: Isolated Auditory Brainstem Response Effects but No Perceptual Consequences.

PubMed

Grose, John H; Buss, Emily; Hall, Joseph W

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that listeners with frequent exposure to loud music exhibit deficits in suprathreshold auditory performance consistent with cochlear synaptopathy. Young adults with normal audiograms were recruited who either did ( n = 31) or did not ( n = 30) have a history of frequent attendance at loud music venues where the typical sound levels could be expected to result in temporary threshold shifts. A test battery was administered that comprised three sets of procedures: (a) electrophysiological tests including distortion product otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem responses, envelope following responses, and the acoustic change complex evoked by an interaural phase inversion; (b) psychoacoustic tests including temporal modulation detection, spectral modulation detection, and sensitivity to interaural phase; and (c) speech tests including filtered phoneme recognition and speech-in-noise recognition. The results demonstrated that a history of loud music exposure can lead to a profile of peripheral auditory function that is consistent with an interpretation of cochlear synaptopathy in humans, namely, modestly abnormal auditory brainstem response Wave I/Wave V ratios in the presence of normal distortion product otoacoustic emissions and normal audiometric thresholds. However, there were no other electrophysiological, psychophysical, or speech perception effects. The absence of any behavioral effects in suprathreshold sound processing indicated that, even if cochlear synaptopathy is a valid pathophysiological condition in humans, its perceptual sequelae are either too diffuse or too inconsequential to permit a simple differential diagnosis of hidden hearing loss.

Medium-Level Laser in Chronic Tinnitus Treatment

PubMed Central

Dejakum, K.; Piegger, J.; Plewka, C.; Gunkel, A.; Thumfart, W.; Kudaibergenova, S.; Goebel, G.; Kral, F.; Freysinger, W.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of medium-level laser therapy in chronic tinnitus treatment. In a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial, either active laser (450 mW, 830 nm combined Ga-Al-As diode laser) or placebo irradiation was applied through the external acoustic meatus of the affected ear towards the cochlea. Fourty-eight patients with chronic tinnitus were studied. The main outcome was measured using the Goebel tinnitus questionnaire, visual analogue scales measuring the perceived loudness of tinnitus, the annoyance associated with tinnitus, and the degree of attention paid to tinnitus as well as psycho-acoustical matches of tinnitus pitch and loudness. The results did show only very moderate temporary improvement of tinnitus. Moreover, no statistically relevant differences between laser and placebo group could be found. We conclude that medium-level laser therapy cannot be regarded as an effective treatment of chronic tinnitus in our therapy regime considering the limited number of patients included in our study. PMID:24294604

Medium-level laser in chronic tinnitus treatment.

PubMed

Dejakum, K; Piegger, J; Plewka, C; Gunkel, A; Thumfart, W; Kudaibergenova, S; Goebel, G; Kral, F; Freysinger, W

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of medium-level laser therapy in chronic tinnitus treatment. In a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial, either active laser (450 mW, 830 nm combined Ga-Al-As diode laser) or placebo irradiation was applied through the external acoustic meatus of the affected ear towards the cochlea. Fourty-eight patients with chronic tinnitus were studied. The main outcome was measured using the Goebel tinnitus questionnaire, visual analogue scales measuring the perceived loudness of tinnitus, the annoyance associated with tinnitus, and the degree of attention paid to tinnitus as well as psycho-acoustical matches of tinnitus pitch and loudness. The results did show only very moderate temporary improvement of tinnitus. Moreover, no statistically relevant differences between laser and placebo group could be found. We conclude that medium-level laser therapy cannot be regarded as an effective treatment of chronic tinnitus in our therapy regime considering the limited number of patients included in our study.

SDSS J013127.34–032100.1: A NEWLY DISCOVERED RADIO-LOUD QUASAR AT z = 5.18 WITH EXTREMELY HIGH LUMINOSITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yi, Wei-Min; Bai, Jin-Ming; Zhang, Ju-jia

2014-11-10

Very few of the z > 5 quasars discovered to date have been radio-loud, with radio-to-optical flux ratios (radio-loudness parameters) higher than 10. Here we report the discovery of an optically luminous radio-loud quasar, SDSS J013127.34–032100.1 (J0131–0321 in short), at z = 5.18 ± 0.01 using the Lijiang 2.4 m and Magellan telescopes. J0131–0321 has a spectral energy distribution consistent with that of radio-loud quasars. With an i-band magnitude of 18.47 and a radio flux density of 33 mJy, its radio-loudness parameter is ∼100. The optical and near-infrared spectra taken by Magellan enable us to estimate its bolometric luminosity to be Lmore » {sub bol} ∼ 1.1 × 10{sup 48} erg s{sup –1}, approximately 4.5 times greater than that of the most distant quasar known to date. The black hole mass of J0131–0321 is estimated to be 2.7 × 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉}, with an uncertainty up to 0.4 dex. Detailed physical properties of this high-redshift, radio-loud, potentially super-Eddington quasar can be probed in the future with more dedicated and intensive follow-up observations using multi-wavelength facilities.« less

Intergenerational preferences for radio loudness during automobile driving.

PubMed

Hanser, Frederick Howard Bateman; Adjei Boakye, Eric; Mikulec, Anthony Alan

2017-07-01

The comparative contribution to human noise exposure from the vehicular radio is unknown, as are the radio volume preferences of different generations when driving an automobile. A single vehicle was used to measure radio listening level in decibels of three generations (age 16-17 years, age 32-50 years, and age 51-73 years) in various conditions, ranging from engine off with windows closed to 60 miles per hour (mph) with windows open. No differences in radio loudness based on the sex of the driver were found. Statistically significant differences were identified in preferred signal to noise ratio among multiple vehicular paradigms, with the youngest generation preferring the largest signal to noise ratio in conditions with low background noise. The youngest generation favored the largest signal to noise ratio (radio level above background noise), a preference which waned with increasing background noise. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IRAS observations of radio-quiet and radio-loud quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, G.; Soifer, B. T.; Miley, G.; Habing, H. J.; Young, E.; Low, F. J.; Beichman, C. A.; Clegg, P. E.; Harris, S.; Rowan-Robinson, M.

1984-01-01

Observations from 12 to 100 microns are presented of two radio-quiet and three radio-loud quasars. Over this wavelength range, all five have grossly similar continuum energy distributions. The continua of the radio-loud quasars are consistent with synchrotron radiation. There is an indication, however, of excess 100 micron emission in the two radio-quiet quasars.

Examining the short term effects of emotion under an Adaptation Level Theory model of tinnitus perception.

PubMed

Durai, Mithila; O'Keeffe, Mary G; Searchfield, Grant D

2017-03-01

Existing evidence suggests a strong relationship between tinnitus and emotion. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of short-term emotional changes along valence and arousal dimensions on tinnitus outcomes. Emotional stimuli were presented in two different modalities: auditory and visual. The authors hypothesized that (1) negative valence (unpleasant) stimuli and/or high arousal stimuli will lead to greater tinnitus loudness and annoyance than positive valence and/or low arousal stimuli, and (2) auditory emotional stimuli, which are in the same modality as the tinnitus, will exhibit a greater effect on tinnitus outcome measures than visual stimuli. Auditory and visual emotive stimuli were administered to 22 participants (12 females and 10 males) with chronic tinnitus, recruited via email invitations send out to the University of Auckland Tinnitus Research Volunteer Database. Emotional stimuli used were taken from the International Affective Digital Sounds- Version 2 (IADS-2) and the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) (Bradley and Lang, 2007a, 2007b). The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross and John, 2003) was administered alongside subjective ratings of tinnitus loudness and annoyance, and psychoacoustic sensation level matches to external sounds. Males had significantly different emotional regulation scores than females. Negative valence emotional auditory stimuli led to higher tinnitus loudness ratings in males and females and higher annoyance ratings in males only; loudness matches of tinnitus remained unchanged. The visual stimuli did not have an effect on tinnitus ratings. The results are discussed relative to the Adaptation Level Theory Model of Tinnitus. The results indicate that the negative valence dimension of emotion is associated with increased tinnitus magnitude judgements and gender effects may also be present, but only when the emotional stimulus is in the auditory modality. Sounds with emotional associations may be used for sound therapy for tinnitus relief; it is of interest to determine whether the emotional component of sound treatments can play a role in reversing the negative responses discussed in this paper. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an algorithm for automatic detection and rating of squeak and rattle events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrika, Unnikrishnan Kuttan; Kim, Jay H.

2010-10-01

A new algorithm for automatic detection and rating of squeak and rattle (S&R) events was developed. The algorithm utilizes the perceived transient loudness (PTL) that approximates the human perception of a transient noise. At first, instantaneous specific loudness time histories are calculated over 1-24 bark range by applying the analytic wavelet transform and Zwicker loudness transform to the recorded noise. Transient specific loudness time histories are then obtained by removing estimated contributions of the background noise from instantaneous specific loudness time histories. These transient specific loudness time histories are summed to obtain the transient loudness time history. Finally, the PTL time history is obtained by applying Glasberg and Moore temporal integration to the transient loudness time history. Detection of S&R events utilizes the PTL time history obtained by summing only 18-24 barks components to take advantage of high signal-to-noise ratio in the high frequency range. A S&R event is identified when the value of the PTL time history exceeds the detection threshold pre-determined by a jury test. The maximum value of the PTL time history is used for rating of S&R events. Another jury test showed that the method performs much better if the PTL time history obtained by summing all frequency components is used. Therefore, r ating of S&R events utilizes this modified PTL time history. Two additional jury tests were conducted to validate the developed detection and rating methods. The algorithm developed in this work will enable automatic detection and rating of S&R events with good accuracy and minimum possibility of false alarm.

Dynamics of Electrocorticographic (ECoG) Activity in Human Temporal and Frontal Cortical Areas During Music Listening

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-14

flow or electrical activity in the primary auditory cortex and sound intensity level. Other studies (Brechmann et al., 2002; Hart et al., 2003; Tanji et...duration. Decoding of per- ceived loudness from brain signals may have important applications for the calibration of stimulation levels of cochlear implants

24 CFR 51.103 - Criteria and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... decibels to sound levels in the night from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Mathematical expressions for average sound..., as indicated in § 51.106(a)(3). Methods for assessing the contribution of loud impulsive sounds to day-night average sound level at a site and mathematical expressions for determining whether a sound...

Laryngoscopic and spectral analysis of laryngeal and pharyngeal configuration in non-classical singing styles.

PubMed

Guzman, Marco; Lanas, Andres; Olavarria, Christian; Azocar, Maria Josefina; Muñoz, Daniel; Madrid, Sofia; Monsalve, Sebastian; Martinez, Francisca; Vargas, Sindy; Cortez, Pedro; Mayerhoff, Ross M

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to assess three different singing styles (pop, rock, and jazz) with laryngoscopic, acoustic, and perceptual analysis in healthy singers at different loudness levels. Special emphasis was given to the degree of anterior-posterior (A-P) laryngeal compression, medial laryngeal compression, vertical laryngeal position (VLP), and pharyngeal compression. Prospective study. Twelve female trained singers with at least 5 years of voice training and absence of any voice pathology were included. Flexible and rigid laryngeal endoscopic examinations were performed. Voice recording was also carried out. Four blinded judges were asked to assess laryngoscopic and auditory perceptual variables using a visual analog scale. All laryngoscopic parameters showed significant differences for all singing styles. Rock showed the greatest degree for all of them. Overall A-P laryngeal compression scores demonstrated significantly higher values than overall medial compression and VLP. High loudness level produced the highest degree of A-P compression, medial compression, pharyngeal compression, and the lowest VLP for all singing styles. Additionally, rock demonstrated the highest values for alpha ratio (less steep spectral slope), L1-L0 ratio (more glottal adduction), and Leq (more vocal intensity). Statistically significant differences between the three loudness levels were also found for these acoustic parameters. Rock singing seems to be the style with the highest degree of both laryngeal and pharyngeal activity in healthy singers. Although, supraglottic activity during singing could be labeled as hyperfunctional vocal behavior, it may not necessarily be harmful, but a strategy to avoid vocal fold damage. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comfort eating, psychological stress, and depressive symptoms in young adult women.

PubMed

Finch, Laura E; Tomiyama, A Janet

2015-12-01

Little is known about whether comfort eating actually functions to reduce psychological stress. In addition, the effectiveness of comfort eating may be particularly relevant in the context of depression, but no study has tested whether comfort eating processes might depend on severity of depressive symptomology. This study tested 1) whether greater comfort eating statistically buffers the relationship between adverse life events and perceived psychological stress at age 18-19, and 2) whether potential stress-buffering effects may differ by level of depressive symptoms. These relationships were examined in the NHLBI Growth and Health Study, comprising 2379 young adult women. Participants self-reported experiences with adverse life events, their perceived psychological stress, and whether they tended to eat more while experiencing certain negative emotions. As hypothesized, the relationship between adverse life events and perceived stress depended on comfort eating status (p = .033). The effect of adverse events on perceived stress was attenuated among comfort eaters compared to non-comfort eaters (p = .004), but this buffering effect was not shown in participants with an elevated level of depressive symptoms. In conclusion, among young adult women without high depressive symptoms, comfort eaters may experience reduced perceived stress compared to those who do not engage in this behavior. Intervention researchers should also consider the possible benefits of comfort eating. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining Therapist Comfort in Delivering Family Therapy in Home and Community Settings: Development and Evaluation of the Therapist Comfort Scale

PubMed Central

Glebova, Tatiana; Foster, Sharon L.; Cunningham, Phillippe B.; Brennan, Patricia A.; Whitmore, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

This study reports on the development and psychometric properties of a new measure assessing therapist comfort in the home treatment context, and the relationship between therapist comfort, related process variables, and therapist characteristics. Data were drawn from a longitudinal evaluation of 185 families treated by 51 therapists using Multisystemic Therapy (MST). Therapist comfort was measured at four time points. Psychometric evaluation indicated that the measure was internally and temporally consistent. Examination of the measure’s validity indicated that therapists’ feelings of safety and comfort during the provision of home-based treatment were associated with family neighborhood characteristics and family socioeconomic factors. Furthermore, the therapist’s reported level of alliance (as measured by the Emotional Bonding subscale of the Working Alliance Inventory) was related to her/his feeling of comfort. Analyses also indicated that therapists with greater belief in the clinical utility of the MST model felt more comfortable when delivering MST. Together the results suggest that economically disadvantaged families treated in home and community settings may be most at risk for erosions in the therapeutic relationship over time as a function of lower therapist comfort. Because therapist comfort was associated with therapeutic alliance - a factor found to be associated with clinical outcomes across studies and treatment models - findings imply that psychotherapists should regularly examine their own level of comfort, especially when providing services in non-traditional settings, and that therapist comfort should be routinely assessed as part of clinical supervision and training. PMID:22181024

A Comfortability Level Scale for Performance of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otten, Robert Drew

1984-01-01

This article discusses the development of an instrument to appraise the comfortability level of college students in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methodology and findings of data collection are given. (Author/DF)

Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT[R]LOUD) for Parkinson's Disease Following Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spielman, Jennifer; Mahler, Leslie; Halpern, Angela; Gilley, Phllip; Klepitskaya, Olga; Ramig, Lorraine

2011-01-01

Purpose: Intensive voice therapy (LSVT[R]LOUD) can effectively manage voice and speech symptoms associated with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD). This small-group study evaluated voice and speech in individuals with and without deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) before and after LSVT LOUD, to determine whether outcomes…

Tongue- and Jaw-Specific Contributions to Acoustic Vowel Contrast Changes in the Diphthong /ai/ in Response to Slow, Loud, And Clear Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mefferd, Antje S.

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study sought to determine decoupled tongue and jaw displacement changes and their specific contributions to acoustic vowel contrast changes during slow, loud, and clear speech. Method: Twenty typical talkers repeated "see a kite again" 5 times in 4 speech conditions (typical, slow, loud, clear). Speech kinematics were…

Is there addiction to loud music? Findings in a group of non-professional pop/rock musicians.

PubMed

Schmuziger, Nicolas; Patscheke, Jochen; Stieglitz, Rolf; Probst, Rudolf

2012-01-09

Listening to loud music may be connected to addictive behavior possibly leading to damaging effects on the cochlea. We hypothesized that members of non-professional pop/rock bands with regular exposure to loud music are more likely to show an addictive-like behavior for loud music than matched control subjects. Fifty non-professional musicians and 50 matched control subjects were asked to complete the Northeastern Music Listening Survey (NEMLS) with two basic components. The first comprises an adaptation of the validated Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) to study the addictive-like behavior towards loud music. The second comprises the criteria outlined by the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Society for the diagnosis of substance dependence. The NEMLS was scored using the same point system as used in the MAST. The DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence were met by nine of the musician group and by one control subject. Seven of these nine musicians also had a positive NEMLS score. Traits of addictive-like behavior to loud music were detected more often in members of nonprofessional pop/rock bands than in control subjects.

Dependence of loudness evaluation by drivers on vehicle styling.

PubMed

Yoshida, Junji; Igata, Takumi

2012-12-01

Influence of participants' impressions of vehicle styling on loudness of acceleration sounds was investigated. A series of images of luxury and sporty vehicles were presented to the participants while acceleration sounds were being replayed. The results indicated that frequent drivers perceived that the sound associated with luxury vehicles was louder than that associated with sporty vehicles. On the other hand, infrequent drivers perceived almost no difference between the loudness of the two vehicle types. Then, the infrequent drivers underwent a pseudo-loudness evaluation test to increase amount of experience for listening vehicle sound with vehicle styling image. After the procedure, the influence of vehicle styling on loudness was investigated again for the infrequent drivers. The result showed that the influence for the infrequent drivers was quite different from that for the frequent drivers. The participants who rarely drove perceived that the sound associated with luxury vehicles was softer than that associated with sporty vehicles. Furthermore, a questionnaire was filled out by both groups to investigate their preferred vehicle characteristics such as exterior design and engine performance. As a result, loudness was clarified to depend on both the participants' impressions of vehicle styling and their preferred vehicle characteristics.

Investigating the Fraction of Radio-Loud Quasars with High Velocity Broad Emission LInes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharjee, Anirban; Gilbert, Miranda; Brotherton, Michael S.

2018-06-01

Quasars show a bimodal distribution in their radio emission, with some having powerful radio-emitting jets (radio-loud), and most having weak or no jets (radio-quiet). Surveys have shown around 10% of of quasars have detectable radio emissions. These quasars are called radio-loud. Several multiwavelength studies have shown that radio-loud quasars have different properties than radio-quiet quasars. This fraction of radio-loud quasars to radio-quiet quasars has been assumed to be constant across all parameter space. In this study, we breakdown the parameter space with respect to the increasing velocity dispersion of broad emission lines. Our sample has been drawn from 2011 Shen et al. catalog of more than 100,000 quasars. In this study, we demonstrate that this fraction varies with respect to the increasing velocity dispersion (FWHM) of broad emission lines. We compare three different emission lines: H-Beta, MgII, and CIV. We observe with increasing FWHM of these three emission lines, fraction of radio-loud quasars within the subset increases. This poster presents our initial results into investigating whether the fraction of RL quasars remains 10% in different parameter space.

Emotional states as mediators between tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress in daily life: Results from the “TrackYourTinnitus” application

PubMed Central

Probst, Thomas; Pryss, Rüdiger; Langguth, Berthold; Schlee, Winfried

2016-01-01

The psychological process how tinnitus loudness leads to tinnitus distress remains unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the mediating role of the emotional state “stress level” and of the two components of the emotional state “arousal” and “valence” with N = 658 users of the “TrackYourTinnitus” smartphone application. Stress mediated the relationship between tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress in a simple mediation model and even in a multiple mediation model when arousal and valence were held constant. Arousal mediated the loudness-distress relationship when holding valence constant, but not anymore when controlling for valence as well as for stress. Valence functioned as a mediator when controlling for arousal and even when holding arousal and stress constant. The direct effect of tinnitus loudness on tinnitus distress remained significant in all models. This study demonstrates that emotional states affect the process how tinnitus loudness leads to tinnitus distress. We thereby could show that the mediating influence of emotional valence is at least equally strong as the influence of stress. Implications of the findings for future research, assessment, and clinical management of tinnitus are discussed. PMID:26853815

Is there addiction to loud music? Findings in a group of non-professional pop/rock musicians

PubMed Central

Schmuziger, Nicolas; Patscheke, Jochen; Stieglitz, Rolf; Probst, Rudolf

2012-01-01

Listening to loud music may be connected to addictive behavior possibly leading to damaging effects on the cochlea. We hypothesized that members of non-professional pop/rock bands with regular exposure to loud music are more likely to show an addictive-like behavior for loud music than matched control subjects. Fifty non-professional musicians and 50 matched control subjects were asked to complete the Northeastern Music Listening Survey (NEMLS) with two basic components. The first comprises an adaptation of the validated Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) to study the addictive-like behavior towards loud music. The second comprises the criteria outlined by the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Society for the diagnosis of substance dependence. The NEMLS was scored using the same point system as used in the MAST. The DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence were met by nine of the musician group and by one control subject. Seven of these nine musicians also had a positive NEMLS score. Traits of addictive-like behavior to loud music were detected more often in members of nonprofessional pop/rock bands than in control subjects. PMID:26557326

Thermal comfort following immersion.

PubMed

Guéritée, Julien; Redortier, Bernard; House, James R; Tipton, Michael J

2015-02-01

Unlike thermal comfort in air, little research has been undertaken exploring thermal comfort around water sports. We investigated the impact of swimming and cooling in air after swimming on thermal comfort. After 10 min of swimming-and-resting cycles in 28°C water, volunteers wearing two types of garments or in swim briefs, faced winds in 24°C air, at rest or when stepping. Thermal comfort was significantly higher during swimming than resting. Post-immersion, following maximum discomfort, in 45 of 65 tests thermal comfort improved although mean skin temperature was still cooling (0.26 [SD 0.19] °C·min(-1) - max was 0.89°C·min(-1)). When thermal comfort was re-established mean skin temperature was lower than at maximal discomfort in 39 of 54 tests (0.81 [SD 0.58] °C - max difference was 2.68°C). The reduction in thermal discomfort in this scenario could be due to the adaptation of thermoreceptors, or to reductions in cooling rates to levels where discomfort was less stimulated. The relief from the recent discomfort may explain why, later, thermal comfort returned to initial levels in spite of poorer thermal profiles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of aircraft cabin noise on passenger comfort.

PubMed

Pennig, Sibylle; Quehl, Julia; Rolny, Vinzent

2012-01-01

The effects of cabin noise on subjective comfort assessments were systematically investigated in order to reveal optimisation potentials for an improved passenger noise acceptance. Two aircraft simulation studies were conducted. An acoustic laboratory test facility provided with loudspeaker systems for realistic sound presentations and an aircraft cabin simulator (Dornier Do 728) with a high degree of ecological validity were used. Subjects were exposed to nine different noise patterns (three noise levels ranging from 66 to 78 dB(A) combined with three different frequency spectra). Regression analysis demonstrated a significant increase of passengers' acceptance with lower noise levels and significant effects of different frequency spectra determined by seat position in the aircraft cabin (front, middle, rear). Acoustic cabin design should therefore consider measures beyond noise level reduction altering noise characteristics to improve passengers' comfort and well-being in the aircraft cabin. To improve passenger comfort in the aircraft with respect to cabin noise, passengers' reactions to specific noise conditions were systematically investigated. Two laboratory studies showed significant dose-response relationships between sound pressure level and subjective comfort ratings which differed due to the noise at specific seat positions in the aircraft.

[Loudness optimized registration of compound action potential in cochlear implant recipients].

PubMed

Berger, Klaus; Hocke, Thomas; Hessel, Horst

2017-11-01

Background Postoperative measurements of compound action potentials are not always possible due to the insufficient acceptance of the CI-recipients. This study investigated the impact of different parameters on the acceptance of the measurements. Methods Compound action potentials of 16 CI recipients were measured with different pulse-widths. Recipients performed a loudness rating at the potential thresholds with the different sequences. Results Compound action potentials obtained with higher pulse-widths were rated softer than those obtained with smaller pulse-widths. Conclusions Compound action potentials measured with higher pulse-widths generate a gap between loudest acceptable presentation level and potential threshold. This gap contributes to a higher acceptance of postoperative measurements. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A Series of Computational Neuroscience Labs Increases Comfort with MATLAB.

PubMed

Nichols, David F

2015-01-01

Computational simulations allow for a low-cost, reliable means to demonstrate complex and often times inaccessible concepts to undergraduates. However, students without prior computer programming training may find working with code-based simulations to be intimidating and distracting. A series of computational neuroscience labs involving the Hodgkin-Huxley equations, an Integrate-and-Fire model, and a Hopfield Memory network were used in an undergraduate neuroscience laboratory component of an introductory level course. Using short focused surveys before and after each lab, student comfort levels were shown to increase drastically from a majority of students being uncomfortable or with neutral feelings about working in the MATLAB environment to a vast majority of students being comfortable working in the environment. Though change was reported within each lab, a series of labs was necessary in order to establish a lasting high level of comfort. Comfort working with code is important as a first step in acquiring computational skills that are required to address many questions within neuroscience.

A Series of Computational Neuroscience Labs Increases Comfort with MATLAB

PubMed Central

Nichols, David F.

2015-01-01

Computational simulations allow for a low-cost, reliable means to demonstrate complex and often times inaccessible concepts to undergraduates. However, students without prior computer programming training may find working with code-based simulations to be intimidating and distracting. A series of computational neuroscience labs involving the Hodgkin-Huxley equations, an Integrate-and-Fire model, and a Hopfield Memory network were used in an undergraduate neuroscience laboratory component of an introductory level course. Using short focused surveys before and after each lab, student comfort levels were shown to increase drastically from a majority of students being uncomfortable or with neutral feelings about working in the MATLAB environment to a vast majority of students being comfortable working in the environment. Though change was reported within each lab, a series of labs was necessary in order to establish a lasting high level of comfort. Comfort working with code is important as a first step in acquiring computational skills that are required to address many questions within neuroscience. PMID:26557798

Evaluating the loudness of phantom auditory perception (tinnitus) in rats.

PubMed

Jastreboff, P J; Brennan, J F

1994-01-01

Using our behavioral paradigm for evaluating tinnitus, the loudness of salicylate-induced tinnitus was evaluated in 144 rats by comparing their behavioral responses induced by different doses of salicylate to those induced by different intensities of a continuous reference tone mimicking tinnitus. Group differences in resistance to extinction were linearly related to salicylate dose and, at moderate intensities, to the reference tone as well. Comparison of regression equations for salicylate versus tone effects permitted estimation of the loudness of salicylate-induced tinnitus. These results extend the animal model of tinnitus and provide evidence that the loudness of phantom auditory perception is expressed through observable behavior, can be evaluated, and its changes detected.

Singing in groups for Parkinson's disease (SING-PD): a pilot study of group singing therapy for PD-related voice/speech disorders.

PubMed

Shih, Ludy C; Piel, Jordan; Warren, Amanda; Kraics, Lauren; Silver, Althea; Vanderhorst, Veronique; Simon, David K; Tarsy, Daniel

2012-06-01

Parkinson's disease related speech and voice impairment have significant impact on quality of life measures. LSVT(®)LOUD voice and speech therapy (Lee Silverman Voice Therapy) has demonstrated scientific efficacy and clinical effectiveness, but musically based voice and speech therapy has been underexplored as a potentially useful method of rehabilitation. We undertook a pilot, open-label study of a group-based singing intervention, consisting of twelve 90-min weekly sessions led by a voice and speech therapist/singing instructor. The primary outcome measure of vocal loudness as measured by sound pressure level (SPL) at 50 cm during connected speech was not significantly different one week after the intervention or at 13 weeks after the intervention. A number of secondary measures reflecting pitch range, phonation time and maximum loudness also were unchanged. Voice related quality of life (VRQOL) and voice handicap index (VHI) also were unchanged. This study suggests that a group singing therapy intervention at this intensity and frequency does not result in significant improvement in objective and subject-rated measures of voice and speech impairment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duration, Pitch, and Loudness in Kunqu Opera Stage Speech.

PubMed

Han, Qichao; Sundberg, Johan

2017-03-01

Kunqu is a special type of opera within the Chinese tradition with 600 years of history. In it, stage speech is used for the spoken dialogue. It is performed in Ming Dynasty's mandarin language and is a much more dominant part of the play than singing. Stage speech deviates considerably from normal conversational speech with respect to duration, loudness and pitch. This paper compares these properties in stage speech conversational speech. A famous, highly experienced female singer's performed stage speech and reading of the same lyrics in a conversational speech mode. Clear differences are found. As compared with conversational speech, stage speech had longer word and sentence duration and word duration was less variable. Average sound level was 16 dB higher. Also mean fundamental frequency was considerably higher and more varied. Within sentences, both loudness and fundamental frequency tended to vary according to a low-high-low pattern. Some of the findings fail to support current opinions regarding the characteristics of stage speech, and in this sense the study demonstrates the relevance of objective measurements in descriptions of vocal styles. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional expression of noise: A cross-cultural study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwano, S.; Namba, S.; Hashimoto, T.; Berglund, B.; Rui, Zheng Da; Schick, A.; Hoege, H.; Florentine, M.

1991-12-01

In our cross-cultural study of noise problems, the connotative meaning of the concepts of "loudness", "noisiness" and "annoyance" were examined by using semantic differential in five countries. All concepts, except for loudness in Japan and China, were found to have negative images. Japanese and Chinese loudness were judged as neutral. In the present study, emotional expressions of various noises were examined by using the method of selected description in five countries—Japan, Sweden, West Germany, China and the U.S.A. Subjects were asked to select the adjectives which they thought appropriate for expressing their impression of each noise. On the basis of the adjectives selected and cluster analysis, it was found that "loud" in Japan, Sweden and China has neutral connotations, while "loud" in Germany and the U.S.A. has negative connotations. It was also suggested that "noisy" and "annoying" are not differentiated in Japan, while in the other four countries these two adjectives are used in different ways.

Association between tinnitus retraining therapy and a tinnitus control instrument.

PubMed

Ito, Mari; Soma, Keiko; Ando, Reiko

2009-10-01

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), which is an adaptation therapy for tinnitus based on the neurophysiological model proposed by Jastreboff in 1990,consists of directive counseling and acoustic therapy with a tinnitus control instrument (TCI) or other devices. For the past 5 years, our hospital has administered TRT characterized by the use of a TCI. In this study, we reviewed the clinical course of patients with tinnitus who presented to our outpatient clinic for tinnitus and hearing loss during the 3-year period from April 2004 to March 2007 and underwent TRT with a TCI. Among 188 patients with tinnitus (105 males and 83 females), 88 patients (51 males and 37 females, excluding dropouts) who purchased a TCI and continued therapy were included in the study. Significant improvement in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores was found as early as 1 month of treatment and later compared with those on initial examination, suggesting that TRT with a TCI may be an effective treatment for tinnitus. Among the noises generated by the TCI, the sound pressure output from the TCI was set at just below tinnitus loudness level both of the first adjustment and the second adjustment. Speech noise and white noise were frequently selected, whereas high-frequency noise and pink noise were infrequently selected. Speech noise was most frequently selected at the first adjustment, and the number of patients selecting white noise increased at the second adjustment. The results that we compared the two also revealed that the mean hearing level and tinnitus loudness levels were higher in the white noise group than in the speech noise group, which suggested that the inner ear disorder was more harder in the white noise group. Both the THI score and VAS grade improved after 1 month of treatment in the speech noise group, whereas improvement in these parameters was observed in the white noise group after 6 months of treatment. These results suggest that it took much longer the patients in the white noise group to improve. : Significant improvement in THI and VAS scores was found as early as 1 month of treatment and later compared with those on initial examination, suggesting that TRT with a TCI may be an effective treatment for tinnitus. It resulted that many patients chose the speech noise or the white noise. And also it was indicated that noise generators set at just below mixing point with tinnitus are more effective. In this study, however, speech noise was often selected probably because of the reduced output at high frequencies and the level of comfort. As white noise produces greater sound volume, patients tended to switch from other therapeutic sound to white noise at the second adjustment. These findings may help administer acoustic therapy in the future.

X-RAYS FROM A RADIO-LOUD COMPACT BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QUASAR 1045+352 AND THE NATURE OF OUTFLOWS IN RADIO-LOUD BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QUASARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kunert-Bajraszewska, Magdalena; Katarzynski, Krzysztof; Siemiginowska, Aneta

2009-11-10

We present new results on X-ray properties of radio-loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars and focus on broadband spectral properties of a high-ionization BAL (HiBAL) compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio-loud quasar 1045+352. This HiBAL quasar has a very complex radio morphology indicating either strong interactions between a radio jet and the surrounding interstellar medium or a possible re-start of the jet activity. We detected 1045+352 quasar in a short 5 ksec Chandra ACIS-S observation. We applied theoretical models to explain spectral energy distribution of 1045+352 and argue that non-thermal, inverse-Compton (IC) emission from the innermost parts of the radio jetmore » can account for a large fraction of the observed X-ray emission. In our analysis, we also consider a scenario in which the observed X-ray emission from radio-loud BAL quasars can be a sum of IC jet X-ray emission and optically thin corona X-ray emission. We compiled a sample of radio-loud BAL quasars that were observed in X-rays to date and report no correlation between their X-ray and radio luminosity. However, the radio-loud BAL quasars show a large range of X-ray luminosities and absorption columns. This is consistent with the results obtained earlier for radio-quiet BAL quasars and may indicate an orientation effect in BAL quasars or more complex dependence between X-ray emission, radio emission, and an orientation based on the radio morphology.« less

Voice characteristics in the progression of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Holmes, R J; Oates, J M; Phyland, D J; Hughes, A J

2000-01-01

This study examined the acoustic and perceptual voice characteristics of patients with Parkinson's disease according to disease severity. The perceptual and acoustic voice characteristics of 30 patients with early stage PD and 30 patients with later stage PD were compared with data from 30 normal control subjects. Voice recordings consisted of prolongation of the vowel /a/, scale singing, and a 1-min monologue. In comparison with controls and previously published normative data, both early and later stage PD patients' voices were characterized perceptually by limited pitch and loudness variability, breathiness, harshness and reduced loudness. High modal pitch levels also characterized the voices of males in both early and later stages of PD. Acoustically, the voices of both groups of PD patients demonstrated lower mean intensity levels and reduced maximum phonational frequency ranges in comparison with normative data. Although less clear, the present data also suggested that the PD patients' voices were characterized by excess jitter, a high-speaking fundamental frequency for males and a reduced fundamental frequency variability for females. While several of these voice features did not appear to deteriorate with disease progression (i.e. harshness, high modal pitch and speaking fundamental frequency in males, fundamental frequency variability in females, low intensity and jitter), breathiness, monopitch and monoloudness, low loudness and reduced maximum phonational frequency range were all worse in the later stages of PD. Tremor was the sole voice feature which was associated only with later stage PD.

Impact of a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Curriculum on an Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency.

PubMed

Palaszewski, Dawn M; Miladinovic, Branko; Caselnova, Petra M; Holmström, Shelly W

2016-12-01

To determine the effectiveness of a new pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) curriculum for improving obstetrics/gynecology resident physician knowledge and comfort level in patient management and to describe the current deficiencies in resident physician knowledge and comfort level in PAG. A PAG curriculum was implemented for the obstetrics/gynecology resident physicians (n = 20) at the University of South Florida in July 2013. Before and after the curriculum was introduced, resident physicians and recent graduates of the residency program completed a survey to assess their comfort level and a knowledge assessment consisting of 20 case-based questions. University-based residency program. Resident physicians and recent resident physician graduates in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Introduction of a PAG curriculum during the 2013-2014 academic year. Improvement in resident physicians' comfort level and knowledge in PAG. After the curriculum was introduced, comfort increased in examining the genitals of a pediatric gynecology patient (median difference = 1.5; P = .003) and history-taking, physical examination skills, and management (median difference = 1; P = .002) compared with before the curriculum. There was no significant difference in overall quiz score (15.5 ± 1.87 vs 15.8 ± 1.3; P = .78). A curriculum in PAG did improve resident comfort level in managing PAG patients, but did not significantly improve knowledge of this topic. Copyright © 2016.

Do obesity and weight loss affect vocal function?

PubMed

Solomon, Nancy Pearl; Helou, Leah B; Dietrich-Burns, Katie; Stojadinovic, Alexander

2011-02-01

Obesity may be associated with increased tissue bulk in the laryngeal airway, neck, and chest wall, and as such may affect vocal function. Eight obese and eight nonobese adults participated in this study; the obese participants underwent bariatric surgical procedures. This mixed-design study included cross-sectional analysis for group differences and longitudinal analysis for multidimensional changes in vocal function from four assessments collected over 6 months. No significant differences were detected between groups from the preoperative assessment. Further, no changes were detected over time for acoustic parameters, maximum phonation time, laryngeal airway resistance, and airflow during a sustained vowel for either group. Only minor differences were detected for strain, pitch, and loudness perceptions of voice over time, but not between groups. Phonation threshold pressure (PTP), at comfortable and high pitches (30% and 80% of the F0 range) changed significantly over time, but not between groups. Examination of individual data revealed a trend for PTP at 30% F0 to decrease as body mass index decreased. PTP may be informative for assessing vocal function in clients who present with obesity and voice symptoms. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

Is the speaking fundamental frequency in females related to body height?

PubMed

Barsties, Ben; Verfaillie, Rudi; Dicks, Peter; Maryn, Youri

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of body height on speaking fundamental frequency (SF0) while controlling for as many as possible influencing factors such as habits, biophysical conditions, medication, diseases, and others. Fifty-eight females were analyzed during spontaneous speech (i.e. explaining driving directions or a cooking recipe) of at least 60 seconds at comfortable pitch and loudness. The subjects showed a moderate negative and significant correlation between body height and SF0 (r = -0.40, P = 0.002). With r(2) = 0.16, however, a reasonable portion (16%) of the variance in SF0 is explained by the variance in body height. In comparison with other factors for which a correlation with SF0 was mentioned in literature (hypothyrodism, hemodialysis, auditory-maleness after female-to-male transsexualism, body weight, body mass index, and body fat), body height accounted for most of the proportion of SF0 in females. It is therefore possible to validate body height as a factor to account for in clinical F0 measurement.

The effect of change in spectral slope and formant frequencies on the perception of loudness.

PubMed

Duvvuru, Sirisha; Erickson, Molly

2013-11-01

This study attempts to understand how changes in spectral slope and formant frequency influence changes in perceived loudness. It was hypothesized that voices synthesized with steeper spectral slopes will be perceived as less loud than voices synthesized with less steep spectral slopes, in spite of the fact that they are of equal root mean square (RMS) amplitude. It was also hypothesized that stimuli with higher formant patterns will be perceived as louder than those with lower formant patterns, in spite of the fact that they are of equal RMS amplitude. Repeated measures factorial design. For the pitches A3, C4, B4, and F5, three different source signals were synthesized with varying slopes of -9, -12, and -15 dB/octave using a frequency vibrato rate of 5.6 Hz and a frequency vibrato extent of 50 cents. Each of the three source signals were filtered using two formant patterns, a lower formant pattern typical of a mezzo-soprano (pattern A) and a higher formant pattern typical of a soprano (pattern B) for the vowel /a/. For each pitch, the six stimuli were combined into all possible pairs and normalized to equal RMS amplitude. Listeners were presented with 120 paired stimuli (60 pairs repeated twice). The listener's task was to indicate whether the first or second stimulus in the pair was louder. Generally, as the spectral slope decreased, perceived loudness increased, with the magnitude of the perceived difference in loudness being related to the degree of difference in spectral slope. Likewise, at all pitches except A3, perceived loudness increased as formant frequency increased. RMS amplitude is an important predictor of loudness perception, but many other factors also affect the perception of this important vocal parameter. Spectral composition is one such factor and must be considered when using loudness perception in the process of clinical diagnostics. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tinnitus and Auditory Perception After a History of Noise Exposure: Relationship to Auditory Brainstem Response Measures.

PubMed

Bramhall, Naomi F; Konrad-Martin, Dawn; McMillan, Garnett P

2018-01-15

To determine whether auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave I amplitude is associated with measures of auditory perception in young people with normal distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and varying levels of noise exposure history. Tinnitus, loudness tolerance, and speech perception ability were measured in 31 young military Veterans and 43 non-Veterans (19 to 35 years of age) with normal pure-tone thresholds and DPOAEs. Speech perception was evaluated in quiet using Northwestern University Auditory Test (NU-6) word lists and in background noise using the words in noise (WIN) test. Loudness discomfort levels were measured using 1-, 3-, 4-, and 6-kHz pulsed pure tones. DPOAEs and ABRs were collected in each participant to assess outer hair cell and auditory nerve function. The probability of reporting tinnitus in this sample increased by a factor of 2.0 per 0.1 µV decrease in ABR wave I amplitude (95% Bayesian confidence interval, 1.1 to 5.0) for males and by a factor of 2.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 6.4) for females after adjusting for sex and DPOAE levels. Similar results were obtained in an alternate model adjusted for pure-tone thresholds in addition to sex and DPOAE levels. No apparent relationship was found between wave I amplitude and either loudness tolerance or speech perception in quiet or noise. Reduced ABR wave I amplitude was associated with an increased risk of tinnitus, even after adjusting for DPOAEs and sex. In contrast, wave III and V amplitudes had little effect on tinnitus risk. This suggests that changes in peripheral input at the level of the inner hair cell or auditory nerve may lead to increases in central gain that give rise to the perception of tinnitus. Although the extent of synaptopathy in the study participants cannot be measured directly, these findings are consistent with the prediction that tinnitus may be a perceptual consequence of cochlear synaptopathy.

The effect of human-mattress interface's temperature on perceived thermal comfort.

PubMed

Califano, R; Naddeo, A; Vink, P

2017-01-01

In recent years, methods that allow for an objective evaluation of perceived comfort, in terms of postural, physiological, cognitive and environmental comfort, have received a great deal of attention from researchers. This paper focuses on one of the factors that influences physiological comfort perception: the temperature difference between users and the objects with which they interact. The first aim is to create a measuring system that does not affect the perceived comfort during the temperatures' acquisition. The main aim is to evaluate how the temperature at the human-mattress interface can affect the level of perceived comfort. A foam mattress has been used for testing in order to take into account the entire back part of the human body. The temperature at the interface was registered by fourteen 100 Ohm Platinum RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors) placed on the mattress under the trunk, the shoulders, the buttocks, the legs, the thighs, the arms and the forearms of the test subject. 29 subjects participated in a comfort test in a humidity controlled environment. The test protocol involved: dress-code, anthropometric-based positioning on mattress, environment temperature measuring and an acclimatization time before the test. At the end of each test, each of the test subject's thermal sensations and the level of comfort perception were evaluated using the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) scale. The data analyses concerned, in the first instance, correlations between the temperature at the interface and comfort levels of the different parts of the body. Then the same analyses were performed independently of the body parts being considered. The results demonstrated that there was no strong correlation among the studied variables and that the total increase of temperature at interface is associated with a reduction in comfort. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a Music Video Parody to Promote Breastfeeding and Increase Comfort Levels Among Young Adults.

PubMed

Austen, Erin L; Beadle, Julie; Lukeman, Sionnach; Lukeman, Ellen; Aquino, Nicola

2017-08-01

North Americans are not meeting the World Health Organization's breastfeeding recommendations. Young adults understand that breastfeeding is healthy but are uncomfortable seeing breastfeeding. Research aim: The aim of the current project was to determine if a music video parody promoting breastfeeding is perceived by young adults to be an effective means of promotion and if exposure to such a video could increase comfort levels. Young adults rated how comfortable they felt looking at breastfeeding and bottle-feeding images (pretest). Two months later, a subset of participants watched the music video parody "Breastfeeding My Baby." In Phase 1, participants completed the picture-rating task again (posttest) after a 2-month delay, plus a survey to assess memory and perception of the video. In Phase 2, participants were reminded of the video before completing the comfort ratings, and in the final phase, posttest measures were administered only 1 week after exposure to the video. Across all phases, the video was perceived to be effective and was memorable. Breastfeeding comfort ratings were comparable at pretest across participant groups; comfort ratings improved at posttest for participants who saw the video but only if they were reminded of seeing it before providing their ratings. At shorter intervals between seeing the video and completing the posttests, comfort ratings for breastfeeding images increased for all participants, highlighting the general importance of exposure to breastfeeding. Young adults are receptive to using a music video parody to promote breastfeeding, which can help to increase comfort levels with breastfeeding.

Combined comfort model of thermal comfort and air quality on buses in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Ka Wing; Chan, Wai Tin

2008-01-25

Air-conditioning settings are important factors in controlling the comfort of passengers on buses. The local bus operators control in-bus air quality and thermal environment by conforming to the prescribed levels stated in published standards. As a result, the settings are merely adjusted to fulfill the standards, rather than to satisfy the passengers' thermal comfort and air quality. Such "standard-oriented" practices are not appropriate; the passengers' preferences and satisfaction should be emphasized instead. Thus a "comfort-oriented" philosophy should be implemented to achieve a comfortable in-bus commuting environment. In this study, the achievement of a comfortable in-bus environment was examined with emphasis on thermal comfort and air quality. Both the measurement of physical parameters and subjective questionnaire surveys were conducted to collect practical in-bus thermal and air parameters data, as well as subjective satisfaction and sensation votes from the passengers. By analyzing the correlation between the objective and subjective data, a combined comfort models were developed. The models helped in evaluating the percentage of dissatisfaction under various combinations of passengers' sensation votes towards thermal comfort and air quality. An effective approach integrated the combined comfort model, hardware and software systems and the bus air-conditioning system could effectively control the transient in-bus environment. By processing and analyzing the data from the continuous monitoring system with the combined comfort model, air-conditioning setting adjustment commands could be determined and delivered to the hardware. This system adjusted air-conditioning settings depending on real-time commands along the bus journey. Therefore, a comfortable in-bus air quality and thermal environment could be achieved and efficiently maintained along the bus journey despite dynamic outdoor influences. Moreover, this model can help optimize air-conditioning control by striking a beneficial balance between energy conservation and passengers' satisfaction level.

Simulator Study of Indoor Annoyance Caused by Shaped Sonic Boom Stimuli With and Without Rattle Augmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Loubeau, Alexandra; Klos, Jacob

2013-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's High Speed Project is developing a predictive capability for annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms transmitted indoors. The predictive capability is intended for use by aircraft designers as well as by aircraft noise regulators who are considering lifting the current prohibition on overland civil supersonic flight. The goal of the current study is to use an indoor simulator to validate two models developed using headphone tests for annoyance caused by sonic booms with and without rattle augmentation. The predictors in the proposed models include Moore and Glasberg's Stationary Loudness Level, the time derivative of Moore and Glasberg's time-varying short-term Loudness Level, and the difference between two weighted sound exposure levels, CSEL-ASEL. The indoor simulator provides a more realistic listening environment than headphones due to lowfrequency sound reproduction down to 6 Hz, which also causes perceptible tactile vibration. The results of this study show that a model consisting of {PL + (CSEL-ASEL)} is a reliable predictor of annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms alone, rattle sounds alone, and shaped sonic booms and rattle sounds together.

Loudness enhancement - Monaural, binaural, and dichotic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmasian, R.; Galambos, R.

1975-01-01

When one tone burst (T) precedes another (S) by 100 msec, variations in the intensity of T systematically influence the loudness of S. When T is more intense than S, S is increased; and when T is less intense, S loudness is decreased. This occurs in monaural, binaural, and dichotic paradigms of signal presentation. When T and S are presented to the same ear (monaural or binaural), there is more enhancement with less intersubject variability than when they are presented to different ears (dichotic paradigm). Monaural enhancements as large as 30 dB can readily be demonstrated, but decrements rarely exceed 5 dB. Possible physiological mechanisms are discussed for this loudness enhancement, which apparently shares certain characteristics with time-order error, assimilation, and temporal partial masking experiments.

[Comfort and noise level in infants with helmet interface].

PubMed

Medina, A; Alvarez Fernández, P; Rey Galán, C; Álvarez Mendiola, P; Álvarez Blanco, S; Vivanco Allende, A

2015-10-01

To evaluate comfort and noise intensity using the COMFORT scale in infants who receive respiratory support with a helmet interface. An observational descriptive study was conducted on all infants (1 to 12 months of age) admitted to a PICU from November 1st 2013 to March 31st 2014 and who received non-invasive ventilation with a helmet interface. Tolerance to the interface was assessed by use of the COMFORT scale. The intensity of the noise to which the infants were exposed was measured with a TES1350A HIBOK 412 sound-level meter. Three measurements were made every day. Twenty seven patients with bronchiolitis (median age: 54 days; range: 10 to 256) were included. Median COMFORT score in the first day was 21 points (14 - 28). An increase in patient comfort was found with a gradual decrease in the scores, with a maximum reduction of 22% from the first hours (score of 22) to the fifth day (score of 18). The minimum sound intensity registered was 42dB, and the maximum was 78dB. Background noise intensity was associated with noise intensity in the helmet. No differences were observed in COMFORT score and noise intensity between ventilator devices. Helmet interface was well tolerated by infants. COMFORT score results are an indicator that infants were comfortable or very comfortable. The measured noise intensity was in the safe range permitted by World Health Organization. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

An ACC Design Method for Achieving Both String Stability and Ride Comfort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamura, Yoshinori; Seto, Yoji; Nishira, Hikaru; Kawabe, Taketoshi

An investigation was made of a method for designing adaptive cruise control (ACC) so as to achieve a headway distance response that feels natural to the driver while at the same time obtaining high levels of both string stability and ride comfort. With this design method, the H∞ norm is adopted as the index of string stability. Additionally, two norms are introduced for evaluating ride comfort and natural vehicle behavior. The relationship between these three norms and headway distance response characteristics was analyzed, and an evaluation method was established for achieving high levels of the various performance characteristics required of ACC. An ACC system designed with this method was evaluated in driving tests conducted on a proving ground course, and the results confirmed that it achieved the targeted levels of string stability, ride comfort and natural vehicle behavior.

Hypersensitivity to sound in tinnitus patients: an analysis of a construct based on questionnaire and audiological data.

PubMed

Bläsing, Lena; Goebel, Gerhard; Flötzinger, Uta; Berthold, Anke; Kröner-Herwig, Birgit

2010-07-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse the Questionnaire on Hypersensitivity to Sound (GUF; Nelting & Finlayson, 2004 ) and to improve its validity based on the analysis of intercorrelations (single item level) with other methods of assessing hyperacusis (uncomfortable loudness level, individual loudness function, self-rated severity of hyperacusis). Subjects consisted of 91 inpatients with tinnitus and hyperacusis. The GUF showed a good reliability (alpha = .92). The factorial structure of the questionnaire reported by Nelting et al (2002) was not completely supported by the evidence in this study. The total score and the single items showed small to moderate correlations with the other modes of measuring hyperacusis. Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity were found, but overall the results corroborate the conceptual heterogeneity of the construct hyperacusis and its dependency on the assessment method. Four items of the GUF with particularly low correlations were excluded from the questionnaire. The revised GUF total score showed slightly but not statistically significant higher convergent and discriminant validity.

Evaluation of an Indoor Sonic Boom Subjective Test Facility at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loubeau, Alexandra; Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob

2011-01-01

A sonic boom simulator at NASA Langley Research Center has been constructed for research on human response to low-amplitude sonic booms heard indoors. Research in this facility will ultimately lead to development of a psychoacoustic model for single indoor booms. The first subjective test was designed to explore indoor human response to variations in sonic boom rise time and amplitude. Another goal was to identify loudness level variability across listener locations within the facility. Finally, the test also served to evaluate the facility as a laboratory research tool for studying indoor human response to sonic booms. Subjects listened to test sounds and were asked to rate their annoyance relative to a reference boom. Measurements of test signals were conducted for objective analysis and correlation with subjective responses. Results confirm the functionality of the facility and effectiveness of the test methods and indicate that loudness level does not fully describe indoor annoyance to the selected sonic boom signals.

Role of community tolerance level (CTL) in predicting the prevalence of the annoyance of road and rail noise.

PubMed

Schomer, Paul; Mestre, Vincent; Fidell, Sanford; Berry, Bernard; Gjestland, Truls; Vallet, Michel; Reid, Timothy

2012-04-01

Fidell et al. [(2011), J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130(2), 791-806] have shown (1) that the rate of growth of annoyance with noise exposure reported in attitudinal surveys of the annoyance of aircraft noise closely resembles the exponential rate of change of loudness with sound level, and (2) that the proportion of a community highly annoyed and the variability in annoyance prevalence rates in communities are well accounted for by a simple model with a single free parameter: a community tolerance level (abbreviated CTL, and represented symbolically in mathematical expressions as L(ct)), expressed in units of DNL. The current study applies the same modeling approach to predicting the prevalence of annoyance of road traffic and rail noise. The prevalence of noise-induced annoyance of all forms of transportation noise is well accounted for by a simple, loudness-like exponential function with community-specific offsets. The model fits all of the road traffic findings well, but the prevalence of annoyance due to rail noise is more accurately predicted separately for interviewing sites with and without high levels of vibration and/or rattle.

Assessment of knowledge of harmful effects and exposure to recreational music in college students of delhi: a cross sectional exploratory study.

PubMed

Gupta, Neelima; Sharma, Arun; Singh, P P; Goyal, Abhishek; Sao, Rahul

2014-09-01

Exposure to loud sounds results in a mild to profound degree of temporary or permanent hearing loss. Though occupational noise exposure remains the most commonly identified cause of noise-induced hearing loss, potentially hazardous noise can be encountered during recreational activities. Unfortunately not much attention is being given to the increasing trend of prolonged exposure to noisy environment, in the younger generation of Indians. The purpose of our study was to know the knowledge of college students about the harmful effects of loud music, prevailing practices with regard to exposure to recreational music and the subjective effects that this exposure is causing if any. Cross Sectional survey of College Students (n = 940), from randomly selected colleges of Delhi University. Majority of students listened to music using music-enabled phones; earphones were preferred and 56.6 % participants listened to music on a loud volume. Effects experienced due to loud sound were headache (58 %), inability to concentrate (48 %), and ringing sensation in the ear (41.8 %). Only 2.7 % respondents used ear protection device in loud volume settings. Twenty-three percent respondents complained of transient decreased hearing and other effects after exposure to loud music. 83.8 % knew that loud sound has harmful effect on hearing but still only 2.7 % used protection device. The survey indicates that we need to generate more such epidemiological data and follow up studies on the high risk group; so as to be able to convincingly sensitize the Indian young generation to take care of their hearing and the policy makers to have more information and education campaigns for this preventable cause of deafness.

Noise alters hair-bundle mechanics at the cochlear apex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strimbu, C. Elliott; Fridberger, Anders

2015-12-01

Exposure to loud sounds can lead to both permanent and short term changes in auditory sensitivity. Permanent hearing loss is often associated with gross changes in cochlear morphology including the loss of hair cells and auditory nerve fibers while the mechanisms of short term threshold shifts are much less well understood and may vary at different locations across the cochlea. Previous reports suggest that exposure to loud sounds leads to a decrease in the cochlear microphonic potential and in the stiffness of the organ of Corti. Because the cochlear microphonic reflects changes in the membrane potential of the hair cells, this suggests that hair-bundle motion should be reversibly altered following exposure to loud sounds. Using an in vitro preparation of the guinea pig temporal bone we investigate changes in the micro-mechanical response near the cochlear apex following a brief (up to 10 - 20 minutes) exposure to loud (˜ 120 dB) tones near the best frequency at this location. We use time-resolved confocal imaging to record the motion of outer hair cell bundles before and after acoustic overstimulation. We have also recorded larger-scale structural views of the organ of Corti before and after exposure to the loud sound. Conventional electrophysiological techniques are used measure the cochlear microphonic potential. As has been previously reported, following acoustic overexposure the cochlear microphonic declines in value and typically recovers on the order of 30 - 60 minutes. Hair-bundle trajectories are affected following the loud sound and typically recover on a somewhat faster time scale than the microphonic potential, although the results vary considerably across preparations. Preliminary results also suggest reversible changes in the hair cell's resting potential following the loud sound.

Behavioural Indices of Central Auditory Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

materials were presented monaurally or binaurally over a headset at a comfortable listening level. All but the Gaps-in-Noise Test were presented twice...Milford, New Hampshire). Stimulus materials were pesented monaurally or binaurally at a comfortable listening level of approximately 50 decibels above

Remnant radio-loud AGN in the Herschel-ATLAS field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahatma, V. H.; Hardcastle, M. J.; Williams, W. L.; Brienza, M.; Brüggen, M.; Croston, J. H.; Gurkan, G.; Harwood, J. J.; Kunert-Bajraszewska, M.; Morganti, R.; Röttgering, H. J. A.; Shimwell, T. W.; Tasse, C.

2018-04-01

Only a small fraction of observed active galactic nuclei (AGN) display large-scale radio emission associated with jets, yet these radio-loud AGN have become increasingly important in models of galaxy evolution. In determining the dynamics and energetics of the radio sources over cosmic time, a key question concerns what happens when their jets switch off. The resulting `remnant' radio-loud AGN have been surprisingly evasive in past radio surveys, and therefore statistical information on the population of radio-loud AGN in their dying phase is limited. In this paper, with the recent developments of Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) and the Very Large Array, we are able to provide a systematically selected sample of remnant radio-loud AGN in the Herschel-ATLAS field. Using a simple core-detection method, we constrain the upper limit on the fraction of remnants in our radio-loud AGN sample to 9 per cent, implying that the extended lobe emission fades rapidly once the core/jets turn off. We also find that our remnant sample has a wide range of spectral indices (-1.5≤slant α ^{1400}_{150}≤slant -0.5), confirming that the lobes of some remnants may possess flat spectra at low frequencies just as active sources do. We suggest that, even with the unprecedented sensitivity of LOFAR, our sample may still only contain the youngest of the remnant population.

Pitch and Loudness from Tinnitus in Individuals with Noise-induced Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

Flores, Leticia Sousa; Teixeira, Adriane Ribeiro; Rosito, Leticia Petersen Schmidt; Seimetz, Bruna Macagnin; Dall'Igna, Celso

2015-01-01

Introduction  Tinnitus is one of the symptoms that affects individuals suffering from noise induced hearing loss. This condition can be disabling, leading the affected individual to turn away from work. Objective  This literature review aims to analyze the possible association between gender and tinnitus pitch and loudness, the degree of hearing loss and the frequencies affected in subjects with noise-induced hearing loss. Methods  This contemporary cohort study was conducted through a cross-sectional analysis. The study sample consisted of adults with unilateral or bilateral tinnitus, who had been diagnosed with noise-induced hearing loss. The patients under analysis underwent an otorhinolaryngological evaluation, pure tone audiometry, and acuphenometry. Results  The study included 33 subjects with noise-induced hearing loss diagnoses, of which 22 (66.7%) were men. Authors observed no statistical difference between gender and loudness/pitch tinnitus and loudness/pitch in subjects with bilateral tinnitus. Authors found an inverse relation between tinnitus loudness with intensity greater hearing threshold and the average of the thresholds and the grade of hearing loss. The tinnitus pitch showed no association with higher frequency of hearing threshold. Conclusion  Data analysis shows that, among the individuals evaluated, the greater the hearing loss, the lower the loudness of tinnitus. We did not observe an association between hearing loss and tinnitus pitch. PMID:27413408

Noise

MedlinePlus

... traffic on a busy street. Listening to loud music, especially on headphones, is a common cause of ... by Keeping the volume down when listening to music Wearing earplugs when using loud equipment NIH: National ...

Improving education for the management of contrast reactions: an online didactic model.

PubMed

Niell, Bethany L; Vartanians, Vartan M; Halpern, Elkan P

2014-02-01

Radiologists could improve their knowledge of contrast reaction management. The aim of this study was to evaluate to what degree the implementation of a didactic module resulted in improved technologist, nurse, and physician knowledge and comfort levels regarding the appropriate management of adverse reactions to contrast media. After institutional review board approval was obtained, nurses, technologists, and physicians involved in contrast administration were required to complete the educational module. Premodule and postmodule assessments were designed online. Each assessment included knowledge-based questions regarding the appropriate management of different types of contrast reactions, as well as questions regarding each respondent's comfort level with the treatment of various types of adverse contrast reactions. Comfort level was measured using a 6-point, Likert-type scale. Premodule and postmodule assessment scores were compared using McNemar's test. After module completion, physicians demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in knowledge regarding the proper administration route, concentration, and dose of intramuscular epinephrine. Physicians demonstrated significantly increased comfort with the administration of intramuscular epinephrine to adult and pediatric patients after module completion (P < .05). Module completion resulted in statistically significant improvements in respondents' comfort levels with the treatment of an adverse reaction to contrast media, although 19% of personnel still reported feeling uncomfortable after completing the module. Didactic instruction in contrast reaction management results in improved knowledge and comfort levels for physicians, nurses, and technologists. However, a significant percentage of personnel still reported feeling uncomfortable treating an adverse contrast reaction after module completion, suggesting that didactic instruction alone may be inadequate. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparison Study on the Assessment of Ride Comfort for LRT Passengers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tengku Munawir, Tengku Imran; Abqari Abu Samah, Ahmad; Afiq Akmal Rosle, Muhammad; Azlis-Sani, Jalil; Hasnan, Khalid; Sabri, S. M.; Ismail, S. M.; Yunos, Muhammad Nur Annuar Mohd; Yen Bin, Teo

2017-08-01

Ride comfort in railway transportation is very mind boggling and it relies on different dynamic performance criteria as well as subjective observation from the train passengers. Vibration discomfort from different elements such as vehicle condition, track area condition and working condition can prompt poor ride comfort. However, there are no universal applicable standards to analyse the ride comfort. There are several factors including local condition, vehicle condition and the track condition. In this current work, level of ride comfort by previous Adtranz-Walker light rapid transit (LRT) passengers at Ampang line were analysed. A comparison was done via two possible methods which are BS EN 12299 (2009) and Sperling’s Ride Index equation. BS EN 12299 standard is used to measure and evaluate the ride comfort of seating (Nvd) and standing (Nva) of train passenger in three different routes. Next, Sperling’s ride comfort equation is used to conduct validation and comparison between the obtained data. The result indicates a higher extent of vibration in the vertical axis which impacts the overall result. The standing position demonstrates a higher exposure of vibration in all the three tested routes. Comparison of the ride comfort assessment of passenger in sitting and standing position for both methods indicates that all the track sections exceeds “pronounced but not unpleasant (medium)” limit range. Nevertheless, the seating position at track section AU did not exceed the limit and stayed at the comfortable zone. The highest discomfort level achieved for both methods for seating position are 3.34 m/s2 for Nva and 2.63 m/s2 respectively, which is at route C uptrack that is from Chan Sow Lin station to Sri Petaling station. Meanwhile, the highest discomfort level achieved for both methods for standing are 3.80 m/s2 for Nvd and 2.88 m/s2 for Wz respectively, at uptrack section which is from Sri Petaling station to Chan Sow Lin station. Thus, the highest discomfort level was discovered to be at Route C.

The effect of auditory memory load on intensity resolution in individuals with Parkinson's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Kelly C.

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of auditory memory load on intensity resolution in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) as compared to two groups of listeners without PD. Methods: Nineteen individuals with Parkinson's disease, ten healthy age- and hearing-matched adults, and ten healthy young adults were studied. All listeners participated in two intensity discrimination tasks differing in auditory memory load; a lower memory load, 4IAX task and a higher memory load, ABX task. Intensity discrimination performance was assessed using a bias-free measurement of signal detectability known as d' (d-prime). Listeners further participated in a continuous loudness scaling task where they were instructed to rate the loudness level of each signal intensity using a computerized 150mm visual analogue scale. Results: Group discrimination functions indicated significantly lower intensity discrimination sensitivity (d') across tasks for the individuals with PD, as compared to the older and younger controls. No significant effect of aging on intensity discrimination was observed for either task. All three listeners groups demonstrated significantly lower intensity discrimination sensitivity for the higher auditory memory load, ABX task, compared to the lower auditory memory load, 4IAX task. Furthermore, a significant effect of aging was identified for the loudness scaling condition. The younger controls were found to rate most stimuli along the continuum as significantly louder than the older controls and the individuals with PD. Conclusions: The persons with PD showed evidence of impaired auditory perception for intensity information, as compared to the older and younger controls. The significant effect of aging on loudness perception may indicate peripheral and/or central auditory involvement.

Your Ears

MedlinePlus

... Protect your hearing by wearing earplugs at loud music concerts and around noisy machinery, like in wood ... More on this topic for: Kids Can Loud Music Hurt My Ears? What Is an Ear Infection? ...

Loudness enhancement: Monaural, binaural and dichotic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmasian, R. O.; Galambos, R.

1975-01-01

It is shown that when one tone burst precedes another by 100 msec variations in the intensity of the first systematically influences the loudness of second. When the first burst is more intense than the second, the second is increased and when the first burst is less intense, the loudness of the second is decreased. This occurs in monaural, binaural and dichotic paradigms of signal presentation. Where both bursts are presented to the same ear there is more enhancement with less intersubject variability than when they are presented to different ears. Monaural enhancements as large as 30 db can readily be demonstrated, but decrements rarely exceed 5 db. Possible physiological mechanisms are discussed for this loudness enhancement, which apparently shares certain characteristics with time-order-error, assimilation, and temporal partial masking experiments.

Evaluation and optimization of footwear comfort parameters using finite element analysis and a discrete optimization algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papagiannis, P.; Azariadis, P.; Papanikos, P.

2017-10-01

Footwear is subject to bending and torsion deformations that affect comfort perception. Following review of Finite Element Analysis studies of sole rigidity and comfort, a three-dimensional, linear multi-material finite element sole model for quasi-static bending and torsion simulation, overcoming boundary and optimisation limitations, is described. Common footwear materials properties and boundary conditions from gait biomechanics are used. The use of normalised strain energy for product benchmarking is demonstrated along with comfort level determination through strain energy density stratification. Sensitivity of strain energy against material thickness is greater for bending than for torsion, with results of both deformations showing positive correlation. Optimization for a targeted performance level and given layer thickness is demonstrated with bending simulations sufficing for overall comfort assessment. An algorithm for comfort optimization w.r.t. bending is presented, based on a discrete approach with thickness values set in line with practical manufacturing accuracy. This work illustrates the potential of the developed finite element analysis applications to offer viable and proven aids to modern footwear sole design assessment and optimization.

Fer Cryin' Out Loud--There is a Sex Difference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombardo, William K.; And Others

1983-01-01

A study found sex differences in: (1) frequency and intensity of crying, (2) likelihood of crying independent of the presence of others, (3) likelihood of crying independent of the level of intimacy of observers or type of crying stimulus, and (4) in postcrying affect. (CMG)

Loudness enhancement following contralateral stimulation.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galambos, R.; Bauer, J.; Picton, T.; Squires, K.; Squires , N.

1972-01-01

The apparent loudness of a tone pip can be increased by 15 dB or more if it is preceded by a tone burst to the contralateral ear. The experiment is done by delaying the pip, S1, by a variable time, Delta-T, after the offset of a contralateral tone; the listener assesses the loudness of S1 by adjusting the intensity of a second tone pip, S2, that follows S1 by 1500 msec. Some parametric explorations of the phenomenon are reported here.

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of school classrooms: Case study in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samad, Muna Hanim Abdul; Aziz, Zalena Abdul; Isa, Mohd Hafizal Mohd

2017-10-01

Thermal Comfort is one of the key criteria for occupants' comfort and productivity in a building. In schools, it is vital for a conduciveness for teaching and learning environment. Thermal comfort is dependent on air temperature, humidity, radiation, internal lighting, air movement, activities, clothing and climatic change and is part of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) components which have has significant effects on occupants. The main concern over energy and running cost has meant that most public schools in Malaysia are designed for natural ventilation and not air-conditioning. The building envelope plays a significant role in reducing the radiant heat and keeps the interior cooler than the outdoor temperature for acceptable thermal comfort level. The requirement of Industrial Building System (IBS) as the envelope system for school building in Malaysia could affect the role of envelope as a climate moderator. This paper is based on a research conducted on two schools in Malaysia of varied construction materials as the building envelopes to ascertain the thermal comfort level of the classrooms. Elements of IEQ such as air temperature, air movement, daylighting and noise level were taken of various classrooms to fulfill the required objectives of determining the level of quality. The data collected and analysed from the study shows that in terms of air temperature which range from 28°C to 34.5°C, the schools do not achieve the recommended comfort level for tropical climate. As for daylighting element, results also show that some classrooms suffered with too much glare whilst others had insufficient daylighting. The findings also show the unsatisfactory level of air movement in the classrooms as well as an unacceptable noise level exceeding the allowable threshold. This research also concluded that the use of materials and orientation in the school design are the major determinant factors towards good IEQ levels in school buildings.

Social Representation of "Loud Music" in Young Adults: A Cross-Cultural Study.

PubMed

Manchaiah, Vinaya; Zhao, Fei; Widen, Stephen; Auzenne, Jasmin; Beukes, Eldré W; Ahmadi, Tayebeh; Tomé, David; Mahadeva, Deepthi; Krishna, Rajalakshmi; Germundsson, Per

2017-06-01

Exposure to recreational noise, particularly music exposure, is considered one of the biggest public health hazards of our time. Some important influencing factors such as socioeconomic status, educational background, and cross-cultural perspectives have previously been found to be associated with attitudes toward loud music and the use of hearing protection. Although culture seems to play an important role, there is relatively little known about how it influences perceptions regarding loud music exposure in young adults. The present study was aimed to explore cross-cultural perceptions of and reactions to loud music in young adults (18-25 yr) using the theory of social representations. The study used a cross-sectional survey design. The study sample included young adults (n = 534) from five different countries (India, Iran, Portugal, the United States, and the United Kingdom) who were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a content analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and also χ² analysis. Fairly equal numbers of positive and negative connotations (∼40%) were noted in all countries. However, the χ² analysis showed significant differences between the countries (most positive connotations were found in India and Iran, whereas the most negative connotations were found in the United Kingdom and Portugal) regarding the informants' perception of loud music. The co-occurrence analysis results generally indicate that the category "negative emotions and actions" occurred most frequently, immediately followed by the category "positive emotions and actions." The other most frequently occurring categories included "acoustics," "physical aliment," "location," and "ear and hearing problems." These six categories formed the central nodes of the social representation of loud music exposure in the global index. Although some similarities and differences were noted among the social representations toward loud music among countries, it is noteworthy that more similarities than differences were noted among countries. The study results suggest that "loud music" is perceived to have both positive and negative aspects within society and culture. We suggest that the health promotion strategies should focus on changing societal norms and regulations to be more effective in decreasing the noise- and/or music-induced auditory symptoms among young adults. American Academy of Audiology

Physiological Acceptance Criteria for Cold Weather Clothing

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-01

subjective feelings of thermal comfort and temperature sensation were examined. Under many conditions that Navy cold weather clothing items are worn, it...is not practical to expect that the optimal level of thermal comfort can be obtained. Allowing for a moderate level of cold sensation and thermal

Robust recognition of loud and Lombard speech in the fighter cockpit environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanton, Bill J., Jr.

1988-08-01

There are a number of challenges associated with incorporating speech recognition technology into the fighter cockpit. One of the major problems is the wide range of variability in the pilot's voice. That can result from changing levels of stress and workload. Increasing the training set to include abnormal speech is not an attractive option because of the innumerable conditions that would have to be represented and the inordinate amount of time to collect such a training set. A more promising approach is to study subsets of abnormal speech that have been produced under controlled cockpit conditions with the purpose of characterizing reliable shifts that occur relative to normal speech. Such was the initiative of this research. Analyses were conducted for 18 features on 17671 phoneme tokens across eight speakers for normal, loud, and Lombard speech. It was discovered that there was a consistent migration of energy in the sonorants. This discovery of reliable energy shifts led to the development of a method to reduce or eliminate these shifts in the Euclidean distances between LPC log magnitude spectra. This combination significantly improved recognition performance of loud and Lombard speech. Discrepancies in recognition error rates between normal and abnormal speech were reduced by approximately 50 percent for all eight speakers combined.

Evaluating signal-to-noise ratios, loudness, and related measures as indicators of airborne sound insulation.

PubMed

Park, H K; Bradley, J S

2009-09-01

Subjective ratings of the audibility, annoyance, and loudness of music and speech sounds transmitted through 20 different simulated walls were used to identify better single number ratings of airborne sound insulation. The first part of this research considered standard measures such as the sound transmission class the weighted sound reduction index (R(w)) and variations of these measures [H. K. Park and J. S. Bradley, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 208-219 (2009)]. This paper considers a number of other measures including signal-to-noise ratios related to the intelligibility of speech and measures related to the loudness of sounds. An exploration of the importance of the included frequencies showed that the optimum ranges of included frequencies were different for speech and music sounds. Measures related to speech intelligibility were useful indicators of responses to speech sounds but were not as successful for music sounds. A-weighted level differences, signal-to-noise ratios and an A-weighted sound transmission loss measure were good predictors of responses when the included frequencies were optimized for each type of sound. The addition of new spectrum adaptation terms to R(w) values were found to be the most practical approach for achieving more accurate predictions of subjective ratings of transmitted speech and music sounds.

A feasibility study of predictable and unpredictable surf-like sounds for tinnitus therapy using personal music players.

PubMed

Durai, Mithila; Kobayashi, Kei; Searchfield, Grant D

2018-05-28

To evaluate the feasibility of predictable or unpredictable amplitude-modulated sounds for tinnitus therapy. The study consisted of two parts. (1) An adaptation experiment. Loudness level matches and rating scales (10-point) for loudness and distress were obtained at a silent baseline and at the end of three counterbalanced 30-min exposures (silence, predictable and unpredictable). (2) A qualitative 2-week sound therapy feasibility trial. Participants took home a personal music player (PMP). Part 1: 23 individuals with chronic tinnitus and part 2: seven individuals randomly selected from Part 1. Self-reported tinnitus loudness and annoyance were significantly lower than baseline ratings after acute unpredictable sound exposure. Tinnitus annoyance ratings were also significantly lower than the baseline but the effect was small. The feasibility trial identified that participant preferences for sounds varied. Three participants did not obtain any benefit from either sound. Three participants preferred unpredictable compared to predictable sounds. Some participants had difficulty using the PMP, the average self-report hours of use were low (less <1 h/day). Unpredictable surf-like sounds played using a PMP is a feasible tinnitus treatment. Further work is required to improve the acceptance of the sound and ease of PMP use.

The Far-Infrared Emission of Radio Loud and Radio Quiet Quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polletta, M.; Courvoisier, T. J.-L.; Wilkes, B. J.; Hooper, E. J.

2000-01-01

Continuum observations at radio, millimeter, infrared and soft X-ray energies are presented for a sample of 22 quasars, consisting of flat and steep spectrum radio loud, radio intermediate and radio quiet objects. The primary observational distinctions, among the different kinds of quasars in the radio and IR energy domains are studied using large observational datasets provided by ISOPHOT on board the Infrared Space Observatory, by the IRAM interferometer, by the sub-millimetre array SCUBA on JCMT, and by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) facilities IRAC1 on the 2.2 m telescope and SEST. The spectral energy distributions of all quasars from radio to IR energies are analyzed and modeled with non-thermal and thermal spectral components. The dominant mechanism emitting in the far/mid-IR is thermal dust emission in all quasars, with the exception of flat spectrum radio loud quasars for which the presence of thermal IR emission remains rather uncertain, since it is difficult to separate it from the bright non-thermal component. The dust is predominantly heated by the optical/ultraviolet radiation emitted from the external components of the AGN. A starburst contributes to the IR emission at different levels, but always less than the AGN (<= 27%). The distribution of temperatures, sizes, masses, and luminosities of the emitting dust are independent of the quasar type.

Investigation of standard care versus sham Reiki placebo versus actual Reiki therapy to enhance comfort and well-being in a chemotherapy infusion center.

PubMed

Catlin, Anita; Taylor-Ford, Rebecca L

2011-05-01

To determine whether provision of Reiki therapy during outpatient chemotherapy is associated with increased comfort and well-being. Double-blind, randomized clinical controlled trial. Outpatient chemotherapy center. 189 participants were randomized to actual Reiki, sham Reiki placebo, or standard care. Patients receiving chemotherapy were randomly placed into one of three groups. Patients received either standard care, a placebo, or an actual Reiki therapy treatment. A demographic tool and pre- and post-tests were given before and after chemotherapy infusion. Reiki therapy, sham Reiki placebo therapy, standard care, and self-reported levels of comfort and well-being pre- and postintervention. Although Reiki therapy was statistically significant in raising the comfort and well-being of patients post-therapy, the sham Reiki placebo also was statistically significant. Patients in the standard care group did not experience changes in comfort and well-being during their infusion session. The findings indicate that the presence of an RN providing one-on-one support during chemotherapy was influential in raising comfort and well-being levels, with or without an attempted healing energy field. An attempt by clinic nurses to provide more designated one-to-one presence and support for patients while receiving their chemotherapy infusions could increase patient comfort and well-being.

Thermal Comfort Assessment in The Open Space in Bandung Case Study Dago Street and Riau Street

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugangga, M.; Janesonia, K. I.; Illiyin, D. F.; Donny Koerniawan, M.

2018-05-01

Bandung’s temperature has been higher since last years. This phenomenon affects the level of thermal comfort in open space. One indicator that determines the thermal comfort level is the type of activity performed by the open space user. Riau Street and Dago Street are corridors that are often used by the people for strolling, jogging, shopping. Dago Street has special event every Sunday namely car free day. Both corridors have different orientation; Dago Street is North to South corridor while Riau Street’s is West to East. The goal of the study is to compare people’s perception of thermal comfort in both corridors. This research uses two methods, namely qualitative method and quantitative method. Based on the results of qualitative analysis found that the thermal conditions in Dago Street more comfortable than the Riau Street. The result of quantitative analysis found that the average PET (thermal comfort indices) value of Dago Street was at 27.5 °C PET and Riau Street 28.6 °C PET. Dago Street is considered more convenient because it has a lower PET value than Riau Street. The people perception of thermal comfort is very important to start the steps for designing the orientation of street in urban design.

How Loud Is Too Loud?

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How Loud Is Too Loud?

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... turn Javascript on. Protect Your Hearing Know which noises can cause damage. Wear earplugs when you are ... to 12 about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. 110 Decibels Regular exposure of ...

Effects of programming threshold and maplaw settings on acoustic thresholds and speech discrimination with the MED-EL COMBI 40+ cochlear implant.

PubMed

Boyd, Paul J

2006-12-01

The principal task in the programming of a cochlear implant (CI) speech processor is the setting of the electrical dynamic range (output) for each electrode, to ensure that a comfortable loudness percept is obtained for a range of input levels. This typically involves separate psychophysical measurement of electrical threshold ([theta] e) and upper tolerance levels using short current bursts generated by the fitting software. Anecdotal clinical experience and some experimental studies suggest that the measurement of [theta]e is relatively unimportant and that the setting of upper tolerance limits is more critical for processor programming. The present study aims to test this hypothesis and examines in detail how acoustic thresholds and speech recognition are affected by setting of the lower limit of the output ("Programming threshold" or "PT") to understand better the influence of this parameter and how it interacts with certain other programming parameters. Test programs (maps) were generated with PT set to artificially high and low values and tested on users of the MED-EL COMBI 40+ CI system. Acoustic thresholds and speech recognition scores (sentence tests) were measured for each of the test maps. Acoustic thresholds were also measured using maps with a range of output compression functions ("maplaws"). In addition, subjective reports were recorded regarding the presence of "background threshold stimulation" which is occasionally reported by CI users if PT is set to relatively high values when using the CIS strategy. Manipulation of PT was found to have very little effect. Setting PT to minimum produced a mean 5 dB (S.D. = 6.25) increase in acoustic thresholds, relative to thresholds with PT set normally, and had no statistically significant effect on speech recognition scores on a sentence test. On the other hand, maplaw setting was found to have a significant effect on acoustic thresholds (raised as maplaw is made more linear), which provides some theoretical explanation as to why PT has little effect when using the default maplaw of c = 500. Subjective reports of background threshold stimulation showed that most users could perceive a relatively loud auditory percept, in the absence of microphone input, when PT was set to double the behaviorally measured electrical thresholds ([theta]e), but that this produced little intrusion when microphone input was present. The results of these investigations have direct clinical relevance, showing that setting of PT is indeed relatively unimportant in terms of speech discrimination, but that it is worth ensuring that PT is not set excessively high, as this can produce distracting background stimulation. Indeed, it may even be set to minimum values without deleterious effect.

The entry-level physical therapist: a case for COMFORT communication training.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Joy; Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine; Frisby, Brandi N; Platt, Christine Small

2015-01-01

Entry-level physical therapists provide clinical care for patients with functional mobility limitations. Their care spans the continuum of settings, disease processes, and diagnoses. Although effective communication skills are required to conduct physical therapy work, there is limited instruction provided in physical therapy education and students receive little exposure to seriously or chronically ill patients. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of communication training for the entry-level physical therapist facing palliative and end-of-life communication with patients/families. A pre-post survey design and narrative writing were used to assess the effect of the COMFORT communication training curriculum provided to doctorally trained, graduating physical therapists. The study demonstrated decreased student apprehension about communicating with dying patients and their families, and a comparison of mean scores reflecting the students' communication knowledge, confidence, and behaviors increased in a positive direction. As students became more willing to communicate, they were also more adept at integrating task and relational messages, as well as assimilating emotional support messages for patients and families. This study shows promise for the feasibility and utilization of the COMFORT curriculum for entry-level physical therapists. Further research should address the integration of COMFORT earlier into physical therapy education, as well as assess evidence of COMFORT communication skills in the clinical context.

Acoustic Trauma - Hearing Loss in Teenagers

MedlinePlus

... caused by exposure to loud noises, such as music played through headphones. The authors of another study ... going on around them while listening to the music, according to the AAP. See Music: How Loud ...

Documenting laryngeal change following prolonged loud reading. A videostroboscopic study.

PubMed

Gelfer, M P; Andrews, M L; Schmidt, C P

1996-12-01

This study investigated the effects of prolonged loud reading on trained and untrained subjects. Subjects were eight young women singers, and eight young women with limited musical experience. Each subject underwent videostroboscopic examination prior to and following 1 h of prolonged loud reading. The pretest and posttest videotaped samples were randomized and presented to three experienced judges, who evaluated various aspects of laryngeal appearance and vibratory characteristics. Analyses of group data revealed that untrained subjects showed a small but significant increase in amplitude of vocal fold excursion following the experimental task. No significant differences were noted in the trained singer group. When individual variation was analyzed, it was found that most subjects did not show many changes from pretest to posttest. It was concluded that a l-h loud-reading task was not sufficient to induce notable laryngeal alterations.

Sonic Boom Mitigation Through Aircraft Design and Adjoint Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rallabhandi, Siriam K.; Diskin, Boris; Nielsen, Eric J.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a novel approach to design of the supersonic aircraft outer mold line (OML) by optimizing the A-weighted loudness of sonic boom signature predicted on the ground. The optimization process uses the sensitivity information obtained by coupling the discrete adjoint formulations for the augmented Burgers Equation and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) equations. This coupled formulation links the loudness of the ground boom signature to the aircraft geometry thus allowing efficient shape optimization for the purpose of minimizing the impact of loudness. The accuracy of the adjoint-based sensitivities is verified against sensitivities obtained using an independent complex-variable approach. The adjoint based optimization methodology is applied to a configuration previously optimized using alternative state of the art optimization methods and produces additional loudness reduction. The results of the optimizations are reported and discussed.

Passenger comfort response times as a function of aircraft motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinalducci, E. J.

1975-01-01

The relationship between a passenger's response time of changes in level of comfort experienced as a function of aircraft motion was examined. The aircraft used in this investigation was capable of providing a wide range of vertical and transverse accelerations by means of direct lift flap control surfaces and side force generator surfaces in addition to normal control surfaces. Response times to changes in comfort were recorded along with the passenger's rating of comfort on a five point scale. In addition, a number of aircraft motion variables including vertical and transverse accelerations were also recorded. Results indicate some relationship between human comfort response times to reaction time data.

The Radio-Loud Narrow-Line Quasar SDSS J172206.03+565451.6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komossa, Stefanie; Voges, Wolfgang; Adorf, Hans-Martin; Xu, Dawei; Mathur, Smita; Anderson, Scott F.

2006-03-01

We report identification of the radio-loud narrow-line quasar SDSS J172206.03+565451.6, which we found in the course of a search for radio-loud narrow-line active galactic nuclei (AGNs). SDSS J172206.03+565451.6 is only about the fourth securely identified radio-loud narrow-line quasar and the second-most radio loud, with a radio index R1.4~100-700. Its black hole mass, MBH~=(2-3)×107 Msolar estimated from Hβ line width and 5100 Å luminosity, is unusually small given its radio loudness, and the combination of mass and radio index puts SDSS J172206.03+565451.6 in a scarcely populated region of MBH-R diagrams. SDSS J172206.03+565451.6 is a classical narrow-line Seyfert 1-type object with FWHMHβ~=1490 km s-1, an intensity ratio of [O III]/Hβ~=0.7, and Fe II emission complexes with Fe II λ4570/Hβ~=0.7. The ionization parameter of its narrow-line region, estimated from the line ratio [O II]/[O III], is similar to Seyferts, and its high ratio of [Ne V]/[Ne III] indicates a strong EUV-to-soft X-ray excess. We advertise the combined usage of [O II]/[O III] and [Ne V]/[Ne III] diagrams as a useful diagnostic tool to estimate ionization parameters and to constrain the EUV-soft X-ray continuum shape relatively independently from other parameters.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Comfort Levels in English Language Learner Service Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimble, Carlotta

2013-01-01

This study examined speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) comfort levels in providing service delivery to English language learners (ELLs) and limited English proficient (LEP) students. Participants included 192 SLPs from the United States and Guam. Participants completed a brief, six-item questionnaire that investigated their perceptions regarding…

Medical students' comfort with pregnant women with substance-use disorders: a randomized educational study.

PubMed

Albright, Brittany; Skipper, Betty; Riley, Shawne; Wilhelm, Peggy; Rayburn, William F

2012-11-01

The study objective was to determine whether medical students' attendance at a rehabilitation residence for pregnant women with substance-use disorders yielded changes in their attitudes and comfort levels in providing care to this population. This randomized educational trial involved 96 consecutive medical students during their obstetrics and gynecology clerkship. In addition to attending a half-day prenatal clinic designed for women with substance-use disorders, every student was randomly assigned either to attend (Study group) or not to attend (Control group) a rehabilitation residence for pregnant women with substance-use disorders. The primary objective was to measure differences in responses to a confidential 12-question survey addressing comfort levels and attitudes, at the beginning and end of the clerkship. Survey responses revealed improvements in students' comfort levels and attitudes toward pregnant women with substance-use disorders by attending the clinic alone or the clinic and residence. Those who attended the residence reported becoming more comfortable in talking with patients about adverse effects from substance abuse, more understanding of "street" terms, and stronger belief that patients will disclose their substance use to providers. Residents expressed more openly their hardships and barriers while trying to set therapeutic goals. Medical students became more comfortable and insightful about pregnant women with substance-use disorders after attending a rehabilitation residence in addition to a prenatal clinic dedicated to this population.

Using a pocket card to improve end-of-life care on internal medicine clinical teaching units: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mikhael, Joseph; Baker, Lindsay; Downar, James

2008-08-01

End-of-life care is suboptimally taught in undergraduate and postgraduate education in Canada. Previous interventions to improve residents' knowledge and comfort have involved lengthy comprehensive educational modules or dedicated palliative care rotations. To determine the effectiveness of a cheap, portable, and easily implemented pocket reference for improving residents' knowledge and comfort level in dealing with pain and symptom management on the medical ward. Cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted from August 2005 to June 2006. Medical clinical teaching units (CTUs) in 3 academic hospitals in Toronto, Canada. All residents rotating through the medical CTUs who consented to participate in the study. Residents at 1 hospital received a pocket reference including information about pain and symptom control, as well as 1-2 didactic end-of-life teaching sessions per month normally given as part of the rotation. Residents at the other 2 hospitals received only the didactic sessions. A 10-question survey assessing knowledge and comfort level providing end-of-life care to medical inpatients, as well as focus group interviews. One hundred thirty-six residents participated on 3 CTUs for a participation rate of approximately 75%. Comfort levels improved in both control (p < .01) and intervention groups (p < .01), but the increase in comfort level was significantly higher in the intervention group (z = 2.57, p < .01). Knowledge was not significantly improved in the control group (p = .06), but was significantly improved in the intervention group (p = .01). Greater than 90% of residents in the intervention group used the card at least once per week, and feedback from the focus groups was very positive. Our pocket card is a feasible, economical, and educational intervention that improves resident comfort level and knowledge in delivering end-of-life care on CTUs.

An analysis of influential factors on outdoor thermal comfort in summer.

PubMed

Yin, JiFu; Zheng, YouFei; Wu, RongJun; Tan, JianGuo; Ye, DianXiu; Wang, Wei

2012-09-01

A variety of research has linked high temperature to outdoor thermal comfort in summer, but it remains unclear how outdoor meteorological environments influence people's thermal sensation in subtropical monsoon climate areas, especially in China. In order to explain the process, and to better understand the related influential factors, we conducted an extensive survey of thermally comfortable conditions in open outdoor spaces. The goal of this study was to gain an insight into the subjects' perspectives on weather variables and comfort levels, and determine the factors responsible for the varying human thermal comfort response in summer. These perceptions were then compared to actual ambient conditions. The database consists of surveys rated by 205 students trained from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm outdoors from 21 to 25 August 2009, at Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing, China. The multiple regression approach and simple factor analysis of variance were used to investigate the relationships between thermal comfort and meteorological environment, taking into consideration individual mood, gender, level of regular exercise, and previous environmental experiences. It was found that males and females have similar perceptions of maximum temperature; in the most comfortable environment, mood appears to have a significant influence on thermal comfort, but the influence of mood diminishes as the meteorological environment becomes increasingly uncomfortable. In addition, the study confirms the strong relationship between thermal comfort and microclimatic conditions, including solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, maximum temperature, wind speed and relative humidity, ranked by importance. There are also strong effects of illness, clothing and exercise, all of which influence thermal comfort. We also find that their former place of residence influences people's thermal comfort substantially by setting expectations. Finally, some relationships between thermal perception and amount of exercise, thermal experience, mood, clothing, illness and microclimate, etc., are established. Our findings also shed light on how to resist or adapt to outdoor hyperthermic conditions during summer in subtropical monsoon climate areas.

An analysis of influential factors on outdoor thermal comfort in summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, JiFu; Zheng, YouFei; Wu, RongJun; Tan, JianGuo; Ye, DianXiu; Wang, Wei

2012-09-01

A variety of research has linked high temperature to outdoor thermal comfort in summer, but it remains unclear how outdoor meteorological environments influence people's thermal sensation in subtropical monsoon climate areas, especially in China. In order to explain the process, and to better understand the related influential factors, we conducted an extensive survey of thermally comfortable conditions in open outdoor spaces. The goal of this study was to gain an insight into the subjects' perspectives on weather variables and comfort levels, and determine the factors responsible for the varying human thermal comfort response in summer. These perceptions were then compared to actual ambient conditions. The database consists of surveys rated by 205 students trained from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm outdoors from 21 to 25 August 2009, at Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing, China. The multiple regression approach and simple factor analysis of variance were used to investigate the relationships between thermal comfort and meteorological environment, taking into consideration individual mood, gender, level of regular exercise, and previous environmental experiences. It was found that males and females have similar perceptions of maximum temperature; in the most comfortable environment, mood appears to have a significant influence on thermal comfort, but the influence of mood diminishes as the meteorological environment becomes increasingly uncomfortable. In addition, the study confirms the strong relationship between thermal comfort and microclimatic conditions, including solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, maximum temperature, wind speed and relative humidity, ranked by importance. There are also strong effects of illness, clothing and exercise, all of which influence thermal comfort. We also find that their former place of residence influences people's thermal comfort substantially by setting expectations. Finally, some relationships between thermal perception and amount of exercise, thermal experience, mood, clothing, illness and microclimate, etc., are established. Our findings also shed light on how to resist or adapt to outdoor hyperthermic conditions during summer in subtropical monsoon climate areas.

Forward Masking in Cochlear Implant Users: Electrophysiological and Psychophysical Data Using Pulse Train Maskers.

PubMed

Adel, Youssef; Hilkhuysen, Gaston; Noreña, Arnaud; Cazals, Yves; Roman, Stéphane; Macherey, Olivier

2017-06-01

Electrical stimulation of auditory nerve fibers using cochlear implants (CI) shows psychophysical forward masking (pFM) up to several hundreds of milliseconds. By contrast, recovery of electrically evoked compound action potentials (eCAPs) from forward masking (eFM) was shown to be more rapid, with time constants no greater than a few milliseconds. These discrepancies suggested two main contributors to pFM: a rapid-recovery process due to refractory properties of the auditory nerve and a slow-recovery process arising from more central structures. In the present study, we investigate whether the use of different maskers between eCAP and psychophysical measures, specifically single-pulse versus pulse train maskers, may have been a source of confound.In experiment 1, we measured eFM using the following: a single-pulse masker, a 300-ms low-rate pulse train masker (LTM, 250 pps), and a 300-ms high-rate pulse train masker (HTM, 5000 pps). The maskers were presented either at same physical current (Φ) or at same perceptual (Ψ) level corresponding to comfortable loudness. Responses to a single-pulse probe were measured for masker-probe intervals ranging from 1 to 512 ms. Recovery from masking was much slower for pulse trains than for the single-pulse masker. When presented at Φ level, HTM produced more and longer-lasting masking than LTM. However, results were inconsistent when LTM and HTM were compared at Ψ level. In experiment 2, masked detection thresholds of single-pulse probes were measured using the same pulse train masker conditions. In line with our eFM findings, masked thresholds for HTM were higher than those for LTM at Φ level. However, the opposite result was found when the pulse trains were presented at Ψ level.Our results confirm the presence of slow-recovery phenomena at the level of the auditory nerve in CI users, as previously shown in animal studies. Inconsistencies between eFM and pFM results, despite using the same masking conditions, further underline the importance of comparing electrophysiological and psychophysical measures with identical stimulation paradigms.

Habituation analysis of chirp vs. tone evoked auditory late responses.

PubMed

Kern, Kevin; Royter, Vladislav; Corona-Strauss, Farah I; Mariam, Mai; Strauss, Daniel J

2010-01-01

We have recently shown that tone evoked auditory late responses are able to proof that habituation is occurring [1], [2]. The sweep to sweep analysis using time scale coherence method from [1] is used. Where clear results using tone evoked ALRs were obtained. Now it is of interest how does the results behave using chirp evoked ALRs compared to tone evoked ALRs so that basilar membrane dispersion is compensated. We presented three different tone bursts and three different band limited chirps to 10 subjects using two different loudness levels which the subjects determined themselves before as medium and uncomfortably loud. The 3 chirps are band limited within 3 different ranges, the chirp with the lowest center frequency has the smallest range (according to octave-band). Chirps and tone bursts are using the same center frequencies.

Stellar Dynamics and Star Formation Histories of z ∼ 1 Radio-loud Galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barišić, Ivana; Van der Wel, Arjen; Chauké, Priscilla

We investigate the stellar kinematics and stellar populations of 58 radio-loud galaxies of intermediate luminosities ( L {sub 3} {sub GHz} > 10{sup 23} W Hz{sup −1}) at 0.6 < z < 1. This sample is constructed by cross-matching galaxies from the deep VLT/VIMOS LEGA-C spectroscopic survey with the VLA 3 GHz data set. The LEGA-C continuum spectra reveal for the first time stellar velocity dispersions and age indicators of z ∼ 1 radio galaxies. We find that z ∼ 1 radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN) occur exclusively in predominantly old galaxies with high velocity dispersions: σ {sub *} >more » 175 km s{sup −1}, corresponding to black hole masses in excess of 10{sup 8} M {sub ⊙}. Furthermore, we confirm that at a fixed stellar mass the fraction of radio-loud AGN at z ∼ 1 is five to 10 times higher than in the local universe, suggesting that quiescent, massive galaxies at z ∼ 1 switch on as radio AGN on average once every Gyr. Our results strengthen the existing evidence for a link between high black hole masses, radio loudness, and quiescence at z ∼ 1.« less

Comfort and quality of life in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

PubMed

Pehlivan, Seda; Kuzhan, Abdurrahman; Yildirim, Yasemin; Fadiloglu, Cicek

2016-01-01

Radiation therapy is generally applied after surgery for the treatment of breast cancer, which is among the most frequently observed types of cancer in females. Radiation therapy may have some negative effects on the quality of life due to various side effects such as changes in the skin, mucositis and fatigue. Our study was planned as a descriptive study, in order to examine the relationship between comfort and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. This study involved 61 patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Data were collected using "Patient Information Form", "Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire" and "EORTC QLQ-BR23". The scales were applied twice, before the start and at the end of treatment. Data were evaluated via Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation analyses. No statistically significant difference was determined between comfort and quality of life average score before and after radiotherapy (p>0.05). A positive relationship was determined between the pain and symptom quality of life (p<0.05). Although a positive relationship was determined between comfort score and the functional and general quality of life areas, a negative relationship was detected with the symptom quality of life (p<0.01). Radiation therapy applied to breast cancer patients did not affect comfort and quality of life, On the contrary, the quality of life of patients increased along with their comfort levels and that comfort levels decreased as the experienced symptoms increased.

Predicting passenger seat comfort and discomfort on the basis of human, context and seat characteristics: a literature review.

PubMed

Hiemstra-van Mastrigt, Suzanne; Groenesteijn, Liesbeth; Vink, Peter; Kuijt-Evers, Lottie F M

2017-07-01

This literature review focused on passenger seat comfort and discomfort in a human-product-context interaction. The relationships between anthropometric variables (human level), activities (context level), seat characteristics (product level) and the perception of comfort and discomfort were studied through mediating variables, such as body posture, movement and interface pressure. It is concluded that there are correlations between anthropometric variables and interface pressure variables, and that this relationship is affected by body posture. The results of studies on the correlation between pressure variables and passenger comfort and discomfort are not in line with each other. Only associations were found between the other variables (e.g. activities and seat characteristics). A conceptual model illustrates the results of the review, but relationships could not be quantified due to a lack of statistical evidence and large differences in research set-ups between the reviewed papers. Practitioner Summary: This literature review set out to quantify the relationships between human, context and seat characteristics, and comfort and discomfort experience of passenger seats, in order to build a predictive model that can support seat designers and purchasers to make informed decisions. However, statistical evidence is lacking from existing literature.

The spatial comfort study of shophouse at Kampung Madras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginting, Y. U. U.; Ginting, N.; Zahrah, W.

2018-03-01

This Research comes from the increasing quantity of shophouse in downtown Medan and the suburban area. The condition of shophouse tend to have narrowly spaced rooms, the middle area of the house are poorly lighted, and lots of space left unused. This research is supported by many spatial issues from previous studies. This study is conducted to determine the level of comfort of shophouse as a function of living space and focused on the spatial aspect namely anthropometry, indoor space circulation, space requirement and function, spatial design and indoor visual. This study uses the descriptive method with the qualitative and quantitative approach. Data collection technique is done by field observation, questionnaire method is also used to get the respondent perception of the spatial comfort of a shophouse. The result indicates that the level of spatial comfort of the shophouse is an uncomfort. So the improvements in the circulation of access to the building, spatial design, lighting, and aeration are needed to improve the spatial comfort of a shophouse.

Understanding and Evaluating Human Thermal Comfort at Tertiary Level Using a Computer-Based Laboratory Teaching Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrini, Marco

2014-01-01

Phase changes in water are experienced in everyday life but students often struggle to understand mechanisms that regulate them. Human thermal comfort is closely related to humidity, evaporative heat loss and heat transfer. The purpose of the present study is to assist students in the evaluation of human thermal comfort. Such a goal is achievable…

Survey of occupational therapy students' attitudes towards sexual issues in clinical practice.

PubMed

Jones, Mairwen K; Weerakoon, Patricia; Pynor, Rosemary A

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of comfort of 340 occupational therapy students during clinical interactions that have sexual implications. Participants completed the Comfort Scale Questionnaire to indicate their anticipated level of comfort. More than half of the students anticipated that they would not feel comfortable in dealing with sexual issues. The three items that students indicated as being most uncomfortable with were 'Walking in on a patient/client who is masturbating' (91.7%), 'Dealing with a patient/client who makes an overt sexual remark' (82.1%) and 'Dealing with a patient/client who makes a covert sexual remark' (77.2%). The three items which students felt relatively comfortable with were 'Homosexual male' (26.4%), '14-year-old female seeking contraception' (26.4%) and 'Handicapped individual who is inquiring about sexual options' (33.5%). At least half the senior students believed that their educational programme had not dealt adequately with sexual issues. Further research investigating the nature and origin of discomfort in clinical settings is recommended as well as research examining the effectiveness of sexuality education in increasing comfort in dealing with sexual issues in clinical settings.

The effect of thought importance on stress responses: a test of the metacognitive model.

PubMed

Capobianco, Lora; Morrison, Anthony P; Wells, Adrian

2018-03-01

Negative metacognitive beliefs are central determinants of distress in the metacognitive model of psychological vulnerability to stress. The current study tested this assertion in 75 undergraduate students assigned to either experimental (metacognitive belief manipulation) or control (no metacognitive belief manipulation) condition. All participants underwent a fake EEG, where they were told that the EEG would detect negative thoughts. The experimental subjects were informed that if they had a negative thought they may be exposed to a contingent burst of loud noise, while the control condition was told that they may be exposed to a burst of loud noise at random. Participants also underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. The results showed that on physiological measures (skin conductance level) there were no significant differences between groups. However, on self-report measures (positive and negative affect) participants in the experimental condition reported greater levels of negative affect and lower levels of positive affect in response to stress and maintained low positive affect at recovery. The results are consistent with the metacognitive model and suggest that metacognitive beliefs impact on positive and negative affect in reaction to and recovery from stress exposure.

Author Response to Sabour (2018), "Comment on Hall et al. (2017), 'How to Choose Between Measures of Tinnitus Loudness for Clinical Research? A Report on the Reliability and Validity of an Investigator-Administered Test and a Patient-Reported Measure Using Baseline Data Collected in a Phase IIa Drug Trial'".

PubMed

Hall, Deborah A; Mehta, Rajnikant L; Fackrell, Kathryn

2018-03-08

The authors respond to a letter to the editor (Sabour, 2018) concerning the interpretation of validity in the context of evaluating treatment-related change in tinnitus loudness over time. The authors refer to several landmark methodological publications and an international standard concerning the validity of patient-reported outcome measurement instruments. The tinnitus loudness rating performed better against our reported acceptability criteria for (face and convergent) validity than did the tinnitus loudness matching test. It is important to distinguish between tests that evaluate the validity of measuring treatment-related change over time and tests that quantify the accuracy of diagnosing tinnitus as a case and non-case.

Optical microvariability of selected PG QSOs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Minhwan

2005-02-01

This is a preliminary report of the continuing search for significant optical microvariability in a selected sample of radio-quiet and radio-loud quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Total of 24 Paloma-Green (PG) quasars are observed. Among them, 17 objects are classified as radio-quiet and seven objects are classified radio-loud. In this classification, the ratio R, radio to optical flux density, is required to be less than 1 in order to assure the objects are reasonably radio-quiet. Two out of 17 radio-quiet QSOs and six out of eight radio-loud QSOs were microvariable. This apparent contrast in microvariations between radio-quiet and radio-loud QSOs does not provide firm support for the theoretical model utilizing discrete events in accretion disks and implies substantial support for models based on propagating shocks on relativistic jets as the likely process responsible for producing most of the microvariations are observed in AGNs.

The Impact of Peer Support upon the Integration of Technology into a Middle School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantall, Shane

2012-01-01

This action-research dissertation examined the impact peer collaboration had upon a teacher's comfort level when using and integrating technology in the classroom, attitude toward integrating technology, and improvement of technology skill level. Teachers' responses to the surveys indicated that teachers became more comfortable utilizing…

Pre-Service Teachers' Knowledge and Teaching Comfort Levels for Agricultural Science and Technology Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingenbach, Gary J.; White, Judith McIntosh; Degenhart, Shannon; Pannkuk, Tim; Kujawski, Jenna

2007-01-01

Self-efficacy beliefs are defined as context-specific assessments of one's competence to perform specific tasks, influence one's efforts, persistence, and resilience to succeed in a given task. Such beliefs are important determinants when considering agricultural science teachers' subject matter knowledge, teaching comfort levels, and their…

Computer-Mediated Communication as Experienced by Korean Women Students in US Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baek, Mikyung; Damarin, Suzanne K.

2008-01-01

Having grown up in an age of rapidly developing electronic communication technology, today's students come to higher education with high levels of comfort and familiarity with computer-mediated communication (CMC, hereafter). The students' level of comfort with CMC, coupled with CMC's promises of enabling supplemental class discussion as well as…

Determination of thermal and acoustic comfort inside a vehicle's cabin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ene, Alexandra; Catalina, Tiberiu; Vartires, Andreea

2018-02-01

Thermal and acoustic comfort, inside a vehicle's cabin, are highly interconnected and can greatly influence the health of the passengers. On one hand, the H.V.A.C. system brings the interior air parameters to a comfortable value while on the other hand, it is the main source of noise. It is an intriguing task to find a balance between the two. In this paper, several types of air diffusers were used in order to optimize the ratio between thermal and acoustic interior comfort. Using complex measurements of noise and thermal comfort parameters we have determined for each type of air diffuser the sound pressure level and its impact on air temperature and air velocity.

Male attitude towards masturbating: an impediment to infertility evaluation and sperm parameters.

PubMed

Pottinger, A M; Carroll, K; Mason, G

2016-09-01

Male attitude about masturbation may influence early diagnosis and treatment of infertility and may be of particular burden in developing countries. We sought to explore attitude about masturbating and examine comfort/discomfort with masturbating and sexual history, pregnancy history and sperm quality in men investigating fertility potential. The study consisted of 83 male volunteers, 23-61 years, attending a fertility management unit in Kingston, Jamaica. Comfort with masturbation was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Participants also completed the unit's standard intake form for infertility investigations and produced a semen sample. T-tests, Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-square were used to compare differences in comfort level with outcome variables. We found 59% were comfortable masturbating although requiring external stimulation to produce a sample (48%); 6% (n = 5) failed to produce a sample after repeated attempts. A higher percentage of men uncomfortable with masturbating reported sexual problems (P < 0.05) and spending a longer time trying to have a baby (P < 0.05). Semen quality was not associated with masturbating comfort. Producing a sample by masturbation is standard for many assisted conception treatments. As comfort with masturbating may influence delay in infertility investigations and fertility outcome, efforts to improve men's comfort level with semen production should be considered in pre-treatment fertility counselling. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Loudness-dependent behavioral responses and habituation to sound by the longfin squid (Doryteuthis pealeii).

PubMed

Mooney, T Aran; Samson, Julia E; Schlunk, Andrea D; Zacarias, Samantha

2016-07-01

Sound is an abundant cue in the marine environment, yet we know little regarding the frequency range and levels which induce behavioral responses in ecologically key marine invertebrates. Here we address the range of sounds that elicit unconditioned behavioral responses in squid Doryteuthis pealeii, the types of responses generated, and how responses change over multiple sound exposures. A variety of response types were evoked, from inking and jetting to body pattern changes and fin movements. Squid responded to sounds from 80 to 1000 Hz, with response rates diminishing at the higher and lower ends of this frequency range. Animals responded to the lowest sound levels in the 200-400 Hz range. Inking, an escape response, was confined to the lower frequencies and highest sound levels; jetting was more widespread. Response latencies were variable but typically occurred after 0.36 s (mean) for jetting and 0.14 s for body pattern changes; pattern changes occurred significantly faster. These results demonstrate that squid can exhibit a range of behavioral responses to sound include fleeing, deimatic and protean behaviors, all of which are associated with predator evasion. Response types were frequency and sound level dependent, reflecting a relative loudness concept to sound perception in squid.

Mean and extreme radio properties of quasars and the origin of radio emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kratzer, Rachael M.; Richards, Gordon T.

2015-02-01

We investigate the evolution of both the radio-loud fraction (RLF) and (using stacking analysis) the mean radio loudness of quasars. We consider how these properties evolve as a function of redshift and luminosity, black hole (BH) mass and accretion rate, and parameters related to the dominance of a wind in the broad emission-line region. We match the FIRST source catalog to samples of luminous quasars (both spectroscopic and photometric), primarily from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. After accounting for catastrophic errors in BH mass estimates at high redshift, we find that both the RLF and the mean radio luminosity increasemore » for increasing BH mass and decreasing accretion rate. Similarly, both the RLF and mean radio loudness increase for quasars that are argued to have weaker radiation line driven wind components of the broad emission-line region. In agreement with past work, we find that the RLF increases with increasing optical/UV luminosity and decreasing redshift, while the mean radio loudness evolves in the exact opposite manner. This difference in behavior between the mean radio loudness and the RLF in L−z may indicate selection effects that bias our understanding of the evolution of the RLF; deeper surveys in the optical and radio are needed to resolve this discrepancy. Finally, we argue that radio-loud (RL) and radio-quiet (RQ) quasars may be parallel sequences, but where only RQ quasars at one extreme of the distribution are likely to become RL, possibly through slight differences in spin and/or merger history.« less

Snoring significance in patients undergoing home sleep studies.

PubMed

Hunsaker, Darrell H; Riffenburgh, Robert H

2006-05-01

To analyze the impact of snoring, independent of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on patients referred for home sleep studies and to report a new technology for the reporting of snoring, using sophisticated sound collection and noise-canceling technology. A retrospective statistical review of consecutive anonymous data compiled from questionnaires and digital data of snoring loudness and duration measured at the upper lip during unattended home sleep studies in 4,860 patients referred for snoring and sleep-disturbed breathing. A strong relationship exists between a history of snoring and complaints of daytime sleepiness (80%), obesity (73%), and chronic fatigue (78%) (all yield P<0.001). By contrast, only 42% to 48% of patients without these symptoms complain of snoring. In 3 multiple-regression analyses, the percent of time snoring, average loudness, and peak loudness are all significantly predicted by the apnea hypopnea index (all P<0.003), body mass index (all P<0.001), and age (P=0.014). Daytime sleepiness was strongly predicted by percent time snoring (P=0.014), weakly by average loudness (P=0.046), and not at all by peak loudness (P=0.303). By using a pair of microphones placed at the upper lip, one that samples breath sounds and the other ambient sound and artifact noise, the NovaSOM QSG measures snoring while canceling ambient noise. The clinical impact of snoring on the patient as well as the bed partner, independent of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, is an unrecognized factor in sleep-disturbed breathing. Measurable criteria to define snoring are suggested. Snoring loudness is not measured in most laboratory Polysomnograms. B-3b.

Fear of missing a lesion: use of simulated breast models to decrease student anxiety when learning clinical breast examinations.

PubMed

Pugh, Carla M; Salud, Lawrence H

2007-06-01

Medical students experience a considerable amount of discomfort during their training. The purpose of the current study was to identify sources of student anxiety when learning clinical breast examinations (CBEs) and to evaluate the effects of simulated breast models on student comfort. Simulated breast models were introduced into the curriculum for 175 second-year medical students. Using surveys, students identified sources of anxiety and rated their comfort levels when learning CBE skills. "Fear of missing a lesion" and the "Intimate/personal nature of the exam" accounted for 73.8% of student anxiety when learning CBEs. In addition, there were significant improvements (P < .05) in student comfort levels when using simulated breast models to learn CBE skills. We have identified 2 of the top causes of anxiety for second-year medical students learning CBE. In addition, we found simulated breast models to be effective in increasing student comfort levels when learning CBEs.

Perceived comfort level of medical students and residents in handling clinical ethics issues.

PubMed

Silverman, Henry J; Dagenais, Julien; Gordon-Lipkin, Eliza; Caputo, Laura; Christian, Matthew W; Maidment, Bert W; Binstock, Anna; Oyalowo, Akinbowale; Moni, Malini

2013-01-01

Studies have shown that medical students and residents believe that their ethics preparation has been inadequate for handling ethical conflicts. The objective of this study was to determine the self-perceived comfort level of medical students and residents in confronting clinical ethics issues. Clinical medical students and residents at the University of Maryland School of Medicine completed a web-based survey between September 2009 and February 2010. The survey consisted of a demographic section, questions regarding the respondents' sense of comfort in handling a variety of clinical ethics issues, and a set of knowledge-type questions in ethics. Survey respondents included 129 medical students (response rate of 40.7%) and 207 residents (response rate of 52.7%). There were only a few clinical ethics issues with which more than 70% of the respondents felt comfortable in addressing. Only a slight majority (60.8%) felt prepared, in general, to handle clinical situations involving ethics issues, and only 44.1% and 53.2% agreed that medical school and residency training, respectively, helped prepare them to handle such issues. Prior ethics training was not associated with these responses, but there was an association between the level of training (medical students vs residents) and the comfort level with many of the clinical ethics issues. Medical educators should include ethics educational methods within the context of real-time exposure to medical ethics dilemmas experienced by physicians-in-training.

Improving Comfort in Hot-Humid Climates with a Whole-House Dehumidifier, Windermere, Florida (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2013-11-01

Maintaining comfort in a home can be challenging in hot-humid climates. At the common summer temperature set point of 75 degrees F, the perceived air temperature can vary by 11 degrees F because higher indoor humidity reduces comfort. Often the air conditioner (AC) thermostat set point is lower than the desirable cooling level to try to increase moisture removal so that the interior air is not humid or "muggy." However, this method is not always effective in maintaining indoor relative humidity (RH) or comfort. In order to quantify the performance of a combined whole-house dehumidifier (WHD) AC system, researchers frommore » the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America team Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) monitored the operation of two Lennox AC systems coupled with a Honeywell DH150 TrueDRY whole-house dehumidifier for a six-month period. By using a WHD to control moisture levels (latent cooling) and optimizing a central AC to control temperature (sensible cooling), improvements in comfort can be achieved while reducing utility costs. Indoor comfort for this study was defined as maintaining indoor conditions at below 60% RH and a humidity ratio of 0.012 lbm/lbm while at common dry bulb set point temperatures of 74 degrees -80 degrees F. In addition to enhanced comfort, controlling moisture to these levels can reduce the risk of other potential issues such as mold growth, pests, and building component degradation. Because a standard AC must also reduce dry bulb air temperature in order to remove moisture, a WHD is typically needed to support these latent loads when sensible heat removal is not desired.« less

Respiratory comfort and breathing pattern during volume proportional assist ventilation and pressure support ventilation: a study on volunteers with artificially reduced compliance.

PubMed

Mols, G; von Ungern-Sternberg, B; Rohr, E; Haberthür, C; Geiger, K; Guttmann, J

2000-06-01

To assess respiratory comfort and associated breathing pattern during volume assist (VA) as a component of proportional assist ventilation and during pressure support ventilation (PSV). Prospective, double-blind, interventional study. Laboratory. A total of 15 healthy volunteers (11 females, 4 males) aged 21-31 yrs. Decreased respiratory system compliance was simulated by banding of the thorax and abdomen. Volunteers breathed via a mouthpiece with VA and PSV each applied at two levels (VA, 8 cm H2O/L and 12 cm H2O/L; PSV, 10 cm H2O and 15 cm H2O) using a positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cm H2O throughout. The study was subdivided into two parts. In Part 1, volunteers breathed three times with each of the four settings for 2 mins in random order. In Part 2, the first breath effects of multiple, randomly applied mode, and level shifts were studied. In Part 1, the volunteers were asked to estimate respiratory comfort in comparison with normal breathing using a visual analog scale. In Part 2, they were asked to estimate the change of respiratory comfort as increased, decreased, or unchanged immediately after a mode shift. Concomitantly, the respiratory pattern (change) was characterized with continuously measured tidal volume, respiratory rate, pressure, and gas flow. Respiratory comfort during VA was higher than during PSV. The higher support level was less important during VA but had a major negative influence on comfort during PSV. Both modes differed with respect to the associated breathing pattern. Variability of breathing was higher during VA than during PSV (Part 1). Changes in respiratory variables were associated with changes in respiratory comfort (Part 2). For volunteers breathing with artificially reduced respiratory system compliance, respiratory comfort is higher with VA than with PSV. This is probably caused by a better adaptation of the ventilatory support to the volunteer's need with VA.

Micrometeorological simulations to predict the impacts of heat mitigation strategies on pedestrian thermal comfort in a Los Angeles neighborhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taleghani, Mohammad; Sailor, David; Ban-Weiss, George A.

2016-02-01

The urban heat island impacts the thermal comfort of pedestrians in cities. In this paper, the effects of four heat mitigation strategies on micrometeorology and the thermal comfort of pedestrians were simulated for a neighborhood in eastern Los Angeles County. The strategies investigated include solar reflective ‘cool roofs’, vegetative ‘green roofs’, solar reflective ‘cool pavements’, and increased street-level trees. A series of micrometeorological simulations for an extreme heat day were carried out assuming widespread adoption of each mitigation strategy. Comparing each simulation to the control simulation assuming current land cover for the neighborhood showed that additional street-trees and cool pavements reduced 1.5 m air temperature, while cool and green roofs mostly provided cooling at heights above pedestrian level. However, cool pavements increased reflected sunlight from the ground to pedestrians at a set of unshaded receptor locations. This reflected radiation intensified the mean radiant temperature and consequently increased physiological equivalent temperature (PET) by 2.2 °C during the day, reducing the thermal comfort of pedestrians. At another set of receptor locations that were on average 5 m from roadways and underneath preexisting tree cover, cool pavements caused significant reductions in surface air temperatures and small changes in mean radiant temperature during the day, leading to decreases in PET of 1.1 °C, and consequent improvements in thermal comfort. For improving thermal comfort of pedestrians during the afternoon in unshaded locations, adding street trees was found to be the most effective strategy. However, afternoon thermal comfort improvements in already shaded locations adjacent to streets were most significant for cool pavements. Green and cool roofs showed the lowest impact on the thermal comfort of pedestrians since they modify the energy balance at roof level, above the height of pedestrians.

7 CFR 500.5 - Nuisances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Nuisances. 500.5 Section 500.5 Agriculture Regulations... NATIONAL ARBORETUM Conduct on U.S. National Arboreturm Property § 500.5 Nuisances. (a) The use of loud... creation of other noises of a decibel level high enough to be heard outside of the USNA is prohibited. ...

Rehearsal Processes in Children's Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Peter A.; Liberty, Charles

This study investigates developmental trends in free recall, with emphasis on rehearsal processes. An overt rehearsal technique was used in which 28 children in grades 3, 6, and 8 were instructed to rehearse out loud while trying to memorize a list of unrelated nouns. Control groups at each age level received standard free recall instructions,…

47 CFR 73.1570 - Modulation levels: AM, FM, TV and Class A TV aural.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... objectionable loudness or to maintain the dynamic range of the program material, the degree of modulation may be... stereophonic transmission signal modulation specifications of stereophonic system in use. (ii) For AM stations transmitting telemetry signals for remote control or automatic transmission system operation, the amplitude of...

Sentence-Level Movements in Parkinson's Disease: Loud, Clear, and Slow Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney,Elaine; Giles, Renuka; Haworth, Brandon; Faloutsos, Petros; Baljko, Melanie; Yunusova, Yana

2017-01-01

Purpose: To further understand the effect of Parkinson's disease (PD) on articulatory movements in speech and to expand our knowledge of therapeutic treatment strategies, this study examined movements of the jaw, tongue blade, and tongue dorsum during sentence production with respect to speech intelligibility and compared the effect of varying…

Item-Level and Construct Evaluation of Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Sun; Lembke, Erica; Moore, Douglas; Ginsburg, Herbert P.; Pappas, Sandra

2012-01-01

The present study examined the technical adequacy of curriculum-based measures (CBMs) of early numeracy. Six 1-min early mathematics tasks were administered to 137 kindergarten and first-grade students, along with an omnibus test of early mathematics. The CBM measures included Count Out Loud, Quantity Discrimination, Number Identification, Missing…

Phase Shifting and the Beating of Complex Waves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeports, David

2011-01-01

At the introductory level, the demonstration and analysis of sound beating is usually limited to the superposition of two purely sinusoidal waves with equal amplitudes and very similar frequencies. Under such conditions, an observer hears the periodic variation of the loudness of a sound with an unchanging timbre. On the other hand, when complex…

Interior effects on comfort in healthcare waiting areas.

PubMed

Bazley, C; Vink, P; Montgomery, J; Hedge, A

2016-07-21

This study compared the effects of pre-experience and expectations on participant comfort upon waking, arrival to, and after an appointment, as well as the assessment of properly placed Feng Shui elements in three healthcare waiting rooms. Participants assessed comfort levels using self-report surveys. The researcher conducted 'intention interviews' with each doctor to assess the goals of each waiting area design, and conducted a Feng Shui assessment of each waiting area for properly placed Feng Shui elements. The waiting area designed by the Feng Shui expert rated 'most comfortable', followed by the waiting area design by a doctor, and the lowest comfort rating for the conventional waiting room design. Results show a sufficiently strong effect to warrant further research. Awareness of the external environment, paired with pre-experience and expectation, influences comfort for people over time. Fostering and encouraging a holistic approach to comfort utilizing eastern and western concepts and ergonomic principles creates a sense of "placeness" and balance in the design for comfort in built environments. This is new research information on the influences of the comfort experience over time, to include pre-experience, expectations and the placement of elements in the external environment.

Automated Continuous Commissioning of Commercial Buildings

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

energy annually at the building level on two demonstration sites. Some faults would also cause issues related to thermal comfort . 2 $ Economizer...Unit (AHU) discharge air temperatures and room temperatures to deviate from their respective setpoints. This causes building thermal comfort issues...annual expenditure savings over the next three to five years. At the same time, the thermal comfort in DoD buildings would be improved to result in

Design and validation of an aircraft seat comfort scale using item response theory.

PubMed

Menegon, Lizandra da Silva; Vincenzi, Silvana Ligia; de Andrade, Dalton Francisco; Barbetta, Pedro Alberto; Merino, Eugenio Andrés Díaz; Vink, Peter

2017-07-01

This article aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale that measures aircraft seat comfort. Factor analysis was used to study data variances. Psychometric quality was checked by using Item Response Theory. The sample consisted of 1500 passengers who completed a questionnaire at a Brazilian airport. Full information factor analysis showed the presence of one dominant factor explaining 34% of data variance. The scale generated covered all levels of comfort data, from 'no comfort' to 'maximum comfort'. The results show that the passengers consider there is comfort, but this is very minimal when these passengers have to perform their desired activities. It tends to increase when aspects of the aircraft seating are improved and positive emotions are elicited. Comfort peaks when pleasure is experienced and passenger expectations are exceeded (maximum comfort). This outcome seems consistent with the literature. Further research is advised to compare the outcome of this questionnaire with other research methods, and to check if the questionnaire is sensitive enough and whether its conclusions are useful in practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of sound-related activities on human behaviours and acoustic comfort in urban open spaces.

PubMed

Meng, Qi; Kang, Jian

2016-12-15

Human activities are important to landscape design and urban planning; however, the effect of sound-related activities on human behaviours and acoustic comfort has not been considered. The objective of this study is to explore how human behaviours and acoustic comfort in urban open spaces can be changed by sound-related activities. On-site measurements were performed at a case study site in Harbin, China, and an acoustic comfort survey was simultaneously conducted. In terms of effect of sound activities on human behaviours, music-related activities caused 5.1-21.5% of persons who pass by the area to stand and watch the activity, while there was a little effect on the number of persons who performed excises during the activity. Human activities generally have little effect on the behaviour of pedestrians when only 1 to 3 persons are involved in the activities, while a deep effect on the behaviour of pedestrians is noted when >6 persons are involved in the activities. In terms of effect of activities on acoustic comfort, music-related activities can increase the sound level from 10.8 to 16.4dBA, while human activities such RS and PC can increase the sound level from 9.6 to 12.8dBA; however, they lead to very different acoustic comfort. The acoustic comfort of persons can differ with activities, for example the acoustic comfort of persons who stand watch can increase by music-related activities, while the acoustic comfort of persons who sit and watch can decrease by human sound-related activities. Some sound-related activities can show opposite trend of acoustic comfort between visitors and citizens. Persons with higher income prefer music sound-related activities, while those with lower income prefer human sound-related activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incorporating a Nebulizer System Into High-Flow Nasal Cannula Improves Comfort in Infants With Bronchiolitis.

PubMed

Valencia-Ramos, Juan; Mirás, Alicia; Cilla, Amacia; Ochoa, Carlos; Arnaez, Juan

2018-07-01

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is increasingly used to provide respiratory support in infants with bronchiolitis. The delivery of aerosol therapy through a jet nebulizer is widely indicated despite its controversial efficacy and poor tolerability. This randomized cross-over study aimed to evaluate the comfort and satisfaction of the delivery of aerosol therapy using a nebulization system integrated into HFNC compared with the standard practice of using a jet nebulizer with a face mask. The COMFORT-Behavior (COMFORT-B) scale, a visual analog scale, and a numeric rating scale were used by health professionals and caregivers to assess subjects' levels of comfort and satisfaction. A total of 113 nebulizations (64 via nebulizer with HFNC; 49 via jet nebulizer) were delivered to the 6 subjects included in the study. Use of the nebulizer with HFNC showed increased comfort and satisfaction during nebulization compared to use of the jet nebulizer, as measured by the COMFORT-B scale, the visual analog scale, and the numeric rating scale, with the following median (interquartile range) scores: 10.7 (7-16) versus 14.5 (10-20) ( P = .006), 8.5 (6-10) versus 7 (4-9) ( P = .02), and 3.84 (3.61-4.07) versus 1.83 (1.58-2.08) ( P < .001), respectively. Correlation between the COMFORT-B scale and the visual analog scale using Spearman's rho was -0.757 ( P < .001). The intraclass correlation coefficient for the COMFORT-B scale, visual analog scale, and numeric rating scale, as measured by 2 different nurses, was between 0.75 and 0.87. The use of a nebulizer incorporated into HFNC therapy results in an increased level of comfort and satisfaction compared to the use of a conventional jet nebulizer in subjects with bronchiolitis who required HFNC therapy. Further studies are needed to determine whether aerosol therapy delivered through HFNC improves the clinical course of this pathology. Copyright © 2018 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Vocal release time: a quantification of vocal offset.

PubMed

Watson, Ben C; Roark, Rick M; Baken, R J

2012-11-01

To determine the vocal release time (VRT) for linguistically unconstrained voice offsets in a healthy young adult population. Sound pressure (SP) and electroglottographic (EGG) recordings were obtained for 57 female and 55 male subjects while producing multiple tokens of three tasks (sustained /ɑ:/, "always," and "hallways") at comfortable pitch and loudness. SP and EGG signals were digitally time reversed and generalized sinusoidal models of the SP and EGG signals were obtained to compare rates of amplitude change. VRT was computed from the time lag of the cross-correlation function. Adjusted mean VRT values were significantly greater for females than for males. There was no systematic effect of age on VRT. However, 25-29-year old and >40 year old females showed shorter VRT values than the youngest female age group. Normative data are presented for a new measure of the duration of vocal offset, VRT. Acquisition of this measure requires little user intervention, thereby minimizing effects of subjective decision making. Comparison with previously reported vocal attack time (VAT) values for the same population suggests phenomenological differences between linguistically and physiologically constrained voice onsets and unconstrained voice offsets. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of clear, loud, and slow speech on scaled intelligibility and speech severity in Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Tjaden, Kris; Sussman, Joan E; Wilding, Gregory E

2014-06-01

The perceptual consequences of rate reduction, increased vocal intensity, and clear speech were studied in speakers with multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and healthy controls. Seventy-eight speakers read sentences in habitual, clear, loud, and slow conditions. Sentences were equated for peak amplitude and mixed with multitalker babble for presentation to listeners. Using a computerized visual analog scale, listeners judged intelligibility or speech severity as operationally defined in Sussman and Tjaden (2012). Loud and clear but not slow conditions improved intelligibility relative to the habitual condition. With the exception of the loud condition for the PD group, speech severity did not improve above habitual and was reduced relative to habitual in some instances. Intelligibility and speech severity were strongly related, but relationships for disordered speakers were weaker in clear and slow conditions versus habitual. Both clear and loud speech show promise for improving intelligibility and maintaining or improving speech severity in multitalker babble for speakers with mild dysarthria secondary to MS or PD, at least as these perceptual constructs were defined and measured in this study. Although scaled intelligibility and speech severity overlap, the metrics further appear to have some separate value in documenting treatment-related speech changes.

Examination of Previously Published Data to Identify Patterns in the Social Representation of “Loud Music” in Young Adults Across Countries

PubMed Central

Manchaiah, Vinaya; Zhao, Fei; Oladeji, Susan; Ratinaud, Pierre

2018-01-01

Purpose: The current study was aimed at understanding the patterns in the social representation of loud music reported by young adults in different countries. Materials and Methods: The study included a sample of 534 young adults (18–25 years) from India, Iran, Portugal, United Kingdom, and United States. Participants were recruited using a convince sampling, and data were collected using the free association task. Participants were asked to provide up to five words or phrases that come to mind when thinking about “loud music.” The data were first analyzed using the qualitative content analysis. This was followed by quantitative cluster analysis and chi-square analysis. Results: The content analysis suggested 19 main categories of responses related to loud music. The cluster analysis resulted in for main clusters, namely: (1) emotional oriented perception; (2) problem oriented perception; (3) music and enjoyment oriented perception; and (4) positive emotional and recreation-oriented perception. Country of origin was associated with the likelihood of participants being in each of these clusters. Conclusion: The current study highlights the differences and similarities in young adults’ perception of loud music. These results may have implications to hearing health education to facilitate healthy listening habits. PMID:29457602

Goal orientation and its relationship to academic success in a laptop-based BScN program.

PubMed

Goldsworthy, Sandra J; Goodman, Bill; Muirhead, Bill

2005-01-01

This longitudinal study, conducted within a laptop-based BScN program examines the relationship of goal orientation profiles to comfort with technology and academic success. In phase 1 of this study, 101 first year nursing students completed an on line survey. The measurement tools used were Goal Orientation Assessment, Multiple Intelligences Learning Inventory and a locally developed Technology Comfort survey. Results showed that students were predominantly high in the mastery goal orientation profile. Males had a higher comfort level with technology. Age was inversely related to comfort with technology. An unexpected finding was that grade point average was inversely related to comfort with use of technology. The data did not support the commonly held belief that today's students are uniformly well-skilled and comfortable with new technologies. This study will continue over the next three years and will allow comparison of variables over time. Specific teaching interventions may be developed to accommodate varying learning and motivational styles in relation to comfort with technology.

A comparison of suit dresses and summer clothes in the terms of thermal comfort.

PubMed

Ekici, Can; Atilgan, Ibrahim

2013-12-19

Fanger's PMV equation is the result of the combined quantitative effects of the air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative air velocity, humidity, activity level and clothing insulation. This paper contains a comparison of suit dresses and summer clothes in terms of thermal comfort, Fanger's PMV equation. Studies were processed in the winter for an office, which locates in Ankara, Turkey. The office was partitioned to fifty square cells. Humidity, relative air velocity, air temperature and mean radiant temperature were measured on the centre points of these cells. Thermal comfort analyses were processed for suit dressing (Icl = 1 clo) and summer clothing (Icl = 0.5 clo). Discomfort/comfort in an environment for different clothing types can be seen in this study. The relationship between indoor thermal comfort distribution and clothing type was discussed. Graphics about thermal comfort were sketched according to cells. Conclusions about the thermal comfort of occupants were given by PMV graphics.

A comparison of suit dresses and summer clothes in the terms of thermal comfort

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Fanger’s PMV equation is the result of the combined quantitative effects of the air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative air velocity, humidity, activity level and clothing insulation. Methods This paper contains a comparison of suit dresses and summer clothes in terms of thermal comfort, Fanger’s PMV equation. Studies were processed in the winter for an office, which locates in Ankara, Turkey. The office was partitioned to fifty square cells. Humidity, relative air velocity, air temperature and mean radiant temperature were measured on the centre points of these cells. Thermal comfort analyses were processed for suit dressing (Icl = 1 clo) and summer clothing (Icl = 0.5 clo). Results Discomfort/comfort in an environment for different clothing types can be seen in this study. The relationship between indoor thermal comfort distribution and clothing type was discussed. Graphics about thermal comfort were sketched according to cells. Conclusions Conclusions about the thermal comfort of occupants were given by PMV graphics. PMID:24355097

Mathematical Games: Skill + Luck = Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, John

2008-01-01

Left to their own devices, many students are happy to work within their comfort zone of skill and understanding, a level where they are confident that they will achieve regular success. The job of the classroom teacher is to help students reach beyond this and to help them make this level their new comfort zone. Clearly, teachers need to employ a…

Loudness and acoustic parameters of popular children's toys.

PubMed

Ghavami, Yaser; Bhatt, Jay; Maducdoc, Marlon; Yau, Amy; Mahboubi, Hossein; Ziai, Kasra; Lin, Harrison W; Djalilian, Hamid R

2015-12-01

This project was conducted to evaluate the loudness and acoustic parameters of toys designed for children. In addition, we investigated whether occluding the toys' speaker with tape would result in a significant loudness reduction; thereby potentially reducing the risk of noise induced hearing loss. Twenty-six toys were selected after an initial screening at two national retailers. Noise amplitudes at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8kHz were measured using a digital sound level meter at a distance of 0 and 30cm. The toys' speakers were then occluded using adhesive tape and the same acoustic parameters were re-measured. Mean maximum noise amplitude of the toys at 0cm and 30cm was 104dBA (range, 97-125dBA) and 76dBA (range, 67-86dBA), respectively. Mean maximum noise amplitude after occlusion at 0cm and 30cm distances was 88dBA (range, 73-110dBA) and 66dBA (range, 55-82dBA), respectively, with a p-value <0.001. Proper use of the loudest toys at a distant of 30cm between the speaker and the child's ear will likely not pose a risk of noise-induced hearing loss. However, since most toys are used at closer distances, use of adhesive tape is recommended as an effective modification to decrease the risk of hearing loss. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The effects of alprazolam on tinnitus: a cross-over randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Jalali, Mir Mohammad; Kousha, Abdorrahim; Naghavi, Sayed Ebrahim; Soleimani, Robabeh; Banan, Rozbeh

2009-11-01

Tinnitus remains a phenomenon with an unknown pathophysiology and for which few therapeutic measures are available. To date there has been insufficient evidence to support the use of alprazolam in the treatment of tinnitus. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of alprazolam for relief of tinnitus. Thirty-six tinnitus sufferers participated in this cross-over, randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Inclusion criteria included patients between ages 21 and 65, with a complaint of non-pulsatile tinnitus of more than 1 year duration. Patients with depressive or anxiety disorders were excluded, as were those using hearing aids. Participants received alprazolam 1.5 mg daily versus placebo in each period. Primary outcome variables included the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and tinnitus loudness. Thirty patients completed the study. The average age of patients was 47.58+/-7.65 years. Alprazolam in comparison with placebo did not result in statistically significantly greater relief in THI score and tinnitus loudness. There was a significant improvement in VAS score in the alprazolam group compared with the placebo group (p<0.001). These results suggest that although alprazolam did not improve the THI score or sensation level of loudness significantly, it has a desirable effect on VAS. Further work is needed to determine the beneficial effects of alprazolam in distressed or depressed patients.

Customized Versus Noncustomized Sound Therapy for Treatment of Tinnitus: A Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Mahboubi, Hossein; Haidar, Yarah M; Kiumehr, Saman; Ziai, Kasra; Djalilian, Hamid R

2017-10-01

To determine the effectiveness of a customized sound therapy and compare its effectiveness to that of masking with broadband noise. Subjects were randomized to receive either customized sound therapy or broadband noise for 2 hours per day for 3 months and then switched to the other treatment after a washout period. The outcome variables were tinnitus loudness (scored 0-10), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), minimum masking levels (MML), and residual inhibition (RI). Eighteen subjects completed the study. Mean age was 53 ± 11 years, and mean tinnitus duration was 118 ± 99 months. With customized sound therapy, mean loudness decreased from 6.4 ± 2.0 to 4.9 ± 1.9 ( P = .001), mean THI decreased from 42.8 ± 21.6 to 31.5 ± 20.3 ( P < .001), mean BAI decreased from 10.6 ± 10.9 to 8.3 ± 9.9 ( P = .01), and MML decreased from 22.3 ± 11.6 dB SL to 17.2 ± 10.6 dB SL ( P = .005). After 3 months of broadband noise therapy, only BAI and, to a lesser degree, MML decreased ( P = .003 and .04, respectively). Customized sound therapy can decrease the loudness and THI scores of tinnitus patients, and the results may be superior to broadband noise.

RoboPol: the optical polarization of gamma-ray-loud and gamma-ray-quiet blazars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelakis, E.; Hovatta, T.; Blinov, D.; Pavlidou, V.; Kiehlmann, S.; Myserlis, I.; Böttcher, M.; Mao, P.; Panopoulou, G. V.; Liodakis, I.; King, O. G.; Baloković, M.; Kus, A.; Kylafis, N.; Mahabal, A.; Marecki, A.; Paleologou, E.; Papadakis, I.; Papamastorakis, I.; Pazderski, E.; Pearson, T. J.; Prabhudesai, S.; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Readhead, A. C. S.; Reig, P.; Tassis, K.; Urry, M.; Zensus, J. A.

2016-12-01

We present average R-band optopolarimetric data, as well as variability parameters, from the first and second RoboPol observing season. We investigate whether gamma-ray-loud and gamma-ray-quiet blazars exhibit systematic differences in their optical polarization properties. We find that gamma-ray-loud blazars have a systematically higher polarization fraction (0.092) than gamma-ray-quiet blazars (0.031), with the hypothesis of the two samples being drawn from the same distribution of polarization fractions being rejected at the 3σ level. We have not found any evidence that this discrepancy is related to differences in the redshift distribution, rest-frame R-band luminosity density, or the source classification. The median polarization fraction versus synchrotron-peak-frequency plot shows an envelope implying that high-synchrotron-peaked sources have a smaller range of median polarization fractions concentrated around lower values. Our gamma-ray-quiet sources show similar median polarization fractions although they are all low-synchrotron-peaked. We also find that the randomness of the polarization angle depends on the synchrotron peak frequency. For high-synchrotron-peaked sources, it tends to concentrate around preferred directions while for low-synchrotron-peaked sources, it is more variable and less likely to have a preferred direction. We propose a scenario which mediates efficient particle acceleration in shocks and increases the helical B-field component immediately downstream of the shock.

Schlieren imaging of loud sounds and weak shock waves in air near the limit of visibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargather, Michael John; Settles, Gary S.; Madalis, Matthew J.

2010-02-01

A large schlieren system with exceptional sensitivity and a high-speed digital camera are used to visualize loud sounds and a variety of common phenomena that produce weak shock waves in the atmosphere. Frame rates varied from 10,000 to 30,000 frames/s with microsecond frame exposures. Sound waves become visible to this instrumentation at frequencies above 10 kHz and sound pressure levels in the 110 dB (6.3 Pa) range and above. The density gradient produced by a weak shock wave is examined and found to depend upon the profile and thickness of the shock as well as the density difference across it. Schlieren visualizations of weak shock waves from common phenomena include loud trumpet notes, various impact phenomena that compress a bubble of air, bursting a toy balloon, popping a champagne cork, snapping a wooden stick, and snapping a wet towel. The balloon burst, snapping a ruler on a table, and snapping the towel and a leather belt all produced readily visible shock-wave phenomena. In contrast, clapping the hands, snapping the stick, and the champagne cork all produced wave trains that were near the weak limit of visibility. Overall, with sensitive optics and a modern high-speed camera, many nonlinear acoustic phenomena in the air can be observed and studied.

[Suppression of tinnitus by band noise masker--a study of 600 cases].

PubMed

Watanabe, K; Kamio, T; Ohkawara, D; Aoki, H; Baba, S; Yagi, T

1997-09-01

We performed Band Noise Masker (BNM) therapy for the suppression of tinnitus in 600 patients and measured the pitch, loudness and masking level of tinnitus and residual inhibition (RI). We examined the efficiency of BNM therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of suppression of tinnitus by BNM. Tinnitus was suppressed in 394 patients (66%) after BNM therapy. In the group of patients in whom we suppressed tinnitus, the loudness of tinnitus was reduced from 7.7 +/- 5.7dBSL to 7.5 +/- 5.5dBSL (p < 0.05) and the pitch of tinnitus did not exhibit a marked change. In the group of patients in whom we did not suppress tinnitus, the loudness and pitch of tinnitus did not exhibit a marked change. The efficiency of BNM therapy was high in the cases of presbyacusis and low in the cases of sudden deafness. There was no significant relationship between RI and the efficiency of BNM therapy. We examined these data and discussed the mechanism of suppression of tinnitus by BNM therapy. In all cases, after BNM therapy, the auditory threshold did not become worse. In 4 cases tinnitus became worse temporarily. In conclusion, BNM therapy is an effective mode for tinnitus control, is easily performed in our outpatient clinic or at home, and has no serious complications.

Evaluation of the importance of time-frequency contributions to speech intelligibility in noise

PubMed Central

Yu, Chengzhu; Wójcicki, Kamil K.; Loizou, Philipos C.; Hansen, John H. L.; Johnson, Michael T.

2014-01-01

Recent studies on binary masking techniques make the assumption that each time-frequency (T-F) unit contributes an equal amount to the overall intelligibility of speech. The present study demonstrated that the importance of each T-F unit to speech intelligibility varies in accordance with speech content. Specifically, T-F units are categorized into two classes, speech-present T-F units and speech-absent T-F units. Results indicate that the importance of each speech-present T-F unit to speech intelligibility is highly related to the loudness of its target component, while the importance of each speech-absent T-F unit varies according to the loudness of its masker component. Two types of mask errors are also considered, which include miss and false alarm errors. Consistent with previous work, false alarm errors are shown to be more harmful to speech intelligibility than miss errors when the mixture signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is below 0 dB. However, the relative importance between the two types of error is conditioned on the SNR level of the input speech signal. Based on these observations, a mask-based objective measure, the loudness weighted hit-false, is proposed for predicting speech intelligibility. The proposed objective measure shows significantly higher correlation with intelligibility compared to two existing mask-based objective measures. PMID:24815280

Fitting recommendations and clinical benefit associated with use of the NAL-NL2 hearing-aid prescription in Nucleus cochlear implant recipients.

PubMed

English, Ruth; Plant, Kerrie; Maciejczyk, Michael; Cowan, Robert

2016-01-01

For a group of cochlear implant recipients, who use hearing aids in the contralateral ear, the benefit of NAL-NL2 relative to a recipients' own prescription was assessed. Whether there was a preferred frequency response and/or gain deviation from NAL-NL2 was then investigated. Speech recognition and self-reported ratings of benefit were examined for the recipients' own prescription compared to the NAL-NL2 prescription, in the bimodal and hearing-aid alone conditions. Paired-comparison of hearing-aid frequency response was conducted with default NAL-NL2 and two variants, a low frequency boost or cut. Using a loudness balancing procedure, the hearing-aid gain required to achieve equal loudness between the devices was measured. Sixteen adults with post-lingual hearing loss. A 22% increase in group median word score in quiet with use of NAL-NL2 in the hearing-aid alone condition. In the bimodal condition there was no improvement with NAL-NL2. Default NAL-NL2 frequency response was preferred by 67% of participants. For 56% of participants, the preferred gain to achieve loudness balance across bimodal devices was within 5-dB of prescribed values. The NAL-NL2 prescription provides a high level of clinical performance, and an acceptable frequency response and gain for most participants.

Telecoil-mode hearing aid compatibility performance requirements for wireless and cordless handsets: magnetic signal levels.

PubMed

Julstrom, Stephen; Kozma-Spytek, Linda; Isabelle, Scott

2011-09-01

In the development of the requirements for telecoil-compatible magnetic signal sources for wireless and cordless telephones to be specified in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C63.19 and ANSI/Telecommunications Industry Association-1083 compatibility standards, it became evident that additional data concerning in-the-field telecoil use and subjective preferences were needed. Primarily, the magnetic signal levels and, secondarily, the field orientations required for effective and comfortable telecoil use with wireless and cordless handsets needed further characterization. (A companion article addresses user signal-to-noise needs and preferences.) Test subjects used their own hearing aids, which were addressed with both a controlled acoustic speech source and a controlled magnetic speech source. Each subject's hearing aid was first measured to find the telecoil's magnetic field orientation for maximum response, and an appropriate large magnetic head-worn coil was selected to apply the magnetic signal. Subjects could control the strength of the magnetic signal, first to match the loudness of a reference acoustic signal and then to find their Most Comfortable Level (MCL). The subjective judgments were compared against objective in-ear probe tube level measurements. The 57 test subjects covered an age range of 22 to 79 yr, with a self-reported hearing loss duration of 12 to 72 yr. All had telecoils that they used for at least some telecommunications needs. The self-reported degree of hearing loss ranged from moderate to profound. A total of 69 hearing aids were surveyed for their telecoil orientation. A guided intake questionnaire yielded general background information for each subject. A custom-built test jig enabled hearing aid telecoil orientation within the aid to be determined. By comparing this observation with the in-use hearing aid position, the in-use orientation for each telecoil was determined. A custom-built test control box fed by prepared speech recordings from computer files enabled the tester to switch between acoustic and magnetic speech signals and to read and record the subject's selected magnetic level settings. The overwhelming majority of behind-the-ear aids tested exhibited in-use telecoil orientations that were substantially vertical. An insufficient number of participants used in-the-ear aids to be able to draw general conclusions concerning the telecoil orientations of this style aid. The subjects showed a generally consistent preference for telecoil speech levels that subjectively matched the level that they heard from 65 dB SPL acoustic speech. The magnetic level needed to achieve their MCL, however, varied over a 30 dB range. Producing the necessary magnetic field strengths from a wireless or cordless telephone's handset in an in-use vertical orientation is vital for compatibility with the vast majority of behind-the-ear aids. Due to the very wide range of preferred magnetic signal levels shown, only indirect conclusions can be drawn concerning required signal levels. The strong preference for a 65 dB SPL equivalent level can be combined with established standards addressing hearing aid performance to derive reasonable source level requirements. Greater consistency between in-the-field hearing aid telecoil and microphone sensitivity adjustments could yield improved results for some users. American Academy of Audiology.

Suitability of different comfort indices for the prediction of thermal conditions in tree-covered outdoor spaces in arid cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, María Angélica; Correa, Erica Norma

2015-10-01

Outdoor thermal comfort is one of the most influential factors in the habitability of a space. Thermal level is defined not only by climate variables but also by the adaptation of people to the environment. This study presents a comparison between inductive and deductive thermal comfort models, contrasted with subjective reports, in order to identify which of the models can be used to most correctly predict thermal comfort in tree-covered outdoor spaces of the Mendoza Metropolitan Area, an intensely forested and open city located in an arid zone. Interviews and microclimatic measurements were carried out in winter 2010 and in summer 2011. Six widely used indices were selected according to different levels of complexity: the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI), Vinje's Comfort Index (PE), Thermal Sensation Index (TS), the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), the COMFA model's energy balance (S), and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). The results show that the predictive models evaluated show percentages of predictive ability lower than 25 %. Despite this low indicator, inductive methods are adequate for obtaining a diagnosis of the degree and frequency in which a space is comfortable or not whereas deductive methods are recommended to influence urban design strategies. In addition, it is necessary to develop local models to evaluate perceived thermal comfort more adequately. This type of tool is very useful in the design and evaluation of the thermal conditions in outdoor spaces, based not only to climatic criteria but also subjective sensations.

Effects of street canyon design on pedestrian thermal comfort in the hot-humid area of China.

PubMed

Zhang, Yufeng; Du, Xiaohan; Shi, Yurong

2017-08-01

The design characteristics of street canyons were investigated in Guangzhou in the hot-humid area of China, and the effects of the design factors and their interactions on pedestrian thermal comfort were studied by numerical simulations. The ENVI-met V4.0 (BASIC) model was validated by field observations and used to simulate the micrometeorological conditions and the standard effective temperature (SET) at pedestrian level of the street canyons for a typical summer day of Guangzhou. The results show that the micrometeorological parameters of mean radiant temperature (MRT) and wind speed play key roles in pedestrian thermal comfort. Street orientation has the largest contribution on SET at pedestrian level, followed by aspect ratio and greenery, while surface albedo and interactions between factors have small contributions. The street canyons oriented southeast-northwest or with a higher aspect ratio provide more shade, higher wind speed, and better thermal comfort conditions for pedestrians. Compared with the east-west-oriented street canyons, the north-south-oriented street canyons have higher MRTs and worse pedestrian thermal comfort due to their wider building spacing along the street. The effects of greenery change with the road width and the time of the day. Street canyon design is recommended to improve pedestrian thermal comfort. This study provides a better understanding of the effects of street canyon design on pedestrian thermal comfort and is a useful guide on urban design for the hot-humid area of China.

Hostile sexism (de)motivates women's social competition intentions: The contradictory role of emotions.

PubMed

Lemonaki, Elena; Manstead, Antony S R; Maio, Gregory R

2015-09-01

In the present research, we examine the ways in which exposure to hostile sexism influences women's competitive collective action intentions. Prior to testing our main model, our first study experimentally induced high versus low levels of security-comfort with the aim of providing experimental evidence for the proposed causal link between these emotions and intentions to engage in social competition. Results showed that lower levels of security-comfort reduced women's readiness to compete socially with men. Experiment 2 investigated the effect of hostile sexism on women's emotional reactions and readiness to engage in social competition. Consistent with the proposed model, results showed that exposure to hostile beliefs about women (1) increased anger-frustration and (2) decreased security-comfort. More specifically, exposure to hostile sexism had a positive indirect effect on social competition intentions through anger-frustration, and a negative indirect effect through security-comfort. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Fear of causing harm: use of mannequin-based simulation to decrease student anxiety prior to interacting with female teaching associates.

PubMed

Pugh, Carla M; Obadina, Eniola T; Aidoo, Kofi A

2009-01-01

There is a paucity of research assessing the potential benefits of mannequin trainers when preparing students to interact with teaching associates. The goal of this study was to better understand the effects of mannequin-based simulators on student comfort toward learning specific aspects of the clinical female pelvic exam. First-year medical students (N = 344) were surveyed before and after a mannequin-based simulation curriculum to assess their comfort levels toward learning the female pelvic exam. Causing harm was the top cause of student anxiety toward learning the pelvic exam. Although the mannequin-based simulation curriculum was effective in significantly increasing (p < .001) student comfort levels toward learning the pelvic exam, the majority of students progressed from being "very uncomfortable" with the exam to being "somewhat comfortable." We suggest that mannequin-based simulators be used prior to students' learning experience with pelvic exam teaching associates.

Energy usage while maintaining thermal comfort: A case study of a UNT dormitory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambrell, Dusten

Campus dormitories for the University of North Texas house over 5500 students per year; each one of them requires certain comfortable living conditions while they live there. There is an inherit amount of money required in order to achieve minimal comfort levels; the cost is mostly natural gas for water and room heating and electricity for cooling, lighting and peripherals. The US Department of Energy has developed several programs to aid in performing energy simulations to help those interested design more cost effective building designs. Energy-10 is such a program that allows users to conduct whole house evaluations by reviewing and altering a few parameters such as building materials, solar heating, energy efficient windows etc. The idea of this project was to recreate a campus dormitory and try to emulate existent energy consumption then try to find ways of lowering that usage while maintaining a high level of personal comfort.

Parental influences on the self-esteem of gay and lesbian youths: a reflected appraisals model.

PubMed

Savin-Williams, R C

1989-01-01

Based on a population of 317 gay and lesbian youths, the current investigation explores the appropriateness of a reflected appraisals perspective in predicting the degree to which parental attitudes, as perceived by youth, affects their self-esteem and comfortableness being gay. A lesbian was most comfortable with her sexual orientation if she also reported that her parents accepted her homosexuality; these variables did not, however, predict her level of self-esteem. Among the gay males, parental acceptance predicted comfortable being gay if the parents were also perceived as important components of a youth's self-worth; a male most comfortable with his sexual orientation had the highest level of self-esteem. Results are discussed in terms of: (a) sex of parent, (b) sex-role development, (c) comparisons of gays and lesbians, and (d) research on gay and lesbian youth.

Measurements of monopolar and bipolar current spreads using forward-masking with a fixed probe.

PubMed

Bingabr, Mohamed G; Espinoza-Varas, Blas; Sigdel, Saroj

2014-05-01

This research employed a forward-masking paradigm to estimate the current spread of monopolar (MP) and bipolar (BP) maskers, with current amplitudes adjusted to elicit the same loudness. Since the spatial separation between active and return electrodes is smaller in BP than in MP configurations, the BP current spread is more localized and presumably superior in terms of speech intelligibility. Because matching the loudness requires higher current in BP than in MP stimulation, previous forward-masking studies show that BP current spread is not consistently narrower across subjects or electrodes within a subject. The present forward-masking measures of current spread differ from those of previous studies by using the same BP probe electrode configuration for both MP and BP masker configurations, and adjusting the current levels of the MP and BP maskers so as to match them in loudness. With this method, the estimate of masker current spread would not be contaminated by differences in probe current spread. Forward masking was studied in four cochlear implant patients, two females and two males, with speech recognition scores higher than 50%; that is, their auditory-nerve survival status was more than adequate to carry out the experiments. The data showed that MP and BP masker configurations produce equivalent masking patterns (and current spreads) in three participants. A fourth participant displayed asymmetrical patterns with enhancement rather than masking in some cases, especially when the probe and masker were at the same location. This study showed equivalent masking patterns for MP and BP maskers when the BP masker current amplitude was increased to match the loudness of the MP masker, and the same BP probe configuration is used with both maskers. This finding could help to explain why cochlear implant users often fail to accrue higher speech intelligibility benefit from BP stimulation.

The myth of comfort food.

PubMed

Wagner, Heather Scherschel; Ahlstrom, Britt; Redden, Joseph P; Vickers, Zata; Mann, Traci

2014-12-01

People seek out their own idiosyncratic comfort foods when in negative moods, and they believe that these foods rapidly improve their mood. The purpose of these studies is to investigate whether comfort foods actually provide psychological benefits, and if so, whether they improve mood better than comparison foods or no food. Participants first completed an online questionnaire to indicate their comfort foods and a variety of comparison foods. During two lab sessions a week apart from each other (and at least a week after the online questionnaire, counterbalanced in order), participants watched films that induced negative affect. In one session, participants were then served their comfort food. In the other, participants were served an equally liked noncomfort food (Study 1), a neutral food (Study 2), or no food (Studies 3 and 4). Short-term mood changes were measured so that we could seek out psychological effects of these foods, rather than biochemical effects on mood from particular food components (e.g., sugars or vitamins). Comfort foods led to significant improvements in mood, but no more than other foods or no food. Although people believe that comfort foods provide them with mood benefits, comfort foods do not provide comfort beyond that of other foods (or no food). These results are likely not due to a floor effect because participants' moods did not return to baseline levels. Individuals may be giving comfort food "credit" for mood effects that would have occurred even in the absence of the comfort food.

Thinking Out Loud while Studying Text: Rehearsing Key Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muth, K. Denise; And Others

1988-01-01

A study involving 32 undergraduate students was conducted to identify mechanisms by which instructional objectives affect learning. Protocols for thinking out loud were examined for evidence of rehearsal activity. Results suggest that instructional objectives enhanced real-time rehearsal activity, recall, and reading time. (TJH)

Relation Between the Overall Impression of the Sound Environment and Types and Loudness of Environmental Sounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

KAWAI, K.; YANO, T.

2002-02-01

This paper reports an experimental study determining the effects of the type and loudness of individual sounds on the overall impression of the sound environment. Field and laboratory experiments were carried out. In each experiment, subjects evaluated the sound environment presented, which consisted of combinations of three individual sounds of road traffic, singing crickets and the murmuring of a river, with five bipolar adjective scales such as Good-Bad, Active-Calm and Natural-Artificial. Overall loudness had the strongest effect on most types of evaluations; relative SPL has a greater effect than overall loudness on a particular evaluation of the natural-artificial scale. The test sounds in the field experiment were generally evaluated as more good and more natural than those in the laboratory. The results of comparisons between laboratory and field sounds indicate a difference in the trend between them. This difference may be explained by the term of selective listening but that needs further investigation.

A Tale of Three Cities: Piloting a Measure of Effort and Comfort Levels within Town-Gown Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gavazzi, Stephen M.; Fox, Michael

2015-01-01

This article extends the argument that scholarship on marriages and families provides invaluable insights into town-gown relationships. First, a four-square matrix constructed from the twin dimensions of effort and comfort levels is used to describe a typology of campus and community associations. Next the construction of the Optimal College Town…

Examining Teachers' Use of iPads: Comfort Level, Perception, and Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Min; Navarrete, Cesar C.; Scordino, Robert; Kang, Jina; Ko, Yujung; Lim, Mihyun

2016-01-01

While there is evidence of the growing popularity of iPads and other tablets in K-12 education, little is understood about how teachers use these devices in their instruction. This study examines 342 teachers' comfort level with and perception toward iPad use and any changes that occurred over the implementation year. Using a mixed-methods design,…

Pairing Learners by Companionship: Effects on Motor Skill Performance and Comfort Levels in the Reciprocal Style of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatoupis, Constantine

2015-01-01

Mosston and Ashworth's (2008) reciprocal style of teaching gives learners the opportunity to work in pairs to support each other's learning (one practices a task and the other gives feedback). The effects of pairing learners by companionship (friend and nonacquaintance) on 8-year-old children's motor skill performance and comfort levels were…

Pharmacy student self-perception of weight and relationship to counseling patients on lifestyle modification.

PubMed

Antworth, Allen; Maffeo, Carrie

2014-03-12

To assess the accuracy of pharmacy students' self-assessment of body mass index (BMI) and determine the relationship of this to comfort level in counseling patients regarding lifestyle modification. A prospective, observational, cohort study was conducted that included first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students who had previously undergone training in BMI self-assessment. Data on students' weight and height were collected and a survey that contained questions on self-perception of body weight and comfort with lifestyle counseling was conducted. Perceived BMI categories (underweight, normal, overweight, and obese) were then compared to actual calculated BMI to determine the accuracy of the student's self-perception. At baseline, participants' accuracy in self-assessment of BMI was 74%, 73.3%, and 75.6% respectively, for first-, second-, and third-year students (p=0.911). Students accuracy increased but not significantly as they progressed through the curriculum (7.2% and 13.3%, respectively; p=0.470 and p=0.209). Neither accuracy in self-assessment of BMI nor students' actual BMI significantly affected students' comfort level with lifestyle modification counseling within healthy weight, overweight, or obese patient categories. However, as the patients' BMI category increased, comfort level differences were observed among students of normal and overweight categories. Patients' BMI category may be a significant barrier to pharmacy students' comfort level in providing lifestyle modification counseling. This finding suggests the need to implement curriculum changes to better prepare students for lifestyle modification counseling.

Systematic review of outcome domains and instruments used in clinical trials of tinnitus treatments in adults.

PubMed

Hall, Deborah A; Haider, Haula; Szczepek, Agnieszka J; Lau, Pia; Rabau, Sarah; Jones-Diette, Julie; Londero, Alain; Edvall, Niklas K; Cederroth, Christopher R; Mielczarek, Marzena; Fuller, Thomas; Batuecas-Caletrio, Angel; Brueggemen, Petra; Thompson, Dean M; Norena, Arnaud; Cima, Rilana F F; Mehta, Rajnikant L; Mazurek, Birgit

2016-06-01

There is no evidence-based guidance to facilitate design decisions for confirmatory trials or systematic reviews investigating treatment efficacy for adults with tinnitus. This systematic review therefore seeks to ascertain the current status of trial designs by identifying and evaluating the reporting of outcome domains and instruments in the treatment of adults with tinnitus. Records were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE CINAHL, EBSCO, and CENTRAL clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, ICTRP) and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Eligible records were those published from 1 July 2006 to 12 March 2015. Included studies were those reporting adults aged 18 years or older who reported tinnitus as a primary complaint, and who were enrolled into a randomised controlled trial, a before and after study, a non-randomised controlled trial, a case-controlled study or a cohort study, and written in English. Studies with fewer than 20 participants were excluded. Two hundred and twenty-eight studies were included. Thirty-five different primary outcome domains were identified spanning seven categories (tinnitus percept, impact of tinnitus, co-occurring complaints, quality of life, body structures and function, treatment-related outcomes and unclear or not specified). Over half the studies (55 %) did not clearly define the complaint of interest. Tinnitus loudness was the domain most often reported (14 %), followed by tinnitus distress (7 %). Seventy-eight different primary outcome instruments were identified. Instruments assessing multiple attributes of the impact of tinnitus were most common (34 %). Overall, 24 different patient-reported tools were used, predominantly the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (15 %). Loudness was measured in diverse ways including a numerical rating scale (8 %), loudness matching (4 %), minimum masking level (1 %) and loudness discomfort level (1 %). Ten percent of studies did not clearly report the instrument used. Our findings indicate poor appreciation of the basic principles of good trial design, particularly the importance of specifying what aspect of therapeutic benefit is the main outcome. No single outcome was reported in all studies and there was a broad diversity of outcome instruments. The systematic review protocol is registered on PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews): CRD42015017525 . Registered on 12 March 2015 revised on 15 March 2016.

Influence of foot orthosis customisation on perceived comfort during running.

PubMed

Lucas-Cuevas, A G; Pérez-Soriano, P; Priego-Quesada, J I; Llana-Belloch, S

2014-01-01

Although running is associated with many health benefits, it also exposes the body to greater risk of injury. Foot orthoses are an effective strategy to prevent such injuries. Comfort is an essential element in orthosis design since any discomfort alters the runner's biomechanics, compromising performance and increasing the risk of injury. The present study analyses the perceived comfort of three types of orthoses: custom-made, prefabricated and original running shoe insoles. Nine comfort variables for each insole were assessed in a sample of 40 runners. Custom-made and prefabricated insoles were both perceived as significantly more comfortable than the original insoles. The differences were clinically relevant and were potentially causes of modifications in running gait. Although the prefabricated insoles were rated slightly higher than the custom-made insoles, the differences were not statistically significant. This study shows that prefabricated insoles constitute a reasonable alternative to custom-made insoles in terms of comfort. The perceived level of comfort of footwear is considered to be a protective measure of the potential risk of running injuries. We here compared runners' perception of comfort of custom-made and prefabricated orthoses while running. We found that even though custom-made orthoses are closely matched to each individual's foot, such customisation does not necessarily imply greater comfort.

Effects of Increasing Sound Pressure Level on Lip and Jaw Movement Parameters and Consistency in Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Jessica E.; Chandrasekaran, Bharath

2006-01-01

Purpose: Examination of movement parameters and consistency has been used to infer underlying neural control of movement. However, there has been no systematic investigation of whether the way individuals are asked (or cued) to increase loudness alters articulation. This study examined whether different cues to elicit louder speech induce…

Raccoon Circles: A Handbook for Facilitators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Jim

This handbook presents a collection of over 35 experiential and adventure-based activities using only a single item of equipment--a 15-foot long section of 1-inch tubular climbing webbing, called a raccoon circle. Some of the activities are quiet, some are loud, and they range from low to high challenge levels. Different-sized groups can be…

Students' Writing "In Transition" from A-Levels to University: How Assessment Drives Students' Understandings, Practices and Discourses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Sally

2017-01-01

The lament that "students can't write" remains loud and defiant, even after years of research pointing to the myriad factors that make students' writing challenging, particularly when they move into university. This paper reports on a longitudinal, ethnographic study which explored students' writing "in transition," from…

Some physical and psychological aspects of noise attenuation by vegetation

Treesearch

Donald E. Aylor

1977-01-01

The physical mechanisms governing sound attenuation by foliage, stems, and ground are reviewed. Reflection of sound energy is found to be the primary mechanism. In addition, new experimental results are discussed that help to quantify the psychological effect of a plant barrier on perceived noise level. Listeners judged the loudness of noise transmitted through hemlock...

Controlled Release of Multiple Therapeutics from Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses.

PubMed

White, Charles James; DiPasquale, Stephen Anthony; Byrne, Mark Edward

2016-04-01

The majority of contact lens wearers experience a significant level of ocular discomfort associated with lens wear, often within hours of wear, related to dry lenses, inflammation, protein adhesion to the lens surface, etc. Application of controlled drug release techniques has focused on the incorporation and/or release of a single comfort molecule from a lens including high molecular weight comfort agents or pharmaceutical agents. Previous studies have sought to mitigate the occurrence of only single propagators of discomfort. Clinical studies with eye drop solutions have shown that a mixture of diverse comfort agents selected to address multiple propagators of discomfort provide the greatest and longest lasting sensations of comfort for the patient. In this paper, multiple propagators of discomfort are addressed through the simultaneous release of four molecules from a novel contact lens to ensure high level of lens wear comfort. Silicone hydrogel contact lenses were engineered via molecular imprinting strategies to simultaneously release up to four template molecules including hydropropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), trehalose, ibuprofen, and prednisolone. By adjusting the ratio of functional monomer to comfort molecule, a high level of control was demonstrated over the release rate. HPMC, trehalose, ibuprofen, and prednisolone were released at therapeutically relevant concentrations with varying rates from a single lens. The results indicate use as daily disposable lenses for single day release or extended-wear lenses with multiple day release. Imprinted lenses are expected to lead to higher efficacy for patients compared to topical eye drops by improving compliance and mitigating concentration peaks and valleys associated with multiple drops.

Controlled Release of Multiple Therapeutics from Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses

PubMed Central

White, Charles J.; DiPasquale, Stephen A.; Byrne, Mark E.

2016-01-01

Purpose The majority of contact lens wearers experience a significant level of ocular discomfort associated with lens wear, often within hours of wear, related to dry lenses, inflammation, protein adhesion to the lens surface, etc. Application of controlled drug release techniques has focused on the incorporation and/or release of a single comfort molecule from a lens including high molecular weight comfort agents or pharmaceutical agents. Previous studies have sought to mitigate the occurrence of only single propagators of discomfort. Clinical studies with eye drop solutions have shown that a mixture of diverse comfort agents selected to address multiple propagators of discomfort provide the greatest and longest lasting sensations of comfort for the patient. In this paper, multiple propagators of discomfort are addressed through the simultaneous release of four molecules from a novel contact lens to ensure high level of lens wear comfort. Methods Silicone hydrogel contact lenses were engineered via molecular imprinting strategies to simultaneously release up to four template molecules including hydropropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), trehalose, ibuprofen, and prednisolone. Results By adjusting the ratio of functional monomer to comfort molecule, a high level of control was demonstrated over the release rate. HPMC, trehalose, ibuprofen, and prednisolone were released at therapeutically relevant concentrations with varying rates from a single lens. Conclusions The results indicate use as daily disposable lenses for single day release or extended-wear lenses with multiple day release. Imprinted lenses are expected to lead to higher efficacy for patients compared to topical eye drops by improving compliance and mitigating concentration peaks and valleys associated with multiple drops. PMID:26945177

Fermi LAT Detection of a GeV Flare from the Radio-Loud Narrow-Line Sy1 1H 0323+342

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, Bryce; Ojha, Roopesh

2013-08-01

The Large Area Telescope (LAT), one of the two instruments on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has observed increasing gamma-ray flux from a source positionally consistent with 1H 0323+342 (RA=03h24m41.1613s, Dec=+34d10m45.856s, J2000; Beasley et al. 2002, ApJS, 141, 13) at z= 0.061 (Marcha et al. 1996, MNRAS, 281, 425). This is the second nearest radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy, a small and important class of gamma-ray loud AGN (Abdo et al.

The Effect of Load Position on Biomechanical and Physiological Measures during a Short Duration March

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-05-01

completed subjective evaluations of the load location after each loaded trial. The questionnaire asked about overall acceptability, balance, thermal comfort , load... thermal comfort when marching Results The results of this study are summarized in Table 2. Oxygen consumption levels across load distributions were not...acceptable in 7 out of 8 categories that were examined. The alternate configuration ranked most acceptable in all categories except thermal comfort , where

Calculation of Level of Comfort of the Micro-Climate in Buildings During the Estimation of the Energy-Saving Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prorokova, M. V.; Bukhmirov, V. V.

2016-02-01

The article describes the method of valuation of comfort of microclimate of residen-tial, public and administrative buildings. The method is based on calculation of the coefficient of thermal comfort of a person in the room. Further amendments are introduced to the asym-metry of the thermal radiation, radiation cooling and air quality. The method serves as the basis for a computer program.

Effect of mass housing settlement type on the comfortable open areas in terms of noise.

PubMed

Akdağ, Neşe Yüğrük; Gedik, Gülay Zorer; Kiraz, Fatih; Şener, Bekir

2017-09-12

The layout of the structures according to the noise source is an important parameter in terms of the level of noise reaching to both open usage areas and the structure surfaces. In this paper, it is aimed to reveal the effect of mass housing settlement type on the size of suitable open usage areas in terms of noise. Comfortable open usage areas in 25 mass housing alternatives are determined for the case of being affected by three different road noises. The reliability of the simulation results is validated by on-site noise level measurements. As a result, it is seen that better results are obtained in linear, L, C, and U type alternatives than point-type blocks. Especially in alternatives consisting of point-and linear-type blocks, if the noise level is above 75 Leq (dBA), the percentage of comfortable open usage areas is very low. It is determined that the percentage of comfortable open areas increases between 50 and 100% by means of appropriately designed noise barriers.

Interpreting radiative efficiency in radio-loud AGNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardcastle, Martin

2018-04-01

Radiative efficiency in radio-loud active galactic nuclei is governed by the accretion rate onto the central black hole rather than directly by the type of accreted matter; while it correlates with real differences in host galaxies and environments, it does not provide unambiguous information about particular objects.

Performance Assessment of Communication Enhancement Devices TEA HI Threat Headset

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

while mitigating hearing loss and tinnitus caused by exposure to loud, steady-state and impulsive noise. Active devices should theoretically have...mitigating hearing loss and tinnitus caused by exposure to loud, steady-state and impulsive noise. The general approach for this assessment was to use

Bright Sneezes and Dark Coughs, Loud Sunlight and Soft Moonlight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Lawrence E.

1982-01-01

In a series of four experiments, subjects used scales of loudness, pitch, and brightness to evaluate the meanings of a variety of synesthetic metaphors--expressions in which words or phrases describing experiences proper to one sense modality transfer their meaning to another modality. (Author/PN)

Do Talkativeness and Vocal Loudness Correlate With Laryngeal Pathology? A Study of the Vocal Overdoer/Underdoer Continuum.

PubMed

Bastian, Robert W; Thomas, James P

2016-09-01

Assess the correlation between self-rating scales of talkativeness and loudness with various types of voice disorders. This is a retrospective study. A total of 974 patients were analyzed. The cohort study included 430 consecutive patients presenting to the senior author with voice complaints from December 1995 to December 1998. The case-control study added 544 consecutive patients referred to the same examiner from January 1988 to December 1998 for vocal fold examination before thyroid, parathyroid, and carotid surgery. Patient responses on seven-point Likert self-rating scales of talkativeness and loudness were compared with laryngeal disease. Mucosal lesions clearly associated with vibratory trauma are strongly associated with a high self-rating of talkativeness. Laryngeal deconditioning disorders were associated with a low self-rating of talkativeness. Use of a simple self-rating scale of vocal loudness and talkativeness during history taking can reliably orient the examiner to the types of voice disorders likely to be diagnosed subsequently during vocal capability testing and visual laryngeal examination. The high degree of talkativeness and loudness seen in vocal overdoers correlates well with mucosal disorders such as nodules, polyps, capillary ectasia, epidermoid inclusion cysts, and hemorrhage. A lower degree of talkativeness correlates with muscle deconditioning disorders such as vocal fold bowing, atrophy, presbyphonia, and vocal fatigue syndrome. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating standard airborne sound insulation measures in terms of annoyance, loudness, and audibility ratings.

PubMed

Park, H K; Bradley, J S

2009-07-01

This paper reports the results of an evaluation of the merits of standard airborne sound insulation measures with respect to subjective ratings of the annoyance and loudness of transmitted sounds. Subjects listened to speech and music sounds modified to represent transmission through 20 different walls with sound transmission class (STC) ratings from 34 to 58. A number of variations in the standard measures were also considered. These included variations in the 8-dB rule for the maximum allowed deficiency in the STC measure as well as variations in the standard 32-dB total allowed deficiency. Several spectrum adaptation terms were considered in combination with weighted sound reduction index (R(w)) values as well as modifications to the range of included frequencies in the standard rating contour. A STC measure without an 8-dB rule and an R(w) rating with a new spectrum adaptation term were better predictors of annoyance and loudness ratings of speech sounds. R(w) ratings with one of two modified C(tr) spectrum adaptation terms were better predictors of annoyance and loudness ratings of transmitted music sounds. Although some measures were much better predictors of responses to one type of sound than were the standard STC and R(w) values, no measure was remarkably improved for predicting annoyance and loudness ratings of both music and speech sounds.

Air quality and ocular discomfort aboard commercial aircraft.

PubMed

Backman, H; Haghighat, F

2000-10-01

Aircraft cabin air quality has been a subject of recent public health interest. Aircraft environments are designed according to standards to ensure the comfort and well-being of the occupants. The upper and lower limits of humidity set by ASHRAE standards are based on the maintenance of acceptable thermal conditions established solely on comfort considerations, including thermal sensation, skin wetness, skin dryness, dry eyes and ocular discomfort. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of air (carbon dioxide level, relative humidity, and temperature) aboard commercial aircraft on ocular discomfort and dry eye of aircraft personnel and passengers. Measurements of indoor air quality were performed in 15 different aircraft at different times and altitudes. Forty-two measurements of carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity were performed with portable air samplers every 5 minutes. Passenger loads did not exceed 137 passengers. Thermal comfort rarely met ASHRAE standards. Low humidity levels and high carbon dioxide levels were found on the Airbus 320. The DC-9 had the highest humidity level and the Boeing-767 had the lowest carbon dioxide level. Air quality was poorest on the Airbus 320 aircraft. This poor level of air quality may cause intolerance to contact lenses, dry eyes, and may be a health hazard to both passengers and crew members. Improved ventilation and aircraft cabin micro-environments need to be made for the health and comfort of the occupants.

A first-principles model for estimating the prevalence of annoyance with aircraft noise exposure.

PubMed

Fidell, Sanford; Mestre, Vincent; Schomer, Paul; Berry, Bernard; Gjestland, Truls; Vallet, Michel; Reid, Timothy

2011-08-01

Numerous relationships between noise exposure and transportation noise-induced annoyance have been inferred by curve-fitting methods. The present paper develops a different approach. It derives a systematic relationship by applying an a priori, first-principles model to the findings of forty three studies of the annoyance of aviation noise. The rate of change of annoyance with day-night average sound level (DNL) due to aircraft noise exposure was found to closely resemble the rate of change of loudness with sound level. The agreement of model predictions with the findings of recent curve-fitting exercises (cf. Miedma and Vos, 1998) is noteworthy, considering that other analyses have relied on different analytic methods and disparate data sets. Even though annoyance prevalence rates within individual communities consistently grow in proportion to duration-adjusted loudness, variability in annoyance prevalence rates across communities remains great. The present analyses demonstrate that 1) community-specific differences in annoyance prevalence rates can be plausibly attributed to the joint effect of acoustic and non-DNL related factors and (2) a simple model can account for the aggregate influences of non-DNL related factors on annoyance prevalence rates in different communities in terms of a single parameter expressed in DNL units-a "community tolerance level."

Loud speech over noise: some spectral attributes, with gender differences.

PubMed

Ternström, Sten; Bohman, Mikael; Södersten, Maria

2006-03-01

In seeking an acoustic description of overloaded voice, simulated environmental noise was used to elicit loud speech. A total of 23 adults, 12 females and 11 males, read six passages of 90 s duration, over realistic noise presented over loudspeakers. The noise was canceled out, exposing the speech signal to analysis. Spectrum balance (SB) was defined as the level of the 2-6 kHz band relative to the 0.1-1 kHz band. SB averaged across many similar vowel segments became less negative with increasing sound pressure level (SPL), as described in the literature, but only at moderate SPL. At high SPL, SB exhibited a personal "saturation" point, above which the high-band level no longer increased faster than the overall SPL, or even stopped increasing altogether, on average at 90.3 dB (@30 cm) for females and 95.5 dB for males. Saturation occurred 6-8 dB below the personal maximum SPL, regardless of gender. The loudest productions were often characterized by a relative increase in low-frequency energy, apparently in a sharpened first formant. This suggests a change of vocal strategy when the high spectrum can rise no further. The progression of SB with SPL was characteristically different for individual subjects.

Forward masking of dynamic acoustic intensity: effects of intensity region and end-level.

PubMed

Olsen, Kirk N; Stevens, Catherine J

2012-01-01

Overestimation of loudness change typically occurs in response to up-ramp auditory stimuli (increasing intensity) relative to down-ramps (decreasing intensity) matched on frequency, duration, and end-level. In the experiment reported, forward masking is used to investigate a sensory component of up-ramp overestimation: persistence of excitation after stimulus presentation. White-noise and synthetic vowel 3.6 s up-ramp and down-ramp maskers were presented over two regions of intensity change (40-60 dB SPL, 60-80 dB SPL). Three participants detected 10 ms 1.5 kHz pure tone signals presented at masker-offset to signal-offset delays of 10, 20, 30, 50, 90, 170 ms. Masking magnitude was significantly greater in response to up-ramps compared with down-ramps for masker-signal delays up to and including 50 ms. When controlling for an end-level recency bias (40-60 dB SPL up-ramp vs 80-60 dB SPL down-ramp), the difference in masking magnitude between up-ramps and down-ramps was not significant at each masker-signal delay. Greater sensory persistence in response to up-ramps is argued to have minimal effect on perceptual overestimation of loudness change when response biases are controlled. An explanation based on sensory adaptation is discussed.

Measures for assessing architectural speech security (privacy) of closed offices and meeting rooms.

PubMed

Gover, Bradford N; Bradley, John S

2004-12-01

Objective measures were investigated as predictors of the speech security of closed offices and rooms. A new signal-to-noise type measure is shown to be a superior indicator for security than existing measures such as the Articulation Index, the Speech Intelligibility Index, the ratio of the loudness of speech to that of noise, and the A-weighted level difference of speech and noise. This new measure is a weighted sum of clipped one-third-octave-band signal-to-noise ratios; various weightings and clipping levels are explored. Listening tests had 19 subjects rate the audibility and intelligibility of 500 English sentences, filtered to simulate transmission through various wall constructions, and presented along with background noise. The results of the tests indicate that the new measure is highly correlated with sentence intelligibility scores and also with three security thresholds: the threshold of intelligibility (below which speech is unintelligible), the threshold of cadence (below which the cadence of speech is inaudible), and the threshold of audibility (below which speech is inaudible). The ratio of the loudness of speech to that of noise, and simple A-weighted level differences are both shown to be well correlated with these latter two thresholds (cadence and audibility), but not well correlated with intelligibility.

Detection and rate discrimination of amplitude modulation in electrical hearing.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Monita; Oberzut, Cherish

2011-09-01

Three experiments were designed to examine temporal envelope processing by cochlear implant (CI) listeners. In experiment 1, the hypothesis that listeners' modulation sensitivity would in part determine their ability to discriminate between temporal modulation rates was examined. Temporal modulation transfer functions (TMTFs) obtained in an amplitude modulation detection (AMD) task were compared to threshold functions obtained in an amplitude modulation rate discrimination (AMRD) task. Statistically significant nonlinear correlations were observed between the two measures. In experiment 2, results of loudness-balancing showed small increases in the loudness of modulated over unmodulated stimuli beyond a modulation depth of 16%. Results of experiment 3 indicated small but statistically significant effects of level-roving on the overall gain of the TMTF, but no impact of level-roving on the average shape of the TMTF across subjects. This suggested that level-roving simply increased the task difficulty for most listeners, but did not indicate increased use of intensity cues under more challenging conditions. Data obtained with one subject, however, suggested that the most sensitive listeners may derive some benefit from intensity cues in these tasks. Overall, results indicated that intensity cues did not play an important role in temporal envelope processing by the average CI listener. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Public health assessment for Alcoa (Point Comfort)/Lavaca Bay, Point Comfort, Calhoun County, Texas, Region 6. Cerclis No. TXD008123168. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-08-24

The ALCOA (Point Comfort)/Lavaco Bay National Priorities List (NPL) site is in Calhoun County, Texas, approximately 1.5 miles south of Point Comfort and four miles northeast of Port Lavaca. Fish sampling data indicate that levels of mercury in fish are elevated. Mercury has been detected throughout the site in surface soil, shallow groundwater, air, bay sediments, fish and crabs. Other contaminants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and lead, have been detected in shallow groundwater. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected in a limited number of sediment, fish, and oyster samples.

Articulatory-to-Acoustic Relations in Response to Speaking Rate and Loudness Manipulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mefferd, Antje S.; Green, Jordan R.

2010-01-01

Purpose: In this investigation, the authors determined the strength of association between tongue kinematic and speech acoustics changes in response to speaking rate and loudness manipulations. Performance changes in the kinematic and acoustic domains were measured using two aspects of speech production presumably affecting speech clarity:…

77 FR 40276 - Implementation of the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-09

... crafting effective rules ``due to the subjective nature of many of the factors that contribute to loudness... stages of distribution (i.e., production, post-production and real time production).\\25\\ It specifically... Reply''); Ex Parte Comments of Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sherrod Brown, Tim Johnson, Claire McCaskill...

Loudness Change in Response to Dynamic Acoustic Intensity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Kirk N.; Stevens, Catherine J.; Tardieu, Julien

2010-01-01

Three experiments investigate psychological, methodological, and domain-specific characteristics of loudness change in response to sounds that continuously increase in intensity (up-ramps), relative to sounds that decrease (down-ramps). Timbre (vowel, violin), layer (monotone, chord), and duration (1.8 s, 3.6 s) were manipulated in Experiment 1.…

Keeping the Physical Educator "Connected" an Examination of Comfort Level, Usage and Professional Development Available for Technology Integration in the Curricular Area of Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adkins, Megan; Bice, Matthew R.; Worrell, Vicki; Unruh, Nita

2017-01-01

Schools continue to integrate the use of technology, and gymnasiums are not an exception. The purpose of the study was to determine the comfort level of Physical Education teachers integrating technology in the gymnasium, determine types of professional development provided for technology use, and potential barriers associated with technology…

Improvement of the U.S. Army Intermediate Cold Wet Boot

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

thermal comfort of the human foot during exposure to cold ambient temperatures. 33-5 Figure 4. Photograph showing human volunteers during the 1990 ICWB...boot indicating that it would provide an increased level of thermal comfort . The then-current U.S. Army Intermediate Cold-Wet Boot, 34 33 32 31 E 30 E...has been recommended that the U.S. Army continue to evaluate future improvements in these materials designed to increase individual thermal comfort and

An Ergonomic Evaluation of Aircraft Pilot Seats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Yolanda Nicole

Seat comfort has become increasingly important in today's society as we spend more time at consoles, instrument panels, or just online. However, seat comfort is hard to define and difficult to measure. Several measures both objective and subjective were used to evaluate seat comfort in commercially available average pilot seats. Three pilot seats, which had the same material and similar adjustments but different physical attributes, and a universal classroom seat, with different material and no adjustments, were compared by 20 volunteers using subjective and objective measures in a Latin square controlled repeated measures design. A Friedman's test was used to determine that both the comfort questionnaire and the body-map rating results were able to discriminate objective comfort levels between the seats. One-way repeated measures ANOVA tests were used to analyze both the objective tests, actigraph and pressure pad data. All results indicated that one seat was clearly the most comfortable and another, the classroom seat was clearly the most uncomfortable seat. Furthermore, the overall comments per seat were compiled and compared to Fazlollahtabar's 2010) predictive automobile seat comfort theory to determine which factors influence comfort perception. The use of both subjective and objective data can better distinguish comfort from one seat over the other. These results have implications for future tests of seats that will be used for long durations. Limitations and future recommendations are discussed later in the paper. An interesting finding may explain why pressure pad data are typically seemingly at odds with subjective measures of seat comfort.

Assessment of thermal comfort level at pedestrian level in high-density urban area of Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J.; Ng, E.; Yuan, C.; Lai, A.

2015-12-01

Hong Kong is a subtropical city which is very hot and humid in the summer. Pedestrians commonly experience thermal discomfort. Various studies have shown that the tall bulky buildings intensify the urban heat island effect and reduce urban air ventilation. However, relatively few studies have focused on modeling the thermal load at pedestrian level (~ 2 m). This study assesses the thermal comfort level, quantified by PET (Physiological Equivalent Temperature), using a GIS - based simulation approach. A thermal comfort level map shows the PET value of a typical summer afternoon in the high building density area. For example, the averaged PET in Sheung Wan is about 41 degree Celsius in a clear day and 38 degree Celsius in a cloudy day. This map shows where the walkways, colonnades, and greening is most needed. In addition, given a start point, a end point, and weather data, we generate the most comfort walking routes weighted by the PET. In the simulation, shortwave irradiance is calculated using the topographic radiation model (Fu and Rich, 1999) under various cloud cover scenarios; longwave irradiance is calculated based the radiative transfer equation (Swinbank, 1963). Combining these two factors, Tmrt (mean radiant temperature) is solved. And in some cases, the Tmrt differ more than 40 degree Celsius between areas under the sun and under the shades. Considering thermal load and wind information, we found that shading from buildings has stronger effect on PET than poor air ventilation resulted from dense buildings. We predict that pedestrians would feel more comfortable (lower PET) in a hot summer afternoon when walking in the higher building density area.

Trajectories of regulatory behaviors in early infancy: Determinants of infant self-distraction and self-comforting.

PubMed

Planalp, Elizabeth M; Braungart-Rieker, Julia M

2015-03-01

The ability to effectively regulate emotions is an important marker for early socioemotional development. The uses of self-comforting behaviors and self-distraction have been empirically supported as effective regulatory strategies for infants, though research on determinants of such behaviors is scarce. Thus, a more thorough examination of the development of regulatory behaviors is needed. For the current study, 135 mothers, fathers, and their infants participated in laboratory visits at 3-, 5-, and 7-months of age where parent sensitivity and infant regulatory strategies were coded from the Still Face Paradigm. Parents also filled out questionnaires about infant temperament and parental involvement. Using multi-level modeling to examine levels and trajectories of self-comforting and self-distraction, the current study found: 1) infants higher in temperamental surgency used more self-distraction and self-comforting, 2) infants lower in surgency with highly involved parents increased in self-distraction at a faster rate, particularly with highly involved fathers, and 3) infants used self-comforting more than average with fathers when the infant was also lower in temperamental regulation. In addition, we examined trajectories of parent involvement and temperament in relation to infant regulatory strategy.

A comparison of gradual sedation levels using the Comfort-B scale and bispectral index in children on mechanical ventilation in the pediatric intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Silva, Cláudia da Costa; Alves, Marta Maria Osório; El Halal, Michel Georges dos Santos; Pinheiro, Sabrina dos Santos; Carvalho, Paulo Roberto Antonacci

2013-01-01

Objective Compare the scores resulting from the Comfort-B scale with the bispectral index in children in an intensive care unit. Methods Eleven children between the ages of 1 month and 16 years requiring mechanical ventilation and sedation were simultaneously classified based on the bispectral index and the Comfort-B scale. Their behavior was recorded using digital photography, and the record was later evaluated by three independent evaluators. Agreement tests (Bland-Altman and Kappa) were then performed. The correlation between the two methods (Pearson correlation) was tested. Results In total, 35 observations were performed on 11 patients. Based on the Kappa coefficient, the agreement among evaluators ranged from 0.56 to 0.75 (p<0.001). There was a positive and consistent association between the bispectral index and the Comfort-B scale [r=0.424 (p=0.011) to r=0.498 (p=0.002)]. Conclusion Due to the strong correlation between the independent evaluators and the consistent correlation between the two methods, the results suggest that the Comfort-B scale is reproducible and useful in classifying the level of sedation in children requiring mechanical ventilation. PMID:24553512

Evolution of perceived footwear comfort over a prolonged running session.

PubMed

Hintzy, F; Cavagna, J; Horvais, N

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the subjective perception of overall footwear comfort over a prolonged running session. Ten runners performed two similar sessions consisting of a 13-km trail run (5 laps of 2.6 km) as fast as possible. The overall footwear comfort was evaluated before running and at the end of each lap with a 150-mm visual analogic scale, as well as speed, heart rate and rate of perceived exertion. The results showed that both overall footwear comfort and speed decreased consistently during the run session, and significantly after 44 min of running (i.e. the 3rd lap). It could be hypothesized that the deterioration of overall footwear comfort was explained by mechanical and energetical parameter changes with time and/or fatigue occurring at the whole body, foot and footwear levels. These results justify the use of a prolonged running test for running footwear comfort evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A literature review of comfort in the paediatric critical care patient.

PubMed

Bosch-Alcaraz, Alejandro; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; Jordan, Iolanda

2018-03-08

To investigate the meaning of comfort and to contextualise it within the framework of paediatric critical care. The concept of comfort is closely linked to care in all health contexts. However, in specific settings such as the paediatric critical care unit, it takes on particular importance. A literature review was conducted. A literature search was performed of articles in English and Spanish in international health science databases, from 1992-March 2017, applying the quality standards established by the PRISMA methodology and the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 1,203 publications were identified in the databases. Finally, 59 articles which met the inclusion criteria were entered in this literature review. Almost all were descriptive studies written in English and published in Europe. The concept of comfort was defined as the immediate condition of being strengthened through having the three types of needs (relief, ease and transcendence) addressed in the four contexts of experience (physical, psychospiritual, social and environmental). Only two valid and reliable tools for assessing comfort were found: the Comfort Scale and the Comfort Behavior Scale. Comfort is subjective and difficult to assess. It has four facets: physical, emotional, social and environmental. High levels of noise and light are the inputs that cause the most discomfort. Comfort is a holistic, universal concept and an important component of quality nursing care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Do student nurses feel a lack of comfort in providing support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Questioning adolescents: what factors influence their comfort level?

PubMed

Richardson, Brian P; Ondracek, Anton E; Anderson, Dee

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to find out if student nurses feel comfortable in caring by providing support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Questioning adolescents and what factors influence their level of comfort. Research indicates that nurses and nursing students experience varying levels of comfort when caring for adults who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Questioning: adult patients feel that nurse's attitudes change towards them once they disclose their sexuality. There has been minimal research to date on nursing attitudes to working with adolescents who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Questioning. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this descriptive study. Questionnaires were completed by 152 nursing students and nine took part in semi-structured focus groups. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyse the questionnaires. Thematic analysis was used to identify the themes arising from the focus groups. Data were collected between August 2013 - July 2014. The results and findings of the study were that student nurse's felt discomfort in providing support; due to a lack of knowledge of Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual sexuality, personal and religious beliefs and the perceptions of others. However, all students indicated they had a positive attitude towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Questioning adolescents. More needs to be done to raise self-awareness and improve the level of knowledge in relation to Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual issues amongst student nurses. Educational institutions and practice areas need to recognize this fact and reflect this in their educational programmes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development and evaluation of the Nurotron 26-electrode cochlear implant system.

PubMed

Zeng, Fan-Gang; Rebscher, Stephen J; Fu, Qian-Jie; Chen, Hongbin; Sun, Xiaoan; Yin, Li; Ping, Lichuan; Feng, Haihong; Yang, Shiming; Gong, Shusheng; Yang, Beibei; Kang, Hou-Yong; Gao, Na; Chi, Fanglu

2015-04-01

Although the cochlear implant has been widely acknowledged as the most successful neural prosthesis, only a fraction of hearing-impaired people who can potentially benefit from a cochlear implant have actually received one due to its limited awareness, accessibility, and affordability. To help overcome these limitations, a 26-electrode cochlear implant has been developed to receive China's Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) approval in 2011 and Conformité Européenne (CE) Marking in 2012. The present article describes design philosophy, system specification, and technical verification of the Nurotron device, which includes advanced digital signal processing and 4 current sources with multiple amplitude resolutions that not only are compatible with perceptual capability but also allow interleaved or simultaneous stimulation. The article also presents 3-year longitudinal evaluation data from 60 human subjects who have received the Nurotron device. The objective measures show that electrode impedance decreased within the first month of device use, but was stable until a slight increase at the end of two years. The subjective loudness measures show that electric stimulation threshold was stable while the maximal comfort level increased over the 3 years. Mandarin sentence recognition increased from the pre-surgical 0%-correct score to a plateau of about 80% correct with 6-month use of the device. Both indirect and direct comparisons indicate indistinguishable performance differences between the Nurotron system and other commercially available devices. The present 26-electrode cochlear implant has already helped to lower the price of cochlear implantation in China and will likely contribute to increased cochlear implant access and success in the rest of the world. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled . Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An examination of elicitation method on fundamental frequency and repeatability of average airflow measures in children age 4:0-5:11 years.

PubMed

Brehm, Susan Baker; Weinrich, Barbara D; Sprouse, Dana C; May, Shelley K; Hughes, Michael R

2012-11-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of task type on fundamental frequency (F(0)) and the short-term repeatability of average airflow values in preschool/kindergarten-age children. Prospective, experimental. Thirty healthy children (age 4.0-5.11 years) were included in this study. Participants completed three tasks (sustained vowel, counting, and storytelling) used to elicit measurements of F(0). With a 10-minute interval, participants also completed two trials of sustained /a/ at a comfortable pitch and loudness level for the measurement of average airflow rate. F(0) and intensity of the vowel production were recorded for both trials. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for task type elicitation on F(0) values (P=0.0003). A significant difference between elicitation tasks for F(0) was observed in the comparison of the counting and storytelling task (P<0.0001). A paired t test revealed no significant difference in average airflow rate across two trials (P=0.872). The change in F(0) and intensity was measured across the trials, and separate analyses of covariance revealed that these changes did not significantly influence average airflow values, (P=0.809) and (P=0.365), respectively. The results of this study demonstrated that F(0) may be influenced by task type in young children. Average airflow values appear to be stable over a short time period. This information is important in determining methods of evaluation and the reliability of instrumental measures in young children with voice disorders. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating Possible Outliers in the Fermi Blazar AGN Sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrader, Chris

2018-01-01

The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (Fermi) has cataloged over 3000 gamma-ray (>100 MeV) point sources of which more than 1100 are likely AGN. These AGN are predominantly among the radio-loud “blazar” subclass. Recently however, a significant sample of bright (F_15GHz >1.5 Jy), radio selected AGN was found to overlap with Fermi at only the ~80% level (Lister et. al., 2015). This could be a result of some selection bias or it could be due to deficient Doppler boosting among that ~20%. Additionally, a recent survey of high-latitude gamma-ray sources by Schinzel et al. (2017) reveals a sample of ~100 objects which are not detected in the 4-10 GHz radio band to a limiting flux of about 2mJy. This apparent lack of radio flux is puzzling, and may indicate either an extreme Compton-dominated sample, or copious gamma-ray emission from a heretofore unknown population such as a subclass of radio-quiet AGN. Speculatively, these radio-loud/gamma-quiet and gamma-loud/radio quiet samples could be odd cases of the blazar phenomena which reside outside of the well-known blazar sequence. To explore this problem further we have undertaken a study to construct or constrain individual source SEDs as a first step towards their classification. In this contribution we present results from our search for emission in the Swift-BAT 15-100-keV hard X-ray band for each of these samples.

Modeling the measurements of cochlear microcirculation and hearing function after loud noise.

PubMed

Arpornchayanon, Warangkana; Canis, Martin; Suckfuell, Markus; Ihler, Fritz; Olzowy, Bernhard; Strieth, Sebastian

2011-09-01

Recent findings support the crucial role of microcirculatory disturbance and ischemia for hearing impairment especially after noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The aim of this study was to establish an animal model for in vivo analysis of cochlear microcirculation and hearing function after a loud noise to allow precise measurements of both parameters in vivo. Randomized controlled trial. Setting. Animal study. Subjects and Methods. After assessment of normacusis (0 minutes) using evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), noise (106-dB sound pressure level [SPL]) was applied to both ears in 6 guinea pigs for 30 minutes while unexposed animals served as controls. In vivo fluorescence microscopy of the stria vascularis capillaries was performed after surgical exposure of 1 cochlea. ABR measurements were derived from the contralateral ear. After noise exposure, red blood cell velocity was reduced significantly by 24.3% (120 minutes) and further decreased to 44.5% at the end of the observation (210 minutes) in contrast to stable control measurements. Vessel diameters were not affected in both groups. A gradual decrease of segmental blood flow became significant (38.1%) after 150 minutes compared with controls. Hearing thresholds shifted significantly from 20.0 ± 5.5 dB SPL (0 minutes) to 32.5 ± 4.2 dB SPL (60 minutes) only in animals exposed to loud noise. With regard to novel treatments targeting the stria vascularis in NIHL, this standardized model allows us to analyze in detail cochlear microcirculation and hearing function in vivo.

Use of cadaver models in point-of-care emergency ultrasound education for diagnostic applications.

PubMed

Zaia, Brita E; Briese, Beau; Williams, Sarah R; Gharahbaghian, Laleh

2012-10-01

As the use of bedside emergency ultrasound (US) increases, so does the need for effective US education. To determine 1) what pathology can be reliably simulated and identified by US in human cadavers, and 2) feasibility of using cadavers to improve the comfort of emergency medicine (EM) residents with specific US applications. This descriptive, cross-sectional survey study assessed utility of cadaver simulation to train EM residents in diagnostic US. First, the following pathologies were simulated in a cadaver: orbital foreign body (FB), retrobulbar (RB) hematoma, bone fracture, joint effusion, and pleural effusion. Second, we assessed residents' change in comfort level with US after using this cadaver model. Residents were surveyed regarding their comfort level with various US applications. After brief didactic sessions on the study's US applications, participants attempted to identify the simulated pathology using US. A post-lab survey assessed for change in comfort level after the training. Orbital FB, RB hematoma, bone fracture, joint effusion, and pleural effusion were readily modeled in a cadaver in ways typical of a live patient. Twenty-two residents completed the pre- and post-lab surveys. After training with cadavers, residents' comfort improved significantly for orbital FB and RB hematoma (mean increase 1.6, p<0.001), bone fracture (mean increase 2.12, p<0.001), and joint effusion (1.6, p<0.001); 100% of residents reported that they found US education using cadavers helpful. Cadavers can simulate orbital FB, RB hematoma, bone fracture, joint effusion, and pleural effusion, and in our center improved the comfort of residents in identifying all but pleural effusion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Cues to Increase Sound Pressure Level on Respiratory Kinematic Patterns during Connected Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Jessica E.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This study examined the response of the respiratory system to 3 cues used to elicit increased vocal loudness to determine whether the effects of cueing, shown previously in sentence tasks, were present in connected speech tasks and to describe differences among tasks. Method: Fifteen young men and 15 young women produced a 2-paragraph…

Practical Issues in Field Based Testing of Oral Reading Fluency at Upper Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duesbery, Luke; Braun-Monegan, Jenelle; Werblow, Jacob; Braun, Drew

2012-01-01

In this series of studies, we explore the ideal frequency, duration, and relative effectiveness of measuring oral reading fluency. In study one, a sample of 389 fifth graders read out loud for 1 min and then took a traditional state-level standardized reading test. Results suggest administering three passages and using the median yields the…

Multichannel loudness compensation method based on segmented sound pressure level for digital hearing aids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ruiyu; Xi, Ji; Bao, Yongqiang

2017-07-01

To improve the performance of gain compensation based on three-segment sound pressure level (SPL) in hearing aids, an improved multichannel loudness compensation method based on eight-segment SPL was proposed. Firstly, the uniform cosine modulated filter bank was designed. Then, the adjacent channels which have low or gradual slopes were adaptively merged to obtain the corresponding non-uniform cosine modulated filter according to the audiogram of hearing impaired persons. Secondly, the input speech was decomposed into sub-band signals and the SPL of every sub-band signal was computed. Meanwhile, the audible SPL range from 0 dB SPL to 120 dB SPL was equally divided into eight segments. Based on these segments, a different prescription formula was designed to compute more detailed gain to compensate according to the audiogram and the computed SPL. Finally, the enhanced signal was synthesized. Objective experiments showed the decomposed signals after cosine modulated filter bank have little distortion. Objective experiments showed that the hearing aids speech perception index (HASPI) and hearing aids speech quality index (HASQI) increased 0.083 and 0.082 on average, respectively. Subjective experiments showed the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the speech recognition of six hearing impaired persons.

I wish I were a warrior: the role of wishful identification in the effects of violent video games on aggression in adolescent boys.

PubMed

Konijn, Elly A; Bijvank, Marije Nije; Bushman, Brad J

2007-07-01

This study tested the hypothesis that violent video games are especially likely to increase aggression when players identify with violent game characters. Dutch adolescent boys with low education ability (N=112) were randomly assigned to play a realistic or fantasy violent or nonviolent video game. Next, they competed with an ostensible partner on a reaction time task in which the winner could blast the loser with loud noise through headphones (the aggression measure). Participants were told that high noise levels could cause permanent hearing damage. Habitual video game exposure, trait aggressiveness, and sensation seeking were controlled for. As expected, the most aggressive participants were those who played a violent game and wished they were like a violent character in the game. These participants used noise levels loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage to their partners, even though their partners had not provoked them. These results show that identifying with violent video game characters makes players more aggressive. Players were especially likely to identify with violent characters in realistic games and with games they felt immersed in. Copyright 2007 APA.

Veda-scope: More comfortable than the bivalve speculum and cytologically equivalent.

PubMed

Longmore, Peter G

2004-04-01

The aim of the present study was to confirm that the Veda-scope is equivalent to the bivalve speculum in the collection of endocervical cells, as confirmation of adequate cervical sampling for Pap smear testing. The study also aimed to assess the comfort level of the Veda-scope compared to the traditional bivalve speculum and the patient preference of the Veda-scope compared to the bivalve speculum. Multicentre, randomised, controlled crossover, cytologist blinded study. The total number of subjects enrolled in the study were 250. The number of evaluable subjects were 210. In primary efficacy analysis, no significant difference was seen between the presence or absence of endocervical cells in the smears using either the Veda-scope or the bivalve speculum. There was a high concordance level between the diagnosis assigned to each specimen of a paired sample, the diagnosis agreeing in 97.6% cases. The primary reason given by many women for avoidance of regular Pap smear examinations is the discomfort or pain experienced with sample collection with the bivalve speculum. In the present study, 92% of subjects indicated a preference for the Veda-scope for Pap smear collection, while only 8.4% preferred the bivalve speculum. Subject preference was also assessed with respect to how the subject rated the comfort level of her previous Pap smear. In subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as very comfortable or comfortable, 86% expressed a preference for the Veda-scope. This rose to 93% in subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as only tolerable. The results of the present study show that Pap smear collections with the Veda-scope are of equal quality to those collected with the bivalve speculum, with an equivalent diagnostic outcome. A very strong preference for the Veda-scope was shown by the women enrolled in the present study based on the comfort levels experienced with the two devices.

Response Growth With Sound Level in Auditory-Nerve Fibers After Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

Heinz, Michael G.; Young, Eric D.

2010-01-01

People with sensorineural hearing loss are often constrained by a reduced acoustic dynamic range associated with loudness recruitment; however, the neural correlates of loudness and recruitment are still not well understood. The growth of auditory-nerve (AN) activity with sound level was compared in normal-hearing cats and in cats with a noise-induced hearing loss to test the hypothesis that AN-fiber rate-level functions are steeper in impaired ears. Stimuli included best-frequency and fixed-frequency tones, broadband noise, and a brief speech token. Three types of impaired responses were observed. 1) Fibers with rate-level functions that were similar across all stimuli typically had broad tuning, consistent with outer-hair-cell (OHC) damage. 2) Fibers with a wide dynamic range and shallow slope above threshold often retained sharp tuning, consistent with primarily inner-hair-cell (IHC) damage. 3) Fibers with very steep rate-level functions for all stimuli had thresholds above approximately 80 dB SPL and very broad tuning, consistent with severe IHC and OHC damage. Impaired rate-level slopes were on average shallower than normal for tones, and were steeper in only limited conditions. There was less variation in rate-level slopes across stimuli in impaired fibers, presumably attributable to the lack of suppression-induced reductions in slopes for complex stimuli relative to BF-tone slopes. Sloping saturation was observed less often in impaired fibers. These results illustrate that AN fibers do not provide a simple representation of the basilar-membrane I/O function and suggest that both OHC and IHC damage can affect AN response growth. PMID:14534289

Dynamics of backlight luminance for using smartphone in dark environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Nooree; Jang, Jiho; Suk, Hyeon-Jeong

2014-02-01

This study developed dynamic backlight luminance, which gradually changes as time passes for comfortable use of a smartphone display in a dark environment. The study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a user test was conducted to identify the optimal luminance by assessing the facial squint level, subjective glare evaluation, eye blink frequency and users' subjective preferences. Based on the results of the user test, the dynamics of backlight luminance was designed. It has two levels of luminance: the optimal level for initial viewing to avoid sudden glare or fatigue to users' eyes, and the optimal level for constant viewing, which is comfortable, but also bright enough for constant reading of the displayed material. The luminance for initial viewing starts from 10 cd/m2, and it gradually increases to 40 cd/m2 for users' visual comfort at constant viewing for 20 seconds; In the second stage, a validation test on dynamics of backlight luminance was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed dynamics. It involving users' subjective preferences, eye blink frequency, and brainwave analysis using the electroencephalogram (EEG) to confirm that the proposed dynamic backlighting enhances users' visual comfort and visual cognition, particularly for using smartphones in a dark environment.

Evaluation of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation curriculum in a low resource environment.

PubMed

Chang, Mary P; Lyon, Camila B; Janiszewski, David; Aksamit, Deborah; Kateh, Francis; Sampson, John

2015-11-07

To evaluate whether a 2-day International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Universal Algorithm-based curriculum taught in a tertiary care hospital in Liberia increases local health care provider knowledge and skill comfort level. A combined basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) curriculum was developed for low-resource settings that included lectures and low-fidelity manikin-based simulations. In March 2014, the curriculum was taught to healthcare providers in a tertiary care hospital in Liberia. In a quality assurance review, participants were evaluated for knowledge and comfort levels with resuscitation before and after the workshop. They were also videotaped during simulation sessions and evaluated on standardized performance metrics. Fifty-two hospital staff completed both pre-and post-curriculum surveys. The median score was 45% pre-curriculum and 82% post-curriculum (p<0.00001). The median provider comfort level score was 4 of 5 pre-curriculum and 5 of 5 post-curriculum (p<0.00001). During simulations, 93.2% of participants performed the pulse check within 10 seconds, and 97.7% performed defibrillation within 180 seconds. Clinician knowledge of and comfort level with CPR increased significantly after participating in our curriculum. A CPR curriculum based on lectures and low-fidelity manikin simulations may be an effective way to teach resuscitation in this low-resource setting.

Performance Assessment of Hearing Protection and Communication Enhancement Devices: Peltor Comtac III and IV

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

providing a hear-thru, or active capability while mitigating hearing loss and tinnitus caused by exposure to loud, steady-state and impulse noise. Active...loss and tinnitus caused by exposure to loud, steady-state and impulse noise. The general approach was to use ANSI standard measurement procedures

Objective evaluation of interior noise booming in a passenger car based on sound metrics and artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Lee, Hyun-Ho; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2009-09-01

Booming sound is one of the important sounds in a passenger car. The aim of the paper is to develop the objective evaluation method of interior booming sound. The development method is based on the sound metrics and ANN (artificial neural network). The developed method is called the booming index. Previous work maintained that booming sound quality is related to loudness and sharpness--the sound metrics used in psychoacoustics--and that the booming index is developed by using the loudness and sharpness for a signal within whole frequency between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. In the present paper, the booming sound quality was found to be effectively related to the loudness at frequencies below 200 Hz; thus the booming index is updated by using the loudness of the signal filtered by the low pass filter at frequency under 200 Hz. The relationship between the booming index and sound metric is identified by an ANN. The updated booming index has been successfully applied to the objective evaluation of the booming sound quality of mass-produced passenger cars.

Designing, Modeling, Constructing, and Testing a Flat Panel Speaker and Sound Diffuser for a Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dillon, Christina

2013-01-01

The goal of this project was to design, model, build, and test a flat panel speaker and frame for a spherical dome structure being made into a simulator. The simulator will be a test bed for evaluating an immersive environment for human interfaces. This project focused on the loud speakers and a sound diffuser for the dome. The rest of the team worked on an Ambisonics 3D sound system, video projection system, and multi-direction treadmill to create the most realistic scene possible. The main programs utilized in this project, were Pro-E and COMSOL. Pro-E was used for creating detailed figures for the fabrication of a frame that held a flat panel loud speaker. The loud speaker was made from a thin sheet of Plexiglas and 4 acoustic exciters. COMSOL, a multiphysics finite analysis simulator, was used to model and evaluate all stages of the loud speaker, frame, and sound diffuser. Acoustical testing measurements were utilized to create polar plots from the working prototype which were then compared to the COMSOL simulations to select the optimal design for the dome. The final goal of the project was to install the flat panel loud speaker design in addition to a sound diffuser on to the wall of the dome. After running tests in COMSOL on various speaker configurations, including a warped Plexiglas version, the optimal speaker design included a flat piece of Plexiglas with a rounded frame to match the curvature of the dome. Eight of these loud speakers will be mounted into an inch and a half of high performance acoustic insulation, or Thinsulate, that will cover the inside of the dome. The following technical paper discusses these projects and explains the engineering processes used, knowledge gained, and the projected future goals of this project

Intrinsic, Narrow N V Absorption Reveals a Clumpy Outflow in z < 0.4 Radio-Loud Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMarcy, Bryan; Serra, Viktoriah; Culliton, Chris; Ganguly, Rajib; Runnoe, Jessie; Charlton, Jane; Eracleous, Michael; Misawa, Toru; Narayanan, Anand

2018-01-01

Quasar outflows are often invoked in models for galaxy evolution to inject energy and momentum into the gas in the host galaxy and influence its star formation history. Thus, the study of quasar outflows is essential for understanding galaxy evolution. N V absorption systems within the associated region (|Δv| ≤ 5000 km s-1) of the quasar are thought to be intrinsic since many show evidence for partial covering of the quasar. A recent archival study of quasar spectra taken with COS/G130M or G160M found 39/181 radio-quiet quasars show intrinsic N V absorption, while none of the 31 radio-loud quasars have N V absorption detected (Culliton et al. 2017). Further investigation of these radio-loud quasars showed a clear bias towards compact morphologies as revealed by FIRST 1.4 GHz imaging and comparatively flat radio spectra. This suggests we are viewing more face-on orientations which prevent us from seeing absorption outflows. The cause for such bias within the HST archive is still unknown; however, it could explain the lack of radio-loud intrinsic N V absorption seen by Culliton et al. (2017). Alternatively, the quasar wind structure may be fundamentally different between radio-loud and radio-quiet objects. We used COS/G130M or G160M to obtain rest-frame UV spectra (1195 Å - 1250 Å) of 14 low-redshift SDSS radio-loud quasars which show lobe-dominated FIRST morphologies to distinguish between these possibilities. Intrinsic N V absorption was detected in 6 of our 14 quasars. This suggests the lack of detections in the archival study was a result of an orientation effect/sampling bias rather than to differences in wind structure between radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars. Interestingly, we find significant overlap in radio core fractions between quasars with and without N V detection. Quasars in our sample with N V detection span a range of core fractions from < 0.01 up to 0.89 while those without detected N V range from 0.04 up to 0.93. A laminar outflow with a small opening angle would be difficult to explain given this overlap in radio core fractions. Our observations suggest a clumpy, sporadic outflow is the more likely explanation.

Manifestation of peripherial coding in the effect of increasing loudness and enhanced discrimination of the intensity of tone bursts before and after tone burst noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimskaya-Korsavkova, L. K.

2017-07-01

To find the possible reasons for the midlevel elevation of the Weber fraction in intensity discrimination of a tone burst, a comparison was performed for the complementary distributions of spike activity of an ensemble of space nerves, such as the distribution of time instants when spikes occur, the distribution of interspike intervals, and the autocorrelation function. The distribution properties were detected in a poststimulus histogram, an interspike interval histogram, and an autocorrelation histogram—all obtained from the reaction of an ensemble of model space nerves in response to an auditory noise burst-useful tone burst complex. Two configurations were used: in the first, the peak amplitude of the tone burst was varied and the noise amplitude was fixed; in the other, the tone burst amplitude was fixed and the noise amplitude was varied. Noise could precede or follow the tone burst. The noise and tone burst durations, as well as the interval between them, was 4 kHz and corresponded to the characteristic frequencies of the model space nerves. The profiles of all the mentioned histograms had two maxima. The values and the positions of the maxima in the poststimulus histogram corresponded to the amplitudes and mutual time position of the noise and the tone burst. The maximum that occurred in response to the tone burst action could be a basis for the formation of the loudness of the latter (explicit loudness). However, the positions of the maxima in the other two histograms did not depend on the positions of tone bursts and noise in the combinations. The first maximum fell in short intervals and united intervals corresponding to the noise and tone burst durations. The second maximum fell in intervals corresponding to a tone burst delay with respect to noise, and its value was proportional to the noise amplitude or tone burst amplitude that was smaller in the complex. An increase in tone burst or noise amplitudes was caused by nonlinear variations in the two maxima and the ratio between them. The size of the first maximum in the of interspike interval distribution could be the basis for the formation of the loudness of the masked tone burst (implicit loudness), and the size of the second maximum, for the formation of intensity in the periodicity pitch of the complex. The auditory effect of the midlevel enhancement of tone burst loudness could be the result of variations in the implicit tone burst loudness caused by variations in tone-burst or noise intensity. The reason for the enhancement of the Weber fraction could be competitive interaction between such subjective qualities as explicit and implicit tone-burst loudness and the intensity of the periodicity pitch of the complex.

Evaluation of Personal Cooling Systems in Conjunction with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Suits

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

of thermal comfort and perceived exertion. The results indicated that wearing the EOD suit produces significant increases in thermal physiological...indicated reduced perceived exertion levels and improved thermal comfort when wearing the liquid-cooling garment with a EOD suit. In contrast, the ribbed

Rehabilitation Counselor Knowledge, Comfort, Approach, and Attitude toward Sex and Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pebdani, Roxanna N.

2013-01-01

This study examined the effect of rehabilitation counseling students' age, sex, disability status, geographic location, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, and level of sexuality training on knowledge, comfort, approach, and attitudes toward the sexuality of people with disabilities. Participants were 312 rehabilitation counseling…

Analysis of indoor environmental quality influence toward occupants' work performance in Kompleks Eureka, USM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainon, Mohamad Rizal; Baharum, Faizal; Seng, Loh Yong

2016-08-01

The indoor environment much more important for people health and comfort than the outdoor environment. This scenario would make the performance of occupants at their work more important than energy costs in the building. So, this task is to upgrade indoor environmental quality conditions for comfort and work performance of occupants in Kompleks Eureka, USM while conserving energy of the building.. Recent studies have shown an important impact of the indoor thermal environment on occupants' work performance. Also studies on occupants medical leave show a very high loss of work time and working performance, which have important economical consequences for companies. The paper will mainly dealing with the indoor environmental qualities, such as thermal comfort level, air quality, lighting, and acoustic quality. The studies before showing that comfortable room temperatures, increased air ventilation above normal recommendation, comfortable acoustic surrounding will increases the work performance of occupants in Kompleks Eureka, USM.

Age-related changes in event-cued visual and auditory prospective memory proper.

PubMed

Uttl, Bob

2006-06-01

We rely upon prospective memory proper (ProMP) to bring back to awareness previously formed plans and intentions at the right place and time, and to enable us to act upon those plans and intentions. To examine age-related changes in ProMP, younger and older participants made decisions about simple stimuli (ongoing task) and at the same time were required to respond to a ProM cue, either a picture (visually cued ProM test) or a sound (auditorily cued ProM test), embedded in a simultaneously presented series of similar stimuli (either pictures or sounds). The cue display size or loudness increased across trials until a response was made. The cue size and cue loudness at the time of response indexed ProMP. The main results showed that both visual and auditory ProMP declined with age, and that such declines were mediated by age declines in sensory functions (visual acuity and hearing level), processing resources, working memory, intelligence, and ongoing task resource allocation.

Flight Demonstration Of Low Overpressure N-Wave Sonic Booms And Evanescent Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haering, Edward A.; Smolka, James W.; Murray, James E.; Plotkin, Kenneth J.

2006-05-01

The recent flight demonstration of shaped sonic booms shows the potential for quiet overland supersonic flight, which could revolutionize air transport. To successfully design quiet supersonic aircraft, the upper limit of an acceptable noise level must be determined through quantitative recording and subjective human response measurements. Past efforts have concentrated on the use of sonic boom simulators to assess human response, but simulators often cannot reproduce a realistic sonic boom sound. Until now, molecular relaxation effects on low overpressure rise time had never been compared with flight data. Supersonic flight slower than the cutoff Mach number, which generates evanescent waves, also prevents loud sonic booms from impacting the ground. The loudness of these evanescent waves can be computed, but flight measurement validation is needed. A novel flight demonstration technique that generates low overpressure N-waves using conventional military aircraft is outlined, in addition to initial quantitative flight data. As part of this demonstration, evanescent waves also will be recorded.

Flight Demonstration Of Low Overpressure N-Wave Sonic Booms And Evanescent Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haering, Edward A., Jr.; Smolka, James W.; Murray, James E.; Plotkin, Kenneth J.

2005-01-01

The recent flight demonstration of shaped sonic booms shows the potential for quiet overland supersonic flight, which could revolutionize air transport. To successfully design quiet supersonic aircraft, the upper limit of an acceptable noise level must be determined through quantitative recording and subjective human response measurements. Past efforts have concentrated on the use of sonic boom simulators to assess human response, but simulators often cannot reproduce a realistic sonic boom sound. Until now, molecular relaxation effects on low overpressure rise time had never been compared with flight data. Supersonic flight slower than the cutoff Mach number, which generates evanescent waves, also prevents loud sonic booms from impacting the ground. The loudness of these evanescent waves can be computed, but flight measurement validation is needed. A novel flight demonstration technique that generates low overpressure N-waves using conventional military aircraft is outlined, in addition to initial quantitative flight data. As part of this demonstration, evanescent waves also will be recorded.

Use of Video to Facilitate End-of-Life Discussions With Patients With Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

El-Jawahri, Areej; Podgurski, Lisa M.; Eichler, April F.; Plotkin, Scott R.; Temel, Jennifer S.; Mitchell, Susan L.; Chang, Yuchiao; Barry, Michael J.; Volandes, Angelo E.

2010-01-01

Purpose To determine whether the use of a goals-of-care video to supplement a verbal description can improve end-of-life decision making for patients with cancer. Methods Fifty participants with malignant glioma were randomly assigned to either a verbal narrative of goals-of-care options at the end of life (control), or a video after the same verbal narrative (intervention) in this randomized controlled trial. The video depicts three levels of medical care: life-prolonging care (cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], ventilation), basic care (hospitalization, no CPR), and comfort care (symptom relief). The primary study outcome was participants' preferences for end-of-life care. The secondary outcome was participants' uncertainty regarding decision making (score range, 3 to 15; higher score indicating less uncertainty). Participants' comfort level with the video was also measured. Results Fifty participants were randomly assigned to either the verbal narrative (n = 27) or video (n = 23). After the verbal description, 25.9% of participants preferred life-prolonging care, 51.9% basic care, and 22.2% comfort care. In the video arm, no participants preferred life-prolonging care, 4.4% preferred basic care, 91.3% preferred comfort care, and 4.4% were uncertain (P < .0001). The mean uncertainty score was higher in the video group than in the verbal group (13.7 v 11.5, respectively; P < .002). In the intervention arm, 82.6% of participants reported being very comfortable watching the video. Conclusion Compared with participants who only heard a verbal description, participants who viewed a goals-of-care video were more likely to prefer comfort care and avoid CPR, and were more certain of their end-of-life decision making. Participants reported feeling comfortable watching the video. PMID:19949010

We can't explore space without it - Common human space needs for exploration spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daues, K. R.; Erwin, H. O.

1992-01-01

An overview is conducted of physiological, psychological, and human-interface requirements for manned spaceflight programs to establish common criteria. Attention is given to the comfort levels relevant to human support in exploration mission spacecraft and planetary habitats, and three comfort levels (CLs) are established. The levels include: (1) CL-1 for basic crew life support; (2) CL-2 for enabling the nominal completion of mission science; and (3) CL-3 which provides for enhanced life support and user-friendly interface systems. CL-2 support systems can include systems for EVA, workstations, and activity centers for repairs and enhanced utilization of payload and human/machine integration. CL-3 supports can be useful for maintaining crew psychological and physiological health as well as the design of comfortable and earthlike surroundings. While all missions require CL-1 commonality, CL-2 commonality is required only for EVA systems, display nomenclature, and restraint designs.

Innovative Technology for the Assisted Delivery of Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT[R]LOUD) for Parkinson Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Angela E.; Ramig, Lorraine O.; Matos, Carlos E. C.; Petska-Cable, Jill A.; Spielman, Jennifer L.; Pogoda, Janice M.; Gilley, Phillip M.; Sapir, Shimon; Bennett, John K.; McFarland, David H.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a newly developed assistive technology system, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Companion (LSVT[R] Companion[TM], hereafter referred to as "Companion"), to support the delivery of LSVT[R]LOUD, an efficacious speech intervention for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Method: Sixteen…

Changes to Articulatory Kinematics in Response to Loudness Cues in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darling, Meghan; Huber, Jessica E.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit differences in displacement and velocity of the articulators as compared with older adults. The purpose of the current study was to examine effects of 3 loudness cues on articulatory movement patterns in individuals with PD. Method: Nine individuals diagnosed with idiopathic PD and 9 age-…

Effect of Rate Reduction and Increased Loudness on Acoustic Measures of Anticipatory Coarticulation in Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tjaden, Kris; Wilding, Gregory E.

2005-01-01

The present study compared patterns of anticipatory coarticulation for utterances produced in habitual, loud, and slow conditions by 17 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), 12 individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 15 healthy controls. Coarticulation was inferred from vowel F2 frequencies and consonant first-moment coefficients.…

Age-Related Changes to Speech Breathing with Increased Vocal Loudness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Jessica E.; Spruill, John, III

2008-01-01

Purpose: The present study examines the effect of normal aging on respiratory support for speech when utterance length is controlled. Method: Fifteen women (M = 71 years of age) and 10 men (M = 73 years of age) produced 2 sentences of different lengths in 4 loudness conditions while respiratory kinematics were measured. Measures included those…

Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) for Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy and Dysarthria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Cynthia Marie; Boliek, Carol Ann

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an intensive voice treatment (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, commonly known as LSVT LOUD) for children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and dysarthria. Method: A nonconcurrent multiple baseline single-subject design with replication across 5 children with spastic CP was used.…

Latent profile analysis of teacher perceptions of parent contact and comfort.

PubMed

Stormont, Melissa; Herman, Keith C; Reinke, Wendy M; David, Kimberly B; Goel, Nidhi

2013-09-01

The purpose of the study was to explore patterns of parent involvement as perceived by teachers and identify correlates of these patterns. Parent involvement indicators and correlates were selected from a review of existing research. Participants included 34 teachers and 577 children in kindergarten through third grade. The vast majority of the sample was African American (78%), followed by Caucasian (19%) and other ethnic backgrounds (2%). Two subscales from the Parent Involvement-Teacher scale, contact and comfort, were entered as indicators in a latent profile analysis to determine the number and types of parent involvement classes. Contact included the frequency of interactions between parents and teachers; comfort included the quality of their relationship with the parent and how well their goals were aligned. Subsequent latent class regressions were conducted to identify student, school, and family characteristics associated with class membership. Three classes provided the optimal solution. This included two classes of parents with low contact with teachers but different comfort levels; one with low contact and low comfort (11%), and one with low contact but high comfort (71%). The remaining class, representing 18% of parents, was rated high on both contact and comfort. Low income status, family problems, and social, emotional, academic, and self-regulation problems distinguished the low comfort class from the other two classes. It is imperative to help teachers feel more comfortable working with families who may be experiencing substantial stressors and who also have children who need support across school and home settings.

Development of a Canadian deceased donation education program for health professionals: a needs assessment survey.

PubMed

Hancock, Jennifer; Shemie, Sam D; Lotherington, Ken; Appleby, Amber; Hall, Richard

2017-10-01

The purpose of this survey was to determine how Canadian healthcare professionals perceive their deficiencies and educational requirements related to organ and tissue donation. We surveyed 641 intensive care unit (ICU) physicians, 1,349 ICU nurses, 1,561 emergency room (ER) physicians, and 1,873 ER nurses. The survey was distributed by the national organization for each profession (the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the National Emergency Nurses Association). Canadian Blood Services developed the critical care physician list in collaboration with the Canadian Critical Care Society. Survey development included questions related to comfort with, and knowledge of, key competencies in organ and tissue donation. Eight hundred thirty-one (15.3%) of a possible 5,424 respondents participated in the survey. Over 50% of respondents rated the following topics as highly important: knowledge of general organ and tissue donation, neurological determination of death, donation after cardiac death, and medical-legal donation issues. High competency comfort levels ranged from 14.7-50.9% for ICU nurses and 8.0-34.6% for ER nurses. Competency comfort levels were higher for ICU physicians (67.5-85.6%) than for ER physicians who rated all competencies lower. Respondents identified a need for a curriculum on national organ donation and preferred e-learning as the method of education. Both ICU nurses and ER practitioners expressed low comfort levels with their competencies regarding organ donation. Intensive care unit physicians had a much higher level of comfort; however, the majority of these respondents were specialty trained and working in academic centres with active donation and transplant programs. A national organ donation curriculum is needed.

Effects of a warm hand bath on the blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort in healthy women: An experimental cross-over trial.

PubMed

Kudo, Yukiko; Sasaki, Makiko; Kikuchi, Yukiko; Sugiyama, Reiko; Hasebe, Makiko; Ishii, Noriko

2018-06-19

The present study was conducted in order to clarify the effects of a warm hand bath at 40°C for 10 min on the blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort in healthy women. The study's participants were 40 healthy adult women who were randomly assigned to either a structured hand bath first and no hand bath second (Group A) or to no hand bath first and a hand bath second (Group B). The blood flow in the shoulder, skin and deep body temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and subjective comfort then were recorded in all the participants. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in the blood flow in the right shoulder or deep body temperature between groups. The skin temperature of the hands, forearms, and arms was significantly increased, but not of the face and upper back. The skin temperature of the forearms was maintained at 0.5°C-1°C higher for 30 min in the hand bath group, compared with the no hand bath group. The hand bath group had a significantly higher heart rate while bathing and a significantly lower parasympathetic nerve activity level during bathing. No significant difference was seen in the sympathetic activity level between groups. The hand bath group had a significantly higher subjective comfort level. Hand baths can improve the level of subjective comfort and increase the heart rate and might affect autonomic nervous activity. The skin temperature of the forearms was maintained for 30 min in the hand bath group. © 2018 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Effects of progressive relaxation exercises on anxiety and comfort of Turkish breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Seher Gurdil; Arslan, Sevban

2015-01-01

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent cancer among women. This study was conducted to observe the effect of progressive relaxation exercises on anxiety and comfort level of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A control group pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental model was applied with experimental (30) and control (30) groups, who agreed to participate in this study. Data collection was with the "Personnel Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and General Comfort Scale". The average age of the patients that participated in the study was 49.1±7.96 years. Eighty-three point three percent (n=25) of the patients in the experiment group and 86.7 (n=26) percent of patients in control group were married. Patient state of anxiety post-test mean scores were 36.2±8.21 in the experimental group and 43.4±7.96 in the control group, the difference being statistically significant (p<0.05). The general comfort scale post-test mean scores were 149.5±13.9 in the experimental group and 137.7±15.0 in the control group, again statistically significant (p<0.05). Progressive relaxation exercises positively affect patient comfort and anxiety levels in Turkey.

Assessing the Impacts of Reduced Noise Operations of Wind Turbines on Neighbor Annoyance: A Preliminary Analysis in Vinalhaven, Maine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoen, Ben; Wiser, Ryan; Eckholdt, Haftan

2010-06-23

Neighbors living near the 3 turbine, 4.5 MW Vinalhaven, Maine wind power facility, which began operations in late 2009, have complained that the noise from the turbines is unwelcome and annoying. Fox Islands Wind, the owner of the facility, hypothesized that implementing a Noise Reduced Operation (NRO) for the turbines, which effectively limits the turbines maximum rpm and power output, would reduce the sound levels produced by the turbines, and therefore might also reduce the degree to which the neighbors report being annoyed by those sounds. To test this hypothesis in a preliminary fashion, a pilot study was conducted inmore » early 2010, the results of which are the subject of this brief report. The study included asking near-by residents - those within roughly 3000 feet - to rate the sounds and the degree to which they were annoyed by them using logs which they filled out at multiple times during the day on as many days as were possible in the 35 day study period in February and March, 2010. Meanwhile, FIW adjusted the NRO settings of the turbines in a random fashion in the evenings during the same period, but in a pattern that the respondents were not made aware of. Ultimately, nine individuals turned in roughly 200 log entries (i.e., responses), each of which was time coded to allow testing if the response was correlated with the wind facility operating conditions at that time. The analysis of these data found small, non-statistically-significant differences in self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings between the periods when the NRO was enacted and when it was not, after controlling for many of the relationships that could independently influence perceived loudness and annoyance (e.g., wind direction, time of day). Possible explanations for these small differences in self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings include: the relative difference in sound output from the turbines when NRO was engaged and when it was not was small; and/or that differences in turbine sound outputs that did exist might have been masked by higher (non-turbine) wind sound levels that were coincident with NRO periods. Because this preliminary test only included a small portion of the population surrounding the turbines, the sample of self-reported ratings was itself very small. In addition, the conditions varied greatly over the study period, as described in the report that follows. Consequently, the results presented here should be considered preliminary, and further data collection and analysis are warranted. The main findings of this preliminary study are: (1) As planned, periods in which the NRO was engaged were found to have noticeably lower turbine rotational speeds (rpm), based on turbine operational data. (2) 11% of responses overall indicated that the turbines were perceived as either 'very' or 'extremely' loud at the time they were logged, and roughly two thirds of those (7% overall) indicated the sounds to be 'very' or 'extremely' annoying. (3) Self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings were higher during the night and when the wind was from the North (participants in the study were located to the east and south of the turbines). (4) Self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings were generally found to be lower during the NRO periods, but these observed differences are relatively small in magnitude, and are not statistically significant. (5) There is some limited evidence that high-speed surface winds mask self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings. Therefore, because NRO settings are only engaged during periods of high winds, the true effects of the NRO adjustments might be diluted to some degree. (6) The results of this preliminary assessment should not be applied to the full population of homeowners near the turbines in Vinalhaven, Maine because the potentially most-sensitive individuals (those most vocal of their dislike of the turbine sounds) opted not to participate in the study, and because the study did not include the relatively large number of individuals who primarily visit the island during the summer months.« less

The Intonation-Syntax Interface in the Speech of Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

MacPherson, Megan K.; Huber, Jessica E.; Snow, David P.

2012-01-01

Purpose This study examined the effect of Parkinson’s disease (PD) on the intonational marking of final and nonfinal syntactic boundaries and investigated whether the effect of PD on intonation was sex-specific. Method Eight women and 8 men with PD and 16 age- and sex-matched control participants read a passage at comfortable pitch, rate, and loudness. Nuclear tones from final and nonfinal syntactic boundaries in clauses and lists were extracted. Measures of F0 were made on each tone contour. Results Individuals with PD demonstrated impaired differentiation of syntactic boundary finality/nonfinality with contour direction. They produced a lower proportion of falling contours in final boundaries and a higher proportion of falling contours in nonfinal boundaries than control participants. While not mediated by syntax, the effect of PD on F0 standard deviation (F0 SD) and pitch range (PRST) was sex-specific. Women with PD produced greater F0 SD and PRST than men with PD and women without PD. Men with PD produced lower PRST than men without PD. Conclusions Impaired intonational marking of syntactic boundaries likely contributes to dysprosody and reduced communicative effectiveness in PD. The effect of PD on intonation was sex-specific. The results were not fully explained by PD-related motor execution impairments. PMID:20699346

Horizontal sound localization in cochlear implant users with a contralateral hearing aid.

PubMed

Veugen, Lidwien C E; Hendrikse, Maartje M E; van Wanrooij, Marc M; Agterberg, Martijn J H; Chalupper, Josef; Mens, Lucas H M; Snik, Ad F M; John van Opstal, A

2016-06-01

Interaural differences in sound arrival time (ITD) and in level (ILD) enable us to localize sounds in the horizontal plane, and can support source segregation and speech understanding in noisy environments. It is uncertain whether these cues are also available to hearing-impaired listeners who are bimodally fitted, i.e. with a cochlear implant (CI) and a contralateral hearing aid (HA). Here, we assessed sound localization behavior of fourteen bimodal listeners, all using the same Phonak HA and an Advanced Bionics CI processor, matched with respect to loudness growth. We aimed to determine the availability and contribution of binaural (ILDs, temporal fine structure and envelope ITDs) and monaural (loudness, spectral) cues to horizontal sound localization in bimodal listeners, by systematically varying the frequency band, level and envelope of the stimuli. The sound bandwidth had a strong effect on the localization bias of bimodal listeners, although localization performance was typically poor for all conditions. Responses could be systematically changed by adjusting the frequency range of the stimulus, or by simply switching the HA and CI on and off. Localization responses were largely biased to one side, typically the CI side for broadband and high-pass filtered sounds, and occasionally to the HA side for low-pass filtered sounds. HA-aided thresholds better than 45 dB HL in the frequency range of the stimulus appeared to be a prerequisite, but not a guarantee, for the ability to indicate sound source direction. We argue that bimodal sound localization is likely based on ILD cues, even at frequencies below 1500 Hz for which the natural ILDs are small. These cues are typically perturbed in bimodal listeners, leading to a biased localization percept of sounds. The high accuracy of some listeners could result from a combination of sufficient spectral overlap and loudness balance in bimodal hearing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effective utilization of gravity during arm downswing in keystrokes by expert pianists.

PubMed

Furuya, S; Osu, R; Kinoshita, H

2009-12-01

The present study investigated a skill-level-dependent interaction between gravity and muscular force when striking piano keys. Kinetic analysis of the arm during the downswing motion performed by expert and novice piano players was made using an inverse dynamic technique. The corresponding activities of the elbow agonist and antagonist muscles were simultaneously recorded using electromyography (EMG). Muscular torque at the elbow joint was computed while excluding the effects of gravitational and motion-dependent interaction torques. During descending the forearm to strike the keys, the experts kept the activation of the triceps (movement agonist) muscle close to the resting level, and decreased anti-gravity activity of the biceps muscle across all loudness levels. This suggested that elbow extension torque was produced by gravity without the contribution of agonist muscular work. For the novices, on the other hand, a distinct activity in the triceps muscle appeared during the middle of the downswing, and its amount and duration were increased with increasing loudness. Therefore, for the novices, agonist muscular force was the predominant contributor to the acceleration of elbow extension during the downswing. We concluded that a balance shift from muscular force dependency to gravity dependency for the generation of a target joint torque occurs with long-term piano training. This shift would support the notion of non-muscular force utilization for improving physiological efficiency of limb movement with respect to the effective use of gravity.

Perceived industrial deafness and hearing loss among people in a small Queensland rural community.

PubMed

Jirojwong, Sansnee; Joubert, Darren; Anastasi, Stephen

2005-07-01

This paper aims to describe chronic diseases including hearing loss reported by people in a small rural community. It will present the results of audiometric screening among a group of people in this community and their self reported risk factors of hearing loss. Different risk factors experienced by men and women will be compared. Two surveys were conducted in a small Queensland rural community. The first survey gathered information relating to chronic diseases among 604 people using a telephone interview method. The second survey assessed the level of hearing among 64 people who presented themselves for audiometric screening, their history of exposure to loud noise and their previous use of hearing protective measures. A higher rate of "industrial deafness" was reported (110.75 per 1,000 population) than the 1995 National rate (95.2 per 1,000 population). Of 64 people who attended the audiometric assessment, 60 (93.8%) had some level of hearing loss using the 2000 International Standard of hearing level (ISO 7029: 2000) taking age and gender into account. However, 15 persons (23.4%) perceived that they had good hearing. When compared to ISO 7029: 2000 standard, men and women had a similar pattern of hearing loss. Compared to men, a lower percentage of women were exposed to different sources of loud noise and were less likely to use hearing protection devices.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rohles, F.H. Jr.

Studies by the Institute for Environmental Research, Kansas State University, show that in terms of comfort, health, and performance, humidity control is an important element of environmental control and should not be eliminated for the sake of energy conservation. A constant level of comfort can be maintained if the humidity is increased and the temperature is decreased and vice versa; school absenteeism due to upper respiratory infection is related to classroom humidifcation; and psychomotor performance is better under warm, dry conditions than under warm, moist conditions. Humidification may be valuable in thermostat-setback programs by making cooler conditions comfortable.

Systematic assessment of noise amplitude generated by toys intended for young children.

PubMed

Mahboubi, Hossein; Oliaei, Sepehr; Badran, Karam W; Ziai, Kasra; Chang, Janice; Zardouz, Shawn; Shahriari, Shawn; Djalilian, Hamid R

2013-06-01

To systematically evaluate the noise generated by toys targeted for children and to compare the results over the course of 4 consecutive holiday shopping seasons. Experimental study. Academic medical center. During 2008-2011, more than 200 toys marketed for children older than 6 months were screened for loudness. The toys with sound output of more than 80 dBA at speaker level were retested in a soundproof audiometry booth. The generated sound amplitude of each toy was measured at speaker level and at 30 cm away from the speaker. Ninety different toys were analyzed. The mean (SD) noise amplitude was 100 (8) dBA (range, 80-121 dBA) at the speaker level and 80 (11) dBA (range, 60-109 dBA) at 30 cm away from the speaker. Eighty-eight (98%) had more than an 85-dBA noise amplitude at speaker level, whereas 19 (26%) had more than an 85-dBA noise amplitude at a 30-cm distance. Only the mean noise amplitude at 30 cm significantly declined during the studied period (P < .001). There was no significant difference in mean noise amplitude of different toys specified for different age groups. Our findings demonstrate the persistence of extremely loud toys marketed for very young children. Acoustic trauma from toys remains a potential risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss in this age group, warranting promotion of public awareness and regulatory considerations for manufacture and marketing of toys.

Learning for Everyday Life: Students' standpoints on loud sounds and use of hearing protectors before and after a teaching-learning intervention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, Eva

2012-11-01

Researchers have highlighted the increasing problem of loud sounds among young people in leisure-time environments, recently even emphasizing portable music players, because of the risk of suffering from hearing impairments such as tinnitus. However, there is a lack of studies investigating compulsory-school students' standpoints and explanations in connection with teaching interventions integrating school subject content with auditory health. In addition, there are few health-related studies in the international science education literature. This paper explores students' standpoints on loud sounds including the use of hearing-protection devices in connection with a teaching intervention based on a teaching-learning sequence about sound, hearing and auditory health. Questionnaire data from 199 students, in grades 4, 7 and 8 (aged 10-14), from pre-, post- and delayed post-tests were analysed. Additionally, information on their experiences of tinnitus as well as their listening habits regarding portable music players was collected. The results show that more students make healthier choices in questions of loud sounds after the intervention, and especially among the older ones this result remains or is further improved one year later. There are also signs of positive behavioural change in relation to loud sounds. Significant gender differences are found; generally, the girls show more healthy standpoints and expressions than boys do. If this can be considered to be an outcome of students' improved and integrated knowledge about sound, hearing and health, then this emphasizes the importance of integrating health issues into regular school science.

Impact of High-Fidelity Simulation and Pharmacist-Specific Didactic Lectures in Addition to ACLS Provider Certification on Pharmacy Resident ACLS Performance.

PubMed

Bartel, Billie J

2014-08-01

This pilot study explored the use of multidisciplinary high-fidelity simulation and additional pharmacist-focused training methods in training postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residents to provide Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) care. Pharmacy resident confidence and comfort level were assessed after completing these training requirements. The ACLS training requirements for pharmacy residents were revised to include didactic instruction on ACLS pharmacology and rhythm recognition and participation in multidisciplinary high-fidelity simulation ACLS experiences in addition to ACLS provider certification. Surveys were administered to participating residents to assess the impact of this additional education on resident confidence and comfort level in cardiopulmonary arrest situations. The new ACLS didactic and simulation training requirements resulted in increased resident confidence and comfort level in all assessed functions. Residents felt more confident in all areas except providing recommendations for dosing and administration of medications and rhythm recognition after completing the simulation scenarios than with ACLS certification training and the didactic components alone. All residents felt the addition of lectures and simulation experiences better prepared them to function as a pharmacist in the ACLS team. Additional ACLS training requirements for pharmacy residents increased overall awareness of pharmacist roles and responsibilities and greatly improved resident confidence and comfort level in performing most essential pharmacist functions during ACLS situations. © The Author(s) 2013.

Recognition and localization of speech by adult cochlear implant recipients wearing a digital hearing aid in the nonimplanted ear (bimodal hearing).

PubMed

Potts, Lisa G; Skinner, Margaret W; Litovsky, Ruth A; Strube, Michael J; Kuk, Francis

2009-06-01

The use of bilateral amplification is now common clinical practice for hearing aid users but not for cochlear implant recipients. In the past, most cochlear implant recipients were implanted in one ear and wore only a monaural cochlear implant processor. There has been recent interest in benefits arising from bilateral stimulation that may be present for cochlear implant recipients. One option for bilateral stimulation is the use of a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the opposite nonimplanted ear (bimodal hearing). This study evaluated the effect of wearing a cochlear implant in one ear and a digital hearing aid in the opposite ear on speech recognition and localization. A repeated-measures correlational study was completed. Nineteen adult Cochlear Nucleus 24 implant recipients participated in the study. The participants were fit with a Widex Senso Vita 38 hearing aid to achieve maximum audibility and comfort within their dynamic range. Soundfield thresholds, loudness growth, speech recognition, localization, and subjective questionnaires were obtained six-eight weeks after the hearing aid fitting. Testing was completed in three conditions: hearing aid only, cochlear implant only, and cochlear implant and hearing aid (bimodal). All tests were repeated four weeks after the first test session. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Significant effects were further examined using pairwise comparison of means or in the case of continuous moderators, regression analyses. The speech-recognition and localization tasks were unique, in that a speech stimulus presented from a variety of roaming azimuths (140 degree loudspeaker array) was used. Performance in the bimodal condition was significantly better for speech recognition and localization compared to the cochlear implant-only and hearing aid-only conditions. Performance was also different between these conditions when the location (i.e., side of the loudspeaker array that presented the word) was analyzed. In the bimodal condition, the speech-recognition and localization tasks were equal regardless of which side of the loudspeaker array presented the word, while performance was significantly poorer for the monaural conditions (hearing aid only and cochlear implant only) when the words were presented on the side with no stimulation. Binaural loudness summation of 1-3 dB was seen in soundfield thresholds and loudness growth in the bimodal condition. Measures of the audibility of sound with the hearing aid, including unaided thresholds, soundfield thresholds, and the Speech Intelligibility Index, were significant moderators of speech recognition and localization. Based on the questionnaire responses, participants showed a strong preference for bimodal stimulation. These findings suggest that a well-fit digital hearing aid worn in conjunction with a cochlear implant is beneficial to speech recognition and localization. The dynamic test procedures used in this study illustrate the importance of bilateral hearing for locating, identifying, and switching attention between multiple speakers. It is recommended that unilateral cochlear implant recipients, with measurable unaided hearing thresholds, be fit with a hearing aid.

[Definition and validation of a comfort index calculation method for office seats].

PubMed

Taboga, P; Marcolin, F; Bordignon, M; Antonutto, G

2012-01-01

Among its other required features, a highly comfortable chair should adapt its contact surfaces, namely the seat and the back rest, to the shape of the body of the person sitting on it. However, "comfort" is not usually perceived as an absolute value, but is derived from a subjective comparison between two or more chairs. The purpose of this research was the definition of an objective comfort index (IC), i.e., derived from instrumental measurements, and which would also represent an absolute comfort value. Analytical evaluation of the distribution of body weight, by means of a barometric matrix, shows that a comfortable chair tends to minimize peak and average values of pressure at the level of the contact areas located between the body and the seat and the back of the chair. To define a comparison parameter for determining an absolute comfort value, a reference chair (SDR) was developed. The seat and the back of this chair are rigid, with poor compliance. A comfort value of zero was, by definition, assigned to this chair. Therefore, the Comfort index (IC) was obtained by the mathematical calculation of the ratios of averages, peaks and gradients of pressure, appropriately weighted, and the corresponding values measured on the tested chair and on the SDR. It is shown that the anthropometric characteristics of each subject are irrelevant to the assessment of the IC, which depends only on the compliance characteristics of the seat and back surfaces of the tested chair IC can be improved through analysis of a larger number of seats, which would thus constitute the basis for the use of an objective evaluation of seating comfort.

Effect of Unpleasant Loud Noise on Hippocampal Activities during Picture Encoding: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirano, Yoshiyuki; Fujita, Masafumi; Watanabe, Kazuko; Niwa, Masami; Takahashi, Toru; Kanematsu, Masayuki; Ido, Yasushi; Tomida, Mihoko; Onozuka, Minoru

2006-01-01

The functional link between the amygdala and hippocampus in humans has not been well documented. We examined the effect of unpleasant loud noise on hippocampal and amygdaloid activities during picture encoding by means of fMRI, and on the correct response in humans. The noise reduced activity in the hippocampus during picture encoding, decreased…

Learning for Everyday Life: Students' Standpoints on Loud Sounds and Use of Hearing Protectors before and after a Teaching-Learning Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Eva

2012-01-01

Researchers have highlighted the increasing problem of loud sounds among young people in leisure-time environments, recently even emphasizing portable music players, because of the risk of suffering from hearing impairments such as tinnitus. However, there is a lack of studies investigating compulsory-school students' standpoints and explanations…

Voice Loudness and Gender Effects on Jitter and Shimmer in Healthy Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brockmann, Meike; Storck, Claudio; Carding, Paul N.; Drinnan, Michael J.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate voice loudness and gender effects on jitter and shimmer in healthy young adults because previous descriptions have been inconsistent. Method: Fifty-seven healthy adults (28 women, 29 men) aged 20-40 years were included in this cross-sectional single-cohort study. Three phonations of /a/ at soft,…

Q: How Does Loud Noise Affect Hearing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, William C.

2010-01-01

This is an appropriate question, especially in light of the recent news that the incidence of hearing loss in teens has been increased by a third. To understand how loud noise affects hearing, you need to know the basics of how your ear works. To understand how your ear works, it will help if you do the following activities and ignore that they…

"Look Out Below": Helping Children Who Are Loud and Aggressive in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Polly

2007-01-01

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on how to handle students who are loud and aggressive in the classroom. The author provides some suggestions on how to establish a smooth-running classroom. She firmly believes in creating well-thought out policies and procedures and politely, but firmly, insisting that…

Impact of Clear, Loud, and Slow Speech on Scaled Intelligibility and Speech Severity in Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tjaden, Kris; Sussman, Joan E.; Wilding, Gregory E.

2014-01-01

Purpose: The perceptual consequences of rate reduction, increased vocal intensity, and clear speech were studied in speakers with multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and healthy controls. Method: Seventy-eight speakers read sentences in habitual, clear, loud, and slow conditions. Sentences were equated for peak amplitude and…

Vowel Acoustics in Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis: Comparison of Clear, Loud, and Slow Speaking Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tjaden, Kris; Lam, Jennifer; Wilding, Greg

2013-01-01

Purpose: The impact of clear speech, increased vocal intensity, and rate reduction on acoustic characteristics of vowels was compared in speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD), speakers with multiple sclerosis (MS), and healthy controls. Method: Speakers read sentences in habitual, clear, loud, and slow conditions. Variations in clarity,…

Argonne OutLoud Public Lecture Series: Nuclear Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blomquist, Roger

2012-12-10

On November 15, 2012, Argonne National Laboratory opened its doors to the public for a presentation/discussion titled "Getting to Know Nuclear: Past, Present and Future." The speaker was Argonne researcher Roger Blomquist. The event was the latest in the Argonne OutLoud Public Lecture Series. For more information, visit the Argonne Nuclear Engineering Division website (http://www.ne.anl.gov/About/headlines...).

Are You Managing Your Email - Or is Email Managing You? An Analysis of Email Among Personnel Within Army Project Management Offices

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

such as LOL, for laughing out loud , should be reserved for personal communication (Mackiewicz, 2003). You need to know and understand who your...typing LOL as a shortcut for “ laughing out loud .” Older participants didn’t always know what the shorthand meant. Younger participants knew

Vestibular responses to loud dance music: a physiological basis of the "rock and roll threshold"?

PubMed

Todd, N P; Cody, F W

2000-01-01

In this paper new evidence is provided to indicate that vestibular responses may be obtained from loud dance music for intensities above 90 dB(A) SPL (Impulse-weighted). In a sample of ten subjects acoustically evoked EMG were obtained from the sternocleidomastoid muscle in response to a sample of techno music typical of that which may be experienced in a dance club. Previous research has shown that this response is vestibularly mediated since it can be obtained in subjects with loss of cochlear function, but is absent in subjects with loss of vestibular function (Colebatch et al. [J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 57, 190-197 (1994)]. Given that pleasurable sensations of self-motion are widely sought after by more normal means of vestibular stimulation, it is suggested that acoustically evoked sensations of self-motion may account for the compulsion to exposure to loud music. Given further the similarity between the thresholds found, and the intensities and frequency distributions that are typical in rock concerts and dance clubs, it is also suggested that this response may be a physiological basis for the minimum loudness necessary for rock and dance music to work-the "rock and roll threshold".

Influence of sleep deprivation and auditory intensity on reaction time and response force.

PubMed

Włodarczyk, Dariusz; Jaśkowski, Piotr; Nowik, Agnieszka

2002-06-01

Arousal and activation are two variables supposed to underlie change in response force. This study was undertaken to explain these roles, specifically, for strong auditory stimuli and sleep deficit. Loud auditory stimuli can evoke phasic overarousal whereas sleep deficit leads to general underarousal. Moreover, Van der Molen and Keuss (1979, 1981) showed that paradoxically long reaction times occurred with extremely strong auditory stimuli when the task was difficult, e.g., choice reaction or Simon paradigm. It was argued that this paradoxical behavior related to reaction time is due to active disconnecting of the coupling between arousal and activation to prevent false responses. If so, we predicted that for extremely loud stimuli and for difficult tasks, the lengthening of reaction time should be associated with reduction of response force. The effects of loudness and sleep deficit on response time and force were investigated in three different tasks: simple response, choice response, and Simon paradigm. According to our expectation, we found a detrimental effect of sleep deficit on reaction time and on response force. In contrast to Van der Molen and Keuss, we found no increase in reaction time for loud stimuli (up to 110 dB) even on the Simon task.

Noise sensitivity and loudness derivative index for urban road traffic noise annoyance computation.

PubMed

Gille, Laure-Anne; Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Weber, Reinhard

2016-12-01

Urban road traffic composed of powered-two-wheelers (PTWs), buses, heavy, and light vehicles is a major source of noise annoyance. In order to assess annoyance models considering different acoustical and non-acoustical factors, a laboratory experiment on short-term annoyance due to urban road traffic noise was conducted. At the end of the experiment, participants were asked to rate their noise sensitivity and to describe the noise sequences they heard. This verbalization task highlights that annoyance ratings are highly influenced by the presence of PTWs and by different acoustical features: noise intensity, irregular temporal amplitude variation, regular amplitude modulation, and spectral content. These features, except irregular temporal amplitude variation, are satisfactorily characterized by the loudness, the total energy of tonal components and the sputtering and nasal indices. Introduction of the temporal derivative of loudness allows successful modeling of perceived amplitude variations. Its contribution to the tested annoyance models is high and seems to be higher than the contribution of mean loudness index. A multilevel regression is performed to assess annoyance models using selected acoustical indices and noise sensitivity. Three models are found to be promising for further studies that aim to enhance current annoyance models.

A controlled single-case treatment of severe long-term selective mutism in a child with mental retardation.

PubMed

Facon, Bruno; Sahiri, Safia; Rivière, Vinca

2008-12-01

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the efficacy of combining two operant learning procedures--shaping and fading--for treating selective mutism. The participant was a 12-year-old boy with mental retardation presenting a severe long-term selective mutism. The treatment was aimed at increasing the loudness of his vocalizations in an increasingly social milieu. The treatment was conducted over the course of about 20 weeks, with four 15-minute sessions per week. A gradual increase in speech loudness was observed. Data indicated a close correspondence between the changes in speech loudness and the criteria for reinforcement successively applied by the therapist, thereby confirming the causal link between the child's progress and the changes in reinforcement contingencies. In addition, good generalization was noted during the stimulus fading phase. Six-month follow up showed that loudness of verbalizations was still satisfactory in the classroom despite a change of school and peer group. The impressive improvement of the child's verbal behavior shows that the implementation of a treatment package including both shaping and stimulus fading is a worthwhile therapeutic option, even in the case of severe long-term selective mutism associated with mental retardation.

Measured Effects of Turbulence on the Loudness and Waveforms of Conventional and Shaped Minimized Sonic Booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plotkin, Kenneth J.; Maglieri, Domenic J.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

2005-01-01

Turbulence has two distinctive effects on sonic booms: there is distortion in the form of random perturbations that appear behind the shock waves, and shock rise times are increased randomly. A first scattering theory by S.C. Crow in the late 1960s quantified the random distortions, and Crow's theory was shown to agree with available flight test data. A variety of theories for the shock thickness have been presented, all supporting the role of turbulence in increasing rise time above that of a basic molecular-relaxation structure. The net effect of these phenomena on the loudness of shaped minimized booms is of significant interest. Initial analysis suggests that there would be no change to average loudness, but this had not been experimentally investigated. The January 2004 flight test of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstrator (SSBD), together with a reference unmodified F-5E, included a 12500- foot linear ground sensor array with 28 digitally recorded sensor sites. This data set provides an opportunity to re-test Crow's theory for the post-shock perturbations, and to examine the net effect of turbulence on the loudness of shaped sonic booms.

Speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Sapir, Shimon; Ramig, Lorraine; Fox, Cynthia

2008-06-01

To review recent research and clinical studies pertaining to the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease. Although some studies indicate improvement in voice and speech with dopamine therapy and deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, others show minimal or adverse effects. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the mouth motor cortex and injection of collagen in the vocal folds have preliminary data supporting improvement in phonation in people with Parkinson disease. Treatments focusing on vocal loudness, specifically LSVT LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment), have been effective for the treatment of speech disorders in Parkinson disease. Changes in brain activity due to LSVT LOUD provide preliminary evidence for neural plasticity. Computer-based technology makes the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment available to a large number of users. A rat model for studying neuropharmacologic effects on vocalization in Parkinson disease has been developed. New diagnostic methods of speech and swallowing are also available as the result of recent studies. Speech rehabilitation with the LSVT LOUD is highly efficacious and scientifically tested. There is a need for more studies to improve understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of speech and swallowing disorders in Parkinson disease.

Influence of humidification on comfort during noninvasive ventilation with a helmet.

PubMed

Ueta, Kazuyoshi; Tomita, Toshiji; Uchiyama, Akinori; Ohta, Noriyuki; Iguchi, Naoya; Goto, Yukiko; Fujino, Yuji

2013-05-01

To evaluate optimal humidifier water temperature when using a helmet for noninvasive ventilation. Twenty-eight healthy individuals underwent 8 cm H2O CPAP ventilation with FIO2 of 0.21 and 0.5. Each was sequentially tested in the following order: using the helmet without humidification at ambient temperature; with humidification with unheated chamber water; and with humidification with the chamber water at 31°C, 34°C, and 37°C. At each setting, after a 20 min stabilization period, measurements were taken. Comfort level at each setting was evaluated using a visual analog scale rated zero (least comfortable) to 10 (most comfortable). Temperature and relative and absolute humidity inside the helmet increased; however, the comfort scores significantly decreased as the humidification chamber water temperature increased. Regardless of the FIO2, statistically significantly highest comfort scores were obtained when humidification water, with and without active humidification, was at ambient temperature. Unacceptable absolute humidity was obtained only without humidification at room temperature when FIO2 was 0.5. With the clinical use of a helmet, for patient comfort and mucosal humidification during CPAP, the most desirable conditions are likely to be obtained by humidifying without heating, that is by leaving the water in the humidifier chamber at room temperature.

An optical imaging study of 0.4 ≤ z ≤ 0.8 quasar host galaxies . II. Analysis and interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Örndahl, E.; Rönnback, J.

2005-11-01

We performed optical imaging of 102 radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars at z=0.4{-}0.8, of which 91 fields were found suitable for host galaxy analysis after the deselection of saturated and otherwise flawed images. The data sets were obtained mainly in the R band, but also in the V and I or Gunn i band, and were presented in Rönnback et al.(1996, MNRAS, 283, 282) and Örndahl et al. (2003, A&A, 404, 883). In this paper we combine the two above-mentioned samples and also separately discuss additional hosts, extracted from data taken by Wold et al. (2000, MNRAS, 316, 267; 2001, MNRAS, 323, 231). The joint sample forms a sizeable fraction of the to-date total number of observed sources at intermediate redshifts and increases the number of resolved radio-quiet hosts at z>0.4 considerably. Equal numbers of radio-loud and radio-quiet objects were observed, resulting in a detection rate of 79% for the radio-loud hosts and 66% for the radio-quiet hosts. Profile fitting could only be carried out for a minority of the sample, but it results in predominantly elliptical morphologies. This is consistent with the mean values of the axial ratios, for which we find b/a⪆0.8 for both radio-quiet and radio-loud hosts, just as in the case of normal elliptical galaxies. The mean absolute magnitudes of the radio-loud and radio-quiet hosts is M_R=-23.5 in both cases. This similarity between the mean magnitudes of the two types of host galaxy is also seen in the other imaged bands. While the radio-loud host absolute R magnitudes are correlated with redshift, only a weak trend of the same sort is seen for the radio-quiet host magnitudes. Note, however, that the sample is not fully resolved and that the detection limit, in combination with the relationship between host and nuclear luminosity, may conspire in creating the illusion of an upturn in magnitude. The average nucleus-to-host galaxy luminosity ratios of the radio-loud and radio-quiet objects do not differ significantly in any band, nor is the difference between the average luminosity ratios of flat spectrum and steep spectrum radio-loud quasars larger than 1.5σ. Thus, no effect of beaming (as expected in the unifying scheme) is seen. The colours of both radio-loud and radio-quiet host galaxies are found to be as blue as present-day late-type spirals and starburst galaxies. These blue colours are most likely due neither to galaxy evolution over the range, which only gives rise to a colour shift of 0.2 mag, nor to scattered nuclear light, since colours determined from annular apertures yield very similar results. Since close companions in projection are not uncommon (and a few sources even exhibit tidal tail-like features and other signs of interaction), ongoing star formation is a reasonable explanation of the blue host colours. As multiple-band imaging primarily was carried out for quasars showing indications of the presence of a host galaxy, the colour analysis results are valid for host galaxies which are large, bright, have low nucleus-to-host luminosity ratios, and/or display large scale disturbances, but cannot however safely be generalised to hold for the quasar host galaxy population at intermediate redshift as a whole.

Tinnitus, anxiety and automatic processing of affective information: an explorative study.

PubMed

Ooms, Els; Vanheule, Stijn; Meganck, Reitske; Vinck, Bart; Watelet, Jean-Baptiste; Dhooge, Ingeborg

2013-03-01

Anxiety is found to play an important role in the severity complaint of tinnitus patients. However, when investigating anxiety in tinnitus patients, most studies make use of verbal reports of affect (e.g., self-report questionnaires and/or interviews). These methods reflect conscious appraisals of anxiety, but do not map underlying processing mechanisms. Nonetheless, such mechanisms, like the automatic processing of affective information, are important as they modulate emotional experience and emotion-related behaviour. Research showed that highly anxious people process threatening information (e.g., fearful and angry faces) faster than non-anxious people. Therefore, this study investigates whether tinnitus patients process affective stimuli (happy, sad, fearful, and angry faces) in the same way as highly anxious people do. Our sample consisted out of 67 consecutive tinnitus patients. Relationships between tinnitus severity, pitch, loudness, hearing loss, and the automatic processing of affective information were explored. Results indicate that especially in severely distressed tinnitus patients, the severity complaint is highly related to the automatic processing of fearful (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), angry (r = 0.44, p < 0.00) and happy (r = -0.44, p < 0.00) faces, and these relationships became even stronger after controlling for hearing loss. Furthermore, in contrast with findings on the relation between audiological characteristics (pitch and loudness) and conscious report of anxiety, we did find that the audiological characteristic, loudness, tends to be in some degree related to the automatic processing of fearful faces (r = 0.25, p = 0.08). We conclude that tinnitus is an anxiety-related problem on an automatic processing level.

Tinnitus and Its Effect on the Quality of Life of Sufferers: A Nigerian Cohort Study.

PubMed

Ukaegbe, Onyinyechi C; Orji, Foster T; Ezeanolue, Basil C; Akpeh, James O; Okorafor, Ijeoma A

2017-10-01

Objectives To evaluate the quality of life of patients with ongoing tinnitus. Study Design This was a cross-sectional study of patients with ongoing tinnitus. Setting The study was carried out in a tertiary hospital in southeastern Nigeria. Subjects and Methods Subjects are adults who presented to the otorhinolaryngology clinic with tinnitus as their primary complaint. Pure-tone audiometry, tinnitus pitch, and loudness matching were done. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire was used in assessing their quality of life. Results There were 63 participants within the age range of 16 to 74 years; 20 (31.7%) were male and 43 (68.3%) were female. The mean duration of tinnitus was 26.7 ± 38.1 months. Nineteen (30.2%) participants had bilateral tinnitus while 44 (69.8%) had unilateral tinnitus. The mean THI score was 36.6 ± 19.7. The most reported handicap was anxiety and difficulty with concentration followed by depression and irritability. There was no correlation between the disability shown by the THI score and the age, sex, duration of the tinnitus, the tinnitus pitch, tinnitus loudness, or the laterality of the tinnitus. There was a significant positive correlation between the grade of hearing loss and the level of disability reported in the THI ( P = .01). Conclusion Tinnitus sufferers appear to have poorer quality of life compared with nonsufferers. This quality-of-life affectation is likely to be worse in those with disabling hearing loss but does not appear to be related to their age, sex, symptom duration, or the loudness and pitch of their tinnitus.

Assessment of breathing patterns and respiratory muscle recruitment during singing and speech in quadriplegia.

PubMed

Tamplin, Jeanette; Brazzale, Danny J; Pretto, Jeffrey J; Ruehland, Warren R; Buttifant, Mary; Brown, Douglas J; Berlowitz, David J

2011-02-01

To explore how respiratory impairment after cervical spinal cord injury affects vocal function, and to explore muscle recruitment strategies used during vocal tasks after quadriplegia. It was hypothesized that to achieve the increased respiratory support required for singing and loud speech, people with quadriplegia use different patterns of muscle recruitment and control strategies compared with control subjects without spinal cord injury. Matched, parallel-group design. Large university-affiliated public hospital. Consenting participants with motor-complete C5-7 quadriplegia (n=6) and able-bodied age-matched controls (n=6) were assessed on physiologic and voice measures during vocal tasks. Not applicable. Standard respiratory function testing, surface electromyographic activity from accessory respiratory muscles, sound pressure levels during vocal tasks, the Voice Handicap Index, and the Perceptual Voice Profile. The group with quadriplegia had a reduced lung capacity (vital capacity, 71% vs 102% of predicted; P=.028), more perceived voice problems (Voice Handicap Index score, 22.5 vs 6.5; P=.046), and greater recruitment of accessory respiratory muscles during both loud and soft volumes (P=.028) than the able-bodied controls. The group with quadriplegia also demonstrated higher accessory muscle activation in changing from soft to loud speech (P=.028). People with quadriplegia have impaired vocal ability and use different muscle recruitment strategies during speech than the able-bodied. These findings will enable us to target specific measurements of respiratory physiology for assessing functional improvements in response to formal therapeutic singing training. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

γ-Ray And Parsec-Scale Jet Properties Of A Complete Sample Of Blazars From The Mojave Program

DOE PAGES

Lister, M. L.

2011-11-02

We investigate the Fermi LAT -ray and 15 GHz VLBA radio properties of a joint -ray- and radio-selected sample of AGNs obtained during the first 11 months of the Fermi mission (2008 Aug 4 - 2009 Jul 5). Our sample contains the brightest 173 AGNs in these bands above declination -30° during this period, and thus probes the full range of -ray loudness ( -ray to radio band luminosity ratio) in the bright blazar population. The latter quantity spans at least four orders ofmagnitude, reflecting a wide range of spectral energy distribution (SED) parameters in the bright blazar population. Themore » BL Lac objects, however, display a linear correlation of increasing -ray loudness with synchrotron SED peak frequency, suggesting a universal SED shape for objects of this class. The synchrotron self-Compton model is favored for the -ray emission in these BL Lacs over external seed photon models, since the latter predict a dependence of Compton dominance on Doppler factor that would destroy any observed synchrotron SED peak - -ray loudness correlation. The high-synchrotron peaked (HSP) BL Lac objects are distinguished by lower than average radio core brightness temperatures, and none display large radio modulation indices or high linear core polarization levels. No equivalent trends are seen for the flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ) in our sample. Given the association of such properties with relativistic beaming, we suggest that the HSP BL Lacs have generally lower Doppler factors than the lower-synchrotron peaked BL Lacs or FSRQs in our sample.« less

Gamma-Ray and Parsec-Scale Jet Properties of a Complete Sample of Blazars from the MOJAVE Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lister, M.L.; Aller, M.; Aller, H.; Hovatta, T.; Kellermann, K. I.; Kovalev, Y. Y.; Meyer, E. T.; Pushkarev, A. B.; Ros, E.; Ackermann, M.;

Creating high performance buildings: Lower energy, better comfort

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brager, Gail; Arens, Edward

2015-03-30

Buildings play a critical role in the challenge of mitigating and adapting to climate change. It is estimated that buildings contribute 39% of the total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [1] primarily due to their operational energy use, and about 80% of this building energy use is for heating, cooling, ventilating, and lighting. An important premise of this paper is about the connection between energy and comfort. They are inseparable when one talks about high performance buildings. Worldwide data suggests that we are significantly overcooling buildings in the summer, resulting in increased energy use and problems with thermal comfort. Inmore » contrast, in naturally ventilated buildings without mechanical cooling, people are comfortable in much warmer temperatures due to shifting expectations and preferences as a result of occupants having a greater degree of personal control over their thermal environment; they have also become more accustomed to variable conditions that closely reflect the natural rhythms of outdoor climate patterns. This has resulted in an adaptive comfort zone that offers significant potential for encouraging naturally ventilated buildings to improve both energy use and comfort. Research on other forms for providing individualized control through low-energy personal comfort systems (desktop fans, foot warmed, and heated and cooled chairs) have also demonstrated enormous potential for improving both energy and comfort performance. Studies have demonstrated high levels of comfort with these systems while ambient temperatures ranged from 64–84°F. Energy and indoor environmental quality are inextricably linked, and must both be important goals of a high performance building.« less

An on-the-road experiment into the thermal comfort of car seats.

PubMed

Cengiz, Tülin Gündüz; Babalik, Fatih C

2007-05-01

This paper presents an evaluation of thermal comfort in an extended road trial study. Automobile seats play an important role in improving the thermal comfort. In the assessment of thermal comfort in autos, in general subjective and objective measurements are used. Testing on the road is very difficult but real traffic conditions affect the comfort level directly, as well as the driver's experience to real conditions. Thus, for such cases real traffic situations should not be neglected in the evaluation of comfort. The aim of this study was to carry out, on an extended road trial study, an evaluation of thermal comfort using human subjects. In the experiments used, the 100% polyester seat cover had three different cover materials, which were velvet, jacquard and micro fiber. All experiments were carried out on a sunny day with ten participants over 1h. They were carried out at air temperatures of 25 degrees C in a Fiat Marea 2004, which had an automatic climate function. Skin temperature at eight points and skin wettedness at two points on the human body were measured during the trials. Participants were required to complete a questionnaire of 15 questions, every 5 min. It can be concluded that there was negligible difference in participants' reported thermal sensation between the three seats. According to objective measurement results, all seat cover materials have the same degree of thermal comfort. On the road the participants feel warmer around their waist than any other area of the body. It was suggested that the effects of real traffic conditions must be accounted for in comfort predictions.

Medical Students' Comfort with Pregnant Women with Substance-Use Disorders: A Randomized Educational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albright, Brittany; Skipper, Betty; Riley, Shawne; Wilhelm, Peggy; Rayburn, William F.

2012-01-01

Objective: The study objective was to determine whether medical students' attendance at a rehabilitation residence for pregnant women with substance-use disorders yielded changes in their attitudes and comfort levels in providing care to this population. Methods: This randomized educational trial involved 96 consecutive medical students during…

School Counselor Attitudes and Referral Practices When Working with Suicidal Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siehl, Peterann M.; Moomaw, Robert C.

This study examined the attitudes, knowledge, comfort, and referral levels of school counselors in relation to working with suicidal adolescents. Subjects were 213 school counselors divided among elementary, junior high, and high school settings. Most of the counselors (92%) were found to be more comfortable assessing suicidal risk if a team…

Teaching Children about Aspects of Comfort in the Built Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowaltowski, Doris C. C. K.; Filho, Francisco Borges; Labaki, Lucila C.; Pina, Silvia A. Mikami G.; Bernardi, Nubia

2004-01-01

This article presents specific teaching material for the primary school level that introduces basic concepts of environmental comfort. The authors developed 2 booklets to make children aware of the built environment. Following a postoccupancy evaluation of state schools in the city of Campinas, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the research team…

Technology Solutions Case Study: Improving Comfort in Hot-Humid Climates with a Whole-House Dehumidifier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-11-01

In order to quantify the performance of a combined whole-house dehumidifier (WHD) AC system, researchers from the Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) team monitored the operation of two Lennox AC systems coupled with a Honeywell DH150 TrueDRY whole-house dehumidifier for a six-month period. By using a WHD to control moisture levels (latent cooling) and optimizing a central AC to control temperature (sensible cooling), improvements in comfort can be achieved while reducing utility costs. Indoor comfort for this study was defined as maintaining indoor conditions at below 60% RH and a humidity ratio of 0.012 lbm/lbm while at common drymore » bulb set point temperatures of 74°-80°F. In addition to enhanced comfort, controlling moisture to these levels can reduce the risk of other potential issues such as mold growth, pests, and building component degradation. Because a standard AC must also reduce dry bulb air temperature in order to remove moisture, a WHD is typically needed to support these latent loads when sensible heat removal is not desired.« less

High-Fidelity Contrast Reaction Simulation Training: Performance Comparison of Faculty, Fellows, and Residents.

PubMed

Pfeifer, Kyle; Staib, Lawrence; Arango, Jennifer; Kirsch, John; Arici, Mel; Kappus, Liana; Pahade, Jay

2016-01-01

Reactions to contrast material are uncommon in diagnostic radiology, and vary in clinical presentation from urticaria to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Prior studies have demonstrated a high error rate in contrast reaction management, with smaller studies using simulation demonstrating variable data on effectiveness. We sought to assess the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation in teaching contrast reaction management for residents, fellows, and attendings. A 20-question multiple-choice test assessing contrast reaction knowledge, with Likert-scale questions assessing subjective comfort levels of management of contrast reactions, was created. Three simulation scenarios that represented a moderate reaction, a severe reaction, and a contrast reaction mimic were completed in a one-hour period in a simulation laboratory. All participants completed a pretest and a posttest at one month. A six-month delayed posttest was given, but was optional for all participants. A total of 150 radiologists participated (residents = 52; fellows = 24; faculty = 74) in the pretest and posttest; and 105 participants completed the delayed posttest (residents = 31; fellows = 17; faculty = 57). A statistically significant increase was found in the one-month posttest (P < .00001) and the six-month posttest scores (P < .00001) and Likert scores (P < .001) assessing comfort level in managing all contrast reactions, compared with the pretest. Test scores and comfort level for moderate and severe reactions significantly decreased at six months, compared with the one-month posttest (P < .05). High-fidelity simulation is an effective learning tool, allowing practice of "high-acuity" situation management in a nonthreatening environment; the simulation training resulted in significant improvement in test scores, as well as an increase in subjective comfort in management of reactions, across all levels of training. A six-month refresher course is suggested, to maintain knowledge and comfort level in contrast reaction management. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Medical Student and Resident/Fellow Knowledge, Comfort, and Training With Sexual History Taking in LGBTQ Patients.

PubMed

Hayes, Victoria; Blondeau, Whitney; Bing-You, Robert G

2015-05-01

Sexual health is an important aspect of overall health. Barriers to taking an adequate patient sexual history exist. Few studies have explored medical learners' comfort, knowledge, and training surrounding taking sexual histories with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer (LGBTQ) patients specifically. A 10-question survey was offered to medical students and resident/fellows at one US institution. Survey questions reflected participants' knowledge, comfort, and training related to sexual history taking with attention to LGBTQ care. A total of 159 surveys were returned (rate of 42%). A significantly lower level of comfort existed with taking sexual histories and managing sexual health issues in the LGBTQ segment of the patient population versus all patients, especially in the advanced training group. Participants recognized the importance of understanding their patients' overall sexual health, though medical students rated this as more important than the resident/fellow group did. A correlation existed between both comfort with taking sexual histories and discussing safe sexual practices and management of sexual issues, suggesting that further training would be helpful in this area. Twenty percent of the respondents reported receiving no training at all in eliciting sexual histories in LGBTQ patients. The most preferred format in this study for future training was interviewing standardized patients. Medical students and resident/fellows reported a significantly lower level of comfort with sexual history-taking and management of sexual issues in the LGBTQ population. A comprehensive training format that not only views sexual health as an integral part of overall patient health, but also integrates LGBTQ care, is needed in medical education.

Thermal comfort of various building layouts with a proposed discomfort index range for tropical climate.

PubMed

Md Din, Mohd Fadhil; Lee, Yee Yong; Ponraj, Mohanadoss; Ossen, Dilshan Remaz; Iwao, Kenzo; Chelliapan, Shreeshivadasan

2014-04-01

Recent years have seen issues related to thermal comfort gaining more momentum in tropical countries. The thermal adaptation and thermal comfort index play a significant role in evaluating the outdoor thermal comfort. In this study, the aim is to capture the thermal sensation of respondents at outdoor environment through questionnaire survey and to determine the discomfort index (DI) to measure the thermal discomfort level. The results indicated that most respondents had thermally accepted the existing environment conditions although they felt slightly warm and hot. A strong correlation between thermal sensation and measured DI was also identified. As a result, a new discomfort index range had been proposed in association with local climate and thermal sensation of occupants to evaluate thermal comfort. The results had proved that the respondents can adapt to a wider range of thermal conditions.Validation of the questionnaire data at Putrajaya was done to prove that the thermal sensation in both Putrajaya and UTM was almost similar since they are located in the same tropical climate region. Hence, a quantitative field study on building layouts was done to facilitate the outdoor human discomfort level based on newly proposed discomfort index range. The results showed that slightly shaded building layouts of type- A and B exhibited higher temperature and discomfort index. The resultant adaptive thermal comfort theory was incorporated into the field studies as well. Finally, the study also showed that the DI values were highly dependent on ambient temperature and relative humidity but had fewer effects for solar radiation intensity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different cooling regimes within a shortened liquid cooling/warming garment on physiological and psychological comfort during exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leon, Gloria R.; Koscheyev, Victor S.; Coca, Aitor; List, Nathan

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different cooling regime intensities to maintain physiological and subjective comfort during physical exertion levels comparable to that engaged in during extravehicular activities (EVA) in space. We studied eight subjects (six males, two females) donned in our newly developed physiologically based shortened liquid cooling/warming garment (SLCWG). Rigorous (condition 1) and mild (condition 2) water temperature cooling regimes were compared at physical exertion levels comparable to that performed during EVA to ascertain the effectiveness of a lesser intensity of cooling in maintaining thermal comfort, thus reducing energy consumption in the portable life support system. Exercise intensity was varied across stages of the session. Finger temperature, rectal temperature, and subjective perception of overall body and hand comfort were assessed. Finger temperature was significantly higher in the rigorous cooling condition and showed a consistent increase across exercise stages, likely due to the restriction of heat extraction because of the intensive cold. In the mild cooling condition, finger temperature exhibited an overall decline with cooling, indicating greater heat extraction from the body. Rectal temperature was not significantly different between conditions, and showed a steady increase over exercise stages in both rigorous and mild cooling conditions. Ratings of overall comfort were 30% higher (more positive) and more stable in mild cooling (p<0.001). The mild cooling regime was more effective than rigorous cooling in allowing the process of heat exchange to occur, thus maintaining thermal homeostasis and subjective comfort during physical exertion.

A new `bio-comfort' perspective for Melbourne based on heat stress, air pollution and pollen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Stephanie J.; Pezza, Alexandre B.; Barras, Vaughan; Bye, John

2014-03-01

Humans are at risk from exposure to extremes in their environment, yet there is no consistent way to fully quantify and understand the risk when considering more than just meteorological variables. An outdoor `bio-comfort' threshold is defined for Melbourne, Australia using a combination of heat stress, air particulate concentration and grass pollen count, where comfortable conditions imply an ideal range of temperature, humidity and wind speed, acceptable levels of air particulates and a low pollen count. This is a new approach to defining the comfort of human populations. While other works have looked into the separate impacts of different variables, this is the first time that a unified bio-comfort threshold is suggested. Composite maps of surface pressure are used to illustrate the genesis and evolution of the atmospheric structures conducive to an uncomfortable day. When there is an uncomfortable day due to heat stress conditions in Melbourne, there is a high pressure anomaly to the east bringing warm air from the northern interior of Australia. This anomaly is part of a slow moving blocking high originating over the Indian Ocean. Uncomfortable days due to high particulate levels have an approaching cold front. However, for air particulate cases during the cold season there are stable atmospheric conditions enhanced by a blocking high emanating from Australia and linking with the Antarctic continent. Finally, when grass pollen levels are high, there are northerly winds carrying the pollen from rural grass lands to Melbourne, due to a stationary trough of low pressure inland. Analysis into days with multiple types of stress revealed that the atmospheric signals associated with each type of discomfort are present regardless of whether the day is uncomfortable due to one or multiple variables. Therefore, these bio-comfort results are significant because they offer a degree of predictability for future uncomfortable days in Melbourne.

A new 'bio-comfort' perspective for Melbourne based on heat stress, air pollution and pollen.

PubMed

Jacobs, Stephanie J; Pezza, Alexandre B; Barras, Vaughan; Bye, John

2014-03-01

Humans are at risk from exposure to extremes in their environment, yet there is no consistent way to fully quantify and understand the risk when considering more than just meteorological variables. An outdoor 'bio-comfort' threshold is defined for Melbourne, Australia using a combination of heat stress, air particulate concentration and grass pollen count, where comfortable conditions imply an ideal range of temperature, humidity and wind speed, acceptable levels of air particulates and a low pollen count. This is a new approach to defining the comfort of human populations. While other works have looked into the separate impacts of different variables, this is the first time that a unified bio-comfort threshold is suggested. Composite maps of surface pressure are used to illustrate the genesis and evolution of the atmospheric structures conducive to an uncomfortable day. When there is an uncomfortable day due to heat stress conditions in Melbourne, there is a high pressure anomaly to the east bringing warm air from the northern interior of Australia. This anomaly is part of a slow moving blocking high originating over the Indian Ocean. Uncomfortable days due to high particulate levels have an approaching cold front. However, for air particulate cases during the cold season there are stable atmospheric conditions enhanced by a blocking high emanating from Australia and linking with the Antarctic continent. Finally, when grass pollen levels are high, there are northerly winds carrying the pollen from rural grass lands to Melbourne, due to a stationary trough of low pressure inland. Analysis into days with multiple types of stress revealed that the atmospheric signals associated with each type of discomfort are present regardless of whether the day is uncomfortable due to one or multiple variables. Therefore, these bio-comfort results are significant because they offer a degree of predictability for future uncomfortable days in Melbourne.

Why Should Speech Rate (Tempo) Be Integrated into Pronunciation Teaching Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurtbasi, Meti

2015-01-01

The pace of speech i.e. tempo can be varied to our mood of the moment. Fast speech can convey urgency, whereas slower speech can be used for emphasis. In public speaking, orators produce powerful effects by varying the loudness and pace of their speech. The juxtaposition of very loud and very quiet utterances is a device often used by those trying…

The thematic structure of passenger comfort experience and its relationship to the context features in the aircraft cabin.

PubMed

Ahmadpour, Naseem; Lindgaard, Gitte; Robert, Jean-Marc; Pownall, Bernard

2014-01-01

This paper describes passenger comfort as an experience generated by the cabin interior features. The findings of previous studies are affirmed regarding a set of 22 context features. Passengers experience a certain level of comfort when these features impact their body and elicit subjective perceptions. New findings characterise these perceptions in the form of eight themes and outline their particular eliciting features. Comfort is depicted as a complex construct derived by passengers' perceptions beyond the psychological (i.e. peace of mind) and physical (i.e. physical well-being) aspects, and includes perceptual (e.g. proxemics) and semantic (e.g. association) aspects. The seat was shown to have a focal role in eliciting seven of those themes and impacting comfort through its diverse characteristics. In a subsequent study, a group of aircraft cabin interior designers highlighted the possibility of employing the eight themes and their eliciting features as a framework for design and evaluation of new aircraft interiors.

[Evaluation of thermal comfort in a student population: predictive value of an integrated index (Fanger's predicted mean value].

PubMed

Catenacci, G; Terzi, R; Marcaletti, G; Tringali, S

1989-01-01

Practical applications and predictive values of a thermal comfort index (Fanger's PRV) were verified on a sample school population (1236 subjects) by studying the relationships between thermal sensations (subjective analysis), determined by means of an individual questionnaire, and the values of thermal comfort index (objective analysis) obtained by calculating the PMV index individually in the subjects under study. In homogeneous conditions of metabolic expenditure rate and thermal impedence from clothing, significant differences were found between the two kinds of analyses. At 22 degrees C mean radiant and operative temperature, the PMV values averaged 0 and the percentage of subjects who experienced thermal comfort did not exceed 60%. The high level of subjects who were dissatisfied with their environmental thermal conditions confirms the doubts regarding the use of the PMV index as a predictive indicator of thermal comfort, especially considering that the negative answers were not homogeneous nor attributable to the small thermal fluctuations (less than 0.5 degree C) measured in the classrooms.

Outdoor thermal comfort in public space in warm-humid Guayaquil, Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, Erik; Yahia, Moohammed Wasim; Arroyo, Ivette; Bengs, Christer

2018-03-01

The thermal environment outdoors affects human comfort and health. Mental and physical performance is reduced at high levels of air temperature being a problem especially in tropical climates. This paper deals with human comfort in the warm-humid city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The main aim was to examine the influence of urban micrometeorological conditions on people's subjective thermal perception and to compare it with two thermal comfort indices: the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and the standard effective temperature (SET*). The outdoor thermal comfort was assessed through micrometeorological measurements of air temperature, humidity, mean radiant temperature and wind speed together with a questionnaire survey consisting of 544 interviews conducted in five public places of the city during both the dry and rainy seasons. The neutral and preferred values as well as the upper comfort limits of PET and SET* were determined. For both indices, the neutral values and upper thermal comfort limits were lower during the rainy season, whereas the preferred values were higher during the rainy season. Regardless of season, the neutral values of PET and SET* are above the theoretical neutral value of each index. The results show that local people accept thermal conditions which are above acceptable comfort limits in temperate climates and that the subjective thermal perception varies within a wide range. It is clear, however, that the majority of the people in Guayaquil experience the outdoor thermal environment during daytime as too warm, and therefore, it is important to promote an urban design which creates shade and ventilation.

Outdoor thermal comfort in public space in warm-humid Guayaquil, Ecuador.

PubMed

Johansson, Erik; Yahia, Moohammed Wasim; Arroyo, Ivette; Bengs, Christer

2018-03-01

The thermal environment outdoors affects human comfort and health. Mental and physical performance is reduced at high levels of air temperature being a problem especially in tropical climates. This paper deals with human comfort in the warm-humid city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The main aim was to examine the influence of urban micrometeorological conditions on people's subjective thermal perception and to compare it with two thermal comfort indices: the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and the standard effective temperature (SET*). The outdoor thermal comfort was assessed through micrometeorological measurements of air temperature, humidity, mean radiant temperature and wind speed together with a questionnaire survey consisting of 544 interviews conducted in five public places of the city during both the dry and rainy seasons. The neutral and preferred values as well as the upper comfort limits of PET and SET* were determined. For both indices, the neutral values and upper thermal comfort limits were lower during the rainy season, whereas the preferred values were higher during the rainy season. Regardless of season, the neutral values of PET and SET* are above the theoretical neutral value of each index. The results show that local people accept thermal conditions which are above acceptable comfort limits in temperate climates and that the subjective thermal perception varies within a wide range. It is clear, however, that the majority of the people in Guayaquil experience the outdoor thermal environment during daytime as too warm, and therefore, it is important to promote an urban design which creates shade and ventilation.

Investigation of the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) of earphones during music listening with the use of physical ear canal models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aying, K. P.; Otadoy, R. E.; Violanda, R.

2015-06-01

This study investigates on the sound pressure level (SPL) of insert-type earphones that are commonly used for music listening of the general populace. Measurements of SPL from earphones of different respondents were measured by plugging the earphone to a physical ear canal model. Durations of the earphone used for music listening were also gathered through short interviews. Results show that 21% of the respondents exceed the standard loudness/duration relation recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Musicians are more consistent: Gestural cross-modal mappings of pitch, loudness and tempo in real-time

PubMed Central

Küssner, Mats B.; Tidhar, Dan; Prior, Helen M.; Leech-Wilkinson, Daniel

2014-01-01

Cross-modal mappings of auditory stimuli reveal valuable insights into how humans make sense of sound and music. Whereas researchers have investigated cross-modal mappings of sound features varied in isolation within paradigms such as speeded classification and forced-choice matching tasks, investigations of representations of concurrently varied sound features (e.g., pitch, loudness and tempo) with overt gestures—accounting for the intrinsic link between movement and sound—are scant. To explore the role of bodily gestures in cross-modal mappings of auditory stimuli we asked 64 musically trained and untrained participants to represent pure tones—continually sounding and concurrently varied in pitch, loudness and tempo—with gestures while the sound stimuli were played. We hypothesized musical training to lead to more consistent mappings between pitch and height, loudness and distance/height, and tempo and speed of hand movement and muscular energy. Our results corroborate previously reported pitch vs. height (higher pitch leading to higher elevation in space) and tempo vs. speed (increasing tempo leading to increasing speed of hand movement) associations, but also reveal novel findings pertaining to musical training which influenced consistency of pitch mappings, annulling a commonly observed bias for convex (i.e., rising–falling) pitch contours. Moreover, we reveal effects of interactions between musical parameters on cross-modal mappings (e.g., pitch and loudness on speed of hand movement), highlighting the importance of studying auditory stimuli concurrently varied in different musical parameters. Results are discussed in light of cross-modal cognition, with particular emphasis on studies within (embodied) music cognition. Implications for theoretical refinements and potential clinical applications are provided. PMID:25120506

Radio-loudness in black hole transients: evidence for an inclination effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motta, S. E.; Casella, P.; Fender, R.

2018-06-01

Accreting stellar-mass black holes appear to populate two branches in a radio:X-ray luminosity plane. We have investigated the X-ray variability properties of a large number of black hole low-mass X-ray binaries, with the aim of unveiling the physical reasons underlying the radio-loud/radio-quiet nature of these sources, in the context of the known accretion-ejection connection. A reconsideration of the available radio and X-ray data from a sample of black hole X-ray binaries confirms that being radio-quiet is the more normal mode of behaviour for black hole binaries. In the light of this we chose to test, once more, the hypothesis that radio loudness could be a consequence of the inclination of the X-ray binary. We compared the slope of the `hard-line' (an approximately linear correlation between X-ray count rate and rms variability, visible in the hard states of active black holes), the orbital inclination, and the radio-nature of the sources of our sample. We found that high-inclination objects show steeper hard-lines than low-inclination objects, and tend to display a radio-quiet nature (with the only exception of V404 Cyg), as opposed to low-inclination objects, which appear to be radio-loud(er). While in need of further confirmation, our results suggest that - contrary to what has been believed for years - the radio-loud/quiet nature of black-hole low mass X-ray binaries might be an inclination effect, rather than an intrinsic source property. This would solve an important issue in the context of the inflow-outflow connection, thus providing significant constraints to the models for the launch of hard-state compact jets.

Ride quality assessment. III - Questionnaire results of a second flight programme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, L. G.; Jacobson, I. D.

1977-01-01

A questionnaire was completed by 861 passengers on regularly-scheduled flights of four commuter airlines. Four types of aircraft were involved. Questions assessed major demographic variables, attitudes toward flying, frequency of flying, experience of airsickness, and passenger perceptions of detailed aspects of the physical environment. Passengers also rated their overall comfort level and their willingness to fly again. Passengers perceive motion, noise, and seat factors as the primary determinants of their comfort. Rated comfort is strongly related to willingness to fly again. Incidence of airsickness was low. Sex differences in reactions to aspects of the environment were found.

Using Simulation to Implement an OR Cardiac Arrest Crisis Checklist.

PubMed

Dagey, Darleen

2017-01-01

Crisis checklists are cognitive aids used to coordinate care during critical events. Simulation training is a method to validate process improvement initiatives such as checklist implementation. In response to concerns staff members expressed regarding their comfort level when responding to infrequent occurrences such as cardiac arrest and other OR emergencies, the OR Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program team at our facility decided to institute the use of crisis checklists in the OR during critical events. We provided 90-minute education sessions, simulation opportunities, and debriefings to help staff members become more comfortable using these checklists. Based on program evaluations, 80% of staff members who participated in the training expressed an increased comfort level when caring for a patient in cardiac arrest. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of ride quality prediction methods for operational military helicopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, J. D.; Clevenson, S. A.; Hollenbaugh, D. D.

1984-01-01

The results of a simulator study conducted to compare and validate various ride quality prediction methods for use in assessing passenger/crew ride comfort within helicopters are presented. Included are results quantifying 35 helicopter pilots' discomfort responses to helicopter interior noise and vibration typical of routine flights, assessment of various ride quality metrics including the NASA ride comfort model, and examination of possible criteria approaches. Results of the study indicated that crew discomfort results from a complex interaction between vibration and interior noise. Overall measures such as weighted or unweighted root-mean-square acceleration level and A-weighted noise level were not good predictors of discomfort. Accurate prediction required a metric incorporating the interactive effects of both noise and vibration. The best metric for predicting crew comfort to the combined noise and vibration environment was the NASA discomfort index.