bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
REPTILE EARS AND MAMMALIAN EARS: HEARING WITHOUT
A TRAVELLING WAVE
Authors: Bell Andrew
Published: May 2021

This paper takes a closer look at the functional similarities between reptile ears and mammalian ears. The ears of the
first class of animal are generally acknowledged to lack travelling waves – because the sensing cells sit upon a stiff support – whereas the ears of the second group are commonly thought to act differently, having hair cells arranged upon
a compliant basilar membrane that moves under the action of a travelling wave (created by a pressure difference across
the membrane) so that the wave bends the cells’ stereocilia. However, recent work suggests that the mammalian case can
be explained without reliance upon a travelling wave as a causal stimulus and that the responses observed can be interpreted as local resonances driven by a fast pressure wave. In this light, reptiles and mammals may have more in common
than currently appreciated – they might both be forced resonant systems – and this paper explores such a possibility.
CYTOKERATIN 16 EXPRESSION DOES NOT INDICATE
CHOLESTEATOMA AGGRESSIVENESS
Authors: Mostafa Badr , Salah Eldin El-Monayeri Magda , Elfiky Lobna , Mohammed Mohammed , Sarwat Abdel
Published: May 2021

Aims

Cholesteatoma is characterised by a squamous epithelium in the middle ear and aggressive destructive behavior. A hyperproliferative epithelium also typically has an overexpression of cytokeratin 16 (CK16). The aim of this study was to compare CK16 expression in cholesteatoma epithelium and the epithelium of simple dry perforations.

Methods

Samples were obtained from 60 patients: 30 with cholesteatoma and 30 with simple perforations. The epithelium
was immunohistochemically stained for CK16. Correlations were made between the clinical picture and the absence or presence of complications in both groups.

Results

Immunohistochemical staining for CK16 was positive in 45% of specimens taken from the edge of simple perforations and in 51% of specimens taken from the cholesteatoma matrix. The difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Two implications of our findings may be suggested: in cases of cholesteatoma the change in CK expression from
normal epithelium is not the only factor which makes cholesteatoma aggressive; alternatively, in normal tissue the edge of a
simple perforation is not as stable as is thought so that at least 45% of perforations can show hyperproliferative activity. It is
therefore unclear whether hyperproliferative activity in either cholesteatoma or a simple perforation is a marker of instability or of attempts at healing.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MONITORING HEARING IN
CHILDREN USING A RISK FACTOR REGISTRY
Authors: Beswick Rachael , Driscoll Carlie , Kei Joseph , Glennon Shirley
Published: May 2021

Background

The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends targeted
surveillance of at-risk infants using a risk factor registry, in conjunction with parent and/or professional monitoring to detect hearing loss that develops after newborn hearing screening. However, criticisms of these recommendations are emerging as targeted surveillance programs are costly, resource intensive, have poor follow-up rates, and lack evidence of best practice. The purpose of the current paper is to provide recommendations for risk factor registries incorporated within targeted
surveillance programs.

Methods

Recommendations provided in this document were developed by combining the results of previous research, done
with a systematic review of the literature, together with a comprehensive evaluation of a targeted surveillance program in
Queensland, Australia.

Results

Recommendations are as follows. Children with the risk factors of family history or craniofacial anomalies should
have their hearing monitored, whereas children with the risk factor of low birth weight should not. Children with the risk factors of syndrome or prolonged ventilation should potentially have their hearing monitored; however, the evidence is not definitive. Equally, children with bacterial meningitis, hyperbilirubinemia, or professional concern as a risk factor may potentially
not need their hearing monitored, but again the evidence is not definitive. For the risk factors of severe asphyxia and congenital infection, the evidence was inconclusive and/or conflicting, so no recommendations are made.

Conclusions

More research is needed to further inform evidence-based clinical policy recommendations for hearing loss detection in early childhood.
ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC DYNAMIC RANGES AND
LOUDNESS GROWTH FUNCTIONS: A WITHIN-SUBJECT
COMPARISON IN COCHLEAR IMPLANT PATIENTS
Authors: Vermeire Katrien , Lawson Dewey
Published: May 2021

Objectives

(1) To estimate the dynamic range (DR) for electric stimulation by means of acoustic and electric loudness matching; (2) to characterize loudness growth as a function of electric stimulus amplitude across the DR.

Design

Prospective study.

Study Design

Three cochlear implant subjects, with normal hearing in the contralateral ear, participated in this study (ME28, ME-29, ME-30). For each electrode, the upper limit of electric stimulation was loudness matched to three different types
of pitch-matched acoustic stimuli. Within the electric DR, the 25%, 50%, and 75% points were loudness matched to the acoustic stimuli to create loudness growth functions.

Results

ME-28’s DRs for electric stimulation were constant at 17–18 dB across electrodes. ME-29’s and ME-30’s DRs were
narrower, at around 10 dB. For ME-28 and ME-30, none of the corresponding DRs for matched acoustic stimuli exceeded 50
dB. Only one of ME-29’s DRs exceeded 35 dB. Loudness growth functions showed a tendency for basal electrodes to have gentler overall slopes. For relatively high proportions of the DR, the three different types of acoustic stimuli tend to have similar
loudness growth slopes. However at low levels, the fewer harmonics, the steeper the loudness growth.

Conclusions

There is qualitative and quantitative agreement but patterns of variation can also be observed.
PREVALENCE OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS IN A RURAL
POPULATION OF INDIA
Authors: Konadath Sreeraj , Suma C. , Jayaram G. , Sandeep M. , Mahima G. , Shreyank P.
Published: May 2021

Background

Information about the prevalence of communication disorders is essential for planning prevention and rehabilitation services. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of communication disorders between gender and across
age groups among a rural population of India. This work reports a study conducted as part of field work by staff and students
of the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Manasagangothri, Mysore, India.

Material and Methods

A door-to-door survey of 15,441 individuals from 15 villages, irrespective of their age and gender, was
conducted as phase I of the study. The villages were selected on a random basis. A modified high-risk questionnaire was administered to identify individuals at risk of communication disorders. Those found at risk were referred for detailed audiological and/or speech and language evaluation in phase II of the study

Results

The survey found that the prevalence of individuals at risk of communication disorders was 6.07%. Among those at
risk, and who attended phase II of the study, the prevalence of audiological and/or otological disorder was found to be 90.58%
and that of speech and language disorder was 9.42%. Among those at risk of speech and language disorder, 22.9% were found
to be at risk of mental retardation.

Conclusions

Audiological and/or otological disorders were found to be more prevalent among communication disorders
in the selected population. In general, males showed a higher prevalence of communication disorders compared to females.
The prevalence of severe and moderately severe hearing loss was found to be higher than other degrees of hearing loss. Child
language disorders and reading/writing difficulties were the most prevalent problems among speech and language disorders.
MISMATCH NEGATIVITY IN CHILDHOOD TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY: A PROPOSED PARADIGM FOR TESTING CENTRAL AUDITORY PROCESSING
Authors: Tomé David , Moreira Pedro , Marques-Teixeira João , Barbosa Fernando , Jääskeläinen Satu
Published: May 2021

Background

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological disorder that directly affects cortical areas responsible for auditory processing. The resulting abnormalities can be assessed using event-related potentials (ERP), which have high temporal resolution. However, little is known about TLE in terms of dysfunction of early sensory memory encoding or possible correlations between EEGs, linguistic deficits, and seizures. Mismatch negativity (MMN) is an ERP component – elicited by introducing a deviant stimulus while the subject is attending to a repetitive behavioural task – which reflects pre-attentive sensory memory function and reflects neuronal auditory discrimination and perceptional accuracy.

Hypothesis

We propose an MMN protocol for future clinical application and research based on the hypothesis that children with TLE may have abnormal MMN for speech and non-speech stimuli. The MMN can be elicited with a passive auditory oddball paradigm, and the abnormalities might be associated with the location and frequency of epileptic seizures.

Significance

The suggested protocol might contribute to a better understanding of the neuropsychophysiological basis of MMN. We suggest that in TLE central sound representation may be decreased for speech and non-speech stimuli.

Discussion

MMN arises from a difference to speech and non-speech stimuli across electrode sites. TLE in childhood might be a good model for studying topographic and functional auditory processing and its neurodevelopment, pointing to MMN as a possible clinical tool for prognosis, evaluation, follow-up, and rehabilitation for TLE.
EFFICACY AND OUTCOMES OF HEARING PRESERVATION
TECHNIQUE IN COCHLEAR IMPLANTEES WITH RESIDUAL
HEARING: EXPERIENCE IN INDIAN PATIENTS
Authors: Alappatt Ashish , Paramasivan Vijaya , Arumugam Senthil , Sampath Raghunandhan , Kameswaran Mohan
Published: May 2021

Background

Candidacy for cochlear implantation has been expanding in recent times to include individuals with low-frequency residual hearing who do not benefit from conventional hearing amplification. Recent cochlear implant electrode arrays provide maximal preservation of residual hearing when introduced using a ‘soft insertion’ technique. This study analyzes
the efficacy of soft insertion and the outcomes of such implantation in candidates with residual hearing.

Material and Methods

Our prospective, non-randomized study, chronologically documented: (A) the efficacy of the hearing preservation technique in cochlear implantees with residual hearing by soft insertion technique (round window or cochleostomy), and (B) the auditory verbal outcomes in 10 cochlear implantees with residual hearing (Group A) compared with
a control group of 10 age-matched post-lingual candidates with profound hearing loss (Group B), as measured by Categories of Auditory Performance, Speech Intelligibility Rating, Cochlear Implant Aided Audiometry, and Hearing In Noise Test.

Results

The results suggest that soft insertion via cochleostomy or round window were effective in preserving residual hearing.
In the 6-month post-operative audiogram, 60% of our implantees had complete preservation and 40% had moderate preservation. Our study also underlines the beneficial effects of residual hearing: (a) hearing in noise test with mean average for Group
A (59%) and Group B (45%) with p value=0.007, (b) 6-month post-operative CI aided frequency specific comparison between
the groups showed p values of 0.001, 0.039, and 0.34 at 250, 500, and 1000 Hz respectively. However, on auditory verbal scores
(CAP and SIR scores), Group A implantees performed better on clinical analysis, although there was no statistical significance.

Conclusions

The hearing preservation technique has heralded the arrival of next generation cochlear implants which provide a hearing solution for candidates with low-frequency residual hearing who do not benefit from conventional hearing aids.
Our study shows that there is significant advantage obtained in auditory verbal habilitation outcomes and hearing in noise
perception using soft surgery techniques which maintain the microstructure of the spiral ganglion and osseous spiral lamina.
MENIERE’S DISEASE AND MIGRAINOUS VERTIGO: COULD
WE DIFFERENTIATE THOSE USING OTONEUROLOGIC TESTS?
Authors: Gerbesiotis Panagiotis , Marangoudakis Pavlos , Nikolopoulos Thomas
Published: May 2021

Background

The aim of this prospective study was to examine the link between Meniere’s disease and migrainous vertigo and
assess the value of common non-invasive otoneurologic tests in the differential diagnosis.

Material and Methods

A total of 38 patients with definite Meniere’s disease (MD), 24 with non Meniere’s vertigo, dizziness
or unsteadiness (control group), and 10 patients with definite Vestibular Migraine (VM) underwent a full otoneurological
screening which included an audiometric examination, extratympanic electrocochleography (ET – ECochG), cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) and videonystagmography with bithermal stimulation.

Results

None VM patient presented with abnormal ECochG finding, in contrary to 61% of MD patients, and 4% in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Pathological cVEMP results and unilateral weakness in caloric stimulation were found in 30% and 10% in VM population, whereas in 52.6% and 55.3% in MD. Again, the difference was
statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusions

The results indicate that certain vestibular test – as ECochG – could often help in the differentiation between
VM and MD patients, especially in atypical cases. Last but not least, it seems that both diseases have a common electrophysiological background according to the similar cVEMP pathological findings.
Prevalence of cochlear implants in Europe:
What do we know and what can we expect?
Authors: De Raeve Leo , van Hardeveld Ruud
Published: May 2021

Background

Cochlear implantation is the major beneficial treatment of bilateral profound deafness in children and adults,
but there are big differences in utilisation between European countries.

Material and Method

Statistical data on the number of implanted persons are obtained each year by Euro-CIU (the European Association of Cochlear Implant Users). This study models the trends and gives an overview of the current number of cochlear implants in 16 European countries; our model predicts the future demand on cochlear implants in children and adults.

Results

The degree of utilisation of cochlear implantation by suitable children and adults varies considerably between the
European countries. Most less affluent East European countries focus on the implantation of children rather than adults. Although adult recipient numbers are growing, it has been estimated that less than 10% of adult candidates in Europe receive a
CI. There is little to no scientific data available on late onset, or progressive, hearing loss in children or adults.

Conclusion

It is possible to estimate the yearly number of CI candidates in a country, but we don’t yet have enough reliable
data to put into our model. Because of the underutilisation of cochlear implants, especially in adults, we have to work on raising the general awareness of the benefits of cochlear implants, and its improvement in quality of life, based on cost-effectiveness data and on guidelines for good clinical practice.
Development and standardisation of the sentence
identification test in the Kannada language
Authors: Geetha Chinnaraj , Kumar Keelara , Manjula Puttabasappa , Pavan Mahadevaiah
Published: May 2021

Background

The present study aimed to develop and standardise the sentence identification test in the Kannada language.
This study used a normative research design that included development and standardisation of sentence tests.

Material and Methods

A total of 700 sentences in the Kannada language, selected from various sources, were evaluated for
naturalness, predictability, and equivalency by 33 participants. Sentences considered to be natural, low in predictability, and
equivalent were used to construct 30 lists of 10 sentences each. Standardisation of the material and list equivalency were assessed on 100 listeners with normal hearing ability.

Results

Based on ratings of naturalness and predictability, 564 sentences were considered as highly natural and of low predictability. Of these, 316 were found to have equal difficulty based on a performance-SNR function and were used to construct 30 lists. Repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests revealed Lists 1, 3, 15, 16, and 30 to be significantly different from at least one of the other lists. After removing these lists, the mean identification score for the final 25 lists at
–5 dB SNR was 54%.

Conclusions

The sentence identification test in Kannada for adults consists of 25 homogenous lists. The normative for the
same is also given in the study. Its application is being assessed for hearing evaluation in the clinical population.
Rapid onset sensorineural hearing loss secondary
to bilateral cerebral melanoma metastases to the
cerebellopontine angle
Authors: Sproat Rhona , Bhutta Mahmood , Rane Neil , Martinez-Devesa Pablo
Published: May 2021

Background

We describe a case of bilateral cerebellopontine angle melanoma metastases in the context of a literature review. The case is a rare presentation of sensorineural hearing loss and an unusual site of metastasis for malignant melanoma.

Material and Methods

A 54-year-old man presented with sudden deafness. Bilateral melanoma metastases were confirmed with
MRI and lumbar puncture. He died 3 months after treatment.

Conclusions

Melanoma metastasis should be considered as a differential for sensorineural hearing loss. A review of the literature found that the median survival of patients with bilateral cerebellopontine angle metastatic melanoma is 6 months posttreatment. At surgery these tumours are largely unresectable from cranial nerves VII and VIII. Surgical intervention is unlikely to result in survival or symptomatic benefit and the focus of treatment should be on maintaining quality of life. Hearing
rehabilitation and gamma knife surgery may have a role.
NEONATAL HEARING SCREENING IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS
Authors: Chalkiadakis Vasilios , Geramas Ioannis , Marangoudakis Pavlos , Kandiloros Dimitrios , Vlastarakos Petros , Nikolopoulos Thomas
Published: May 2021

Background

Diagnosis of neonatal hearing impairment depends on universal hearing screening programs (otoacoustic emissions, OAEs, and/or auditory brainstem responses, ABRs). The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of hearing impairment among high-risk newborns and identify the risk factors involved.

Material and Methods

This is a prospective cohort study on 173 newborns hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
with one or more risk factors for hearing impairment. Both TEOAEs and a-ABRs were performed a few days before discharge.

Results

On examination with TEOAEs, 170 neonates eventually passed the test and 3 failed (1 bilaterally and 2 unilaterally).
All neonates were also examined with a-ABR, and 10 failed the test, 7 of which passed TEOAE and were diagnosed as having possible auditory neuropathy spectrum disease (ANSD). The remaining 3 infants who failed both tests were diagnosed
as having possible hearing loss (HL). From the risk factors, only TORCH infections were clearly related to the likelihood of
hearing impairment, either ANSD or HL (p=0.004). The need for mechanical ventilation was also significantly higher in newborns with possible HL, compared to those with normal results (66.7% vs. 18.4%, p=0.03).

Conclusions

Combined TEOAE/ABR is the gold standard examination for NICU infants due to the increased incidence of
HL, especially ANSD, in this high-risk population.
WHEN SHOULD ONE LOOK FOR IVS1+1G>A SPLICE
MUTATION IN PATIENTS WITH NONSYNDROMIC
SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS?
Authors: Shubina-Oleinik Olga , Siniauskaya Marina , Merkulava Elena , Levaya-Smaliak Anastasia , Davydenko Oleg , Danilenko Nina
Published: May 2021

Background

The splice site nucleotide substitution IVS1+1G>A in the non-coding part of the GJB2 gene is one of the recessive pathogenic mutations causing nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NSHL). We present here the results of a study
of IVS1+1G>A among Belarusian patients with NSHL as well as among Belarusian controls with normal hearing.

Material and Methods

The PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping. All tested patients were subdivided into three
groups: those who carried only one mutant allele of GJB2 exon 2 (group A, 28 patients), those with no mutation of GJB2 exon
2 (group B, 150 patients), and patients with two mutations previously detected in the second exon of GJB2 or with one mutation and a large GJB6 deletion ∆D13S1830 (group C, 223 patients). Also 300 Belarusian people with normal hearing were
screened for IVS1+1G>A.

Results

We detected 7 patients with IVS1+1G>A mutation in the A group, which explained hearing loss in 25% of this deafness cohort. None of the B or C group patients carried the IVS1+1G>A mutation. We also did not find any IVS1+1G>A mutation carriers among the 300 Belarusian control people with normal hearing.

Conclusions

IVS1+1G>A is the third-most frequent mutation (after 35delG and 312del14) among Belarusian patients with
NSHL; its rate is 1.8% for the patient cohort we studied and the population frequency is below 0.33%. We propose to include
the IVS1+1G>A mutation into a laboratory screening protocol for those patients with NSHL that carry one mutant allele of
GJB2 exon 2.
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF AUDITORY
FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND ATTENTIONDEFICIT AND HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
Authors: El Shennawy Amira , El Khosht Mostafa , Ghannoum Heba , El Meguid Nagwa
Published: May 2021

Background

Autism and attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are neurodevelopmental disorders sharing
some developmental deficits and differing in others. The aim of this study was to specify the auditory phenotype in terms of
peripheral and central hearing abilities through the use of objective and subjective assessment methods. The goal was to identify alterations in the central and peripheral auditory systems, especially those involving language and cognitive alterations,
since hearing impairment can compromise language acquisition and the rehabilitation process.

Material and Methods

Exactly 60 subjects were included in this study. They were divided into 30 subjects and 30 controls,
and the study group was subdivided into 15 subjects with ADHD and 15 suffering with autism. All cases were given pure tone
audiometry, speech tests, and click-evoked ABR and P300 tests.

Results

Both study groups showed impaired subcortical encoding of speech, which was highly disrupted in the autistic group.
The ADHD group showed delayed offset responses. Both groups had delayed P300 latencies and diminished amplitudes, which
were most marked in the autistic group.

Conclusions

ADHD and autism involve impaired subcortical encoding of speech and impaired cognition, conditions that
are more severe in autistic children.
COMPARISON OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC MATERIALS TO
IMPROVE HEARING AFTER OBLITERATION OF THE MASTOID
CAVITY
Authors: Ezzat Abdelrahman , El-Begermy Marwa , Mahmoud Ahmed , Eid Mustafa
Published: May 2021

Background

Indications for removal of mastoid air cells and obliterating the mastoid cavity vary considerably from surgeon
to surgeon. Various obliteration techniques have been recommended to eliminate open cavity problems. Here we investigated the difference between natural and synthetic filling materials to improve hearing after obliteration of the mastoid cavity.

Setting

Academic tertiary care medical centers (Al-Azhar and Ain-Shams University Hospitals).

Study design

Retrospective comparative study included 60 patients divided into 2 equal groups.

Methods

The study was conducted over 6 years from 2008–14. The mean follow-up time was 3.5 years.

Results

We found that serviceable hearing (≤30 dB) was obtained after surgery in 52 patients (86.6%). In cases where natural materials were used in reconstruction, the average gain in AC was 25.5 dB and in BC it was 1.1 dB, while in cases where
synthetic materials were used the average gain in AC was 26 dB and in BC it was 0.5 dB. There was significant improvement
in the mean postoperative AC compared to the mean preoperative AC. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the use of natural and synthetic materials in improving postoperative hearing.

Conclusions

Both natural and synthetic materials help in improvement of hearing after obliteration of the mastoid cavity.
There is no statistically significant difference between the materials.
COMPARISON OF THE FREQUENCY OF POSITIVE HEARING
SCREENING OUTCOMES IN SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM
POLAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF EUROPE,
CENTRAL ASIA, AND AFRICA
Authors: Skarżyński Piotr , Piłka Adam , Ludwikowski Maciej , Skarżyńska Magdalena
Published: May 2021

Objective

Universal newborn hearing screening programs have been successfully implemented in many countries, and result
in early intervention and therapy. However, there are also a significant number of schoolchildren who have hearing problems.
This study presents the results of a program of hearing screening in schoolchildren, implemented in Poland and subsequently
followed up in other countries in support of the European Consensus on school-age hearing screening. The aim was to compare the frequency of positive outcomes of hearing screening between the countries.

Material and Methods

Screening outcomes from the following countries were compared: Poland, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast. Screening was performed using the Sense Examination Platform, developed in Warsaw, Poland, by the Institute of Sensory Organs and the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing. The Platform comprises a central computer and a number of other portable computers communicating
with the central database via the Internet, and can perform pure tone audiometry and other hearing, speech, and vision tests.
It also records the answers to an audiological questionnaire. The test was considered to be positive when pure tone audiometry was higher than 20 dB HL for at least one frequency.

Results

Among children aged 6–8 years from Poland the rate of positive results was 13.9%, while in children aged 12–15 years
it was 8.5%. From the other European countries in which 462 children were tested, positive results occurred in 62 (13.4%). In
four countries of Central Asia, positive outcomes of hearing screening were found in 216 children from 1011 tested (21.4%).
In two African countries, positive results were found in 105 children from 321 tested (32.7%). The questionnaire surveys have
shown that more than 30% of children with normal hearing have tinnitus, and the figure rises to nearly 50% in children with
an abnormal result. Only 33% of children with hearing problems reported them to parents. In Poland, only 40% of children
with hearing loss are under the care of a specialist, compared with only about half that number in children from Tajikistan
and Moldova.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that there are many children in primary schools who have hearing problems, and this
situation may affect their education. The solution could be screening programs conducted directly in schools by trained school
personnel (e.g. school nurses). The program of hearing screening in schoolchildren described here has helped to raise awareness of the importance of hearing conservation and inspired the development of new programs.
MISMATCH NEGATIVITY AND THE N2B COMPONENT
ELICITED BY PURE TONES AND SPEECH SOUNDS IN ANOMIC
APHASIA: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Tome David , Patricio Brigida , Manchaiah Vinaya , Barbosa Fernando , Teixeira Joao
Published: May 2021

Background

The auditory processing impairments frequently observed in aphasia are being slowly clarified by using eventrelated potentials (ERPs), a method that allows brain processes to be observed at high temporal resolution. Mismatch negativity (MMN) and the N2b amplitude reflect aspects of echoic memory, attention, and phonological representation. This study
evaluates the auditory processing of speech and pure tones in an anomic aphasia subject 6 years after a stroke, and investigates
whether ERPs can detect possible neurophysiologic sequelae after recovery and rehabilitation.

Material and Methods

A recovered subject with anomic aphasia, 6 years post-stroke, was compared with 6 healthy controls.
Event-related potentials (MMN, N1, N2b) were obtained during two auditory oddball paradigms, one using pure tones and
the other consonant–vowel (CV) stimuli.

Results

When compared to healthy subjects, the anomic aphasia subject had reduced MMN amplitude across the frontocentral electrode sites, particularly for speech stimuli. Average deviant waveform analysis revealed poor morphology of N2b to
speech stimuli, which might relate to deficits in phonological representation.

Conclusions

In the presented case the neurophysiologic brain activity for processing of phonologic representations had not
fully recovered 6 years post-stroke. MMN and N2b are highly sensitive ERPs for evaluating impairments in auditory processing and can be registered in the absence of attention and with no task requirements, features which makes it particularly suitable for investigating aphasic subjects.
ELECTRO-NATURAL STIMULATION (ENS) IN PARTIAL
DEAFNESS TREATMENT: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Skarżyński Henryk , Lorens Artur , Skarżyński Piotr
Published: May 2021

Background

There is a significant group of elderly patients whose hearing impairment is characterized by normal or slightly elevated thresholds in the low and mid frequency bands (below 1500 Hz) with nearly total deafness in the high frequency
range. These patients very often remain beyond the scope of effective treatment by hearing aids.

Case Report

This study presents the case of a 75-year-old patient with good hearing in the range 125–1500 Hz and deafness at
other frequencies. An implant was used to restore hearing at high frequencies, while preserving low and mid frequency acoustic hearing in the implanted ear. This can be described as electro-natural stimulation (ENS) of the inner ear.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate that low and mid frequency hearing (up to 1500 Hz) can be preserved using the round
window surgical technique. A substantial improvement in speech discrimination was also observed when electrical stimulation on one side was combined with acoustic stimulation on both sides. There is scope to extend qualifying criteria for cochlear implantation to include elderly patients suitable for ENS.
CHARACTERIZING MUSCLE ARTIFACT INTERFERENCE IN AEP
RECORDING
Authors: Maruthy Sandeep , Gnanateja G. , Ramachandran Resmitha , Thuvassery Priyanka
Published: May 2021

Background

It is well known that muscle artifacts negatively affect auditory evoked potential (AEP) recordings. However,
the precise relation between the set of muscles involved and the specific AEP affected is not clear. Most audiologists believe
that increase in the tension of any muscle in the body would affect all AEPs to the same extent, while some believe that only
head and neck muscles affect AEPs. Logically, this relation will depend on the frequency characteristics of the muscle artifact. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no scientific documentation of the extent of interference created by various muscle responses on auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), middle latency responses (MLRs), and late latency responses
(LLRs). The present study therefore sought to analyse the minimum artifact rejection threshold required for ABR, MLR, and
LLR under various artifact-inducing conditions.

Material and Methods

The present study involved 40 individuals of age 17 to 24 years. For each participant, the effects of
muscle artifacts on three popular, clinically relevant AEPs (ABR, MLR, and LLR) were determined. First, recording was done
in a rest condition where participants were seated in a reclining chair and asked to close their eyes and maintain a relaxed
position. Then the participants were asked to carry out one of the following tasks: blink their eyes continuously; spread their
lips; or stiffen their neck, hand, or leg muscles maximally. While tensing each of these set of muscles, the minimum artifact
rejection threshold (MART) was noted.

Results

The results showed that each of the artifact-inducing conditions affected the three target AEPs differently. At rest,
there was no significant difference in MART across the three AEPs, but artifact-inducing conditions produced different effects.

Conclusions

Not all artifacts affect every AEP equally. For good AEP recordings one needs to have a clear understanding of
various muscle potentials and their relative effect on each AEP.
EFFECT OF AGE ON TIME-COMPRESSED SPEECH PERCEPTION
AND SPEECH PERCEPTION IN NOISE IN NORMAL-HEARING
INDIVIDUALS
Authors: Kumar Prawin , Pradhan Biswajit , Handa Deeksha , Sanju Himanshu
Published: May 2021

Background

This work studied, in individuals with normal hearing, the perception of time-compressed speech, compression
ratio, and speech perception in noise using phonemically balanced (PB) word lists in Kannada. The effect of age was also studied.

Material and Methods

Participants were 29 young and middle-aged adults (native Kannada speakers) aged 15 to 50 years. The
Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) test was administered at signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of +5 dB, 0 dB, –5 dB, and in quiet. The
Time-Compressed Speech Test (TCST) was administered on all participants at compression ratios of 0%, 40%, 50%, and 60%.

Results

Young adults performed better than middle-aged adults in both the TCST and SPIN tests. As difficulty levels rose,
performance decreased in both tests.

Conclusions

Even in individuals with normal hearing, ageing has a deleterious effect on the performance of the central auditory processing system, which is necessary for speech perception under adverse listening conditions.
SHORT-TERM REPEATABILITY OF CONTRALATERAL
SUPPRESSION OF TRANSIENTLY EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC
EMISSIONS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Authors: Jedrzejczak W. , Pilka Edyta , Olszewski Lukasz , Skarzynski Henryk
Published: May 2021

Background

The effect of suppression of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) by contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) is very
small, on the level of 1–2 dB. At the same time, OAEs are known to have quite high variability across subjects and some fluctuation of the signal between measurements is also present. The purpose of the present study was to investigate short-term
repeatability of contralateral suppression of transiently evoked OAEs (TEOAEs).

Material and Methods

OAEs were recorded in a group of 10 adults with normal hearing. TEOAEs were recorded using the
linear protocol (all stimuli at the same level and polarity); stimulus levels were kept at 65 dB peSPL; and a 60 dB SPL broadband noise was delivered to the contralateral ear as suppressor. Each recording session consisted of three measurements: the
first two were made consecutively without taking out the probe (‘single fit’ mode); the third measurement was made after taking out and refitting the probe (‘multiple fit’ mode). Global and half-octave values of TEOAE response levels and suppression
were investigated. Additionally, as a measure of reliability, standard errors of measurement (SEMs) were analyzed.

Results

Broadband suppression was on average around 0.9 dB, while in the three half-octave frequency bands between 1 and
2 kHz it was 1.2–0.9 dB, 0.6 dB for the 2.8 kHz band, and 0.4 dB for the 4 kHz band. The SEM of suppression for single fit
mode was about 0.15 dB for broadband analysis and 0.3 dB for 1 kHz, 0.2 dB for 1.4–2 kHz, 0.3 dB for 2.8 kHz, and 0.4 dB
for 4 kHz. For multiple fits, there were only minor differences in SEM between broadband and 1–2.8 kHz, while for 4 kHz the
SEM was greater, reaching 0.5 dB.

Conclusions

For a given paradigm, the reliability of suppression of TEOAEs is quite satisfactory for global values and for the
1–2 kHz bands. In this range, the SEM is smaller than the suppression effect. On the other hand, for higher frequencies, the
variability is higher, about the same as the measured suppression.
EFFECT OF LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO TRAFFIC NOISE ON
AUDITORY TEMPORAL RESOLUTION OF TRAFFIC POLICE:
A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Authors: Ghosh Vipin , Kumaraswamy Sharmada , Anil Meera
Published: May 2021

Background

Prolonged exposure to occupational noise can lead to various audiological and non-audiological effects. The
present study is a preliminary investigation of the temporal resolution ability of traffic police officers who had a history of exposure to traffic noise for at least 5 years.

Material and Methods

The study focused on an experimental group of 20 traffic police officers and a control group of 20 agematched individuals without noise exposure. A gap detection test (GDT) and a test of modulation detection thresholds for sinusoidally amplitude modulated noise (TMTF) at 8 Hz, 20 Hz, and 60 Hz were administered to all the participants.

Results

ANOVA was carried out to check for significant different in performance between the groups, which suggested a main
effect of groups. A further t-test was done and no significant difference (p>0.05) between the groups in test performance was
observed, suggesting that temporal resolution is not significantly affected in traffic police exposed to traffic noise.

Conclusions

The present study findings may be attributed to various factors that control the effect of noise on humans. These
factors are discussed. However, the population cannot be considered as free from noise-related harms since nonauditory effects of traffic noise, including sleep disturbances, annoyance, hypertension, and stress, have been reported in earlier studies.
More research is needed to clarify the situation.
THE HEARLAB CORTICAL TONE EVALUATION (CTE)
PROTOCOL: A CLINICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY
Authors: Alanazi Ahmad , Nicholson Nannette , Atcherson Samuel , Martin Patti
Published: May 2021

Background

Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) have been shown to demonstrate high correlations with pure-tone
behavioral thresholds when using research protocols. However, experience using the HEARLab cortical tone evaluation (CTE)
procedure clinically in sites independent of the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) remains limited. This study aimed to
assess the clinical feasibility of the CTE protocol using the HEARLab system to estimate pure-tone behavioral thresholds at
500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz.

Material and Methods

This is a preliminary prospective study designed to compare behavioral hearing thresholds with air
conduction CTE of 12 adults (8 with normal hearing and 4 with sensorineural hearing loss). A cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) threshold protocol was modeled after an existing auditory brainstem response (ABR) protocol used in-house.
A t-test was used to identify differences between pure-tone behavioral thresholds and CTE thresholds.

Results

Depending on frequency and intensity, CTEs varied from pure-tone behavioral thresholds by as much as 11.2 dB. The
average test time to obtain CTEs at four frequencies per ear for 12 participants was 50.85 minutes (SD=12.0). Implications for
inter-test reliability of the CTE protocol are discussed.

Conclusions

The HEARLab CTE protocol is feasible for predicting pure-tone behavioral thresholds in those with normal
hearing or with hearing loss. The CTE procedure is a useful alternative tool when behavioral threshold testing is neither possible nor practical.
A REVIEW OF NEONATAL HEARING SCREENING
PRACTICES IN INDIA
Authors: Ramkumar Vidya
Published: May 2021

Newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs were implemented in India as a part of research studies beginning in the early 1970s. Later, several hospitals established their own hearing screening programs. In 2006, the Government of India initiated efforts towards prevention and
control of deafness in which neonatal hearing screening at a grass-roots level was envisioned. Presently, despite the lack of a universal newborn hearing screening program, several hospital-based programs and some community-based programs have evolved. This review on NHS
practices in India, both in the public and private sectors, is drawn from an exploration of published work as well as information on newborn
hearing screening programs available from authenticated public domains.
EFFECT OF EXTENDING THE RESPONSE WINDOW
AND OF SUBJECT PRACTICE ON MEASURES OF
AUDITORY PROCESSING IN CHILDREN WITH
LEARNING OR READING DISABILITY
Authors: Shaikh Mohsin
Published: May 2021

Background

This study studied the effect of extending the response window on the auditory processing (AP) test performance of children
with a learning disability or reading disability (LD/RD). The study also investigated whether subject practice affected test performance.

Material and Methods

Twenty-four children with an LD and 12 typically developing (TD) age-matched peers between 9 and 13 years of age
participated in the study. The participants were administered three AP tests – the dichotic digit (DD), duration pattern sequence (DPS), and
random gap detection (RGD) test – under two conditions: standard response window and extended response window.

Results

The performance of the LD group on the DD and DPS tests significantly improved using an extended time window whereas the performance of the TD group did not change.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that some children with an LD achieve higher scores on auditory processing tasks if given a longer response
window. This has implications for diagnosis and for providing a potential differential diagnosis tool.
PREVALENCE OF DFNB1 HEARING LOSS AMONG
COCHLEAR IMPLANT USERS ESTABLISHED WITH
THE 3-STEP DFNB1 APPROACH
Authors: Pollak Agnieszka , Skarzynski Henryk
Published: May 2021

Background

Intensive studies have been conducted worldwide to elucidate the genetic basis of hearing impairment (HI). The aim of this
study was to estimate the prevalence of DFNB1-related HI among patients with cochlear implants (CI).

Material and Methods

We analyzed 1262 consecutive patients diagnosed with hearing loss who received a CI. At the time of writing this is
the largest CI cohort tested for DFNB1 mutations. The search for mutations was done using our 3-step diagnostic approach to DFNB1 testing (3-step DFNB1 approach) comprising a range of molecular methods: multiplex PCR, PCR-RFLP, allele-specific PCR, Sanger sequencing,
and real-time PCR with dedicated TaqMan probes.

Results

Our results show that DFNB1 deafness is present in 39.3% of Polish CI recipients. The most commonly detected causative variant
in the study group was c.35delG within the GJB2 gene. The majority of the revealed DFNB1 variants were truncating, and related to early HI
onset as well as profound hearing loss.

Conclusions

The data conclusively show that mutations in the DFNB1 locus are the main cause of HI among CI patients, and that the proposed 3-step DFNB1 approach is a fast, effective, and economical method for DFNB1 screening
A hearing screening program for children
in primary school in Cameroon
Authors: Skarżyński Piotr
Published: May 2021

Wstęp

W wielu krajach są prowadzone badania przesiewowe słuchu wśród noworodków, które pozwalają na wczesne wykrycie i zdiagnozowanie wad słuchu. Taka potrzeba istnieje jednak również w odniesieniu do dzieci w wieku szkolnym, gdyż problemy ze słuchem
negatywnie wpływają na poziom umiejętności szkolnych, obniżając tym samym szanse edukacyjne dzieci.

Cel

Celem pracy jest przedstawienie wyników badań przesiewowych słuchu przeprowadzonych wśród dzieci w wieku szkolnym
w Kamerunie.

Materiał i metody

Grupę badaną stanowiło 260 dzieci w wieku od 6 do 15 lat. Badanie wykonano przy użyciu Platformy Badań
Zmysłów – systemu obejmującego komputer centralny i wiele komputerów przenośnych, komunikujących się z centralną bazą danych przez Internet. Wykonano audiometrię tonalną, wyznaczając progi słyszenia dla przewodnictwa powietrznego w zakresie częstotliwości od 500 Hz do 8000 Hz. Za nieprawidłowy (pozytywny) wynik badania przyjmowano wartość progu słyszenia wynoszącą
co najmniej 25 dB w co najmniej jednym uchu, na minimum jednej częstotliwości.

Wyniki

Odsetek pozytywnych wyników wynosił 42,7%. Najczęściej stwierdzano niedosłuch w obojgu uszach (20,8%), rzadziej natomiast tylko w uchu lewym (14,2%) lub tylko w uchu prawym (7,7%). Częściej występował niedosłuch niskoczęstotliwościowy niż
niedosłuch wysokoczęstotliwościowy.

Wnioski

Uzyskane wyniki świadczą o dużej potrzebie wykonywania badań przesiewowych słuchu u dzieci w wieku szkolnym w Afryce. Wczesne wykrycie problemów ze słuchem oraz zwiększanie świadomości rodziców i nauczycieli na temat profilaktyki wad słuchu
pozwala na podjęcie leczenia i rehabilitacji, zwiększając tym samym szanse edukacyjne dzieci i możliwości ich prawidłowego rozwoju.
Chross-check principle in hearing diagnostics
Authors: Piłka Edyta
Published: May 2021

W roku 1976 Jerger i Hayes, mając na uwadze to, że wyniki badań behawioralnych cechuje mała wiarygodność, opracowali protokół zasady cross-check, której istotą było potwierdzanie wyników badań behawioralnych badaniami obiektywnymi.
W pracy zaprezentowano dwa przypadki osób dorosłych, u których zastosowanie zasady krzyżowej miało niebagatelny wpływ na wynik końcowy diagnostyki narządu słuchu. Udowodniono, iż bez względu na wiek pacjenta na proces leczenia ma wpływ nie tylko odpowiednia technika pomiarowa, stosowanie właściwych zasad czy dobra współpraca ze strony osoby badanej, lecz także ważna jest weryfikacja otrzymywanych wyników za pomocą innych testów obiektywnych i subiektywnych.
The use of uSound in adult hearing
screening tests
Authors: Kutyba Justyna , Kochanek Krzysztof , Piłka Adam , Skarżyński Piotr
Published: May 2021

Wstęp

Na rynku aplikacji instalowanych w telefonach komórkowych dostępne są narzędzia przeznaczone do samodzielnej oceny
słuchu. Skorzystać z nich może każdy użytkownik posiadający telefon komórkowy z odpowiednim oprogramowaniem i dostępem do
Internetu, gdyż nie wymagają one dysponowania dodatkowym specjalistycznym sprzętem oraz profesjonalną wiedzą. Atrakcyjność
i przystępność proponowanych rozwiązań skłania do refleksji nad możliwościami wykorzystania tych narzędzi w badaniach przesiewowych słuchu.

Cel

Cel pracy stanowi ocena przydatności i wiarygodności anglojęzycznej aplikacji uSound, instalowanej na telefonach komórkowych, w kontekście samodzielnego wykonania przesiewowego badania słuchu i wyznaczenia progów słyszenia u osób dorosłych.

Materiał i metody

Grupę badaną stanowiło 20 osób w wieku od 17 do 67 r.ż. Wszyscy uczestnicy przeszli dwukrotne badanie słuchu
dla częstotliwości 250–8000 Hz. Pierwsze badanie było wykonywane samodzielnie, za pomocą aplikacji, przez osoby biorące udział
w badaniu. Drugie badanie zostało przeprowadzone przez osobę wykwalifikowaną, na urządzeniu wykorzystywanym powszechnie
w badaniach przesiewowych słuchu – Platformie Badań Zmysłów. Warunki badania były jednakowe dla wszystkich uczestników.
Za nieprawidłowy wynik badania przyjmowano wartość progu słyszenia wynoszącą minimum 25 dB, dla co najmniej jednej częstotliwości, w przynajmniej jednym uchu.

Wyniki

Oceny przydatności aplikacji uSound dokonano, porównując wyniki uzyskane z obu narzędzi. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały, że wyniki uzyskane za pomocą aplikacji uSound pokrywają się z wynikami uzyskanymi za pomocą Platformy. Testowana aplikacja pozwala na samodzielne wykonanie badania słuchu, a uzyskany wynik nieprawidłowy powinien skłonić do wizyty u specjalisty.

Wnioski

Prezentowane wyniki należy uznać za wstępne. Wymagają one potwierdzenia badaniami przeprowadzonymi z udziałem
większej i bardziej zróżnicowanej grupy badanej. Niemniej jednak badania przeprowadzane na całym świecie dowodzą, że możliwe jest uzyskanie wiarygodnych pomiarów za pomocą różnych urządzeń. Dzięki alternatywnym metodom pomiaru progów słyszenia zwiększa się możliwość dotarcia do większej liczby osób, również na obszarach, gdzie dostęp do specjalistów jest ograniczony.