Comparison of the CAM2A and NAL-NL2 hearing-aid fitting methods for participants with a wide range of hearing losses

Objective: To compare preferences for sounds processed via a simulated five-channel compression hearing aid fitted using CAM2A and NAL-NL2. Design: Within a trial, the same segment of sound was presented twice, once with CAM2A settings and once with NAL-NL2 settings, in random order. The participant indicated which one was preferred and by how much. Stimuli included female and male speech in quiet and four types of music. The compression speed was slow or fast and the input sound level was 50, 65, or 80 dB SPL. Study sample: Sixteen experienced hearing-aid users with a wide range of sensorineural hearing losses. Results: For both compression speeds, CAM2A was slightly preferred over NAL-NL2 for input levels of 65 and 80 dB, but NAL-NL2 was slightly preferred at 50 dB SPL. Conclusions: Preferences for CAM2A relative to NAL-NL2 vary with input level. The results suggest that preferences for CAM2A might be increased by using lower gains for high frequencies and low input levels.     

盲/低视力儿童视力康复和阅读功能研究

目的：观察盲校及低视力门诊的15周岁以下患者，用低视力助视器对其视力特别是阅读功能进行康复和评估。方法：总共有55位来自盲校和低视力门诊的儿童，其好眼的最佳远矫正视力都低于4．5，进行低视力助视器的验配和训练，然后进行望远镜助视器视觉评价、近用助视器视觉评价和在配戴近用助视器的基础上，对患儿的阅读功能进行评怙。结果：戴远用助视器前后盲童的脱盲率为33、3％，戴运用助视器前后低视力患儿的脱残率为87．1％。戴低视力助视器前后患儿阅读四号字的速度差异有显著性(t=5．238；P=0.001)；戴低视力助视器前后患儿阅读小五号字的速度差异有显著性(t=4．818；P=0．008)。结论：低视力助视器对盲／低视力患儿视觉康复有效，不仅可有效地改善视力，而且可提高阅读速度，对患儿进一步接受教育极其重要。     

Short-duration β-alanine supplementation increases training volume and reduces subjective feelings of fatigue in college football players

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of 30 days of β-alanine supplementation in collegiate football players on anaerobic performance measures. Subjects were randomly divided into a supplement (β-alanine group [BA], 4.5 g·d⁻¹ of β-alanine) or placebo (placebo group [P], 4.5 g·d⁻¹ of maltodextrin) group. Supplementation began 3 weeks before preseason football training camp and continued for an additional 9 days during camp. Performance measures included a 60-second Wingate anaerobic power test and 3 line drills (200-yd shuttle runs with a 2-minute rest between sprints) assessed on day 1 of training camp. Training logs recorded resistance training volumes, and subjects completed questionnaires on subjective feelings of soreness, fatigue, and practice intensity. No difference was seen in fatigue rate in the line drill, but a trend (P = .07) was observed for a lower fatigue rate for BA compared with P during the Wingate anaerobic power test. A significantly higher training volume was seen for BA in the bench press exercise, and a trend (P = .09) for a greater training volume was seen for all resistance exercise sessions. In addition, subjective feelings of fatigue were significantly lower for BA than P. In conclusion, despite a trend toward lower fatigue rates during 60 seconds of maximal exercise, 3 weeks of β-alanine supplementation did not result in significant improvements in fatigue rates during high-intensity anaerobic exercise. However, higher training volumes and lower subjective feelings of fatigue in BA indicated that as duration of supplementation continued, the efficacy of β-alanine supplementation in highly trained athletes became apparent.     

Frequency compression hearing aid for severe-to-profound hearing impairments

(1) Objective: Objective of this study is to know how a frequency compression hearing aid with new concepts is beneficial for severe-to-profound hearing impairments. (2) Methods: Clinical trials of this hearing aid were conducted for 11 severe-to-profound hearing impaired listeners. These 11 wore the frequency compression hearing aid in their daily life and reported subjectively on its performance. Speech recognition tests with five listeners and audio-visual short sentence recognition tests with three listeners were also conducted. This hearing aid can separately adjust the fundamental frequency from the spectral envelope of input speech and can adjust frequency response by use of a post-processing digital filter. (3) Results: Five listeners out of these 11 came to prefer this hearing aid in their daily life and are still wearing it. The results of the speech recognition tests show that the speech recognition scores were not improved for all listeners and the results of the audio-visual short sentence recognition tests do that the audio-visual recognition scores were improved for two listeners. (4) Conclusion: There were some severe-to-profound hearing impaired listeners who preferred the frequency compression hearing aid finally. It is also suggested that the benefits of this hearing aid may be evaluated correctly using not only speech but also visual materials.     

软带骨桥在双侧小耳畸形患者中的应用

目的 探讨佩戴软带骨桥在双侧小耳畸形患者中的临床应用效果。 方法 选取36例双侧小耳畸形患者,每例患者分别佩戴软带骨桥与软带骨锚式助听器(BAHA),佩戴前后分别测量声场纯音测听,并随访观察佩戴软带骨桥后患者的日常交流及对声音的反应情况。 结果 36例双侧小耳畸形患者佩戴软带骨桥后行声场纯音测听结果显示,平均气导听力提高38.8 dB,佩戴软带BAHA后行声场纯音测听结果显示,平均气导听力提高34.5 dB,二者比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),患者日常生活交流情况明显改善。 结论 对于先天性双侧小耳畸形患者,佩戴软带骨桥后,听力提高显著,效果良好。     

语前聋儿童佩戴助听器后塞音发音特点

目的分析听力障碍患儿佩戴助听器后塞音的发音特点。方法以佩戴助听器的语前聋患儿30例(助听器组)和健听儿童30例(健听组)为研究对象,年龄3~6岁(分为3~、4~、5~6岁组,每组2类儿童各10例),日常均使用汉语普通话交流,具备一定的发音能力。以塞音词表进行测试,分析两组儿童塞音(/b/、/d/、/g/、/p/、/t/、/k/)的发音正确率和错误类型,分析不同生理年龄、助听时间与发音正确率的关系。结果助听器组儿童塞音发音的正确率从高到低为/b/>/d/>/g/>/k/>/t/>/p/,健听组儿童塞音发音的正确率从高到低依次为/b/>/g/>/k/>/p/>/d/>/t/;健听组儿童塞音/b/、/g/、/k/、/t/、/p/的正确率显著高于助听器组儿童(P<0.05)。助听组儿童发音错误规律包括:①发音方法相同的音互相替代,如不送气塞音的互相替代和送气塞音的互相替代;②发音部位相同的音互相替代;③发音方法和发音部位不同的替代,如:塞音擦音化,塞音塞擦音化,不送气化。4~、5~6岁组听障儿童塞音/g/、/p/、/k/发音的正确率明显高于3~岁组(P<0.05),助听器佩戴时间大于2年的听障儿童塞音/p/、/t/发音的正确率明显高于小于2年的儿童(P<0.05)。结论听障儿童塞音发音清晰度落后于健听组儿童,生理年龄、听觉干预的时间对听障儿童部分塞音发音的正确率有影响,需进行积极的干预和有针对性的康复训练。     

智能方向性技术(PDI)的临床应用

目的　探讨智能方向性技术 (precisiondirectionalimaging ,PDI)在噪声环境下对患者语言理解力的作用。方法　回顾性的分析 16例年龄 2 1～ 86岁的中重度听力障碍患者使用智能方向性 (PDI)与非方向性 (omni-di rectional)助听器的效果观察。结果　 16例患者 (2 1只助听器 )在安静环境下偏好非方向性模式。在噪声环境下 ,偏好智能方向性模式。在噪声环境下 ,使用PDI摸式提高了语言识别率 (P <0 .0 1)。结论　使用智能方向性助听器有助于听障患者在噪声环静下的聆听效果。     

The use of nicotine patches with minimal intervention

BACKGROUND: This paper describes a natural, prospective, open-label study designed to evaluate the impact of free nicotine patches with minimal support for smoking cessation. METHODS: Surveys were administered to 223 participants who received nicotine patches from the American Lung Association. All participants received a 6-week supply of 15-mg/16-h transdermal nicotine patches, a self-help book Freedom from Smoking, and information about area smoking cessation classes. Follow-up telephone surveys were administered 6 weeks after the patches were distributed. Abstinence was measured through self-report exclusively. RESULTS: The overall quit rate at 6-weeks was 21% (47/223). Among nonquitters, the mean number of cigarettes smoked per day dropped from 25 at baseline to 14 at 6 weeks. There was a significant difference in the average number of patches used by quitters and nonquitters (26 versus 11, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nicotine patches with minimal support can be effective in smoking cessation and smoking reduction. The availability of patches may have motivated participants to quit. Efforts to increase access to and use of nicotine patches may result in increased attempts to quit and successful quitting.