The spools of wire below contain the only known live recording of the legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie. A mathematician, Kevin Short, was part of a team that used signal processing techniques associated with chaotic music compression to recapture the live performance, which was often completely unintelligible. The modern techniques employed, instead of resulting in a cold, digital output, actually retained the original concert.s warmth and depth. As a result, Short and the team received a Grammy Award for their remarkable restoration of the recording. To begin the restoration the wire had to be manually pulled through a playback device and converted to a digital format. Since the pulling speed wasn.t constant there was distortion in the sound, frequently quite considerable. Algorithms corrected for the speed variations and reconfigured the sound waves to their original shape by using a background noise with a known frequency as a "clock." This clever correction also relied on sampling the sound selectively, and reconstructing and resampling the music between samples. Mathematics did more than help recreate a performance lost for almost 60 years: These methods are used to digitize treasured tapes of audiophiles everywhere. For More Information: "The Grammy in Mathematics," Julie J. Rehmeyer, Science News Online, February 9, 2008.

Many older adults have difficulty understanding speech in acute healthcare settings owing to hearing loss, but the effect on patient care is often overlooked. Jan Blustein professor of health policy and medicine at New York University, and who has also experienced the affects of hearing loss, joins us to explain what that's like, and gives some...

Top Pentagon officials told lawmakers Wednesday that a proposed nationwide network to provide 5G and internet-of-things services was "too risky to be worth it."

Officials have not done enough to prevent fraud in Head Start programs, the GAO said. The findings prompted Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the ranking member of the House education and labor committee, to call for a hearing on the federally funded preschool program for low-income children.

Ben Warren
Apr 8, 2020; 40:3130-3140
Neurobiology of Disease

Acoustic overexposure, such as listening to loud music too often, results in noise-induced hearing loss. The pathologies of this prevalent sensory disorder begin within the ear at synapses of the primary auditory receptors, their postsynaptic partners and their supporting cells. The extent of noise-induced damage, however, is determined by overstimulation of primary auditory receptors, upstream of where the pathologies manifest. A systematic characterization of the electrophysiological function of the upstream primary auditory receptors is warranted to understand how noise exposure impacts on downstream targets, where the pathologies of hearing loss begin. Here, we used the experimentally-accessible locust ear (male, Schistocerca gregaria) to characterize a decrease in the auditory receptor's ability to respond to sound after noise exposure. Surprisingly, after noise exposure, the electrophysiological properties of the auditory receptors remain unchanged, despite a decrease in the ability to transduce sound. This auditory deficit stems from changes in a specialized receptor lymph that bathes the auditory receptors, revealing striking parallels with the mammalian auditory system.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Noise exposure is the largest preventable cause of hearing loss. It is the auditory receptors that bear the initial brunt of excessive acoustic stimulation, because they must convert excessive sound-induced movements into electrical signals, but remain functional afterward. Here we use the accessible ear of an invertebrate to, for the first time in any animal, characterize changes in auditory receptors after noise overexposure. We find that their decreased ability to transduce sound into electrical signals is, most probably, due to changes in supporting (scolopale) cells that maintain the ionic composition of the ear. An emerging doctrine in hearing research is that vertebrate primary auditory receptors are surprisingly robust, something that we show rings true for invertebrate ears too.

Neural plasticity due to hearing loss results in tonotopic map changes. Several studies have suggested a relation between hearing loss-induced tonotopic reorganization and tinnitus. This large fMRI study on humans was intended to clarify the relations between hearing loss, tinnitus, and tonotopic reorganization. To determine the differential effect of hearing loss and tinnitus, both male and female participants with bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, with and without tinnitus, and a control group were included. In a total of 90 participants, bilateral cortical responses to sound stimulation were measured with loudness-matched pure-tone stimuli (0.25-8 kHz). In the bilateral auditory cortices, the high-frequency sound-evoked activation level was higher in both hearing-impaired participant groups, compared with the control group. This was most prominent in the hearing loss group without tinnitus. Similarly, the tonotopic maps for the hearing loss without tinnitus group were significantly different from the controls, whereas the maps of those with tinnitus were not. These results show that higher response amplitudes and map reorganization are a characteristic of hearing loss, not of tinnitus. Both tonotopic maps and response amplitudes of tinnitus participants appear intermediate to the controls and hearing loss without tinnitus group. This observation suggests a connection between tinnitus and an incomplete form of central compensation to hearing loss, rather than excessive adaptation. One implication of this may be that treatments for tinnitus shift their focus toward enhancing the cortical plasticity, instead of reversing it.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Tinnitus, a common and potentially devastating condition, is the presence of a "phantom" sound that often accompanies hearing loss. Hearing loss is known to induce plastic changes in cortical and subcortical areas. Although plasticity is a valuable trait that allows the human brain to rewire and recover from injury and sensory deprivation, it can lead to tinnitus as an unwanted side effect. In this large fMRI study, we provide evidence that tinnitus is related to a more conservative form of reorganization than in hearing loss without tinnitus. This result contrasts with the previous notion that tinnitus is related to excessive reorganization. As a consequence, treatments for tinnitus may need to enhance the cortical plasticity, rather than reverse it.

IT was on board a supply ship which had docked in the port of Marseille that Barney Roberts learned the news that the war was over.

There is no point in discussing what testing program best provides accountability if the tests do not actually measure any of the things we want schools to be accountable for.

Combined auditory brainstem response/otoacoustic emission testing is used to screen for auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), which leads to failure to develop normal auditory behavior and oral language. Prevalence estimates have been obtained for infants in NICUs.

ANSD risk in well-infant nurseries has not been examined. This study contributes ANSD prevalence estimates for infants admitted to well-infant nurseries and compares the costs of 2 different 2-technology screening protocols. (Read the full article)

Neonatal hearing screening occasionally fails because of several perinatal and neonatal factors. However, the effect of mode of delivery on hearing screening has not yet been established.

We show significantly more failures on hearing screening in cesarean delivery infants. Hence, the timing of screening after cesarean delivery should preferably be postponed beyond 48 hours to improve success rate, minimize maternal anxiety, and decrease costs. (Read the full article)

The incidence of permanent hearing loss doubles between birth and school age. Otoacoustic emissions screening has been used successfully in early childhood educational settings to identify children with losses not found through newborn screening.

Using otoacoustic emissions to screen the hearing of young children during routine health care visits is feasible and can lead to the identification of permanent hearing loss overlooked by providers relying solely on subjective methods. (Read the full article)

High bilirubin levels are associated with sensorineural hearing loss. Exchange transfusions are recommended when bilirubin levels reach certain thresholds. However, the relative and excess risks of hearing loss in infants with bilirubin levels at/above exchange transfusion thresholds are unknown.

In this Northern California population of term and late preterm infants, elevated bilirubin levels were not associated with an increased risk of sensorineural hearing loss unless the levels were at least 10 mg/dL above exchange transfusion thresholds. (Read the full article)

Adding second-stage automated auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing for infants who failed the initial OAE test in a two-stage neonatal hearing screening has been shown to reduce false referrals to the hearing clinic.

Infants with hearing loss may be missed by a 2-stage hearing screening because they pass the automated ABR test. In our study, a significant number of infants with hearing loss >45 decibel hearing level passed screening with automated ABR. (Read the full article)

Christine Yoshinaga-Itano
Nov 1, 1998; 102:1161-1171
ARTICLES

The Delaware Office of Management and Budget will be holding three public hearings to gather public comment on regulations under Governor Markell’s Executive Order 36, a statewide review by all agencies to identify and remove regulatory hurdles.

DNREC and Department of Agriculture will conduct a joint public hearing Monday, March 12 on proposed regulations for possessing firearms in Delaware’s state parks and wildlife areas and state forests.

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife will host joint Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)/Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) public fisheries scoping hearings on Wednesday, Feb. 19 in DNREC’s Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. A Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment hearing will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment hearing at 7 p.m. The Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment will consider potential modifications to commercial and recreational catch allocations for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass in consideration of updated recreational and commercial fishing catch estimates.

To keep operating amid ongoing concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus, DNREC yesterday held its first virtual public hearing.

NEW CASTLE (April 17, 2020) – The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities will seek public comment on its proposed State Plan on Aging for the period of October 2020 through September 2024. The state plan has been developed to meet requirements under Title […]

As directed by the Hon’ble Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal, New Delhi, the following Notification is issued:The functioning of the Principal Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal and its other Benches across the Country was sus

In a recent plea by Bar Council of India chairman to Chief Justice of India, it was advised against continuation of hearing via video-conferencing after the lockdown ends, to maintain judicial transparency. The Supreme Court in a press report has sai

What was once the inspiration of a few enthusiastic young farmers many years ago has grown into a global competition.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

When asked whether employees have the legal right to bring a lawyer to internal disciplinary hearings, most employers would say no. Indeed, most organisations have formulated policies around the statutory provisions, which refe...

The Nigerian Civil Society Organisations have recommended modalities that would ensure citizens’ participation in the conduct of the proposed virtual public hearing on the controversial Infectious Diseases Bill.

The group said that public scrutiny of the bill can only be achieved through a broad-based engagements of stakeholders. 

In a statement jointly signed by 69 civil organisations on Thursday in Abuja, the groups stated that any legislative process that does not guarantee active and free participation of the people would fail and not be accepted.  

The statement noted that the proposed public hearing, which would be held via video conferencing be scheduled to hold between two to three days and representatives of organizations be allowed to make presentation for five-10 minutes.

The rights group also asked the lawmakers to provide information on the committee responsible for the coordination of the hearing.

According to the statement, "The committee responsible for organising these activities should conduct citizen outreach and share this information widely with the public through diverse media platforms. 

"This is critical to ensure broad awareness and participation and enhance legislative transparency" 

They said the virtual public hearing on the bill must be comprehensive, and conform with the dictates of the constitution. 

The Courts Service has initiated a pilot virtual hearing programme (“Pilot Programme”), with Courts of a number of jurisdictions participating, in light of the ongoing nationwide Covid-19 restrictions. It is anticipated that, following c...

The Courts Service is to increase virtual hearings and extend the use of physical distancing in courtrooms to allow more cases to be dealt with in the coming weeks.

How should you evaluate claims of Christian conversion that don’t involve exposure to the Word of God? This question has taken on greater significance in recent years, as a growing number of Muslims claim to have been saved through dreams in which Jesus appeared to them.

Title: Playing Sports Might Sharpen Your Hearing
Category: Health News
Created: 12/9/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/9/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Huey Lewis: His New Album, Hearing Loss, and Meniere's Disease
Category: Health News
Created: 2/13/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 2/13/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: AHA News: Hearing Loss and the Connection to Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia
Category: Health News
Created: 5/6/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/7/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Early Surgery Best for Children With Hearing Loss
Category: Health News
Created: 4/23/2010 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 4/26/2010 12:00:00 AM

Title: Professional Musicians Face Greater Risk of Hearing Problems
Category: Health News
Created: 5/1/2014 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/1/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: Hearing Aids May Help Keep Seniors' Minds Sharp
Category: Health News
Created: 4/27/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/28/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: Type 2 Diabetes May Damage Hearing, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 4/27/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/28/2016 12:00:00 AM

Objective

To describe the clinical and molecular genetic findings in a family segregating a novel mutation in the AIFM1 gene on the X chromosome.

PHOENIX (AP) - A hearing is scheduled to resume on May 15 in Phoenix over whether an Iraqi immigrant accused of participating in the 2006 killings of two police officers in Fallujah should remain jailed until his extradition case is over.

The detention hearing for Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri started ...

Florida judge Dennis Bailey said it was "remarkable" that many attorneys appear inappropriately on camera for hearings using the Zoom video conferencing app.

Meghan wrote in her letter: 'Your actions have broken my heart into a million pieces'

The Supreme Court is now holding hearings over a teleconference, making the audio publicly available. Jerry Goldman, the founder of the Oyez Project, offers some guidance on how to listen to it.

The Energy and Commerce Committee today announced a Health Subcommittee Hearing for Thursday, May 14, entitled “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response.”  The hearing notice follows this note to the media.   NOTE TO THE MEDIA: Due to COVID-19, the Committee will make every effort to adhere to the safety recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Attending Physician.  Therefore, media access will be limited.  Please contact your respective gallery for details.  As always, congressional press credentials will be required.   May 7, 2020   HEARING  NOTICE   TO:                      Members of the Subcommittee on Health FROM:                Anna G. Eshoo, Chairwoman SUBJECT:           Subcommittee Hearing on “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response” The Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 10 a.m. in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.  The hearing is entitled, “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response.”  Witnesses will be by invitation only.  Among the witnesses invited to testify is Dr. Rick A. Bright, former Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The logistics of this hearing will be different due to the current circumstances of conducting a public hearing during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Members will be advised regarding specifics on hearing procedures and briefings as soon as they become finalized. If you have any questions, please contact Meghan Mullon with the Committee staff at (202) 225-2927. The U.S. House of Representatives Office Buildings and the U.S. Capitol Complex are currently closed to the public.  Official meetings of the Committee and its subcommittees are broadcast and available on the Committee’s website:  www.energycommerce.house.gov. ###

The Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 10 a.m. in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response.”  

"If our partnership with state, local and tribal law enforcement is to endure, federal financial support cannot be a one time occurrence. This country is facing prolonged problems that require steadfast commitment and long-term cooperation."

The Department has reached a settlement agreement with the Alameda County, Calif., Sheriff’s Office, under which it will provide sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids and services to arrestees, detainees, suspects, victims, witnesses, complainants and visitors who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind at two jails.

"As many of you know, it has been a priority of President Obama since day one that our government be open, transparent and accountable," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.

"In the two decades since its enactment, the ADA has revolutionized the way society thinks about individuals with disabilities, and it has transformed the way that people with disabilities live in communities," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.