Sonometric Evaluation of Eustachian Tube Function Using Broadband Stimuli

1980 ◽  
Vol 89 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 178-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna G. Murti ◽  
Erdem I. Cantekin ◽  
Richard M. Stern ◽  
Charles D. Bluestone

New measurements of acoustical transmission through the eustachian tube (ET) have been obtained in a series of experiments directed toward the development of a clinical instrument to assess ET function behind an intact tympanic membrane (TM). Using a sound conduction method, a sound source was placed in one nostril, and the acoustical energy that was transmitted through the ET was measured by a microphone placed in the ear canal. The present study used a broadband noise as the acoustical stimulus, in contrast to the tonal stimuli employed in previous investigations. This stimulus was chosen because it is believed to reduce the variability in the data due to intersubject differences in the acoustics of the nasopharynx and ET, and to avoid any a priori assumptions concerning the specific frequencies that would be of greatest diagnostic significance. Averaged spectra of the sound transmitted to the ear canal were obtained for three experimental conditions: acoustical source present during subject swallowing, source present with no swallowing, and subject swallowing with source absent. A Bayesian classification scheme based on the statistics of these spectra was used in classifying subjects into one of two possible categories, normal and abnormal ET function. A comparison was made between sonometric classification and classification based on a tympanometric ET function test. Correlation between the two methods was 87.1%.

1979 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 388-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda W. Seifert ◽  
Michael F. Seidemann ◽  
Gregg D. Givens

Eustachian tube function was assessed tympanometrically in a group of normal adults. A pressure-swallow technique of assessing Eustachian tube ventilatory function was administered with positive and negative induced pressures in the range of ± 200 mm to ± 400 mm H 2 O. This study indicated the relative efficiency of measurement of Eustachian tube function under each of the experimental conditions. Recommendations of procedures for further clinical data collection are presented.


1975 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy S. Williams

Normal Eustachian tube function is necessary for maintaining healthy middle ear conditions. A tympanometric pressure swallow test is proposed which can be used to assess Eustachian tube function behind an intact tympanic membrane. In general, after recording a baseline tympanogram, mechanically created positive and negative air pressures are created in a hermetically sealed ear canal causing increased pressure on the middle ear air cushion. The patient is then asked to swallow. Preliminary clinical findings in ears with apparent normal Eustachian tube function show that a shift in the peak pressure point of the tympanogram occurs when the tympanogram is recorded again, implying that the Eustachian tube opens and equalizes middle ear air pressure. Positive canal pressure swallow maneuvers show a peak pressure shift to a negative value, whereas negative pressure swallow maneuvers show a peak pressure shift to a positive value.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Calin-Jageman ◽  
Tracy L. Caldwell

A recent series of experiments suggests that fostering superstitions can substantially improve performance on a variety of motor and cognitive tasks ( Damisch, Stoberock, & Mussweiler, 2010 ). We conducted two high-powered and precise replications of one of these experiments, examining if telling participants they had a lucky golf ball could improve their performance on a 10-shot golf task relative to controls. We found that the effect of superstition on performance is elusive: Participants told they had a lucky ball performed almost identically to controls. Our failure to replicate the target study was not due to lack of impact, lack of statistical power, differences in task difficulty, nor differences in participant belief in luck. A meta-analysis indicates significant heterogeneity in the effect of superstition on performance. This could be due to an unknown moderator, but no effect was observed among the studies with the strongest research designs (e.g., high power, a priori sampling plan).


Author(s):  
М.Н. Карпова ◽  
Л.В. Кузнецова ◽  
Н.Ю. Клишина ◽  
Л.А. Ветрилэ

Цель исследования. На 2 моделях острых генерализованных судорог (ОГС), вызванных конвульсантом пентилентетразолом (ПТЗ), изучить эффективность сочетанного применения ноотропа цитиколина - препарата с противосудорожным действием, нейрорегенеративной, нейропротекторной активностью и антител (АТ) к глутамату, обладающих противосудорожной активностью. Методика. Эксперименты выполнены на мышах-самцах линии C57Bl/6 (n = 87) массой 22-28 г. Эффективность сочетанного применения цитиколина и АТ к глутамату изучали на двух моделях ОГС. Выполнено 2 серии экспериментов. В 1-й серии ОГС вызывали внутривенным введением 1% раствора ПТЗ со скоростью 0,01 мл/с. Для изучения эффективности сочетанного применения препаратов определяли минимальное противосудорожное действие цитиколина (Цераксон, «Nicomed Ferrer Internaсional, S.A.») и АТ к глутамату при их внутрибрюшинном введении. С этой целью цитиколин вводили в дозах 500 и 300 мг/кг за 1 ч до введения ПТЗ, АТ к глутамату - в дозах 5 и 2,5 мг/кг за 1 ч 30 мин до введения ПТЗ. АТ к глутамату получали путем гипериммунизации кроликов соответствующим конъюгированным антигеном. Во 2-й серии ОГС вызывали подкожным введением ПТЗ в дозе 85 мг/кг. Для изучения эффективности сочетанного действия изучаемых препаратов последние вводили в минимально действующих дозах, установленных в 1-й серии экспериментов. Контролем во всех сериях опытов служили животные, которым вводили в аналогичных условиях и в том же объеме физиологический раствор. Результаты. Показано, что сочетанное применение цитиколина и АТ к глутамату в минимально действующих дозах (300 и 2,5 мг/кг соответственно) при моделировании ОГС не вызывало повышения судорожной активности мозга и усиления противосудорожных свойств препаратов. Заключение. Cочетанное применение цитиколина и АТ к глутамату в минимально действующих дозах не вызывало повышения судорожной активности мозга, что свидетельствует о безопасности совместного применения препаратов. Проведенное исследование может служить также экспериментальным обоснованием возможности использования сочетанного применения данных препаратов при судорогах с целью замедления прогрессирования нейродегенеративных процессов и благоприятного влияния на когнитивные функции. Aim. To study the effectivity of a combination of citicoline, a nootropic substance with neuroregenerative, neuroprotective, and anticonvulsant actions, and glutamate antibodies (АB) with an anticonvulsant action in two models of acute generalized convulsions (AGC) caused by the convulsant pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Methods. Experiments were conducted on C57Bl/6 mice (n = 87) weighing 22-28 g. Effects of combined citicoline and glutamate АB were studied on two models of AGС. In the first series of experiments, AGС was induced by intravenous infusion of a 1% PTZ solution at 0.01 ml/sec. In the second series, AGС was induced by a subcutaneous injection of PTZ 85 mg/kg. To evaluate efficacy of the drug combination minimum intraperitoneal anticonvulsant doses of citicoline (Tserakson, Nicomed Ferrer Internacional, S.A.) and glutamate АB were determined. To this purpose, citicoline was administered at 500 and 300 mg/kg 1 h prior to PTZ, and glutamate АB was administered at 5 and 2.5 mg/kg 90 min prior to PTZ. Glutamate АB was obtained by hyperimmunization of rabbits with a respective conjugated antigen. In the second series of experiments, AGС was induced by a subcutaneous injection of PTZ 85 mg/kg. To evaluate the effect of the drug combination, the drugs were administered at the minimum effective doses determined in the first series of experiment. Control animals were injected with the same volume of saline in the same experimental conditions. Results. The combination of citicoline and glutamate AB used at minimum effective doses of 300 and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively, did not increase the seizure activity in the brain and enhanced anticonvulsant properties of the drugs in two models of AGС. Conclusion. The combination of citicoline and glutamate AT at minimum effective doses did not increase the convulsive activity in the brain, which supported safety of the drug combination. Besides, this study can serve as an experimental justification for using the drug combination in convulsions to favorably influence cognitive functions and slow progression of neurodegenerative processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 102926
Author(s):  
ZhiGuo OuYang ◽  
Zihan Lou ◽  
Zhengcai Lou ◽  
Kangfen Jin ◽  
Junzhi Sun ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-216
Author(s):  
Kerstin Schümann ◽  
Tamara Wilfling ◽  
Gerrit Paasche ◽  
Robert Schuon ◽  
Thomas Lenarz ◽  
...  

AbstractImpairment of Eustachian tube function with nonsufficient ventilation of the middle ear is a main cause for chronic otitis media. To provide an effective and safe therapy, the innovative concept of Eustachian tube stenting was established. Biodegradable polymeric stents are developed to restore impaired tube function and dissolve after fulfilling their supportive purpose. To evaluate the applicability of the stents in the Eustachian tube, prototypes in conjunction with corresponding implantation instruments were tested in human cadaver studies. Radiopaque markers and a diaphanoscopic approach were tested as additional features to prove correct positioning of catheter and stent in the tube. In the current study biodegradable polymeric stents were implanted in the Eustachian tube of human cadavers without difficulty. Correct positioning of the stents in the tube was proved by diaphanoscopy during intervention and postoperative tomographic and histological analyses. Once designs are optimized on the basis of cadaver studies, preclinical safety and efficacy studies using animal models will be initiated.


Author(s):  
Yang Gao ◽  
Yincheng Jin ◽  
Jagmohan Chauhan ◽  
Seokmin Choi ◽  
Jiyang Li ◽  
...  

With the rapid growth of wearable computing and increasing demand for mobile authentication scenarios, voiceprint-based authentication has become one of the prevalent technologies and has already presented tremendous potentials to the public. However, it is vulnerable to voice spoofing attacks (e.g., replay attacks and synthetic voice attacks). To address this threat, we propose a new biometric authentication approach, named EarPrint, which aims to extend voiceprint and build a hidden and secure user authentication scheme on earphones. EarPrint builds on the speaking-induced body sound transmission from the throat to the ear canal, i.e., different users will have different body sound conduction patterns on both sides of ears. As the first exploratory study, extensive experiments on 23 subjects show the EarPrint is robust against ambient noises and body motions. EarPrint achieves an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 3.64% with 75 seconds enrollment data. We also evaluate the resilience of EarPrint against replay attacks. A major contribution of EarPrint is that it leverages two-level uniqueness, including the body sound conduction from the throat to the ear canal and the body asymmetry between the left and the right ears, taking advantage of earphones' paring form-factor. Compared with other mobile and wearable biometric modalities, EarPrint is a low-cost, accurate, and secure authentication solution for earphone users.


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