Subject of Research. The paper presents the study of a graphite-epoxy composite plate strain detection possibility by the fiber-optic acoustic emission sensor mounted on its surface. Method. The proposed method consisted in additional lowfrequency phase-generated carrier implementation in the impulse Fabry-Perot interferometer and its amplitude evaluation. The phase-generated carrier amplitude depends on the interferometer optical path difference, therefore, its value change can be used for the studied composite strain estimation. VCSEL with a wavelength of 1550 nm was used as a light source. The phase carrier was generated by current modulation of the light source that caused center wavelength shift of the VCSEL. Main Results. The low-frequency phase-generated carrier signal amplitude dependence on the interferometer optical path difference and wavelength shift of the light source were obtained. According to simulation results the sensitivity of the proposed method is 1.6 urad×ppm, 5.3 urad×ppm and 13.3 urad×ppm at different values of the coefficient Kd 30, 100 and 250 pm, respectively. Experimental study of the proposed method and results analysis were performed. According to experimental results, the accuracy of the proposed method was about 110% that corresponds to the sensor relative stretch of 10 e, while the accuracy of the market available fiber optic systems based on fiber Bragg grating sensors equals to 4 ppm. Practical Relevance. The proposed method can be used for strain detection of the graphite-epoxy composite constructions along with its acoustic emission control by one fiber-optic sensor.

http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/osobennosti-vremennyh-parametrov-transmitralnogo-diastolicheskogo-potoka-pri-serdechno-sosudistoy-patologii.pdf

Особенности временных параметров трансмитрального диастолического потока при сердечно-сосудистой патологии

Background: Alcohol use disorders (AUD), i.e., alcohol dependence and abuse, are major contributors to burden of disease. A large part of this burden is because of disability. However, there is still controversy about the best disability weighting for AUD. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of alcohol-related disabilities.

Methods:  Systematic literature review and expert interviews.

Results:  There is heterogeneity in experts’ descriptions of disabilities related to AUD. The major core attributes of disability related to AUD are changes of emotional state, social relationships, memory and thinking. The most important supplementary attributes are anxiety, impairments of speech and hearing.

Conclusions:  This review identified the main patterns of disability associated with AUD. However, there was considerable variability, and data on less prominent patterns were fragmented. Further and systematic research is required for increasing the knowledge on disability related to AUD and for application of interventions for reducing the associated burden.

/pdf/disability-associated-with-alcohol-abuse-and-dependence-i3srf5ox6p.pdf

Disability associated with alcohol abuse and dependence.

Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis has emerged as a significant problem with the resurfacing of tuberculosis and thus the need to use the second line drugs with the resultant increased incidence of adverse effects. We discuss the effect of second line aminoglycoside anti-tubercular drugs on the hearing status of MDR-TB patients. Sixty four patients were put on second line aminoglycoside anti-TB drugs. These were divided into three groups: group I, 34 patients using amikacin, group II, 26 patients using kanamycin and group III, 4 patients using capreomycin. Of these, 18.75% of the patients developed sensorineural hearing loss involving higher frequencies while 6.25% had involvement of speech frequencies also. All patients were seen again approximately one year after aminoglycoside discontinuation and all hearing losses were permanent with no threshold improvement. Aminoglycosides used in MDR-TB patients may result in irreversible hearing loss involving higher frequencies and can become a hearing handicap as speech frequencies are also involved in some of the patients thus underlining the need for regular audiologic evaluation in patients of MDR-TB during the treatment.

/pdf/audiologic-monitoring-of-multi-drug-resistant-tuberculosis-4hxbxayqlz.pdf

Audiologic monitoring of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients on aminoglycoside treatment with long term follow-up.

Cisplatin is an effective drug used in the treatment of many cancers, yet its ototoxic potential places cancer patients, exposed to this drug, at risk of hearing loss, thus negatively impacting further on a patient’s quality of life. It is paramount for health care practitioners managing such patients to be aware of cisplatin’s ototoxic properties and the clinical signs to identify patients at risk of developing hearing loss. English peer-reviewed articles from January 1975 to July 2015 were assessed from PubMed, Science Direct, and Ebscohost. Seventy-nine articles and two books were identified for this review, using MeSH terms and keywords such as “ototoxicity”, “cisplatin”, “hearing loss”, and “ototoxicity monitoring”. This review provides an up-to-date overview of cisplatin-associated ototoxicity, namely, its clinical features, incidence rates, and molecular and cellular mechanisms and risk factors, to health care practitioners managing the patient with cancer, and highlights the need for a team-based approach to complement an audiological monitoring programme to mitigate any further loss in the quality of life of affected patients, as there is currently no otoprotective agent recommended routinely for the prevention of cisplatin-associated ototoxicity. It also sets the platform for effective dialogue towards policy formulation and strengthening of health systems in developing countries.

/pdf/cisplatin-associated-ototoxicity-a-review-for-the-health-2keamphur8.pdf

Cisplatin-Associated Ototoxicity: A Review for the Health Professional

The objective was to determine the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss in four urban areas in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and to describe the causes and socio-demographic variables. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with data on individuals 12 years or older living in the areas in 2001 and 2002. Participation included 5,250 subjects selected by two-stage probability sampling, stratified in clusters. Data analysis was exploratory, including bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. Prevalence of hearing loss was 5.21%, and higher levels were associated with: age > 59 years (18.7%), illness in the 15 days prior to the interview (8.4%), common mental disorders (8.8%), and use of medication in the previous 3 days (8.4%). The study of factors associated with hearing loss can lead to health interventions for addressing that the population's real needs, mostly in primary care. More population-based studies on hearing are needed in Brazil, since there are few publications on the subject.

/pdf/prevalencia-de-deficiencia-auditiva-referida-e-causas-2obtdzmc0l.pdf

Prevalência de deficiência auditiva referida e causas atribuídas: um estudo de base populacional

Summary Some pharmaceutical products are capable of damaging the human auditory system. Technological progress has provided numerous resources to monitor hearing but there still is some controversy regarding the selection of the most sensitive and specific tests. Objective: to analyze audiological procedures used in the auditory monitoring of individuals exposed to ototoxic medication. Methods: we searched the MEDLINE and LILACS literature databases, using terms pertinent to audiological monitoring, ototoxicity and cancer. The pertaining literature analysis identified two procedures often used worldwide for the early detection of auditory lesions induced by ototoxic pharmaceutical drugs: high-frequency audiometry and evoked otoacoustic emissions. Both allow early identification of hearing disorders before changes are seen in conventional pure-tone audiometry and, consequently, before speech understanding is compromised. Conclusion: we suggest a hearing monitoring protocol, considering the patient’s capability to respond to behavioral tests and monitoring timing (first test/follow up). For cancer patients, hearing monitoring should be performed in the patient’s treatment venue.

/pdf/auditory-monitoring-in-ototoxicity-3s5wf87oq0.pdf

Auditory monitoring in ototoxicity

Some pharmaceutical products are capable of damaging the human auditory system. Technological progress has provided numerous resources to monitor hearing but there still is some controversy regarding the selection of the most sensitive and specific tests. OBJECTIVE: to analyze audiological procedures used in the auditory monitoring of individuals exposed to ototoxic medication. METHODS: we searched the MEDLINE and LILACS literature databases, using terms pertinent to audiological monitoring, ototoxicity and cancer. The pertaining literature analysis identified two procedures often used worldwide for the early detection of auditory lesions induced by ototoxic pharmaceutical drugs: high-frequency audiometry and evoked otoacoustic emissions. Both allow early identification of hearing disorders before changes are seen in conventional pure-tone audiometry and, consequently, before speech understanding is compromised. CONCLUSION: we suggest a hearing monitoring protocol, considering the patients capability to respond to behavioral tests and monitoring timing (first test/follow up). For cancer patients, hearing monitoring should be performed in the patients treatment venue.

/pdf/monitoramento-auditivo-na-ototoxidade-2hhreufrkd.pdf

Monitoramento auditivo na ototoxidade

Summary Alcoholism is considered the most relevant addiction in the international arena and few investigations have examined the association between sensorineural hearing loss and alcohol abuse, with conflicting results. Aim To analyze the effects of alcohol abuse on the auditory system of alcoholics in abstinence taking into account the duration of alcohol abuse and associated noise exposure. Method our series comprehended 75 individuals, divided into two groups: trial and control. The audiological assessment was made by means of: pure-tone audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, tympanometry. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used in the statistical analysis of the data. Results the groups of patients who had been alcoholics evidenced a statistically significant worse performance in the audiological assessment. The combined exposure to alcohol and noise was not synergic on the auditory system. Conclusion long-term alcohol abuse can damage the cochlear function, specifically the outer hair cells.

/pdf/auditory-assessment-of-alcoholics-in-abstinence-14s2x3zw4c.pdf

Auditory assessment of alcoholics in abstinence

O alcoolismo e considerado a toxicomania de maior relevância na escala mundial e a perda auditiva neurossensorial relacionada ao uso abusivo do alcool vem sendo reportada em alguns estudos, porem com resultados contraditorios. OBJETIVO: Analisar o efeito do alcool no sistema auditivo em individuos alcoolistas abstemios, considerando as variaveis tempo de uso de alcool e exposicao associada a ruido. MATERIAL E METODO: A casuistica foi constituida por 75 individuos divididos em dois grupos, de estudo e controle. Como procedimentos de avaliacao audiologica foram utilizados a audiometria tonal liminar, pesquisa das emissoes otoacusticas evocadas por estimulo transiente e timpanometria. Para a analise estatistica dos dados foram utilizados os testes de Wilcoxon e de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Os grupos expostos ao alcool apresentaram resultados estatisticamente piores nas avaliacoes audiologicas. A exposicao associada ao alcool e ruido nao potencializou o efeito dos mesmos sobre o sistema auditivo. CONCLUSAO: O uso excessivo do alcool por longo periodo de tempo pode causar prejuizo a funcao coclear, especificamente as celulas ciliadas externas.

/pdf/avaliacao-auditiva-em-alcoolistas-abstemios-4950fkmf9c.pdf

Samira Natacha Tschoeke

Papers

Auditory monitoring in ototoxicity

Monitoramento auditivo na ototoxidade

Auditory assessment of alcoholics in abstinence

Avaliação auditiva em alcoolistas abstêmios

Monitoramento auditivo na ototoxidade Auditory monitoring in ototoxicity