No abstract

Background and Aim: Dichotic listening dis­orders occur secondary to interhemispheric tran­sfer dysfunction. Central processing tests such as staggered spondaic words (SSW) and dich­otic digits test (DDT) are recommended for the evaluation of dichotic listening in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The present study aim­ed to evaluate dichotic listening in subjects with MS by SSW and DDT. Methods: This cross-sectional study was con­ducted on 45 patients with MS, including 20 males (mean ± SD age: 35.95 ± 5.73 y) and 25 females (mean ± SD age: 37.40 ± 6.1 y) and their data were collected by the Persian version of SSW (P-SSW) and DDT. The results com­pared to 45 normal subjects age- and gender-matched as the control group. Results: In patients with MS, P-SSW quanti­tative and qualitative errors (except for Sm2 and reversals), errors were significantly more than the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Right and left ear scores in DDT for the patients with MS were significantly lower, and right ear advantage was significantly higher than that in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). The results also showed a significant correlation between the test of P-SSW and DDT in the left ear. Conclusion: The present study showed that patients with MS hav * Corresponding author: Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Piche-Shemiran, Enghelab Ave., Tehran, 1148965141, Iran. Tel: 009821-77530636, E-mail: s_farahani@tums.ac.ir e lower performance in dichotic listening and binaural processing than normal peers. Identification of binaural proce­ssing deficit in patients with MS may lead to early rehabilitation and improving their function by facilitating auditory processing.

No abstract

Dissolved-oxygen concentration and temperature are amongst the crucial parameters required for the precise monitoring of biological and biomedical systems. A novel hybrid nanocomposite probe for real-time and contactless measurement of both dissolved-oxygen concentration and temperature, based on a combination of downconverting phosphorescent molecules of platinum octaethylporphyrin and lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles immobilized in a host of polystyrene, is here introduced. Chlorella algae are employed here as a model to demonstrate the hybrid nanophotonic sensor’s capability to monitor the aforementioned two parameters during the photosynthesis process, since these are among the parameters impacting their production efficiency. These algae have attracted tremendous interest due to their potential to be used for diverse applications such as biofuel production; however, feasibility studies on their economic production are still underway.

Background and Aim: The increasing prevalence of Noise-Induced Tinnitus (NIT) is considered one of the major occupational health threats these days. Despite the devastating effect of tinnitus on a subject’s performance, auditory functions and life quality,  there is a lack of standard protocol for its diagnosis and management. Furthermore, the mechanisms    of NIT are not clear yet. So, this review summarized data on NIT mechanisms as well as questionnaires, behavioral and physiologic assessment tools in NIT studies. Recent Findings: Based on the authors’ research,  27  eligible articles were  included  in this review. NIT was mainly bilateral with moderate severity with an overall prevalence ranging from 4% to 73.7%. Self-report questionnaires, tinnitus handicap inventory, auditory brainstem response, otoacoustic emissions and speech in noise tests were the most frequent NIT assessment methods in the reviewed studies. Our review highlights increased latencies  in brainstem evoked potentials in tinnitus workers, but the knowledge gap about changes at subcortical and cortical levels remains. Conclusion: This review suggests speech in noise test as a useful extension to routine tinnitus assessment by questionnaires among workers. Due to insufficient studies and inconsistent results in NIT subjects, more electrophysiological research is suggested in large and homogeneous samples. Keywords: Noise; tinnitus; occupational; questionnaire; physiological