Hearing loss and auditory processing ability in people with aphasia

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss can add to the linguistic deficits present in aphasia to make comprehension of speech difficult. Although some studies document a relatively high prevalence of hearing loss in adults with aphasia, many people with aphasia do not have their hearing tested. Self-reported disability measures offer a possible alternative to pure- tone audiometry when this service is not readily available. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of hearing loss in a group of people with aphasia and to determine the usefulness of self-reported measures to screen for hearing impairment. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Hearing ability was measured using pure-tone audiometry and five measures of auditory processing, which looked at speech perception in quiet and noise, for 21 individuals with aphasia recruited from a community clinic and 21 age- matched individuals without aphasia. The Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) and a brief questionnaire exploring whether they had experienced hearing difficulties were used to measure self-perception of hearing acuity. Differences in scores between the groups were analysed. Correlations and regressions were used to establish the relationship between self-perception of hearing and measures of hearing ability. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Despite minimal impairment and a non-significant difference between performance on pure-tone audiometry for participants with and without apha- sia, participants with aphasia performed significantly worse on measures of speech perception in noise than participants without aphasia. They also had a significantly greater degree of perceived hearing disability. Although SSQ scores were correlated with some behavioural measures for the participants with aphasia, the SSQ only predicted the hearing status and speech in noise performance of control participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the prevalence of hearing loss for people with aphasia (at least for this group) is no greater than the general population. However, they are significantly more affected in their recognition of speech in noise and experience greater disability in listening situations than people without aphasia. The latter problems were not predicted by pure-tone audiograms or sound-in-noise performance. The brief questionnaire was not effective in identifying hearing impairment, indicating the need for a regular hearing screen to ensure provision of the most effective rehabilitation. Ideally, the screen should include disability and behavioural measures, as our results suggest they cannot replace each other. These findings should assist clinicians in setting realistic goals and delivering interventions in the most effective way for people with aphasia

Theoretical Effect of Yield and Burst Height of Atmospheric Explosions on Rayleigh Wave Amplitudes

Theoretical seismograms for fundamental mode Rayleigh waves were calculated for atmospheric point sources over oceanic and over continental Earth models, as recorded at an epicentral distance of 10000 km. Yields were uniformly distributed over the range 1 kT-10 MT, for source altitudes in the range 0.3-92.0 km. The Earth structures used were those of Gutenberg and of Anderson and Toksöz. The source models were point mass-injection and energy-injection sources at altitude, as well as a distributed pressure pulse at the surface of the Earth. It was found that: (1) as far as Rayleigh wave excitation is concerned, the mass-injection and energy-injection sources are equivalent; (2) for low altitudes the Rayleigh wave excitation is independent of source type, but at intermediate altitudes the surface overpressure source predicts greater amplitudes than the other two source models; (3) for most altitudes, the energy coupling from the atmosphere into Rayleigh waves is more efficient for the continental Earth structure than for the oceanic structure; (4) Rayleigh wave amplitude is more sensitive to yield than to burst height (5) dependence of Rayleigh wave amplitude is less than the cube root relation for low-yield explosions at intermediate altitudes but greater for high-yield explosions at near-surface altitudes; (6) spectral splitting ratios do not show a systematic variation with yield and burst height

Stability of fermionic Feshbach molecules in a Bose-Fermi mixture

In the wake of successful experiments in Fermi condensates, experimental attention is broadening to study resonant interactions in degenerate Bose-Fermi mixtures. Here we consider the properties and stability of the fermionic molecules that can be created in such a mixture near a Feshbach resonance (FR). To do this, we consider the two-body scattering matrix in the many-body environment, and assess its complex poles. The stability properties of these molecules strongly depend on their centre-of-mass motion, because they must satisfy Fermi statistics. At low centre-of-mass momenta the molecules are more stable than in the absence of the environment (due to Pauli-blocking effects), while at high centre-of-mass momenta nontrivial many body effects render them somewhat less stable

Experimental evidence of a natural parity state in 26^{26}Mg and its impact to the production of neutrons for the s process

We have studied natural parity states in $^{26}$Mg via the $^{22}$Ne($^{6}$Li,d)$^{26}$Mg reaction. Our method significantly improves the energy resolution of previous experiments and, as a result, we report the observation of a natural parity state in $^{26}$Mg. Possible spin-parity assignments are suggested on the basis of published $\gamma$-ray decay experiments. The stellar rate of the $^{22}$Ne($\alpha$,$\gamma$)$^{26}$Mg reaction is reduced and may give rise to an increase in the production of s-process neutrons via the $^{22}$Ne($\alpha$,n)$^{25}$Mg reaction.Comment: Published in PR

Determining a quantum state by means of a single apparatus

The unknown state \hrho of a quantum system S is determined by letting it interact with an auxiliary system A, the initial state of which is known. A one-to-one mapping can thus be realized between the density matrix \hrho and the probabilities of occurrence of the eigenvalues of a single and factorized observable of S+A, so that \hrho can be determined by repeated measurements using a single apparatus. If S and A are spins, it suffices to measure simultaneously their $z$-components after a controlled interaction. The most robust setups are determined in this case, for an initially pure or a completely disordered state of A. They involve an Ising or anisotropic Heisenberg coupling and an external field.Comment: 5 pages revte

Comment on "On Mach's critique of Newton and Copernicus"

Hartman and Nissim-Sabat have argued that Mach's idea of the relativity of rotational motion suffers from internal inconsistencies and leads to a contradiction that there cannot be a stationary bucket in a rotating universe. They also claimed that non-inertial electromagnetic and stellar aberration observations can distinguish between a rotating and a stationary universe, whereas according to Mach there cannot be any observable way to distinguish these two cases. We contest these objections.Comment: Six pages, to appear in AJ

Bar imprints on the inner gas kinematics of M33

We present measurements of the stellar and gaseous velocities in the central 5' of the Local Group spiral M33. The data were obtained with the ARC 3.5m telescope. Blue and red spectra with resolutions from 2 to 4\AA covering the principal gaseous emission and stellar absorption lines were obtained along the major and minor axes and six other position angles. The observed radial velocities of the ionized gas along the photometric major axis of M33 remain flat at ~22 km s^{-1} all the way into the center, while the stellar velocities show a gradual rise from zero to 22 km s^{-1} over that same region. The central star cluster is at or very close to the dynamical center, with a velocity that is in accordance with M33's systemic velocity to within our uncertainties. Velocities on the minor axis are non-zero out to about 1' from the center in both the stars and gas. Together with the major axis velocities, they point at significant deviations from circular rotation. The most likely explanation for the bulk of the velocity patterns are streaming motions along a weak inner bar with a PA close to that of the minor axis, as suggested by previously published IR photometric images. The presence of bar imprints in M33 implies that all major Local Group galaxies are barred. The non-circular motions over the inner 200 pc make it difficult to constrain the shape of M33's inner dark matter halo profile. If the non-circular motions we find in this nearby Sc galaxy are present in other more distant late-type galaxies, they might be difficult to recognize.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, ApJ in pres

Correction: Incorporating patient perspectives in the development of a core outcome set for reproductive genetic carrier screening: a sequential systematic review.

In Fig. 2 of this article, there is no references included; the figure should have appeared as shown below

Systematic review of outcomes in studies of reproductive genetic carrier screening: Towards development of a core outcome set.

PURPOSE: Current practice recommendations support the widespread implementation of reproductive genetic carrier screening (RGCS). These consensus-based recommendations highlight a research gap, with findings from current studies being insufficient to meet the standard required for more rigorous evidence-based recommendations. This systematic review assessed methodological aspects of studies on RGCS to inform the need for a core outcome set. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search to identify peer-reviewed published studies offering population-based RGCS. Study designs, outcomes, and measurement methods were extracted. A narrative synthesis was conducting using an existing outcome taxonomy and criteria used in the evaluation of genetic screening programs as frameworks. RESULTS: Sixty-five publications were included. We extracted 120 outcomes representing 24 outcome domains. Heterogeneity in outcome selection, measurement methods and time points of assessment was extensive. Quality appraisal raised concerns for bias. We found that reported outcomes had limited applicability to criteria used to evaluate genetic screening programs. CONCLUSION: Despite a large body of literature, diverse approaches to research have limited the conclusions that can be cumulatively drawn from this body of evidence. Consensus regarding meaningful outcomes for evaluation of RGCS would be a valuable first step in working towards evidence-based practice recommendations, supporting the development of a core outcome set

Incorporating patient perspectives in the development of a core outcome set for reproductive genetic carrier screening: a sequential systematic review.

There is currently no consensus on the key outcomes of reproductive genetic carrier screening (RGCS). This has led to a large amount of variability in approaches to research, limiting direct comparison and synthesis of findings. In a recently published systematic review of quantitative studies on RGCS, we found that few studies incorporated patient-reported outcomes. In response to this gap, we conducted a sequential systematic review of qualitative studies to identify outcomes exploring the patient experience of RGCS. In conjunction with the review of quantitative studies, these outcomes will be used to inform the development of a core outcome set. Text excerpts relevant to outcomes, including quotes and themes, were extracted verbatim and deductively coded as outcomes. We conducted a narrative synthesis to group outcomes within domains previously defined in our review of quantitative studies, and identify any new domains that were unique to qualitative studies. Seventy-eight outcomes were derived from qualitative studies and grouped into 19 outcome domains. Three new outcome domains were identified; 'goals of pre- and post-test genetic counselling', 'acceptability of further testing and alternative reproductive options', and 'perceived utility of RGCS'. The identification of outcome domains that were not identified in quantitative studies indicates that outcomes reflecting the patient perspective may be under-represented in the quantitative literature on this topic. Further work should focus on ensuring that outcomes reflect the real world needs and concerns of patients in order to maximise translation of research findings into clinical practice