Representation of Hearing loss and Hearing Aid(s) in the United States Newspaper Media: Cross-sectional Analysis of Secondary Data

Purpose: News media plays an important role in formulating people's knowledge and opinions about various aspects of life, including health. The current study explored how hearing loss and hearing aids are represented in the U.S. newspaper media. Method: A cross-sectional study design was selected to analyze publicly available newspaper media data. The data sets were generated from the database, the U.S. Major Dailies by ProQuest, by searching key words for newspapers published during 1990–2017. Cluster analysis (i.e., text pattern analysis) and chi-square tests were performed using Iramuteq software. Results: The hearing loss data set had 1,527 texts (i.e., articles). The cluster analysis resulted in 7 clusters, which were named as (1) causes and consequences (26.1%), (2) early identification and diagnosis (9%), (3) health promotion and prevention (22.1%), (4) recreational noise exposure (10.4%), (5) prevalence (14.3%), (6) research and development (12.4%), and (7) cognitive hearing science (5.6%). The hearing aids data set had 2,667 texts. The cluster analysis resulted in 8 clusters, which were named as (1) signal processing (20.2%), (2) insurance (8.9%), (3) prevalence (12.4%), (4) research and development (5.4%), (5) activities and relation (16.2%), (6) features to address background noise (13.8%), (7) innovation (12%), and (8) wireless and connectivity (11.1%). Time series analysis of clusters in both “hearing loss” and “hearing aids” data sets indicated changes in the pattern of information presented in the newspaper media during 1990–2016 (e.g., Cluster 7 focuses on cognitive hearing science in a hearing loss data set emerging only since the year 2012 and growing rapidly). Conclusions: The text pattern analysis showed that the U.S. newspaper media focuses on a range of issues when considering hearing loss and hearing aids and that patterns or trends change over time. The study results can be helpful for hearing health care professionals to understand what presuppositions society in general may have as the media has the ability to influence societal perception and opinions

The 2017 May 20th^{\rm th} stellar occultation by the elongated centaur (95626) 2002 GZ32_{32}

We predicted a stellar occultation of the bright star Gaia DR1 4332852996360346368 (UCAC4 385-75921) (m$_{\rm V}$= 14.0 mag) by the centaur 2002 GZ$_{32}$ for 2017 May 20$^{\rm th}$. Our latest shadow path prediction was favourable to a large region in Europe. Observations were arranged in a broad region inside the nominal shadow path. Series of images were obtained with 29 telescopes throughout Europe and from six of them (five in Spain and one in Greece) we detected the occultation. This is the fourth centaur, besides Chariklo, Chiron and Bienor, for which a multi-chord stellar occultation is reported. By means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords we obtained the limb of 2002 GZ$_{32}$ during the occultation, resulting in an ellipse with axes of 305 $\pm$ 17 km $\times$ 146 $\pm$ 8 km. From this limb, thanks to a rotational light curve obtained shortly after the occultation, we derived the geometric albedo of 2002 GZ$_{32}$ ($p_{\rm V}$ = 0.043 $\pm$ 0.007) and a 3-D ellipsoidal shape with axes 366 km $\times$ 306 km $\times$ 120 km. This shape is not fully consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium for the known rotation period of 2002 GZ$_{32}$. The size (albedo) obtained from the occultation is respectively smaller (greater) than that derived from the radiometric technique but compatible within error bars. No rings or debris around 2002 GZ$_{32}$ were detected from the occultation, but narrow and thin rings cannot be discarded.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (8-Dec.-2020), 15 pages, 9 figure

Mitochondria Express α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors to Regulate Ca2+ Accumulation and Cytochrome c Release: Study on Isolated Mitochondria

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate synaptic transmission in the muscle and autonomic ganglia and regulate transmitter release in the brain. The nAChRs composed of α7 subunits are also expressed in non-excitable cells to regulate cell survival and proliferation. Up to now, functional α7 nAChRs were found exclusively on the cell plasma membrane. Here we show that they are expressed in mitochondria and regulate early pro-apoptotic events like cytochrome c release. The binding of α7-specific antibody with mouse liver mitochondria was revealed by electron microscopy. Outer membranes of mitochondria from the wild-type and β2−/− but not α7−/− mice bound α7 nAChR-specific antibody and toxins: FITC-labeled α-cobratoxin or Alexa 555-labeled α-bungarotoxin. α7 nAChR agonists (1 µM acetylcholine, 10 µM choline or 30 nM PNU-282987) impaired intramitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation and significantly decreased cytochrome c release stimulated with either 90 µM CaCl2 or 0.5 mM H2O2. α7-specific antagonist methyllicaconitine (50 nM) did not affect Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria but attenuated the effects of agonists on cytochrome c release. Inhibitor of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) 4,4′-diisothio-cyano-2,2′-stilbene disulfonic acid (0.5 µM) decreased cytochrome c release stimulated with apoptogens similarly to α7 nAChR agonists, and VDAC was co-captured with the α7 nAChR from mitochondria outer membrane preparation in both direct and reverse sandwich ELISA. It is concluded that α7 nAChRs are expressed in mitochondria outer membrane to regulate the VDAC-mediated Ca2+ transport and mitochondrial permeability transition

O alcoolismo, suas causas e tratemento nas representacoes sociais de profissionais de Saude da Familia = Alcoholism, its causes and treatment in the social representations constructed by Brazilian Family Health professionals

Health sciences define alcoholism as a multifaceted syndrome. Guidelines for treatment include adoption of the harm reduction paradigm and the essential role of Primary Health Care (PHC) towards the wide range of alcohol problems. This research aimed at understanding the social representations of alcoholism constructed by Brazilian PHC professionals, working at Family Health Centers (FHC). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 graduated health professionals who worked in 11 different FHC located in a municipality in southeast Brazil. Data were treated with thematic content analysis. We highlight the following results: professionals objectified the alcoholic as a patient who did not search for treatment and/or who threatened the normal functioning of the FHC; professionals considered social and psychological factors as the main causes of alcoholism; they did not mention the concept of harm reduction, nor well-defined treatment protocols. The causal attribution and the representational field inherent to the social representations contributed to anchor alcoholism as a "plague" of poverty. The FHC were perceived simultaneously as important and impotent towards alcoholism. We conclude that the implementation of alcohol-related care strategies must consider the intergroup relations between professionals and patients

Patterns in the social representation of “hearing loss” across countries: how do demographic factors influence this representation?

International audienceThis study aims to understand patterns in the social representation of hearing loss reported by adultsacross different countries and explore the impact of different demographic factors on response patterns.The study used a cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected using a free association task and analysed using qualitative content analysis, cluster analysis and chi-square analysis. The study sampleincluded 404 adults (18 years and over) in the general population from four countries (India, Iran,Portugal and UK). The cluster analysis included 380 responses out of 404 (94.06%) and resulted in fiveclusters. The clusters were named: (1) individual aspects; (2) aetiology; (3) the surrounding society; (4) limitations and (5) exposed. Various demographic factors (age, occupation type, education and country)showed an association with different clusters, although country of origin seemed to be associated withmost clusters. The study results suggest that how hearing loss is represented in adults in general population varies and is mainly related to country of origin. These findings strengthen the argument aboutcross-cultural differences in perception of hearing loss, which calls for a need to make necessary accommodations while developing public health strategies about hearing loss

Situations de vulnérabilités familiales et pandémie COVID-19

International audienc

Health Research on Immunization after 2016: the need for a plural methodological approach

In French : https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03675482International audienceThe current “generalized digitization” of society is influencing the health environment, healthcare organizations as well as actors. In this context, human and social sciences deconstruct, nuance and sometimes even challenge certain preconceived ideas and/or dominant discourses.In this book, researchers of four nationalities and three different disciplines have agreed to open the “black box” of their work. They display their scientific practices from the perspective of epistemology, ethics and methodology. They present and analyze their values and postulates but, also, what may have influenced the project, the definition of the object and objectives, as well as their approaches. In a contextual way, the first part presents some changes in environments and info-communicational practices related to digital health. The second part opens space to reflect on ethics and deontology. Finally, postulating that scientific fact is not an essence but the result of a process, the last part discusses the methods implemented, which may be different from those initially envisaged.This book is dedicated to the researchers and postgraduate students in the human and social sciences as well as the health practitioners likely to collaborate with them