Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1989.

There are few, yet contradictory, reports in the literature regarding whether persons with Alzheimer's disease demonstrate a disturbance of nonverbal communication or pantomime. While some researchers ascribe all disturbances of gestural behavior to apraxic phenomena, others have viewed a disturbance of pantomime as the consequence of language disorder or general intellectual deterioration. This investigation was conducted (1) to determine whether persons with Alzheimer's disease demonstrate a disturbance of pantomime recognition, pantomime expression, or both, compared to healthy, aged controls; (2) to determine the relation of performance on measures of pantomime recognition and pantomime expression to performance on measures of cognition/intelligence, language, and praxis in Alzheimer subjects; (3) to determine whether Alzheimer subjects improve pantomimic expressive performance on imitation of the examiner; and (4) to determine whether a statistically significant difference in pantomimic expressive performance between Alzheimer and control subjects is also a clinically obvious difference. Forty-five subjects (30 subjects with Alzheimer's disease and 15 healthy, aged controls) were administered measures of pantomime recognition, pantomime expression, cognition/intelligence, language, and praxis. In addition, 13 graduate students in speech-language pathology viewed and judged as being "normal" or "abnormal" 15 expressive pantomimes performed by 10 Alzheimer and 5 control subjects. Results indicated that there was a significant difference between groups in performance on both pantomime measures; the Alzheimer subjects performed less well than controls. The performance of Alzheimer subjects on both pantomime measures was also more closely related to performance on measures of language and cognition/intelligence than to praxis. Alzheimer subjects improved pantomimic expressive performance on imitation of the examiner, to the extent that between groups performance no longer differed significantly. Finally, graduate student judges rated the pantomimic expressive performance of Alzheimer subjects as being "abnormal" significantly more often than the pantomimic expressive performance of controls. Because the pantomime variables were related to both the language and cognition/intelligence variables, and the language and cognition/intelligence variables were related to one another, it was concluded that these variables were functionally interdependent, and therefore, these results for this sample conformed with central mechanism explanations for a disturbance of pantomime.

Industrial workers who have sustained hearing losses often wear hearing aids on the job in order to hear their co-worker's speech. However they risk damaging their hearing further by amplifying the high levels of background noise typical of such environments. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established guidelines to protect workers' hearing. A maximum allowable level of 90 dBA averaged over a period of eight hours is considered safe. Wearing hearing aids on the job may expose an individual to a considerably higher levels, however no guidelines as to maximum allowable levels of amplified noise exist at this time. This study evaluated the performance of four hearing aids in noise to determine which would provide appropriate amplification without exceeding the OSHA maximum. The instruments were adjusted to provide 14 different frequency responses and placed on the Knowles Mannequin for Acoustic Research (KEMAR). A microphone in the position of KEMAR's eardrum recorded amplified levels of taped industrial noise. A sound level meter integrated the levels to give the OSHA Time Weighted Average (TWA), simulating the acoustic effect of an 8-hour noise exposure on an industrial worker. Amplified noise remained below the OSHA maximum (90 dBA) in 2 of the 14 hearing aid conditions studied. Noise amplified by the Argosy Expander, an experimental noise-reducing hearing aid, remained below the OSHA maximum when the instrument was set to provide minimum gain and maximum noise reduction. The Argosy 3-Channel Clock also maintained amplified noise at a safe level when adjusted to provide gain only in a limited frequency region. Noise amplified by the Danavox Aura X programmed to provide a TILL response remained within one dB of the OSHA maximum. This study demonstrated that it is possible to use amplification in environments with constant background noise without risking additional noise-induced hearing loss. Two hearing aids were proven effective in maintaining amplified industrial noise at safe levels, however determining their effect on speech intelligibility in noise is beyond the scope of this study. Further research is needed to address this issue.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the CID Everyday sentences, with competing cafeteria noise, as a measure of the real life receptive communication difficulty experienced by subjects with hearing loss limited to frequencies above 2000 Hz. In order to establish normative data the speech discrimination test w~s given to 38 normal hearing subjects (aged 19-46). Second, the discrimination test was given to 12 hearing impaired subjects (29-64), who also completed a self-assessment questionnaire, the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA). The results were analyzed to determine: (a) if there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the normal hearing and the hearing impaired subjects, and (b) if there was a significant correlation between the hearing impaired subjects' scores on the discrimination test and those obtained on the HHIA. The investigation revealed that a statistically significant difference (p=0.04) existed between the mean scores of the two subject groups on the discrimination test. The hearing impaired subjects averaged about 9% below the normal hearing subjects. Although there was a weak to moderate correlation between the hearing impaired subjects' scores on the discrimination test and their scores on the HHIA, it was not statistically significant. It was concluded that, with further research, the CID Everyday sentences, with competing cafeteria noise, have potential merit as a speech discrimination procedure to quantify the hearing handicap produced by a high frequency hearing loss.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

This thesis is based on noise recordings and health evaluations carried out at preschools in the northern part of Sweden. Sound level recordings were made on individuals and by use of stationary devices in dining rooms and play halls. Health evaluations were based on ratings by use of questionnaires and by analyses of cortisol. The average equivalent individual noise exposure was 71 dB(A). The average equivalent noise levels in the dining room and playing halls were 64 dB(A). The hearing loss of the employees was significantly higher for the frequencies tested than in an unexposed control group. Symptoms of tinnitus were reported among 31% of the employees. Noise annoyance was rated as somewhat to very annoying, and the voices of the children were the most annoying noise source. The dB(A) level and fluctuations of the noise exposure were significantly correlated with the number of children per department. Stress and energy output were pronounced among the employees. About 30% of the staff experienced strong burnout syndromes. Mental recovery was low as indicated by noise fatigue and high levels of stress after work. Increased cortisol levels during work were associated with higher number of children present at the department. An essential finding of the thesis was that noise and noise sources may impair the pedagogic work, thereby increasing the work load of employees. It is concluded that noise exposure in the preschool, isolated or in combination with other stressors, plays a fundamental role in the building up of acute as well as long term stress. An intervention study implementing six acoustical and seven organizational measures was tested, aimed to improve the noise situation in the departments. Acoustical measures improved the noise situation as well as the rated noise experiences better than the organizational measures. / Avhandlingen baseras på ett samarbete med förskoleverksamheten inom Umeå kommun och har innefattat medverkan från 101 pedagoger i delstudie 1 och 24 pedagoger i en delstudie 2. Studie 1 som redovisas i tre delarbeten, I, II och III, har innefattat personburna och stationära bullermätningar i lekhallar och i matsalar. Påverkan på upplevelser samt hälsoeffekter av ljudmiljön har analyserats via frågeformulär och analyser av kortisol. Kontroll av hörselstatus har genomförts via audiometrisk screening. Studie 1 innefattar analys av bullrets effekter på såväl hörselrelaterad (Delarbete I) som stressrelaterad ohälsa (Delarbete II). Olika typer av åtgärder för att förbättra ljudmiljön och minska den bullerrelaterade ohälsan redovisas i delarbete III. Delarbete IV fokuserar på hur samverkan mellan buller och arbetsorganisation kan påverka den stressrelaterade ohälsan. Genomförda analyser av buller visar på förhållandevis likvärdiga bullerexponeringsnivåer förskolor och avdelningar emellan. Skillnaderna i exponeringsnivåer veckodagar emellan var små, skillnader mellan individer var däremot stora. Påtagliga skillnader i exponeringsnivåer förelåg som väntat under arbetsdagen. I synnerhet den personburna bulleranalysen pekade på en bullerexponering med påtagliga inslag av variation och transienter i exponeringen. Ljudmiljön karaktäriserades av medverkande pedagoger som den enskilt mest besvärande arbetsmiljöfaktorn. Barnens röster och ljud från deras aktiviteter klassificerades som de mest besvärande bullerkällorna. Personalen uppvisade sämre hörtrösklar för samtliga testade frekvenser jämfört med svensk ej bullerexponerad referenspopulation. De försämrade hörtrösklarna var relativt låga och föranledde inte i något fall remittering till hörselklinik. Prevalensen för tinnitus var 31 %, vilket motsvarar en överfrekvens på 15-20 %, jämfört med svenskt normalvärde. Ljudtrötthet efter arbetsdagens slut utgjorde ett uttalat symptom bland pedagogerna liksom försämrad sömnkvalitet och förhöjd sömnighet vid uppvaknande. Analyser av arbetsbelastning baserat på skattning och kortisolmätningar, indikerade höga energiuttag under arbete och inslag av utpräglad stress, och i flera fall utbrändhet. Signifikanta samband mellan upplevd dålig ljudmiljö, maskering av tal, försämrade förutsättningar för det pedagogiska arbetet och därmed ökad ohälsa kunde påvisas. Ljudmiljön, såväl nivåer som fluktuationer påverkades på ett uttalat sätt av antalet barn på avdelningen. Detta utgjorde också den enskilt viktigaste faktorn för att förbättra såväl ljudmiljön som den till ljudmiljön relaterade hälsan. Akustiska åtgärder visade sig genomgående mer framgångsrika för att förbättra ljudklimatet än organisatoriska åtgärder.

Professional research project (Au.D.)--University of SouthFlorida, 2000. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 17 pages. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The difference in otoacoustic emission (OAE) hearing screening failure rates as a function of ethnic category was investigated in a population of newborns at Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida. Clinical observation led to a concern that due to a higher incidence of outer and middle ear dysfunction in Hispanic newborns and children, screening could result in disparate failure rates, with a larger number of these infants requiring further testing. This result would warrant changes in current protocols, as well as screener training,and parent counseling practices. Between January and July of 2000, 1407 newborns were tested utilizing distortion product otoacoustic emission screening protocols. Of those infants,only 68 failed, yeilding a higher than average overall program referral rate of 5%. It is hypothesized that since later reported referral rates for this program fall below 1%, the individuals performing the screenings had not yet become experienced enough to yield low refer rates. In addtion, initial screens are not repeated in this program due to staffing and funding issues, which may contribute to higher than average fail rates. More important, however, results indicated that there is indeed a difference in failure rates as a funciton of ethnicity, with a greater proportion of Hispanic and African-American and "Other" newborn referrals that Caucasian or Asian newborns. This difference, however, was not significantly reliable. It is hypothesized that this difference may be the result of a generally lower socioeconomic status and access to medical care within urban minority populations in Hillsborough County, Florida. Implications are discussed. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Aud.)--University of Canterbury, 2009. / Typescript (photocopy). "February 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-67). Also available via the World Wide Web.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of using an FM auditory trainer on the speech intelligibility with unilateral hearing loss. Half lists of the NU-6 was administered to 20 normal hearing adults under the following conditions: binaurally (quiet and noise), one ear occluded without and FM auditory trainer (quiet and noise), and one ear occluded with an FM auditory trainer (quiet and noise). The occlusion of the right and left ears was performed in order to control for the dominance of the right ear in speech discrimination under noise.The results indicated a significant improvement in speech discrimination when an FM auditory trainer is used with the unilaterally hearing impaired. / Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology