PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W G Hume

Publications and source records attributed to W G Hume.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Auditory processing skills and hearing aid satisfaction in a sample of older adults.

The present study investigated the relationship between central auditory processing skills and satisfaction with hearing aids in a hearing-impaired geriatric sample of 58 adult wearers of hearing aids who were between the ages of 65 and 91 years. Analysis suggests the importance of adding central auditory tasks such as compressed speech or dichotic listening tasks to the evaluation of candidacy for hearing aids. This could lead to the better understanding of satisfaction with amplification by the geriatric population.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Gender differences in laterality patterns for speaking and singing.

This study examined behaviors reflecting cerebral organization of speaking and singing in normal college students. The investigation focused on whether differences existed in the laterality patterns of two singing tasks and one speaking task in males and females. Performance was measured on a verbal/manual time-sharing paradigm, coupling finger tapping with three vocal tasks (speaking, singing a rote song, singing up and down a diatonic five note scale). Females exhibited less variation than males in mean tapping rates and laterality scores across all three vocal tasks, thus indicating that gender most likely influences lateralization of vocal tasks. Bilateral integration was indicated for both males and females during singing up/down the aforementioned scale. These findings suggest differential involvement of both hemispheres in processing musical functions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Aging and otitis media as sources of variance in the rat auditory brainstem response.

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies were examined in normal female Sprague-Dawley rats at 6 months of age and in 10-12 month old animals which tested positive for Mycoplasma pulmonis, a frequently implicated pathogen in otitis media. Significant differences in the peak latencies of Waves I, II and IIIn were found between the two age groups. A significant age by intensity interaction effect was also identified for Waves II and IIIn. Since the age-related effects observed in Wave I were similarly reflected in Waves II and IIIn, it was concluded that the group differences were due to alterations of the auditory periphery and not to changes in the central auditory system.

Aging↗
PubMed1989

Perception of time-altered monosyllables in a specific group of phonologically disordered children.

Temporal auditory processing of open (e.g. pie) versus closed (e.g. pipe) syllables in a specific group of phonologically impaired children who deleted word-final consonants and normal phonologically developing children between the ages of 4 and 7 yr was investigated. The disordered group demonstrated significantly poorer discrimination at the faster but not slower rates of speech. Imitation of word-final consonants did not significantly increase in the disordered subjects when presented with time-expanded speech although certain individuals made noticeable improvements. Discussion of temporal auditory processing deficits from a neuropsychological perspective which suggests different etiologies is offered.

Articulation Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effectiveness of esophageal stethoscopy in a simulated in-flight setting.

PURPOSE: Previous research has confirmed the inability of flight nurses in an airborne BO-105 helicopter to hear breath sounds using normal or amplified transthoracic stethoscopy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether esophageal stethoscopy enabled effective auscultation of breath sounds in a simulated in-flight environment. METHODS: The cabin-sound environment of an in-flight BO-105 was recorded and recreated in an audiology laboratory, where five flight nurses were evaluated listening to taped breath sounds via an esophageal stethoscope. This audiotape model, validated in a previously published study, used a tape consisting of 24 20-second segments. Each segment, the beginning of which was marked with a beep signal, consisted of 20 seconds of silence or breath sounds. The distal (esophageal) end of the esophageal stethoscope was attached to the tape recorder; the intensity level of breath sounds heard at the stethoscope earpiece was calibrated to equate the sound level of actual esophageal breath sounds recorded on a volunteer. RESULTS: All nurses correctly identified the 24 taped segments as silent or including breath sounds 100% of the time. CONCLUSION: In the simulated environment tested, esophageal stethoscopy enabled 100% accuracy in identification of breath sounds, as compared with previously reported 0% efficacy for standard transthoracic auscultation. Study in the actual patient-care environment is indicated to confirm the usefulness of esophageal stethoscopy in the in-flight setting.

Air Ambulances↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Body position and acoustic admittance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of body position on the acoustic admittance of the normal middle ear mechanism. Susceptance tympanograms were obtained and their values recorded to determine the significance of any differences among five different body positions. A positive pressure shift was found to occur at the point of maximum compliance between the upright body position and the remaining four recumbent body positions. Attention should be given to the effects that differing body positions have on acoustic admittance whenever assessment of this nature is anticipated.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗