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PubMed2000

Wavelet domain de-noising of time-courses in MR image sequences.

Magnetic resonance images acquired with high temporal resolution often exhibit large noise artifacts, which arise from physiological sources as well as from the acquisition hardware. These artifacts can be detrimental to the quality and interpretation of the time-course data in functional MRI studies. A class of wavelet-domain de-noising algorithms estimates the underlying, noise-free signal by thresholding (or 'shrinking') the wavelet coefficients, assuming the underlying temporal noise of each pixel is uncorrelated and Gaussian. A Wiener-type shrinkage algorithm is developed in this paper, for de-noising either complex- or magnitude-valued image data sequences. Using the de-correlation properties of the wavelet transform, as elucidated by Johnstone and Silverman, the assumption of i.i.d. Gaussian noise can be abandoned, opening up the possibility of removing colored noise. Both wavelet- and wavelet-packet based algorithms are developed, and the Wiener method is compared to the traditional Hard and Soft wavelet thresholding methods of Donoho and Johnstone. The methods are applied to two types of data sets. In the first, an artificial set of complex-valued images was constructed, in which each pixel has a simulated bimodal time-course. Gaussian noise was added to each of the real and imaginary channels, and the noise removed from the complex image sequence as well as the magnitude image sequence (where the noise is Rician). The bias and variance between the original and restored paradigms was estimated for each method. It was found that the Wiener method gives better balance in bias and variance than either Hard or Soft methods. Furthermore, de-noising magnitude data provides comparable accuracy of the restored images to that obtained from de-noising complex data. In the second data set, an actual in vivo complex image sequence containing unknown physiological and instrumental noise was used. The same bimodal paradigm as in the first data set was added to pixels in a small localized region of interest. For the paradigm investigated here, the smooth Daubechies wavelets provide better de-noising characteristics than the discontinuous Haar wavelets. Also, it was found that wavelet packet de-noising offers no significant improvement over the computationally more efficient wavelet de-noising methods. For the in vivo data, it is desirable that the groups of "activated" time-courses are homogeneous. It was found that the internal homogeneity of the group of time-courses increases when de-noising is applied. This suggests using de-noising as a pre-processing tool for both exploratory and inferential data analysis methods in fMRI.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Identification of noise sources that influence distortion product otoacoustic emission measurements in human neonates.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify individual sources of noise and their contribution to the overall noise that influences valid measurement of otoacoustic emissions in neonates. The hypothesis was that careful selection of eliciting signals and signal processing parameters, unique analysis of measured results, and control of certain subject characteristics would allow isolation of these individual noise sources and determine their relative influence. DESIGN: Eliciting signal parameters were optimized and held constant to minimize equipment noise. Analysis of noise floors in relation to signal level was used to identify equipment-related noise associated with changes in signal parameters. Analysis of noise floor distributions was used to determine whether environmental noise entered the measurements via inadequate coupling of the probe to the ear. The acoustic characteristics of the middle ear were varied via subject selection to determine the influence of middle-ear characteristics on noise floor levels. RESULTS: The two sources of noise associated with the measurement equipment need not contribute to the noise floor for biologically relevant otoacoustic emissions measurements (eliciting signal levels between 30 and 75 dB SPL). Of the two pathways identified for environmental noise, the pathway resulting from an inadequate seal between the probe and the ear canal can be eliminated. One of the two sources of noise related to the subject, noise resulting from biologic activity unrelated to the ear can be minimized. However, the remaining factor, the status of the middle ear, has been shown to contribute as much as 6 dB to the overall noise floor. CONCLUSIONS: Careful selection of signal parameters and additional data analyses and procedural variables can isolate or control several sources of noise that influence distortion product otoacoustic emission measurements in neonates. Tight coupling between the probe unit and the external ear canal should be maintained for all measurements. Middle ear abnormalities can increase noise floors up to 6 dB.

Auditory Perception↗

PubMed2005

Development of auditory temporal resolution in school-age children revealed by word recognition in continuous and interrupted noise.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the development of one aspect of auditory temporal resolution in normal-hearing school-age children with word recognition in quiet and in spectrally identical continuous and interrupted noise. Typically, listeners experience a perceptual advantage (i.e., a "release from masking") in the interrupted noise relative to the continuous noise at equivalent signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns). Any release from masking observed with children in the interrupted noise compared with the continuous noise at equivalent S/Ns could be interpreted as evidence for acquired temporal resolution ability. Differences in the amount of release from masking in the interrupted noise between children and adults could be interpreted as development of temporal resolution ability, or lack thereof, as revealed by word recognition in noise. It was hypothesized that word recognition performance would be poorer in children than adults; performance differences would be more pronounced with competition; word recognition performance would reach an asymptote to adult levels sooner in quiet than with competing stimuli; children would demonstrate better performance in the interrupted noise relative to the continuous noise (i.e., display a release from masking); and younger children would experience less release from masking compared with older children and adults (i.e., have less developed temporal resolution). DESIGN: Eighty normal-hearing children aged 6 to 15 yr and 16 normal-hearing young adults participated. Word recognition performance with Northwestern University-Children's Perception of Speech (NU-CHIPs) stimuli was evaluated with an open-set response mode in quiet and in backgrounds of competing continuous steady-state and interrupted noise at S/Ns of 10, 0, -10, and -20 dB. Both noises were essentially identical in their spectral content and differed only in their temporal continuity. RESULTS: Performance was better in the interrupted noise at poorer S/Ns, increased with increasing S/N, and improved with increasing age. Younger listeners were more susceptible to noise. They did not experience an equivalent perceptual advantage (i.e., a release from masking) in the interrupted noise at poorer S/Ns (i.e., < 10 dB) and generally required more favorable S/Ns to perform the same as the adult participants. These trends were less pronounced with increasing age. By 8 yr of age, children's performance in quiet equated that of adult levels, but it did not do so in noise until after 11 yr of age. CONCLUSIONS: As revealed by their NU-CHIPs word recognition performance in continuous and interrupted noises, children's temporal resolving abilities improve in their early school years and reach adult performance levels after 11 yr of age. It was speculated that these changes reflect maturation in their central auditory system.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Development of the Cantonese Hearing In Noise Test (CHINT).

OBJECTIVE: To develop a Cantonese version of the Hearing In Noise Test (CHINT) with the same features as the English Hearing In Noise Test (HINT) (Nilsson, Soli, & Sullivan, 1994). DESIGN: The CHINT was developed in five separate studies: (1) evaluation of initial materials; (2) creation of sentence materials; (3) equalization of sentence difficulty; (4) creation of sentence lists; and (5) evaluation of response variability, inter-list reliability, and establishment of norms. Using the CHINT material, reception thresholds for sentences were measured under four headphone test conditions: Quiet, and in noise with noise simulated as originating from 0 degrees (noise front), 90 degrees (noise right), and 270 degrees (noise left). The speech source was located at 0 degrees in all conditions. The locations of the speech and noise sources were simulated using virtual audio processing, as with the English HINT. The noise conditions consisted of listening with noise fixed at 65 dBA with the level of speech varied in an adaptive procedure. A total of 142 subjects with normal hearing thresholds participated in the five studies. RESULTS: Two versions of the test materials, twenty-four 10-sentence lists and twelve 20-sentence lists, were created from a single set of 240 sentences containing 10 syllables per sentence. Using the twenty-four 10-sentence lists, mean thresholds under earphones in quiet were measured at 19.4 dBA and reception thresholds for sentences of -3.9 dB for noise front, -10.6 dB for noise right, and -10.5 dB for noise left. Similar results were obtained using the 20-sentence lists (19.4, -4.0, -10.9, and -11.0 dB, respectively, for quiet, noise front, noise right, and noise left conditions). There was low response variability within each list. High inter-list reliability suggests that consistent results could be obtained using any list. Confidence intervals are reported. The CHINT norms for listening in quiet and noise conditions were comparable to those for the English HINT. CONCLUSIONS: The CHINT is the first standardized Cantonese sentence speech intelligibility test. The CHINT was developed using the same rationale as the English HINT, allowing norm reference results from the two tests to be compared directly across languages. Results showed the CHINT is a reliable test. The CHINT would benefit from further evaluation of validity.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2002

Candidate's thesis: enhancing intrinsic cochlear stress defenses to reduce noise-induced hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Oxidative stress plays a substantial role in the genesis of noise-induced cochlear injury that causes permanent hearing loss. We present the results of three different approaches to enhance intrinsic cochlear defense mechanisms against oxidative stress. This article explores, through the following set of hypotheses, some of the postulated causes of noise-induced cochlear oxidative stress (NICOS) and how noise-induced cochlear damage may be reduced pharmacologically. 1) NICOS is in part related to defects in mitochondrial bioenergetics and biogenesis. Therefore, NICOS can be reduced by acetyl-L carnitine (ALCAR), an endogenous mitochondrial membrane compound that helps maintain mitochondrial bioenergetics and biogenesis in the face of oxidative stress. 2) A contributing factor in NICOS injury is glutamate excitotoxicity, which can be reduced by antagonizing the action of cochlear -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors using carbamathione, which acts as a glutamate antagonist. 3) Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) may be characterized as a cochlear-reduced glutathione (GSH) deficiency state; therefore, strategies to enhance cochlear GSH levels may reduce noise-induced cochlear injury. The objective of this study was to document the reduction in noise-induced hearing and hair cell loss, following application of ALCAR, carbamathione, and a GSH repletion drug D-methionine (MET), to a model of noise-induced hearing loss. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective, blinded observer study using the above-listed agents as modulators of the noise-induced cochlear injury response in the species chinchilla langier. METHODS: Adult chinchilla langier had baseline-hearing thresholds determined by auditory brainstem response (ABR) recording. The animals then received injections of saline or saline plus active experimental compound starting before and continuing after a 6-hour 105 dB SPL continuous 4-kHz octave band noise exposure. ABRs were obtained immediately after noise exposure and weekly for 3 weeks. After euthanization, cochlear hair cell counts were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS ALCAR administration reduced noise-induced threshold shifts. Three weeks after noise exposure, no threshold shift at 2 to 4 kHz and <10 dB threshold shifts were seen at 6 to 8 kHz in ALCAR-treated animals compared with 30 to 35 dB in control animals. ALCAR treatment reduced both inner and outer hair cell loss. OHC loss averaged <10% for the 4- to 10-kHz region in ALCAR-treated animals and 60% in saline-injected-noise-exposed control animals. Noise-induced threshold shifts were also reduced in carbamathione-treated animals. At 3 weeks, threshold shifts averaged 15 dB or less at all frequencies in treated animals and 30 to 35 dB in control animals. Averaged OHC losses were 30% to 40% in carbamathione-treated animals and 60% in control animals. IHC losses were 5% in the 4- to 10-kHz region in treated animals and 10% to 20% in control animals. MET administration reduced noise-induced threshold shifts. ANOVA revealed a significant difference (P <.001). Mean OHC and IHC losses were also significantly reduced (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data lend further support to the growing body of evidence that oxidative stress, generated in part by glutamate excitotoxicity, impaired mitochondrial function and GSH depletion causes cochlear injury induced by noise. Enhancing the cellular oxidative stress defense pathways in the cochlea eliminates noise-induced cochlear injury. The data also suggest strategies for therapeutic intervention to reduce NIHL clinically.

Acetylcarnitine↗

PubMed1991

Temporal representation of rippled noise in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus of the chinchilla.

This paper describes the temporal responses of anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) units in the chinchilla to rippled noises. Rippled noise is generated when a wideband noise is delayed and added (cos+ noise) or subtracted (cos- noise) to the undelayed noise. Renewal densities were constructed to evaluate synchronous discharges at the delay. In response to rippled noise, AVCN units which show phase locking to best frequency (BF) tones gave renewal densities having major peaks at the delay for cos+ noise, but nulls at the delay for cos- noise. Most AVCN units which did not show BF phase locking gave renewal densities that did not contain features related to the rippled noise delay; a few of these nonphase-locked units did show peaks in renewal densities for both cos+ and cos- noises. Synchrony at the rippled noise delay was also demonstrated with evoked potential recording. Autocorrelation functions of the neurophonic potential showed peaks at the rippled noise delay for both cos+ and cos- noises. In addition, peaks could be observed in the autocorrelation functions of neurophonic potentials for rippled noises with delays as short as 1 ms; peaks were never observed in renewal densities of single units for ripple delays as short as 1 ms. The results show that a temporal representation of rippled noise delay does exist in the AVCN and are consistent with current hypotheses regarding functions of AVCN subsystems. The temporal representation of the delay is a presumptive neural code for the pitches of rippled noises.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed1993

The incorporation of level and level-invariant cues for the detection of a tone added to noise.

The potential contribution of level-dependent and level-invariant cues for the detection of a tone added to narrow bands of noise was assessed in two experiments. In the first experiment, three masker bandwidths, 40, 120, and 360 Hz, and three center frequencies, 600, 1800, and 5400 Hz were tested. For the tone-in-noise detection task, the signal to be detected was a tone with a frequency equal to the center frequency of the noise masker. The level of the added tone was adjusted so as to generate d' scores of approximately 2 in a two-alternative, forced-choice procedure. Then, the distributions of across-interval changes in level were measured. The distribution of differences in level was applied to either the noise-alone or the tone-plus-noise stimuli, allowing the measurement of sensitivity to changes in level for a two-interval, forced-choice intensity discrimination task. For one of the four observers, there was a good correspondence between the d' values obtained in the tone-in-noise task and the d' values obtained in the intensity discrimination task. For the other three observers, the discriminability of changes in intensity could not account for the detection of a tone added to noise. In order to estimate sensitivity to level-invariant cues, the noise-alone and tone-plus-noise waveforms were scaled so as to present no reliable differences in level, and observers again detected which stimulus contained the added tone. Normalization led to d' scores smaller than those obtained in the initial tone-in-noise discrimination task, but performance levels did not fall to chance. For three of the four observers, the detection of a tone added to noise appeared to depend on both level and level-invariant cues. In a second experiment, psychometric functions were obtained for the detection of a tone added to noise, for the detection of changes in level associated with the noise-alone and the tone-plus-noise stimuli, and for the detection of a tone added to noise using noise-alone and tone-plus-noise waveforms with no reliable differences in level. The maskers were centered at 1800 Hz, and bandwidths of 40 and 100 Hz were tested. Individual differences in detection strategy were obtained. Two observers appeared to rely on changes in level, one observer appeared to rely on level-invariant cues, and the remaining four observers appeared to adopt a decision strategy that integrated level and level-invariant cues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed1996

Sources and effects of low-frequency noise.

The sources of human exposure to low-frequency noise and its effects are reviewed. Low-frequency noise is common as background noise in urban environments, and as an emission from many artificial sources: road vehicles, aircraft, industrial machinery, artillery and mining explosions, and air movement machinery including wind turbines, compressors, and ventilation or air-conditioning units. The effects of low-frequency noise are of particular concern because of its pervasiveness due to numerous sources, efficient propagation, and reduced efficacy of many structures (dwellings, walls, and hearing protection) in attenuating low-frequency noise compared with other noise. Intense low-frequency noise appears to produce clear symptoms including respiratory impairment and aural pain. Although the effects of lower intensities of low-frequency noise are difficult to establish for methodological reasons, evidence suggests that a number of adverse effects of noise in general arise from exposure to low-frequency noise: Loudness judgments and annoyance reactions are sometimes reported to be greater for low-frequency noise than other noises for equal sound-pressure level; annoyance is exacerbated by rattle or vibration induced by low-frequency noise; speech intelligibility may be reduced more by low-frequency noise than other noises except those in the frequency range of speech itself, because of the upward spread of masking. On the other hand, it is also possible that low-frequency noise provides some protection against the effects of simultaneous higher frequency noise on hearing. Research needs and policy decisions, based on what is currently known, are considered.

Auditory Threshold↗

PubMed1999

Sound localization in noise in normal-hearing listeners.

The ability to localize a click train in the frontal-horizontal plane was measured in quiet and in the presence of a white-noise masker. The experiment tested the effects of signal frequency, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and masker location. Clicks were low-pass filtered at 11 kHz in the broadband condition, low-pass filtered at 1.6 kHz in the low-pass condition, and bandpass filtered between 1.6 and 11 kHz in the high-pass condition. The masker was presented at either -90, 0, or +90 deg azimuth. Six signal-to-noise ratios were used, ranging from -9 to +18 dB. Results obtained with four normal-hearing listeners show that (1) for all masker locations and filtering conditions, localization accuracy remains unaffected by noise until 0-6 dB S/N and decreases at more adverse signal-to-noise ratios, (2) for all filtering conditions and at low signal-to-noise ratios, the effect of noise is greater when noise is presented at +/- 90 deg azimuth than at 0 deg azimuth, (3) the effect of noise is similar for all filtering conditions when noise is presented at 0 deg azimuth, and (4) when noise is presented at +/- 90 deg azimuth, the effect of noise is similar for the broadband and high-pass conditions, but greater for the low-pass condition. These results suggest that the low- and high-frequency cues used to localize sounds are equally affected when noise is presented at 0 deg azimuth. However, low-frequency cues are less resistant to noise than high-frequency cues when noise is presented at +/- 90 deg azimuth. When both low- and high-frequency cues are available, listeners base their decision on the cues providing the most accurate estimation of the direction of the sound source (high-frequency cues). Parallel measures of click detectability suggest that the poorer localization accuracy observed when noise is at +/- 90 deg azimuth may be caused by a reduction in the detectability of the signal at the ear ipsilateral to the noise.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Noise control in solid-phase immunoassays by use of a matrix coat.

This paper describes the matrix coat noise control technique as applied in an ELISA to detect IgG antibody to the semen protein p30 (also known as prostate-specific antigen). Background noise due to non-specific binding of IgG in solid-phase immunoassays has recently been shown to be highly charge dependent. In this technique, the surface antigen (here, p30) is co-coated on the test surface with an anionic macromolecule, the noise reduction matrix component, to reduce non-specific IgG binding. A second matrix component, the noise balancing component, is added if necessary to balance non-specific IgG binding between a detecting well which contains matrix plus antigen and a control well which contains matrix alone. Sample noise can then be measured in the control well and subtracted to yield a noise-corrected signal. This approach both minimizes background noise and then precisely quantitates residual noise. In this study, human alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) served as the noise reduction component and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the noise balancing component. Optimal coating concentrations of AGP and BSA for the matrix were determined by a new technique, the tetrad method of signal and noise analysis. A signal probe (immune serum), a noise probe (non-immune serum) and a set of four test wells are employed to analyze the noise control properties of a given combination of matrix components. For each such tetrad of wells, three ratios are calculated: the sensitivity, signal-to-noise and noise balance ratios, along with a composite index, the matrix index. These can be used to select the combination and concentrations of matrix components which optimize assay noise control and minimize losses of assay sensitivity. When an ELISA using matrix coat noise control (MCNC-ELISA) was compared with ELISAs using standard blocking techniques, the MCNC-ELISA was superior in its ability to control for false positive results due to non-specific IgG binding and binding of the polycation poly-L-lysine. Two subjects (14%) out of a clinic population of sexually active women were found to have significant serum levels of anti-p30 IgG (P less than or equal to 0.001) by MCNC-ELISA.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

PubMed2005

Comparison of technical and anatomical noise in digital thorax X-ray images.

Former studies by Hoeschen and Buhr indicated a higher total noise in a thorax image than expected from technical noise, i.e. quantum and detector noise. This difference results from the overlay of many small anatomical structures along the X-ray beam, which leads to a noise-like appearance without distinguishable structures in the projected image. A method is proposed to quantitatively determine this 'anatomical noise' component, which is not to be confused with the anatomical background (e.g. ribs). This specific anatomical noise pattern in a radiograph changes completely when the imaging geometry changes because different small anatomical structures contribute to the projected image. Therefore, two images are taken using slightly different exposure geometry, and a correlation analysis based on wavelet transforms allows to determining the uncorrelated noise components. Since the technical noise also differs from image to image, which makes it difficult to separate the anatomical noise, images of a lung phantom were produced on a low-sensitive industrial X-ray film using high-exposure levels. From these results, the anatomical noise level in real clinical thorax radiographs using realistic exposure levels is predicted using the general dose dependence described in the paper text and compared with the quantum and detector noise level of an indirect flat-panel detector system. For consistency testing, the same lung phantom was imaged with the same digital flat-panel detector and the total image noise including anatomical noise is determined. The results show that the relative portion of anatomical noise may exceed the technical noise level. Anatomical noise is an important contributor to the total image noise and, therefore, impedes the recognition of anatomical structures.

Artifacts↗

PubMed1977

Voltage noise observed in rods of the turtle retina.

1. Intracellular voltage was recorded from rods in isolated retinae of the snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina. The voltage was observed during darkness or during uniform illumination of a large retinal area. During darkness the voltage fluctuated continuously about a mean level. The spontaneous fluctuation is termed ;noise'. During illumination the amplitude of the noise was reduced.2. The noise observed during darkness could also be reduced by injecting a hyperpolarizing current into the impaled rod. The noise could be increased by a depolarizing current. The component of the noise that could be altered by polarizing the rod is termed ;voltage-sensitive noise'.3. When voltage-sensitive noise was first minimized by a continuous hyperpolarizing current, bright light produced an additional decrease in the noise. The component of the noise that was eliminated by light, but not eliminated by the injection of current, is termed ;light-sensitive noise'.4. The power density spectrum of voltage-sensitive noise, G(v)(f), could be described by an equation of the form [Formula: see text] tau(M) was approximately 7 msec, which is in good agreement with an apparent membrane time constant of 5-8 msec. The largest value of alpha(v) was 2.1 x 10(-9) V(2) sec.5. The power density spectrum of light-sensitive noise could be described by an equation of the form [Formula: see text] tau(L) was approximately 200-300 msec. The largest value of alpha(L) was 8.0 x 10(-9) V(2) sec.6. The potential maintained during darkness could be altered by superfusing a retina with artificial media of different compositions. Depolarizing the rods by changing the extracellular calcium concentration from 1 to 5 mM increased the voltage-sensitive noise. A similar effect was observed after adding 2 mM lanthanum.7. In contrast, 5 mM cobalt produced a small hyperpolarization and suppressed the voltage-sensitive noise. Injecting a depolarizing current, after exposure to cobalt, re-initiated the voltage-sensitive noise. The ability to elicit voltage-sensitive noise in the presence of cobalt indicates that it was not of synaptic origin.8. The results are consistent with the noise present during dark being produced by two types of channel in the rod membrane. One is controlled by the phototransduction process; each individual channel of this type may be described as having a mean open time of 200-300 msec and a conductance of approx. 6 x 10(-13) Omega(-1). The absorption of one photon closes approx. 100-300 of these channels. The other type of channel is controlled by membrane potential; each individual channel of this type has a mean open time which is less than the membrane time constant of 8 msec.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Intrinsic noise in locust photoreceptors.

1. In locust photoreceptors, the amplitude of the response to light pulses lasting less than 20 ms depends solely upon the number of absorbed photons, which can be estimated at low intensities by counting quantum bumps. Consequently, each receptor can be operated as a calibrated photon counter. 2. Three types of noise in receptor responses have been identified--extrinsic or photon noise and two types of intrinsic noise, dark noise (spontaneous activity) and transducer noise (noise in the transduction mechanism). The methods by which the noise sources are measured and identified involves measuring the responses to a train of flashes of constant intensity and converting these voltage values into a series of equivalent quantum catches. Because photon absorptions follow the Poisson distribution, the variance among equivalent catches due to photon noise equals the mean catch, and any excess variance represents intrinsic noise. 3. Dark noise is negligible: spontaneous signals (quantum bumps produced in darkness) occur less than ten times per hour at 25 degrees C, and the combined effects of membrane and electrode noise are unimportant at all but the highest intensities. 4. At low intensities transducer noise is responsible for more than 50% of all receptor noise (variance), and this rises to 90% when bright stimuli are presented to the dark-adapted eye. 5. Two simple models of transduction indicate that variations in the amplitudes and latencies of responses to single photons are a major source of transducer noise. 6. Transducer noise would be difficult to detect from an analysis of response noise alone, without knowledge of absolute photon catch, because in some important respects it mimics photon noise, e.g. it lowers the quantum efficiency without violating the square root relationship relating increment thresholds to mean intensity.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1990

Signal detectability in the presence of monotic or dichotic noise bands of equal or unequal levels.

The application of the power-spectrum model of masking to the detectability of a signal masked by dichotic noise was investigated in three experiments. In each experiment, the signal was a 2-kHz sinusoid of 400-msec duration, masked by either one or two 800-Hz wide bands of noise presented singly or in pairs. In Experiment 1, we compared the detectability of a diotic signal masked by dichotic noise with the detectability of a monaural signal masked by each of the noises separately. The spectrum level of the noise was 35 dB SPL. For dichotic presentations, the signal was sent to both ears while pairs of noise bands, one below and one above the signal frequency, were presented together, one band to each ear. Threshold levels with the dichotic stimuli were lower than or equal to the thresholds with either ear's stimulus on its own. Similar dichotic stimuli were used in Experiment 2, except that the signal frequency was nearer to one or the other of the bands of masking noise, and the noise had a spectrum level of 50 dB SPL. In Experiment 3, thresholds were obtained with two sets of symmetrically and asymmetrically placed notched-noise maskers. For one of these sets, the spectrum level of both noise bands was 35 dB SPL; for the other set, interaural intensity differences were introduced in the form of an inequality in the levels of the noise bands on either side of the signal. In one ear, the spectrum level of the lower frequency noise band was 35 dB SPL and the spectrum level of the higher frequency noise band was 25 dB SPL, whereas in the other ear, the allocation of noise level to noise band was reversed. The dichotic thresholds obtained with the unequal noise maskers could be predicted from the shapes of the auditory filters derived with equal noise maskers. The data from all three experiments suggest that threshold signal levels in the presence of interaural differences in masker intensity depend principally on the ear with the higher signal-to-masker ratio at the output of its auditory filter, a finding consistent with the power-spectrum model of masking.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Noise-induced hearing loss among textile workers in Lagos metropolis.

A cross-sectional sample of 204 textile workers was selected randomly from all sections (including the non-production areas), and was initially screened to exclude subjects with pathological middle ear as well as those currently working in sections classified as non-noise but who had been exposed to excessive noise in the past. A total of 17 workers were thus excluded leaving 187 who were then assessed by means of air-conduction and bone-conduction audiograms obtained by the use of a manual (medicor-SA 3L), pure-tone audiometer. All audiometric tests were preceded by an otological examination to rule out the presence of any significant aural pathological conditions. The subjects were divided into 3 groups, based on the noise levels observed at their worksites using a Bruel and Kjaer type 2225 (integrating) sound level meter viz: the noise-exposed group (noise levels > 90 dBA); the less-noise-exposed group (noise levels 85-90 dBA); and the non-noise-exposed group (noise levels < 85 dBA). A comparative analysis of the data on hearing threshold levels of the 3 groups showed that the noise-exposed group had significantly (P < 0.05) elevated hearing threshold levels at all frequencies and in each age group, although the maximal threshold shifts were observed at the 4000 Hz frequency. Also, the hearing threshold levels for the noise-exposed group increased with the duration of noise exposure. The study clearly showed the deleterious effects of uncontrolled occupational noise exposure on unprotected workers. A very high prevalence rate of noise-induced hearing loss (79.8%) was recorded for the noise-exposed group. The less-noise-exposed group recorded a comparatively low figure of 11.3%. The weaving section alone recorded the highest prevalence rate of 84.5%, followed very closely by the spinning section with 71.0%. The lowest prevalence rate (2.9%) was recorded for the administrative staff.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Changes in antioxidant capacity of the guinea pig exposed to noise and the protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid against acoustic trauma].

The study was aimed at exploring the effect of noise on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum, nitric oxide (NO) level in the cochlea and the protective action of alpha-lipoic acid against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Sixty guinea pigs (350-400 g) were divided randomly into three groups (control group, noise+saline group and noise+alpha-lipoic acid group). Serum and cochlear tissue were treated immediately after noise exposure (4-kHz octave band, 115 dB SPL 5 h) to determine the level of TAC and NO, respectively. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured before and immediately after exposure. The threshold of hearing in the control group was relatively stable, while the hearing threshold in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than those in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group (P<0.05). TAC level of the noise+saline group was significantly lower than that of the control group P<0.05 . TAC level of the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly higher than that of the noise+saline group P<0.05 , while there was no significant difference in the levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The NO level of the cochlear tissue in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). Cochlear NO level in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly lower than that of the noise+saline group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in cochlear NO levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The results obtained indicate that noise exposure causes a decrease in serum TAC and an increase in NO in cochlea. alpha-Lipoid acid exerts a protective effect against hearing loss in acoustic trauma through its antioxidant effects.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Effect of residual noise level on reproducibility of the signal-averaged ECG.

Late potentials are detected at various noise levels in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of residual noise level on the reproducibility of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram (ECG). Two consecutive raw 15-minute ECG from each of 188 patients with coronary artery disease were digitized and stored on optical discs. Each raw ECG was analyzed by two signal-averaging procedures to noise level 0.2 microV or 0.4 microV. Standard time-domain parameters were measured: QRS duration (SA-QRS), late potential (LP) duration, and root-mean-square voltage of the terminal 40 ms of the filtered QRS (RMS40). The SA-QRS was prolonged by 12 +/- 14 ms by the reduction in noise level from 0.4 microV to 0.2 microV, LP duration was prolonged by 10 +/- 10 ms, and RMS40 was reduced by 19 +/- 22 microV. The temporal variation of the measured SA-QRS from ECG1 to ECG2 was significantly lower at noise level 0.2 microV (9 +/- 13 ms) than at noise level 0.4 microV (13 +/- 14 ms) (P < .001). The LP duration was also more stable at noise level 0.2 microV than at noise level 0.4 microV (0.5 +/- 11 ms vs 2 +/- 13 ms, P < .05). The presence of any two of three abnormal parameters (SA-QRS > 120 ms, RMS40 < 25 microV, LP duration > 40 ms) was used as the criterion for the presence of LPs. At noise level 0.4 microV, the proportion of patients with diagnosed LPs in ECG1 was 25% and at noise level 0.2 microV it was 62%. At noise level 0.4 microV, 20% were reclassified from LP-negative in ECG1 to LP-positive in ECG2, and 7% were reclassified from LP-positive in ECG1 to LP-negative in ECG2. At noise level 0.2 microV, 20% were reclassified from LP-negative in ECG1 to LP-positive in ECG2, and 9% were reclassified from LP-positive in ECG1 to LP-negative in ECG2. It was concluded that (1) the diagnosis of LPs is significantly dependent on the extent of noise reduction by signal averaging: and (2) the numerical reproducibility of signal-averaged QRS duration and LP duration is lower at noise level 0.4 microV then at noise level 0.2 microV; and the diagnostic reproducibility of LPs is similar at both noise levels.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Acoustic noise during functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) enables sites of brain activation to be localized in human subjects. For studies of the auditory system, acoustic noise generated during fMRI can interfere with assessments of this activation by introducing uncontrolled extraneous sounds. As a first step toward reducing the noise during fMRI, this paper describes the temporal and spectral characteristics of the noise present under typical fMRI study conditions for two imagers with different static magnetic field strengths. Peak noise levels were 123 and 138 dB re 20 microPa in a 1.5-tesla (T) and a 3-T imager, respectively. The noise spectrum (calculated over a 10-ms window coinciding with the highest-amplitude noise) showed a prominent maximum at 1 kHz for the 1.5-T imager (115 dB SPL) and at 1.4 kHz for the 3-T imager (131 dB SPL). The frequency content and timing of the most intense noise components indicated that the noise was primarily attributable to the readout gradients in the imaging pulse sequence. The noise persisted above background levels for 300-500 ms after gradient activity ceased, indicating that resonating structures in the imager or noise reverberating in the imager room were also factors. The gradient noise waveform was highly repeatable. In addition, the coolant pump for the imager's permanent magnet and the room air-handling system were sources of ongoing noise lower in both level and frequency than gradient coil noise. Knowledge of the sources and characteristics of the noise enabled the examination of general approaches to noise control that could be applied to reduce the unwanted noise during fMRI sessions.

Acoustics↗