Auditory Sensory Gating: Effects of Noise.

Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) indicate that noise degrades auditory neural encoding, causing decreased peak amplitude and increased peak latency. Different types of noise affect CAEP responses, with greater informational masking causing additional degradation. In noisy conditions, attention can improve target signals' neural encoding, reflected by an increased CAEP amplitude, which may be facilitated through various inhibitory mechanisms at both pre-attentive and attentive levels. While previous research has mainly focused on inhibition effects during attentive auditory processing in noise, the impact of noise on the neural response during the pre-attentive phase remains unclear. Therefore, this preliminary study aimed to assess the auditory gating response, reflective of the sensory inhibitory stage, to repeated vowel pairs presented in background noise. CAEPs were recorded via high-density EEG in fifteen normal-hearing adults in quiet and noise conditions with low and high informational masking. The difference between the average CAEP peak amplitude evoked by each vowel in the pair was compared across conditions. Scalp maps were generated to observe general cortical inhibitory networks in each condition. Significant gating occurred in quiet, while noise conditions resulted in a significantly decreased gating response. The gating function was significantly degraded in noise with less informational masking content, coinciding with a reduced activation of inhibitory gating networks. These findings illustrate the adverse effect of noise on pre-attentive inhibition related to speech perception.

The Uptake and Measurement of Alternative Approaches to Domestic Violence Intervention Programs: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review explores the breadth and depth to which Domestic Violence Intervention Programs (DVIPs) in the United States and globally: (a) incorporate components that address the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and social injustice, racism, economic inequality, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); (b) use restorative (RJ)/transformative justice (TJ) practices, individualized case management, partnerships with social justice actors, and strengths-based parenting training in current programming; and (c) measure effectiveness. In 2021, we searched 12 academic databases using a combination of search terms and Medical Subject Headings. In all, 27 articles that discussed at least one key concept relative to DVIP curricula were included in the final review. Findings suggest that very few DVIPs address ACEs and/or the relationship between structural violence, social inequality, and IPV perpetration. Even fewer programs use restorative practices including RJ or TJ. Furthermore, DVIPs use inconsistent methods and measures to evaluate effectiveness. To respond to IPV perpetration more effectively and create lasting change, DVIPs must adopt evidence-informed approaches that prioritize social and structural determinants of violence, trauma-informed care, and restoration.

Sensory Gating Networks in Normal-Hearing Adults With Minimal Tinnitus.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to observe sensory gating-related networks underlying cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) peak components in individuals with and without minimal tinnitus, as measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). This analysis was performed on previously published sensory gating responses in normal-hearing adults with and without minimal tinnitus. METHOD: Independent component analysis was performed for each individual CAEP gating component (Pa, P50, N1, and P2). Significant components were retained for source localization analyses within the following groups: no tinnitus, tinnitus with a THI score ≤ 6, and tinnitus with a THI score > 6. Brain source localization was performed on the gating difference wave for each component using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. RESULTS: Gating-related networks were identified within each group. Different regional sources were observed between groups, with parietal sources underlying the Pa and P50 components as tinnitus severity increased. A larger prefrontal regional activation was also shown for the N1 gating component as tinnitus severity increased. These results expand upon the functional gating responses via CAEP waveforms in a previously published study. CONCLUSIONS: The auditory gating response, as measured via CAEPs, has previously been shown to significantly correlate with an increase in tinnitus severity in adults with normal hearing. The corresponding changes in the gating response appear to be supported by different cortical regions in those without tinnitus, those with a THI score ≤ 6, and those with a THI score > 6. Next, functional differences between localized cortical regions should be tested.

Intimate Partner Violence and Immigration in the United States: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review sought to describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among immigrants in the United States (U.S.) and the prevalence of IPV perpetration among immigrants in the U.S. PsycInfo, PubMed, Global Health and Scopus databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature that quantitatively examined IPV in relation to immigration. Twenty-four articles were included in the final review. Past-year IPV victimization rates among immigrants ranged from 3.8% to 46.9% and lifetime IPV victimization rates ranged from 13.9% to 93%; past-year IPV perpetration rates ranged from 3.0% to 24.8% and the one lifetime IPV perpetration rate was 12.8%. Estimates varied widely by country of origin, type of violence measured, and measure used to quantify IPV. Reliance on small convenience samples is problematic when trying to determine the true prevalence of IPV among immigrants. Epidemiological research is needed to improve the accuracy and representativeness of findings.

Misophonia: A Need for audiologic diagnostic guidelines.

PURPOSE: The goal of this commentary is to present to audiologists the recent consensus definition of misophonia along with current clinical measures useful for audiologists in the diagnosis of misophonia. Up and coming behavioral methods that may be sensitive to misophonia are highlighted. Finally, a call is put out for translational audiologic research with the goal of developing diagnostic criteria for misophonia. METHOD: The approach to the consensus definition is described, as well as the main characteristics of misophonia agreed upon by the expert panel. Next, available clinical measures that may be useful to audiologists for the diagnosis of misophonia are presented, followed by a brief review of current behavioral assessment methodology that still requires research to determine sensitivity and specificity to misophonia symptomatology. This discussion leads to the need for establishment of audiologic diagnostic criteria in misophonia, especially when differentiating from hyperacusis. CONCLUSIONS: While the consensus definition for misophonia is an excellent first step in obtaining expert agreement on the descriptors of misophonic triggers, reactions, and behavior, clinical research is critical in developing criteria for misophonia as a specific sound tolerance disorder.

Implementation of Concussion Management Policies in High Schools: The Critical Role of School Nurses.

Evidence-based practices in concussion management (CM) have been codified into legislation. However, legislation is varied, and implementation is narrowly evaluated. School nurses hold a unique position to assess the implementation of health policies. The implementation of concussion management policies across Massachusetts high schools was evaluated by the school nurse. A cross-sectional survey was sent to school nurses (N = 304), and responses (n = 201; 68.1% response rate) were tallied whereby higher scores indicated more practices being implemented. One open-text question was included to encourage nurses to provide context regarding implementation in their school. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to assess current implementation and nursing perspectives. Findings indicate that the degree of implementation varies, and some nurses reported difficulty with mobilizing clinical uptake of concussion management practices in their schools. Further implementation research is needed, and school nurses are an important stakeholder to include when assessing the clinical uptake of concussion management policies in schools.

Knowledge, Perceived Competence, and Behaviors Relative to Traumatic Brain Injury Among a Sample of Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter Advocates in a New England State.

This cross-sectional study describes knowledge, perceived competence, and behaviors relative to intimate partner violence (IPV)-related brain injury (BI) among staff in residential domestic violence shelter programs across a New England state. A 23-item questionnaire was administered to registrants of an online IPV-related BI training series. Within this sample, knowledge about IPV-related BI was high, but relative to providing screening, accommodations, and specialized referrals to survivors with BI, perceived competence was low, and behaviors were infrequent. IPV shelter agencies should facilitate IPV-related BI training programs for staff and prioritize developing and implementing BI screening, accommodation, and referral policies and procedures.

Sensory Inhibition and Speech Perception-in-Noise Performance in Children With Normal Hearing.

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether sensory inhibition in children may be associated with speech perception-in-noise performance. Additionally, gating networks associated with sensory inhibition were identified via standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA), and the detectability of the cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) N1 response was enhanced using a 4- to 30-Hz bandpass filter. METHOD: CAEP gating responses, reflective of inhibition, were evoked via click pairs and recorded using high-density electroencephalography in neurotypical 5- to 8-year-olds and 22- to 24-year-olds. Amplitude gating indices were calculated and correlated with speech perception in noise. Gating generators were estimated using sLORETA. A 4- to 30-Hz filter was applied to detect the N1 gating component. RESULTS: Preliminary findings indicate children showed reduced gating, but there was a correlational trend between better speech perception and decreased N2 gating. Commensurate with decreased gating, children presented with incomplete compensatory gating networks. The 4- to 30-Hz filter identified the N1 response in a subset of children. CONCLUSIONS: There was a tenuous relationship between children's speech perception and sensory inhibition. This may suggest that sensory inhibition is only implicated in atypically poor speech perception. Finally, the 4- to 30-Hz filter settings are critical in N1 detectability. SIGNIFICANCE: Gating may help evaluate reduced sensory inhibition in children with clinically poor speech perception using the appropriate methodology. Cortical gating generators in typically developing children are also newly identified.

An Evaluation of Post-Concussion Return to School Guidelines: A Survey of Massachusetts School Nurses.

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for students who have experienced a concussion. To address this gap in the legislation, some states and nongovernmental organizations have developed RTL guidelines to advise school personnel, parents, and health care providers on best practices for accommodating students' postconcussion reintegration into academic activity. In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) developed RTL guidelines which were disseminated to school nurses (SNs) at all public and nonpublic middle and high schools in the state. In 2020, the MDPH engaged the Injury Prevention Center at Boston Medical Center to survey Massachusetts SNs to assess the usefulness of the guidelines. The response rate was 63%; 92% found the booklet extremely useful or moderately useful; and 70% endorsed that the booklet fostered collaboration among stakeholders.

Cross-Modal Reorganization From Both Visual and Somatosensory Modalities in Cochlear Implanted Children and Its Relationship to Speech Perception.

HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that children with cochlear implants (CIs) who demonstrate cross-modal reorganization by vision also demonstrate cross-modal reorganization by somatosensation and that these processes are interrelated and impact speech perception. BACKGROUND: Cross-modal reorganization, which occurs when a deprived sensory modality's cortical resources are recruited by other intact modalities, has been proposed as a source of variability underlying speech perception in deaf children with CIs. Visual and somatosensory cross-modal reorganization of auditory cortex have been documented separately in CI children, but reorganization in these modalities has not been documented within the same subjects. Our goal was to examine the relationship between cross-modal reorganization from both visual and somatosensory modalities within a single group of CI children. METHODS: We analyzed high-density electroencephalogram responses to visual and somatosensory stimuli and current density reconstruction of brain activity sources. Speech perception in noise testing was performed. Current density reconstruction patterns were analyzed within the entire subject group and across groups of CI children exhibiting good versus poor speech perception. RESULTS: Positive correlations between visual and somatosensory cross-modal reorganization suggested that neuroplasticity in different sensory systems may be interrelated. Furthermore, CI children with good speech perception did not show recruitment of frontal or auditory cortices during visual processing, unlike CI children with poor speech perception. CONCLUSION: Our results reflect changes in cortical resource allocation in pediatric CI users. Cross-modal recruitment of auditory and frontal cortices by vision, and cross-modal reorganization of auditory cortex by somatosensation, may underlie variability in speech and language outcomes in CI children.

Validity of a three-item dating abuse victimization screening tool in a 11-21 year old sample.

BACKGROUND: Dating abuse (DA) is prevalent and consequential, but no brief DA screening tools are available for use in pediatric or other settings. This study was designed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the MARSHA-C, which is a three-item DA victimization screening tool. METHODS: The participants were 224 U.S. youth ages 11-21 years old (20% male, 77% female, 3% non-binary gender). Youth completed an online questionnaire about adolescent relationship abuse. The survey included the Measure of Adolescent Relationship Harassment and Abuse (MARSHA), which is a comprehensive DA measurement instrument normed on a nationally representative sample. Of 34 DA victimization items from the MARSHA, the three most prevalent items were hypothesized to have good predictive validity of the full scale score as a brief, screening version (MARSHA-C). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the MARSHA-C to identify victims of DA was calculated. RESULTS: Using the MARSHA as the reference standard, the cutpoint of 1 on the MARSHA-C screening tool was identified as optimal. The MARSHA-C had a sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 91%, and positive predictive value of 91%. Thus, for youth who endorse ≥ 1 MARSHA-C items, there is a 91% probability that they have experienced DA in the past year. Exploratory analyses by demographic subgroups suggest that the predictive validity of the MARSHA-C is approximately equivalent for females and males, younger and older adolescents, Asian, Black, Latinx, Multiracial and White youth, and heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. CONCLUSIONS: The MARSHA-C can be used to detect DA among 11-21-year-old youth via online surveys for research purposes, or in clinical care settings to facilitate proactive patient counseling or parent-oriented anticipatory guidance.

Social Anxiety as a Consequence of Non-consensually Disseminated Sexually Explicit Media Victimization.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore consequences of the non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit media (NCDSEM) for survivors, with an emphasis on how NCDSEM may impact social relationships and social anxiety. One-on-one telephone interviews with (N = 17) self-identified survivors of NCDSEM were conducted between May and December 2019. Interviews were analyzed using a flexible coding methodology. There were five main ways in which participants described consequences of NCDSEM: (a) fear of going out in public, (b) fear of engaging in relationships, (c) fear of applying to jobs, (d) fear of seeking help, and (e) influencing depression and feelings of anxiety. These findings suggest that, for some people, NCDSEM victimization may influence whether and how they subsequently socialize with other people.

All-Cause Mortality and Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Sickle Cell Nephropathy: A Comparative Study.

Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive disease resulting in hemolytic anemia and recurrent vaso-occlusive events. Consequently, it can result in a broad range of functional and structural renal and cardiac alterations. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), in SCD, is associated with proteinuria, microalbuminuria, and hemoglobinuria. Cardiac complications in SCD include pulmonary hypertension, left ventricular diastolic heart disease, dysrhythmia, and sudden death. In patients with advancing age, cardio-renal dysfunction can have substantial effects on morbidity and mortality. Our primary aim was to compare the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in sickle cell nephropathy (SCN). Methods In this retrospective study, we used International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes to identify admissions in 2019 with a diagnosis of MACE with a prior diagnosis of SCD and/or SCN. Our search of the HCA Healthcare Enterprise Data Warehouse for adult patients >18 years yielded 6,693 patients with SCD, of which 658 patients (9.8%) had SCN. Primary endpoints were incidence of MACE and all-cause mortality. Patients with MACE encompassed those with nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbations. A secondary endpoint was length of stay (LOS). Logistic regression analysis was used for MACE and all-cause mortality. LOS was analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. Results were considered statistically significant for analyses showing p <0.05. All outcomes were adjusted for demographic variables and comorbidities. Results Logistic regression, after adjustment for comorbidities, demonstrated that SCN patients had significantly higher odds of all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 2.343, p = 0.035, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.063-5.166) compared to patients without SCN. Compared to those without SCN, those with SCN did not have a higher odds of MACE (OR 1.281, p = 0.265, 95% CI 0.828-1.982). Linear regression for LOS did not reveal a significant association with SCN (p = 0.169, 95% CI 0.157-0.899). Conclusion Based on the analysis of 6,693 patients with SCD, SCN was associated with significantly higher odds of all-cause mortality. SCN was not associated with significantly higher odds of MACE or prolonged LOS.

Evaluation of the One Love Escalation Workshop for Dating Abuse Prevention: a Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Study with a Sample of US Navy Sailors.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Escalation Workshop with a sample of US Navy sailors. Escalation is a one-session workshop designed to promote bystander behavior related to dating abuse. We conducted a two-arm RCT with follow-up at 4 and 8 months. Participants were 335 Navy sailors, recruited from two comparable ships based in the USA. The unit of randomization was the ship. The primary outcomes were as follows: (a) attitudes related to intervening as a bystander in dating abuse situations, (b) injunctive norms about dating abuse, (c) dating abuse-related prevention-oriented behaviors (e.g., such as posting dating violence prevention messages online), and (d) bystander behaviors including acting as a bystander to prevent peer self-harm, peer bullying, peer intoxication, or peer dating abuse, or being a proactive bystander and initiating conversations about dating abuse prevention with friends and others. Hierarchal linear models (HLMs) indicated that, compared to participants in the control group, participants in the intervention group demonstrated improvement in attitudes [ß = .09, p < .001] and had more engagement than controls in prevention-oriented behavior at 8-month follow-up [ß = 0.11, p < .01]. Those in the intervention group also reported larger increases than controls in bystander behavior related to peer self-harm, peer bullying, peer intoxication, and starting conversations about dating abuse. Results for dating abuse bystander behavior were mixed. At 4 months, workshop participation was marginally associated with increased bystander behavior with peers who had perpetrated dating abuse (ß = 0.89, p = 0.06) and with peers experiencing physical or sexual dating abuse, or stalking or threats (ß = 1.11, p = .07). However, workshop participation was not associated with increased bystander behavior with peers experiencing only physical abuse. The Escalation Workshop may be a promising strategy to promote change in dating abuse-related attitudinal change and prevention-oriented behavior, and bystander behavior with peers related to self-harm, bullying, intoxication, and some aspects of dating abuse prevention.

It is time to rewrite state youth sports concussion laws.

Between 2009 and 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation to improve the recognition and management of youth concussed in sports. These laws can include requirements for concussion training for school athletic personnel, concussion education for children and their parents, return-to-play (RTP) procedures, and medical clearance to for RTP. Concussion can impact academic learning and performance in children and adolescents. Postconcussion academic accommodations during recovery can be an important component of secondary prevention for mitigating the sequalae of head injury. Few state youth concussion laws, however, include provision of postconcussion return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations and most of those that do address RTL apply to student athletes only. Concussions may occur in youth who are not participating in organised sports (eg, falls, traffic crashes) and thus may not be subjected to RTL accommodations, even if the state mandates such procedures for athletes. Low income and students of colour may be more likely to have non-sports concussions than their more affluent and white peers, thus potentially creating demographic disparities in the benefits of RTL procedures. State youth sports concussion laws should be revised so that they include RTL provisions that apply to all students, athletes and non-athletes alike.

Approaches for Monitoring Warfighter Blast-related Exposures in Training to Develop Effective Safety Standards.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injuries are of concern to the sports and military communities because of the age of the participants and costly burden to society. To markedly reduce the impact of traumatic brain injury and its sequela (TBI-S), it is necessary to determine the initial vulnerability of individuals as well as identify new technologies that indicate early signs of TBI-S. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Currently, diverse methods have been used by the authors and others in laboratory settings to reveal early signs of persistent TBI-S including simulation modeling of the effect of rapid deceleration on the deviatoric strain (shear force) imposed on specific brain regions, auditory evoked potential (AEP) measurements to determine injury to the auditory cortex optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) measures sensitive to vestibular trauma, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures that reveal changes in central visual function obtained noninvasively by examination of the retina. RESULTS: Simulation studies provided technical information on maximal deviatoric strain at the base of the sulci and interface of gray and white matter consistent with results from neuropathology and from magnetic resonance imaging. The AEP and OKN reveal measurable injury to similar regions below the Sylvian fissure including auditory cortex and midbrain, and the OCT reveals changes to the retina consistent with forceful deceleration effects. CONCLUSIONS: The studies and results are consistent with prior work demonstrating that noninvasive tests may be sensitive to the presence of TBI-S, potentially in the training field as advances in the portability of test instruments are underway. When combined with baseline data gathered from individuals in quantitative form, key variances can emerge. Therefore, it is hypothesized that AEP, OKN, and OCT, taken together, may yield faster objective and quantitative neurophysiological measures serving as a "signature" of neural injury and more indicative of potentially persistent TBI-S-recommending larger scale longitudinal studies.

Patterns of Element Incorporation in Calcium Carbonate Biominerals Recapitulate Phylogeny for a Diverse Range of Marine Calcifiers.

Elemental ratios in biogenic marine calcium carbonates are widely used in geobiology, environmental science, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. It is generally accepted that the elemental abundance of biogenic marine carbonates reflects a combination of the abundance of that ion in seawater, the physical properties of seawater, the mineralogy of the biomineral, and the pathways and mechanisms of biomineralization. Here we report measurements of a suite of nine elemental ratios (Li/Ca, B/Ca, Na/Ca, Mg/Ca, Zn/Ca, Sr/Ca, Cd/Ca, Ba/Ca, and U/Ca) in 18 species of benthic marine invertebrates spanning a range of biogenic carbonate polymorph mineralogies (low-Mg calcite, high-Mg calcite, aragonite, mixed mineralogy) and of phyla (including Mollusca, Echinodermata, Arthropoda, Annelida, Cnidaria, Chlorophyta, and Rhodophyta) cultured at a single temperature (25°C) and a range of pCO2 treatments (ca. 409, 606, 903, and 2856 ppm). This dataset was used to explore various controls over elemental partitioning in biogenic marine carbonates, including species-level and biomineralization-pathway-level controls, the influence of internal pH regulation compared to external pH changes, and biocalcification responses to changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. The dataset also enables exploration of broad scale phylogenetic patterns of elemental partitioning across calcifying species, exhibiting high phylogenetic signals estimated from both uni- and multivariate analyses of the elemental ratio data (univariate: λ = 0-0.889; multivariate: λ = 0.895-0.99). Comparing partial R 2 values returned from non-phylogenetic and phylogenetic regression analyses echo the importance of and show that phylogeny explains the elemental ratio data 1.4-59 times better than mineralogy in five out of nine of the elements analyzed. Therefore, the strong associations between biomineral elemental chemistry and species relatedness suggests mechanistic controls over element incorporation rooted in the evolution of biomineralization mechanisms.

"He Would Take My Shoes and All the Baby's Warm Winter Gear so We Couldn't Leave": Barriers to Safety and Recovery Experienced by a Sample of Vermont Women With Partner Violence and Opioid Use Disorder Experiences.

PURPOSE: This qualitative study explored themes about barriers to substance use treatment for women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and opioid use in rural Vermont. The goal was to collect descriptive information to aid in the development of intervention ideas to facilitate better treatment access for women in this situation. METHODS: One-on-one telephone interviews with 33 rural Vermont women who experienced both IPV and opioid use took place between February and August 2019. FINDINGS: There were 5 main themes that emerged as barriers to accessing needed services: (1) geographic isolation and transportation difficulties, (2) inaccessibility of existing services, (3) lack of integrated substance use treatment and domestic violence services, (4) social isolation, and (5) amplification of stigma in small rural communities. CONCLUSIONS: Improved access to care and increased collaboration between IPV and substance use service providers are required to better serve rural communities in which IPV and opioid use disorder are concurrent problems.

Frontal Cortical Modulation of Temporal Visual Cross-Modal Re-organization in Adults with Hearing Loss.

Recent research has demonstrated frontal cortical involvement to co-occur with visual re-organization, suggestive of top-down modulation of cross-modal mechanisms. However, it is unclear whether top-down modulation of visual re-organization takes place in mild hearing loss, or is dependent upon greater degrees of hearing loss severity. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if frontal top-down modulation of visual cross-modal re-organization increased across hearing loss severity. We recorded visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in response to apparent motion stimuli in 17 adults with mild-moderate hearing loss using 128-channel high-density electroencephalography (EEG). Current density reconstructions (CDRs) were generated using sLORETA to visualize VEP generators in both groups. VEP latency and amplitude in frontal regions of interest (ROIs) were compared between groups and correlated with auditory behavioral measures. Activation of frontal networks in response to visual stimulation increased across mild to moderate hearing loss, with simultaneous activation of the temporal cortex. In addition, group differences in VEP latency and amplitude correlated with auditory behavioral measures. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that frontal top-down modulation of visual cross-modal re-organization is dependent upon hearing loss severity.