• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2011

A sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL) occurs when the cochlea in the inner has functional problem. The region in the cochlea with no(or very few) functioning inner hair cells or neurons called 'dead regions'. Amplification using hearing aid over a frequency range corresponding to a dead region may not a beneficial. In this paper, we compared speech recognition with different location of dead region and gain and searched effective gain for hearing aid with dead region. In order to experiment, eight people who has normal hearing ware tested, and we used white noise and babble noise(SNR=0 dB). we divided by three conditions, low, mid and high frequency dead region. In addition, the gains in dead region ware 14.5 dB, 11.5dB and 6 dB gain. There ware different results by location of dead region. The result of WRS and preference in mid-frequency dead region and high-frequency dead region ware higher than them in low-frequency dead region. When we compared as gains, the score of WRS with lower gain was higher than 14.5 dB gain, and the preference was lower as higher gain.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2013

Purpose: A growing number of studies have been providing evidence for neural connections between the auditory and somatosensory systems that might be a critical part of the mechanisms underlying certain forms of tinnitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) movements on tinnitus. Methods: One hundred sixty-three tinnitus patients participated in this study. All patients underwent a thorough audiological examination including pure-tone audiometry, tinnitus handicap inventory, and evaluation of tinnitus loudness, frequency and severity on a visual analog scale. Somatic testing consisting of nine forceful jaw muscle contractions was performed to evaluate the effect of TMJ movements on modulation of tinnitus. Results: 66.9% of patients had unilateral tinnitus. Somatic testing modulated tinnitus loudness in 125 ears (57.6 %) of 217 ears tested. An increase in tinnitus loudness was observed more often than a decrease. Loudness was most commonly increased by opening and clenching jaw. Tinnitus could be induced by opening, clenching and deviating jaw to the left. Conclusion: Our study showed evidence that TMJ movements may aggravate and even evoke tinnitus and somatic testing can be used for evaluating if stimulation of the TMJ induces or aggravates tinnitus.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out preschool children's health status and their mothers' health management in the vulnerable classes. Methods: The assessment tool was developed, taken into consideration existing studies, materials produced by the customized visiting health care system, and review of visiting nurses of health centers and related experts. Data were collected January to February 2010 from 259 mothers by visiting nurses, and analyzed using SAS program for descriptive statistics. Results: Body weight less than 3 percentile was found for 5.0% children and over 97 percentile for 7.7%. Atopy was found in 17.8% children, no hand-washing after toileting and before meal in 30.9% and 36.7% respectively, no breakfast in 15.8%, and irregular meal in 32.0%. Sex education was made by 45.7% mothers, regular dental check by 56.6%, and hearing and eyesight test by 61.1% and 66.8% respectively. Home environment for upbringing is 34.3 in the scale of 41, and accident prevention 17.5 in the scale of 22. Conclusion: It is necessary to make an intervention on children's weight, personal sanitation and meal time in the vulnerable classes. Mothers need to be educated for appropriate health care, and home environments to improve upbringing and accident prevention.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2009

Purpose : In spite of the karyotype and phenotype diversity in Turner syndrome patients, there are few reports about such differences in Korea. We reviewed the data of chromosome abnormalities, clinical manifestations, and comorbidities of Turner syndrome patients in Kyungpook National University Hospital to compare them to the recent hypotheses about sex chromosome gene loci related to Turner symptoms. Materials and Methods : We identified the cytologic findings of 92 patients with Turner syndrome and the clinical findings of 62 patients among them. Results : 54.3 percent of patients had 45,X while 45.7 percent showed other karyotype combinations (45,X/46,XX, 45,X/46,XX/47,XXX, 46,X,del(Xp), 46,X,del(Xq), 45,X/46,X,del(Xq), 46,X,i(Xq), 45,X/46,X,i (Xq)). The Turner symptoms found included short neck, high arched palate, broad chest, Madelung deformity, short metacarpals, scoliosis, cubitus valgus, low hair line, webbed neck, edematous extremities, pigmented nevus, and sexual infantilism. The specific diseases associated Turner syndrome included renal abnormalities, congenital heart disease, hearing defects, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and decreased bone density. The phenotype of the mosaicism group was milder than that of the monosomy group. In the case of 46,X,del(Xp) and 45,X/46,X,del(Xq) groups, all had skeletal abnormalities, but the 46,X,del(Xq) group had none. In the case of 46,X,del(Xp) group, all showed short statures and skeletal abnormalities, but no sexual infantilism was observed. In the case of 46,X,i(Xq) and 45,X/46,X,i(Xq) groups, they all showed delayed puberty and had primary amenorrhea. Conclusion : It is important to study karyotype-phenotype correlations in patients with Turner syndrome to obtain interesting information about the genotype-phenotype correlations related to the X chromosome.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1982.05a
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• pp.15.1-15
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• 1982

Clinical findings for 95 patients (159 ears) of MEE (middle ear effusion) treated at Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital (Busan) from July 1979 to August 1981 were observed. A group who was treated with myringotomy and ventilation tube isertion was compared with another group of children treated with adenotonsillectomy at the same time. The following are the results: 1) The sex distribution showed 48 male and 47 female, and the age distribution was most common in the ages from six to ten (34 cases, 35%). 2) MEE of children treated with adenotonsillectomy in the same duration was 18 cases (14%), and it was 19% of all MEE patients. 3) Bilateral effusion (67%) was as twice as unilateral cases (33%). In children, bilateral effusion (42 cases, 88%) was predominant, and MEE in adenotonsillectomized children was bilateral in all cases. 4) The nature of middle ear fluid was 49% serous exudate, 33% mucoid exudate, 5% purulent and 3% bloody fluid. Serous exudate was 59% in adult group, but serous (41%) and mucoid exudate (43%) was similar incidence in children. 5) In the preoperative tympanogram, there were 6% with type A, 91% with type B, and 3% with type C. The incidence of abnormal tympanogram (type B or C) was same in MEE patients of adenotonsillectomized children (95%) and the other children group (95%), and it was 93% in adult group. 6) Treatment by myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion resulted in postoperative improvement in air conduction hearing acuity especially in adenotonsillectomized children.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2017

Recent automobile manufacturing technology has improved not only the function and performance of cars, but also the audio systems in cars so as to increase their marketability. Automobile manufacturers always have the option of simply installing an expensive acoustic system to help customers enjoy a high-level sound quality car audio system. However, this also tends to increase the MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) of the car. Therefore, it is desirable, where possible, to enhance the sound quality of plainer, less expensive audio devices to help customers feel as if they have a high-quality and expensive audio device in their car. In order to make this happen, the manufacturer must develop an optimal interior environment and audio system at a relatively lower cost. To this end, features of the car audio system can be enhanced by analyzing audio frequency response and using performance metrics to figure out the characteristics of the human auditory system. This study analyzed the sound field of Korean Recreation Vehicles (RVs) using the Internet of Things (IoT) sensor for the measurement of car audio system. As a result, high energy of sensitive bandwidth, one of the human auditory characteristics often makes annoying sound. This study also found that increasing the frequency response flatness is required by taking human auditory field into account when designing the car audio system for the future.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.100-107
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• 2007

AABR(automated auditory brainstem response) test is used for the screening purpose of hearing ability of neonates. In this paper, algorithm using Rolle's theorem is suggested for automatic detection of the ensemble averaged ABR waveform. The ABR waveforms were recorded from 55 normal-hearing ears of neonates at screening levels varying from 30 to 60 dBnHL. Recorded signals were analyzed by expert audiologist and by the proposed algorithm. The results showed that the proposed algorithm correctly identified latencies of the major ABR waves (III, V) with latent difference below 0.2 ms. No significant differences were found between the two methods. We also analyzed the ABR signals using derivative algorithm and compared the results with proposed algorithm. The number of detected candidate waves using the proposed algorithm was 47 % less than that of the existing one. The proposed method had lower relative errors (0.01 % error at 60dBnHL) compared to the existing one. By using proposed algorithm, clinicians can detect and label waves III and V more objectively and quantitatively than the manual detection method.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.13-20
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• 2008

Although digital hearing aid algorithms have been developed to compensate hearing loss and to help hearing impaired people to communicate with others, digital hearing aid user still complain about difficulty of hearing the speech. The reason could be the quality of speech through digital hearing aid is insufficient to understand the speech caused by feedback, residual noise and etc. And another thing is masking effect among formants that makes sound quality low. In this study, we measured the masking characteristics of normal listeners and hearing impaired listeners having presbyacusis to confirm masking effect in speech itself. The experiment is composed of 5 tests; pure tone test, speech reception threshold (SRT) test, word recognition score (WRS) test, puretone masking test and speech masking test. In speech masking test, there are 25 speeches in each speech set. And log likelihood ratio (LLR) is introduced to evaluate the distortion of each speech objectively. As a result, the speech perception became lower by increasing the quantity of formant enhancement. And each enhanced speech in a speech set has statistically similar LLR, however speech perception is not. It means that acoustic masking effect rather than distortion influences speech perception. In actuality, according to the result of frequency analysis of the speech that people can not answer correctly, level difference between first formant and second formant is about 35dB, and it is similar to result of pure tone masking test(normal hearing subject:36.36dB, hearing impaired subject:32.86dB). Characteristics of masking effect is not similar between normal listeners and hearing impaired listeners. So it is required to check the characteristics of masking effect before wearing a hearing aid and to apply this characteristics to fitting.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2009

Objective : The purpose of the study is to examine the length of institutionalization and sensory modulation for preschooler without disabilities, and to investigate the relationship between the length of institutionalization and behavioral problem. Method : Mothers of preschoolers without disabilities between ages of 3 and 7 who attend D kindergarten was participated. Nursery school teacher of institutionalized children without disabilities between ages of 3 and 7 who attend child-welfare facilities was participated. We used Short Sensory Profile(SSP) and Children Behavior Check list. The results were analyzed with SPSS 11.0. Results : There was no significant difference between longer length of institutionalization and shorter length of institutionalization in sensory modulation and behavioral problem. Regarding the sensory modulation and behavior problem according to child-welfare facilities, means showed the statistically significant difference. Regarding sensory modulation of test items, movement sensitivity and low energy/weak showed the statistically significant difference in home-reared children than institutionalized children. Conclusions : The results of the study showed high correlation environmental effect in institutionalized children. Further research is needed to improve environmental for institutionalized children.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2016

It is widely acknowledged that the human auditory system is organized tonotopically and people generally listen to sounds as a function of frequency distribution through the auditory system. However, it is still unclear how acoustic features of speech sounds are indicated to the human brain in terms of speech perception. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether two sounds with similar high-frequency characteristics in the acoustic analysis show similar results at the level of auditory brainstem. Thirty three young adults with normal hearing participated in the study. As stimuli, two Korean monosyllables (i.e., /ja/ and /cha/) and four frequencies of toneburst (i.e., 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) were used to elicit the auditory brainstem response (ABR). Measures of monosyllable and toneburst were highly replicable and the wave V of waveform was detectable in all subjects. In the results of Pearson correlation analysis, the /ja/ syllable had a high correlation with 4000 Hz of toneburst which means that its acoustic characteristics (i.e., 3671~5384 Hz) showed the same results in the brainstem. However, the /cha/ syllable had a high correlation with 1000 and 2000 Hz of toneburst although it has acoustical distribution of 3362~5412 Hz. We concluded that there was disagreement between acoustic features and physiology outcomes at the auditory brainstem level. This finding suggests that an acoustical-perceptual mapping study is needed to scrutinize human speech perception.