Improvement in tinnitus distress, health-related quality of life and psychological comorbidities by cochlear implantation in single-sided deaf patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) lack the ability localize sound sources and have difficulty with speech-in-noise hearing. In addition, there is a high prevalence of tinnitus distress. These problems may result in reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological comorbidities. This study aimed to investigate the influence of treatment with a cochlear implant (CI) on HRQoL, tinnitus distress, psychological comorbidities, and audiological parameters in SSD patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 20 patients with postlingually acquired SSD (13 women, 7 men, mean age 57.0 years). Data on HRQoL were collected with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) and the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 Survey (SF-36). Tinnitus distress was assessed with the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), psychological comorbidities were evaluated with validated questionnaires, and speech perception and hearing ability were measured with validated speech tests. RESULTS: Postoperatively, the mean total NCIQ score (p < 0.0001) and four subscores improved significantly, as did tinnitus distress (p < 0.05). Anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire, GAD-7) decreased significantly after CI. Speech perception improved significantly, particularly "hearing with background noise" (p < 0.05, Oldenburg Inventory, OI) and "localization" (p < 0.001, OI), as well as the Oldenburg Sentence Test (OlSa) scores for with vs. without CI when speech was presented from the SSD side and noise was presented from the normal hearing side (SSSDNNH; p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: CI in SSD patients is a powerful procedure to improve HRQoL, reduce tinnitus distress, and improve psychological comorbidities. Additionally, it is beneficial for hearing improvement, particularly in noise and for directional hearing.

[Improvement in tinnitus distress, health-related quality of life and psychological comorbidities by cochlear implantation in single-sided deaf patients. German version]. / Verbesserung von Tinnitusdistress, Lebensqualität und psychologischen Komorbiditäten durch Cochleaimplantation einseitig ertaubter Patienten.

BACKGROUND: Patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) lack the ability localize sound sources and have difficulty with speech-in-noise hearing. In addition, there is a high prevalence of tinnitus distress. These problems may result in reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological comorbidities. This study aimed to investigate the influence of treatment with a cochlear implant (CI) on HRQoL, tinnitus distress, psychological comorbidities, and audiological parameters in SSD patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 20 patients with postlingually acquired SSD (13 women, 7 men, mean age 57.0 years). Data on HRQoL were collected with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) and the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 Survey (SF-36). Tinnitus distress was assessed with the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), psychological comorbidities were evaluated with validated questionnaires, and speech perception and hearing ability were measured with validated speech tests. RESULTS: Postoperatively, the mean total NCIQ score (p < 0.0001) and four subscores improved significantly, as did tinnitus distress (p < 0.05). Anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire, GAD-7) decreased significantly after CI. Speech perception improved significantly, particularly "hearing with background noise" (p < 0.05, Oldenburg Inventory, OI) and "localization" (p < 0.001, OI), as well as the Oldenburg Sentence Test (OlSa) scores for with vs. without CI when speech was presented from the SSD side and noise was presented from the normal hearing side (SSSDNNH; p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: CI in SSD patients is a powerful procedure to improve HRQoL, reduce tinnitus distress, and improve psychological comorbidities. Additionally, it is beneficial for hearing improvement, particularly in noise and for directional hearing.

Accumulation of potentially toxic elements in plants and their transfer to human food chain.

Contaminated soils can be a source for crop plants of such elements like As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The excessive transfer of As, Cu, Ni, and Zn to the food chain is controlled by a "soil-plant barrier"; however, for some elements, including Cd, the soil-plant barrier fails. The level of Cd ingested by average person in USA is about 12 micrograms/day, which is relatively low comparing to Risk Reference Dose (70 micrograms Cd/day) established by USEPA. Food of plant origin is a main source of Cd intake by modern society. Fish and shellfish may be a dominant dietary sources of Hg for some human populations. About half of human Pb intake is through food, of which more than half originates from plants. Dietary intake of Cd and Pb may be increased by application of sludges on cropland with already high levels of these metals. Soils amended with sludges in the USA will be permitted (by USEPA-503 regulations) to accumulate Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, and Se, and Zn to levels from 10 to 100 times the present baseline concentrations. These levels are very permissive by international standards. Because of the limited supply of toxicity data obtained from metals applied in sewage sludge, predictions as to the new regulations will protect crop plants from metal toxicities, and food chain from contamination, are difficult to make.

Chemical and mineralogical forms of Cu and Ni in contaminated soils from the Sudbury mining and smelting region, Canada.

Available information on soil contamination by trace elements in the Sudbury Cu/Ni mining and smelting region consists largely of total elemental concentration data. Little is known about the mode of occurrence and behaviour of Cu and Ni (the main metallic contaminants) in the soils of the region. In this study, sequential extraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM/EDX) observations were complementarily used to define Cu and Ni forms in the Sudbury soils, so as to assess metal mobility. Most Cu (on average 75%) was associated with 'non-residual' soil forms, whereas Ni was mainly (on average 60%) associated with inorganic 'residual' forms of a sulphide and oxide nature. Therefore, Cu occurs in the soils in more mobile forms than Ni. Consequently, Cu should be removed from these soils at a faster rate than Ni. This is an unusual finding, because generally Ni is known to be more mobile in soils than Cu. SEM/EDX analysis confirmed the greater Cu mobility by showing that the metal was strongly associated with organic matter and was homogeneously distributed on the clay fraction surfaces. Nickel occurred alone or was associated with Fe oxides in various size fractions. Both elements were found as sulphides but Ni was often included in the silicate matrices of spherical particles in associations with Fe. SEM/EDX observations have shown that Cu and Ni are associated with soil forms which would not have been predicted by the sequential extraction alone, such as carbonaceous material, silicate spheres and carbonate particles, supporting complementary use of the two techniques.

Transfer of cadmium, lead, and zinc from industrially contaminated soil to crop plants: a field study.

The documeneed adverse health effects of soil Cd and Pb have led to public concern over soil contamination with metals. A 4-year field experiment was conducted to study the transfer of Cd, Pb, and Zn from soil contaminated by smelter flue-dust to crop plants grown in a rotation. The soil was amended with Pb?Zn smelter flue-dust (2-66.8 kg per 10 m(2) plot) to simulate the long-term effect that the smelting of non-ferrous metal ore has on arable soils. The treated soil became strongly contaminated with metals (Cd 3.2-106 mg/kg, Pb 146-3452 mg/kg, Zn 465-11 375 mg/kg). Concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in barley grain, barley straw meadow bluegrass, red clover, and potatoes were generally low. The highest metal concentrations were found in potato tubers (intact), meadow bluegrass, and barley straw. The observed reduction in crop yield was probably the result of possible nutrient imbalances rather than of metal (Zn, Cu) phytotoxicities. Zn and Cd uptake by the plants can be described by the saturation (plateau) model (y = ax(b), b < 1). The relationship between Pb in the soil and plants was linear with an extremely low slope (0.0001-0.0003). No excessive dietary intake of Cd is expected when Cd concentrations in barley grain and potato tubers grown on the contaminated soil are not higher than 0.6 and 1.0 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the risk analysis and taking into account the saturation model of the soil-plant metal relationship, it was concluded that, under the conditions of this experiment (neutral soil pH), soil with Cd concentrations of up to 30 mg/kg is still safe for production of these crop plants.

[Interaction of the inotropic effect of norepinephrine and acetylcholine on the guinea pig's myocardium]. / Vzaiemodiia inotropnogo vplyvu noradrenalinu ta atsetylkholinu na miokard morskoi svynky.

The experiments on guinea pig myocardium slices have been carried out to study the interaction of inotropic effects of different doses of norepinephrine (NE, from 10(-7) to 10(-5) mol/l) and acetylcholine (AC, from 10(-8) to 10(-6) mol/l). With an increase of NE concentration the negative influence of AC on the inotropic action is replaced by positive one. It is shown that there are optimal concentrations of NE and AC to exert a negative influence of AC on adrenergic inotropic effect (in these experiments--3 x 10(-7) mol/l for both influences). A decrease in frequency of contractions of AC on NE effect and positive influence of adrenergic myocardium stimulation on inotropic effect of AC, respectively. Such a type of relation of cardial effects of choline- and adrenergic influences is suggested to be designated by term "negatively accentuative antagonism" unlike the opposite type of choline-adrenergic interaction--"positive accentuative antagonism", under which AC increases inotropic effect of adrenergic myocardium stimulation, while adrenergic positive inotropic influences decrease AC effect.

[The topological characteristics of rat myocardial reactivity to noradrenaline, acetylcholine and a change in the electrostimulation frequency]. / Topolohichni osoblyvosti reaktyvnosti miokarda shchuriv na noradrenalin, atsetylkholin ta zminu chastoty elektrostimuliatsiï.

Dose-dependent effects of noradrenaline (10-7-10-6M), acetylcholine (10-8-3x10-6M) and stimulation rate (0.2-2.0 Hz) were obtained in experiments on myocardium preparations of the right and left atria and ventricles in rat. Three types of topological differences of the rat myocardium reactivity were observed: between the atria and ventricles (A/V), between the right and left atria and ventricles (R/L), between the right atrium (RA) and other cardiac chambers. A/V differences were most pronounced in the reactivity to acetylcholine (the atria were more reactive), the highest R/L differences were observed in the reactivity to noradrenaline (the myocardium of the right chambers was more reactive). RA reactivity greatly exceeded reactivity of other myocardial preparations to all three test influences. Topological peculiarities of chrono-inotropism permit supposing, that inotropic effects of rate changes in vivo are able to compensate, to some extent, the regional nonuniformity of cholin- and adrenergic regulatory inotropic effects.

[Age-related changes in inotropic effects of noradrenaline and acetylcholine on the myocardium of guinea pigs]. / Starechi zminy inotropnoï diï noradrenalinu ta atsetylkholinu na miokard mors'kykh svynok.

The inotropic effects of noradrenaline (10(-7)-10(-5) M) and acetylcholine (10(-8)-10(-6) M) were studied in experiments carried out on preparations of the right atria and on papillary muscles of the right ventricle in adult (4-5 months) and old (18-24 months) guinea pigs. An age-related decrease in inotropic noradrenaline effects and the displacement of dose-effect relationships to the right was revealed. Similar changes of the dose-related effects of acetylcholine superfused against the background of noradrenaline action were observed. The direct inotropic action of the acetylcholine did not change with ageing. A lack of the essential atrial-ventricular differences in age-related changes in myocardial reactivity is apparently very significant for support of effective functional coupling of cardiac chambers in ageing.

[Interatrial differences of myocardial reactivity and its changes in adaptation of rats to physical exercise]. / Mezhpredserdnye razlichiia reaktivnosti miokarda i ee izmenenii pri adaptatsii krys k fizicheskoi nagruzke.

The myocardial reactivity to main regulatory influences (changes of stimulation rate, superfusion of acetylcholine, adrenaline, noradrenaline) was to be higher in right than in left rat atrium. The training-induced increase of some interatrial differences in myocardial reactivity suggests their essential physiological significance.

[Interaction of inotropic effects on acetylcholine, adrenaline and increase of atrium stimulation frequency in rats adapted and non-adapted to physical exercise]. / Vzaimodeistvie inotropnykh vliianii atsetilkholina, adrenalina i uvelicheniia chastoty stimuliatsii predserdii u adaptirovannykh i neadaptirovannykh k fizicheskoi nagruzke krys.

It is shown in experiments carried out on the isolated strips of the left and right atria of the rat that adrenaline decreases the inotropic effect of acetylcholine while interatrial differences of chrono-inotropy are elevated by acetylcholine and adrenaline. Training of animals changes interaction of regulatory effects in such a way that an increase of the negative chrono-inotropy is compensated and efficiency of the cardiac muscle regulation grows.

Trace metal contents ofTaraxacum officinale (dandelion) as a convenient environmental indicator.

Some vascular plants are known to concentrate trace metals and are regarded to be suitable indicators of atmospheric metal deposition. Among plant species used for biogeochemical studies dandelion (Taraxacum officinale.) is convenient for monitoring air/soil pollution. The plant commonly occurs in different ecosystems with relatively parallel stages of ontogenesis over a broad area of geographical regions. Its leaves and roots are easily accessible for sampling. Leaf to root ratios of metal concentrations in dandelion may indicate the source of metals during the growing season. Trace metals in leaves and roots of dandelion from 132 sites in Poland showed higher concentrations in the plants from the SW region compared to those from the NE region of the country. However, the differences were only statistically significant (α = 0.05) for Cd, Ni, and Pb. Geometric means of metal concentrations (mg kg(-1), air dried weight) in dandelion leaves of the SW and NE regions were: Cd 0.85, 0.52; Cr 0.99, 0.81; Cu 11.2, 11.1; Fe 184.4, 100.0; Mn 59.7, 51.4; Ni 2.1, 1.5; Pb 4.4, 3.0; and Zn 49.6, 41.3, respectively. Markedly higher concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were found in the leaves of the dandelion over roots in the SW region. These metals are the most serious aerial pollutants in that part of the country.

[Diagnosis of chronic fetal anoxia]. / Diagnostika khronicheskoi gipoksii ploda.

The intrauterine fetal status was assessed in women at 34-42 week gestation; the pregnancies were complicated by obstetric and extragenital disease (nephropathy, prolonged gestation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, renal disease). Computer-assisted analysis of the diagnostic value of fetal cardiotocography, uterine-placental hemodynamics, and acid-base status of maternal capillary blood showed that the following parameters are most informative for the diagnosis of chronic fetal hypoxia: stable rhythm duration; oscillation amplitude; acceleration/deceleration number, amplitude, and duration; volume flow rate of the uterine-placental unit; and pH and base deficiency in the blood taken from the cervix uteri.

Baseline zinc content of soils and plants in Poland.

Topsoils from Poland were analysed for total and extractable zinc, and for a range of major elements and selected soil properties. Plant samples from the same locations were also analysed for zinc content. The geometric mean concentrations of zinc in samples were (mg/kg dry weight): soil total-Zn, 45.9; soil extractable-Zn 3.1; grass, 30.0; dandelion-tops, 45.9; dandelion-roots, 23.2; oat-leaves, 20.0; oat-grains, 29.7; lichens, 111.5. Significant relationships were found for zinc in grass and extractable-Zn in soils as well as for zinc in lichens and both total and extractable Zn in soils. Zinc in soils varied for soil kinds and regions.