Academic literature on the topic 'Ear, External'

Objectives: To determine morphometric measurements of external ear amongmedical students of Nawaz Sharif Medical College, University of Gujrat. Study Design: Crosssectional. Setting: This study was done among students of First & Second year MBBS classesat Nawaz sharif Medical College, University of Gujrat. Period: 2015. Methodology: The studygroup consisted of 120 girls and 80 boys with age range 18 to 22 (median 20). Total Ear height,lobular height, lobular width and distances of helical root and insertion of the lobule from thelateral palpebral commissure were measured by using vernier caliper. Results: With analysisof normative cross-sectional data, this study endeavors to show anatomic and aestheticdifferences between boys and girls. The average total ear height across the study group forboth left and right ears was 6.50cm. The average lobular height was 1.9cm. The average lobularwidth was 2cm. The height of the pinna was significantly larger in boys than girls. The distancebetween helical root and lateral palpebral commissure was significantly larger among boys ascompared to girls. The average height and width of the lobule of boys and girls were statisticallyinsignificant.

Ear-related wearable products have become ubiquitous and are used daily for instant communication, entertainment, hearing protection (occupational noise) and noise reduction. The proper fit of ear related wearables is imperative to their function and comfort. Prior studies have demonstrated that some anthropometric measures of the ear changes with age. However, despite this, there is a lack of relevant studies on how key dimensions of the ear, like the external acoustic meatus (EAM), change with age. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to define EAM measurements that are important for the ergonomic design of ear-related wearable products and explore how the EAM anthropometry changes with age.

External ear canal cholesteatoma is a rare condition in otologic practice. A case in a 43-year-old woman is presented in which despite the extensive nature of the lesion, minimal symptoms and absence of signs delayed diagnosis. The cause of the lesion and its treatment are discussed.

We report two cases of carcinoma in situ in the external auditory canal (EAC), presenting with symptoms such as pain, long-term itching of the ear, easy contact bleeding, canal otorrhea and hearing loss. Otoscopic examination revealed granulation tissue and a greyish-black tumour with irregular surface. The first patient had previously been diagnosed with otitis externa with persistent ear itching for the past three years. The second patient had received tympanoplasty for treatment of chronic otitis media on the right ear ten years ago. The first case was treated with wide excision, whereas the second patient received resection of the skin of the EAC together with its adjacent soft tissue, followed by skin grafting. No tumour recurrence was noted in the fourth and third post-operative year for the first and second patient respectively. We suggest that EAC carcinoma can be detected early and treated.

<p>External auditory canal (EAC) osteomas are rare, solitary benign unilateral lesion. Small lesions are incidentally diagnosed and larger lesions produce symptoms of pain, ear discharge and defective hearing. Diagnosis is made based on a combination of clinical history and examination, radiographic imaging, and histopathology. They are usually confused with exostosis which are multiple, bilateral, smooth-bordered, broad-based lesions without deep extension. We present a case of 21-year-old male patient who came to our outpatient department, with complaints of left ear blocking sensation for past 6 months. On evaluation, it was diagnosed as left EAC osteoma and the same was excised via post-auricular approach. This case is being presented for its rarity</p>

While marine, anthropogenic noise pollution is a scientific and societal matter of concern, there is limited knowledge on how sea animals, particularly cetaceans, perceive their environment through sounds. Toothed whales, like all cetaceans, show a series of astonishing morphological and physiological evolutionary adaptations, of which one of the most striking can be found in the complex configuration of the hearing apparatus. The external ear canal, although no longer considered a direct actor in the sound reception process, also shows surprising adaptation with many active structures and a complex peripheral innervation, although basic knowledge on its morphology is inconclusive at the moment. This study aimed at providing fundamental knowledge on the morphology of the external ear canal in various toothed whales, associated to its sensory capabilities with in-depth morphological descriptions of its shape and course, lumen and content, epithelium, glands, lymphoid tissue, vascularization, innervation, muscular tissue, cartilage, fat and connective tissue. Furthermore, specific attention was given to the identification and morphological characterization of the sensory formations associated with the external ear canal, and the comparison with the terrestrial cetartiodactyl external ear canal, to gain perspective of a comprehensive understanding of the cetacean sensory abilities. Post-mortem samples were gathered during necropsies of wild toothed whales, in an international collaborative effort. The tissues were inspected macroscopically and subjected to microscopic studies including immunohistochemical analyses using antibodies specific for nervous tissue, various histochemical techniques, ultrastructural investigation using transmission electron microscopy, and 3D reconstruction from histological slides of the ear canal and associated tissues. The winding structure of the external ear canal revealed a complex organ that comprises a physiological function reflected in its delicate anatomical structures, all of which are discussed in detail. Remarkably, the innervation showed an extensive intramural nervous plexus with the predominant presence of simple lamellar corpuscles, similar to Pacinian corpuscles although without an outer core or capsule. There were differences in conformation along the canal, from a network that fully encompasses the ear canal to a nervous tissue ridge that bulges into the lumen. The work elaborates on hypotheses related to the external ear canal’s function and the somatosensory system in toothed whales, taking into account the importance of the perspective of sensory modalities in the marine environment. The results indicate it plays an important physiological function, which impairment may have direct effects on their sensory capabilities and compromise essential physiological processes. It also puts into question to what extent there might be an adverse effect from various sources of anthropogenic noise, as it can cause physical changes in the sensory tissues in cetaceans and other marine fauna.
Morfo-funcionalitat del canal auditiu extern en odontocets. Si bé la contaminació acústica marina antropogènica és un assumpte que preocupa la comunitat científica i la societat en general, el coneixement sobre com els animals marins, en particular els cetacis, perceben el seu entorn a través dels sons és limitat. Els odontocets, com tots els cetacis, presenten una sèrie de sorprenents adaptacions evolutives morfològiques i fisiològiques. Entre elles, una de les més notables es troba en la complexa configuració de l'aparell auditiu. El canal auditiu extern, tot i que no es considera que tingui un paper directe en el procés de recepció de el so, també mostra una sorprenent adaptació al medi marí, mostrant moltes estructures actives i una complexa innervació perifèrica. Malgrat això, els coneixements bàsics sobre la seva morfologia no són concloents de moment. Aquest estudi tenia com a objectiu la descripció fonamental de la morfologia del conducte auditiu extern en diversos odontocets, associant-la a les seves capacitats sensorials a través de descripcions morfològiques en profunditat de la seva forma i curs, lumen i contingut, epiteli, glàndules, teixit limfoide, vascularització, innervació, teixit muscular, cartílag, teixit adipós i connectiu. A més, es va parar especial atenció a la identificació i caracterització morfològica de les formacions sensorials associades al canal auditiu extern, i es va fer una comparació amb el conducte auditiu extern de cetartiodáctilos terrestres, per tal d'assolir una comprensió integral de les capacitats sensorials dels cetacis. Es van recol·lectar mostres post-mortem durant necròpsies d¿odontocets salvatges, en un esforç de col·laboració internacional. Els teixits es van inspeccionar macroscòpicament i es van sotmetre a estudis microscòpics, incloent anàlisis immunohistoquímics amb anticossos específics per teixit nerviós, diverses tècniques histoquímiques, investigació ultraestructural mitjançant microscòpia electrònica de transmissió i reconstrucció 3D a partir de talls histològics de canal auditiu i teixits associats. L'estructura sinuosa de canal auditiu extern va revelar un òrgan complex, la funció fisiològica del qual es reflecteix en les seves delicades estructures anatòmiques, que presenten una morfologia que es discuteix en detall. Sorprenentment, la innervació va mostrar un extens plexe nerviós intramural amb la presència predominant de corpuscles lamelares simples, similars als corpuscles de Pacini, encara que sense capa externa o càpsula. Es van observar diferències en la conformació dels corpuscles al llarg del canal auditiu, des d'una xarxa que abasta completament el conducte fins a una cresta de teixit nerviós que sobresurt en el lumen. El treball desenvolupa hipòtesis relacionades amb la funció del conducte auditiu extern i el sistema somatosensorial en odontocets, tenint en compte la importància de la perspectiva de les modalitats sensorials en el medi marí. Els resultats indiquen que el canal exerceix una funció fisiològica important, el deteriorament del qual pot tenir efectes directes sobre les seves capacitats sensorials i comprometre processos fisiològics essencials. També qüestiona fins a quin punt les diverses fonts de soroll antropogènic poden tenir un efecte advers, ja que poden provocar canvis físics en els teixits sensorials en cetacis i altra fauna marina
Studio morfo-funzionale del canale uditivo esterno negli odontoceti. Nonostante l'inquinamento acustico marino sia una questione che induce una crescente preoccupazione scientifica e sociale, la conoscenza su come gli animali marini, in particolare i cetacei, percepiscono il loro ambiente attraverso i suoni è ancora limitata. Gli odontoceti in particolare mostrano una serie di notevoli adattamenti evolutivi morfologici e fisiologici, di cui uno dei più eclatanti si trova nella complessa configurazione dell'apparato uditivo. Il condotto uditivo esterno, sebbene non sia più considerato una parte direttamente interessata nel processo di ricezione del suono, mostra un sorprendente adattamento con molte strutture attive e una complessa innervazione periferica. Tuttavia, le conoscenze basilari sulla sua morfologia e funzione sono incomplete al momento. Questo studio mira ad approfondire la morfologia del condotto uditivo esterno in vari odontoceti, con descrizioni morfologiche fornendo dettagli sulla sua forma e decorso, lume e contenuto, epitelio, ghiandole, tessuto linfoide, vascolarizzazione, innervazione, tessuto muscolare, cartilagine, tessuto adiposo e connettivo. Inoltre, una particolare attenzione è stata data all'identificazione e caratterizzazione morfologica delle formazioni sensoriali associate al condotto uditivo esterno, e al confronto con la medesima struttura in altri ceto-artiodattili terrestri, per ottenere una prospettiva di comprensione complessiva delle capacità sensoriali dei cetacei. I campioni sono stati raccolti durante necroscopie di odontoceti spiaggiati, in uno sforzo di collaborazione internazionale. I tessuti sono stati valutati macroscopicamente e quindi sottoposti a studi microscopici, comprendenti analisi immunoistochimiche utilizzando anticorpi specifici per il tessuto nervoso, insieme a varie tecniche istochimiche e indagini ultrastrutturali mediante microscopia elettronica a trasmissione. Ciò ha inoltre portato alla ricostruzione 3D partendo da vetrini istologici del condotto uditivo e dei tessuti associati. Il condotto uditivo esterno si è rivelato un organo complesso che comprende una funzione fisiologica riflessa nella sua delicata struttura anatomica. L'innervazione mostrava un esteso plesso nervoso intramurale con la presenza predominante di semplici corpuscoli lamellari, simili ai corpuscoli del Pacini, sebbene senza strato esterno o capsula. Lungo il decorso del condotto si sono notate alcune differenze nella sua architettura e distribuzione, da una rete che racchiude completamente il condotto uditivo a una papilla di tessuto nervoso che si gonfia nel lume. Grazie a questo studio si è potuto, al termine del lavoro, elaborare ipotesi relative alla funzione del condotto uditivo esterno e del sistema somatosensoriale nelle balene dentate, tenendo conto dell'importanza della prospettiva delle modalità sensoriali nell'ambiente marino. I risultati indicano che svolge una rilevante funzione fisiologica, la cui compromissione può avere effetti diretti sulla capacità sensoriali dei odontoceti e possibilmente compromettere i processi fisiologici essenziali. Questo studio sottolinea come potrebbe esserci effetti da varie fonti di rumore antropico, che possono causare cambiamenti fisici nei tessuti sensoriali dei cetacei e di altra fauna marina
Morfo-funcionalidad del canal auditivo externo en odontocetos. Si bien la contaminación acústica marina antropogénica es un asunto que preocupa a la comunidad científica y a la sociedad en general, existe un conocimiento limitado sobre cómo los animales marinos, en particular los cetáceos, perciben su entorno a través de los sonidos. Los odontocetos, como todos los cetáceos, presentan una serie de asombrosas adaptaciones evolutivas morfológicas y fisiológicas. Entre ellas, una de las más notables se encuentra en la compleja configuración del aparato auditivo. El canal auditivo externo, aunque no se considera que tenga un rol directo en el proceso de recepción del sonido, también muestra una sorprendente adaptación al medio marino, mostrando muchas estructuras activas y una compleja inervación periférica. No obstante, los conocimientos básicos sobre su morfología no son concluyentes por el momento. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo la descripción fundamental de la morfología del conducto auditivo externo en diversos odontocetos, asociándola a sus capacidades sensoriales a través de descripciones morfológicas en profundidad de su forma y curso, lumen y contenido, epitelio, glándulas, tejido linfoide, vascularización, inervación, tejido muscular, cartílago, tejido adiposo y conectivo. Además, se prestó especial atención a la identificación y caracterización morfológica de las formaciones sensoriales asociadas al canal auditivo externo, y se hace una comparación con el conducto auditivo externo de cetartiodáctilos terrestres, con el fin de alcanzar una comprensión integral de las capacidades sensoriales de los cetáceos. Se recolectaron muestras post-mortem durante necropsias de odontocetos salvajes, en un esfuerzo de colaboración internacional. Los tejidos se inspeccionaron macroscópicamente y se sometieron a estudios microscópicos, incluyendo análisis inmunohistoquímicos con anticuerpos específicos para tejido nervioso, diversas técnicas histoquímicas, investigación ultraestructural mediante microscopía electrónica de transmisión y reconstrucción 3D a partir de cortes histológicos del canal auditivo y tejidos asociados. La estructura sinuosa del canal auditivo externo reveló un órgano complejo cuya función fisiológica se refleja en sus delicadas estructuras anatómicas, la morfología de las cuales se discuten en detalle. Sorprendentemente, la inervación mostró un extenso plexo nervioso intramural con la presencia predominante de corpúsculos lamelares simples, similares a los corpúsculos de Pacini, aunque sin capa externa o cápsula. Se observaron diferencias en la conformación de los corpúsculos a lo largo del canal auditivo, desde una red que abarca completamente el conducto hasta una cresta de tejido nervioso que sobresale en el lumen. El trabajo desarrolla hipótesis relacionadas con la función del conducto auditivo externo y el sistema somatosensorial en odontocetos, teniendo en cuenta la importancia de la perspectiva de las modalidades sensoriales en el medio marino. Los resultados indican que el canal desempeña una función fisiológica importante, cuyo deterioro puede tener efectos directos sobre sus capacidades sensoriales y comprometer procesos fisiológicos esenciales. También cuestiona hasta qué punto las diversas fuentes de ruido antropogénico pueden tener un efecto adverso, ya que pueden provocar cambios físicos en los tejidos sensoriales en cetáceos y otra fauna marina
Ciències del mar

The acoustical properties of the external ears of rabbits, rats and guinea pigs have been investigated by means of microphone or probe implants in the ear canal or tympanic bulla and by cochlear microphone (CM) recordings. The directional properties and transfer functions of the external ears were monitored using pure tones and broadband sound under anechoic conditions.

Since the face forms over the brain in the course of embryonic development, facial anthropometry may reflect brain structure. The motor functions of each side are controlled by the side of the brain opposite the body side. The purpose of this study was to establish whether a correlation exists between handedness and the location of the external auditory meatuses, as a possible consequence of brain asymmetry. Facial photographs were taken of 78 volunteers. Straws, placed in the external ear canals, were used to mark the external auditory meatuses. The level of the top of each meatus was measured from each volunteer's visual plane, as established by connecting the center of a point of reflected light in each pupil. Each volunteer was also given the Edinburgh Laterality Inventory (Durden-Smith and DeSimone, 1984:53) to determine "true" handedness (50 right-handers and 28 left-handers). Right-handers, as determined by either writing hand or laterality inventory, were found to exhibit a greater tendency for the left auditory meatus to be lower. Specifically, 68% of the right-handers, as opposed to 39% of the left-handers, exhibited a left external auditory meatus located at a lower position on the skull than the right meatus. This was significant at the 0.05 level. The differences in external auditory meatal distances from the visual plane were greater on the left in right-handers 68% of the time, equal 10%, and greater on the right 22% of the time. A reverse correlation for the right asymmetry for left-handers was not found. Instead, for the left-handed sample a nearly even distribution for meatal location was found: 39% left asymmetry, 29% symmetry, and 32% right asymmetry.The study strongly supported the hypothesis that right-handers have a significant tendency for left asymmetry in location of the external auditory meatuses. The study did not support the hypothesis that the meatal asymmetry correlates to the side opposite the handedness of the individual. Of-perhaps greater significance is the finding that the percentages of left asymmetry of both groups match the brain asymmetry percentages found by Galaburda (1984:15) for the planum temporale, an extension on the upper surface of the temporal lobe of the brain. The level of the external auditory meatuses, as a reflection of brain asymmetry, may serve as an external measurement of the location of Wernicke's area which is located near the planum temporale and has a major role in speaking and comprehension of the spoken word and in reading and writing. Simple techniques for locating the language centers of the brain would be an advantage in developing education plans and teaching strategies for students with each of the possible hemispheric dominance patterns.
Department of Anthropology

Die Untersuchung des externen Gehörkanals stellt beim Pferd, wie auch bei anderen Tieren, einen Teil der klinischen Untersuchung dar. Bis jetzt konnte die Untersuchung des equinen externen Gehörkanals, wenn überhaupt, nur sehr oberflächlich durch Adspektion und Palpation der Ohrmuschel erfolgen. Das lag unter anderem an der großen Sensibilität des Pferdeohrs und den damit verbundenen Abwehrreaktionen, sowie auch an den fehlenden anatomischen Informationen. Zu den selten beschriebenen Erkrankungen des equinen, externen Gehörkanals zählen: Otitis externa, Polypen, Neoplasien, Chondrosen, Stenosen und Parasitenbefall (Ohrmilben). Die Diagnose solcher Erkrankungen konnte bis jetzt nur durch die endoskopische Untersuchung oder computertomographische Untersuchung des Gehörkanals post mortem oder unter Allgemeinanästhesie gestellt werden. Im ersten Teil der vorliegenden Studie wurden anatomische Präparationen an 15 Kadaverschädeln durchgeführt, um die genaue Innervation des equinen externen Gehörkanals darzustellen. Proben des Trommelfells, des N. auricularis magnus und des N. auricularis internus wurden histologisch aufbereitet. Durch die gewonnenen Informationen konnte eine Anästhesie des Gehörkanals durch lokale Infiltration des N. auricularis internus und N. auricularis magnus entwickelt werden. Im zweiten, klinischen Teil der Studie wurde die Anästhesie, nach ultrasonographischer Untersuchung der Region, an beiden Gehörkanälen von 23 Pferden durchgeführt. Die Lokalanästhesie war bei allen Pferden beidseits erfolgreich. Bei drei Pferden musste auf je einer Seite eine größere Menge Lokalanästhetikum verwendet werden, um eine vollständige Desensibilisierung zu erreichen. Dies waren die einzigen Fälle bei denen eine Komplikation durch die Anästhesie im Sinne einer temporären Facialisparese auftrat. Diese war damit klar auf die größere Menge des Lokalanästhetikums zurückzuführen. Durch die entwickelte Lokalanästhesie konnte die endoskopische Untersuchung des externen Gehörkanals bis hin zum Trommelfell am stehenden, sedierten Pferd möglich gemacht werden. Die Endoskopie wurde mit 2 verschiedenen flexiblen Endoskopen (mit 2 mm und 7 mm Durchmesser) durchgeführt. Im Rahmen der Endoskopie wurden die externen Gehörkanäle hinsichtlich ihrer Schleimhautbeschaffenheit, des Verschmutzungsgrades und auftretender Pathologien beurteilt. Der Verschmutzungsgrad variierte zwischen gering- und hochgradig (I-III). Zu den aufgetretenen Pathologien zählten zelluläre und zeruminale Akkumulationen, eine osteomähnliche Umfangsvermehrung, Granulome, Blutungen und Verengungen des externen Gehörkanals.

Thesis problem: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) can provide images with identical information and considerable dose reduction compared with reasonably low costs compared to multislice computed tomography (MSCT) especially where multiple follow up imaging studies are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of CBCT, using i-CAT®'s software, for detection of the anatomical landmarks of the external, middle and inner ear to answer this question whether MSCT Can be replaced by dental CBCT for evaluation of the temporal bone. Material and methods: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 63 subjects made with the same machine, with unknown clinical histories and no evidence of pathosis on CBCT images, were evaluated by two oral and maxillofacial radiologists retrospectively. Seven anatomical points (scutum, oval window, incudomalleolar joint, the tympanic/horizontal and mastoid/vertical segments of the facial nerve, anterior and posterior crura of stapes) of the right and left temporal bone (total of 120 temporal bones) were evaluated. The results were provided as percentage of the points identified by each radiologist. The intra and inter observer agreement were calculated using kappa statistic. Results: The scutum, the tympanic/horizontal segment of the facial nerve canal and the oval window of the right and left temporal bone of 63 cases (total 126 temporal bones) were visualized by the first observer as well-defined structures in 100%, 96.03% and 100% of the cases, respectively. The tympanic/horizontal segment of the facial nerve canal was visualized as a poorly-defined structure in 2.38 % and could not be identified in 1.59% of the cases. The anterior and posterior crura of stapes, the mastoid/vertical segments of the facial nerve canal and the incudomalleolar joint were visualized as well-defined structures in 24.60%, 53.17%, 99.21% and 57.94% of the cases, as poorly defined structures in 32.54%, 41.27%, 0.79% and 39.68% of the cases respectively. The anterior and posterior crura of stapes, the mastoid/vertical segments of the facial nerve canal and the incudomalleolar joint could not be identified in 42.86%, 5.56%, 0% and 2.38% of the cases respectively. The intra- and inter-observer agreement ranged from strong for tympanic/horizontal and mastoid/vertical segments of the facial nerve canal to poor for the anterior and posterior crura of stapes and also the incudomalleolar joint. Conclusion: The i-CAT CBCT machine is a promising replacement for MSCT in evaluation of the temporal bone where there is no need for evaluation of the anterior and posterior crura of stapes and the incudomalleolar joint which are the smallest anatomical structures in the temporal bone. Other CBCT machines with higher contrast to noise ratio should be evaluated for detection of those anatomical structures since CBCT can reduce the patient dose substantially where multiple follow up CT studied are needed. Key words: Computed tomography; cone beam CT; multislice helical CT; middle ear; inner ear; temporal bone.

Акустичне моделювання слухових функцій людини потребує створення математичної моделі сприйняття звуку зовнішнім відділом слухової системи, яка є невід’ємною частиною слухового апарату. На сьогоднішній день акустичне моделювання зовнішнього вуха не розглядалося, оскільки увага приділялася тільки проходженню звуку через зовнішній слуховий канал, а роль вушної раковини у сприйнятті звуку вважалася несуттєвою. Зв’язок роботи з науковими програмами, планами, темами Робота виконується на замовлення виробничого об’єднання «Фонтек–С» з ціллю впровадження у подальші розробки звукових сигналізаційних пристроїв. Мета і задачі дослідження. Розробити математичну модель зовнішнього вуха у вигляді поєднання приймального рупора з вузькою трубою із жорсткими стінками. Для досягнення мети необхідно виконати наступні завдання: - розробити математичну модель зовнішнього вуха; - виконати огляд строгих та наближених підходів до розрахунків звукового поля в рупорах різних форм; - розрахувати елементи математичної моделі; - дослідити роботу математичної моделі; - виконати аналіз отриманих результатів;
Acoustic modeling of auditory functions of a person requires the creation of a mathematical model for the perception of sound by the external department of the auditory system, which is an integral part of the auditory apparatus. Today, the acoustic modeling of the external ear has not been considered, since attention was paid only to the passage of sound through the external auditory canal, and the role of the ear bowl in the perception of sound was considered insignificant. Relationship of work with scientific programs, plans, themes The work is carried out on request of the production association "Fontec-C" for the purpose of further development of sound signaling devices. The purpose and tasks of the study. Develop a mathematical model of the external ear in the form of a combination of a horn with a narrow tube with rigid walls. To achieve the goal, you must accomplish the following tasks: - develop a mathematical model of the external ear; - to perform a review of strict and close approaches to the calculation of the sound field in the horns of various forms; - calculate the elements of the mathematical model; - to study the work of mathematical model; - to analyze the results obtained;
Акустическое моделирование слуховых функций человека требует создания математической модели восприятия звука внешним отделом слуховой системы, которая является неотъемлемой частью слухового аппарата. на сегодняшний день акустическое моделирование наружного уха не рассматривался, поскольку внимание уделялось только прохождению звука через внешний слуховой канал, а роль ушной раковины в восприятии звука считалась несущественной. Связь работы с научными программами, планами, темами Работа выполняется по заказу производственного объединения «Фонтек-С» с целью внедрения в дальнейшие разработки звуковых сигнализационных устройств. Цель и задачи исследования. Разработать математическую модель внешнего уши в виде сочетания приемного рупора с узкой трубой с жесткими стенками. Для достижения цели необходимо выполнить следующие задачи: - разработать математическую модель внешнего уха; - выполнить обзор строгих и приближенных подходов к расчетов звукового поля в рупор различных форм; - рассчитать элементы математической модели; - исследовать работу математической модели; - выполнить анализ полученных результатов;

The Auricular Branch of the Vagus Nerve (ABVN) is a sensory nerve that innervates select areas of the external auricular dermatome. Electrical stimulation of the auricular region innervated by the ABVN influences the autonomic nervous system, observed by changes in control of the heart in humans and animals. However, the pathways and mechanisms for these effects are unknown. This thesis investigated in rats the pathways mediating the effects of electrical stimulation of the external auricle, comparing an ABVN innervated site of the external ear (the tragus) to an area not reported to receive ABVN innervation, the earlobe. Injection of the neuronal tracer cholera toxin B chain (CTB) into the right tragus (n=4) and right earlobe (n=4) revealed a large degree of similarity in sensory afferent termination sites. Afferent terminals were predominantly labelled ipsilateral to the injection site, with the densest labelling within laminae III-IV of the dorsal horn of the upper cervical spinal cord. In the medulla oblongata, CTB labelled afferents were observed in the paratrigeminal nucleus, cuneate nucleus, and to a minor extent in the nucleus tractus solitarius. Efforts were made to identify the targets of labelled afferents using immunofluorescence for choline acetyltransferase, calbindin, parvalbumin, glutamate decarboxylase 67 and neurokinin receptor 1 expressing cells, but inputs to each cell type were rare. Physiological recordings of the responses to ear stimulation were made in an anaesthetic free Working Heart Brainstem Preparation (WHBP) of the rat. Autonomic profiles of WHBP rats were first examined. Recordings made from rats at night time, revealed more robust sympathetic activity in comparison to day time rats, thus subsequent experiments were conducted in rats at night time. Electrical stimulation (100 Hz, 2.5 mA) was delivered for 5 minutes into the auricular stimulation sites in the WHBP. Direct recording from the sympathetic chain revealed a central sympathoinhibition from both tragus and earlobe stimulation. Sectioning of upper cervical afferent nerve roots silenced the sympathoinhibitory effects of tragus stimulation. Considering the predominance of afferent labelling in the cervical spinal cord dorsal horn and that cervical afferent nerve section reduced the sympathoinhibition evoked by tragus stimulation, this suggests that the autonomic effects of auricular stimulation are conveyed through somatosensory afferents rather than the ABVN.

Gloves and masks make fingerprint and face recognition difficult in hospitals and factories. In this research, as a precondition for developing an authentication system based on geometrical features inside the ear canal using a camera, we will verify whether it is possible to identify individuals from images inside the ear canal using machine learning. The method is to acquire image data of the ear canal using a camera and identify individuals using the image data and a model that has been learned in advance. As a preliminary step to machine learning, we conducted a questionnaire to investigate whether it is possible to identify the inside of the ear canal using human recognition ability. The questionnaire results showed that the correct response rate was approximately 64%. We also found that the correct response rate decreased for questions such as "select the image of the left ear from the image of the right ear," even for the same person. In this study, the VGG16 model was re-trained by transfer learning because of the small amount of training data we had prepared. The number of classes was 26 since the data we prepared was for 13 people and the number of left and right ears, and we used approximately 400 pieces of data per class. The experimental results showed that discrimination was possible with high accuracy. Accuracy, Recall, Precision, and F-measure were used as evaluation indices, and both Accuracy and F-measure were highly evaluated at 0.989. These results also indicate that the left and right ears can be discriminated against even if they are different during registration and evaluation. In the future, we are planning to study the imaging method for implementation and conduct experiments with third-party data.

Understanding the complex external ear shape is crucial to the ergonomic design of ear worn products such as earphones and hearing-aids. The purpose of this study is to classify the external ear shapes (including auricle, concha and external auditory canal) based on fifteen anthropometric measurements extracted from 1180 Chinese adults aged between 18 and 65. Multivariate analysis adopted in this study contains two steps. First, the principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on these ear measurements to derive the underlying components of ear shape, and nine principal components were derived. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and kmeans clustering were conducted in succession, and the external ear shape was categorized into five clusters accordingly. The representative ear model for each cluster was rebuilt and relating ear measurements were presented. The results of this paper can facilitate the mass-production as well as improving the wearing comfort of ear-related products.

Objective. To update findings from previous Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)- and American Urological Association (AUA) funded reviews evaluating therapies for clinically localized prostate cancer (CLPC). Sources. Bibliographic databases (2013–January 2020); ClinicalTrials.gov; systematic reviews Methods. Controlled studies of CLPC treatments with duration ≥5 years for mortality and metastases and ≥1 year for quality of life and harms. One investigator rated risk of bias (RoB), extracted data, and assessed certainty of evidence; a second checked accuracy. We analyzed English-language studies with low or medium RoB. We incorporated findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified in the prior reviews if new RCTs provided information on the same intervention comparison. Results. We identified 67 eligible references; 17 were unique RCTs. Among clinically rather than prostate specific antigen (PSA) detected CLPC, Watchful Waiting (WW) may increase mortality and metastases versus Radical Prostatectomy (RP) at 20+ years. Urinary and erectile dysfunction were lower with WW versus RP. WW’s effect on mortality may vary by tumor risk and age but not by race, health status, comorbidities, or PSA. Active Monitoring (AM) probably results in little to no difference in mortality in PSA detected CLPC versus RP or external beam radiation (EBR) plus Androgen Deprivation (AD) regardless of tumor risk. Metastases were slightly higher with AM. Harms were greater with RP than AM and mixed between EBR plus AD versus AM. 3D-conformal EBR and AD plus low-dose-rate brachytherapy (BT) provided a small reduction in all-cause mortality versus three dimensional conformal EBR and AD but little to no difference on metastases. EBR plus AD versus EBR alone may result in a small reduction in mortality and metastases in higher risk disease but may increase sexual harms. EBR plus neoadjuvant AD versus EBR plus concurrent AD may result in little to no difference in mortality and genitourinary toxicity. Conventionally fractionated EBR versus ultrahypofractionated EBR may result in little to no difference in mortality and metastases and urinary and bowel toxicity. Active Surveillance may result in fewer harms than photodynamic therapy and laparoscopic RP may result in more harms than robotic-assisted RP. Little information exists on other treatments. No studies assessed provider or hospital factors of RP comparative effectiveness. Conclusions. RP reduces mortality versus WW in clinically detected CLPC but causes more harms. Effectiveness may be limited to younger men or to those with intermediate risk disease and requires many years to occur. AM results in little to no mortality difference versus RP or EBR plus AD. EBR plus AD reduces mortality versus EBR alone in higher risk CLPC but may worsen sexual function. Adding low-dose-rate BT to 3D-conformal EBR and AD may reduce mortality in higher risk CLPC. RCTs in PSA-detected and MRI staged CLPC are needed.

Over the last few decades, the organic agriculture sector has experienced sustained growth. Globally, as well as in the European Union and Portugal, organic production accounts for just under 10% of total Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) (FiBL, 2019; Eurostat, 2019; DGADR, 2019; INE, 2019; GPP, 2019). This growth has been seen in terms of production, number of producers, amount of retail sales, imports and exports. This article attempts to build on the multi-level perspective (MLP) of the socio-technical (ST) transitions theory by employing a whole systems analysis (Geels, 2018) of organic agriculture in Portugal, which defends an integrated vision of the systems, where multiple interactions occur within and among the niche, the regime and the landscape levels. This approach has been employed in order to develop a critical analysis of the current state of the Portuguese organic agriculture sector, stressing the multiplicity of elements that are contributing to the agro-food system´s transformation into a more sustainable one. In fact, the agro-food system is related with climate change but also has connections with other domains such as public health, water management, land use and biodiversity. Therefore, it is affected by shifts in these areas. This analysis considers developments in increasing domestic organic production, number of producers, amount of retail sales, imports, exports, market innovations, and the sector´s reconfiguration. The organic sector´s increase has been attributed to European regulation, institutionalization, standardization, farmer certification, external (government) subsidy support programs, incremental market improvements (visibility and product access), the emergence of new retailers, the rise of supporting consumers and a shift away from conventional agriculture (Truninger, 2010; DGADR, 2019; Pe´er et al, 2019). However, together with positive incentives, this sector also faces numerous barriers that are hindering a faster transformation. Difficulties for the sector to date have included: product placement; a disconnect between production, distribution and marketing systems; high transport costs; competition from imports; European subsidies focused on extensive crops (pastures, olive groves, and arable crops), entailing a substantial growth in the area of pasture to the detriment of other crops; the fact that the products that are in demand (fresh vegetables and fruit) are being neglected by Portuguese producers; expensive certification procedures; lack of adequate support and market expertise for national producers; the hybrid configuration of the sector; and price. Organic agriculture as a niche-innovation is still not greatly contributing to overall agricultural production. The low supply of organic products, despite its ever-increasing demand, suggests that a transition to increased organic production requires a deeper and faster food system reconfiguration, where an array of distinct policies are mobilized and a diversity of actions take place at different levels (Geels, 2018; Pe´er et al, 2019). This paper will attempt to contribute an overall critical assessment of the organic sector´s features and evolution and will identify some of the main obstacles to be overcome, in order to boost the sustainability transition of the agro-food system in Portugal.

Colonial National Historical Park (COLO) in eastern Virginia was established for its historical significance, but significant paleontological resources are also found within its boundaries. The bluffs around Yorktown are composed of sedimentary rocks and deposits of the Yorktown Formation, a marine unit deposited approximately 4.9 to 2.8 million years ago. When the Yorktown Formation was being deposited, the shallow seas were populated by many species of invertebrates, vertebrates, and micro-organisms which have left body fossils and trace fossils behind. Corals, bryozoans, bivalves, gastropods, scaphopods, worms, crabs, ostracodes, echinoids, sharks, bony fishes, whales, and others were abundant. People have long known about the fossils of the Yorktown area. Beginning in the British colonial era, fossiliferous deposits were used to make lime and construct roads, while more consolidated intervals furnished building stone. Large shells were used as plates and dippers. Collection of specimens for study began in the late 17th century, before they were even recognized as fossils. The oldest image of a fossil from North America is of a typical Yorktown Formation shell now known as Chesapecten jeffersonius, probably collected from the Yorktown area and very likely from within what is now COLO. Fossil shells were observed by participants of the 1781 siege of Yorktown, and the landmark known as “Cornwallis Cave” is carved into rock made of shell fragments. Scientific description of Yorktown Formation fossils began in the early 19th century. At least 25 fossil species have been named from specimens known to have been discovered within COLO boundaries, and at least another 96 have been named from specimens potentially discovered within COLO, but with insufficient locality information to be certain. At least a dozen external repositories and probably many more have fossils collected from lands now within COLO, but again limited locality information makes it difficult to be sure. This paleontological resource inventory is the first of its kind for Colonial National Historical Park (COLO). Although COLO fossils have been studied as part of the Northeast Coastal Barrier Network (NCBN; Tweet et al. 2014) and, to a lesser extent, as part of a thematic inventory of caves (Santucci et al. 2001), the park had not received a comprehensive paleontological inventory before this report. This inventory allows for a deeper understanding of the park’s paleontological resources and compiles information from historical papers as well as recently completed field work. In summer 2020, researchers went into the field and collected eight bulk samples from three different localities within COLO. These samples will be added to COLO’s museum collections, making their overall collection more robust. In the future, these samples may be used for educational purposes, both for the general public and for employees of the park.

Frozen, breaded, ready-to-cook chicken products have been implicated in outbreaks of salmonellosis. Some of these outbreaks can be large. For example, one outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis involved 193 people in nine countries between 2018 and 2020, of which 122 cases were in the UK. These ready-to-cook products have a browned, cooked external appearance, which may be perceived as ready-to-eat, leading to mishandling or undercooking by consumers. Continuing concerns about these products led FSA to initiate a short-term (four month), cross-sectional surveillance study undertaken in 2021 to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in frozen, breaded or battered chicken products on retail sale in the UK. This study sought to obtain data on AMR levels in Salmonella and E. coli in these products, in line with a number of other FSA instigated studies of the incidence and nature of AMR in the UK food chain, for example, the systematic review (2016). Between the beginning of April and the end of July 2021, 310 samples of frozen, breaded or battered chicken products containing either raw or partly cooked chicken, were collected using representative sampling of retailers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland based on market share data. Samples included domestically produced and imported chicken products and were tested for E. coli (including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing, colistin-resistant and carbapenem-resistant E. coli) and Salmonella spp. One isolate of each bacterial type from each contaminated sample was randomly selected for additional AMR testing to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for a range of antimicrobials. More detailed analysis based on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) data was used to further characterise Salmonella spp. isolates and allow the identification of potential links with human isolates. Salmonella spp. were detected in 5 (1.6%) of the 310 samples and identified as Salmonella Infantis (in three samples) and S. Java (in two samples). One of the S. Infantis isolates fell into the same genetic cluster as S. Infantis isolates from three recent human cases of infection; the second fell into another cluster containing two recent cases of infection. Countries of origin recorded on the packaging of the five Salmonella contaminated samples were Hungary (n=1), Ireland (n=2) and the UK (n=2). One S. Infantis isolate was multi-drug resistant (i.e. resistant to three different classes of antimicrobials), while the other Salmonella isolates were each resistant to at least one of the classes of antimicrobials tested. E. coli was detected in 113 samples (36.4%), with counts ranging from <3 to >1100 MPN (Most Probable Number)/g. Almost half of the E. coli isolates (44.5%) were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Multi-drug resistance was detected in 20.0% of E. coli isolates. E. coli isolates demonstrating the ESBL (but not AmpC) phenotype were detected in 15 of the 310 samples (4.8%) and the AmpC phenotype alone was detected in two of the 310 samples (0.6%) of chicken samples. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing showed that five of the 15 (33.3%) ESBL-producing E. coli carried blaCTX-M genes (CTX-M-1, CTX-M-55 or CTX-M-15), which confer resistance to third generation cephalosporin antimicrobials. One E. coli isolate demonstrated resistance to colistin and was found to possess the mcr-1 gene. The five Salmonella-positive samples recovered from this study, and 20 similar Salmonella-positive samples from a previous UKHSA (2020/2021) study (which had been stored frozen), were subjected to the cooking procedures described on the sample product packaging for fan assisted ovens. No Salmonella were detected in any of these 25 samples after cooking. The current survey provides evidence of the presence of Salmonella in frozen, breaded and battered chicken products in the UK food chain, although at a considerably lower incidence than reported in an earlier (2020/2021) study carried out by PHE/UKHSA as part of an outbreak investigation where Salmonella prevalence was found to be 8.8%. The current survey also provides data on the prevalence of specified AMR bacteria found in the tested chicken products on retail sale in the UK. It will contribute to monitoring trends in AMR prevalence over time within the UK, support comparisons with data from other countries, and provide a baseline against which to monitor the impact of future interventions. While AMR activity was observed in some of the E. coli and Salmonella spp. examined in this study, the risk of acquiring AMR bacteria from consumption of these processed chicken products is low if the products are cooked thoroughly and handled hygienically.