Assessment of listening effort, real-life outcome, auditory working memory and attention in school-going children with cochlear implant.

Purpose: To compare the listening effort using objective test (dual-task paradigm), parents report using abbreviated version of the Speech, Spatial and Quality questionnaire (SSQ-P10) and Teachers' Evaluation of Aural/Oral Performance of Children and Ease of Listening (TEACH), working memory and attention span between children using cochlear implants (CI) and age-matched peers with normal hearing sensitivity, and assess the relationship between listening effort and real-life benefit in children using CI.

Method: Group I included 25 children with normal hearing sensitivity. Group II included 25 children with bimodal cochlear implantation with bilateral severe to profound hearing loss.

A new objective method to estimate the charge integration efficiency in cochlear implant users.

Objective: The present study aimed to objectively assess the charge integration efficiency (CIE) of the auditory nerve using electrically-evoked stapedial reflex threshold (eSRT) measurements in paediatric cochlear implant users.

Design: The eSRT was estimated in two ways: by keeping pulse width constant while increasing pulse amplitude and vice versa. The electrical dynamic range (EDR) obtained for eSRT was measured with increasing pulse amplitude (EDR) and pulse width (EDR) by calculating the difference in charge units between eSRT and behavioural thresholds; further, CIE was estimated.

An injectable hydrogel of porcine cholecyst extracellular matrix for accelerated wound healing.

Hydrogel formulations of xenogeneic extracellular matrices have been widely used for topical wound care because of their exceptional tunability over other formulations like lyophilized sheets, powders, non-injectable gels, pastes, and ointments. This is important in the treatment of wounds with irregular shapes and depth. This study identified an injectable hydrogel formulation of porcine cholecyst extracellular matrix (60%) in medical-grade carboxymethyl cellulose (40%) as vehicle and evaluated its biomaterial properties.

Electrically evoked late latency response using single electrode stimulation and its relation to speech perception among paediatric cochlear implant users.

Introduction: Aided auditory late latency response (LLR) serves as an objective tool for evaluating auditory cortical maturation following cochlear implantation in children. While aided LLR is commonly measured using sound-field acoustic stimulation, recording electrically evoked LLR (eLLR) offer distinct advantages, such as improved stimulus control and the capability for single electrode stimulation. Hence, the study aimed to compare eLLR responses with single electrode stimulation in the apical, middle, and basal regions and to evaluate their relationship with speech perception in paediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients.

Wound-Healing Efficacy of Insulin-Loaded Strontium-Cross-Linked Alginate-Based Hydrogels in Diabetic Rats.

The wound-healing effect of insulin is well studied and reported. However, prolonged topical application of insulin without compromising its biological activity is still a challenge. In this study, the effect of topically delivered insulin on promoting wound healing in diabetic animals was evaluated.