Learning to hear again with alternating cochlear frequency allocations.

Traditionally, the place-pitch 'tonotopically' organized auditory neural pathway was considered to be hard-wired. Cochlear implants restore hearing by arbitrarily mapping frequency-amplitude information. This study shows that recipients, after a long period of sound deprivation, preserve a level of auditory plasticity, enabling them to swiftly and concurrently learn speech understanding with two alternating, distinct frequency maps.

Machine learning for risk stratification in the emergency department (MARS-ED) study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial on the implementation of a prediction model based on machine learning technology predicting 31-day mortality in the emergency department.

Background: Many prediction models have been developed to help identify emergency department (ED) patients at high risk of poor outcome. However, these models often underperform in clinical practice and their actual clinical impact has hardly ever been evaluated. We aim to perform a clinical trial to investigate the clinical impact of a prediction model based on machine learning (ML) technology.

Imaging-based frequency mapping for cochlear implants - Evaluated using a daily randomized controlled trial.

Background: Due to variation in electrode design, insertion depth and cochlear morphology, patients with a cochlear implant (CI) often have to adapt to a substantial mismatch between the characteristic response frequencies of cochlear neurons and the stimulus frequencies assigned to electrode contacts. We introduce an imaging-based fitting intervention, which aimed to reduce frequency-to-place mismatch by aligning frequency mapping with the tonotopic position of electrodes. Results were evaluated in a novel trial set-up where subjects crossed over between intervention and control using a daily within-patient randomized approach, immediately from the start of CI rehabilitation.

Extending the audiogram with loudness growth: The complementarity of electric and acoustic hearing in bimodal patients.

Introduction: Clinically, recording hearing detection thresholds and representing them in an audiogram is the most common way of evaluating hearing loss and starting the fitting of hearing devices. As an extension, we present the loudness audiogram, which does not only show auditory thresholds but also visualizes the full course of loudness growth across frequencies. The benefit of this approach was evaluated in subjects who rely on both electric (cochlear implant) and acoustic (hearing aid) hearing.

Toward neural health measurements for cochlear implantation: The relationship among electrode positioning, the electrically evoked action potential, impedances and behavioral stimulation levels.

Introduction: Estimating differences in neural health across different sites within the individual cochlea potentially enables clinical applications for subjects with a cochlear implant. The electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) is a measure of neural excitability that possibly provides an indication of a neural condition. There are many factors, however, that affect this measure and increase the uncertainty of its interpretation.

CT in relation to RT-PCR in diagnosing COVID-19 in The Netherlands: A prospective study.

Introduction: Early differentiation between emergency department (ED) patients with and without corona virus disease (COVID-19) is very important. Chest CT scan may be helpful in early diagnosing of COVID-19. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of CT using RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 as reference standard and investigated reasons for discordant results between the two tests.

Energy Expenditure during Extreme Endurance Exercise: The Giro d'Italia.

Purpose: Little data are available on doubly labeled water (DLW) assessed total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) during extreme endurance exercise. Doubly labeled water is considered the gold standard to measure TDEE, but different calculations are being used, which may have a large impact on the results. The aim of the current study was to measure TDEE during the Giro d'Italia and apply two different calculation methods.