Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods of treating and/or preventing inner ear conditions by administering to a patient in need thereof a modulator of a metabotropic glutamate receptor.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods of treating and/or preventing inner ear conditions by administering to a patient in need thereof a modulator of a metabotropic glutamate receptor.

Abstract: A decorrelation method for improving feedback cancellation utilizes a small frequency shifting ratio, on the order of 0.3 percent. Frequency shifting is applied only to the high frequency portion of the signal, which is shifted alternately upward and downward.

Abstract: The pharmaceutical composition and a method of treatment of infectious diseases, such as otitis media, paranasal sinusitis, labyrinthitis and meningitis are described. The composition comprises EP2E or homologues thereof.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a Schwannoma cell line derived from a Schwann tumor in a patient with Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and immortalized with HPV E6-E7 genes. The cell line has a unique splice site mutation of the NF2 gene. The immortalized cell line is non-tumorigenic but has altered growth properties such as higher proliferation rate and independence of Schwann cell growth factors. Methods of using this unique cell line for pharmacologic screening are disclosed.

Abstract: The pharmaceutical composition and a method of treatment of infectious diseases, such as otitis media, paranasal sinusitis, labyrinthitis and meningitis are described. The composition comprises EP2E or homologues thereof.

Abstract: An improved method for adaptively cancelling acoustic feedback in hearing aids and other audio amplification devices. Feedback cancellation is limited to a frequency band that encompasses all unstable frequencies. By limiting the bandwidth of the feedback cancellation signal, the distortion due to the adaptive filter is minimized and limited only to the unstable feedback regions. A relatively simple signal processing algorithm is used to produce highly effective results with minimal signal distortion.

Abstract: A procedure for diagnosing cochlear hydrops is based, in part, on an analysis of the patient's auditory brainstem response (ABR) to stimuli. The patient's ABR to a broadband click stimulus is recorded. A plurality of masked ABR's are also recorded, wherein the stimulus is masked by high-pass noise with a plurality of high-pass cut-off frequencies. The latency difference between the wave V component in the unmasked click alone response and the undermasked wave V component of a low cut-off frequency high-pass response is then calculated. If an undermasked component is not present, the normal wave V component is used. The measured latency difference is combined with another measure, such as the wave V amplitude ratio. A distribution of the combined measure is then plotted for the population and a threshold established for diagnosing cochlear hydrops. Alternatively, the joint distribution of the individual measures may be used in situations where the individual measures are known to be independent.

Abstract: In a diagnostic system wherein a patient's auditory brainstem response (ABR) to each of a plurality of auditory stimuli is recorded and wherein a plurality of derived-band ABRs representing cochlear responses in a plurality of respective frequency bands are constructed, the derived-band ABRs are temporarily aligned based on observable peaks in integrated, detrended derived-band waveforms.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composition and a method for the treatment of otitis media and paranasal sinusitis using human defensins, lysozyme and/or lactoferrin as a new class of non-antibiotic antimicrobials. From studies of otitis media and paranasal sinusitis, it was observed that certain innate immune modulators were important in the bodies response to the infection. Therefore, these innate immune modulators, lysozyme, lactoferrin, and defensins were tested for use as a non-antibiotic treatment for infection, particularly infections such as otitis media and sinusitis.

Abstract: A hearing test device is capable of presenting a variety of acoustical or vibratory stimuli and can be easily calibrated. Transfer functions for the device are calculated at two different attenuation levels to derive the characteristic impedance and sensitivity of the acoustic or vibratory transducer. The predicted sound pressure level emitted by the transducer may then be calculated as a function of input signal and attenuation.

Abstract: An improved method for adaptively cancelling acoustic feedback in hearing aids and other audio amplification devices. Feedback cancellation is limited to a frequency band that encompasses all unstable frequencies. By limiting the bandwidth of the feedback cancellation signal, the distortion due to the adaptive filter is minimized and limited only to the unstable feedback regions. A relatively simple signal processing algorithm is used to produce highly effective results with minimal signal distortion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the treatment of otitis media and paranasal sinusitis using human defensins, lysozyme and/or lactoferrin as a new class of non-antibiotic antimicrobials. From studies of otitis media and paranasal sinusitis, it was observed that certain innate immune modulators were important in the bodies response to the infection. Therefore, these innate immune modulators, lysozyme, lactoferrin and defensins, were tested for use as a non-antibiotic treatment for infection, particularly infections such as otitis media and sinusitis.

Abstract: Human middle ear epithelial cell lines permanently transformed by human papilloma viruses have been obtained. These cell lines are useful for the study of gene and protein expression in otitis media and the identification of chemical and biological agents that may be useful in the therapy of human otitis media and other diseases of the ear.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method is provided for supportably mounting an implantable hearing aid device to a patient's skull. The apparatus includes a support member adapted for supporting a hearing aid device and a plurality of mounting legs extending laterally from the support member in differing directions. A plurality of apertures are defined through each of the plurality of mounting legs, wherein an attachment device may be selectively inserted through each of one or more of the apertures for attachment of the apparatus to a patients skull. At least two of the apertures provided in each of the mounting legs may be disposed in a radially offset fashion relative to the support member and/or at different lateral distances relative to the support member. The provision of multiple mounting legs and apertures for interconnection provide enhanced mounting position flexibility, stability and overall ease of installation advantages.

Abstract: A diagnostic procedure first records a patient's auditory brainstem response (ABR) to each of a plurality of auditory stimuli. The stimuli comprise 60 dB nHL clicks using high pass noise masking procedures to isolate the cochlear response within specific frequency bands. These derived band ABRs are temporally shifted to align the wave V peak amplitudes. The time-shifted responses are then summed to create the stacked ABR. The stacked wave V ABR amplitude is compared to a threshold value. The stacked wave V ABR amplitudes for patients having small (less than or equal to 1 cm.) intracanalicular tumors are measurably lower than those for otherwise similar individuals without tumors.

Abstract: A method for determining the statistical probability that an auditory brainstem response (ABR) to an acoustic stimulus is present in a human test subject. The method employs an algorithm that provides a continuously evolving estimate of the probability of ABR presence as acquired data accumulates. The algorithm utilizes a Hotelling T2 test.

Abstract: A method for determining the statistical probability that an auditory brainstem response (ABR) to an acoustic stimulus is present in a human test subject. The method employs an algorithm that provides a continuously evolving estimate of the probability of ABR presence as acquired data accumulates. The algorithm employs a radical modification of a conventional FSP approach.

Abstract: A "true" hearing aid transfer function, including feedback, is derived from measurements taken with the hearing aid fitted in a patient's ear canal. Closed loop transfer functions are calculated at several hearing aid gains without opening the internal circuitry of the hearing aid using a time domain Weiner optimal filter model. The combined open loop transfer function of the hearing aid and feedback path is then calculated. Once the open loop transfer function is known, potentially unstable frequencies are identified and maximum hearing aid gain settings are determined. The hearing aid transfer function and transfer function of feedback path are also calculated from the closed loop transfer function measurements.

Abstract: A diagnostic procedure first records a patient's auditory brainstem response (ABR) to each of a plurality of auditory stimuli. The stimuli comprise 60 dB nHL clicks using high pass noise masking procedures to isolate the cochlear response within specific frequency bands. These derived band ABRs are temporally shifted to align the wave V peak amplitudes. The time-shifted responses are then summed to create the stacked ABR. The stacked wave V ABR amplitude is compared to a threshold value. The stacked wave V ABR amplitudes for patients having small (less than or equal to 1 cm.) intracanalicular tumors are measurably lower than those for otherwise similar individuals without tumors.