First of a Series of Diverse Talks: A Department of Defense Armed With Science blog, Facebook, Open Discussion: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss!

Armed With Science

The Defense Department uses the above Facebook page to share information on Science. Recently, they began "conversations" that allow, in theory, "global" participation. I participated in the last tech talk on "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss".

Here is a list of future topics:

Advisory: ONR Hosts Technology Talks on Facebook Beginning Sept. 15

Post Discussion Transcript

Personally, I believe discussions similar to the above can significantly benefit our countries research. On the other hand, I believe that many will be afraid their "ideas" will not benefit the discussion. As a chemical engineer and a biological scientist, I would like to assure those people of that false premise. Rather, cross-functional teams are very important in society, and all people benefit the discussion. This is one reason regulatory agencies ask for public dialog. Furthermore, some agencies, FDA, have adverse event reporting systems and appreciate consumer input. In fact, the safety of our drugs rely upon such reporting! Although I am not saying our Nation is dependent upon "Armed with Science" discussions, I believe such open discussions could significantly advance research.

"there is no such thing as a "stupid question!"

Rather, most questions are based on "ignorance", which is resolved through information!

To facilitate and document the discussions, the Department also creates transcripts and shares discussions, suggested links, etc! If bookmarked, this can be a wonderful tool! I have copied the last transcript and pasted it into this article.

Copied Transcript:

Event Transcript

ONR: Welcome to our online dialogue with Kurt Yankaskas, program manager for ONR’s Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Program. We’re taking your questions now until 11:30 am, EST!

Shelley Hanes: For Mr. Yankaskas, for the noise-induced hearing loss program, do you do any of the hands on research of cochlear hair cell repair as well as minimizing environmental acoustic propagation there yourself at ONR? Or is the research primarily done at partnering labs, small business and universities? I actually proposed military-related hearing loss due to blasts last year as one of my bioengineering project focuses.

I learned that hearing loss is only one complication to such a related injury and repeated exposures. Mild and extreme vertigo as a complication of the exposures is problematic, too. Since sound wave propagation can often be on frequencies unheard in some military environments that penetrate through the entire body, along with the fact that the sensory area of the brain damaged is not only isolated to the cochlear region, such a project is very challenging.

Kurt: Shelley Hanes, thanks for your question. I do not do hands-on research, however, I follow very closely the projects in our NIHL portfolio as well as other research projects. You are correct in assuming about our partnership with academia, industry and government labs. These partnerships are vital to ONR’s ability to successfully deliver capability to the warfighter.

To address your point, I am familiar with whole-body noise propagation and you’re correct in that it’s a challenging project. The research trend is showing a strong connection between peripheral hearing (i.e., the cochlea) and central processing (i.e., the brain).

ONR: Rick Rogers, we can take your questions either way. In fact, here’s Kurt’s reply to your question, emailed from Harvard’s School of Public Health.

Kurt: Rick Rogers, you are correct in that NIHL is a national and international health concern that can use support beyond ONR. As the manager for ONR’s NIHL program, I am cognizant of that and strive to be a prudent steward of taxpayers’ dollars. As a part of the Executive Branch, we support the President’s budget. We do not lobby Congress.

Kathy King: Kurt, I came across NIHL info while searching for ear protection for my kids (we like to go to concerts). Very cool stuff. Curious to know what the public might expect in the future?

Kurt: Kathy King, USA Today recently published an article on increased noise exposure in an increasingly noisy world. Concert noise levels are actually well known and those noise levels are very similar to many industrial settings, thus, you’re at risk for either a temporary hearing loss or eventually a permanent hearing loss.

To add, what concert-goers might expect to see in a few years is a type of hearing protection that will allow you to enjoy the music at safe levels for your ears while allowing you to talk to the person next to you. We are calling this talk-through circuitry, and ONR is developing this technology.

Tina Johnson-Marcel: I’ve always thought hearing loss was generally permanent, but I see that’s not always the case. How does this program help a sailor who has experienced work-related hearing loss and will continue to work in that loud environment?

Kurt: Tina, First, we have a much better understanding of hearing protection fit issues and how people should properly wear these devices if they’re going to continue working in loud environments. For Sailors, we’re using custom-molded hearing protection for high-noise environments. These devices only fit one way — the right way.

Tina, to add, the long-term objective is to develop the ability to regrow hair cells in the cochlea. Hair cells are the sensors of the ear. Current research is very promising, but I’d like to remind you that this is long-term research.

Jian Zuo: It is the deaf sailors who have inspired us to find ways to restore their hearing. As you may know, chickens have the capacity to regenerate sensory cells after acoustic injury while humans cannot. Our research focus is to find out why and how. It is our hope that in the not so distant future, we can provide some therapeutic ways to deaf patients to restore their sensory cells and enable them to hear again.

John Ohab: Kurt, are you going to be pursuing any neural repair work involving stem cells?

Kurt: John Ohab, we are currently working with the cellular structure within the ear. Specifically, we are trying to “trick” support cells into duplicating and differentiating into hair cells. Once that is accomplished, the challenge will then become to have these cells link to the auditory nerves that carry messages to the central hearing processing center.

John, to add, any knowledge gained through stem cell research will support basic science in restoring lost hearing.

Jian Zuo: John, you are right that now stem cell therapy is very promising, particularly in repairing auditory neural pathways. I refer you to a recent publication in the journal Cell from Dr. Heller’s laboratory in Stanford University who has made significant progress toward stem cell therapy. Again, this is a very first step toward that ultimate goal of stem cell therapy.

John Ohab: Thanks, I appreciate it!

Gigi Gorospe Lovell: My parents are getting older and seem to have a harder time hearing. Is it hereditary or just old age?

Kurt: Gigi, I personally question whether we lose hearing as a result of age moreso than cumulative noise exposure over the years. We have numerous electronic devices against our ears for long periods of time. We commute long distances, either in public transportation or private conveyances, none of which are necessarily quiet. I can’t give you specifics about your parents, but I can encourage you to take the proper precautions in noisy environments.

Jian Zuo: Dear Gigi Gorospe Lovell, it is possible that both aging and hereditary processes contribute to your parents’ difficulty in hearing. If no one else in your family suffers hearing loss, then aging process is the main factor. In the general population, more than half of people over the age of 65 suffer age-related hearing loss. Most of them first lost their hearing to high pitch sounds.

ONR: We’ll take one last question from Chris Harding submitted this morning.

Chris Harding: When considering the effect of noise on the middle and inner ear, is it possible that the following factors exacerbate the hearing loss:

• Chronic reduction of water consumption combined with continuous sound energy and variable atmospheric …conditions reduces the “elastic” properties of membranes. I realize this may seem to contradict the “action” of the tensor tympani muscle when considering “tension” induction upon high sound pressure. As we know, loss of water is a main factor in affecting other structures composed of collagen-spinal column and older people.
• Since low energy EMF induces collagen production, can high sound pressures cause collagen production as well? If so, would the area of malleus attachment be affected differently than the flaccid area? The area of malleus attachment has collagen fibers arranged in two directions-could one direction be affected more than the other area creating an imbalance? Although we normally consider “symmetry” and “average”, some people may be more susceptible than others if they have a slightly different density in one direction,
• Also, is it possible to use electromagnetic energy to excite nerve innervation and artificially tighten the membrane or affect muscle contraction during a “brief” moment of communication. If combined with a material thats designed to allow certain sound propagation, like a specially designed ear plug, the device may allow one to hear a frequency that isn’t normally heard! As such, this could be quite beneficial!
• I also realize the “hair cells” may be permanently damaged. How does this affect the polarization? Chronic reduction of depolarization?
• According to my anatomy book, “high tone deafness” is caused by changes to the spiral organ, but is it possible that the thermodynamics caused by sound could affect other structures?

Kurt: Chris, you bring up some interesting points. ONR’s primary focus at this time is the regeneration of hair cells which amphibians and birds can naturally perform. We’re also looking at the role of antioxidants, such as n-acetylcysteine, in taking a prophylactic approach to hair cell protection.

Jian Zuo: These are great points that are worth investigating further. Thank you for these insightful thoughts. Totally agree with Kurt that cumulative noise exposure over the years would accelerate the aging related hearing loss.

Chris Harding: Thanks for your answers. I have never researched the area but I have two degrees: Chemical Engineering and Biological Sciences! I’m not sure my thoughts are accurate but I “wondered.” Thanks for the insight-science! I did a search: A good a…nd free article related to reduction of ROS by using melatonin with some nice photomicrographs: Jeong-Beom Kim, MD; Jae Yun Jung, MD, PhD; Jin-Chul Ahn, PhS, Chung Ku Rhee, MD, PhD; Hee-Jun Hwang, PhD. Antioxidant and Anti-Apoptotic Effect of Melatonin on Vestibular Hair Cells of Rat Utricles. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology [online]. 2009. Vol. 2(1). pp. 6-12, The Life Sciences Search Engine. doi: 10.3342/ceo.2009.2.1.6. PMCID: PMC2671833

ONR: Final words from Kurt?

Kurt: Through continued collaboration with the scientific community, we are making progress on NIHL and tinnitus, a chronic ringing in the ears. These conditions are national and international health issues that impact warfighter performance. We’re open to good ideas and collaboration. I encourage you to visit the NIHL page on ONR’s public web site.

ONR: Great! Thanks to everyone for participating in this inaugural “Tech Talk” with ONR. Join us next at 11 a.m., EST, Wednesday, Sept. 22, for a conversation with Keith Hammack on sensor technologies on autonomous vehicles.

Editor’s note: Dr. Jian Zuo, of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, joined the conversation. Zuo leads medical research in part funded by ONR in the area of hearing restoration.

For more information on ONR’s Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Program:

• Watch the NIHL video on YouTube
• Download a program fact sheet
• Visit the ONR Web site

Sign up for Armed with Science email alerts!

End Copied Transcript.

Second Discussion: Second of a Series of Diverse Talks: Office of Naval Research Maneuver Thrust with Mr. Keith Hammack!

In addition to My Gather Network: Quidnunc Simcha, I am a Guest-Editor and "Conversation Starter" at Conversations for a Better World, Chris Harding, which is a shared blog on population, gender and health, and provided by United Nations Population Fund Website.

Your Gather

Conversations for a Better World

You should consider contribution to Conversations for a Better World as well! The more diverse the discussions the better the results in most instances. Although time to a solution will increase significantly, the final result is usually better for humanity.

You are NOT ALONE!

• Some Information about: Wikileaks and "What is a Whistleblower?"

I love my country, but we have a problem. Spoiled Americans will kill for sport and bullying is an example. Another term for bullying is "gang stalking", which may be more appropriate, but the legal term may be the defined term of "bullying". Some corporate employees and "friends of organizations" use harassment, "bullying or stalking", and believe it is not that bad, but, in truth, it is considered emotional torture-adults and children should refrain. If an adult "bullies", a child will follow their example.

As many know, a Multi-national Study by World Health Organization (1) reports that abused women and men believe "emotional abuse" is worse than physical abuse because it causes life-long psychological trauma and is virtually impossible to prove. The inability to "prove" is why many "pillars" will engage. In fact, corrupt societies are breeding grounds for such activity.

With that said, I would like to add the following links to all of my posts. I hope others will copy and paste the same into their posts as well. The best way to end corruption is to discuss corruption. At the root of most criminal enterprises are corrupt police, citizens, and politicians. The latter are grandmas, grandpas, fathers, mothers, police, church deacons, etc. Be warned, the corrupt people in your environment could begin harassing you.

References:

STOP SEX Trafficking! and Meth!

Support Senator Ron Wyden in his fight against sex-trafficking. Although the Pacific Northwest is the worse US location, it is an American problem and probably associated with the Meth network. Tell me corrupt police do not know about this activity.

Corruption Resources

Buscaglia, Edgardo, & van Dijk, Jan. (2005). UC Berkley: Berkley Program in Law and Economics. Controlling Organized Crime and Corruption in the Public Sector. University of California eScholarship[online]. Jan 2005. Available from: eScholarship. University of California About the New eScholarship

Oregon

Schwartz, Susan P. State of Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. Lane County Criminal Justice Report. Oregon.gov[online]. May 2009. Available from: Report. Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

Indiana

Long, Billy; Yerington, Courtney. Police Administrators in Indiana: A Descriptive Study of Attitudes, Perceptions, and Stressors. Internet Journal of Criminology[online]. 2006. Available from: Internet Journal of Criminology: Article.

Bullying, Harassment, and Gang Stalking Resources

Bochenek, Michael; Brown, Widney, A.; Breen, Melanie; Campbell, Rook; David, Sam; Henkle, Derek R.; Jesrani, Tejal; Lnzertti,Rachel; McArthur, Kerry; Rozario, Shalu; Zea, Sadie. Hatred in the Hallways, Violence and Discrmination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bsexual, and Transgender Students in U.S. Schools. Human Rights Watch [online].2001. Available from: HRW, Article Database.

Can sarcasm be a form of bullying? These documents say yes if sarcasm is included in a certain contextual relationship to other activity. 
• http://family.samhsa.gov/teach/middleschool_bullies.aspx?printid=1
• http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/schools/bullypack.pdf
• http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/documents/bullyingatschool.pdf

Cook, Dane. bullying. Dane Cook's Youtube Channel. 2010. Available from: Youtube

Suicide Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Are you in a crisis? Please call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Suicide Prevention.

Suicide Awareness Voices Education. SAVE "Doctors, Firefighters and Others SAVE Lives, You Can Too!"

The Trevor Project is a great example of "realizing" the need to remind ourselves of the beauty around us! The World is beautiful! That blade of grass is amazing! The butterfly is magical! If needed, take a walk! If you cannot walk, visit Trevor! In my experiences, Pandora Internet Radio is a life savior as well.

itgetsbetterproject.com,
• "For too long, LGBT youth have been forced to struggle through their formative years suffering from bullies in their schools, churches and homes — and with no support system to provide them any help."
• "Justin Aeberg. Billy Lucas. Cody Barker. Asher Brown. Seth Walsh. Raymond Chase. Tyler Clementi. All the names of American teenagers who in recent months have taken their own lives after being bullied in school."

“As a nation we’re founded on the belief that all of us are equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own version of happiness; to make the most of our talents; to speak our minds; to not fit in; most of all, to be true to ourselves. That’s the freedom that enriches all of us. That’s what America is all about. And every day, it gets better.”
– President Obama in a video message for the nationwide campaign focused on young people who are being bullied because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Video Resources: http://wh.gov/3nn.

Department of Defense. Restoring Hope, You Can Help Save A Life. Restoring Hope. "More Focus Needed to End Suicides", Mullens.

Wise, Terry L. Waking Up: Climbing Through the Darkness. Available from: Amazon.

Wise, Terry. terrywise.com. A National Mental Health Award Winner. Available from: Terry Wise.

Harding, Chris. Suicide: What is your keyword? Gather.com [online]. Available from: Chris Harding's Gather Network.

Dumais, A., B.Sc.; Lesage, A.D., M.D, M.Phil.; Alda, M., M.D; Rouleau, G., M.D., PhD; Dumont, M., R.N.; Chawky, N., M.Ps.; Roy, M., M.D; Mann, J.J., M.D; Benekelfat, C. M.D; Turecki, Gustavo, Turecki, M.D., PhD. Risk Factors for Suicide Completion in Major Depression: A Case-Control Study of Impulsive and Aggressive Behaviors in Men. The American Journal of Psychiatry [online]. 2005, vol.162(11) pp. 2116-2124. Avialable from: Am. J Psychiatry. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.162.11.2116.

 

Goldsmith, SK; Pellmar, TC; Kleinman, AM; Bunney, WE; Editors. Committeee on Pathophysiology and Prevention of Adolescent and Adult Suicide Reducing Suicide, A National Imperative. National Academies Press[online]. 2002. pp. xvi, 512. Available from: National Academies Press. ISBN-10: 0-309-08321-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-309-08321-8.

Abuse

1. World Health Organization, Department of Gender and Women's Health. WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence against Women: summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women's responses.(Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, and United Republic of Tanzania). WHOLIS. 2005. Available from: WHOLIS. ISBN: 9241593512.

Rape and Sexual Assault: Rape and sexual assault,WHO 1997

Wong Fo Lo, Sylvie; Wester, Fred; Mol, Saskia; Romkens, Renee; Hezemans, Door; Lagro-Janssen, Toine. Talking matters: Abused women's views on disclosure of partner abuse to the family doctor and its role in handling the abuse situation. Patient Educ and Couns. 2008, vol.70(3), pp.386-394. Available from: Author's personal copy ISSN 0738-3991

Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Report on Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS. PEPFAR[online].2006. pp.16. Available from: PEPFAR: Reports. PEPFAR Reports: Report on Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS PDF.

Harassment and Bullying (i.e "emotional abuse") can lead to:

National Institute of Health.NIMH. The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America. 2010. Available from: Article.

Why engage in activity that can increase the numbers? By the way, the numbers cause increased "disability" claims in the USA and Canada. Does the average individual in society truly want the human race to environmentally evolve to "the greatest emotional abuser" wins the prize? As we know, women have a tendency to lust after the "bad boy" mentality, but most don't want to marry the "bad boy".

In addition to My Gather Network: Quidnunc Simcha, I am a Guest-Editor and "Conversation Starter" at Conversations for a Better World, Chris Harding, which is a shared blog on population, gender and health, and provided by United Nations Population Fund Website.

Your Gather

Conversations for a Better World

You should consider contribution to Conversations for a Better World as well! The more diverse the discussions the better the results in most instances. Although time to a solution will increase significantly, the final result is usually better for humanity.