Effects of Environmental Noise on School Performance among Hearing-Impaired Students

Background and Purpose: Our study examined the effect of ambient noise on hearing and school performance in children with hearing loss, and the relationship between hearing loss and cognition. Method: A pilot study involving 728 people (aged 11 to 16 years) was conducted in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. All participants completed the ENAFEP test, the SIFTER short scale, pure tone audiometry, and a three-digit test. Teachers and investigators completed a 6-day listening training course. Results: Correlation and structural equation modeling indicated that ambient noise and five cognitive domains were associated with hearing in noise, but only unmeasured cognition was associated with hearing loss and poor academic performance. Cognitive compensation significantly reduces communication problems and improves concentration and academic performance. Noise and deafness had significant and moderate effects on academic performance (r = -0.13). Conclusion: The sample size and relatively high participation rate meant the study was representative. However, the results showed an association between ambient noise, hearing loss and cognition, and reduced school performance. Large-scale randomized interventions for hearing loss and long-term noise exposure studies are needed to measure cognitive outcomes after short- and multi-year noise exposure.

Multi-micronutrient Fortified Beverage Delivered through the School-Based System Improved Iron Status and Test Scores of Children

Fortifying commonly consumed foods and beverages offers a great opportunity of filling the nutrient gap between actual and the needed nutrient intakes of young children. Ready-to-drink beverage as a vehicle for fortification is easy to administer, more consistent and least obstructive, because it can be consumed without further processing/cooking. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of fortified beverage on the improving of iron status and school performance test of schoolchildren. About 5,000 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years old from 19 schools in Quirino province, Philippines were invited to participate in the study. Samples of 4,875 children with parental consent were screened for hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels. About 4,495 children had complete participation in the school performance test, which were developed and administered by school supervisors. Children were fed 200 mL ready-to-drink juice fortified with iron, zinc, lysine, vitamins A and C for 120 d. The beverage was delivered through the baseline. At end of the intervention, only 1,050 children had complete data set and the anemia rate reduced from 100% to 60%. Iron deficiency has increased insignificantly from 3.6% to 4.5%. Mean percentage of test scores increased significantly between base and end of the study： English （40% to 60%）, math （35% to 58%） and science （32% to 58%）. In conclusion, consumption of 200 mL fortified juice drink had contributed to the reduction of anemia and increased tests scores of children.

Prevalence of juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome in an urban population of Turkish adolescents： impact on depressive symptoms, quality of life and school performance

Background Juvenile Fibromyalgia Syndrome （JFMS） is a chronic health condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and multiple tender points （TP）.The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of JFMS in the urban population of Samsun and to determine the impact of JFMS on depression symptoms,school performance and quality of life （QOL）.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1109 children （mean age （14.8±2.0） years old）.A questionnaire was applied to the children and a medical examination including TP was performed.Yunus and Masi＇s criteria were used for diagnosis of JFMS.The children with JFMS were compared with an age and sex matched non-JFMS group.Depression was assessed with Children＇s Depression Inventory （CDI） and QOL was evaluated with Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 （PedsQL4.0）.Results Sixty-one （5.5%） （13 boys and 48 girls） of 1109 children met the diagnostic criteria of JFMS.While PedsQL scores of children with JFMS were lower than the non-JFMS group for physical,emotional,social,school functioning and total score （P=0.001）,CDI total score was higher in the JFMS group than in the non-JFMS group （P=0.001）.The JFMS group reported more school absences （P=0.001） and the average school grade was lower in the JFMS group than in the non-JFMS group （P=0.03）.Conclusion The prevalence of JFMS is high in school age children.Since JFMS is a common problem of childhood,early diagnosis and identification of the disorder and more comprehensive and successful treatment approaches with appropriate psychological assistance may prevent more complex and severe problems in adulthood.

AN ANALYSIS OF LEED AND BREEAM ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

This study examines the differences between two environmental assessment methods for the K-12 education sector:the United States Green Building Council’s(USGBC)LEED Schools Version 3.0 and the British Research Estab-lishment’s(BRE)BREEAM Education issue 2.0.Credit requirements are compared side-by-side and against recom-mendations from researchers in areas such as acoustics,lighting and indoor environment quality.Strengths in the two schemes and areas for improvement are highlighted,with acknowledgement that each scheme offers components and techniques from which the other could benefit.

REGENERATIVE URBAN COMMUNITY DESIGN

INTRODUCTION Global sustainable development is inextricably tied to the development of cities,as accelerating growth in urban populations becomes a major driver of social,environmental and ecological change.Cities are major consumers of natural resources and producers of pollution and waste.Development solutions that can reduce urban environmental impacts,as well as increase urban quality of life,are urgently needed.How to ensure that rampant growth in urban communities follows a regenerative and sustainable path therefore becomes a critical and increasingly relevant question.