Value of section plane,MPR,and 3D-CTVR techniques in the fine differential diagnosis of ossicular chain in the case of conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane

Aim: To assess the quality of high-resolution CT section planes(HRCT), multi-planar reformation(MPR) and 3-dimensional volume rendered computer tomography(3D-CTVR) were here used in the fine differential diagnosis of ossicular chain in the case of conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane.Methods: Here, 17 cases of otosclerosis and 22 cases of ossicular chain deformity were selected. All patients had normal external ear canals,intact tympanic membranes, conductive hearing loss, type A tympanograms, and negative Gelle's tests. The respective radiological reports of the status of the ossicles via 3 protocols were compared to surgical findings. The quantitative assessments of the representation of different segments of the ossicular chain were based on a 3-point scoring system.Results: MPR and CTVR imaging both showed the integrity of whole ossicular chain well. MPR and CTVR imaging were found to be superior to section planes with respect to showing the superstructure of the stapes and malformations(P > 0.05).Conclusion: CTVR and MPR imaging were found to be better able to show the whole ossicular chain in the conductive hearing loss with normal tympanic membranes. Furthermore, the use of these techniques can have profound contributive value in the differential diagnosis of otosclerosis and ossicular chain absence or malformation.

The anatomic determinants of conductive hearing loss secondary to tympanic membrane perforation

Objectives: Recent studies have introduced middle ear volume(MEV) as a novel determinant of perforation-induced conductive hearing loss(CHL) in a mechanism driven by trans-tympanic membrane pressure differences. The primary aims of this preliminary report are to: 1) correlate CHL with perforation size; 2) describe the relationship between CHL and MEV; and 3) compare CHL across a range of cholesteatoma involvement.Design: A retrospective pilot study was performed in 31 subjects with audiometry indicative of conductive hearing loss, temporal bone CT scans,and no prior middle ear surgery. Perforation size and MEV were analyzed with respect to CHL in a cohort of 10 perforated ears with no cholesteatoma. CHLs were compared in 3 groups defined by extent of cholesteatoma involvement.Results: Ears with large and small perforations showed mean ABG values of 32.0 ± 15.7 dB and 16.0 ± 16.4 dB, respectively. A direct relationship was observed between MEV and CHL for ears with large perforations across all frequencies, whereas this relationship for small perforations was frequency-dependent. Finally, a statistically significant increase in CHL was found across ears with increasing cholesteatoma involvement at 1000 Hz(X^2(2) = 9.786, p = 0.008),2000 Hz(x^2(2) = 8.455, p = 0.015),and 4000 Hz(x^2(2)= 8.253, p = 0.016).Conclusions: These pilot data suggest that greater perforation-induced conductive hearing losses may be associated with larger perforation sizes and cholesteatoma. The correlation between MEV and CHL may require additional study.

Evaluation of ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in a conductive hearing loss model

Objective:To investigate the effects of conductive hearing loss (CHL) on vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) using a simulated CHL model, and to provide the basis for future studies. Methods:Twenty-one healthy subjects were recruited in this study. We measured ocular VEMPs (oVEMPs) and cervical VEMPs (cVEMPs) in these subjects by air-conduction sound (ACS) stimulation. CHL was simulated later by blocking the right external auditory canal with a soundproof earplug to evaluate its impacts on VEMPs. Subjects' responses before simulated CHL served as the control, and were compared to their responses following simulated CHL. Results: oVEMPs following simulated CHL showed decreased response rate, elevated thresholds, attenuated amplitudes and prolonged N1 latencies compared with those before simulated CHL, and the differences were statistically significant. Similarly, cVEMPs following simulated CHL also showed decreased response rate, elevated thresholds and attenuated amplitudes, with prolonged P1 latencies compared with those before simulated CHL, although only differences in response rate, threshold and amplitude were significant. Conclusions:Conductive hearing loss affects the response rate and other response parameters in oVEMPs and cVEMPs.

Design,progress and challenges of 3D carbon-based thermally conductive networks

The advent of the 5G era has stimulated the rapid development of high power electronics with dense integration.Three-dimensional(3D)thermally conductive networks,possessing high thermal and electrical conductivities and many different structures,are regarded as key materials to improve the performance of electronic devices.We provide a critical overview of carbonbased 3D thermally conductive networks,emphasizing their preparation-structure-property relationships and their applications in different scenarios.A detailed discussion of the microscopic principles of thermal conductivity is provided,which is crucial for increasing it.This is followed by an in-depth account of the construction of 3D networks using different carbon materials,such as graphene,carbon foam,and carbon nanotubes.Techniques for the assembly of two-dimensional graphene into 3D networks and their effects on thermal conductivity are emphasized.Finally,the existing challenges and future prospects for 3D carbon-based thermally conductive networks are discussed.

Emerging Flexible Thermally Conductive Films:Mechanism,Fabrication,Application

Effective thermal management is quite urgent for electronics owing to their ever-growing integration degree,operation frequency and power density,and the main strategy of thermal management is to remove excess energy from electronics to outside by thermal conductive materials.Compared to the conventional thermal management materials,flexible thermally conductive films with high in-plane thermal conductivity,as emerging candidates,have aroused greater interest in the last decade,which show great potential in thermal management applications of next-generation devices.However,a comprehensive review of flexible thermally conductive films is rarely reported.Thus,we review recent advances of both intrinsic polymer films and polymer-based composite films with ultrahigh in-plane thermal conductivity,with deep understandings of heat transfer mechanism,processing methods to enhance thermal conductivity,optimization strategies to reduce interface thermal resistance and their potential applications.Lastly,challenges and opportunities for the future development of flexible thermally conductive films are also discussed.

Ultrafast battery heat dissipation enabled by highly ordered and interconnected hexagonal boron nitride thermal conductive composites

Heat dissipation involved safety issues are crucial for industrial applications of the high-energy density battery and fast charging technology.While traditional air or liquid cooling methods suffering from space limitation and possible leakage of electricity during charge process,emerging phase change materials as solid cooling media are of growing interest.Among them,paraffin wax(PW)with large latent heat capacity and low cost is desirable for heat dissipation and thermal management which mainly hindered by their relatively low thermal conductivity and susceptibility to leakage.Here,highly ordered and interconnected hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)networks were established via ice template method and introduced into PW to enhance the thermal conductivity.The composite with 20 wt%loading amount of h-BN can guarantee a highly ordered network and exhibited high thermal conductivity(1.86 W m^(-1) K^(-1))which was 4 times larger compared with that of random dispersed h-BN involved PW and nearly 8 times larger compared with that of bare PW.The optimal thermal conductive composites demonstrated ultrafast heat dissipation as well as leakage resistance for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),heat generated by LIBs can be effectively transferred under the working state and the surface temperature kept 6.9℃ lower at most under 2–5℃ continuous charge-discharge process compared with that of bare one which illustrated great potential for industrial thermal management.

Thermal conductive proppant with self-suspension ability

The in situ mining technology is applied to the exploitation of medium-and low-maturity shale oil,which can use heaters to warm up the oil shale formations and pyrolyze the kerogen.Due to the low thermal conductivity of oil shale,electric heaters need extra equipment to improve heat transfer efficiency.In this study,a thermally conductive proppant is fabricated by coating epoxy-resin and graphite on ceramic proppants for the first time,which could support the fracturing crack and transfer heat.The thermal conduction property of epoxy-resin and graphite coated proppants(EGPs)is 245%higher than that of uncoated proppants,which can transfer more heat to the oil shale formation and accelerate the conversion of kerogen.The adhesive property of EGPs is improved by 47.9%under the load force of 1500 nN,which prolongs the time for the fracture to close.In summary,this novel proppant is expected to assist in-situ mining technology in the production of medium and low-maturity shale oil.

High-Thermal Conductive Coating Used on Metal Heat Exchanger

Based on modified silicon polyester resin in addition to several functional fillers such as corrosion-resistant fillers, heat-resistant fillers and thermal conductive fillers, a high thermal conductive coating can be made. On the basis of boronnitride(BN) and aluminum nitride(AIN) used as thermal conductive fillers and by means of the testing system of hot disk and heat transfer experiment, researches on the varieties of thermal conductive fillers and the effects of the contents of high-thermal conductive coating have been done, which shows that the thermal conductivity of coating increases with the increase of the quality fraction and the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive fillers of coating. With guaranteeing better heat resistance, stronger corrosion resistance and adhesive force, the coefficient of coating can reach a level as high as 3 W·m-1·K-1.

Increasing Winter Conductive Heat Transfer in the Arctic Sea-ice-covered Areas: 1979–2014

Sea ice is a quite sensitive indicator in response to regional and global climate changes. Based on monthly mean PanArctic Ice Ocean Modeling and Assimilation System(PIOMAS) sea ice thickness fields, we computed the conductive heat flux(CHF) in the Arctic Ocean in the four winter months(November–February) for a long period of 36 years(1979–2014). The calculated results for each month manifest the increasing extension of the domain with high CHF values since 1979 till 2014. In 2014, regions of roughly 90% of the central Arctic Ocean have been dominated by the CHF values larger than 18 Wm^(-2)(November–December) and 12 Wm^(-2)(January–February), especially significant in the shelf seas around the Arctic Ocean. Moreover, the population distribution frequency(PDF) patterns of the CHF with time show gradually peak shifting toward increased CHF values. The spatiotemporal patterns in terms of the trends in sea ice thickness and other three geophysical parameters, surface air temperature(SAT), sea ice thickness(SIT), and CHF, are well coupled. This suggests that the thinner sea ice cover preconditions for the more oceanic heat loss into atmosphere(as suggested by increased CHF values), which probably contributes to warmer atmosphere which in turn in the long run will cause thinner ice cover. This represents a positive feedback mechanism of which the overall effects would amplify the Arctic climate changes.

Comprehensive Molten Salt Storage Shell and Supporting Structure Design and Analysis-Part I:A Conductive and Convective Theoretical Heat Transfer Analysis for Molten Salt Cylindrical Shells at 565℃ and 700℃

In this paper a full theoretical thermal analysis of a large molten salt container,80-foot in diameter and 46-foot high,including a four-foot elliptic shell roof,is presented for two temperatures,the standard 565℃ and a futuristic 700℃,which substantially improves the efficiency of the molten salt containers through the use of a highly stable chloride salt called SS700(SaltStream 700).The theoretical analysis includes conductive and convective heat transfer analysis in the steel container,elliptic roof shell,the fiberglass insulation,and firebrick insulation,and includes thermal insulation designs to safeguard against energy losses at high temperatures.The underlying soil and the high temperature concrete foundation were analyzed theoretically using conductive heat transfer,however the area surrounding the soil surface around the bottom of the molten salt storage tank had convective heat transfer analysis included.The final designs presented in this paper seek to limit heat losses to a maximum of 250 W/m^(2) while being able to operate at a minimum external ambient temperature of-10℃,which determines the thicknesses of the fiberglass and firebrick insulation.

NONLINEAR J-E CHARACTERISTICS IN THE ELECTRIC-THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM STATE FOR HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE CONDUCTIVE COMPOSITES

The nonlinear J-E characteristics under self-heating equilibrium for conductive composites based on high density polyethylene were studied. The results show that there are identical conduction mechanisms under self-heating equilibrium for the composites with various initial resistivities determined by filler content or ambient temperature. The nonlinear conduction behavior was involved in the limited microstructure transformations of the conducting network induced by electrical field applied and the corresponding self-heating effect. A reversible thermal fuse (RTF) model was suggested to interpret the physical origin of the nonlinear J-E characteristics.

Comprehensive Molten Salt Storage Shell and Supporting Structure Design and Analysis-Part II:A Conductive and Convective Numerical Finite Element Heat Transfer Analysis for Molten Salt Cylindrical Shells at 700℃,and Comparison with Theoretical Analysis

In this paper a finite element thermal analysis model-using COMSOL-of a large molten salt container,80-foot in diameter and 46-foot high that includes a four-foot elliptic shell roof,is presented for a futuristic 700℃ design,which uses a highly stable chloride salt called SS700(SaltStream 700)that improves the efficiency of the tank when compared to the traditional 565℃.The FEA(finite element analysis)includes conductive and convective heat transfer analysis in the steel container,elliptic roof shell,the fiberglass insulation,and firebrick insulation,and includes thermal insulation designs to safeguard against energy losses at high temperatures.The underlying soil and the high temperature concrete foundation were analyzed by finite element using conductive heat transfer,however the area surrounding the soil surface around the bottom of the MS storage tank had convective heat transfer analysis included.The finite elements analyses presented are to verify the final fiberglass and firebrick insulation designs,which seeks to limit heat losses to a maximum of 250 W/m^(2) while being able to operate at a minimum external ambient temperature of-10℃.These results are also compared to previously calculated theoretical results.

Fabrication of patterned transparent conductive glass via laser metal transfer for efficient electrical heating and antibacteria

Vapor deposition and three-dimensional(3D)printing technology are considered to be conventional methods to achieve patterned metal film preparation through the assistance of masks and high temperature.Therefore,there are still some challenges in fabricating metal films in template-free and normal temperature environment.In this work,we report a flexible and rapid laser metal transfer(LMT)technique for fabricating the various metal films(Cu,Ni,Sn,Al,Fe,and Ag)with different patterns without templates on arbitrary substrates(glass,polyimide(PI)films,and aluminum nitride(AlN)ceramic).Especially,the obtained transparent conductive glass displays high transmittance(more than 90%)and adjustable resistances(≈5Ω).According to the Joule effect,the interface resistance between Cu particles and copper oxide coating produces the high temperature approximately 280℃ at 2 V in a short time(≈60 s)and remains stable at 120℃ over 12 h.At last,the multifunctional glass with Cu patterns also shows excellent bactericidal activity(≈95%).This work demonstrates that laser metal transfer is an exceeding effective means of fabricating the micro/nano structures with potential applications in functional devices.

Is it possible to foot reflexology for infants with sensorineural hearing loss?

Foot reflexology is a non-invasive and safe complementary therapy that works by massaging the reflex zones of the feet and exerts systemic or whole-body regulation through meridian nerve conduction.This therapy is commonly used in the treatment of various conditions such as autism and Parkinson's disease.However,there is limited reporting on the use of foot reflexology therapy for infants with sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL).Currently,there is no definitive conclusion on how foot reflexology therapy can influence hearing.This editorial holds some guiding significance regarding this clinical issue.The aim is to present physiological evidence of how foot reflexology therapy can impact infants with SNHL,thereby enhancing clinician’s awareness of foot reflexology in treating infants with SNHL.

Numerical and Experimental Evaluation of Shine-Through Loss and Beam Heating Due to Neutral Beam Injection on EAST

This research applies experimental measurements and NUBEAM,ONETWO and TRANSP modules to investigate the shine-through(ST)loss ratio and beam heating percentage of neutral beam injection on EAST.Measurements and simulations confirm that the ST loss ratio increases linearly with beam energy,and decreases exponentially with plasma density.Moreover,using the multi-step fitting method,we present analytical quantitative expressions of ST loss ratio and beam heating percentage,which are valuable for the high parameter long-pulse experiments of EAST.

The Scandinavia Ozone Loss and Surface Heating

Analysis on NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) ozone shows a clear ozone loss, ?50 DU (15% of the total ozone), over Scandinavia. Correlation analysis between the ozone loss and the east-to-west sea surface temperature (SST) contrast in the North Atlantic shows correlation coefficients ?0.96 for seasonal variation and ?0.70 for monthly mean (168 months) in 1979–1992. Correlation coefficients between the ozone loss and the surface-to-atmosphere heat fluxes are higher than ?0.87. There-fore the authors suggest that the warm Atlantic current carries energy northward to Scandina via and causes ozone loss there via the surface-to-atmosphere heating processes. Key words Ozone loss - North Atlantic - Surface heating - Scandina via This work was supported by the key project KZ951-A-205-05 of CAS, NSFC Project 40075029, IAP innovation project 8-2212, CAS, First Chinese Arctic Expedition of NOA and LAPC of IAP, CAS.

Conductive Hearing Loss with Present Acoustic Reflex: A Case Report

Acoustic reflex is a sensitive indicator of middle ear lesions when the tympanic membrane is in-tact and tympanometry is normal. Acoustic reflex is not usually observed in conductive hearing loss caused by disruption of the ossicular chain including ossicular discontinuity and fixation. Ossicular disruption can show at least partially intact acoustic reflex under a certain condition. Moreover, ossicular discontinuity with a nearly intact acoustic reflex is quite rare and there have been few reports published to date. We here present a rare case of conductive hearing loss with a nearly intact acoustic reflex, and the patient was surgically confirmed to have ossicular discontinuity.

Numerical study on the loss of fast ions produced by minority ion cyclotron resonance heating in EAST

The classical prompt loss of fast ions produced by minority ion cyclotron resonance heating(ICRH)is studied by a guiding center orbit following code in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak(EAST).It is found that the loss of fast ions produced by ICRH mainly appears in both ends of the resonance layer,while the loss of fast ions in the middle resonance layer is very small.The dominant fast loss comes from trapped ions,rather than from passing ions.Controlling the location of resonance layer at the plasma core may be more beneficial to the EAST tokamak ICRH.In addition,the loss distribution of fast ions is studied.The results show that the fast ions are mainly lost near the midplane in the poloidal direction,but almost uniformly in the toroidal direction.Moreover,we investigate the dependence of fast ion loss on the ICRH power.The simulation results show that the loss fraction of fast ions in both ends of the resonance region increases with the ion cyclotron range of frequencies(ICRF)power,but barely affects the loss of fast ions in the middle region.

Investigation of Thermal Losses in a Soft Magnetic Composite Using Multiphysics Modelling and Coupled Material Properties in an Induction Heating Cell

The complex interaction between material properties in an induction heating circuit was studied by multi physics simulation and by experimental verification in a full-scale laboratory heater. The work aims to illustrate the complexity of the system of interacting materials, but also to propose a method to verify properties of soft magnetic composite materials in an integrated system and to identify which properties are the most critical under different circumstances and load cases. Heat losses at different loads were primarily studied, from DC currents to AC currents at 15, 20 and 25 kHz, respectively. A FE model for magnetic simulation was correlated with a corresponding model for heat simulation. The numerical model, as well as the established input material data, could be verified through the experimental measurements. In this particular study, the current loss in the litz wire was the dominant heat source, thus making the thermal conductivity of the SMC the most important property in this material.