Time-domain demonstration of distributed distortion-product otoacoustic emission components

Minima in cubic distortion-product otoacoustic emission input/output functions due to distributed primary sources

Input/output (I/O) functions of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may contain sudden amplitude minima (notches) although they are measured in animals with a negligible reflection source. We measured DPOAEs in humans and analyzed the data by time-frequency filtering to decompose the nonlinear-distortion and coherent-reflection components of DPOAE. The presented I/O functions of the nonlinear-distortion component contain notches. We suggest that because these notches are present only in the nonlinear-distortion component, they result from destructive interference between distortion-product wavelets coming from the primary generation region. Simulations conducted with a nonlinear cochlear model showed qualitative similarities with the presented experimental results.

Bandpass Shape of Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission Ratio Functions Reflects Cochlear Frequency Tuning in Normal-Hearing Mice

The frequency selectivity of the mammalian auditory system is critical for discriminating complex sounds like speech. This selectivity derives from the sharp tuning of the cochlea's mechanical response to sound, which is largely attributed to the amplification of cochlear vibrations by outer hair cells (OHCs). Due to its nonlinearity, the amplification process also leads to the generation of distortion products (DPs), some of which propagate out to the ear canal as DP otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). However, the insight that these signals provide about the tuned micro- and macro-mechanics underlying their generation remains unclear. Using optical coherence tomography to measure cochlear vibrations in mice, we show that the cochlea's frequency tuning is reflected in the bandpass shape that is observed in DPOAE amplitudes when the ratio of the two evoking stimulus frequencies is varied (here termed DPOAE "ratio functions"). The tuning sharpness of DPOAE ratio functions and cochlear vibrations co-varied with stimulus level, with a similar quantitative agreement in tuning sharpness observed for both apical and mid-cochlear locations. Measurement of intracochlear DPs revealed that the tuning of the DPOAE ratio functions was not caused by mechanisms that shape DPs locally near where they are generated. Instead, simple model simulations indicate that the bandpass shape is due to a more global wave interference phenomenon. It appears that the filtering of DPOAEs by wave interactions over an extended spatial region allows them to provide a window onto the frequency tuning of single cochlear locations.

An intracochlear DP-gram: Proof of principle in noise-damaged rabbits

Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) can be used to assess cochlear damage and are often evaluated by generating a DP-gram in which 2f₁-f₂ DPOAE levels are plotted as a function of the higher-frequency primary at f₂. DPOAEs are derived from the reverse propagation of distortion-product (DP) wavelets from their intracochlear sites of generation to emerge as measurable acoustic signals in the outer ear canal. However, at least, some of these same wavelets also propagate within the cochlea in the normal forward direction to the DP-frequency (f_dp) place, where they appear as intracochlear distortion products (iDPs). Depending on several factors, especially, the extent to which DP wavelets add or cancel with each other in phase, one might expect iDPs to differ from DPOAEs in their ability to map the frequency pattern of cochlear damage. In the present study, the behavior of 2f₁-f₂ iDPs was inferred by interacting a probe tone (f₃) with the iDP of interest to produce a 'secondary' DPOAE (i.e., DPOAE^2ry), which was then used to infer the level of 2f₁-f₂ iDPs as a function of the f₂-test frequency, thus, constituting a newly developed iDP-gram. To determine the feasibility of and potential applications for the iDP-gram procedure, noise-induced cochlear damage was assessed in two 'test' rabbits, one of which exhibited a well-defined punctate loss in their DP-gram, while the other exhibited a broader V-shaped loss. To validate the iDP-gram procedure, standard DP-grams were simultaneously collected and compared to their iDP-gram counterparts. Cochlear damage was independently assessed using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) describing threshold-shift patterns to which both DP-gram types could be compared. Each DP-gram variety, to some extent, was able to detect a punctate loss in one rabbit and a broader V-shaped loss in the other. For the punctate-loss subject, the standard DP-gram showed a more generalized loss across test frequencies, while iDP-grams showed several localized notches superimposed on the generalized-loss pattern. In general, for the V-shaped loss pattern, both DP-gram types performed very well at detecting the large loss, with the lower primary-tone levels being most sensitive. At the narrow primary-tone ratios of f₂/f₁=1.05, standard DP-grams were unable to detect either loss pattern, while for the punctate loss, they paradoxically showed enhancement. Notably, the simultaneously collected iDP-grams performed favorably at the narrow-ratio setting, which is consistent with the notion that DPs travelling toward the 2f₁-f₂ f_dp place are not subject to the cancellation of wavelets typical for narrow primary-ratio conditions that can confound measures of DPs moving towards the ear canal to emerge as DPOAEs.

Derivation of input-output functions from distortion-product otoacoustic emission level maps

Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) emerge from the cochlea when elicited with two tones of frequencies f₁ and f₂. DPOAEs mainly consist of two components, a nonlinear-distortion and a coherent-reflection component. Input-output (I/O) functions of DPOAE pressure at the cubic difference frequency, f_DP=2f₁-f₂, enable the computation of estimated distortion-product thresholds (EDPTs), offering a noninvasive approach to estimate auditory thresholds. However, wave interference between the DPOAE components and suboptimal stimulus-level pairs reduces the accuracy of EDPTs. Here, the amplitude P of the nonlinear-distortion component is extracted from short-pulse DPOAE time signals. DPOAE level maps representing the growth behavior of P in L₁,L₂ space are recorded for 21 stimulus-level pairs and 14 frequencies with f₂=1 to 14 kHz (f₂/f₁=1.2) from 20 ears. Reproducing DPOAE growth behavior using a least-squares fit approach enables the derivation of ridge-based I/O functions from model level maps. Objective evaluation criteria assess the fit results and provide EDPTs, which correlate significantly with auditory thresholds (p < 0.001). In conclusion, I/O functions derived from model level maps provide EDPTs with high precision but without the need of predefined optimal stimulus-level pairs.

Distributed sources as a cause of abrupt amplitude decrease in cubic distortion-product otoacoustic emissions at high stimulus intensities

The amplitudes of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may abruptly decrease even though the stimulus level is relatively high. These notches observed in the DPOAE input/output functions or distortion-product grams have been hypothesized to be due to destructive interference between wavelets generated by distributed sources of the nonlinear-distortion component of DPOAEs. In this paper, simulations with a smooth cochlear model and its analytical solution support the hypothesis that destructive interference between individual wavelets may lead to the amplitude notches and explain the cause for onset and offset amplitude overshoots in the DPOAE signal measured for intensity pairs in the notches.

The influence of distributed source regions in the formation of the nonlinear distortion component of cubic distortion-product otoacoustic emissions

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are evoked by two stimulus tones with frequency f₁ and f₂ of ratio f₂/f₁  in the range between approximately 1.05 and 1.4. This study theoretically and experimentally analyzes the cubic 2f₁-f₂ DPOAE for different stimulus levels of one of the tones while the other is constant. Simulations for f₂/f₁ of 1.2 and moderate stimulus levels (30-70 dB sound pressure level) indicate that cubic distortion products are generated along a relatively large length of the basilar membrane, the extent of which increases with stimulus level. However, apical from the place of maximum nonlinear force, the wavelets generated by these distributed sources mutually cancel. Therefore, although the spatial extent of the primary DPOAE sources broadens with increasing stimulus level (up to 1.5 oct), the basilar-membrane region contributing to the DPOAE signal is relatively narrow (0.6 oct) and level independent. The observed dependence of DPOAE amplitude on stimulus level can be well-approximated by a point source at the basilar-membrane place where the largest distortion product (maximum of the nonlinear force) is generated. Onset and offset of the DPOAE signal may contain amplitude overshoots (complexities), which are in most cases asymmetrical. Two-tone suppression was identified as the main cause of these onset and offset complexities. DPOAE measurements in two normal-hearing subjects support the level dependence of the steady-state DPOAE amplitude and the asymmetry in the onset and offset responses predicted by the theoretical analysis.

Comparison of time-domain source-separation techniques for short-pulse distortion-product otoacoustic emissions

Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are presumed to consist mainly of two components, a nonlinear-distortion component and a coherent-reflection component. Wave interference between these two components reduces the accuracy of DPOAEs when used to evaluate cochlear function. Here, short tone pulses are utilized to record DPOAE signals in normal-hearing subjects. DPOAE components are extracted from recordings at discrete frequencies using two different techniques in the time domain. The extracted DPOAE components are compared to recordings obtained with conventional, continuous primary tones.

Input-output functions of the nonlinear-distortion component of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions in normal and hearing-impaired human ears

Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) arise in the cochlea in response to two tones with frequencies f₁ and f₂ and mainly consist of two components, a nonlinear-distortion and a coherent-reflection component. Wave interference between these components limits the accuracy of DPOAEs when evaluating the function of the cochlea with conventional continuous stimulus tones. Here, DPOAE components are separated in the time domain from DPOAE signals elicited with short stimulus pulses. The extracted nonlinear-distortion components are used to derive estimated distortion-product thresholds (EDPTs) from semi-logarithmic input-output (I/O) functions for 20 normal-hearing and 21 hearing-impaired subjects. I/O functions were measured with frequency-specific stimulus levels at eight frequencies f₂ = 1,…, 8 kHz (f₂/f₁ = 1.2). For comparison, DPOAEs were also elicited with continuous primary tones. Both acquisition paradigms yielded EDPTs, which significantly correlated with behavioral thresholds (p < 0.001) and enabled derivation of estimated hearing thresholds (EHTs) from EDPTs using a linear regression relationship. DPOAE-component separation in the time domain significantly reduced the standard deviation of EHTs compared to that derived from continuous DPOAEs (p < 0.01). In conclusion, using frequency-specific stimulus levels and DPOAE-component separation increases the reliability of DPOAE I/O functions for assessing cochlear function and estimating behavioral thresholds.

Isolating spectral cues in amplitude and quasi-frequency modulation discrimination by reducing stimulus duration

This study investigated the psychophysical effects of distortion products in a listening task traditionally used to estimate the bandwidth of phase sensitivity. For a 2000 Hz carrier, estimates of modulation depth necessary to discriminate amplitude modulated (AM) tones and quasi-frequency modulated (QFM) were measured in a two interval forced choice task as a function modulation frequency. Temporal modulation transfer functions were often non-monotonic at modulation frequencies above 300 Hz. This was likely to be due to a spectral cue arising from the interaction of auditory distortion products and the lower sideband of the stimulus complex. When the stimulus duration was decreased from 200 ms to 20 ms, thresholds for low-frequency modulators rose to near-chance levels, whereas thresholds in the region of non-monotonicities were less affected. The decrease in stimulus duration appears to hinder the listener's ability to use temporal cues in order to discriminate between AM and QFM, whereas spectral information derived from distortion product cues appears more resilient.

Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission Measured Below 300 Hz in Normal-Hearing Human Subjects

Physiological noise levels in the human ear canal often exceed naturally low levels of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) near the threshold of hearing. Low-frequency noise, and electronic filtering to cope with it, has effectively limited the study of OAE to frequencies above about 500 Hz. Presently, a custom-built low-frequency acoustic probe was put to use in 21 normal-hearing human subjects (of 34 recruited). Distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) was measured in the enclosed ear canal volume as the response to two simultaneously presented tones with frequencies f ₁ and f ₂. The stimulus-frequency ratio f ₂/f ₁ was varied systematically to find the "optimal" ratio evoking the largest level at 2 f ₁-f ₂ frequencies 87.9, 176, and 264 Hz. No reference data exist in this frequency region. Results show that DPOAE exists down to at least 87.9 Hz, maintaining the bell-shaped dependence on the f ₂/f ₁ ratio known from higher frequencies. Toward low frequencies, however, the bell broadens and the optimal ratio increases proportionally to the bandwidth of an auditory filter as defined by the equivalent rectangular bandwidth. The DPOAE phase rotates monotonously as a function of the stimulus ratio, and its slope trend supports the notion of a lack of scaling symmetry in the apex of the cochlea.

Comparing Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions to Intracochlear Distortion Products Inferred from a Noninvasive Assay

The behavior of intracochlear distortion products (iDPs) was inferred by interacting a probe tone (f3) with the iDP of interest to produce a "secondary" distortion product otoacoustic emission termed DPOAE(2ry). Measures of the DPOAE(2ry) were then used to deduce the properties of the iDP. This approach was used in alert rabbits and anesthetized gerbils to compare ear-canal 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 DPOAE f2/f1 ratio functions, level/phase (L/P) maps, and interference-response areas (IRAs) to their simultaneously collected DPOAE(2ry) counterparts. These same measures were also collected in a human volunteer to demonstrate similarities with their laboratory animal counterparts and their potential applicability to humans. Results showed that DPOAEs and inferred iDPs evidenced distinct behaviors and properties. That is, DPOAE ratio functions elicited by low-level primaries peaked around an f2/f1 = 1.21 or 1.25, depending on species, while the corresponding inferred iDP ratio functions peaked at f2/f1 ratios of ~1. Additionally, L/P maps showed rapid phase variation with DPOAE frequency (fdp) for the narrow-ratio 2f1-f2 and all 2f2-f1 DPOAEs, while the corresponding DPOAE(2ry) measures evidenced relatively constant phases. Common features of narrow-ratio DPOAE IRAs, such as large enhancements for interference tones (ITs) presented above f2, were not present in DPOAE(2ry) IRAs. Finally, based on prior experiments in gerbils, the behavior of the iDP directly measured in intracochlear pressure was compared to the iDP inferred from the DPOAE(2ry) and found to be similar. Together, these findings are consistent with the notion that under certain conditions, ear-canal DPOAEs provide poor representations of iDPs and thus support a "beamforming" hypothesis. According to this concept, distributed emission components directed toward the ear canal from the f2 and basal to f2 regions can be of differing phases and thus cancel, while these same components directed toward fdp add in phase.

Level dependence of the nonlinear-distortion component of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions in humans

Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) emerge when presenting two primary tones with different frequencies f1 and f2 to the cochlea and are commonly used in diagnosis and research to evaluate the functional state of the cochlea. Optimal primary-tone stimulus levels accounting for the different level dependencies of the traveling-wave amplitudes of the two primary tones near the f2-tonotopic place on the basilar membrane are often used to maximize DPOAE amplitudes. However, parameters defining the optimal levels can be affected by wave interference between the nonlinear-distortion and coherent-reflection components of the DPOAE. Here, the components were separated in the time domain using a pulsed stimulus paradigm and optimal levels determined. Based on the amplitude dependence of the nonlinear-distortion components on primary-tone stimulus levels, level parameters yielding maximum DPOAE amplitudes were derived for six normal-hearing adults and compared to data recorded with continuous two-tone stimulation. The level parameters resulting from analysis of the nonlinear-distortion components show dependence on stimulus frequency and small standard deviations. DPOAE input/output functions derived for optimal levels exhibit larger slopes, wider dynamic range and less variability across subjects than those derived for conventional stimulus and analysis conditions, potentially increasing their reliability and sensitivity for assessing cochlea function.

Culture and properties of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells: characteristics in vitro and immunosuppression in vivo

OBJECTIVE

To compare the two sources of adipose and bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs and AMSCs) in immune regulation and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of AMSCs on Con A induced hepatitis and the possible mechanism involved in it.

METHODS

We isolated bone marrow and adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells respectively and compared their differences on T lymphocyte activation, proliferation and suppression. We also test the anti-apoptosis ability of AMSCs on LO2 cell line. The effects of intravenous infusion of AMSCs on liver damage were also tested and we detected donor AMSCs in liver of recipient and their effects on the activity of intrahepatic NKT cells.

RESULTS

BMSCs and AMSCs were similar in cell phenotype and the difference existed only in the expression of CD106. The results showed that the capacity of suppressing T cells proliferation and activation was weakened in AMSCs. AMSCs ameliorated liver damage and this effect was time and dose dependent. We detected donor AMSCs in liver of recipient which suggested tissue damage could be a clue for AMSCs migration. We also found AMSCs suppress the activity of intrahepatic NKT cells, but this suppress effects was not restricted in liver only, but the whole body.

CONCLUSION

Cell origin and abundance are decisive factors in stem cells applications and with the same premise of AMSCs and BMSCs, adipose tissue is a more promising origin source of stem cells. The immunoregulatory features of MSCs might play an important role in various MSCs cellular therapies.