Influence of Self-generated Anchors on the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10)

Publication date: Available online 17 August 2016
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Elisabet Canals-Fortuny, Josep Vila-Rovira
ObjectiveThe aim of this research is to study whether the presentation of the Voice Handicap Index-10 questionnaire administered at the beginning of the treatment impinged on the results of the responses from the end of the treatment.MethodsThe questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the treatment to a total of 308 patients. After the treatment, a group of 235 patients answered the questionnaire again without any reference to their responses on the initial administration. The other group of participants, consisting of 73 subjects, completed the questionnaire with the answer sheet of their initial self-assessment in sight.ResultsThe data obtained show that patients who responded to the anchored answer test show less dispersion and a smaller coefficient of variation (0.90) than those who responded to the nonanchored answer test (coefficient of variation = 1.66).ConclusionsThe method of administration of the Voice Handicap Index-10 at the end of a treatment influences the dispersion of the results. We recommend that the patient be anchored to the initial answer sheet while responding to the final self-assessment.



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Vocal Fatigue Symptoms and Laryngeal Status in Relation to Vocal Activity Limitation and Participation Restriction

Publication date: Available online 17 August 2016
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Irma Ilomäki, Elina Kankare, Jaana Tyrmi, Leenamaija Kleemola, Ahmed Geneid
ObjectivesThe study aims to investigate the vocal fatigue symptoms and laryngeal status in relation to vocal activity limitations and vocal participation restrictions.Study DesignThis is a case-control study.MethodsTwo hundred six teachers were divided into two groups based on the frequency of their self-reported vocal symptoms being more or less than the mean of reported frequency. The study compared odds for activity limitation and participation restriction in relation to frequency of vocal symptoms, number of vocal symptoms recurring weekly, and organic laryngeal changes. Activity limitation and participation restriction were studied using the Voice Activity and Participation Profile questionnaire.ResultsIncreased odds were found for teachers with frequent vocal symptoms and especially those with one or more vocal symptom recurring weekly. Odds were found to be 2.6–8.5 times more likely in teachers with more frequent vocal symptoms. The odds increased dramatically with increase of the number of vocal symptoms recurring weekly. Laryngeal organic changes were found to increase the odds but insignificantly.ConclusionsTeachers with frequent vocal symptoms, especially those with vocal symptoms recurring weekly, have increased odds ratio for vocal activity limitation and vocal participation restrictions. High scores or frequent occurrence of self-reported vocal fatigue symptoms must be taken seriously in the evaluation of vocal working ability.



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Tinnitus Disappears Completely

Tinnitus is a ringing in the ears that sounds like a buzzing or humming noise even when there is no actual sound present. This ringing or humming noise may be present throughout the day or only occur when certain actions are taken like laying on your side while sleeping. While tinnitus can be cured, it may also go away on its own.

What Are the Odds that Tinnitus Disappears Completely?

It is commonly believed that tinnitus will not go away if it lasts for two years or more. However, new research indicates that it can go away on its own no matter how long a person may have experience symptoms. In some cases, a patient may experience symptoms for a given length of time and then be free from symptoms before they return again. The odds of tinnitus going away completely is better for those who have acute tinnitus, which generally occurs when an individual is exposed to loud noise at work or while attending a concert.

Patients Regain Sanity When Tinnitus Disappears Completely

Those who suffer from tinnitus may find it hard to sleep, hard to concentrate and hard to interact with others. The constant noise may be overwhelming, which can lead to mental health problems in many patients. Those who can’t sleep because of the constant ringing in their ears may see a reduction in reaction time, which may make driving difficult. Sleep deprivation may also lead to a poor mood, which may lead to isolation because others don’t want to deal with a bad attitude.

Perception May Be Reality for Some Tinnitus Patients

While it is possible for symptoms to go away completely, some may only think that their symptoms have gone away for good. In some cases, patients have symptoms for so long that they are able to tune them out or otherwise work around them. Therefore, you may think that tinnitus disappears completely when in reality you have adjusted to it. However, this may still result in a better quality of life and an ability to function normally while at work or during social situations.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of tinnitus, you are not alone nor is hope lost that your symptoms won’t go away. For some, the ringing and the noise will simply cease to exist without any treatment or other outside action. Those who do have tinnitus are encouraged to talk with their doctor to determine the full extent of the condition.

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Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Aug 12;

Authors: Kwon HJ

Abstract
The biological actions of vitamin D are largely mediated through binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor family, which regulates gene expression in a wide variety of tissues and cells. Mutations in VDR gene have been implicated in ear disorders (hearing loss and balance disorder) but the mechanisms are not well established. In this study, to investigate the role of VDR in inner ear development, morpholino-mediated gene knockdown approaches were used in zebrafish model system. Two paralogs for VDR, vdra and vdrb, have been identified in zebrafish. Knockdown of vdra had no effect on ear development, whereas knockdown of vdrb displayed morphological ear defects including smaller otic vesicles with malformed semicircular canals and abnormal otoliths. Loss-of-vdrb resulted in down-regulation of pre-otic markers, pax8 and pax2a, indicating impairment of otic induction. Furthermore, zebrafish embryos lacking vdrb produced fewer sensory hair cells in the ears and showed disruption of balance and motor coordination. These data reveal that VDR signaling plays an important role in ear development.

PMID: 27526995 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Aug 12;

Authors: Kwon HJ

Abstract
The biological actions of vitamin D are largely mediated through binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor family, which regulates gene expression in a wide variety of tissues and cells. Mutations in VDR gene have been implicated in ear disorders (hearing loss and balance disorder) but the mechanisms are not well established. In this study, to investigate the role of VDR in inner ear development, morpholino-mediated gene knockdown approaches were used in zebrafish model system. Two paralogs for VDR, vdra and vdrb, have been identified in zebrafish. Knockdown of vdra had no effect on ear development, whereas knockdown of vdrb displayed morphological ear defects including smaller otic vesicles with malformed semicircular canals and abnormal otoliths. Loss-of-vdrb resulted in down-regulation of pre-otic markers, pax8 and pax2a, indicating impairment of otic induction. Furthermore, zebrafish embryos lacking vdrb produced fewer sensory hair cells in the ears and showed disruption of balance and motor coordination. These data reveal that VDR signaling plays an important role in ear development.

PMID: 27526995 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Vitamin D receptor deficiency impairs inner ear development in zebrafish.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Aug 12;

Authors: Kwon HJ

Abstract
The biological actions of vitamin D are largely mediated through binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor family, which regulates gene expression in a wide variety of tissues and cells. Mutations in VDR gene have been implicated in ear disorders (hearing loss and balance disorder) but the mechanisms are not well established. In this study, to investigate the role of VDR in inner ear development, morpholino-mediated gene knockdown approaches were used in zebrafish model system. Two paralogs for VDR, vdra and vdrb, have been identified in zebrafish. Knockdown of vdra had no effect on ear development, whereas knockdown of vdrb displayed morphological ear defects including smaller otic vesicles with malformed semicircular canals and abnormal otoliths. Loss-of-vdrb resulted in down-regulation of pre-otic markers, pax8 and pax2a, indicating impairment of otic induction. Furthermore, zebrafish embryos lacking vdrb produced fewer sensory hair cells in the ears and showed disruption of balance and motor coordination. These data reveal that VDR signaling plays an important role in ear development.

PMID: 27526995 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Comparisons of Longitudinal Trajectories of Social Competence: Parent Ratings of Children With Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers.

Related Articles

Comparisons of Longitudinal Trajectories of Social Competence: Parent Ratings of Children With Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers.

Otol Neurotol. 2016 Feb;37(2):152-9

Authors: Hoffman MF, Cejas I, Quittner AL, CDaCI Investigative Team

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the longitudinal effects of cochlear implantation (CIs) on young, deaf children's social competence over 5 years of implant use and compare their social skills to those of same-aged, hearing peers.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal between- and within-subjects design, with assessments completed 3 times over 5 years.
SETTING: This study was conducted at 6 cochlear implant centers and two preschools that enrolled both CI and hearing children.
PATIENTS: Parents of 132 children with CIs and 67 age-matched hearing controls completed the study measures. Children were between 5 and 9 years of age at the first time point.
INTERVENTIONS: Cochlear implantation and speech-language therapy.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three subscales were drawn from 2 standardized measures of behavioral and social functioning, the Behavioral Assessment Scale for Children (Adaptability, Social Skills) and the Social Skills Rating System (Social Skills). A latent social competence variable was created using multiple subscales, which was modeled over time.
RESULTS: Parent data indicated that children with CIs were delayed in comparison to their hearing peers on the social competence latent variable across all time points. Further, there was minimal evidence of "catch-up" growth over this 5-year period.
CONCLUSION: Children with CIs continued to experience delays in social competence after several years of implant use. Despite documented gains in oral language, deficits in social competence remained. To date, no interventions for children with CIs have targeted these social and behavioral skills. Thus, interventions that address the functioning of the "whole child" following cochlear implantation are needed.

PMID: 26719958 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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The Development of Voiceless Sibilant Fricatives in Putonghua-Speaking Children

Purpose

The aims of the present study are (a) to quantify the developmental sequence of fricative mastery in Putonghua-speaking children and discuss the observed pattern in relation to existing theoretical positions, and (b) to describe the acquisition of the fine-articulatory/acoustic details of fricatives in the multidimensional acoustic space.

Method

Twenty adults and 97 children participated in a speech-production experiment, repeating a list of fricative-initial words. Two independent measures were applied to quantify the relative sequence of fricative acquisition: auditory-based phonetic transcription and acoustics-based statistical modeling. Two acoustic parameters—fricative centroid frequency and F2 onset—were used to index tongue-body and tongue-tip development, respectively.

Results

Both transcription and statistical modeling of acoustics yielded the sequence of /ɕ/ ⟶ /ʂ/ ⟶ /s/. Acoustic analysis further revealed gradual separation in both acoustic dimensions, with the initial undifferentiated form ambiguous between /ɕ/ and /ʂ/.

Conclusions

The observed sound-acquisition order was interpreted as reflecting a combined influence of both oromotor maturation and language-specific phoneme frequency in Putonghua. Acoustic results suggest a maturational advantage of the tongue body over the tongue tip during fricative development.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Vocal Folds in Women With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Virilized Voices

Purpose

Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) may develop a virilized voice due to late diagnosis or suboptimal suppression of adrenal androgens. Changes in the vocal folds due to virilization have not been studied in vivo. The purpose was to investigate if the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle is affected by virilization and correlate findings to fundamental frequency (F0).

Method

A case-control study using magnetic resonance imaging and voice recordings. Four women with CAH with virilized voices (26–40 years), and 5 female and 4 male controls participated. Measurements of cross-sectional TA muscle area, vocal fold length, vocal tract length, and acoustic analyses of F0 were performed.

Results

Women with CAH had larger cross-sectional TA muscle area than female control subjects and smaller than male controls. A significant negative correlation was found between TA muscle area and mean F0. The patients had a smaller physiological voice range than both female and male controls.

Conclusion

Data from our small study suggest that a larger TA muscle area is strongly associated with a lower F0 and thus the anatomical explanation for a female virilized voice, suggesting an androgen effect on the vocal folds. The findings from the present study need to be confirmed in a larger study.

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The Development of Voiceless Sibilant Fricatives in Putonghua-Speaking Children

Purpose

The aims of the present study are (a) to quantify the developmental sequence of fricative mastery in Putonghua-speaking children and discuss the observed pattern in relation to existing theoretical positions, and (b) to describe the acquisition of the fine-articulatory/acoustic details of fricatives in the multidimensional acoustic space.

Method

Twenty adults and 97 children participated in a speech-production experiment, repeating a list of fricative-initial words. Two independent measures were applied to quantify the relative sequence of fricative acquisition: auditory-based phonetic transcription and acoustics-based statistical modeling. Two acoustic parameters—fricative centroid frequency and F2 onset—were used to index tongue-body and tongue-tip development, respectively.

Results

Both transcription and statistical modeling of acoustics yielded the sequence of /ɕ/ ⟶ /ʂ/ ⟶ /s/. Acoustic analysis further revealed gradual separation in both acoustic dimensions, with the initial undifferentiated form ambiguous between /ɕ/ and /ʂ/.

Conclusions

The observed sound-acquisition order was interpreted as reflecting a combined influence of both oromotor maturation and language-specific phoneme frequency in Putonghua. Acoustic results suggest a maturational advantage of the tongue body over the tongue tip during fricative development.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Vocal Folds in Women With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Virilized Voices

Purpose

Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) may develop a virilized voice due to late diagnosis or suboptimal suppression of adrenal androgens. Changes in the vocal folds due to virilization have not been studied in vivo. The purpose was to investigate if the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle is affected by virilization and correlate findings to fundamental frequency (F0).

Method

A case-control study using magnetic resonance imaging and voice recordings. Four women with CAH with virilized voices (26–40 years), and 5 female and 4 male controls participated. Measurements of cross-sectional TA muscle area, vocal fold length, vocal tract length, and acoustic analyses of F0 were performed.

Results

Women with CAH had larger cross-sectional TA muscle area than female control subjects and smaller than male controls. A significant negative correlation was found between TA muscle area and mean F0. The patients had a smaller physiological voice range than both female and male controls.

Conclusion

Data from our small study suggest that a larger TA muscle area is strongly associated with a lower F0 and thus the anatomical explanation for a female virilized voice, suggesting an androgen effect on the vocal folds. The findings from the present study need to be confirmed in a larger study.

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The Development of Voiceless Sibilant Fricatives in Putonghua-Speaking Children

Purpose

The aims of the present study are (a) to quantify the developmental sequence of fricative mastery in Putonghua-speaking children and discuss the observed pattern in relation to existing theoretical positions, and (b) to describe the acquisition of the fine-articulatory/acoustic details of fricatives in the multidimensional acoustic space.

Method

Twenty adults and 97 children participated in a speech-production experiment, repeating a list of fricative-initial words. Two independent measures were applied to quantify the relative sequence of fricative acquisition: auditory-based phonetic transcription and acoustics-based statistical modeling. Two acoustic parameters—fricative centroid frequency and F2 onset—were used to index tongue-body and tongue-tip development, respectively.

Results

Both transcription and statistical modeling of acoustics yielded the sequence of /ɕ/ ⟶ /ʂ/ ⟶ /s/. Acoustic analysis further revealed gradual separation in both acoustic dimensions, with the initial undifferentiated form ambiguous between /ɕ/ and /ʂ/.

Conclusions

The observed sound-acquisition order was interpreted as reflecting a combined influence of both oromotor maturation and language-specific phoneme frequency in Putonghua. Acoustic results suggest a maturational advantage of the tongue body over the tongue tip during fricative development.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Vocal Folds in Women With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Virilized Voices

Purpose

Women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) may develop a virilized voice due to late diagnosis or suboptimal suppression of adrenal androgens. Changes in the vocal folds due to virilization have not been studied in vivo. The purpose was to investigate if the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle is affected by virilization and correlate findings to fundamental frequency (F0).

Method

A case-control study using magnetic resonance imaging and voice recordings. Four women with CAH with virilized voices (26–40 years), and 5 female and 4 male controls participated. Measurements of cross-sectional TA muscle area, vocal fold length, vocal tract length, and acoustic analyses of F0 were performed.

Results

Women with CAH had larger cross-sectional TA muscle area than female control subjects and smaller than male controls. A significant negative correlation was found between TA muscle area and mean F0. The patients had a smaller physiological voice range than both female and male controls.

Conclusion

Data from our small study suggest that a larger TA muscle area is strongly associated with a lower F0 and thus the anatomical explanation for a female virilized voice, suggesting an androgen effect on the vocal folds. The findings from the present study need to be confirmed in a larger study.

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Affordable headphones for accessible screening audiometry: An evaluation of the Sennheiser HD202 II supra-aural headphone

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Affordable headphones for accessible screening audiometry: An evaluation of the Sennheiser HD202 II supra-aural headphone

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Affordable headphones for accessible screening audiometry: An evaluation of the Sennheiser HD202 II supra-aural headphone

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