Aim: To elucidate molecular mechanisms of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and glucocorticoid therapy in the cochlea. Background: Glucocorticoids are used to treat many forms of acute sensorineural hearing loss, but their molecular action in the cochlea remains poorly understood. Methods: Dexamethasone was administered intraperitoneally immediately following acoustic overstimulation at 120 dB SPL for 2 hours to mice. The whole cochlear transcriptome was analyzed 12 and 24 hours following noise trauma and dexamethasone administration by both next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq) and DNA microarray. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with more than 2-fold changes after noise trauma and dexamethasone administration were identified. The functions of these DEGs were analyzed by David Bioinformatics Resources and a literature search. Results: Twelve hours after acoustic overstimulation, immune-related gene pathways such as "chemokine signaling activity," "cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction," and "cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in the immune system" were significantly changed compared with the baseline level without noise. These DEGs were involved in immune and defense responses in the cochlea. Dexamethasone was administered to this NIHL model, and it modulated gene pathways of "cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction" and "cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in the immune system" at 12 hours, compared with saline-injected control. Dexamethasone-dependent DEGs were also involved in immune and defense responses. A literature search showed that 10 other genes associated with hearing functions were regulated by dexamethasone both at 12 and 24 hours post-administration. Conclusion: Dexamethasone modulates the immune reaction in the traumatized cochlea following acoustic overstimulation. Dexamethasone may also regulate cochlear functions other than immunity. Copyright (C) 2017 by Otology & Neurotology, Inc. Image copyright (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health/Anatomical Chart Company
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Παρασκευή 17 Μαρτίου 2017
Predicting Auditory Outcomes From Radiological Imaging in Cochlear Implant Patients With Cochlear Nerve Deficiency.
Objective: To compare imaging and outcome data in cochlear implant (CI) patients with and without cochlear nerve deficiency (CND). Study Design: Retrospective study comparing presurgical imaging (via high-resolution computed tomography and three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging) to postsurgical auditory outcomes in CI patients with and without CND. Patients: Forty-three CI patients with CND diagnosed according to preoperative imaging were included in the CND group. A control group (non-CND; n = 43) was matched to the CND group in terms of age at implantation, CI device type, preoperative hearing threshold, and sex. Results: Across all subjects, internal auditory canal (IAC) diameter, cochlear nerve canal (CNC) diameter, and the number of nerve bundles were significantly correlated with all auditory outcome measures (p
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Tests of Eustachian Tube Function: the Effect of Testing Technique on Tube Opening in Healthy Ears.
Objective: There is no agreement on the best clinical test for Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction. Numerous tests have been developed to detect ET opening, and all require a patient to perform a Valsalva, Toynbee or sniff maneuver, or to swallow on demand. We aimed to characterize existing tests of ET function in healthy ears, and identify the optimal method and patient maneuver for each test. Our own normative data is presented alongside published comparisons. Study Design: Diagnostic test cohort study. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Seventy-five healthy ears from 42 volunteers. Interventions: Six tests of ET function, each performed using multiple different patient maneuvers. Main Outcome Measure: Detected ET opening rate for each test-maneuver combination. Results: The highest detected opening rates were: Sonotubometry 94%; nine-step test inflation/deflation 93/94%; continuous impedance 88%, patient-reported opening 79%; observed tympanic membrane movement 78%; and Tubo-tympano-aerodynamic-graphy 76%. Valsalva maneuvers were most effective at opening the ET. Toynbee and swallow maneuvers were more effective when performed without water, when compared to with water. For Valsalva and sniff maneuvers, there was significant correlation between the peak nasopharyngeal pressure generated and the ET opening rate. Conclusion: Based on ET opening detection rates, we recommend the use of dry swallows with sonotubometry and the nine-step test. When testing patient-reported opening and observed membrane movement, and when performing Tubo-tympano-aerodynamic-graphy and impedance tests, we recommend the use of Valsalva maneuvers. Further studies are required to explore the association between the test technique and results in ears with ET dysfunction. Copyright (C) 2017 by Otology & Neurotology, Inc. Image copyright (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health/Anatomical Chart Company
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Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops.
Hypothesis: A review of the most recent literature will provide clinicians with an update of secondary endolymphatic hydrops, aiding in diagnosis and treatment of affected patients. Background: Secondary endolymphatic hydrops is a pathologic finding of the inner ear resulting in episodic vertigo and intermittent hearing loss. It is a finding for which extensive research is being performed. Methods: A review of the most recent literature on secondary endolymphatic hydrops was performed using PubMed literature search. Results: Recent investigation of secondary endolymphatic hydrops has brought attention to traumatic and inflammatory insults as causes for secondary endolymphatic hydrops. Such etiologies, including postsurgical effects of cochlear implantation and endolymphatic sac ablation; otosclerosis and its operative intervention(s); acoustic and mechanical trauma; medications; and systemic inflammatory processes, have been determined as causes of secondary lymphatic hydrops. Histopathological slides for many of the etiologies of secondary endolymphatic hydrops are presented. Conclusion: Through an understanding of the pathophysiology and etiologies of secondary endolymphatic hydrops, clinicians will gain a better understanding of this complex disease process, which will aid in treatment of patients with this disease process. Copyright (C) 2017 by Otology & Neurotology, Inc. Image copyright (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health/Anatomical Chart Company
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New Scoring System for Evaluating Patulous Eustachian Tube Patients.
Objective: To assess the efficacy of patulous Eustachian tube handicap inventory (PHI) for patulous Eustachian tube (PET) patients. Study Design: Prospective. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Subjects: A prospective survey of medical records in Sen-En Hospital identified 31 ears of 31 patients with definite PET who received insertion of the silicone plug as surgical treatment group, 29 ears of 29 patients treated with self-instillation of physiological saline solution as conservative treatment group, and 29 ears of 29 patients of sensorineural hearing loss without findings of PET treated between June 2015 and December 2015. Method: Diagnosis of definite PET was based on the proposal on PET diagnosis criteria announced by the Otological Society of Japan. The evaluation scale of PHI was modified from the Japanese version of the tinnitus handicap inventory-12 (THI-12). The classification for grading of severity is defined as follows: 1) no handicap (0-8), 2) mild handicap (10-16), 3) moderate handicap (18-24), and 4) severe handicap (26-40), matching the severity grades of tinnitus handicap inventory-25 (THI-25). The outcome measurement was modified from the previous scoring system and is defined as 1) complete relief, 2) significant improvement, 3) slight improvement, 4) unchanged, and 5) worse, and is applied according to the classification for grading of severity. The PHI was conducted at the first visit to our center for all patients in the three groups. For cases requiring surgery for plug insertion, patulous Eustachian tube handicap inventory 10 (PHI 10) was also conducted postsurgery after the treatment (postsurgery). Results: The findings from questions 1 to 7 and 9 to 11 were significantly different between the surgical (presurgery) and conservative treatment groups (p
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Factors Influencing Consonant Acquisition in Brazilian Portuguese–Speaking Children
Purpose
We sought to provide valid and reliable data on the acquisition of consonant sounds in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.
Method
The sample comprised 733 typically developing monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (ages 3;0–8;11 [years;months]). The presence of surface speech error patterns, the revised percentage consonants correct, and the age of sound acquisition were evaluated using phonological assessment software. The normative values for these variables were reported using means and standard deviations.
Results
Age had a significant impact on phoneme production. Increasing age was generally associated with an increase in correct phoneme production, a reduction in error patterns, and an increase in scores on revised percentage consonants correct. Phonological error patterns persisted for a longer time in consonants and consonant clusters acquired later in development. The 2 youngest age groups differed from the remainder of the sample on the frequency of the following phonological patterns: cluster reduction, liquid gliding, fricative deletion–coda, and weak-syllable deletion. Performance was similar between groups starting at 5;0 years old.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that nasal and stop consonants are acquired first, followed by fricatives and, finally, liquids. We suggest that future studies replicate our investigation in larger samples and younger age groups.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mB5hxn
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The Relationship Between Executive Functions and Language Abilities in Children: A Latent Variables Approach
Purpose
We aimed to outline the latent variables approach for measuring nonverbal executive function (EF) skills in school-age children, and to examine the relationship between nonverbal EF skills and language performance in this age group.
Method
Seventy-one typically developing children, ages 8 through 11, participated in the study. Three EF components, inhibition, updating, and task-shifting, were each indexed using 2 nonverbal tasks. A latent variables approach was used to extract latent scores that represented each EF construct. Children were also administered common standardized language measures. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between EF and language skills.
Results
Nonverbal updating was associated with the Receptive Language Index on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition (CELF-4). When composites denoting lexical–semantic and syntactic abilities were derived, nonverbal inhibition (but not shifting or updating) was found to predict children's syntactic abilities. These relationships held when the effects of age, IQ, and socioeconomic status were controlled.
Conclusions
The study makes a methodological contribution by explicating a method by which researchers can use the latent variables approach when measuring EF performance in school-age children. The study makes a theoretical and a clinical contribution by suggesting that language performance may be related to domain-general EFs.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwzbYA
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Factors Influencing Consonant Acquisition in Brazilian Portuguese–Speaking Children
Purpose
We sought to provide valid and reliable data on the acquisition of consonant sounds in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.
Method
The sample comprised 733 typically developing monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (ages 3;0–8;11 [years;months]). The presence of surface speech error patterns, the revised percentage consonants correct, and the age of sound acquisition were evaluated using phonological assessment software. The normative values for these variables were reported using means and standard deviations.
Results
Age had a significant impact on phoneme production. Increasing age was generally associated with an increase in correct phoneme production, a reduction in error patterns, and an increase in scores on revised percentage consonants correct. Phonological error patterns persisted for a longer time in consonants and consonant clusters acquired later in development. The 2 youngest age groups differed from the remainder of the sample on the frequency of the following phonological patterns: cluster reduction, liquid gliding, fricative deletion–coda, and weak-syllable deletion. Performance was similar between groups starting at 5;0 years old.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that nasal and stop consonants are acquired first, followed by fricatives and, finally, liquids. We suggest that future studies replicate our investigation in larger samples and younger age groups.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mB5hxn
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The Relationship Between Executive Functions and Language Abilities in Children: A Latent Variables Approach
Purpose
We aimed to outline the latent variables approach for measuring nonverbal executive function (EF) skills in school-age children, and to examine the relationship between nonverbal EF skills and language performance in this age group.
Method
Seventy-one typically developing children, ages 8 through 11, participated in the study. Three EF components, inhibition, updating, and task-shifting, were each indexed using 2 nonverbal tasks. A latent variables approach was used to extract latent scores that represented each EF construct. Children were also administered common standardized language measures. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between EF and language skills.
Results
Nonverbal updating was associated with the Receptive Language Index on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition (CELF-4). When composites denoting lexical–semantic and syntactic abilities were derived, nonverbal inhibition (but not shifting or updating) was found to predict children's syntactic abilities. These relationships held when the effects of age, IQ, and socioeconomic status were controlled.
Conclusions
The study makes a methodological contribution by explicating a method by which researchers can use the latent variables approach when measuring EF performance in school-age children. The study makes a theoretical and a clinical contribution by suggesting that language performance may be related to domain-general EFs.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwzbYA
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Screening Bilingual Preschoolers for Language Difficulties: Utility of Teacher and Parent Reports
Purpose
The utility of parent and teacher reports for screening 3 types of bilingual preschoolers (English–first language [L1]/Mandarin–second language[L2], Mandarin-L1/English-L2, or Malay-L1/English-L2) for language difficulty was investigated in Singapore with reference to measures of reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity in an English-medium kindergarten setting.
Method
The index tests were teachers’ ratings of the English language ability of 5-year-olds (N = 85) on the Bilingual Language Assessment Battery (BLAB): Preschool Teacher Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013) and parents' ratings of their child's home language ability (N = 78 English-L1, Mandarin-L1, or Malay-L1) on the BLAB: Preschool Parent Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013). The reference standards were objective measures of single-word receptive vocabulary (80 items) and expressive vocabulary (140 items) in the child's L1 and L2, as proxies for language ability.
Results
BLAB Teacher Reports for the English receptive and expressive subscales showed concurrent validity for all 3 bilingual groups, as well as generally high sensitivity and specificity. In contrast, BLAB Parent Reports for L1 receptive ability failed to show significant correlations with the objective measures of receptive vocabulary.
Conclusion
Subjective teacher ratings may be an effective method of screening bilingual preschoolers for language difficulty, thereby prompting referral to clinicians.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwvcLr
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Factors Influencing Consonant Acquisition in Brazilian Portuguese–Speaking Children
Purpose
We sought to provide valid and reliable data on the acquisition of consonant sounds in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.
Method
The sample comprised 733 typically developing monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (ages 3;0–8;11 [years;months]). The presence of surface speech error patterns, the revised percentage consonants correct, and the age of sound acquisition were evaluated using phonological assessment software. The normative values for these variables were reported using means and standard deviations.
Results
Age had a significant impact on phoneme production. Increasing age was generally associated with an increase in correct phoneme production, a reduction in error patterns, and an increase in scores on revised percentage consonants correct. Phonological error patterns persisted for a longer time in consonants and consonant clusters acquired later in development. The 2 youngest age groups differed from the remainder of the sample on the frequency of the following phonological patterns: cluster reduction, liquid gliding, fricative deletion–coda, and weak-syllable deletion. Performance was similar between groups starting at 5;0 years old.
Conclusion
This study confirmed that nasal and stop consonants are acquired first, followed by fricatives and, finally, liquids. We suggest that future studies replicate our investigation in larger samples and younger age groups.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mB5hxn
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The Relationship Between Executive Functions and Language Abilities in Children: A Latent Variables Approach
Purpose
We aimed to outline the latent variables approach for measuring nonverbal executive function (EF) skills in school-age children, and to examine the relationship between nonverbal EF skills and language performance in this age group.
Method
Seventy-one typically developing children, ages 8 through 11, participated in the study. Three EF components, inhibition, updating, and task-shifting, were each indexed using 2 nonverbal tasks. A latent variables approach was used to extract latent scores that represented each EF construct. Children were also administered common standardized language measures. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between EF and language skills.
Results
Nonverbal updating was associated with the Receptive Language Index on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition (CELF-4). When composites denoting lexical–semantic and syntactic abilities were derived, nonverbal inhibition (but not shifting or updating) was found to predict children's syntactic abilities. These relationships held when the effects of age, IQ, and socioeconomic status were controlled.
Conclusions
The study makes a methodological contribution by explicating a method by which researchers can use the latent variables approach when measuring EF performance in school-age children. The study makes a theoretical and a clinical contribution by suggesting that language performance may be related to domain-general EFs.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwzbYA
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Screening Bilingual Preschoolers for Language Difficulties: Utility of Teacher and Parent Reports
Purpose
The utility of parent and teacher reports for screening 3 types of bilingual preschoolers (English–first language [L1]/Mandarin–second language[L2], Mandarin-L1/English-L2, or Malay-L1/English-L2) for language difficulty was investigated in Singapore with reference to measures of reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity in an English-medium kindergarten setting.
Method
The index tests were teachers’ ratings of the English language ability of 5-year-olds (N = 85) on the Bilingual Language Assessment Battery (BLAB): Preschool Teacher Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013) and parents' ratings of their child's home language ability (N = 78 English-L1, Mandarin-L1, or Malay-L1) on the BLAB: Preschool Parent Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013). The reference standards were objective measures of single-word receptive vocabulary (80 items) and expressive vocabulary (140 items) in the child's L1 and L2, as proxies for language ability.
Results
BLAB Teacher Reports for the English receptive and expressive subscales showed concurrent validity for all 3 bilingual groups, as well as generally high sensitivity and specificity. In contrast, BLAB Parent Reports for L1 receptive ability failed to show significant correlations with the objective measures of receptive vocabulary.
Conclusion
Subjective teacher ratings may be an effective method of screening bilingual preschoolers for language difficulty, thereby prompting referral to clinicians.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwvcLr
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Screening Bilingual Preschoolers for Language Difficulties: Utility of Teacher and Parent Reports
Purpose
The utility of parent and teacher reports for screening 3 types of bilingual preschoolers (English–first language [L1]/Mandarin–second language[L2], Mandarin-L1/English-L2, or Malay-L1/English-L2) for language difficulty was investigated in Singapore with reference to measures of reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity in an English-medium kindergarten setting.
Method
The index tests were teachers’ ratings of the English language ability of 5-year-olds (N = 85) on the Bilingual Language Assessment Battery (BLAB): Preschool Teacher Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013) and parents' ratings of their child's home language ability (N = 78 English-L1, Mandarin-L1, or Malay-L1) on the BLAB: Preschool Parent Report (Pua, Lee, & Rickard Liow, 2013). The reference standards were objective measures of single-word receptive vocabulary (80 items) and expressive vocabulary (140 items) in the child's L1 and L2, as proxies for language ability.
Results
BLAB Teacher Reports for the English receptive and expressive subscales showed concurrent validity for all 3 bilingual groups, as well as generally high sensitivity and specificity. In contrast, BLAB Parent Reports for L1 receptive ability failed to show significant correlations with the objective measures of receptive vocabulary.
Conclusion
Subjective teacher ratings may be an effective method of screening bilingual preschoolers for language difficulty, thereby prompting referral to clinicians.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nwvcLr
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Pitch Strength as an Outcome Measure for Treatment of Dysphonia
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Lisa M. Kopf, Cristina Jackson-Menaldi, Adam D. Rubin, Jean Skeffington, Eric J. Hunter, Mark D. Skowronski, Rahul Shrivastav
BackgroundMeasurement of treatment outcomes is critical for the spectrum of voice treatments (ie, surgical, behavioral, or pharmacological). Outcome measures typically include visual (eg, stroboscopic data), auditory (eg, Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice; Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain), and objective correlates of vocal fold vibratory characteristics, such as acoustic signals (eg, harmonics-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence) or patient self-reported questionnaires (eg, Voice Handicap Index, Voice-Related Quality of Life). Subjective measures often show high variability, whereas most acoustic measures of voice are only valid for signals where some degree of periodicity can be assumed. However, this assumption is often invalid for dysphonic voices where signal periodicity is suspect. Furthermore, many of these measures are not useful in isolation for diagnostic purposes.ObjectiveWe evaluated a recently developed algorithm (Auditory Sawtooth Waveform Inspired Pitch Estimator—Prime [Auditory-SWIPE′]) for estimating pitch and pitch strength for dysphonic voices. Whereas fundamental frequency is a physical attribute of a signal, pitch is its psychophysical correlate. As such, the perception of pitch can extend to most signals irrespective of their periodicity.MethodsPost hoc analyses were conducted for three groups of patients evaluated and treated for voice problems at a major voice center: (1) muscle tension dysphonia/functional dysphonia, (2) vocal fold mass(es), and (3) presbyphonia. All patients were recorded before and after surgical/behavioral treatment for voice disorders. Pitch and pitch strength for each speaker were computed with the Auditory-SWIPE′ algorithm.ResultsComparison of pre- and posttreatment data provides support for pitch strength as a measure of treatment outcomes for dysphonic voices.
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Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice Quality of Cochlear-implanted and Normal-hearing Individuals: A Reliability Study
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Ana Cristina Coelho, Alcione Ghedini Brasolotto, Ana Carolina Nascimento Fernandes, Daniela Malta de Souza Medved, Eduardo Magalhães da Silva, Fayez Bahmad Júnior
ObjectiveThis study aimed to present an experience in rating voices of adults with normal hearing and adults with cochlear implants and critically examine the outcomes, discussing pros and cons of the methodology used.Study designThis is a cross-sectional, prospective study.MethodsOne hundred and fifty voice samples, consisting of 50 sustained vowels, 50 samples of connected speech, and 50 samples of conversational speech, belonging to 25 adults with hearing impairment with cochlear implants and 25 adults with normal hearing, were perceptually analyzed for inter-rater agreement and intra-rater reliability. Three experienced judges rated the voice samples using visual analog scales of parameters considered relevant for cochlear-implanted population such as articulation, intonation, and resonance. The raters participated in three training sessions for calibration and had 1 month to complete the ratings individually. Twenty percent of the samples were repeated randomly to verify intra-rater reliability. The levels of agreement and reliability were verified using the interclass correlation coefficient.ResultsThe inter-rater agreement varied widely across the parameters and speech tasks, from poor to excellent agreement. The only parameter for which the raters maintained consistently good or excellent agreement for all groups and emissions was the pitch. For intra-rater reliability, two of the raters presented excellent reliability for most parameters across all of the speech tasks, whereas one rater presented more inconsistencies.ConclusionsIn this reliability study, factors such as extensive deadline for the auditory perceptual evaluation, lack of periodic recalibration, speech tasks, and familiarity with the population studied were identified as factors that contributed to inconsistent reliability results.
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Working 9–5: Causal Relationships Between Singers' “Day Jobs” and Their Performance Work, With Implications for Vocal Health
Source:Journal of Voice, Volume 31, Issue 2
Author(s): Irene Bartlett, Pat H. Wilson
ObjectivesIt is acknowledged generally that professional contemporary commercial music (CCM) singers engage in supplementary employment (“the day job”) to achieve and maintain a reliable living wage. In this paper, consideration is given to the impact of such nonperformance employment on CCM's sustainable vocal health.MethodsCollected data from a survey of 102 professional contemporary gig singers were analysed using descriptive statistical procedures from the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Although these data provided descriptions of the personal characteristics of individuals in the sample, the inclusion of open format questions encouraged participants to report details of their “lived” experience. Additionally, a meta-analysis of a range of associated literature was undertaken.ResultsSixty-five participants (N = 102) reported that in addition to their heavy performance voice use, they were employed in “other” work (the “day job”) where their speaking voice loads were high. In responding to open-ended questions, many proffered written comments that were unprompted. The collected data from this element of the research study are reported here.ConclusionsWe propose that at least some causal factors of singers' reported voice problems may lie in the misuse or overuse of their everyday speaking voice (as demanded by their “day job”) rather than a misuse of their singing voice. These findings have practical application to all whose concern is care for the vocal or emotional health and performance longevity of professional singers.
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Transcricothyroid Endoscopic Subglottic Surgery for Posterior Glottic Stenosis: A Case Report
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Koji Matsushima, Kentaro Matsuura, Teppei Takeda, Yuko Sasaki, Akira Fukuo, Kota Wada, Yusuke Watanabe
Posterior glottic stenosis (PGS) is a rare but life-threatening condition mostly caused by damage to the interarytenoid mucosa by an endotracheal tube. In surgical treatment of PGS, airway patency is prioritized, and the laryngeal functions involved in swallowing and phonation are considerably sacrificed. In the majority of cases, lateralization of a vocal fold or partial excision of a vocal fold and arytenoid cartilage results in glottal closure insufficiency and deterioration of phonatory function. We present the first report of transcricothyroid endoscopic subglottic surgery to treat a 46-year-old man with PGS who was intubated for 10 days. Postoperative hypofunction was not observed in the aerodynamic examination and acoustic analysis, and phonatory function has been maintained within normal limits.
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Editorial Board
Source:Journal of Voice, Volume 31, Issue 2
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Calendar Listings
Source:Journal of Voice, Volume 31, Issue 2
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Flexible Fiber-Optic High-Speed Imaging of Vocal Fold Vibration: A Preliminary Report
Source:Journal of Voice, Volume 31, Issue 2
Author(s): Peak Woo, Peter Baxter
ObjectiveHigh-speed video (HSV) imaging of vocal fold vibration has been possible only through the rigid endoscope. This study reports that a fiberscope-based high-speed imaging system may allow HSV imaging of naturalistic voicing.Materials and methodsTwenty-two subjects were recorded using a commercially available black and white high-speed camera (Photron Motion Tools, 256 × 120 pixel, 2000 frames per second, 8 second acquisition time). The camera gain is set to +6 db. The camera is coupled to a standard fiber-optic laryngoscope (Olympus ENF P-4) with a 300-W Xenon light. Image acquisition was done by asking the subject to perform repeated phonation at modal phonation. Video images were processed using commercial video editing and video noise reduction software (After effects, Magix, and Neat Video 4.1). After video processing, the video images were analyzed using digital kymography (DKG).ResultsThe HSV black and white video acquired by the camera is gray and lacks contrast. By adjustment of image contrast, brightness, and gamma and using noise reduction software, the flexible laryngoscopy image can be converted to video image files suitable for DKG and waveform analysis. The increased noise still makes edge tracking for objective analysis difficult, but subjective analysis of DKG plot is possible.ConclusionsThis is the first report of HSV acquisition in an unsedated patient using a fiberscope. Image enhancement and noise reduction can enhance the HSV to allow extraction of the digital kymogram. Further image enhancement may allow for objective analysis of the vibratory waveform.
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White Matter Deterioration May Foreshadow Impairment of Emotional Valence Determination in Early-Stage Dementia of the Alzheimer Type.
| Related Articles |
White Matter Deterioration May Foreshadow Impairment of Emotional Valence Determination in Early-Stage Dementia of the Alzheimer Type.
Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:37
Authors: Rajmohan R, Anderson RC, Fang D, Meyer AG, Laengvejkal P, Julayanont P, Hannabas G, Linton K, Culberson J, Khan HM, De Toledo J, Reddy PH, O'Boyle M
Abstract
In Alzheimer Disease (AD), non-verbal skills often remain intact for far longer than verbally mediated processes. Four (1 female, 3 males) participants with early-stage Clinically Diagnosed Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (CDDAT) and eight neurotypicals (NTs; 4 females, 4 males) completed the emotional valence determination test (EVDT) while undergoing BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We expected CDDAT participants to perform just as well as NTs on the EVDT, and to display increased activity within the bilateral amygdala and right anterior cingulate cortex (r-ACC). We hypothesized that such activity would reflect an increased reliance on these structures to compensate for on-going neuronal loss in frontoparietal regions due to the disease. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to determine if white matter (WM) damage had occurred in frontoparietal regions as well. CDDAT participants had similar behavioral performance and no differences were observed in brain activity or connectivity patterns within the amygdalae or r-ACC. Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values were noted, however, for the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). We interpret these findings to suggest that emotional valence determination and non-verbal skill sets are largely intact at this stage of the disease, but signs foreshadowing future decline were revealed by possible WM deterioration. Understanding how non-verbal skill sets are altered, while remaining largely intact, offers new insights into how non-verbal communication may be more successfully implemented in the care of AD patients and highlights the potential role of DTI as a presymptomatic biomarker.
PMID: 28298891 [PubMed - in process]
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Auditory Enhancement in Cochlear-Implant Users Under Simultaneous and Forward Masking
Abstract
Auditory enhancement is the phenomenon whereby the salience or detectability of a target sound within a masker is enhanced by the prior presentation of the masker alone. Enhancement has been demonstrated using both simultaneous and forward masking in normal-hearing listeners and may play an important role in auditory and speech perception within complex and time-varying acoustic environments. The few studies of enhancement in hearing-impaired listeners have reported reduced or absent enhancement effects under forward masking, suggesting a potentially peripheral locus of the effect. Here, auditory enhancement was measured in eight cochlear-implant (CI) users with direct stimulation. Masked thresholds were measured under simultaneous and forward masking as a function of the number of masking electrodes, and the electrode spacing between the maskers and the target. Evidence for auditory enhancement was obtained under simultaneous masking, qualitatively consistent with results from normal-hearing listeners. However, no significant enhancement was observed under forward masking, in contrast to earlier results with normal-hearing listeners. The results suggest that the normal effects of auditory enhancement are partially but not fully experienced by CI users. To the extent that the CI users’ results differ from normal, it may be possible to apply signal processing to restore the missing aspects of enhancement.
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Identifying the Origin of Effects of Contralateral Noise on Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Unanesthetized Mice
Abstract
Descending neural pathways in the mammalian auditory system are known to modulate the function of the peripheral auditory system. These pathways include the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent innervation to outer hair cells (OHCs) and the acoustic reflex pathways mediating middle ear muscle (MEM) contractions. Based on measurements in humans (Marks and Siegel, companion paper), we applied a sensitive method to attempt to differentiate MEM and MOC reflexes using contralateral acoustic stimulation in mice under different levels of anesthesia. Separation of these effects is based on the knowledge that OHC-generated transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) are delayed relative to the stimulus, and that the MOC reflex affects the emission through its innervation of OHC. In contrast, the MEM-mediated changes in middle ear reflectance alter both the stimulus (with a short delay) and the emission. Using this approach, time averages to transient stimuli were evaluated to determine if thresholds for a contralateral effect on the delayed emission, indicating potential MOC activation, could be observed in the absence of a change in the stimulus pressure. This outcome was not observed in the majority of cases. There were also no statistically significant differences between MEM and putative MOC thresholds, and variability was high for both thresholds regardless of anesthesia level. Since the two reflex pathways could not be differentiated on the basis of activation thresholds, it was concluded that the MEM reflex dominates changes in TEOAEs induced by contralateral noise. This result complicates the identification of purely MOC-induced changes on OAEs in mice unless the MEM reflex is inactivated surgically or pharmacologically.
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Get Connected - Go Beyond. Widex Made-for-iPhone Technology
Learning Outcomes The Widex LegacyToday, we are going to discuss our new product, Widex Beyond. Before I begin talking about our new innovations, I will review the signature features and technology of Widex products, which we refer to as the Wid 
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Comparison of Multipole Stimulus Configurations With Respect to Loudness and Spread of Excitation.
Objective: Current spread is a substantial limitation of speech coding strategies in cochlear implants. Multipoles have the potential to reduce current spread and thus generate more discriminable pitch percepts. The difficulty with multipoles is reaching sufficient loudness. The primary goal was to compare the loudness characteristics and spread of excitation (SOE) of three types of phased array stimulation, a novel multipole, with three more conventional configurations. Design: Fifteen postlingually deafened cochlear implant users performed psychophysical experiments addressing SOE, loudness scaling, loudness threshold, loudness balancing, and loudness discrimination. Partial tripolar stimulation (pTP, [sigma] = 0.75), TP, phased array with 16 (PA16) electrodes, and restricted phased array with five (PA5) and three (PA3) electrodes was compared with a reference monopolar stimulus. Results: Despite a similar loudness growth function, there were considerable differences in current expenditure. The most energy efficient multipole was the pTP, followed by PA16 and PA5/PA3. TP clearly stood out as the least efficient one. Although the electric dynamic range was larger with multipolar configurations, the number of discriminable steps in loudness was not significantly increased. The SOE experiment could not demonstrate any difference between the stimulation strategies. Conclusions: The loudness characteristics all five multipolar configurations tested are similar. Because of their higher energy efficiency, pTP and PA16 are the most favorable candidates for future testing in clinical speech coding strategies. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty.
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Pre- and Postoperative Binaural Unmasking for Bimodal Cochlear Implant Listeners.
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Get Connected - Go Beyond. Widex Made-for-iPhone Technology
Learning Outcomes The Widex LegacyToday, we are going to discuss our new product, Widex Beyond. Before I begin talking about our new innovations, I will review the signature features and technology of Widex products, which we refer to as the Wid
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Comparison of Multipole Stimulus Configurations With Respect to Loudness and Spread of Excitation.
Objective: Current spread is a substantial limitation of speech coding strategies in cochlear implants. Multipoles have the potential to reduce current spread and thus generate more discriminable pitch percepts. The difficulty with multipoles is reaching sufficient loudness. The primary goal was to compare the loudness characteristics and spread of excitation (SOE) of three types of phased array stimulation, a novel multipole, with three more conventional configurations. Design: Fifteen postlingually deafened cochlear implant users performed psychophysical experiments addressing SOE, loudness scaling, loudness threshold, loudness balancing, and loudness discrimination. Partial tripolar stimulation (pTP, [sigma] = 0.75), TP, phased array with 16 (PA16) electrodes, and restricted phased array with five (PA5) and three (PA3) electrodes was compared with a reference monopolar stimulus. Results: Despite a similar loudness growth function, there were considerable differences in current expenditure. The most energy efficient multipole was the pTP, followed by PA16 and PA5/PA3. TP clearly stood out as the least efficient one. Although the electric dynamic range was larger with multipolar configurations, the number of discriminable steps in loudness was not significantly increased. The SOE experiment could not demonstrate any difference between the stimulation strategies. Conclusions: The loudness characteristics all five multipolar configurations tested are similar. Because of their higher energy efficiency, pTP and PA16 are the most favorable candidates for future testing in clinical speech coding strategies. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty.
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Pre- and Postoperative Binaural Unmasking for Bimodal Cochlear Implant Listeners.
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Get Connected - Go Beyond. Widex Made-for-iPhone Technology
Learning Outcomes The Widex LegacyToday, we are going to discuss our new product, Widex Beyond. Before I begin talking about our new innovations, I will review the signature features and technology of Widex products, which we refer to as the Wid
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Comparison of Multipole Stimulus Configurations With Respect to Loudness and Spread of Excitation.
Objective: Current spread is a substantial limitation of speech coding strategies in cochlear implants. Multipoles have the potential to reduce current spread and thus generate more discriminable pitch percepts. The difficulty with multipoles is reaching sufficient loudness. The primary goal was to compare the loudness characteristics and spread of excitation (SOE) of three types of phased array stimulation, a novel multipole, with three more conventional configurations. Design: Fifteen postlingually deafened cochlear implant users performed psychophysical experiments addressing SOE, loudness scaling, loudness threshold, loudness balancing, and loudness discrimination. Partial tripolar stimulation (pTP, [sigma] = 0.75), TP, phased array with 16 (PA16) electrodes, and restricted phased array with five (PA5) and three (PA3) electrodes was compared with a reference monopolar stimulus. Results: Despite a similar loudness growth function, there were considerable differences in current expenditure. The most energy efficient multipole was the pTP, followed by PA16 and PA5/PA3. TP clearly stood out as the least efficient one. Although the electric dynamic range was larger with multipolar configurations, the number of discriminable steps in loudness was not significantly increased. The SOE experiment could not demonstrate any difference between the stimulation strategies. Conclusions: The loudness characteristics all five multipolar configurations tested are similar. Because of their higher energy efficiency, pTP and PA16 are the most favorable candidates for future testing in clinical speech coding strategies. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty.
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Pre- and Postoperative Binaural Unmasking for Bimodal Cochlear Implant Listeners.
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