Acoustic and Perceptual Analyses of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia in Mandarin-speaking Chinese

Publication date: Available online 12 February 2018
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Zhipeng Chen, Jingyuan Li, Qingyi Ren, Pingjiang Ge
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the perceptual structure and acoustic characteristics of speech of patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) in Mandarin.Study designCase-Control StudyMaterials and MethodsFor the estimation of dysphonia level, perceptual and acoustic analysis were used for patients with ADSD (N = 20) and the control group (N = 20) that are Mandarin-Chinese speakers. For both subgroups, a sustained vowel and connected speech samples were obtained. The difference of perceptual and acoustic parameters between the two subgroups was assessed and analyzed.ResultsFor acoustic assessment, the percentage of phonatory breaks (PBs) of connected reading and the percentage of aperiodic segments and frequency shifts (FS) of vowel and reading in patients with ADSD were significantly worse than controls, the mean harmonics-to-noise ratio and the fundamental frequency standard deviation of vowel as well. For perceptual evaluation, the rating of speech and vowel in patients with ADSD are significantly higher than controls. The percentage of aberrant acoustic events (PB, frequency shift, and aperiodic segment) and the fundamental frequency standard deviation and mean harmonics-to-noise ratio were significantly correlated with the perceptual rating in the vowel and reading productions.ConclusionsThe perceptual and acoustic parameters of connected vowel and reading in patients with ADSD are worse than those in normal controls, and could validly and reliably estimate dysphonia of ADSD in Mandarin-speaking Chinese.



from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nXNGCq
via IFTTT

Comparison of Post-therapy Dysphonic Voices and Normal Voices

Publication date: Available online 12 February 2018
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Natalie Schaeffer, Akiko Fuse
PurposeThe purpose of the present investigation was to compare the voices of post-therapy dysphonic participants with participants who have normal voices to determine how close the corrected voices approached normal vocal levels. The present investigation is a follow-up to the authors' previous research in which dysphonic participants, with voices ranging from moderate-to-severe dysphonia, were evaluated pre- and post therapy using the Dysphonic Severity Percentage scale and the interval scale.MethodsIn the present study, five raters, three speech-language pathologists experienced in assessing dysphonia, and two trained speech-language pathology college students evaluated 20 participants with normal voices under the same two conditions as those of the corrected participants—when reading a paragraph aloud and during spontaneous speech. While listening to the recordings of the normal voices, the raters tallied any dysphonic syllables produced by the participants to obtain a Dysphonic Severity Percentage for both paragraph reading and spontaneous speech. The raters also evaluated the normal voices on the interval scale. These data were compared with those of the post-therapy participants, who were evaluated under the same conditions and methods pre- and post therapy.Results and ConclusionThe dysphonic participants' voices improved significantly post therapy in comparison with their pretherapy result; their improvement, however, was not commensurate with the voices of the normal participants, and the data showed a significant difference between the two groups. Both evaluation scales reflected a high agreement among raters.



from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2nUL8FQ
via IFTTT

Examination of Utricular Response Using oVEMP and Unilateral Centrifugation Rotation Testing

Objectives: Significant advancements have been made toward the clinical assessment of utricular function through ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) and unilateral centrifugation (UCF) testing. To date, no study has examined intrasubject relationships between these measures. The study hypothesis was that intrasubject responses from oVEMP and UCF testing would be correlated inasmuch as both tests have been reported to assess utricular function. Design: UCF rotations and oVEMP testing were performed on healthy volunteers, aged 18 to 62 years. A within-subject study design compared and correlated UCF outcome measures of ocular counterroll, subjective visual vertical, and ocular counterroll–gravitational inertial acceleration slope against peak to peak oVEMP N1–P1 amplitude. Results: Correlational analyses failed to reveal any significant relationships between oVEMP amplitude and UCF responses suggesting that these tests may be inciting different response properties within the utricular system. Conclusions: Various anatomical and physiological differences within the utricle, in addition to the fundamental differences in stimulus properties between the oVEMP and UCF tests, could explain the lack of significant correlations between these measures and suggest that oVEMP and UCF testing may be complimentary in their evaluation of the utricular system. These data reinforce the complexities of the utricular system and provide further insight into the difficulties encountered in its clinical assessment. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The authors thank Robert Wesley, PhD (National Institutes of Health [NIH]), and Dante Picchioni, PhD (NIH), for statistical guidance; Alex Kiderman, PhD (Neuro Kinetics, Inc.), for technical and engineering support; and Susannah Wargo, DNP (NIH), for clinical support. The authors also thank Tracy Fitzgerald, PhD, and Chris Platt, PhD, from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) for their careful review of the article and to the healthy participants for their participation in this research. This research was supported by intramural research funds from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC000064 to C.C.B.) (Bethesda, MD) and a US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) leadership preparation grant (Gallaudet University, DC). Christopher Zalewski contributed to the study concept and study design, study recruitment, data collection, data analysis, statistical analysis, and writing of the article. R. Steven Ackley contributed to the study design review and data analysis review. Carmen C. Brewer, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. Devin L. McCaslin contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. M. Diane Clark, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, and article review and editing. Wendy D. Hanks contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. The primary author, Dr. Christopher K. Zalewski, takes full responsibility for the data, the analyses and interpretation, and the conduct of the research; has full access to all of the data; and that he has the right to publish any and all data separate and apart from any sponsor. The Methods section includes a statement that an Institutional Review Board or regional review board has approved the use of human subjects for this study. This is a prospective study for which the author has received consent forms from all participants in this study and has them on file in case they are requested by the editor. Address for correspondence: Christopher K. Zalewski, National Institutes of Health (NIDCD), 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Room 5C422, Bethesda, MD, USA. E-mail: zalewski@nidcd.nih.gov Received March 24, 2017; accepted November 29, 2017. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2ETP6Wx
via IFTTT

Examination of Utricular Response Using oVEMP and Unilateral Centrifugation Rotation Testing

Objectives: Significant advancements have been made toward the clinical assessment of utricular function through ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) and unilateral centrifugation (UCF) testing. To date, no study has examined intrasubject relationships between these measures. The study hypothesis was that intrasubject responses from oVEMP and UCF testing would be correlated inasmuch as both tests have been reported to assess utricular function. Design: UCF rotations and oVEMP testing were performed on healthy volunteers, aged 18 to 62 years. A within-subject study design compared and correlated UCF outcome measures of ocular counterroll, subjective visual vertical, and ocular counterroll–gravitational inertial acceleration slope against peak to peak oVEMP N1–P1 amplitude. Results: Correlational analyses failed to reveal any significant relationships between oVEMP amplitude and UCF responses suggesting that these tests may be inciting different response properties within the utricular system. Conclusions: Various anatomical and physiological differences within the utricle, in addition to the fundamental differences in stimulus properties between the oVEMP and UCF tests, could explain the lack of significant correlations between these measures and suggest that oVEMP and UCF testing may be complimentary in their evaluation of the utricular system. These data reinforce the complexities of the utricular system and provide further insight into the difficulties encountered in its clinical assessment. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The authors thank Robert Wesley, PhD (National Institutes of Health [NIH]), and Dante Picchioni, PhD (NIH), for statistical guidance; Alex Kiderman, PhD (Neuro Kinetics, Inc.), for technical and engineering support; and Susannah Wargo, DNP (NIH), for clinical support. The authors also thank Tracy Fitzgerald, PhD, and Chris Platt, PhD, from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) for their careful review of the article and to the healthy participants for their participation in this research. This research was supported by intramural research funds from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC000064 to C.C.B.) (Bethesda, MD) and a US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) leadership preparation grant (Gallaudet University, DC). Christopher Zalewski contributed to the study concept and study design, study recruitment, data collection, data analysis, statistical analysis, and writing of the article. R. Steven Ackley contributed to the study design review and data analysis review. Carmen C. Brewer, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. Devin L. McCaslin contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. M. Diane Clark, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, and article review and editing. Wendy D. Hanks contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. The primary author, Dr. Christopher K. Zalewski, takes full responsibility for the data, the analyses and interpretation, and the conduct of the research; has full access to all of the data; and that he has the right to publish any and all data separate and apart from any sponsor. The Methods section includes a statement that an Institutional Review Board or regional review board has approved the use of human subjects for this study. This is a prospective study for which the author has received consent forms from all participants in this study and has them on file in case they are requested by the editor. Address for correspondence: Christopher K. Zalewski, National Institutes of Health (NIDCD), 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Room 5C422, Bethesda, MD, USA. E-mail: zalewski@nidcd.nih.gov Received March 24, 2017; accepted November 29, 2017. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2ETP6Wx
via IFTTT

Examination of Utricular Response Using oVEMP and Unilateral Centrifugation Rotation Testing

Objectives: Significant advancements have been made toward the clinical assessment of utricular function through ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) and unilateral centrifugation (UCF) testing. To date, no study has examined intrasubject relationships between these measures. The study hypothesis was that intrasubject responses from oVEMP and UCF testing would be correlated inasmuch as both tests have been reported to assess utricular function. Design: UCF rotations and oVEMP testing were performed on healthy volunteers, aged 18 to 62 years. A within-subject study design compared and correlated UCF outcome measures of ocular counterroll, subjective visual vertical, and ocular counterroll–gravitational inertial acceleration slope against peak to peak oVEMP N1–P1 amplitude. Results: Correlational analyses failed to reveal any significant relationships between oVEMP amplitude and UCF responses suggesting that these tests may be inciting different response properties within the utricular system. Conclusions: Various anatomical and physiological differences within the utricle, in addition to the fundamental differences in stimulus properties between the oVEMP and UCF tests, could explain the lack of significant correlations between these measures and suggest that oVEMP and UCF testing may be complimentary in their evaluation of the utricular system. These data reinforce the complexities of the utricular system and provide further insight into the difficulties encountered in its clinical assessment. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The authors thank Robert Wesley, PhD (National Institutes of Health [NIH]), and Dante Picchioni, PhD (NIH), for statistical guidance; Alex Kiderman, PhD (Neuro Kinetics, Inc.), for technical and engineering support; and Susannah Wargo, DNP (NIH), for clinical support. The authors also thank Tracy Fitzgerald, PhD, and Chris Platt, PhD, from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) for their careful review of the article and to the healthy participants for their participation in this research. This research was supported by intramural research funds from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC000064 to C.C.B.) (Bethesda, MD) and a US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) leadership preparation grant (Gallaudet University, DC). Christopher Zalewski contributed to the study concept and study design, study recruitment, data collection, data analysis, statistical analysis, and writing of the article. R. Steven Ackley contributed to the study design review and data analysis review. Carmen C. Brewer, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. Devin L. McCaslin contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. M. Diane Clark, contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, and article review and editing. Wendy D. Hanks contributed to the study concept and methodology review, statistical analysis review, article review and editing. The primary author, Dr. Christopher K. Zalewski, takes full responsibility for the data, the analyses and interpretation, and the conduct of the research; has full access to all of the data; and that he has the right to publish any and all data separate and apart from any sponsor. The Methods section includes a statement that an Institutional Review Board or regional review board has approved the use of human subjects for this study. This is a prospective study for which the author has received consent forms from all participants in this study and has them on file in case they are requested by the editor. Address for correspondence: Christopher K. Zalewski, National Institutes of Health (NIDCD), 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Room 5C422, Bethesda, MD, USA. E-mail: zalewski@nidcd.nih.gov Received March 24, 2017; accepted November 29, 2017. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2ETP6Wx
via IFTTT

20Q: Teleaudiology - The Future is Now

An engaging Q & A discussion of teleaudiology applications and outcomes, with examples from the Veterans Administration.

from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2BQOToF
via IFTTT

iHear Medical’s Home Hearing Screener Now FSA-Reimbursable

​iHear Medical (http://www.ihearmedical.com/) has partnered with FSAstore.com to offer the iHearTest, its FDA-cleared home hearing screener, with reimbursement eligibility through flexible spending account (FSA) programs. Anyone who suspects that they or their loved one is experiencing hearing loss can now purchase the iHearTest online and reimburse the cost through their FSA program. They can pay directly for the home screener with their FSA debit cards when checking out at FSAstore.com. Results of the iHearTest can be used to program iHear hearing aids, including the iHEAR HD and iHEAR MAX, based on a consumer's individual needs. iHearTest has been clinically proven to accurately score hearing ability in each ear on a scale from one to five based on World Health Organization guidelines. 

Published: 2/9/2018 10:58:00 AM

from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2Ew6X8b
via IFTTT