Search results for "speech"
showing 10 items of 1281 documents
Roentgenological observations on vocal fold length-changes with special reference to register transition and open/covered voice
1992
This paper examines the length-changes of the vocal folds as a function of voice pitch. Changes in normalized vocal fold elongation (strain) were measured indirectly from calcification points in several laryngeal structures from roentgenological exposures during singing. Changes in vocal fold strain are shown to occur mainly in the register transition area, i.e. the area within which all register changes take place. Changes in vocal fold strain appeared similar in male and female subjects. Evidence for different strain patterns in covered and open singing is presented for female subjects: Strain is higher in non-singers and (“incorrect”) open voice, lower in singers and (“correct”) covered …
Surgical treatment of cocaine-induced palatal perforations : report of three cases and literature review
2021
Destruction of the osteocartilaginous framework of the nose and sinuses is a well-known side effect of inhaled cocaine. Palate involvement is, however, a very uncommon event that may lead to oronasal communication with the subsequent food and liquids reflux and nasal speech. Given the addictive character of this etiologic agent, the management of cocaine-induced palatal perforations tends to be conservative by means of a prosthetic obturator. In this paper three cases with surgically treated cocaine-induced palatal perforations are reported and a review of the literature is made focusing on the management of this process. Despite the usual reluctancy, surgical palatal reconstruction should …
Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) and Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in the early identification of Italian teachers with voice disorders
2019
Abstract Introduction The current Italian law does not include any guidance regarding voice education, prevention of voice disorders and screening in subjects with high vocal loading such as teachers. Objectives We aimed to check the correlation between the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) with the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) for the evaluation of Italian teachers. In addition, we aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the frequency and intensity of discomfort symptoms in teachers with disabilities comparing vocal tract discomfort symptoms in teachers with high risk (HRVD) and low risk (LRVD) of vocal disorders according to the VoiSS cutoff (> 15.5). Methods We analyzed…
A Multimodal Speech-Gesture Training Intervention for Patients With Schizophrenia and Its Neural Underpinnings – the Study Protocol of a Randomized C…
2020
Dysfunctional social communication is one of the most stable characteristics in patients with schizophrenia that also affects quality of life. Interpreting abstract speech and integrating nonverbal modalities is particularly affected. Considering the impact of communication on social life but failure to treat communication dysfunctions with usual treatment, we will investigate the possibility to improve verbal and non-verbal communication in schizophrenia by applying a multimodal speech-gesture training (MSG training). Here we describe the newly developed MSG training program and the study design for the first clinical investigation. The intervention contains perceptive rating (match/mismat…
EEG Data Quality: Determinants and Impact in a Multicenter Study of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (…
2021
Electroencephalography (EEG) represents a widely established method for assessing altered and typically developing brain function. However, systematic studies on EEG data quality, its correlates, and consequences are scarce. To address this research gap, the current study focused on the percentage of artifact-free segments after standard EEG pre-processing as a data quality index. We analyzed participant-related and methodological influences, and validity by replicating landmark EEG effects. Further, effects of data quality on spectral power analyses beyond participant-related characteristics were explored. EEG data from a multicenter ADHD-cohort (age range 6 to 45 years), and a non-ADHD sc…
Prospective study of nocebo effects related to symptoms of idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF).
2020
The exact causes of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance Attributed to Electromagnetic Fields (IEI-EMF, i.e., experience of somatic symptoms attributed to low-level electromagnetic fields) are still unknown. Psychological causation such as nocebo effects seem plausible. This study aimed to experimentally induce a nocebo effect for somatic symptom perception and examined whether it was reproducible after one week. We also examined whether these effects were associated with increased sympathetic activity and whether interoceptive accuracy (IAcc) moderated these relationships. Participants were recruited from the general population and instructed that electromagnetic exposure can enhance somat…
Newborn hearing-screening project using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions: western sicily experience
2006
Summary Objective To study the incidence of congenital sensorineural hearing loss in all newborns introducing a screen test with a protocol no expensive, with a good “screen sensitivity” that could let an earlier identification of hearing impairment beginning early intervention by 2 months of age and increasing the probability of having language development within the normal range of development. Methods The study was conducted in Sciacca hospital from the beginning of 2003 to our days and was carried out with transient evoked otoacoustic emission using the criteria for PASS or RETEST and considering eventual prenatal and perinatal risk factors. All the newborns were divided into four group…
Exposure to ototoxic agents and hearing loss: A review of current knowledge
2014
Several experimental and clinical studies have shown that a variety of ototoxic agents (such as drugs, industrial chemicals and noise) can cause sensorineural hearing loss. The most common ototoxic drugs used in clinical practice include: aminoglycoside and macrolide antibiotics, quinoline anti-malarials, platinum analog antineoplastics, loop diuretics, and acetylsalicylic acid. Among chemical agents with potential ototoxic properties are: organic solvents, heavy metals, organotins, nitriles, asphyxiants, and pesticides/herbicides. Acoustic exposure to high intensity and/or prolonged noise can also cause permanent threshold shifts in auditory perception. Ototoxic agents can influence audito…
Optimization of the Speech Test Material in a Group of Hearing Impaired Subjects: A Feasibility Study for Multilingual Digit Triplet Test Development
2021
Background: The development of the global digit-in-noise test requires optimization of each language version on a group of normal-hearing native-speakers. An alternative solution may be an adaptive optimization during ongoing tests in a group of subjects with unknown hearing impairments. The objective of the research was to compare the optimization results between these groups. Methods: Digit triplets consisting of three pseudo-randomly selected digits were presented in speech-shaped noise at various signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), according to the protocol of the final speech test. Digit-specific and position-specific speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were determined and compared between g…
Priming in word stem completion tasks: comparison with previous results in word fragment completion tasks
2015
This study investigates priming in an implicit Word Stem Completion (WSC) task. A total of 305 participants performed a WSC task in two phases (study and test). The test phase included 63 unique-solution stems and 63 multiple-solution stems. After confirming the presence of priming (mean = 0.22), analysis revealed that it was stronger in the case of multiple-solution stems, indicating that the stems were not a homogeneous group of stimuli. Thus, further analyses were performed only for the data of the unique-solution stems. The correlations between priming and a set of conceptual (familiarity, frequency of use, number of meanings) and non-conceptual (letters/blanks ratio and difficulty of c…