Acoustic Validation of Phonological Knowledge and Its Relationship to Treatment

1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann A. Tyler ◽  
Mary Louise Edwards ◽  
John H. Saxman

The speech of 4 phonologically disordered children with place and voicing errors affecting initial stop consonants was described through phonological and acoustic analyses. Productions of target voiced and voiceless alveolar and velar stops were transcribed and acoustically analyzed before and after treatment that was administered on a predetermined contrast. Three of the children produced significant, although largely imperceptible, differences in VOT for a given stop when it represented different adult stops. The presence of productive phonological knowledge, as inferred from acoustic data, facilitated rapid generalization of correct production of the treated contrast. In the absence of acoustically determined productive knowledge, a longer treatment period was necessary to achieve a lower level of production accuracy on the same treated contrast. Sources of speech sound errors for the 4 children were hypothesized by comparing the children's underlying representations determined from both acoustic and descriptive phonological data.

1976 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Kent

This paper surveys acoustic studies of speech development and discusses the data with respect to the anatomical and neuromuscular maturation of the speech mechanism. The acoustic data on various aspects of speech production indicate that the accuracy of motor control improves with age until adult-like performance is achieved at about 11 or 12 years, somewhat after the age at which speech sound acquisition usually is judged to be complete. Other topics of discussion are (1) problems in the spectrographic analysis of children’s speech, (2) formant scale factors that relate children’s and adults' data, and (3) identification and diagnosis of developmental disorders through acoustic analyses of speech sounds.


2021 ◽  
pp. 014556132110640
Author(s):  
Jonathan Melong ◽  
Michael Bezuhly ◽  
Paul Hong

Objective The relationship between ankyloglossia and speech is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tongue-tie release on speech articulation and intelligibility. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted. Pediatric patients (>2 years of age) being referred for speech concerns due to ankyloglossia were assessed by a pediatric otolaryngologist, and speech articulation was formally assessed by a speech language pathologist using the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation 2 (GFTA-2). Patients then underwent a tongue-tie release procedure in clinic. After 1 month, speech articulation was reassessed with GFTA-2. Audio-recordings of sessions were evaluated by independent reviewers to assess speech intelligibility before and after tongue-tie release. Results Twenty-five participants were included (mean age 3.7 years; 20 boys). The most common speech errors identified were phonological substitutions (80%) and gliding errors (56%). Seven children (28%) had abnormal lingual-alveolar and interdental sounds. Most speech sound errors (87.9%) were age/developmentally appropriate. GFTA-2 standard scores before and after tongue-tie release were 85.61 (SD 9.75) and 87.54 (SD 10.21), respectively, (P=.5). Mean intelligibility scores before and after tongue-tie release were 3.15 (SD .22) and 3.21 (SD .31), respectively, (P=.43). Conclusion The majority of children being referred for speech concerns thought to be due to ankyloglossia had age-appropriate speech errors at presentation. Ankyloglossia was not associated with isolated tongue mobility related speech articulation errors in a consistent manner, and there was no benefit of tongue-tie release in improving speech articulation or intelligibility.


2019 ◽  
Vol 277 (3) ◽  
pp. 809-817
Author(s):  
Guan-Yuh Ho ◽  
Matthias Leonhard ◽  
Doris-Maria Denk-Linnert ◽  
Berit Schneider-Stickler

Abstract Purpose Persistent unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UFVP) with glottal insufficiency often requires type I medialization thyroplasty (MT). Previous implants cannot be adjusted postoperatively if necessary. The newly developed APrevent® VOIS implant (VOIS) can provide postoperative re-adjustment to avoid revision MT. The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the VOIS intraoperatively concerning voice improvement, surgical feasibility and device handling. Methods During routine MT, VOIS was applied short time in eight patients before the regular implantation of the Titanium Vocal Fold Medialization Implant (TVFMI™). In all patients, perceptual voice sound analysis using R(oughness)–B(reathiness)–H(oarseness)-scale, measurement of M(aximum)–P(honation)–T(ime) and glottal closure in videolaryngoscopy were performed before and after implanting VOIS/TVFMI™. Acoustic analyses of voice recordings were performed using freeware praat. Surgical feasibility, operative handling and device fitting of VOIS and TVFMI™ were assessed by the surgeon using V(isual)-A(nalog)-S(cale). Data were statistically analyzed with paired t test. Result All patients showed significant improvement of voice sound parameters after VOIS/TVFMI™ implantation. The mean RBH-scale improved from preoperative R = 2.1, B = 2.3, H = 2.5 to R = 0.6, B = 0.3, H = 0.8 after VOIS and R = 0.5, B = 0.3, H = 0.8 after TVFMI™ implantation. The mean MPT increased from preoperative 7.9 to 14.6 s after VOIS and 13.8 s after TVFMI™ implantation. VOIS/TVFMI™ achieved complete glottal closure in 7/8 patients. The satisfaction with intraoperative device fitting and device handling of VOIS was as good as that of TVFMI™. Conclusion The novel APrevent® VOIS implant showed similar intraoperative voice improvement compared to routinely used TVFMI™ without adverse device events and with safe device fitting.


1991 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
A Tobeña ◽  
X Sanchez ◽  
J Masana ◽  
MJ Martinez de Osaba

SummaryIn 32 patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, Bmax measures of 5-HT binding in platelets did not differ from normal controls at baseline. Plasmatic cortisol levels were significantly higher than controls in the morning and in the evening measures as well as in post-dexamethasone assays. Following an 8-week treatment period with alprazolam plus behavioral guidance encouraging exposure, Bmax values did not alter but cortisol measures diminished significantly. Measures of phobic avoidance were negatively correlated with 5-HT Bmax values. Plasmatic cortisol correlated positively with the number of situational panic attacks in the month before treatment. There were no correlations between cortisol and 5-HT Bmax measures. A possible link between serotonin function and phobic avoidance is discussed. Cortisol changes were interpreted as being related to the global severity of the anxious state.


1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Bende

Eleven patients with rhinitis medicamentosa were treated with twice the recommended dose of a topical nasal corticosteroid for 2 months. Nasal airway resistance (NAR) was measured at rest and after a physical exercise test, before and after the treatment period. NAR at rest was reduced after the treatment because of diminished blood volume in the nasal mucosa. Treatment with topical corticosteroids for short periods may help patients with rhinitis medicamentosa to refrain from using nasal decongestants. Topical nasal decongestants are not recommended for sustained use.


2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
MEGHA SUNDARA ◽  
LINDA POLKA ◽  
SHARI BAUM

This study investigated acoustic-phonetics of coronal stop production by adult simultaneous bilingual and monolingual speakers of Canadian English (CE) and Canadian French (CF). Differences in the phonetics of CF and CE include voicing and place of articulation distinctions. CE has a two-way voicing distinction (in syllable initial position) contrasting short-and long-lag VOT; coronal stops in CE are described as alveolar. CF also has a two-way voicing distinction, but contrasting lead and short-lag VOT; coronal stops in CF are described as dental. Acoustic analyses of stop consonants for both VOT and dental/alveolar place of articulation are reported. Results indicate that simultaneous bilingual as well as monolingual adults produce language-specific differences, albeit not in the same way, across CF and CE for voicing and place. Similarities and differences between simultaneous bilingual and monolingual adults are discussed to address phonological organization in simultaneous bilingual adults.


2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Bez ◽  
David Reid ◽  
Suzanna Neville ◽  
Yves Vérin ◽  
Vidar Hjellvik ◽  
...  

Acoustic data are often collected during bottom trawl surveys. Their use can potentially improve the precision and accuracy of fish abundance estimates if acoustic data collected between trawl stations are consistent with those collected during trawling operations. This question is addressed here through the analysis of 20 bottom trawl surveys (three survey areas and five different survey series) with coincident acoustic measurements during and between trawl stations. Firstly, on-station and underway acoustic data were compared using statistics computed globally over each survey (average vertical profiles, global indices of collocations, and spatial structures) for various combinations of depth layers. Secondly, we focussed on underway acoustic data recorded in the vicinity of stations, distinguishing between data recorded before and after the tows. On-station and underway acoustic data were highly consistent, and no systematic perturbation of the acoustic sign due to the presence of the gear a few hundred metres behind the vessel was observed.


Author(s):  
Gamze Dalgıç Bozyiğit ◽  
Merve Fırat Ayyıldız ◽  
Dotse Selali Chormey ◽  
Nouha Bakaraki Turan ◽  
Fatih Kapukıran ◽  
...  

Abstract In this study, seven compounds of environmental and health concern were treated by electrooxidation to determine their removal efficiencies from domestic wastewater. A batch type lab-scale reactor was used for the treatment process, and the analytes studied included two obsolete pesticides, two alkylphenols, two hormones, and bisphenol A. Titanium oxide and graphite electrodes were used as anode and cathode, respectively. Parameters of the electrooxidation process including pH of wastewater, ionic strength, applied current and treatment period were optimized by the univariate approach to maximize the removal efficiency of the analytes from wastewater. The optimum conditions were determined as nonadjusted pH of wastewater, 1.5 A current, 15 min treatment period and 5.0 g/L sodium chloride. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was used to preconcentrate analytes before and after treatment in order to calculate the removal efficiency of analytes. The removal efficiency obtained under the optimum conditions was satisfactory for all seven analytes at different influent concentrations.


Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Hui Chang ◽  
Yi Liao

A total of 102 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners participated in the present study, which aimed to test how different types of corrective feedback-recasts and clarification requests-can differentially affect the suprasegment development of English intonation. All participants received 5 treatment sessions designed to encourage them to notice and practice the target feature in meaningful discourse; recasts or clarification requests were provided to the participants’ untargetlike production, except those in the control group (n=34), who received comparable instruction but without corrective feedback. Acoustic analyses were conducted on 7 intonation features including words/IP, pause, anacrusis, lengthing, pitch reset, improper tonicity and tone selection elicited via pretest and posttest measures targeting trained instances and untrained instances. The results showed that 1) recasts are more effective than clarification requests on EFL learners’ suprasegment development of English intonation; 2) recasts may not only lead learners to establish, reinforce and generalize their new phonological knowledge of English intonation that they had practiced during the treatments, but also help them transmit their attention from trained to untrained learning of foreign language input at a suprasegmental level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amihai Gottlieb ◽  
Glen M. Doniger ◽  
Yara Hussein ◽  
Shlomo Noy ◽  
Meir Plotnik

Background: Fear of flying (FoF) is a phobia with 10–40% prevalence in the industrialized world. FoF is accompanied by severe economic, social, vocational, and emotional consequences. In recent years, virtual reality (VR)-based exposure therapy (VRET) for FoF has been introduced. Positive long-term efficacy of FoF-VRET has been reported by several studies, which, however, were limited by relatively small, non-representative samples and a lack of comparative pre/post functional efficacy outcome measures. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a VRET treatment utilizing a large-scale VR system, experienced by a representative sample of self-referred individuals.Methods: We conducted a retrospective survey. Of 274 individuals who received the treatment (over a period of 3 years), 209 met inclusion/criteria, and 98 agreed to participate. We mainly collected information regarding flight activity before and after treatment relying on evidence such as boarding passes and flight tickets. The primary outcome measures were (1) number of flights per month (FpM) and (2) number of flight hours per month (FHpM). For each participant, these outcomes were computed for the post-treatment period (≥6 months after FoF-VRET) and the corresponding pre-treatment period.Results: FpM (mean ± SD) increased from 0.04 ± 0.06 to 0.16 ± 14 flights (p < 0.0001). FHpM rose from 0.19 ± 0.35 to 0.79 ± 0.87 h per month (p < 0.0001).Conclusion: These results are indicative of FoF-VRET treatment efficacy. Future studies should evaluate long-term maintenance of the treatment effect and thus identify the optimal frequency for delivery of periodic booster treatments.


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