A new descriptive framework for voice quality perception (Kreiman, Gerratt, Kempster, Erman, & Berke, 1993) states that when listeners rate a voice on some quality dimension (e.g., roughness), they ...compare the stimulus presented to an internal standard or scale. Hypothetically, substituting explicit, external standards for these unstable internal standards should improve listener reliability. Further, the framework suggests that internal standards for vocal qualities are inherently unstable, and may be influenced by factors other than the physical signal being judged. Among these factors, context effects may cause drift in listeners' voice ratings by influencing the internal standard against which judgments are made. To test these hypotheses, we asked 12 clinicians to judge the roughness of 22 synthetic stimuli using two scales: a traditional 5-point equal appearing interval (EAI) scale and a scale with explicit anchor stimuli for each scale point. The stimulus set included a relatively large number of normal and mildly rough voices. We predicted that this would produce an increase in the perceived roughness of moderately rough stimuli over time for the EAI ratings, but not for the explicitly anchored ratings. Ratings made using the anchored scale were significantly more reliable than those gathered using the unanchored paradigm. Further, as predicted, ratings on the unanchored EAI scale drifted significantly within a listening session in the direction expected, but ratings on the anchored scale did not. These results are consistent with our framework and suggest that explicitly anchored paradigms for voice quality evaluation might improve both research and clinical practice.
Sixteen listeners (10 expert, 6 naive) judged the dissimilarity of pairs of voices drawn from pathological and normal populations. Only parameters that showed substantial variability were ...perceptually salient across listeners. Results suggest that traditional means of assessing listener reliability in voice perception tasks may not be appropriate. (Author/JDD)
Abstract
Objective: Since apoptosis is an important contributor to heart diseases in which ischemia and hypoxia are key elements, we tested the hypothesis that hypoxia predisposes neonatal rat ...ventricular myocytes (NRVM) to Fas-mediated apoptosis, by shifting the balance between antiapoptotic and proapoptotic proteins towards the latter. Methods: Normoxic or hypoxic (22 h, 1% O2) cultured NRVM were exposed to recombinant Fas L (rFasL) for 7 h, and apoptosis measured thereafter. Results: Whereas in normoxic NRVM, rFasL did not cause apoptosis measured by the TUNEL assay (4.8±0.5% in control versus 4.5±0.9% in rFasL), in hypoxic cultures rFasL increased the background apoptosis level by 100%. That Fas was functional in normoxic NRVM, despite its inability to mediate apoptosis, was evidenced by the finding that Fas activation increased the diastolic Ca2+i levels measured by Fura 2 fluorescence, and caused arrhythmias. In support of our working hypothesis, hypoxia increased Fas expression by 200% (measured by quantitative Western blot), and the expression of the proapoptotic proteins ARTS and FADD by 323 and 250%, respectively, and decreased the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins ARC and FLIP by 90 and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: By upregulating Fas expression and key proapoptotic proteins, and by downregulating antiapoptotic proteins, hypoxia predisposes ventricular myocytes to Fas-induced apoptosis.
During the past decade, botulinum toxin (Botox) has emerged as the accepted treatment for adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ASD). This therapy, which produces bilateral weakness of the thyroarytenoid ...muscle, undoubtedly produces physiologic effects that are beneficial to patients with ASD. However, it also has important limitations, including the need for repeated injections, the unpredictable relationship between dosage and response, and the possibility of short-term swallowing and voice problems. In this study, we will report our preliminary experience with a new surgical treatment for ASD. In this new procedure, the adductor branch of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is selectively denervated bilaterally, and its distal nerve stumps are reinnervated with branches of the ansa cervicalis nerve. Each of the patients was followed for at least 12 months; the median follow-up is 36 months. The outcome of the operation in 21 consecutive patients is reported. Nineteen of the 21 patients were judged to have an overall severity of dysphonia that was "absent to mild" following the procedure. Only 1 patient underwent further treatment with Botox postoperatively. The implications of this new procedure for ASD are discussed.
The inheritance of quantitative traits is not well understood. A study was conducted to determine the number and chromosomal locations of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling male anthesis date; ...plant and ear height; kernel weight; and kernel protein, oil, and starch concentration in maize (Zea mays L.). Two hundred S1 lines were derived from a single F1 plant from a cross of Illinois High Oil (IHO) by Illinois Low Oil (Early Maturity) ILO(EM). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed to determine RFLP genotypes of the 200 S1 families at 80 polymorphic loci spaced on average 24 centimorgans throughout the genome. The 200 S1 families were measured for phenotypic traits in replicated field trials during 1992 and 1993. Analysis of variance detected significant (P 0.05) associations between several RFLP loci and each phenotypic trait. A total of 16 marker loci clustered in eight chromosomal regions were significantly associated with male anthesis date, 18 marker loci clustered in 11 regions were significantly associated with plant height, 14 marker loci clustered in nine regions were significantly associated with ear height, 27 marker loci clustered in 11 regions were associated with kernel weight, 16 marker loci clustered in eight regions were associated with protein concentration, 31 marker loci clustered in 11 regions were associated with oil concentration, and 28 marker loci clustered in 13 regions were associated with starch concentration. A number of QTL were detected in chromosomal regions where known gene loci of biological relevance are located
Objective/Hypothesis: Glottal closure and symmetrical thyroarytenoid stiffness are two important functional characteristics of normal phonatory posture. In the treatment of unilateral vocal cord ...paralysis, vocal fold medialization improves closure, facilitating entrainment of both vocal folds for improved phonation, and reinnervation is purported to maintain vocal fold bulk and stiffness. A combination of medialization and reinnervation would be expected to further improve vocal quality over medialization alone.
Study Design: A retrospective review of preoperative and postoperative voice analysis on all patients who underwent arytenoid adduction alone (adduction group) or combined arytenoid adduction and ansa cervicalis to recurrent laryngeal nerve anastomosis (combined group) between 1989 and 1995 for the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Patients without postoperative voice analysis were invited back for its completion. A perceptual analysis was designed and completed.
Methods: Videostroboscopic measures of glottal closure, mucosal wave, and symmetry were rated. Aerodynamic parameters of laryngeal airflow and subglottic pressure were measured. A 2‐second segment of sustained vowel was used for perceptual analysis by means of a panel of voice professionals and a rating system. Statistical calculations were performed at a significance level of P = .05.
Results: There were 9 patients in the adduction group and 10 patients in the combined group. Closure and mucosal wave improved significantly in both groups. Airflow decreased in both groups, but the decrease reached statistical significance only in the adduction group. Subglottic pressure remained unchanged in both groups. Both groups had significant perceptual improvement of voice quality. In all tested parameters the extent of improvement was similar in both groups.
Conclusion: The role of laryngeal reinnervation in the treatment of unilateral vocal cord paralysis remains to be established.
Objectives This study evaluates the outcome of pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using radial forearm free flaps with regard to primary wound healing, speech, and swallowing in patients requiring ...laryngopharyngectomy.
Study Design Retrospective review in the setting of a tertiary, referral, and academic center.
Patients and Methods Twenty patients underwent reconstruction of the pharyngoesophageal segment using fasciocutaneous radial forearm free flaps.
Results All free flap transfers were successful. An oral diet was resumed in 85% of the patients after surgery. Postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistulas occurred in 4 patients (20%) with 3 resolving spontaneously. Distal strictures also occurred in 20% of the patients. Five patients who underwent tracheoesophageal puncture achieved useful speech.
Conclusions Advantages of radial forearm free flaps for microvascular pharyngoesophageal function include high flap reliability, limited donor site morbidity, larger vascular pedicle caliber, and the ability to achieve good quality tracheoesophageal speech. The swallowing outcome is similar to that achieved after jejunal flap pharyngoesophageal reconstruction. The main disadvantage of this technique relates to a moderately high incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistulas, which contributes to delayed oral intake in affected patients.
The internet has become a part of everyday life, and during the COVID-19 pandemic the rate of internet use has raised even higher, which increases the possibility of compulsive and problematic use ...leading to the acceptance of online misbeliefs and conspiration theories. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationship between COVID-19-related misconceptions and internet addiction among adult recreational online gamers.
A sample of 1671 recreational video game users completed the online survey (male: n = 1522 (91.08%), mean age = 21.83, SD = 4.18; female: n = 149 (8.91%), mean age = 24.33, SD = 8.38). Demographic questions, risk factors and health-related questions, internet use and addiction were measured alongside a short questionnaire about common COVID-19-related topics, such as its origin and risk of infection.
Out of all participants 248 (14.8%) answered all the COVID-19-related questions properly, thus having no misconceptions, while 545 (32.6%) had one wrong answer, 532 (31.8%) had 2 wrong answers, 251 (15.0%) had 3 wrong answers, 78 (4.7%) had 4 wrong answers and 17 (1.0%) had 5 wrong answers. Significant factors to a higher number of COVID-misconceptions were time spent studying (χ2 (35,1671) = 63.86, p = 0.002), marital status (χ2 (15,1671) = 30.65 p = 0.01) and secondary employment (χ2 (51,671) = 14.88, p = 0.01). Although 17.1% of the participants reached the threshold score for internet addiction, the predictors of COVID-19 misconceptions were marital status (β = -0.06, p = 0.01) and time spent studying (β = 0.05, p = 0.03), while neither daily internet use, internet addiction scores or risk factors predicted these misconceptions in a linear regression model.
Our study concludes that Internet addiction did not directly influence misconceptions about the COVID-19 pandemic in this population despite the surprisingly high rate of problematic users.
The inheritance of tassel traits in maize (Zea mays L.) is not well understood. This study was conducted to estimate the chromosomal location and magnitude of effect of major quantitative trait loci ...(QTL) affecting tassel branch angle (ANGLE), branches per tassel (BRANCH#), and tassel weight (TASSWT) in 200 S1, lines derived from a single F1 plant from a cross of Illinois High Oil (IHO) by Illinois Low Oil (Early Maturity) ILO(EM). The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotypes of the 200 S1 lines were determined at 80 polymorphic loci. These lines were measured for ANGLE, BRANCH#, and TASSWT in replicated field trials during 1992 and 1993 at Urbana, IL. Composite interval mapping using selected markers as cofactors detected several QTL for each tassel trait. Six QTL located on chromosomes 2, 3, 5, 6, and 10 were significantly associated with ANGLE. They showed primarily dominant gene action and explained 43.1 and 50.7% of the phenotypic and genetic variance, respectively. Three QTL located on chromosomes 2, 4, and 7 were significantly associated with BRANCH#. They showed primarily additive gene action and explained 44.3 and 49.3% of the phenotypic and genetic variance, respectively. The QTL for BRANCH# on chromosome 7 explained 35.3% (R(2)) of the phenotypic variance. Seven QTL located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 were significantly associated with TASSWT. They showed primarily negative dominant gene action and explained 35.1 and 43.4% of the phenotypic and genetic variance, respectively. Most of the major QTL detected for these tassel traits were not associated with anthesis date (ANTH) in this population.
The RUNX transcription factors are important regulators of lineage-specific gene expression. RUNX are bifunctional, acting both as activators and repressors of tissue-specific target genes. Recently, ...we have demonstrated that Runx3 is a neurogenic transcription factor, which regulates development and survival of proprioceptive neurons in dorsal root ganglia. Here we report that Runx3 and Runx1 are highly expressed in thymic medulla and cortex, respectively, and function in development of CD8 T cells during thymopoiesis. Runx3-deficient (Runx3 KO) mice display abnormalities in CD4 expression during lineage decisions and impairment of CD8 T cell maturation in the thymus. A large proportion of Runx3 KO peripheral CD8 T cells also expressed CD4, and in contrast to wild-type, their proliferation ability was largely reduced. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxic activity of alloimmunized peritoneal exudate lymphocytes was significantly lower in Runx3 KO compared with WT mice. In a compound mutant mouse, null for Runx3 and heterozygous for Runx1 (Runx3-/-;Runx1+/-), all peripheral CD8 T cells also expressed CD4, resulting in a complete lack of single-positive CD8+T cells in the spleen. The results provide information on the role of Runx3 and Runx1 in thymopoiesis and suggest that both act as transcriptional repressors of CD4 expression during T cell lineage decisions.
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