Maintenance of intraoral pressure during speech after maxillary resection

Although structural defects such as cleft palate and severe anterior open bite alter vocal tract resistance, compensatory responses usually result in maintaining consonant pressures at an adequate level. The purpose of the present study was to determine if individuals with an acquired palatal defect spontaneously develop similar compensatory behaviors. The pressure-flow technique was used to measure aerodynamic variables associated with consonant production after surgery and obturation. Although intraoral pressures decreased considerably immediately after surgery, pressures were maintained at a mean level of 3.5-cm H2O. Respiratory volumes increased as much as fourfold without obturation and were normal with obturation. Voice-voiceless differences in air volumes among consonants were maintained even in the presence of the defect. These findings suggest that compensatory responses are directed toward maintaining an appropriate level of intraoral pressure for consonant production.     

Left ventricular volume measurements with free breathing respiratory self-gated 3-dimensional golden angle radial whole-heart cine imaging – Feasibility and reproducibility

PurposeTo develop and evaluate a free breathing respiratory self-gated isotropic resolution technique for left ventricular (LV) volume measurements.MethodsA 3D radial trajectory with double golden-angle ordering was used for free-running data acquisition during free breathing in 9 healthy volunteers. A respiratory self-gating signal was extracted from the center of k-space and used with the electrocardiogram to bin all data into 3 respiratory and 25 cardiac phases. 3D image volumes were reconstructed and the LV endocardial border was segmented. LV volume measurements and reproducibility from 3D free breathing cine were compared to conventional 2D breath-held cine.ResultsNo difference was found between 3D free breathing cine and 2D breath-held cine with regards to LV ejection fraction, stroke volume, end-systolic volume and end-diastolic volume (P < 0.05 for all). The test-retest differences did not differ between 3D free breathing cine and 2D breath-held cine (P < 0.05 for all).Conclusion3D free breathing cine and conventional 2D breath-held cine showed similar values and test-retest repeatability for LV volumes in healthy volunteers. 3D free breathing cine enabled retrospective sorting and arbitrary angulation of isotropic data, and could correctly measure LV volumes during free breathing acquisition.     

Controlling changes in vocal tract resistance.

There is some evidence that speech aerodynamics follows the rules of a regulating system. The purpose of the present study was to assess how the speech system manages perturbations that produce "errors" within the system. Three experimental approaches were used to evaluate the physiological responses to an imposed change in airway resistance. The first involved subjects with varying degrees of velopharyngeal inadequacy. The second and third approaches involved noncleft subjects whose airway was perturbed by bleed valves and bite blocks during consonant productions. The pressure-flow technique was used to measure aerodynamic variables associated with the production of test consonants. The results of this study provide additional evidence that the speech system actively responds to perturbations in ways that tend to minimize a change in consonant speech pressures. The degree of success in stabilizing pressures appears to reflect the capability of the system to use whatever articulatory and respiratory responses are available.     

Recovery process of respiratory muscle strength in patients following stroke: A Pilot Study

Objective: To determine the recovery process of respiratory muscle strength during 3 months following stroke, and to investigate the association of change in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Additionally, we compared respiratory muscle strength with those of healthy subjects. Method: In this prospective, observational study, 19 stroke patients and 19 healthy subjects were enrolled. Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), motricity index, trunk control test, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and functional independence measure were assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months from stroke onset in stroke patients. MIP and MEP were assessed at arbitrary times in healthy subjects. Repeated one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to compare the change in respiratory muscle strength in each period in stroke patients. Pearson''s correlation coefficient was computed for changes in respiratory muscle strength and physical functions. Student''s t-test was used to compare respiratory muscle strength between stroke patients at 3 months from onset and healthy subjects. Results: MIP was significantly increased at 3 months compared to 1 month. MEP was significantly increased in 2 months and 3 months, compared to 1 month. MIP changes associated with 6MWT changes. Compared to healthy subjects, MIP and MEP at 3 months were significantly lower in stroke patients. Conclusion: Respiratory muscle strength significantly increased during 3 months following stroke. However, the trend of recovery may be different. MIP changes may associated with walking endurance changes. During 3 months following stroke, respiratory muscle strength did not recover to healthy subjects.     

Direct measurement of subglottic pressure and laryngealresistance in normal subjects and in spasmodic dysphonia

This study tested the accuracy of indirect methods of measurementof laryngeal airway resistance in normal subjects and in spasmodic dysphonia (SD). The indirect method assumes that subglottic air pressure remains constant during the voiced segment of a syllable. In this study subglottic air pressure was directly measured via puncture of the cricothyroid membrane in seven normal subjects and seven subjects with SD. The true laryngeal airway resistance was calculated and compared with airway resistance measured using indirect techniques based on intraoral air pressure. In five of the seven normal subjects, subglottic air pressure did not remain constant during the voiced segment. As a result, the error produced using indirect method of calculating average laryngeal resistance for the normal subjects varied from −44% to +50%. For SD subjects the error ranged from −49% to +22%. In general, the indirect technique over-estimated laryngeal airway resistance in normal subjects and underestimated the resistance in subjects with SD.     

The relation of lung volume initiation to selected acoustic properties of speech

This study examined the relationship of speech breathing to other elements of speech production. It was hypothesized that initiating speech from different lung volumes would have an effect on different elements of the acoustic output. It was postulated that effects may be brought about by mechanical interaction as well as a dispersion of effort to mechanically unlinked elements of speech production, such as articulatory behavior. To this end, selected acoustic variables were studied in eight young healthy women who initiated speech from low, typical, and high lung volume levels. The acoustic variables studied were selected because they have been shown to be sensitive indicators of speech production performance. It was found that with increasing lung volume initiation levels, average sound pressure level, average fundamental frequency, and declination rate of fundamental frequency increased. It was also observed that vowel space was significantly smaller during low lung volume initiation levels relative to typical lung volume initiation levels. Vowel space reduction is discussed relative to "gaining down."     

Changes in laryngeal airway resistance in young adult men and women as a function of vocal sound pressure level and syllable context

A noninvasive pressure-flow technique was used to assess laryngeal airway resistance (R_law) in eight young adult women and seven men. Syllable structures used were consonant-vowel (/pi/) and consonant-vowel-consonant (/bip/). The data were obtained from oscillographic records of intraoral air pressure and transglottal airflow over 2 consecutive days. Repetitions of each syllable context were produced at each subject's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of vocal sound pressure level. No significant differences in R_law were found across days for the two groups. Women had significantly greater R_law than did men for the /pi/ and /bip/ contexts. Men showed a significantly greater average airflow rate than did women for both syllable contexts. Airflow, air pressure, and the ratio R_law increased as the sound pressure level of voice increased. The technique appears to be useful for characterizing certain features of laryngeal airway resistance for men and women.     

An aerodynamic study of Korean stop consonants: measurements and modeling

Measurements were made of intraoral air pressure and oral flow of ten native speakers uttering word pairs contrasting Korean fortis and lenis voiceless stop consonants in initial position. The production of fortis stops was found to be characterized by a higher intraoral pressure before release, yet a lower oral flow after release, than corresponding lenis stops. Possible reasons for this difference were explored with the use of a computer implemented aerodynamic model, giving an output of air pressure and flow. Input parameters were adjusted in accordance with known or hypothesized variations in glottal area function, vocal tract wall tension, respiratory muscle force, and supraglottal cavity volume, as given in the literature. In addition to the previously known differences in glottal area, it is inferred from the results of the modeling experiment that fortis stops are produced with greater vocal tract wall tension than lenis stops. Speaker-specific production strategies such as larynx lowering and heightened subglottal pressure during fortis stops and differences noted between word pairs are also discussed.     

Periodic variation in inspiratory volume characterizes speech as well as quiet breathing

Variability in inspired lung volume prior to speech is only partially accounted for by speech-related concerns such as the length and loudness of the planned utterance. Control mechanisms known to influence volume variability in non-speech breathing could potentially account for some of this variability, but only if they operate during speech as well. This investigation was designed to test for the presence of several such mechanisms during reading aloud. Lung volumes were recorded from 5 normal females as they read silently, then aloud. Inspired volumes were correlated with the volumes of the previous and following expirations and with inspiratory duration. Coefficients of variation were calculated for inspiratory volume, duration, and mean flow. Time-series analyses were used to compare periodicity in inspired volume for quiet and speech breathing. Control mechanisms operating during both quiet breathing and reading aloud included slow oscillations in inspired volume and minimized variability in mean flow. Inspired volume prior to speech was weakly but significantly correlated with preceding and following expired volume. It is concluded that some control strategies typical of quiet breathing contribute to volume variability in speech breathing.     

Increasing mean airway pressure reduces functional MRI (fMRI) signal in the primary visual cortex

Changes in both blood flow and blood oxygenation determine the functional MRI (fMRI) signal. In the present study factors responsible for blood oxygenation (e.g., FiO(2)) were held constant so that changes in pixel count would above all reflect changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) breathing at 12 cm H(2)O, which was previously shown to influence rCBF, was applied in human volunteers (n = 19) to investigate the sensitivity of fMRI for changes in rCBF caused by increased mean airway pressure. Increasing the mean airway pressure decreased the pixel count in the primary visual cortex (median (range)): baseline: 219 (58-425) pixels vs. CPAP (12 cm H(2)O): 92 (0-262) pixels). These findings indicate that fMRI is sensitive to detect a reduced rCBF-response in the primary visual cortex. The underlying mechanism is likely to be a reduced basal rCBF due to constriction and/or compression of postcapillary venoles during CPAP breathing. These findings are important for interpreting fMRI results in awake and in artificially respirated patients, in whom positive airway pressure is used to improve pulmonary function during the diagnostic procedure.     

The response of a resonator under a turbulent boundary layer to a high amplitude non-harmonic sound field

A method for finding the acoustic response of a Helmholtz resonator in the wall of a pipe containing fully developed turbulent pipe flow is described, for the case of an intense sound field that can be non-harmonic. The equation of motion for the fluid in the orifice is solved numerically in the time domain, and the orifice resistance is made to vary, during the oscillation cycle, in a way that is governed by the grazing flow parameters and the instantaneous mean flow velocity in the orifice. The mass end correction of the orifice is also allowed to be a function of the grazing flow. Predictions of the cavity pressure variation are presented, for a specified pipe pressure variation, and are compared to measurements; generally good agreement between the two is noted.     

天然气水合物相变测试用光纤传感器

介绍了一种用于海洋天然气水合物状态变化模拟实验中天然气水合物相变测试的光透射比光纤传感器.利用该传感器探测水合物状态变化过程中光透射比的变化，来测定水合物的相态变化.为了提高光纤传感器的测量准确度减小测量误差，在所研制的光纤传感器中采用了双光路结构，在测量透射光强的同时，测量参考光强以补偿光源光强的波动.另外，在光电转换电路中采用双探测器结构来消除光电探测器暗电流的影响.     

Ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage: role of acoustic boundary conditions at the pleural surface

In a previous study [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108, 1290 (2000)] the acoustic impedance difference between intercostal tissue and lung was evaluated as a possible explanation for the enhanced lung damage with increased hydrostatic pressure, but the hydrostatic-pressure-dependent impedance difference alone could not explain the enhanced occurrence of hemorrhage. In that study, it was hypothesized that the animal's breathing pattern might be altered as a function of hydrostatic pressure, which in turn might affect the volume of air inspired and expired. The acoustic impedance difference between intercostal tissue and lung would be affected with altered lung inflation, thus altering the acoustic boundary conditions. In this study, 12 rats were exposed to 3 volumes of lung inflation (inflated: approximately tidal volume; half-deflated: half-tidal volume; deflated: lung volume at functional residual capacity), 6 rats at 8.6-MPa in situ peak rarefactional pressure (MI of 3.1) and 6 rats at 16-MPa in situ peak rarefactional pressure (MI of 5.8). Respiration was chemically inhibited and a ventilator was used to control lung volume and respiratory frequency. Superthreshold ultrasound exposures of the lungs were used (3.1-MHz, 1000-Hz PRF, 1.3-micros pulse duration, 10-s exposure duration) to produce lesions. Deflated lungs were more easily damaged than half-deflated lungs, and half-deflated lungs were more easily damaged than inflated lungs. In fact, there were no lesions observed in inflated lungs in any of the rats. The acoustic impedance difference between intercostal tissue and lung is much less for the deflated lung condition, suggesting that the extent of lung damage is related to the amount of acoustic energy that is propagated across the pleural surface boundary.     

Movement of the velum during speech and singing in classically trained singers

The present study addresses two questions: (a) Is the action and/orposture of the velopharyngeal valve conducive to allow significant resonance during Western tradition classical singing? (b) How do the actions of the velo-pharyngeal valve observed in this style of singing compare with normal speech? A photodetector system was used to observe the area function of the velopharyngeal port during speech and classical style singing. Identical speech samples were produced by each subject in a normal speaking voice and then in the low, medium, and high singing ranges. Results indicate that in these four singers the velopharyngeal port was closed significantly longer in singing than in speaking samples. The amount of time the velopharyngeal port was opened was greatest in speech and diminished as the singer ascended in pitch. In the high voice condition, little or no opening of the velopharyngeal port was measured.     

New method for measuring diesel nozzle orif ice inlet structures based on synchrotron X-ray tomography

Spray behavior is regarded as one of the main factors influencing engine performances, fuel consumption and emissions for diesel engines. Under high injection pressure, diesel spray behaviors are extremely sensitive to the nozzle internal geometries, especially the geometric structures of orifice entrance. Based on the synchrotron radiation X-ray tomography technique, the 3D digital models of nozzle tips can be constructed. A new automatic method is presented to reveal the inlet structures according to these nozzle orifice models. The planes passing through the orifice axis are determined and used to cut the models, and then the corresponding cutting images are applied to measure the inlet chamfer radii around the orifice axis automatically. The orifices of a single-hole nozzle and an eight-hole nozzle are measured according to this method. The results show that this method can automatically measure the orifice inlet chamfer radii around the orifice axis with high precision. The obtained inlet chamfer radius shows the whole profile of the orifice entrance, which is a precise feedback for nozzle designing and manufacturing, and it also provides precise geometrical boundary conditions for the study of spray behaviors.     

Velopharyngeal aerodynamics of /m/ and /p/ in tracheoesophageal speech

The purpose of this study was to compare oral pressure (P_o), nasal airflow (V_n), and velopharyngeal (VP) orifice area estimates from 12 tracheoesophageal (TE) and 12 laryngeal speakers as they produced /p/ and /m/ in syllable series. The findings were as follows: (1) TE speakers produced greater P_o than the laryngeal speakers; (2) for /p/, TE speakers generated V_n, and VP orifice area estimates comparable with, or less than, the laryngeal speakers; and (3) for /m/, TE speakers had V_n and VP orifice area estimates greater than the laryngeal speakers. The elevated P_o could be the result of several factors such as high source driving pressures and vocal tract volume changes postlaryngectomy. Attempts at more precise articulation, and subsequently less coarticulation, by the TE speakers may explain the V_n and VP orifice area estimates for /p/ and /m/. TE speakers may be limiting the oral-nasal cavity coupling for /p/ (smaller VP gap, less V_n) in an attempt to produce a very precise oral /p/. For /m/, TE speakers may be attempting to overtly mark the consonant as a nasal (greater V_n, larger VP gap). Further studies are needed to confirm/refute the explanations postulated here regarding the VP aerodynamic differences that were identified.     

Use of resonating cavity to measure body volume

A technique to estimate the body volume of newborns has been developed using the principle of the Helmholtz resonator. The change in the resonance frequency of a small cavity after an infant is placed inside can be used to determine the body volume of the infant. A prototype system, termed an acoustic plethysmograph, was built and used to measure the volume of newborn miniature pigs. Results of the animal body volume measurements compare favorably (within an average of 1.1%) with body volumes measured by hydrostatic weighing.     

Application of equal loudness contour in assessing the impact of random noise: Case study in continuous positive airway pressure systems with helmet

Empirical evidence is presented on the application of equal-loudness contour for assessing the exposure to noise to which patient are subjected when receiving continuous positive airway pressure respiratory support via a helmet. Sound pressure levels are compared in one third-octave bands with respect to the isophon lines and the influence of the heat and moisture exchanger filters coupled to the helmets on the sound pressure levels during the supply of air–oxygen is analyzed. This study has demonstrated that an appropriate change of scale enables a more objective assessment of the whole auditory spectrum and the levels of noise produced by the continuous positive airway pressure respiratory support via a helmet exceed the 40-phon line and levels of 45 dB(A) recommended by various organizations.     

基于霍尔传感器阵列的孔板流量计测流量实验

利用集成霍尔传感器阵列测量水银压力差,并将其应用在传统的孔板流量计中.通过采集卡及LabVIEW编程,实现了对液体流量的测量.     

Stop-consonant voicing and intraoral pressure contours in women and children

Previous authors have established that stop consonant voicing is more limited in young children than adults, and have ascribed this to immature vocal-tract pressure management. Physical development relevant to speech aerodynamics continues into adolescence, suggesting that consonant voicing development may also persist into the school-age years. This study explored the relationship between stop consonant voicing and intraoral pressure contours in women, 5 year olds, and 10 year olds. Productions of intervocalic /p b/ were recorded from eight speakers at each age. Measures were made of stop consonant voicing and delta, a measure designed to characterize the time course of intraoral pressure increase in stops, following Muller and Brown [Speech and Language: Advances in Basic Research and Practice, edited by N. Lass (Academic, Madison, 1980), Vol. 4, pp. 318-389]. Age effects for stop consonant voicing and delta were not statistically significant, but correlations between delta and stop voicing were less often significant and sometimes reversed in the children, providing some evidence of immature aerodynamic control. The current data, as well as those of Muller and Brown, also show that the delta measure may yield some paradoxical values, indicating that more work is needed on methods of assessing time-varying characteristics of intraoral pressure.