Some Phonatory and Resonatory Characteristics of the Rock, Pop, Soul, and Swedish Dance Band Styles of Singing

This investigation aims at describing voice function of four nonclassical styles of singing, Rock, Pop, Soul, and Swedish Dance Band. A male singer, professionally experienced in performing in these genres, sang representative tunes, both with their original lyrics and on the syllable /pae/. In addition, he sang tones in a triad pattern ranging from the pitch Bb2 to the pitch C4 on the syllable /pae/ in pressed and neutral phonation. An expert panel was successful in classifying the samples, thus suggesting that the samples were representative of the various styles. Subglottal pressure was estimated from oral pressure during the occlusion for the consonant [p]. Flow glottograms were obtained from inverse filtering. The four lowest formant frequencies differed between the styles. The mean of the subglottal pressure and the mean of the normalized amplitude quotient (NAQ), that is, the ratio between the flow pulse amplitude and the product of period and maximum flow declination rate, were plotted against the mean of fundamental frequency. In these graphs, Rock and Swedish Dance Band assumed opposite extreme positions with respect to subglottal pressure and mean phonation frequency, whereas the mean NAQ values differed less between the styles.     

Decomposition of Vocal Cycle Length Perturbations into Vocal Jitter and Vocal Microtremor, and Comparison of Their Size in Normophonic Speakers

A statistical method that enables raw vocal cycle length perturbations to be decomposed into perturbations ascribed to vocal jitter and vocal tremor is presented, together with a comparison of the size of jitter and tremor. The method is based on a time series model that splits the vocal cycle length perturbations into uncorrelated cycle-to-cycle perturbations ascribed to vocal jitter and supra-cycle perturbations ascribed to vocal tremor. The corpus was composed of 114 vocal cycle length time series for sustained vowels [a], [i], and [u] produced by 22 male and 16 female normophonic speakers. The results were the following. First, 100 out of 114 time series were decomposed successfully by means of the time series model. Second, vocal perturbations ascribed to tremor were significantly larger than perturbations ascribed to jitter. Third, the correlation between vocal jitter and vocal tremor was moderate, but statistically significant. Fourth, small but statistically significant differences were observed among the three vowel timbres in the relative jitter and the arithmetic difference of jitter and tremor. Fifth, the differences between male and female speakers were not statistically significant in the relative raw perturbations, the relative jitter, or the modulation level owing to tremor.     

数字化声学测量技术 Ⅱ.数字式声强及声功率测量系统

本文介绍在数字声学测量分析系统中，通过双传声器信号互谱密度的计算进行声强及声功率测量的基本原理。该数学分析系统由微计算机，数字信号处理卡和Ａ／Ｄ变换卡组成。在一个数字系统中，通过快速傅里叶变换（ＦＥＴ）进行互谱计算是十分有效的。本文着重介绍了，在声强的测量分析中对声强探头两传声器的固有相位差进行补偿的重要性和补偿方法，这是声强测量的重要环节。     

基于灰度和空间联合信息最小化的磁共振图像偏差场纠正

在磁共振图像（MR）的偏差场纠正中,针对灰度信息最小化方法没有考虑空间信息问题,提出联合信息最小化方法,该方法把图像的灰度信息和空间信息结合起来.空间信息采用灰度导数信息.被偏差场破坏的图像灰度及其导数值的联合信息（联合熵）大于对应的没被偏差场破坏的图像联合熵.联合熵是通过计算灰度及其导数值的联合概率分布得到.仿真脑部MR数据和临床脑部MR数据的试验结果都表明,灰度及其二阶导数联合信息最小化方法纠正效果良好,大大减少了脑白质和脑灰质的灰度交叠.     

Glottal airflow and electroglottographic measures of vocal function at multiple intensities

Ten normal female subjects produced syllables at 5 dB increments from soft to loud. The differentiated electroglottogram (dEGG) open and speed quotients were compared to similar quotients from the inverse-filtered airflow waveform. The latter were measured according to objective and subjective criteria. The data indicate that the open quotient from the airflow waveform decreased as the intensity increased. The dEGG open quotient did not demonstrate this trend. The speed quotient from airflow increased initially with vocal intensity and decreased again as the intensity ceiling was approached. The ratio of closing to opening slopes calculated from peaks in the dEGG signal followed a similar pattern. While the trends across intensity conditions were found to correspond for several of the measures, the absolute values obtained using the different methodologies were not comparable.     

Aerodynamic Measurements: Normative Data for Children Ages 6:0 to 10:11 Years

Normative measures of open quotient, speed quotient, maximum flow declination rate (MFDR), and subglottal pressure were determined for 75 children between the ages of 6 years 0 months and 10 years 11 months. The participants produced a sustained /a/ at low, comfort, and high pitches for a minimum of 5 seconds, and five to seven repetitions of /pa/ at low, comfort, and high pitches. No statistically significant differences were found in the mean measures of any aerodynamic variables (open quotient, speed quotient, maximum flow declination rate, subglottal pressure) between the frequency levels (low, comfort, high pitches). Also, no strong evidence (P > .05) exists that age or sex effect differed between the frequency levels (low, comfort, high) for any of the aerodynamic measures. For /a/ response tasks, mean open quotient measures increased slightly from low to comfort frequency and from comfort to high frequency. Mean speed quotient measures showed minimal differences between low and comfort frequency, with decreased mean measures for high frequency. Mean MFDR measures increased from low to comfort frequency and from comfort to high frequency. Mean subglottal pressure measures increased slightly from low to comfort frequency and from comfort to high frequency.     

Intensity range as a function of task and training

This study examined intensity range as a function of elicitation task (reading and automatic speech sequences), musical training, and the interaction between task and musical training in 31 college students. The results indicated significant differences in loudness range by experiental task. Intensity range for the descending automatic sequence was significantly greater than that for the ascending and reading tasks. While the overall effect of musical training was nonsignificant, there was a significant interaction between task and training, with musicians having a significantly greater mean range on the ascending task. A comparison between ascending and descending tasks indicated a significant mean difference between lower limits and no significant mean difference between upper limits. The range for the reading probe was located approximately in the middle of the total available intensity range.     

Oral Breathing Increases Pth and Vocal Effort by Superficial Drying of Vocal Fold Mucosa

Oral breathing superficially dehydrates the airway lumen by decreasing the depth of the sol layer in humans and animals. Conversely, nasal breathing can increase the humidity of inspired air. We compared the effects of short-term oral and nasal breathing on P_th and perceived vocal effort in 20 female subjects randomly assigned to two groups: oral breathing (N = 10, age 21–32 years); nasal breathing (N = 10, age 20–36 years). We hypothesized that short-term oral breathing, but not nasal breathing, would increase P_th, and that subjects would perceive this change as an increase in vocal effort. Following 15 minutes of oral breathing, P_th increased at comfortable and low pitch (p < 0.01) with 6 of 10 subjects reporting increased vocal effort. Nasal breathing reduced P_th at all three pitches (p < 0.01), and 7 of 10 subjects reported decreased vocal effort. Over all subjects, 49% of the variance in treatment-induced change in P_th was accounted for by change in vocal effort (R = 0.70). We posit that obligatory oral breathing places healthy subjects at risk for symptoms of increased vocal effort. The facilitatory role of superficial hydration on vocal fold oscillation should be considered in biomechanical models of phonation and in the clinical prevention of laryngeal dryness.     

会聚厄米-双曲余弦高斯光束的光强分布和焦移

 基于厄米-双曲余弦高斯光束通过无光阑限制薄透镜聚焦的解析传输公式，研究了厄米-双曲余弦高斯光束聚焦区域的光强分布，并对光束的焦移进行了分析，讨论了偏心参数对光强主极大位置的影响。结果表明：TEM₁₁模厄米-双曲余弦高斯光束的相对焦移（绝对值）随偏心参数和菲涅尔数的减小而增大，菲涅尔数较大时相对焦移趋于零。TEM₂₂模光束在偏心参数小于0.54时，轴外与轴上光强极大值的比值大于1，此时光强主极大在轴外，偏心参数大于0.54时则相反；在偏心参数等于0.54时比值为1，此时光束有两个主极大，偏心参数愈大光强愈集中于轴上。使用LW法和GH法得到的TEM₂₂模光束的相对焦移（绝对值）随偏心参数和菲涅尔数的变化规律与TEM₁₁模光束一致，但相同参数下使用这两种方法得出的具体结果不同。     

Vocal Range and Intensity in Actors: A Studio Versus Stage Comparison

A voice range profile (VRP) was obtained from each of eight professional actors and compared with two speech range profiles (SRPs). One speech profile was obtained during the dramatic reading of a scene in the laboratory and the other during a performance on stage in a professional theater. The objective was to determine the pitch and loudness ranges used by the actors in speech relative to the VRP. The principal question of interest was whether the actors stayed within the center of the VRP, or whether they tended to drift toward the boundaries of intensity and frequency. A second question was whether the performance within the laboratory accurately reflects that of a stage performance. The results suggest that some subjects tend to exceed the center of the VRP during the stage performance. It is hypothesized that these actors may stress their vocal mechanism during performance and are more likely candidates for vocal injury.     

强度调制型光纤折射率传感器的设计与研究

研制了一种基于菲涅耳反射原理的测量液体折射率的光纤传感器.该传感器采用普通FC/PC尾纤插头作为传感头.整个实验系统需要的元件少、光路简单.讨论了测量的基本原理和数据处理方法.采用相对强度的数据处理方法,有效地消除了光源不稳定性和光路中各种损耗所带来的误差,提高了系统的测量准确度.实验结果表明,测量准确度能够达到10－4 量级,并且适合微量液体的测量.该测量方法还可扩展到固体、气体和其它与折射率相关参量的测量.     

水声声强测量分析系统及其在水下噪声鉴别中的应用

本文将空气中能形成测量分析系统的声强测量技术引入到水介质中，建立了一套水声声强测量分析系统，讨论了此套水声声强测量分析系统的硬，软件组成及特征，实验验证了本系统的可靠性，利用此声强分析系统对水下双噪声源的近场作了平面扫描测量，可以定位和鉴别这两个噪声源。     

Intensity normalization of additive and multiplicative spatially multiplexed patterns with n encoded phases

An efficient, robust and user-free intensity normalization method for patterns with n frequency-multiplexed phases of both additive and multiplicative types is proposed. For this, the parameter estimation approach by using the least-squares method is applied. The theoretical principles are given and the good performance of the proposal is verified by computer simulation and experimental results. Because the proposed method has good features such as robustness, simplicity, fast and user-free execution, it could be implemented in a wide variety of applications. This contribution motivates future generalization in both phase demodulation algorithms and experimental setups to exploit the benefits of additive/multiplicative patterns with multiple phases.     

Vocal loudness and frequency capabilities of the voice

A phonetogram is a graph showing the sound pressure level (SPL) of softest and loudest phonation over the entire fundamental frequency range of a voice. A physiological interpretation of a phonetogram is facilitated if the SPL is measured with a flat frequency curve and if the vowel /a/ is used. It was found that in soft phonation, the SPL is mainly dependent on the amplitude of the fundamental, while in loud phonation, the SPL is mainly determined by overtones. The short-term SPL variation, i.e., the level variation within a tone, was about 5 dB in soft phonation and close to 2 dB in loud phonation. For two normal voices the long-term SPL variation, calculated as the mean standard deviation of SPL for day-to-day variation, was found to be between 2.4 and 3.4 dB in soft and loud phonation. Speakers who raise their loudness of phonation also tend to raise their mean voice fundamental frequency. Measures obtained from speaking at various voice levels were combined so that typical pathways could be introduced into the phonetogram. The average slope of these pathways was 0.3–0.5 st/dB for healthy subjects. Averaged phonetograms for male singers and male nonsingers did not differ significantly, but averaged phonetograms for female singers and female nonsingers did, in that the upper contour was higher for the female singers. Averaged phonetograms for female patients with non-organic dysphonia showed significantly lower SPL values in loudest phonation as compared to healthy female subjects, while no corresponding difference was seen for males in this regard. With respect to the SPL values for softest phonation, male dysphonic patients showed significantly higher SPL values than healthy male subjects, while no corresponding difference was seen in female subjects. The subglottal pressure mirrored these phonetogram differences between healthy and pathological voices. The averaged phonetograms of female patients after voice therapy showed an increased similarity with those of normal voices. For the male patients the averaged phonetogram did not change significantly after therapy.     

环境气氛对高能量激光诱导等离子体辐射特性的影响

采用高能量钕玻璃激光器(～25 J)激发诱导金属等离子体,研究了环境气体及其压力对等离子体辐射特性的影响。实验结果表明,相同压强下,氩气中等离子体的谱线强度明显高于空气中等离子体的谱线强度;0.8×105Pa氩气条件下,光谱标钢等离子体的谱线强度达到了最大值;随着环境气压的增大,谱线自吸明显增强,当环境气压达到(0.8～0.93)×105Pa时,标样铝的AlⅠ308.22 nm和AlⅠ309.27 nm两条谱线产生了严重自蚀;另外,等离子体的激发温度也随环境气压的增大而增大,0.93×105Pa氩气条件下标钢等离子体的激发温度相对于0.43×105Pa时升高了近1 500 K。     

Glottic Characteristics and Voice Complaint in the Elderly

This study evaluated the relationship between voice complaint and deviant vocal fold status with special regard to presbylarynx, in patients aged more than 60 years, with pharyngeal-laryngeal complaint. The material consisted of clinical histories and images obtained by laryngoscopies from protocols from the Larynx Institute-INLAR, Sao Paulo, Brazil, of 210 patients, 88 men and 122 women, aged more than 60 years, who had sought otorhinolaryngologic treatment. Indicative glottic characteristics of the presbylarynx, such as vocal fold bowing, prominence of vocal processes, and spindle-shaped glottic chink, were analyzed. The increase in mass, leukoplakia, and other vocal fold alterations, distinct from these two, grouped as miscellaneous, as well as the presence or absence of voice complaint were also analyzed. Vocal fold bowing, prominence of vocal processes, and spindle-shaped glottic chink showed a strong correlation among each other. The presence of presbylarynx was accompanied by less voice complaint than the presence of vocal fold mucosa alterations, which in turn are more common where an absence of presbylarynx exists.