全口义齿腭皱对语音恢复的作用

目的:研究金属基托全口义齿腭皱对修复后辅音声学特征的影响。方法:30例无牙颌患者分别戴入光滑面金属基托全口义齿(第一组)和有腭皱金属基托全口义齿(第二组),应用Minispeech lab测量并分析患者在初戴前,初戴时,初戴后1周、2周、4周、8周时汉语拼音/j/、/q/的第二强频区(F2)值、带宽(B2)值和嗓音起始时间(V.O.T.)。结果:第一组中,与初戴前相比,/j/、/q/的F2值从初戴后2周开始差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),/j/的B2值在初戴后8周,/q/的B2值在初戴后4周差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);第二组中,与初戴前相比,/j/、/q/的F2值从初戴后1周开始差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),/j/的B2值从初戴后2周开始,/q/的B2值从初戴后4周开始差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:金属基托全口义齿的腭皱能够缩短金属基托全口义齿初戴后患者语音恢复的时间。     

Effects of smoking on respiratory capacity and control

The purpose of this study was to provide information concerning the possible early effects of smoking on measures of respiratory capacity and control in young adult female smokers vs. nonsmokers. In particular, maximum performance test results (vital capacity and maximum phonation time) and measures of air pressures and airflows during voiceless, stop‐plosive productions were analysed. Subjects were 45 female nonsmokers and 30 female smokers (total n = 75) between the ages of 18–30 years. For the purposes of this study, a smoker was defined as any subject who, at the time of this study, had smoked at least two cigarettes per day for at least 1 year. All of the subjects in the nonsmoker category were those who, at the time of this study, did not smoke and who had not smoked for at least 5 years prior to the study. Vital capacity measures were conducted using a hand‐held digital spirometer, while maximum phonation productions and voiceless, stop‐plosive pressures and flows were recorded and measured using the Aerophone II Model 6800 (Kay Elemetrics Corp., Lincoln Park, NJ). Results showed significantly lower vital capacities and maximum phonation times in smokers vs. nonsmokers. The maximum phonation time task was also produced with significantly higher mean airflow rates in smokers than nonsmokers. In addition, the smokers were observed to produce significantly greater peak and mean pressures during the voiceless stop‐plosive task than the nonsmokers. A weak, but significant correlation was observed between the number of days the subject had smoked and the mean pressure produced during the voiceless, stop‐plosive task. The findings of reduced respiratory capacity and control in smokers may be associated with factors such as increased bronchial reactivity secondary to exposure to cigarette smoke and/or mild airway obstruction, increased airflow secondary to increased glottal gap size during phonation, and increased vocal fold mass and/or inefficiency in vocal fold closure. The findings of this study indicate that decrements in respiratory capacity and control may occur even in relatively young smokers who have only been smoking for a comparatively short time     

Effect of bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on different speech subsystems in patients with Parkinson's disease

The effect of deep brain stimulation on the two speech‐production subsystems, articulation and phonation, of nine Parkinsonian patients is examined. Production parameters (stop closure voicing; stop closure, VOT, vowel) in fast syllable‐repetitions were defined and measured and quantitative, objective metrics of vocal fold function were obtained during vowel production. Speech material was recorded for patients (with and without stimulation) and for a reference group of healthy control speakers. With stimulation, precision of the glottal and supraglottal articulation as well as the phonatory function is reduced for some individuals, whereas for other individuals an improvement is observed. Importantly, the improvement or deterioration is determined not only on the basis of the direction of parameter change but also on the individuals' position relative to the healthy control data. This study also notes differences within an individual in the effects of stimulation on the two speech subsystems. These findings qualify the value of global statements about the effect of neurostimulatory operations on Parkinsonian patients. They also underline the importance of careful consideration of individual differences in the effect of deep brain stimulation on different speech subsystems.