Acoustic correlates of vocal effort: External factors and personality traits

ObjectivesTo develop an experimental protocol to study the vocal effort generated by introducing barriers to communication, and its relationship with certain personality traits.Material and methodsThe experimental protocol consisted of an interactive game in which the subject gave an investigator instructions to adopt various body positions (semi-directed communication situation). The Control situation included no constraints on communication. Then a Distance Constraint (increased distance between subject and investigator) and a Time Constraint (generation of performance stress by putting the subject in competition with others) were introduced. The vocal parameters studied comprised vocal intensity and fundamental frequency in the middle of the vowel of 3 target phonemes. Subjects also took the NEO FFI-R personality test.ResultsThe study included 41 women aged between 18 and 52 years. Vocal intensity and fundamental frequency increased significantly with the introduction of the constraints (P < 0.05), intensity passing from 75.5 dB to 81.8 dB and frequency from 249.4 Hz to 335.8 Hz. No correlations were found between these changes and results for the various personality traits.ConclusionsThis ecological protocol enables the impact of both physical and emotional obstacles to communication to be studied. No correlations between vocal effort and personality traits emerged. A larger-scale study would be necessary to analyze the continuum between vocal effort and vocal forcing, to improve speech therapy for dysfunctional dysphonia.     

On the Relationship between Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Parameters and the Underlying Vascular Architecture Extracted from Acoustic Angiography

Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) has been proposed as a powerful tool for cancer diagnosis by estimation of perfusion and dispersion parameters reflecting angiogenic vascular changes. This work was aimed at identifying which vascular features are reflected by the estimated perfusion and dispersion parameters through comparison with acoustic angiography (AA). AA is a high-resolution technique that allows quantification of vascular morphology. Three-dimensional AA and 2-D DCE-US bolus acquisitions were used to monitor the growth of fibrosarcoma tumors in nine rats. AA-derived vascular properties were analyzed along with DCE-US perfusion and dispersion to investigate the differences between tumor and control and their evolution in time. AA-derived microvascular density and DCE-US perfusion exhibited good agreement, confirmed by their spatial distributions. No vascular feature was correlated with dispersion. Yet, dispersion provided better cancer classification than perfusion. We therefore hypothesize that dispersion characterizes vessels that are smaller than those visible with AA.     

听神经瘤术中耳蜗电图监测与听力保护

目的：评价耳蜗神经电位活动直接监护在听神经瘤手术中对保护听力的作用。方法：听神经瘤手术中施行耳蜗电图监护。结果：１６例听神经瘤手术中施行耳蜗电图监护者，术后听力保留５例（３１％），其中４例为有效听力保留。肿瘤在２厘米以下者听力保留为３８％（５／１３）。结论：听神经瘤手术过程中采用耳蜗电图监护，能敏感地反应即时的听神经功能状况，给术者及时的反馈信息，有助于听力保护     

胎儿声振动刺激反应的研究

目的：了解不同孕龄胎儿对声振动刺激的反应。方法：对４３５例次正常中、晚期妊娠妇女进行声振胎心试验（ＶＡＳ－Ｔ）、声振胎动试验（ＳＰＦＭ），并对声振动刺激前、后胎心率变化规律进行前瞻性研究。结果：（１）从２４周开始，胎儿对声振刺激有反应，但大部分未能达到ＶＡＳ－Ｔ诊断标准，而胎动反应良好。（２）妊娠２８周开始，声振刺激后，９０％以上的胎儿出现显著的胎动、胎心率加速反应，足月胎儿反应率在９８％以上。（３）ＳＰＦＭ阳性率的显著提高早于ＶＡＳ－Ｔ。提示：２８周后胎儿神经系统发育已趋完善。胎儿运动神经的发育成熟早于植物神经。     

Acoustic rhinometry in nasal provocation test in perennial allergic rhinitis

Acoustic rhinometry is one method to evaluate nasal geometry by an acoustic reflection technique. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in acoustic rhinometry after nasal provocation in patients with exclusively perennial allergic rhinitis. In 19 patients, acoustic rhinometry and active anterior rhinomanometry were performed before and after nasal provocation test. There was a statistically significant nasal flow reduction measured by active anterior rhinomanometry after nasal provocation (p < 0.05) and a median symptom score of four points, both indicating a positive response to nasal provocation. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant change in the values of acoustic rhinometry after nasal provocation (p > 0.05). In patients with exclusively perennial allergic rhinitis, acoustic rhinometry does not seem to significantly change after nasal provocation. In contrast, active anterior rhinomanometry values decreased significantly after nasal provocation. The presented results indicate that acoustic rhinometry does not seem to be a diagnostic method superior to active anterior rhinomanometry in this context.     

两种MRI序列对听神经瘤成象的比较与评价

为选择中等场强的ＭＲＩ听神经瘤成像最佳序列。收集手术和病理证实的听神经瘤１３５例，分析序列Ⅰ、Ⅱ对内听道中心层面、三叉神经显示率及ＭＲ征象的显示情况。结果：序列Ｉ择内听道中心层面及三叉神经的显示均优于序列Ⅱ，序列Ⅱ在显示肿瘤内囊变、出血、不肿优于序列Ｉ；对肿瘤钙化、肿瘤血管、脑干移位的观察，两者相仿。结果显示：序列Ｉ在中等场经下作为听神经瘤成像的首选序列，并中运用到小脑角区ＭＲＩ成像。     

Amphetamine sensitivity in open-field activity vs. the prepulse inhibition paradigm

Amphetamine-induced mesolimbic dopamine release has been reported to reduce prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response. In addition, it is well known that mesolimbic dopamine stimulation leads to hyperactivity. The present study was undertaken to explore the possibility that one or the other measure may be a more sensitive in vivo indicator of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens by determining if the amphetamine dose-response curves for these two behavioral measures were different. The data indicate that the dose-response curves obtained for the different behavioral measures are identical. These data are consistent with the idea that the same dopamine terminal field supports both prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response and dopamine-stimulated hyperactivity.     

听神经瘤的MRI诊断(20例报告)

回顾分析了20例22个听神经瘤的MRI表现。MRI检查采用0.35T超导MT/S成像系统,常规行冠状面T_1加权及横断面T_(1-)T_2加权成像。据瘤体大小将病灶分成4组,包括限于内听道者1例,1-2cm者2例,2.1-3cm者8例,大于3cm者11例,结果表明,T_1加权像对听神经瘤的诊断价值较大,主要依据是CP角内出现与听神经根部相连的肿块或听神经明显增粗;大于2cm的听神经瘤多可发生囊变、出血及脑干、Ⅳ脑室受压。除可发现位于内听道内的微小肿瘤外,MRI在肿瘤囊变、出血、周围结构受压情况、肿瘤供血血管及肿瘤与周围粘连情况的显示上均具有一定的优越性。     

Characterization and prediction of gradient acoustic noise in MR imagers

Gradient acoustic noise has been measured and characterized for an epoxy-potted, shielded gradient assembly in a 1.5 T MRI system. Noise levels vary by 10 dB or more as a function of longitudinal position in the scanner and reflect the pattern of forces applied to the gradient assembly. The noise level increases slightly (1–3 dB) with a patient in the scanner. The spectrum of the noise is similar (but not identical) to the spectrum of the input signal. A gradient-pulse-to-acoustic-noise transfer function was obtained by using a white noise voltage input to the gradient system. The transfer function enabled us to accurately predict acoustic noise output for a pulse sequence consisting of a series of trapezoidal pulses on a single axis and for a clinical fast spin echo sequence with gradients present on all three axes.     

Effects of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram on the acoustic startle response in rats

Systemic administration of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram (0.05–10.0 mg/kg, IP) produced a rapid and dose-related increase in the amplitude of the acoustic startle response in rats. The (−) isomer was more potent than the (+) isomer in enhancing startle amplitude. Rolipram increased startle responses that were elicited by brief electrical stimulation of the ventral cochlear nucleus or nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis, two brainstem relay nuclei of the startle neural circuit. A low (5 μg) dose of rolipram produced an excitatory effect on startle following spinal (lumbar intrathecal) infusion but not following supraspinal (lateral ventricle) infusion. Rolipram (0.5 mg/kg, IP) excitation of startle was not blocked by drugs which differentially disrupt the release of monoamines (DSP4, reserpine + alpha-methylpara-tyrosine, reserpine + para-chloro-phenylalanine) or by drugs which differentially block monoamine receptors (haloperidol, prazosin, idazoxan, cinanserin, or cyproheptadine). The marked increase in startle seen following systemic rolipram injection is attributable, at least in part, on an action in the lumbar spinal cord that directly or indirectly facilitates neural transmission along the reticulospinal component of the startle reflex neural pathway. The startle reflex should be a useful behavioral test system for studying the mechanism of action of rolipram and related compounds purported to selectively inhibit calmodulin-independent forms of phosphodiesterase.