Acoustic Analysis of Blues, Country, Folk, Italian Opera, and Rock Singing.

Objective: This study uses acoustic and nonlinear dynamic analysis metrics to investigate the distinct vocal characteristics of five music genres-blues, country, folk, Italian opera, and rock. This research uses cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and correlation dimension (D2) values to quantify the levels of chaos and aperiodicity in the singing voices across these genres, providing insights into the acoustic makeups and vocal behaviors unique to each singing style. The aim is to determine if these measures are sufficiently sensitive to develop a comprehensive Voice Type Component Profile (VTCP), a measure of the portions of voice types in an acoustic signal, for each genre.

Effects of Sustained Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises in Non-Disordered Populations.

Introduction: Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises, including straw phonation therapy, are effective for treating vocal disorders and increasing ease of phonation by decreasing phonation threshold pressure (PTP) and increasing subglottic pressure. While the short-term effects of SOVT straw phonation therapy have been demonstrated, the sustained and lingering effects remain largely unexplored. This study aims to assess the effects of sustained daily SOVT exercises (SOVTEs) across three different straw lengths by evaluating aerodynamic parameters, including PTP, mean flow rate (MFR), subglottic pressure (P), laryngeal resistance (R), and phonation power (PW) to help guide optimized straw phonation usage and configurations.

Efficacy of a Tesla Valve Straw in a Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercise in a Normal-Voiced Population.

Objective: Voice disorders affect a significant portion of the US population, affecting communication and professional performance. Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) straw phonation exercises are widely used in voice therapy to enhance phonation efficacy. The Tesla valve, a structure Nikola Tesla designed, could be applied to SOVT straw phonation therapy and increase its effectiveness by increasing resistance without requiring a longer straw length.

Effects of Increasing Vocal Tract Insertion Depth in Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises on an Excised Canine Model.

Introduction: Straw phonation therapy, a form of semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercise, is commonly used to help treat various voice disorders. Although straw phonation therapy has been studied extensively for decades, the impact of straw depth on vocal function remains unexplored. This study aims to quantify the effects of various straw vocal tract insertion depths (VTID) into the vocal tract on common aerodynamic parameters such as phonation threshold pressure (PTP), phonation threshold flow (PTF), and phonation threshold power (PTW) in an ex vivo canine model.

Voice Type Component Profile Model of Glottal Gap Voice in Ex Vivo Canine Larynges.

Objective: This paper aimed to create a voice type component profile (VTCP) to model a glottal gap during phonation.

Methods: VTCP was generated from phonation from eight excised canine larynges with induced posterior glottal gaps. Glottal gaps were induced using metal shims with widths ranging from 0.

Varying Supraglottic Pressure Using Controlled Supraglottic Pressure Phonation with a Straw-Shaped Mouthpiece in Healthy Subjects.

Objective: The objective of this study is to expand on a novel method for semioccluded vocal tract therapy (SOVT) called controlled supraglottic pressure phonation, and investigate the mechanism that introduced supraglottic pressure mediates a decrease in impedance during SOVT therapy. Instead of the previously used CPAP mask, this study analyzes controlled supraglottic pressure phonation by use of a straw mouthpiece to deliver supraglottic pressure.

Methods: Twenty-six human subjects were randomly assigned to one of four supraglottic pressure levels: 0, 2, 4, and 6 cm HO, which were controlled through a continuous positive airway pressure device.

Acoustic Character Governing Variation in Normal, Benign, and Malignant Voices.

Introduction: Benign and malignant vocal fold lesions (VFLs) are growths that occur on the vocal folds. However, the treatments for these two types of lesions differ significantly. Therefore, it is imperative to use a multidisciplinary approach to properly recognize suspicious lesions.

A Chaotic Approach to Glottal Gap Voice.

Objective: Airway glottic insufficiency, or glottal gap, may lead to a breathy voice quality. It is hypothesized that a glottal gap may be a source of nonlinearity in speech production. This study aims to gain a chaotic and acoustic profile of glottal gap voice provided by phonation of excised larynges subjected to the insertion of a metal shim in the posterior glottis.

Effects of vocal fold adduction on the particle deposition in the glottis: A numerical analysis and in vitro assessment.

Background: The efficacy of inhalation therapy depends on the drug deposition in the human respiratory tract. This study investigates the effects of vocal fold adduction on the particle deposition in the glottis.

Methods: A realistic mouth-throat (MT) geometry was built based on CT images of a healthy adult (MT-A).

Vocal Vibration Opening Onset Position Abnormality in Patients With Adductor Spasmodic Dystonia by Using High-Speed Endoscopy.

Objective: To analyze vocal fold vibration onset in patients with adductor laryngeal dystonia (ADLD) by analyzing vocal vibration opening onset position (VVOOP).

Study Design: Case-control study SETTING: A voice center.

Methods: Eleven patients with ADLD diagnosed in our voice center were enrolled in the ADLD group.

Pre-clinical evaluation of APrevent® VOIS for unilateral vocal fold paralysis medialization.

Objective: To evaluate the concept and efficacy of an adjustable implant (Prototype SH30: porcine implant and APrevent® VOIS: human concept) for treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) via in vivo mini-pig studies, human computed tomographic (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) image analysis, ex-vivo aerodynamic and acoustic analysis.

Methods: Feasibility testing and prototype implantation were performed using in-vivo UVFP porcine model ( = 8), followed by a dimensional finding study using CT and MR scans of larynges ( = 75) for modification of the implant prototypes. Acoustic and aerodynamic measurements were recorded on excised canine ( = 7) larynges with simulated UVFP before and after medialization with VOIS-Implant.

Optimizing Aerodynamic Vocal Parameters by Varying Supraglottic Pressure Using "Controlled Supraglottic Pressure Phonation" in Healthy Subjects.

Objective: The objective of this study is to introduce a novel method for semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) therapy called "controlled supraglottic pressure phonation," determine the mechanism by which supraglottic pressure contributes to lowering impedance during SOVT therapy, and provide the optimal supraglottic pressure range for SOVT exercises.

Methods: Twenty-five human subjects were assigned to one of five supraglottic pressure levels, 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 cmH2O, which were controlled through a continuous positive airway pressure device. Subjects were asked to phonate during both a short- and long-duration task, in which vocal properties were measured before and after.

Effects of vocal fold lesions on particle deposition in a mouth-throat model: A numerical study.

Objective: Dysphonia is very common worldwide and aerosol drug inhalation is an important treatment for patients with dysphonia. This study aimed to explore the effects of vocal fold (VF) lesions on the particle deposition pattern using computational modeling.

Methods: A realistic mouth-throat (MT) model of a healthy adult was constructed based on computed tomography images.

Effects of compound betamethasone on vocal fold wound healing in rabbit model: A preliminary study.

Objectives: The compound betamethasone is widely used to prevent scarring in dermatology. This study aims to explore the effects of compound betamethasone on vocal fold (VF) wound healing.

Study Design: Prospective animal study in rabbits.

Office-Based Photodynamic Therapy Using Locally Applied 5-aminolevulinic Acid and 635 nm Laser for Laryngeal Leukoplakia.

Objective: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive method with strong tissue selectivity and nonthermal effects. We aim to investigate the efficacy of an in-office method utilizing PDT with local application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and 635 nm diode laser for treating laryngeal leukoplakia.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Do the Nonlinear Dynamic Acoustic Measurements, Nonlinear Energy Difference Ratio and Spectrum Convergence Ratio, Correlate with Perceptual Evaluation of Esophageal Voice Speakers?

Background: The acoustic assessment of phonation after total laryngectomy is challenged by signal aperiodicity which makes frequency-based acoustic measures less reliable. This is important for patients who use esophageal voice since voice samples mostly include type III (highly aperiodic) and 4 (chaotic) signals. As such, using non-linear measures, which are better suited for aperiodic phonation, may be useful to investigate the relationship between acoustic signal characteristics and perception of esophageal voice quality.

Field-tuned ferroquadrupolar quantum phase transition in the insulator TmVO.

We report results of low-temperature heat-capacity, magnetocaloric-effect, and neutron-diffraction measurements of TmVO, an insulator that undergoes a continuous ferroquadrupolar phase transition associated with local partially filled 4 orbitals of the thulium (Tm[Formula: see text]) ions. The ferroquadrupolar transition, a realization of Ising nematicity, can be tuned to a quantum critical point by using a magnetic field oriented along the axis of the tetragonal crystal lattice, which acts as an effective transverse field for the Ising-nematic order. In small magnetic fields, the thermal phase transition can be well described by using a semiclassical mean-field treatment of the transverse-field Ising model.

Chaos Behavior Analysis of Alaryngeal Voices Including Esophageal and Tracheoesophageal Voices.

Hypothesis/objectives: This study's objective was to develop a method to evaluate the chaotic characteristic of alaryngeal speech. The proposed method will be capable of distinguishing between normal and alaryngeal voices, including esophageal (SE) and tracheoesophageal (TE) voices. It has been previously shown that alaryngeal voices exhibit chaotic characteristics due to the aperiodicity of their signals.