• Link Lynn posted an update 4 days, 13 hours ago

    Past literature indicates that vibrato measurements of singers objectively changed (i.e., vibrato rate decreased and vibrato extent increased) from 1900 to the present day; however, historical audio recording technology may distort acoustic measurements of the voice output signal, including vibrato. As such, the listener’s perception of historical singing may be influenced by the limitations of historical technology. This study attempts to show how the wax cylinder phonograph system-the oldest form of mass-produced audio recording technology-alters the recorded voice output signal of modern-day singers and, thus, provides an objective lens through which to study the effect(s) of historical audio recording technology on vibrato measurements.

    Twenty professional Western opera singers sang a messa di voce on the vowel [a] and on the pitch C

    for male singers and C

    for female singers, three times into a flat-response omnidirectional microphone and onto an Edison Home Phonograph simultaneously. The middle 1ements as extracted from digitized wax cylinder phonograph recordings by demonstrating that measured vibrato rate remains constant during both recording conditions. In other words, vibrato rate as measured from historical recordings can be viewed as an accurate representation of the historical singer being studied. Furthermore, it suggests that the value of prior vibrato extent measurements from these acoustic recordings may be slightly overestimated from the original voice output signals produced by singers near the beginning of the 20th century (i.e., a narrow vibrato extent might have been numerically smaller on average). Increased jitter and shimmer in the wax cylinder recording conditions may be indicative of nonlinearities in the phonograph recording or playback systems.

    Medialization procedures, such as type I thyroplasty, arytenoid adduction, and vocal fold injection, are popular treatments for dysphonia due to unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). However, dysphonia occasionally persists after medialization procedures owing to tension imbalance. This tension imbalance causes diplophonia, asymmetry and aperiodic vibrational flutter in travelling wave motion. Currently, there is no established treatment for tension imbalance. We herein report two cases with residual dysphonia due to tension imbalance following medialization for chronic UVFP, and another case presenting with dysphonia due to tension imbalance following chronic unilateral vocal fold paresis.

    Three patients underwent voice therapy using flow phonation to facilitate increased airflow management in speech as well as forward oral resonance by focusing on balanced airflow. Phonatory outcomes were evaluated using stroboscopic findings, aerodynamic and acoustic measures, as well as self-rating.

    Aerodynamic asvoice therapy may increase vocal fold tension with breath support. Thus, voice therapy using flow phonation may be effective for supporting vocal fold tension and improving dysphonia due to tension imbalance following UVFP and paresis.

    In the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint osteoarthritis (OA) literature, there is substantial heterogeneity in outcome and outcome measure reporting. This could be rectified by a standardized core outcome set (COS). This study aimed to identify a comprehensive list of outcomes and outcome measures for thumb CMC joint OA, which represents the first step in developing a COS.

    A computerized search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL was performed to identify randomized controlled trials, as well as observational studies involving at least 50 participants aged greater than 18 years undergoing surgery for thumb CMC joint OA. see more Reported outcomes and outcome measures were extracted from these trials and summarized.

    This search yielded 3,498 unique articles, 97 of which were used for analysis. A total of 33 unique outcomes and 25 unique outcome measures were identified. The most frequently used outcomes were complications (78), postoperative pain (73), radiologic outcomes (64), and grip strength (63). Within each reported outcome, there was substantial variation in how the outcome was measured. Of the 25 unique outcome measures, 10 were validated. Of the remaining 15, 12 were created ad hoc by the author. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire was the most commonly reported outcome measure (34%).

    There is a lack of consensus on critical outcomes after surgery for thumb CMC joint OA. A standardized COS created by stakeholder consensus would improve the consistency and therefore the quality of future research.

    This systematic review of outcomes represents the first step in developing a core outcome set for thumb CMC joint OA.

    This systematic review of outcomes represents the first step in developing a core outcome set for thumb CMC joint OA.An unprecedented public health crisis confronts the world. Iran is among the hardest-hit countries, where effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are stretched across society and felt by the most marginalised people. Among people who use drugs, a comprehensive response to the crisis calls for broad collaboration, coordination, and creativity involving multiple government and non-government organisations. This commentary provides early insights into an unfolding experience, demonstrating the operational and policy impact of an initiative, bringing together a diverse array of harm reduction stakeholders to address the pandemic. In the context of lived experiences of social and economic marginalization, this initiative intends to lead efforts in developing an equitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic.A 20-month-old male patient presented with a tumor on his tongue. The tumor was detected at birth with an initial size of 5 mm; thereafter, it gradually grew larger. The patient had no symptoms, but he frequently touched the tumor, as he grew older. The authors performed a tumor resection under general anesthesia, and the histopathological diagnosis confirmed that it was an accessory tongue, with the same components as that of a normal tongue. An accessory tongue regularly grows bigger as a patient grows older, resulting in dysphagia and articulation disorder. Younger patients should get accessory tongues surgically resected as soon as they are old enough to receive general anesthesia.