Vocal mechanics as the basis for phonosurgery

OBJECTIVE: A number of modifications in laryngoplastic phonosurgery have recently been proposed. This report is intended to clarify the concept on which the surgery should be based, vocal mechanics, for further rational development of the surgery. STUDY DESIGN: The results of various previous surgeries were compared. In an attempt to elucidate what makes the difference in the results, simulation of voice production was conducted with the use of excised larynges. METHODS: Excised larynges were mounted on a tube so as to be blown from below. Experimental variables in the model included the glottal area initially set, stiffness of the vocal folds, and subglottal pressure. The conditions under which the voice became hoarse were examined. RESULTS: The voice became hoarse under the following major conditions: 1) the initial glottal area exceeded a certain value, 2) stiffness was too high, and 3) the glottis was too tightly closed. Clinical representation for each condition was made, particularly for excessively tight glottal closure such as in spasmodic dysphonia. A new type of surgical treatment for spasmodic dysphonia, lateralization thyroplasty, was briefly reported, which restored the voice to normal without recurrence for 1 year at the time of this writing. CONCLUSIONS: A potential new type of laryngoplastic phonosurgery should be conformed to the mechanics of voice production. In treating dysphonia, it is often necessary to switch from etiologic or radical treatment, if infertile, to symptomatic treatment instead, at the level of mechanics.     

Vocal isolation: Effects of occluding auditory feedback from one's own voice.

Investigated the effects of vocal masking on the associative structure and content of ideas elicited in an imagery task, using 16 college graduates as Ss. When Ss were unable to hear their own voices, their images showed significantly greater indications of overall drive expression (unweighted drive), more intense drive expression (weighted drive), and a significant increase in morality references. The degree of drive expression was positively correlated with speech editing behaviors (aborted sentences, incomplete words, etc.), and negatively correlated with language editing behaviors (e.g., use of qualifying expressions). Findings are discussed in terms of the reciprocal activity of speech and language editing in relation to (a) drive expression, (b) the functional significance of hearing one's own voice, and (c) the contribution of the total experimental situation (e.g., the masking noise) to the effects obtained. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality types as measured by the California Psychological Inventory.

Attempted to delineate personality types by applying a Q-type factor analytic strategy to the California Psychological Inventory protocols of several samples of Ss (a total of 1,391 college students). Three modal profiles, characteristic of the scores of major subgroups of individuals, were isolated and subsequently cross-validated. These 3 major types—tentatively labeled as antisocial, neurotic, and well adjusted—classified 57% of the Ss in the study. Differences in the distribution of these types as a function of race and sex are described. The use of these types in the interpretation of individual profiles is outlined, and applications of the types to research studies are suggested. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptual rigidity as measured by aniseikonic lenses.

"The general hypothesis that the time delay and degree of distortion with aniseikonic lenses are meaningfully related to other measures of perceptual and personality rigidity is supported by the data." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meaning of self-image disparity as measured by the Q sort.

Reviewed literature on the meaning of the self-image disparity as measured by the Q sort. A study was performed with 58 undergraduates which replicated and extended L. H. Levy's (see 31:5) finding that the self-image disparity score reflects, in part, a general tendency to perceive disparity between the real and ideal. This finding was related to the literature on self-image disparity in general, and to studies of the relationship between mood and self-image disparity in particular. It was concluded that the self-image disparity score should be abandoned and replaced by measures of mood and types of defenses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Superhelix organization by DNA curvature as measured through site-specific labeling

For determining the position of a defined site in a superhelical DNA we have developed a method for introducing a covalent biotin label at a specific sequence while preserving the superhelicity. This is done by first introducing a specific nick, labeling the DNA by limited nick translation and sealing the nick with ligase. The superhelicity is controlled by including ethidium in the ligation reaction. Using scanning force of microscopy on DNAs labeled by this method, we have then compared the position of streptavidin markers at a specific site relative to the end loop of the superhelix. We found that in DNAs with permanently curved inserts the label is located preferentially at a defined distance from the end loop, while in controls without curved inserts the label position was random. This indicates that curves are located in or near the end loops in a superhelix.     

Relaxation measured by EMG as a function of vibrotactile stimulation

Key pecking of two pigeons was maintained under a multiple schedule of food presentation. In the presence of one keylight stimulus responding produced food according to a fixed-interval 5-min schedule. Additionally, during this component, each 50th response produced electric shock. When a different keylight stimulus was present, key pecking resulted in food delivery under a variable-interval 3-min schedule. Responding was suppressed by shock presentation (punishment) but was still positively accelerated throughout each fixed-interval cycle; steady response rates occurred during the alternate component when only the variable-interval schedule was in effect. Overall rates of punished responding were largely unchanged with d-amphetamine (0.1-3.0 mg/kg); unpunished responding was generally either increased slightly or was decreased. Pentobarbital and chlordiazepoxide (1.0-17.0 mg/kg) administered alone increased both punished and unpunished responding at most doses. Combinations of d-amphetamine with either pentobarbital or chlordiazepoxide produced increases in punished responding that exceeded those obtained with either of these drugs alone. The combined effects of d-amphetamine and either pentobarbital or chlordiazepoxide on unpunished responding depended on the individual dose combinations. Combinations of d-amphetamine with pentobarbital or chlordiazepoxide produced effects on both punished and unpunished responding that differed substantially from those obtained when any of these drugs were administered separately.     

Comparison of secretory responses as measured by membrane capacitance and by amperometry

We have compared capacitance and amperometric measurements in bovine chromaffin cells when secretion was elicited by flash photolysis of caged-calcium or step depolarizations. Total amperometric charge depended linearly on the amount of capacitance increase in both types of experiments. Furthermore, the properties of resolvable amperometric spikes after flashes were comparable to those observed after depolarizations, and their timing was compatible with the rate of capacitance increase. For a more detailed comparison, we used Monte Carlo simulations of multiple amperometric events occurring randomly over the surface of a sphere and summing together, to generate a reference amperometric signal for a given measured capacitance increase. Even after correction for endocytotic processes, the time courses of the integrated experimental records lagged behind the integrated Monte Carlo records by approximately 50 ms in flash and depolarization experiments. This delay was larger by approximately 40 ms than what can be expected from the "pre-foot delay" or the foot duration. Possible sources for the remaining delay could be diffusional barriers like the patch-pipette and the chamber bottom, which are not taken into account in the model. We also applied a novel type of fluctuation analysis to estimate the relative quantum size of an amperometric event. On average the estimates from experimental amperometric traces, in both flash and depolarization experiments, were 3-5 times smaller than estimates from simulated ones. This discrepancy can be due to contributions to the amperometric current from small vesicles, preferred release from cellular regions orientated toward the chamber bottom, or abundance of "foot-only" events. In conclusion, amperometric signals in flash and depolarization experiments displayed similar delayed average time courses and a lower estimate for the relative quantum size compared to the modeled amperometric signals. However, individual amperometric spikes were in agreement with expectations derived from capacitance signals.     

Oxygen consumption by the yeast-like and filamentous forms of Sporothrix schenckii as measured by polarography

The study of the oxygen uptake by cultures of Sporothrix schenckii as measured with the Clark electrode has shown that when the fungus was grown in a liquid medium, the atmospheric oxygen went into solution very slowly even when the liquid was rapidly stirred. The partial oxygen pressure was very small after some days of culture (no more than 2 or 3% expressed as the saturated value). Hence, it is postulated that the linear part of the growth curve is due to the dissolved oxygen acting as a limiting factor. When the oxygen uptake by filaments, conidia, or yeasts isplotted against the time the curve variations follow the transformations of the fungus.     

Personality characteristics of engineers as measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule.

What are the personality characteristics of people who are doing well in engineering? "The average personality (PPS) profile of 81 experienced engineers and that of the 750 male liberal arts students in Edwards' norm group were found to be significantly different by an analysis of variance technique." Things and processes appeal to engineers more than do people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of external nasal dilators as measured by acoustic rhinometry

The effect of a commercially available external nasal dilator, Breathe Right (CNS, Inc., Minneapolis, MN) was measured with acoustic rhinometry in 11 healthy subjects. The cross-sectional areas--1, 2 and 3--and nasal volume--from 0 to 6 cm2--were obtained in four situations: 1) pre-decongested with no dilator, 2) pre-decongested with dilator, 3) post-decongested without dilator, and 4) post-decongested with dilator. The device significantly increased cross-sectional area (CSA) 1, which corresponds to the nasal valve area in both the pre-decongestant and post-decongestant states (p = .0001 for both). The appliance also significantly increased the nasal volume in the pre-decongested state (p = .0002), but was not significant for the post-decongested state (p = .0707). The appliance caused a significantly greater increase in CSA 1 as compared to that achieved with decongestion alone. The results of this study indicate that the Breathe Right nasal dilator may be used ot increase the area of the nasal valve.     

Molecular interactions between the HSV-1 capsid proteins as measured by the yeast two-hybrid system

HSV-1 B capsids are composed of seven major proteins, designated VP5, VP19C, 21, 22a, VP23, VP24, and VP26. VP indicates that the capsid protein is also a component of the infectious virion. Capsid proteins 21, 22a, and VP24 are specified by a single open reading frame (UL26) that encodes 635 amino acids. An objective of the work in our laboratory is to identify and map interactions among and between capsid proteins. In the present studies we employed the yeast GAL4 two-hybrid system developed by Fields and his colleagues (Nature 240, 245-246 (1989)) for this purpose. DNA corresponding to the capsid open reading frames was derived as a PCR product and fused to sequences of the GAL4 activation and DNA binding domains. Using this system each of the capsid proteins has been tested for interactions with all of the other capsid proteins. Three interactions have been identified: a relatively strong self-interaction between 22a molecules (residues 307-635 of UL26), bimolecular interactions between 22a and VP5, and another between VP19C and VP23. The interactions were detected by the expression of beta-galactosidase enzyme activity, and yielded 289, 86, and 63 units of enzyme activity, respectively. For the 22a self-interaction, elimination of residues 611-635 resulted in an approximately twofold decrease in enzyme activity. The C-terminal 25 amino acids of 22a were also essential for the bimolecular interaction between 22a and VP5.     

立式螺旋活套的设计分析

立式螺旋活套适用于φ114 mm以下的焊管机组,文章介绍了立式螺旋活套的组成、功能及工作原理,给出了主要参数的确定过程,阐述了装置的设计特点,为立式螺旋活套的设计提供了理论参考.     

Attitudes towards newscasters as measured by the semantic differential: A descriptive case.

How valuable is the semantic differential in measuring audience attitudes toward people they see on TV? An audience of 20 people made semantic differential ratings of 3 TV personalities and the TV program used in this study, and of a person they had watched elsewhere on TV, in a pretest, posttest and follow-up. "The postprogram ratings accurately predicted the follow-up ratings." The evidence favored the validity of the technique. From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2GD35K. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construct validity of the dependence syndrome as measured by DSM-IV for different psychoactive substances

The Diagnosis of Drug Dependence in the Official Psychiatric Nomenclatures (DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and ICD 10) are based on the Drug Dependence Syndrome construct. Although the validity and utility of the dependence syndrome has been widely documented for alcohol, the generalizability of the dependence syndrome to other psychoactive substances is still not clear. Thus, this article examines the construct validity of the drug dependence syndrome, as measured by diagnostic criteria for DSM-IV, using both internal consistency analyses and confirmatory factor analyses. Data were obtained from non-mutually exclusive groups of abusers for five drugs (alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, sedatives, stimulants) drawn from a pool of 521 subjects obtained from drug treatment, general psychiatric and community samples. As predicted by the theory, drug dependence items were found to be unidimensional and factorially distinct from measures of the consequences of substance abuse (e.g. legal problems) for all drug groups. Moreover, the drug dependence items yielded internally consistent scales that produced a distribution of scores reflecting a continuum from low to high severity of abuse for all drugs.