bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between Two Measures of Aided Binaural Advantage
Authors: Cox Robyn M. , Bisset Jan D. 
Published: July 2014

The relationship between aided binaural squelch measured using a conventional paradigm and binaural squelch inferred from the ability to detect an intelligibility difference between binaural and pseudobinaural stimuli (presumably utilizing interaural time and intensity cues) was investigated. The conventional measures of aided binaural squelch included the NU-6 monosylla bles and the high-predictability sentences from the revised SPIN test. For each measure, binaural squelch was derived by comparing the binaural intelligibility of speech-in-babble with corresponding monaural scores. Subjects were also asked to select the more intelligible hearing-aid-processed speech sample when presented with a paired-comparison task in which each pair consisted of a binaural and a pseudobinaural stimulus. Ability to choose the binaural stimulus as most intelligible was considered to be evidence of binaural squelch ability.
Although the hearing-impaired subjects demonstrated typical binaural squelch for the conventional speech tests, they were usually unable to distinguish between the binaural/pseudobinaural pairs. These results suggest that (a) binaural squelch measured using conventional procedures does not necessarily quantify the listener's ability to profit from interaural differences, and (b) many hearing-impaired individuals may be unable to utilize interaural differences to enhance speech intelligibility in noise.
Monaural Versus Binaural Discrimination for Normal Listeners
Authors: Chappell Richard G. , Kavanagh James F. , Zerlin Stanley 
Published: July 2014

Normal hearing adults demonstrated approximately 20% better intelligibility scores for monosyllabic words presented binaurally (with a background of conversation) than to these words presented monaurally.
The test materials were recorded on dual-channel tape through two head-mounted microphones. These microphones were directed toward each of three speakers who in turn produced the monosyllabic words while two simultaneous conversations were carried on by four other participants. Throughout the recording session the experimenters attempted to preserve as naturalistic a situation as possible. The 18 subjects with normal hearing listened through earphones to a single channel of this tape presented monaurally and to both channels delivered binaurally. The difference between the monaural and binaural intelligibility scores is discussed in terms of image-separation in space.
Coarticulation of Lip Rounding
Authors: Daniloff Raymond , Moll Kenneth 
Published: July 2014

We investigated the extent of coarticulation of lip rounding in selected speech strings. Meaningful sentences containing sequences of one to four consonants preceding the vowel /u/ were constructed, with word and syllable boundaries falling within the sequences in various ways. High-speed cinefluorographic films were taken of three subjects producing these sentences and measurements of lip protrusion were made from selected film frames.
For most utterances, the lip rounding gesture began during the approach to the closure phase of the first consonant in the sequence, extending over as many as four consonants preceding /u/. Word and syllable boundaries within the sequences did not affect the amount or the starting points of protrusion. Generally, the tongue and, to a lesser extent, the lips failed to achieve target positions defined during prolonged articulation of /hu/.
Our results are discussed in relation to various conceptual models of speech production. The data are consistent with models presuming phoneme-size input units as well as those involving some type of syllabic input units. Further studies of coarticulation, designed to differentiate between the two types of models, are suggested by these results.
The Effect of Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss on Threshold-Duration Functions
Authors: Wright H. N. 
Published: July 2014

Previous findings on the threshold for tones as a function of their duration have suggested that such functions may be systematically affected by sensori-neural hearing losses of cochlear origin. The present series of investigations was designed to explore this relation further and to determine also whether the amount of hearing loss present has any effect upon the results which are obtained. Preliminary studies were also carried out on a conductively impaired listener to indicate whether hearing losses of this type affect the threshold-duration function.
The results indicate that the threshold-duration function is systematically affected by sensori-neural hearing losses of cochlear origin. This effect is manifested by a progressive shortening of the time constant relating threshold to duration and is not uniquely related to the amount of hearing loss present. The results obtained from the conductively impaired listener suggested that this type of hearing loss has no effect on the threshold-duration function, thereby implying that such functions may contribute significantly to the differential diagnosis of auditory disorders.
Hearing Studies of Telephone Operating Personnel
Authors: Glorig A. , Whitney L. H. , Flanagan J. L. , Guttman N. 
Published: July 2014

This study represents a twofold effort to assess the acoustic noise exposure of telephone operating personnel. In one portion of the study, resting thresholds of hearing were measured for operating personnel whose technical duties require extended headset listening. In the other, detailed measurement of the amplitude distributions of sound levels encountered under actual operating conditions was carried out.
The audiological determinations, both of permanent resting threshold and temporary threshold shift, show that in all job categories, losses were negligible.
In direct support of the individual threshold measurements, the sound amplitude distributions, analyzed both in the laboratory and by computer processing, show that the levels measured under operating conditions are well within permissible ranges and constitute no potential hearing risk. The audiological measurements and the acoustic analyses, in combination, suggest that current practices and precautions for the conservation of hearing are fulfilling their objectives.
Differential Diagnostic Patterns of Dysarthria
Authors: Darley Frederic L. , Aronson Arnold E. , Brown Joe R. 
Published: July 2014

Thirty-second speech samples were studied of at least 30 patients in each of 7 discrete neurologic groups, each patient unequivocally diagnosed as being a representative of his diagnostic group. Three judges independently rated each of these samples on each of 38 dimensions of speech and voice using a 7-point scale of severity.
Computer analysis based on the means of the three ratings on each patient on each dimension yielded results leading to these conclusions: (1) Speech indeed follows neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. There are multiple types or patterns of dysarthria, each mirroring a different kind of abnormality of motor functioning. (2) These patterns of dysarthria can be differentiated; they sound different. They consist of definitive groupings of certain dimensions of speech and voice, deviant to distinctive degrees. (3) Five types of dysarthria were delineated: flaccid dysarthria (in bulbar palsy), spastic dysarthria (in pseudobulbar palsy), ataxic dysarthria (in cerebellar disorders), hypokinetic dysarthria (in parkinsonism), and hyperkinetic dysarthria (in dystonia and chorea). Also, a mixed dysarthria combining elements of flaccid and spastic dysarthrias was identified in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (4) Observed occurrence of a single dimension uniquely in a given neurologic disease and distinctive co-occurrence of several dimensions can aid diagnostically in identification of neurologic disorders.
Speaking Fundamental Frequency Characteristics of Five- and Six-Year-Old Children with Mongolism
Authors: Weinberg Bernd , Zlatin Marsha 
Published: July 2014

Spontaneous speech samples of 27 children with trisomy-21 type Down’s syndrome and 66 normal children were tape-recorded and analyzed for mean fundamental frequency, standard deviation, and range.
Results indicate that the mean speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) level for the sample of children with mongolism was significantly higher than the mean SFF level for the control sample. Approximately 50% of the children with mongolism had mean SFF levels exceeding the highest mean SFF level of their matched controls. In only two cases did the mean SFF for a child with mongolism fall below the mean SFF level for control children of the same age and sex. No child with mongolism exhibited a mean SFF level below the lowest mean SFF for any control subject. The subject in question is the clinical observation that children with mongolism typically have low voice fundamental frequency levels.
The Lombard Sign and the Role of Hearing in Speech
Authors: Lane Harlan , Tranel Bernard 
Published: July 2014

Lombard noted in 1911 that a speaker changes his voice level similarly when the ambient noise level increases, on the one hand, and when the level at which he hears his own voice (his sidetone) decreases, on the other. We can now state the form of these two functions, show that they are related to each other and to the equal-sensation function for imitating speech or noise loudness, and account for their form in terms of the underlying sensory scales and the hypothesis that the speaker tries to maintain a speech-to-noise ratio favorable for communication.
Perturbations in the timing and spectrum of sidetone also lead the speaker to compensate for the apparent deterioration in his intelligibility. Such compensations reflect direct and indirect audience control of speech, rather than its autoregulation by sidetone. When not harassed by prying experimenters or an unfavorable acoustic environment, the speaker need no more listen to himself while speaking than he need speak to himself while listening.
Dysarthria of Adult Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Platt L. J. , Andrews Gavin , Young Margrette , Quinn Peter T. 
Published: July 2014

The speech intelligibility and articulatory impairment of 32 spastic and 18 athetoid males, aged 17–55, were examined. Selection was based on a definite diagnosis of cerebral palsy, and adequate intelligence, hearing, and ability to perform the required tasks. Two estimates of speech intelligibility were obtained from naive listeners: single words correctly recognized and prose intelligibility rating. Diadochokinetic (DDK) syllable rates and percent correct articulation of selected phonemes were employed as indices of articulatory impairment.
The 50 subjects were, on average, judged to be 50% intelligible on both intelligibility estimates. Group mean DDK rate was 2.9 syllables per second and 78% of phonemes were transcribed as correctly articulated. The mean scores of the spastic subjects were superior to the athetoids on all speech measures, significantly so for single-word intelligibility and DDK rate even when group inequalities for physical disability and I.Q. were adjusted. In this sample, spastics were less physically disabled and had lower I.Q.'s than athetoids.
Specific phonemic features characteristic of the dysarthria in cerebral-palsied subjects were: (1) anterior lingual place inaccuracy; (2) reduced precision of fricative and affricate manners; and (3) inability to achieve the extreme positions in the vowel articulatory space. A comparison of these results with those reported for children with cerebraI palsy suggests that the consonantal place and manner problems are fairly stable features of cerebral palsy dysarthria.
Dysarthria of Adult Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Platt L. J. , Andrews Gavin , Howie Pauline M. 
Published: July 2014

The articulation errors of 32 spastic and 18 athetoid males, aged 17–55 years, were analyzed using a confusion matrix paradigm. The subjects had a diagnosis of congenital cerebral palsy, and adequate intelligence, hearing, and ability to perform the speech task. Phonetic transcriptions were made of single-word utterances which contained 49 selected phonemes: 22 word-initial consonants, 18 word-final consonants and nine vowels. Errors of substitution, omission and distortion were categorized on confusion matrices such that patterns could be observed.
It was found that within-manner errors (place or voicing errors or both) exceeded between-manner errors by a substantial amount, more so on final consonants. The predominant within-manner errors occurred on fricative phonemes for both initial and final positions. Affricate within-manner errors, all of devoicing, were also frequent in final position. The predominant between-manner initial position errors involved liquid-to-glide and affricate-to-stop changes, and for final position, affricate-to-fricative. Phoneme omission occurred three times more frequently on final than on initial consonants.
The error data of individual subjects were found to correspond with the identified overall group patterns. Those with markedly reduced speech intelligibility demonstrated the same patterns of error as the overall group. The implications for treatment are discussed.
Acoustic-Immitance Measures in Normal Ears
Authors: Wiley T. L. , Oviatt D. L. , Block M. G. 
Published: July 2014

Acoustic-immitance measures in normal ears. Wiley, T. L., Oviatt, D. L., & Block, M. G. June 1987 161-170.
On p. 168, Table 4, the labels Ambient and Peak are reversed. Data in the top half of the table is for Peak, that in the bottom is for Ambient.
Is the Syntax Development of Dysphasic Children Deviant and Why? New Findings to an Old Question
Authors: Grimm Hannelore , Weinert Sabine 
Published: July 2014

The present study addresses three main issues: First, it considers whether the syntax development of dysphasic preschoolers is adequately described as being a purely quantitative retardation or whether there are qualitative differences as well. Second, the suggestion put forward by Grimm (1987) that the syntactic deficits of dysphasic children result from deficient language processing strategies is further explored. Third, it asks whether the language deficits are related to specific structural and interactional aspects of the language input.We examined two groups of children with comparable levels of language development: 8 dysphasic children, ages 3:9 to 4:8 years, and 8 control children, ages 2:1 to 2:11 years, who showed normal language development. The empirical evidence suggested that the dysphasic children’s syntax development was not only delayed but also deviant, and that the children’s deviant syntax structures were the result of insufficient language processing and could not be traced back to structural characteristics of the sentences used by their mothers.
Acoustic-Phonetic Contrasts and Intelligibility in the Dysarthria Associated With Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Ansel Beth M. , Kent Raymond D. 
Published: July 2014

This study evaluated the relationship between specific acoustic features of speech and perceptual judgments of word intelligibility of adults with cerebral palsy-dysarthria. Use of a contrasting word task allowed for intelligibility analysis and correlated acoustic analysis according to specified spectral and temporal features. Selected phonemic contrasts included syllable-initial voicing; syllable-final voicing; stop-nasal; fricative-affricate; front-back, high-low, and tense-lax vowels. Speech materials included a set of CVC stimulus words.
Acoustic data are reported on vowel duration, formant frequency locations, voice onset times, amplitude rise times, and frication durations. Listeners’ perceptual assessment of intelligibility of the 16 dysarthric adults by transcription and rating tasks is also presented. All but one acoustic contrast was successfully made as evidenced by measured acoustic differences between contrast pairs. However, the generally successful acoustic contrasts stood in marked contrast to the poorly rated intelligibility scores and high error percentages that were ascribed to the opposite pair members.
A second analysis examined the contribution of these acoustic features towards estimates and prediction of intelligibility deficits in speakers with dysarthria. The scaled intelligibility was predicted by multiple regression analysis with 62.6% accuracy by acoustic measures related to one consonant contrast (fricative-affricate) and three vowel contrasts (front-back, high-low, and tense-lax). Other measured contrasts, such as those related to contrast voicing effects and stop-nasal distinctions, did not seem to contribute in a significant way to variability in the intelligibility estimates. These findings are discussed in relation to specific areas of production deficiency that are consistent across different types of dysarthria with cerebral palsy as the etiology.
Perceptual Rating Instrument for Speech Evaluation of Stuttering Treatment
Authors: Franken Marie-Christine , Boves Louis , Peters Herman F. M. , Webster Ronald L. 
Published: July 2014

A rating instrument is described that can be used to assess the results of stuttering treatments. The instrument is designed for use with naive listeners. It yields a comprehensive and detailed description of the speech quality in terms of articulation, phonation, pitch, and loudness; in addition, it includes a naturalness scale. Analysis of ratings obtained with the instrument show that naturalness is a multidimensional characteristic. Moreover, the speech characteristics that determine the naturalness ratings appear to be different pretreatment, posttreatment, and at follow-up treatment.The psychometric characteristics of the instrument are analyzed in detail. It is concluded that mixing of samples of stutterers and nonstutterers in one rating experiment may artificially inflate the reliability of the ratings. Also, ratings on equal-appearing interval scales cannot be interpreted in an absolute sense. Solutions for this methodological problem are suggested.
Use of a Simultaneous Sentence Perception Test to Enhance Sensitivity to Ease of Listening
Authors: Mackersie Carol L. , Boothroyd Arthur , Prida Tammy 
Published: July 2014

The purpose of the study was to determine if a divided-attention, sentence-recall task was more sensitive to distortion of the speech signal than a conventional focused-attention task. The divided-attention task required listeners to repeat both of two sentences delivered simultaneously to the same ear. The focused-attention task required listeners to repeat a single sentence presented to one ear in quiet or in amplitude-modulated noise (0 dB signal-to-noise ratio). Distortion was introduced by peak clipping. Eighteen listeners with normal hearing were tested under three levels of peak clipping: 0 dB, 11 dB, and 29 dB (re: waveform peak).
The effects of clipping were similar, on average, for simultaneous sentences and single sentences in noise. When data were separated by sentence length, however, the effects of clipping were found to be greater for the simultaneoussentence task, but only for the short sentences (6 words or fewer).
The simultaneous-sentence test, in its present form, is not more sensitive to the effects of clipping than is a single-sentence test in noise. Modification of the simultaneous-sentence test to include only short sentences, however, may provide greater test sensitivity than more conventional tests using single sentences in noise.
Voice Therapy Telepractice; Voice Care For The 21
st
Century
Authors: Towey Michael 
Published: July 2014

“America’s high schools are obsolete […] designed 50 years ago to meet the needs of another age.” – Bill Gates, National Governors’ Conference, 2005.
Obsolete and designed for another time—the same could be said for our existing health care system, treatment approaches, and service delivery models. The emergence of outcome-based payment by Accountable Care Organizations, severe restrictions in funding, and limited or absent insurance coverage for voice treatment are powerful drivers for more effective voice therapy treatment. Findings reported from the Voice and Swallowing Center of Maine support significant cost reductions to payers when telepractice is used in voice treatment (Towey, 2012a). This article describes three distinct applications of voice telepractice that expands conventional thinking about voice therapy and voice therapy telepractice. It is believed these presented cases are the first published examples that demonstrate the efficacy of voice telepractice to: (1) assess and fit a device for a laryngectomee; (2) complete virtual musculoskeletal assessment of a voice patient; and (3) provide virtual simultaneous co-treatment in voice therapy.
Lactate promotes plasticity gene expression by potentiating NMDA signaling in neurons
Authors: Yang Jiangyan , Ruchti Evelyne , Petit Jean-Marie , Jourdain Pascal , Grenningloh Gabriele , Allaman Igor , Magistretti Pierre J. 
Published: July 2014

Significance
The transfer of lactate, a product of aerobic glycolysis, from astrocytes to neurons was recently shown to be necessary for the establishment of long-term memory and for the maintenance of in vivo long-term potentiation. Here, we report that lactate induces the expression of plasticity genes such as Arc, c-Fos, and Zif268 in neurons. The action of lactate is mediated by the modulation of NMDA receptor activity and the downstream Erk1/2 signaling cascade, through a mechanism associated with changes in the cellular redox state. These observations unveil an unexpected role of lactate as a signaling molecule in addition to its role in energy metabolism and open a previously unidentified research avenue for the study of neuronal plasticity and memory.
Elimination of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy reduces mitochondrial oxidative stress and increases tolerance to trichothecenes
Authors: Bin-Umer Mohamed Anwar , McLaughlin John E. , Butterly Matthew S. , McCormick Susan , Tumer Nilgun E. 
Published: July 2014

Significance
Despite the importance of trichothecene mycotoxins in food safety and environmental exposure, molecular mechanism of their toxicity is not well-understood and there is a critical gap in our knowledge about cellular protection mechanisms against trichothecenes. To identify cellular functions that provide resistance to trichothecenes, we screened the yeast deletion library for increased sensitivity to trichothecin and identified a vital role for mitochondrial oxidative stress in trichothecene sensitivity and for mitophagy in protecting cells against trichothecenes. Our data show that enhancing degradation of trichothecene-damaged mitochondria by mitophagy reduces mitochondrial oxidative stress and increases cell survival. These results reveal a previously unidentified mechanism against trichothecenes.
Economic demand predicts addiction-like behavior and therapeutic efficacy of oxytocin in the rat
Authors: Bentzley Brandon S. , Jhou Thomas C. , Aston-Jones Gary 
Published: July 2014

Significance
Cocaine addiction is a major public health problem with no current pharmacotherapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. To accelerate discovery of treatments, we developed an animal model based on economics. Economics allows mathematical alignment of animal and human behavior, permitting more confident predictions of efficacy in addicts. Although economic models are strongly associated with addiction severity in humans, they have not yet been shown to be a marker of addiction in rats. In this report, we confirm that economic demand is strongly associated with addiction-like behavior in rats, and can predict the efficacy of a promising addiction therapy. Our findings indicate that this economic approach can be used to accelerate the development of novel addiction therapies.