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Perceptual Analysis (perceptual + analysis)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	80%

Selected Abstracts

Voice profile after type I or II laser chordectomies for T1a glottic carcinoma

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 11 2009
Elisabeth V. Sjögren MD
Abstract Background Can a "typical" voice in terms of auditory perception be defined after type I or II chordectomy? Do other parameters in a multidimensional voice protocol correlate to this perceptual profile? Methods Voice evaluation using a multidimensional voice protocol including perceptual (GRBAS; grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain scale), acoustic, aerodynamic, stroboscopic analyses, and self-assessment (Voice Handicap Index [VHI]) in a cohort of 37 consecutive patients with T1a midcord glottic carcinoma. Results Sixty-five percent of patients had dysphonia, dominated by mild breathiness (mean grade 1.4). Voice Handicap was minimal (mean VHI 19). Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were only mildly deviant. The correlations between perceptual analysis and the other parameters were weak. Conclusion The typical laser treated voice (type I or II resections) is characterized by mild breathiness in perceptual analysis. Correlations with other parameters, including patients' self assessment, are weak. Therefore, these outcomes do not form 1 integrated voice profile. This may have consequences for clinical decision-making. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009 [source]

Injection Versus Medialization Laryngoplasty for the Treatment of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 11 2007
Justin E. Morgan MD
Abstract Objective/Hypothesis: To determine whether injection laryngoplasty or medialization laryngoplasty is more effective in the treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Study Design: A retrospective study of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who underwent either injection or medialization laryngoplasty at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences between July 29, 2003 and March 8, 2005. Methods: The data analyzed included patient characteristics and type of intervention, along with the pretreatment and posttreatment voice parameters of videostrobolaryngoscopy, perceptual analysis, and patients' subjective voice assessment. Results: Nineteen patients were evaluated. The average time from intervention to posttreatment evaluation was 3 (range, 1,9) months. Improvements were demonstrated in all three voice parameters in both the injection and the medialization groups. No significant differences were found in the degree of improvement between the two groups. Videostrobolaryngoscopy and the perceptual analysis, both rated by the authors, correlated well with each other, but they both correlated poorly with the patients' subjective voice analysis. Conclusions: Injection and medialization laryngoplasty were comparable in their improvement of subjective and objective voice outcomes. Both treatment modalities should be included in the otolaryngologist's armamentarium for managing unilateral vocal fold paralysis. [source]

Microdissection or Microspot CO2 Laser for Limited Vocal Fold Benign Lesions: A Prospective Randomized Trial,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue S92 2000
Michael S. Benninger MD
CO2 lasers have become an important technological advance and an integral tool for the laryngeal surgeon since the 1960s. Surgeons have used lasers for a variety of benign and malignant lesions in the larynx with good success. With better understanding of the microarchitecture of the vocal folds and the recognition of heat distribution into surrounding tissues that occurs with the use of standard CO2 lasers, questions and concerns have been raised regarding the use of the CO2 laser for benign lesions of the vocal folds. With the advent of the microspot CO2 laser with a spot size of less than 250 ,m, the potential heat distribution to the deeper layers of the lamina propria has been reduced. The microspot CO2 laser has been suggested to be an appropriate tool for the excision of superficial benign lesions of the vocal fold and may be considered as an appropriate treatment alternative to microdissection. Only a limited number of studies have compared the efficacy of microdissection versus microspot CO2 laser surgery in the larynx, and no prospective, randomized trials have been performed. Objective This study was designed to compare microspot CO2 laser excision and microdissection for superficial benign lesions confined to the free margin of the vocal fold. Study Design: A randomized, prospective trial comparing microspot CO2 laser excision and microdissection in the removal of nodules, polyps, and mucous retention cysts of the vocal fold. Methods Acoustic and aerodynamic measures and videostroboscopic and perceptual audio recordings evaluated by a panel of blinded viewers and listeners were studied preoperatively and 2 to 3 weeks and 5 to 12 weeks postoperatively. Surgical and recovery times were compared between the two groups. Results Thirty-seven patients met selection criteria and were enrolled, 21 in the microdissection group and 16 in the laser excision group. Significant improvements in videostroboscopic parameters were found over time in both groups. Significant improvements were noted for perceptual analysis over time for the laser excision group with nonsignificant improvements over time for the microdissection group. There was no difference in any measure between laser excision and microdissection at the two postoperative visits. There was no difference in surgical or recovery time between laser excision and microdissection. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were noncontributory in evaluating outcomes of treatment, since most values were normal before surgery. Conclusion No differences in clinical outcomes are identified when comparing microdissection with laser excision of nodules, polyps, and mucous retention cysts of the vocal folds. [source]

Retrieving meaning after temporal lobe infarction: The role of the basal language area

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 6 2004
David J. Sharp MRCP
During speech comprehension the auditory association cortex in the superior temporal cortex is involved in perceptual analysis of the speech signal, whereas the basal language area in the inferior temporal cortex mediates access to word meaning. Disruption of the interaction between the superior and inferior temporal cortices is one factor that may determine recovery from aphasic stroke. We used positron emission tomography to investigate semantic processing within inferior temporal cortex in control subjects and after infarction involving the superior temporal cortex. In the control group, semantic decision making on clear speech activated both anterior fusiform gyri. Chronic aphasic patients were impaired at the task and demonstrated reduced activation within the left anterior fusiform gyrus. A similar pattern of impaired performance and reduced left anterior fusiform gyrus activation was observed when control subjects heard perceptually degraded speech. Performance in both groups predicted activity in the right anterior fusiform gyrus and the temporal poles, where accuracy linearly correlated with activity. These results demonstrate that the function of the basal language area is sensitive to changes in the quality of perceptual input. In addition, different profiles of response observed in each hemisphere suggest distinct contributions of both left and right inferior temporal cortices to the semantic processing of speech. Ann Neurol 2004 [source]

Strategic Influences of Technological Innovation in Greece

BRITISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2001
Vangelis Souitaris
This exploratory paper analyses the ,importance' and ,awareness' of a set of established ,strategic' influences of technological innovation in the context of a European newly-industrialized country. The author interviewed 105 Greek manufacturing firms (mainly SMEs) and measured their perceived innovation rate as well as 17 ,strategic' factors regarding top-management practices and characteristics. Using correlation and regression analysis the initial group of factors was reduced to a subset of five ,major importance' influences of innovation, namely: incorporation of technology plans in the business strategy, managerial attitude towards risk, perceived intensity of competition and rate of change of customer needs, and finally status of the CEO (owner-CEOs were associated with higher innovation rate than appointed CEOs). The ,statistical' results are exploratory and have to be treated with caution, as they are highly dependent on the accuracy of the respondents' perception of their company's innovation rate and top-management practices and characteristics. The ,statistical' results were then compared with the managers' perception on the important factors determining innovation (also measured during the interviews). Overall the perceptual analysis confirmed the significance of the statistically important variables, with the exception of a disagreement in the direction of association between the status of the CEO and the rate of innovation. In general, top-management characteristics proved more important ,strategic' influences of innovation for the Greek SMEs than corporate practices. The study also indicated that the important influences of innovation were generally scarce in the Greek institutional context. The highly innovative companies were the ones to overcome country-specific innovation barriers such as the low supply of technology, the low level of competition and the risk-averse national culture. [source]