Acoustic features of the plosives of Uyghur speakers with velopharyngeal insufficiency / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To analyze the acoustic features of plosive consonants in Uyghur as spoken by persons with post-palatoplasty velopharyngeal insufficiency.Methods Thirty-one Uyghur-speaking children without a speech disorder were selected as a control group,while 28 others with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) formed the VPI group.All were recorded speaking 9 Uyghur words which contain the plosive consonants/b/,/d/and/g/.The consonants' duration (CD),amplitude (CA),their first formants (VF1),second formants (VF2),third formants (VF3) and fourth formants (VF4) as voiced as well as the voice onset time (VOT) were measured and analyzed using the PRAAT software for the two groups.Results The VF1,VF3 and VF4 of the plosive consonant /b/ were significantly lower for those in the VPI group than among the controls,and the CD of/b/was significantlylonger.There were also significant differences between the two groups in terms of the VF1s,VF3s and CDs of the other plosive consonants.The VOTs of the consonant/b/,/d/ and/g/ were (0.12±0.05)s,(0.10±0.03)s and (0.09±0.03) s,respectively,with an occurrence rate of up to 100％ in the control group,significantly different from those in the VPI group (P＜0.05).Conclusion The acoustic features of the three plosive consonants/b/,/d/ and /g/ can distinguish Uyghur-speaking children with velopharyngeal insufficiency from those with normal speech.

Role of echography in diagnostic dilemma in choroidal masses.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of echography in diagnosis and management of a diverse array of choroidal masses. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two cases of clinically suspected choroidal masses were prospectively analyzed with B-scan (10 Hz), A-scan, and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) (50 Hz) after a meticulous history and ocular examination. Ancillary investigations and systemic evaluation were also done. Results: Based on clinical suspicion, acoustic features, response to treatment, and other ancillary tests combined together, the various masses were differentiated. The cases included in the study were as follows: n = 10 malignant melanomas, n = 16 metastasis and infiltrations, n = 9 hemangioma, n = 7 tuberculoma, n = 8 nonspecific inflammatory masses, n = 2 disciform plaques, n = 4 macular cysts or retinoschisis, n = 2 Coat’s disease, n = 1 melanocytoma, and n = 2 osteomas. Ultrasonography (USG) alone could identify n = 51 lesions, while UBM in combination with USG was needed in remaining 11 masses. Conclusion: Standardized echography is an important adjunct in the diagnosis and management of eyes with intraocular masses. A better understanding of the clinicopathological and echographic picture of the diverse lesions can help in detection, differentiation, diagnosis, proposing a therapeutic approach, and also monitoring response to treatment. Echography is essential to evaluate tumors for extrascleral and anterior segment extension.