ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To explore an alternative approach to evaluate velopharyngeal function on those speakers with compensatory misarticulation. METHOD: Nasopharyngeal endoscopy was used to observe the velopharyngeal movement on 26 adult Mandarin speakers during articulation and different nonverbal state, including SCPS, DCPS, and ABS. RESULTS: There were significant differences for the rate of velopharyngeal incompetence (RVPI) among the 4 different states. The RVPI was least for the Articulation State, followed by the Air Blowing and DCPS. The RVPI was largest for the SCPS. CONCLUSION: The result indicated that the ABS may be used as an alternative approach to evaluate the velopharyngeal function instead of the articulation samples while patients cannot make clear articulation due to compensatory misarticulation habits. It merits further study on nonverbal activities, which could lay a foundation for exploring more effective approach for evaluation of the velopharyngeal function.
Subject(s)
Nasopharynx/physiology , Adult , Articulation Disorders , Female , Habits , Humans , Male , Neuroendoscopes , Velopharyngeal Insufficiency/physiopathology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Objective To measure the daily nursing workload by simplified therapeutic intervention scoring system and provide information for reasonable dynamic management of nursing manpower and improving nursing service satisfaction of patients in elderly ICU.Methods 113 patients in elderly ICU were selected from July 2012 to June 2013.The Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System 28(TISS-28) was used to measure the nursing workload,reasonably arranged the nursing staff according to the daily total nursing workload.The average daily working time and service satisfaction were compared before and after the application of dynamic management of nursing manpower.Results After the application of dynamic management of nursing manpower,the average daily working time of nurses decreased,satisfactory degree of patients with nursing service increased,and satisfactory degree of medical workers with nursing manpower management also increased.Conclusions Measurement of nursing workload by TISS-28 can provide the basis for the dynamic management of nursing manpower in elderly ICU and improve satisfaction degree of medical workers.
ABSTRACT
Objective This paper is to validate a speech intelligibility test in Chinese mandarin for the evaluation of speakers with cleft palate, and to determine the intelligibility deficit patterns based on minimal pairs. Methods Thirty cleft palate patients with dysarthria were included as speakers for the test. Then the speech intelligibility of each speaker was rated and the error proportions of each minimal pair were analyzed by SPSS 16.0. The stepwise multiple regression analysis was employed to determine which minimal pairs were the best predictors of reduced speech intelligibility. Results The intelligibility scores were obtained form the thirty speakers ranged from 37% to 92.4%. The error proportion of the minimal pairs was ranged from 0. 13 to 0. 80. The three most problematic pairs, from the most to least severe were dental versus retroflex pair (0.80), retroflex versus palatal pair(0.68), and aspirated versus un-aspirated affricative pair(0.66). The speech intelligibility from cleft palate patients could be predicted at 71.5% accuracy using two pairs, aspirated versus un-aspirated affricative pair, dentals versus palatal pair. Conclusion The speech intelligibility test for Chinese Mandarin speakers with cleft palate can be used as an effective evaluation method, both qualitatively and quantificationally.
