Study of the elderly females' voice by phonetography.

This study was carried out to investigate the voice characteristics of 40 healthy females with no voice disorders, ranging in age from 60 to 84 years (X = 68.2+/-5.74 years). Measurements over all the entire phonational range were obtained by phonetography. The subjects were asked to sustain the vowel /a/ in modal register for a minimum of 5 seconds in the highest and lowest intensities after hearing the semitones C, E, G, and A, over all phonational ranges. The results indicated expansion of the low and reduction of high ends of the pitch range, decrease of the pitch numbers of the vocal range, restriction of the lowest and highest limits of the intensity, and reduction of either the maximum phonational range and the phonetogram area. The phonetography technique has shown efficacy to investigate the voice characteristics of elderly females.

A methodology report of a randomized prospective clinical trial to assess velopharyngeal function for speech following palatal surgery.

Cleft lip and palate occurs in approximately 1 in every 750 live human births, making it one of the most common congenital malformations. Surgical closure of the palatal cleft does not always result in a velopharyngeal port capable of supporting normal speech. The University of Florida (UF), in collaboration with the University of São Paulo (USP), is engaging in a 5-year prospective, randomized controlled study to compare velopharyngeal function for speech outcomes between patients undergoing palatoplasty for complete unilateral cleft lip and palate performed using the von Langenbeck procedure with intravelar velarplasty and those receiving the Furlow double-reversing Z-plasty palatoplasty. The von Langenbeck procedure was selected as the time-tested standard against which the Furlow procedure could be judged. The Furlow procedure, a relatively new operation, has been reported to yield substantially higher rates of velopharyngeal competency for speech than have most other reported series and theoretically should result in less disturbance to midfacial growth. A total of 608 patients will be entered into one of two age categories. Inclusion of two age groups will allow a comparison of results between patients having surgery before 1 year of age (9-12 months) and patients undergoing surgery at approximately 1.5 years of age (15-18 months). Speech data will be collected and will be available for definitive analysis throughout the last 3 years of the study. Collection of preliminary growth data will require more than 5 years; growth analysis is anticipated to continue until all patients have reached maturity. The Hospital for Research and Rehabilitation of Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate at the University of São Paulo (USP-HPRLLP) in Bauru, Brazil, is uniquely situated for conducting this study. The well-equipped and modern facilities are staffed by well-trained specialists representing all disciplines in cleft-palate management. In addition, an already existing social services network throughout Brazil will ensure excellent follow-up of study cases. The clinical caseload at this institution currently exceeds 22,000, and more than 1200 new cases are added annually. This project represents a unique opportunity to obtain prospective data from a large number of subjects while controlling the variables that have traditionally plagued cleft-palate studies. This study is designed to determine which of the two proposed surgical procedures is superior in constructing a velum capable of affecting velopharyngeal competency for the development of normal speech.

Normative Speaking Fundamental Frequency (SFF) characteristics of Brazilian male subjects.

The present study was carried out in order to obtain normative Speaking Fundamental Frequency (SFF) data for 150 Brazilian Portuguese-speaking male subjects (mean age, 19.4; range, 17-30) in two different vocal tasks, i.e., oral reading and counting. Mean (+/- SD) SFF was 134.9 +/- 17.9 Hz for oral reading and 130.5 +/- 18.5 Hz for counting. The mean SFF values obtained in this investigation were similar to data reported in previous studies.

Normative Speaking Fundamental Frequency (SFF) characteristics of Brazilian male subjects

The present study was carried out in order to obtain normative Speaking Fundamental Frequency (SFF) data for 150 Brazilian Portuguese-speaking male subjects (mean age, 19.4; range, 17-30) in two different vocal tasks, i.e., oral reading and counting. Mean (+/- SD) SFF was 134.9 +/- 17.9 Hz for oral reading and 130.5 +/- 18.5 Hz for counting. The mean SFF values obtained in this investigation were similar to data reported in previous studies.