ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Rhinophonia is often present in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) many years after palatoplasty. It may be caused either by organic deficits, functional disorders, or both. NasalView is known as an instrument for the objective assessment of nasalance in cases of velopharyngeal insufficiency or incompetence.However,normative values for the German language are not yet available. In order to overcome this problem, this study evaluated such norms using NasalView. METHODS: A total of 50 individuals with normal speech development were examined with NasalView. The median age was 14 years (range 11-20 years). The tone material used comprised the vowels /a:/, /e:/, /i:/, /o:/, /u:/, the sentences S(1): "Die Schokolade ist sehr lecker."("This chocolate is very tasty.") and S(2): "Nenne meine Mamma Mimmi."("Call my mummy Mimmi."), and the text passages of LT(1): "Nordwind und Sonne"("Northwind and sun"), LT(2): "Kindergeburtstag"("A child's birthday party") and LT(3): "Der grosse Gesang"("A famous song"). RESULTS: The mean nasalance for the vowels was 35.9% (+/-8.4), for S(1) (containing no nasal consonants) 24.9% (+/-5.3), and for S(2) 69.6% (+/-5.5) (with many nasal sounds). The results for the text passages were 42.1% (+/-4.2) for LT(1), 36.9% (+/-4.3) for LT(2) and 38.2% (+/-4.4) for LT(3). CONCLUSION: The norms of nasalance for the German language presented here may be useful in measuring the long-term outcome of cleft lip and palate.
Subject(s)
Cleft Lip/surgery , Cleft Palate/surgery , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Sound Spectrography/instrumentation , Velopharyngeal Insufficiency/diagnosis , Voice Disorders/diagnosis , Voice Quality , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Language , Male , Microcomputers , Phonetics , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Six mainstream and twelve sidestream infrared carbon dioxide (CO2) analysers were tested for accuracy of the CO2 display value, alarm activation and the effects of nitrous oxide (N2O), oxygen (O2) and water vapour according to the ISO Draft International Standard (DIS)#9918. Mainstream analysers (M-type): Novametrix Capnogard 1265; Hewlett Packard HP M1166A (CO2-module HP M1016A); Datascope Passport; Marquette Tramscope 12; Nellcor Ultra Cap N-6000; Hellige Vicom-sm SMU 611/612 ETC. Sidestream analysers: Brüel & Kjaer Type 1304; Datex Capnomac II; Marquette MGA-AS; Datascope Multinex; Ohmeda 4700 OxiCap (all type S1: respiratory cycles not demanded); Biochem BCI 9000; Bruker BCI 9100; Dräger Capnodig and PM 8020; Criticare Poet II; Hellige Vicom-sm SMU 611/612 A-GAS (all type S2: respiratory cycles demanded). The investigations were performed with premixed test gases (2.5, 5, 10 vol%, error < or = 1% rel.). Humidification (37 degrees C) of gases were generated by a Dräger Aquapor. Respiratory cycles were simulated by manually activated valves. All monitors complied with the tolerated accuracy bias in CO2 reading (< or = 12% or 4 mmHg of actual test gas value) for wet and dry test gases at all concentrations, except that the Marquette MGA-AS exceeded this accuracy limit with wet gases at 5 and 10 vol% CO2. Water condensed in the metal airway adapter of the HP M1166A at 37 degrees C gas temperature but not at 30 degrees C. The Servomex 2500 (nonclinical reference monitor), Passport (M-type), Multinex (S1-type) and Poet II (S2-type) showed the least bias for dry and wet gases. Nitrous oxide and O2 had practically no effect on the Capnodig and the errors in the others were max. 3.4 mmHg, still within the tolerated bias in the DIS (same as above). The difference between the display reading at alarm activation and the set point was in all monitors (except in the Capnodig: bias 1.75 mmHg at 5 vol% CO2) below the tolerated limit of the DIS (difference < or = 0.2 vol%). The authors conclude that the tested monitors are safe for clinical used (except those failing the DIS limits). The accuracy of the CO2-reading (average of mean absolute bias) is better in the M-type than in the S1- or S2-type analysers although no statistical (nor clinical) significant differences could be detected. Most manufacturers work with stricter limits than those proposed by the DIS.
Subject(s)
Blood Gas Analysis/instrumentation , Carbon Dioxide/blood , Nitrous Oxide/blood , Oxygen/blood , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure , Humans , Predictive Value of TestsABSTRACT
In a comparative study the effect of pindolol (Visken, Sandoz) on experimental infarct size and left ventricular function in the pig has been investigated. Pindolol was given 30 min prior to the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and on the following 5 days twice daily in a dosage of 0.05 mg/kg body weight. For morphometric assessment of infarct size the ventricular myocardium was cut into slices and stained with nitro-benztoluene. There is a significant reduction of infarct size (by one third) in the pindolol-treated group as compared to the controls. In addition, deterioration of left ventricular function is less marked in the pindolol-treated group.
