Joint Dictionary Learning-Based Non-Negative Matrix Factorization for Voice Conversion to Improve Speech Intelligibility After Oral Surgery.

This paper focuses on machine learning based voice conversion (VC) techniques for improving the speech intelligibility of surgical patients who have had parts of their articulators removed. Because of the removal of parts of the articulator, a patient's speech may be distorted and difficult to understand. To overcome this problem, VC methods can be applied to convert the distorted speech such that it is clear and more intelligible.

Changes in the nasalance of vowels within the first week following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the short-term effect of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) on changes in the nasalance of five vowels: /a/, /ε/, /i/, /ɔ/, and /u/. Our study group was made up of 20 patients-15 males and 5 females, aged 16 to 57 years (mean: 37.3 ± 11.

The natural course of congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis.

Objectives/hypothesis: Patients with congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis (CNPAS) may become less symptomatic with age. Therefore, we aimed to develop a growth curve of the pyriform aperture so that a more comprehensive plan can be designed for CNPAS patients who show little response to conservative treatment.

Study Design: A single-institution study, retrospective review of CNPAS patients during the period November 1997 to December 2014.

Subjective neck pain or foreign body sensation and the true location of foreign bodies in the pharynx.

Conclusion: The location of the foreign body did not correspond well to the location of pain reported by patients. When patients present with foreign bodies in the pharynx, in addition to recording the location of pain and foreign body sensation, clinicians should perform a comprehensive and thorough oropharyngeal examination to avoid misdiagnosis.

Objectives: Physicians are often guided by patient-indicated locations of pharyngeal foreign bodies.

A simple algorithm for treating horizontal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Objective: Horizontal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (H-BPPV) is more difficult to successfully treat than posterior benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (P-BPPV) because of the diverse mechanisms required. We developed a simple, rapid, and effective treatment algorithm for treating all subtypes of H-BPPV in an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) outpatient department.

Materials And Methods: Four hundred ninety patients with BPPV receiving outpatient treatment at Mackay Memorial Hospital were investigated.

Acoustic characteristics of different target vowels during the laryngeal telescopy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the acoustic characteristics of target vowels phonated in normal voice persons while performing laryngeal telescopy. The acoustic characteristics are compared to show the extent of possible difference to speculate their impact on phonation function.

Methods: Thirty-four male subjects aged 20-39 years with normal voice were included in this study.

The effectiveness of the promotion of newborn hearing screening in Taiwan.

Objective: Hearing is a critical ability for the development of a child's speech and language. Many studies in different countries have shown the universal newborn hearing screening and early intervention has greatly reduced the negative impact caused by congenital hearing loss. The first universal newborn hearing screening program in Taiwan took place in MacKay Memorial Hospital in 1998 and was subsequently endorsed by the government.

The outcomes of infantile vallecular cyst post CO₂ laser treatment.

Objectives: Vallecular cyst is not a common disease of neonate and infant. However, it may cause severe airway obstruction and even death. Its clinical symptoms are similar to laryngomalacia, including stridor, suprasternal retraction, substernal retraction, feeding difficulties, vomiting, failure to thrive, feeding choking and desaturation.

A fabricated forearm free flap with accompanying phonation tube for simultaneous reconstruction of a pharyngolaryngeal circumferential defect and voice loss: new surgical modification with functional phonation outcome.

Background: Total pharyngolaryngectomy is potentially ablative surgery, resulting in compromise of some most basic functions of life, including speech and swallowing. Tracheoesophageal puncture is the gold standard for voice restoration. But it still has prosthesis-related problems.

Voice and speech outcomes with radial forearm free flap-accompanied phonation tube after total pharyngolaryngectomy of hypopharyngeal cancer.

Conclusions: Radial forearm free flap (RFFF)-accompanied phonation tube (PT) for voice and speech restoration after pharyngolaryngectomy is promising, especially in phonation efficacy and intelligibility. It offers not only another safe surgical option but also a satisfactory result for such patients with advanced hypopharyngeal cancer.

Objectives: We use RFFF with RFFF-accompanied PT for one-stage reconstruction both for tissue defect and voice reconstruction in patients undergoing total pharyngolaryngectomy.

Other impairment associated with developmental language delay in preschool-aged children.

The aim of this study was to investigate developmental impairment in several domains that might be associated with developmental language delay. The records of 56 preschool children with developmental language delay and 31 nonimpaired children were reviewed. Children with language delay were more likely than those in the nonimpaired group to have cognitive developmental delay (Mental Development Index < 70) (P < .

Effect of identification and intervention age on language development for Mandarin-speaking deaf children with high family involvement.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the language ability between early-intervention and later-intervention Mandarin-speaking deaf children, who have normal cognition and high family involvement.

Materials And Methods: There are 29 subjects enrolled. 11 born deaf children received early intervention (7 HA and 4 CI) before 6 months old as study group.

Cholesterol granuloma of the external ear canal: A rare presentation.

Almost all aural cholesterol granulomas develop in the mucosa of the middle ear. We describe the case of a 14-year-old girl who presented with an asymptomatic, nontender, dark-blue, cystic lesion in the posteroinferior portion of the left ear canal. The mass was excised via a postauricular approach.

Functional outcome following free ileocolic flap in total pharyngolaryngectomy.

Conclusion: Reconstruction after radical resection for advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer can be carried out with low mortality, acceptable morbidity, and a promising functional outcome.

Objectives: To evaluate the functional outcome of reconstruction by a free vascularized ileocolic flap after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and surgery for advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Fifteen patients (all male, mean age 49.

CO2 laser supraglottoplasty for severe laryngomalacia: a study of symptomatic improvement.

Objective: To investigate post-operative symptom improvement in patients with severe laryngomalacia.

Study Design: Severe laryngomalacia was diagnosed in 138 patients (average age of 6.97 months) by bronchoscopy.

Squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the external auditory canal.

We report two cases of carcinoma in situ in the external auditory canal (EAC), presenting with symptoms such as pain, long-term itching of the ear, easy contact bleeding, canal otorrhea and hearing loss. Otoscopic examination revealed granulation tissue and a greyish-black tumour with irregular surface. The first patient had previously been diagnosed with otitis externa with persistent ear itching for the past three years.