Assessment of canine vocal fold function after injection of a new biomaterial designed to treat phonatory mucosal scarring.

Objectives: Most cases of irresolvable hoarseness are due to deficiencies in the pliability and volume of the superficial lamina propria of the phonatory mucosa. By using a US Food and Drug Administration-approved polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG), we created a novel hydrogel (PEG30) and investigated its effects on multiple vocal fold structural and functional parameters.

Methods: We injected PEG30 unilaterally into 16 normal canine vocal folds with survival times of 1 to 4 months.

Effects of voice therapy on relative fundamental frequency during voicing offset and onset in patients with vocal hyperfunction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relative fundamental frequency (RFF) surrounding a voiceless consonant in patients with hyperfunctionally related voice disorders would normalize after a successful course of voice therapy.

Method: Pre- and posttherapy measurements of RFF were compared in 16 subjects undergoing voice therapy for voice disorders associated with vocal hyperfunction.

Results: A 2-way analysis of variance showed a statistically significant effect of both cycle of vibration near the consonant and therapy phase (pre- vs.

The prevalence of urogenital micro-organisms detected by a multiplex PCR-reverse line blot assay in women attending three sexual health clinics in Sydney, Australia.

This study used a previously described multiplex PCR-based reverse line blot (mPCR/RLB) assay to assess the prevalence and distribution of 14 urogenital pathogens or putative pathogens, namely Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, and human adenovirus. First-voided urine specimens and endocervical and self-collected vaginal swabs from each of 216 women attending three sexual health clinics in Sydney, Australia, were tested and the results were compared with those of reference methods for each organism. One hundred and sixty-eight women (77.

Posterior glottic diastasis: mechanically deceptive and often overlooked.

Dysphonia secondary to posterior glottic aerodynamic incompetence can often be recognizable acoustically, but difficult to document visually. This mechanical impairment in posterior glottic closure is the result of injury caused by airway instrumentation. The difficulty of recognition of this entity is due to posterior supraglottic soft tissue that obscures the complete view during posterior glottic adduction, the lack of a structural organization of the cricoarytenoid region injury that leads to this disorder, and the lack of nomenclature.

Evaluation of sexual health medicine teaching at medical schools in Australia and New Zealand.

Background: In the absence of guidelines for sexual health medicine (SHM) curriculum for medical schools in Australia and New Zealand, little is known about the current curriculum. We therefore, sought to quantitatively and qualitatively measure the existing SHM teaching at medical schools in the region.

Methods: SHM specialists and Deans (or their nominated delegates) were requested to complete a questionnaire with respect to the SHM teaching in their associated medical schools.

Significant increase in testing rates for sexually transmissible infections following the introduction of an anal cytological screening program, targeting HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Objectives: To evaluate whether the introduction of an anal cytology screening program (ACSP) targeting HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) affected rates of sexually transmissible infection (STI) testing and detection in an urban HIV outpatient clinic.

Methods: STI testing was offered as part of an ACSP. Uptake of STI testing and diagnoses were compared before and after the introduction of an ACSP.

Sexually transmissible infections among female sex workers in Manado, Indonesia, using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based reverse line blot assay.

Background: Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) remain highly prevalent, and HIV is increasing, among female sex workers (FSWs) in Indonesia. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, STIs among FSWs in Manado, Indonesia.

Methods: We recruited FSWs mainly at their workplace: they completed a questionnaire and provided a urine sample and self-collected vaginal swab.

Observation and analysis of in vivo vocal fold tissue instabilities produced by nonlinear source-filter coupling: a case study.

Different source-related factors can lead to vocal fold instabilities and bifurcations referred to as voice breaks. Nonlinear coupling in phonation suggests that changes in acoustic loading can also be responsible for this unstable behavior. However, no in vivo visualization of tissue motion during these acoustically induced instabilities has been reported.

Efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccine against HPV Infection and disease in males.

Background: Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and diseases caused by HPV are common in boys and men. We report on the safety of a quadrivalent vaccine (active against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18) and on its efficacy in preventing the development of external genital lesions and anogenital HPV infection in boys and men.

Methods: We enrolled 4065 healthy boys and men 16 to 26 years of age, from 18 countries in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

Characteristics of phonatory function in singers and nonsingers with vocal fold nodules.

Purpose: The goals of this study were to determine if there were significant differences between singers and nonsingers in the morphology of vocal nodules and the associated impact on vocal function.

Method: Participants were 10 professionally trained singers with nodules, eight nonsingers with nodules, and 10 individuals with healthy normal voice (controls). Surface electromyography (sEMG) from three anterior neck locations and acoustic rise times for vowels /a/ and /i/ were measured in all the participants.

Prevalence of and risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among HIV-seronegative men who have sex with men.

Background: We examined the baseline prevalence of penile, scrotal, perineal/perianal, and intra-anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: Data were analyzed from 602 MSM aged 16-27 years with ≤ 5 lifetime sexual partners. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to HPV6/11/16/18.

A virtual trajectory model predicts differences in vocal fold kinematics in individuals with vocal hyperfunction.

A simple, one degree of freedom virtual trajectory model of vocal fold kinematics was developed to investigate whether kinematic features of vocal fold movement confirm increased muscle stiffness. Model simulations verified that increases in stiffness were associated with changes in kinematic parameters, suggesting that increases in gesture rate would affect kinematic features to a lesser degree in vocal hyperfunction patients given the increased levels of muscle tension they typically employ to phonate. This hypothesis was tested experimentally in individuals with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD; N = 10) and vocal nodules (N = 10) relative to controls with healthy normal voice (N = 10) who were examined with trans-nasal endoscopy during a simple vocal fold abductory-adductory task.

Modulation of neck intermuscular Beta coherence during voice and speech production.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand neck intermuscular beta coherence (15-35 Hz; NIBcoh) in healthy individuals, with respect to modulation by behavioral tasks.

Method: Mean NIBcoh was measured using surface electromyography at 2 anterior neck locations in 10 individuals during normal speech, static nonspeech maneuvers, "clear" speech (intentionally produced to maximize intelligibility), divided-attention speech, singing, and mimicked hyperfunctional speech.

Results: An analysis of variance showed significant effects of both individual and condition (p = .

Neck surface electromyography as a measure of vocal hyperfunction before and after injection laryngoplasty.

Objectives: The goal of this preliminary study was to determine whether neck surface electromyography (sEMG) is sensitive to possible changes in vocal hyperfunction associated with injection laryngoplasty, particularly with respect to alterations in the degree of vocal hyperfunction.

Methods: Thirteen individuals undergoing office-based injection laryngoplasty for glottal phonatory insufficiency were prospectively studied with a battery of acoustic, aerodynamic, endoscopic, and anterior neck sEMG assessments before the procedure and approximately 1 week afterward.

Results: Anterior neck sEMG values were not significantly reduced (p < 0.

Commentary on why laryngeal stroboscopy really works: clarifying misconceptions surrounding Talbot's law and the persistence of vision.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to clear up misconceptions that have propagated in the clinical voice literature that inappropriately cite Talbot's law (1834) and the theory of persistence of vision as the scientific principles that underlie laryngeal stroboscopy.

Method: After initial research into Talbot's (1834) original studies, it became clear that his experiments were not designed to explain why stroboscopy works. Subsequently, a comprehensive literature search was conducted for the purpose of investigating the general principles of stroboscopic imaging from primary sources.

Automated measurement of vocal fold vibratory asymmetry from high-speed videoendoscopy recordings.

Purpose: In prior work, a manually derived measure of vocal fold vibratory phase asymmetry correlated to varying degrees with visual judgments made from laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy (HSV) recordings. This investigation extended this work by establishing an automated HSV-based framework to quantify 3 categories of vocal fold vibratory asymmetry.

Method: HSV-based analysis provided for cycle-to-cycle estimates of left-right phase asymmetry, left-right amplitude asymmetry, and axis shift during glottal closure for 52 speakers with no vocal pathology producing comfortable and pressed phonation.

Quantifying dysphonia severity using a spectral/cepstral-based acoustic index: Comparisons with auditory-perceptual judgements from the CAPE-V.

This study investigated the relationship between acoustic spectral/cepstral measures and listener severity ratings in normal and disordered voice samples. CAPE-V sentence samples and the vowel /a/were elicited from eight normal speakers and 24 patients with varying degrees of dysphonia severity. Samples were analysed for measures of the cepstral peak prominence (CPP), the ratio of low-to-high spectral energy, and their respective standard deviations.

Long-term follow-up of deep brain stimulation for Meige syndrome.

Object: Meige syndrome is characterized by blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, and facial oromandibular dystonia. The medical treatment of this condition is largely unsuccessful over time and is a major source of decreased quality of life in those patients suffering from this disease. Recent advances in the application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery techniques for many disorders have prompted several recent reports of DBS for medically refractory cases of Meige syndrome.

The impact of vocal hyperfunction on relative fundamental frequency during voicing offset and onset.

Purpose: This study tested the hypothesis that individuals with vocal hyperfunction would show decreases in relative fundamental frequency (RFF) surrounding a voiceless consonant.

Method: This retrospective study of 2 clinical databases used speech samples from 15 control participants and women with hyperfunction-related voice disorders: 82 prior to treatment (muscle tension dysphonia, n=22; vocal fold nodules, n=30; vocal fold polyps, N=30) and 18 before and after surgical removal of vocal fold nodules or polyps. Acoustic samples were analyzed with respect to the RFF at the offset and onset of voicing surrounding a voiceless consonant.

Kinetics and longevity of ΦC31 integrase in mouse liver and cultured cells.

The ΦC31 integrase system provides genomic integration of plasmid DNA that may be useful in gene therapy. For example, the ΦC31 system has been used in combination with hydrodynamic injection to achieve long-term expression of factor IX in mouse liver. However, a concern is that prolonged expression of ΦC31 integrase within cells could potentially stimulate chromosome rearrangements or an immune response.

State of the art laryngeal imaging: research and clinical implications.

Purpose Of Review: This study provides a review of the latest advances in videostroboscopy, videokymography and high-speed videoendoscopy, and outlines the development of new laryngeal imaging modalities based on optical coherence tomography, laser-depth kymography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), published in the past 2 years.

Recent Findings: Videostroboscopy and videokymography: Image quality has improved and several image processing and measurement techniques have been published. High-speed videoendoscopy: Significant progress has been made through increased sensitivity and frame rates of the cameras, and the development of facilitative playbacks, phonovibrography and several image segmentation and measurement methods.

One Health approach to identify research needs in bovine and human babesioses: workshop report.

Background: Babesia are emerging health threats to humans and animals in the United States. A collaborative effort of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment, otherwise known as the One Health concept, was taken during a research workshop held in April 2009 to identify gaps in scientific knowledge regarding babesioses. The impetus for this analysis was the increased risk for outbreaks of bovine babesiosis, also known as Texas cattle fever, associated with the re-infestation of the U.

Comparison of neck tension palpation rating systems with surface electromyographic and acoustic measures in vocal hyperfunction.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate current neck tension palpation rating systems to determine interrater reliability and possible correlation with necksurface electromyography (sEMG, collected from three electrode recording locations) and to measure the third formant for /a/ during various vocal behaviors. This prospective study examined the neck muscle tension of 16 participants before and after a single session of voice therapy. Interrater reliability and relationships between palpation ratings and objective measures of sEMG (anterior neck) and the third formant for /a/ were assessed using Pearson's correlations (r).

A retrospective case note review of sex worker attendees at sexual health clinics in the western suburbs of Sydney.

Background: Sex workers (SWs) are globally recognised to be at high risk for the acquisition and transmission of sexually transmissible infections (STIs). There is a paucity of published data concerning SWs from the western suburbs of Sydney, with the last published study conducted in 1988. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine the demographics, sexual practices and health care needs of SWs attending Sexual Health Clinics (SHCs) in the region.