The Relationship between Traditional Acoustic Measures and Cepstral Analysis of Voice.

Introduction: In this study, the correlations between traditional acoustic measures (TAMs) and cepstral analysis (CA) were explored in Persian.

Methods: This investigation was a cross-sectional study including 179 dysphonic (n = 141) and normophonic (n = 38) speakers. The TAMs (jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio) and CA (cepstral peak prominence and cepstral peak prominence smoothed) values were obtained during vowel prolongation, reading a standard sentence, and a nonstandard running speech sample using Praat software.

A Survey of the Knowledge and Attitudes of First-Time Pregnant Women Regarding Infant Hearing Loss.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of first-time pregnant women regarding hearing loss in infants, and to identify the key factors that influence their perceptions.

Methods: After validating and ensuring the reliability of a well-structured questionnaire consisting of 15 items, it was distributed to a total of 400 pregnant women who were experiencing their first pregnancies. Utilizing a cluster sampling method, participants were selected from both public hospitals and private gynecologist offices across diverse geographic regions in Tehran, Iran.

Validation of the Acoustic Voice Quality Index and the Acoustic Breathiness Index in the Persian Language.

Objectives/hypothesis: This study aimed to validate the acoustic voice quality index version 03.01 (AVQIv3) and the acoustic breathiness index (ABI) in the Persian language.

Methods: Six judges assessed the severity degree of the abnormal overall voice quality (hoarseness) and breathiness from continuous speech (cs) and sustained vowel (sv) in 136 voices samples of dysphonic and 45 vocally healthy participants.

The comparison between vocal facilitating techniques, manual circumlaryngeal therapy, and combined voice therapy in teachers with muscle tension dysphonia: a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Although voice therapy (VT) has been known effective in muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), it is not obviously clear which VT approach is more effective. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Vocal Facilitating Techniques (VFTs), Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy (MCT), and combined VT in teachers with MTD.

Methods: This study was a double-blind parallel randomized clinical trial.

Hearing handicaps, communication difficulties and depression in the older adults: a comparison of hearing aid users and non-users.

Background And Aim: Age-related hearing loss has potential effects on communication, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of the older person's life. Evaluating the role of hearing aids in reducing these difficulties is important. This study aimed to evaluate communication difficulties, self-perceived handicaps, and depression in hearing-impaired older adults who are either hearing aid users or non-users.

Relationship Between Aerodynamic Measurement of Maximum Phonation Time With Acoustic Analysis and the Effects of Sex and Dysphonia Type.

Objectives/hypothesis: This study set out to uncover the correlation between maximum phonation time (MPT) with acoustic and cepstral analysis in the dysphonic and control groups, considering the effects of sex and dysphonia type.

Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a sample of 179 attendees (141 dysphonic and 38 control) were randomly selected and requested to sustain the vowel /a/ as long as they could with their habitual pitch and loudness. Reading standard sentences and conversational connected speech tasks were obtained too.

Testing A Hypothesis: Tinnitus Control by Enhancing Physiological Inhibition.

Background: Deficit in cognitive functions and central executive function is one of the popular hypotheses on the underlying cause of tinnitus. Some studies expressed the effect of tinnitus on the inhibitory cognitive tasks, referring to the slower inhibitory results such as in the Stroop task in the people suffering from tinnitus as compared to normal subjects. Since Stroop engages the network overlapping the attention and tinnitus distress networks, it seems likely that Stroop exercises can effectively contribute to controlling the tinnitus and its consequent distress through improvement of the cognitive function and increasing the physiological inhibition.

Relationship of cepstral analysis with voice self-assessments in dysphonic and normal speakers.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of cepstral analysis (Cepstral Peak Prominence [CPP] and Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed [CPPS]) with voice self-assessments (The Persian version of vocal tract discomfort [VTDp] scale and non-standard hoarseness self-assessment [NHS] questionnaire).

Methods: 223 participants (159 with and 64 without dysphonia) were asked to utter the vocal tasks namely vowels /a/ and /e/, six standard sentences, and a non-standard connected speech sample. CPP and CPPS were calculated in these three vocal tasks using the "Praat" software.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Phoneme Recognition Test: A central auditory processing measure.

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Phoneme Recognition Test (P-PRT) in normal subjects and cochlear implant (CI) users.

Material & Methods: This study includes developing the Persian phoneme recognition test (PRT), determining its validity and reliability, and comparing the results of a control group versus CI users. The test reliability was examined through a test-retest with an approximately five-week interval.

The Validity of Cepstral Analysis to Distinguish Between Different Levels of Perceptual Dysphonia in the Persian Vocal Tasks.

Objectives/hypothesis: The validity of cepstral analysis (Cepstral Peak Prominence [CPP] and Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed [CPPS]) as an indicator of perceptual dysphonia was investigated in the Persian language STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: A total of 223 participants (159 with and 64 without dysphonia) uttered vowels /a/ and /i/, six standard sentences, and non-standard connected speech. All vocal samples were perceptually evaluated by three raters on a visual analog scale and put into four groups (normal voice, mild, moderate, and severe perpetual dysphonia).

Cross-cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Wexner questionnaire in patients with functional constipation in an Iranian population.

Aim: The present study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and assess the validity and reliability of the English version of the Wexner questionnaire translated into the Persian language in Iranian patients.

Background: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders; therefore, it is necessary to utilize an index for both the clinic and research studies.

Methods: In the first phase, the English version of the Wexner questionnaire was translated into the Persian language.

Preliminary psychometric properties of the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF: SC) in Farsi speaking children.

Background: Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF: SC) assesses typical performance and capacity of communication. Farsi version of ACSF: SC was developed and its psychometric properties investigated.

Material And Methods: The English version of ACSF: SC was translated into Farsi and cultural adaptation was completed.

Combining Patient Education With Dry Needling and Ischemic Compression for Treating Myofascial Trigger Points in Office Workers With Neck Pain: A Single-Blinded, Randomized Trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare immediate and short-term effects of combining dray needling (DN) + patient education vs ischemic compression (IC) + patient education for treating myofascial trigger points (MTP) in office workers with neck pain.

Methods: This was a single-blinded, randomized trial. Thirty-two participants were randomly assigned to either DN + patient education or IC + patient education group.

The Development of a New Test for Consecutive Assessment of Narrative Skills in Iranian School-Age Children.

Background: The assessment of narrative skills in young children is essential for early identification of potential learning and literacy-related difficulties. The present study aimed to develop a validated and reliable test for consecutive assessment of narrative skills in Iranian school-age children.

Methods: To elicit story retelling by the children, 14 pictures (each a discrete test) were developed based on which 14 stories were scripted in accordance with the Stein and Glenn model.

Effect of late-onset blindness on cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials.

Purpose: Approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide have vision impairment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of Late-Onset blindness on cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) responses.

Effect of Muscle Tension Dysphonia on Self-perceived Voice Handicap and Multiparametric Measurement and Their Relation in Female Teachers.

Objectives: Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a common voice disorder in teachers in which subjective and objective dimensions of quality of voice can be impaired. The study aimed to compare voice handicap index (VHI) and dysphonia severity index (DSI) in teachers with and without MTD as well as study correlation between them.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Developing Verb Picture Naming Test for Persian adults and determining its psychometric properties.

There are a few standardized assessment tools in Persian language. The present study was carried out to develop a Verb Picture Naming Test and assessing its psychometric properties. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 230 verbs were selected based on their frequency, familiarity, age of acquisition, visual complexity, name agreement, image agreement, syllable length, transitivity, and compound or simple verbs.

A New Speech-in-Noise Test for Measuring Informational Masking in Speech Perception Among Elderly Listeners.

Introduction Elderly listeners have reported concerns about speech perception in noisy environments. This partly occurs because of their increased informational masking (IM). This study aimed to develop a Persian coordinate response measure (CRM) corpus and a novel speech-in-noise test for measuring IM.

Statistical validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) according to the COSMIN checklist.

Background: The Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) is the only questionnaire available to assess quality of life in patients with isolated meniscal injuries. The aims of this study were to prepare the Persian version of the WOMET (PWOMET) and validate it in Iranian patients with isolated meniscal tears.

Methods: In the first stage, the English version of WOMET was translated into Persian.

Protective Effects of Silymarin Against Age-Related Hearing Loss in an Aging Rat Model.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the most common chronic degenerative disorders. Several studies have indicated that supplementation with some antioxidants can slow down the progression of ARHL. Despite several lines of evidence about the potent antioxidant and anti-aging effects of silymarin, its protective effect against ARHL has not evaluated yet.

Development, validity, reliability and normative data of the Persian Phonemic Synthesis Test (P-PST).

This study was conducted to develop the Persian version of the Phonemic Synthesis Test, evaluate its psychometric properties and generate normative data. Test development, including the optimisation of materials, determining content and face validities and assessing the psychometric properties. Overall, 425 subjects participated in this study in three different stages.

Effects of Caffeine on Auditory- and Vestibular-Evoked Potentials in Healthy Individuals: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

Background And Objectives: The blockage of adenosine receptors by caffeine changes the levels of neurotransmitters. These receptors are present in all parts of the body, including the auditory and vestibular systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on evoked potentials using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) in a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

The effects of auditory spatial training on informational masking release in elderly listeners: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

Regarding the strong auditory spatial plasticity capability of the central auditory system and the effect of short-term and long-term rehabilitation programs in elderly people, it seems that an auditory spatial training can help this population in informational masking release and better track speech in noisy environments. The main purposes of this study are developing an informational masking measurement test and an auditory spatial training program. This study will be conducted in two parts.

A Study of Vocal Facilitating Techniques Compared to Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy in Teachers With Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

Objective: There are several voice therapy techniques been suggested in patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), however a few studies are compared between them. The purpose of present study was to compare the effect of vocal facilitating techniques (VFTs) and manual circumlaryngeal therapy (MCT) in teachers with MTD.

Study Design: This is a randomized clinical trial study.