Effect of Vocal Loading in Female Bharatanatyam Dance Teachers After an Hour-Long Class.

Objectives: To compare certain acoustic, aerodynamic, and perceptual parameters before and after an hour-long class to analyze vocal loading characteristics in female Bharatanatyam dance teachers.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Method: The study included 52 female Bharatanatyam dance teachers aged 19 to 40years.

Unraveling Cochlear Dynamics: The Effect of Clicks, Tone Burst Frequencies, Polarity, and Stimulus Rates on Cochlear Microphonics in Individuals with Normal Hearing.

Background: Despite cochlear microphonic's potential clinical application, especially in ANSD diagnosis, the optimal parameters to record cochlear microphonics and the effect of various stimulus parameters are not well understood yet, which makes its recording a difficult procedure. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of stimulus polarity, rate, stimulus type, and stimulus frequency on different aspects of cochlear microphonics, which could help to decide an optimal stimulus parameter that can be used to record CM.

Methods: The study involved 32 normal-hearing adults.

An Insight into developmental changes in reasoning skills among Indian Preschoolers: A cross-sectional study using a story-based approach.

Considering the importance of exploring the development of reasoning skills during preschool period and the suitability of using a culturally linguistically relevant story-based approach for the same, the present research intended to profile the reasoning skills in typically developing Indian preschool children between 36 and 72 months using a story-based approach. The specific objectives were to determine the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of reasoning tasks within an existing story-based cognitive-communicative assessment tool and to use this tool to assess the reasoning skills of typically developing Indian preschool children. Reasoning tasks across explanation, prediction and inference domains were evaluated for its psychometric properties and administered to 63 typically developing Indian preschool children attending English medium schools in Mangalore.

Profiling Voice Characteristics of Female Speech-Language Pathologists.

Purpose: The present study examines the effects of service delivery on voice quality and voice-related quality of life among young female speech-language pathologists in India.

Method: Forty-four female speech-language pathologists (aged 19-40) working in Karnataka clinics participated. A multifaceted comprehensive voice evaluation was conducted preservice and postservice delivery.

Approaches towards pragmatic language assessment in Indian pre-schoolers: A survey among speech-language pathologists.

Background: Pragmatic language assessment in children is performed in line with standard protocols, guidelines, and best practices. The absence of these aspects in the Indian context has resulted in the quest to explore the approaches used by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to assess pragmatic language impairments. This survey explored the current practices of SLPs towards the assessment of pragmatic language among preschool children in India.

Diagnostic Accuracy of DSI and AVQI v.02.03 in Discriminating across the Perceptual Levels of Dysphonia in Kannada Speaking Population.

The present study investigated and compared the diagnostic accuracy of Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) in Indian adults in the age range of 18-40years across different levels of dysphonia severity. Normophonic individuals (n=163) and individuals with dysphonia (n=134) were selected using purposive sampling in the age range of 18-40years. For DSI, Computerized Speech Lab 4500 and for AVQI, Praat 6.

Screen Time Exposure and Domain-Specific Working Memory in Young Adults.

Introduction With technology advancing across all fields, the utility of digital screens is increasing among all age groups for various purposes. Research indicates that while digital technology presents clear advantages, prolonged exposure can have detrimental effects on various aspects of health, behavior, emotions, and cognitive functions like attention and working memory. A crucial cognitive process for learning and information processing which is working memory, can be affected by factors including screen time.

Communication-related aspects of prospective memory: an exploratory factor analysis of prospective memory questionnaires.

Purpose: Prospective memory (PM) questionnaires are frequently used to evaluate perceptions of PM skills in daily life. This study aimed to systematically investigate communication-specific attributes using pre-existing PM self-rating questionnaires to inform clinicians and researchers about the role of PM in cognitive communicative evaluations.

Methods: PM-related items from three questionnaires (i.

Development and validation of a novel Context-Based Prospective Memory Task among neurotypical adults.

Purpose: To address the paucity and potential of context-based prospective memory (PM) assessment tasks suitable to Indian ethnicity, the study aimed to develop a novel context-based PM task and determine its psychometric properties among neurotypical adults.

Methods: Rendered images in 2-D were extracted from a 3-D shopping mall, where PM and ongoing tasks were embedded within them to provide participants with a semi-immersive experience. The design and scoring of the novel task were constructed in alignment with the Memory for Intentions Screening Test.

A Delphi survey-based development and validation of cognitive-communication assessment tool for Indian preschoolers.

Purpose: To address the need for a standardized assessment tool for assessing cognitive-communication abilities among Indian preschoolers, the current study aimed at describing a Delphi based development and validation process for developing one such tool. The objectives of the research were to conceptualize and construct the tool, validate its content, and assess its feasibility through pilot testing.

Methods: The study followed a Delphi approach to develop and validate the tool across four phases i.

Development and validation of educational multimedia to promote public health literacy about healthy cognitive aging.

Objectives: Health literacy (HL) about healthy cognitive aging is essential in preventing cognitive decline and promoting cognitive well-being. It is important that one such HL module should be scientifically designed, delivered in a technically sound manner to the audience, and specific to the context. The present study thus aimed at developing and validating educational multimedia about cognitive health.

Normative data for certain vocal fold biomarkers among young normophonic adults using ultrasonography.

Purpose: The current study aimed to profile vocal fold morphology, vocal fold symmetry, gender and task-specific data for vocal fold length (VFL) and vocal fold displacement velocity (VFDV) in young normophonic adults in the age range of 18-30 years using ultrasonography (USG).

Methods: Participants underwent USG across quiet breathing, /a/ phonation and /i/ phonation tasks, and acoustic analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between USG and acoustic measures.

Results: The study found that males have longer vocal folds than females, and overall greater velocities were observed in /a/ phonation, followed by /i/ phonation, with the lowest velocity observed in the quiet breathing task.

A Comprehensive Application for Grading Severity of Voice Based on Acoustic Voice Quality Index v.02.03.

Acoustic Voice Quality Index is a six-variable acoustic model for the multiparametric measurement developed by Maryn et al. Studies have provided evidence regarding the practical usefullness, internal consistency, external validity, diagnostic accuracy, and responsiveness to change of AVQI. Recently, researchers have been exploring the utility of AVQI in classifying the voice severity.

The effect of functional endoscopic sinus surgery on nasal resonance.

Background And Objective: Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) increases the nasal volume, and thereby it can alter the nasal resonance. The objectives were to measure the percentage of nasal resonance following FESS and compare it with healthy individuals with normal nasal findings.

Methods: The nasometric analysis of voice was done using n/p/m consonant sounds in 72 individuals with healthy post FESS cavities (group 1) and 72 healthy individuals with normal nasal findings without any nasal pathology (group 2).

Role of Otoacoustic Emission in Early Detection of Cisplatin Induced Ototoxicity.

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent effective against head and neck carcinoma but unfortunately it is cochleotoxic. This study has been designed to investigate the efficacy of OAE in identifying early effects of cisplatin on the cochlea and the importance of protocol for audiological monitoring of cisplatin induced ototoxicity. This is a prospective observational study conducted from October 2012 to September 2014 on 70 patients, receiving Cisplatin for various malignant conditions.

Clinical Validation of Feeding Handicap Index for Children (FHI-C).

Children with developmental disabilities (DD) exhibit feeding and swallowing difficulties, which can have an impact on nutritional, developmental, and psychological aspects. The existing tools assess the nature of feeding problems and behaviors only. The present study aimed to assess the physical, functional, and emotional domains in children with DD with feeding issues using Feeding handicap index for children (FHI-C).

Challenges in Delivering Tele-Practice Services for Communication Disorders Among Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists.

Outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has affected immensely the service delivery to patients with communication disorders. Tele-rehabilitation has become a new norm for the service in the field of speech and hearing. Daily challenges in service delivery are widely being reported.

Social Representation of 'Vocal Hygiene' in India and Bhutan: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: The study aimed to explore the professional and recreational and/or personal voice use patterns and social representation of 'vocal hygiene' in two culturally and geographically diverse societies: India and Bhutan.

Methods: A total of 339 volunteers of Indian and Bhutanese nationality participated through snowball sampling. The responses were elicited using multiple-choice questions and a free association task.

The timed water test of swallowing: Reliability, validity, and normative data from Indian population.

Objectives: Dysphagia post-stroke represents a substantial health issue. The rates of pneumonia are lesser among those individuals who have passed a dysphagia screening test. Only few among the existing screening tests meet the required standards; the timed water swallow test (TWST) is one among them.

Vocal Fatigue in Beat Boxers.

Purpose: Beatboxers are elite professional voice users with increased vocal loading and therefore are at high risk for developing vocal fatigue. Scientific literature has a wealth of information on self-perceived ratings of vocal fatigue in teachers and singers but not in beat boxers.

Aim Of The Study: The present study measured vocal fatigue in beat boxers and compared their rating of vocal tiredness with two control groups.

Noise pollution in hospitals - A study of public perception.

Introduction: Hospitals are categorized under silent zone, but noise pollution in this setup is inevitable. The noise in hospitals may have adverse effects on the patients, caregivers and professionals working in hospitals.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine awareness of public regarding noise pollution in hospitals, its health effects and mitigation measures.

Vocal Fatigue-Do Young Speech-Language Pathologists Practice What They Preach?

Purpose: Speech-Language Pathologists can be categorized as Level II professional voice users who play the roles of voice therapist or vocal coach to treat voice problems. SLPs may be at the risk of experiencing vocal fatigue due to vocal loading and other contributing factors. The present study was undertaken to find the percentage of SLPs reporting vocal fatigue, the probable factors resulting in vocal fatigue, the measures that are taken to avoid/reduce the occurrence of vocal fatigue, its effect on their professional and personal life and the measures taken to tackle it.