The effects of tongue stretching exercise on tongue length in healthy adults: a preliminary study

OBJECTIVES The present study is aimed at observing the physiological response imagery running with an avatar in 3D virtual reality (VR) and to explore the differences in physiological responses between imagery running with and without an avatar in 3D VR.METHODS We randomly assigned 32 healthy adults to either a group with Avatar (n = 19) or a group without (n = 13). The group with avatar performed imagery exercise with an avatar in 3D VR and the group without Avatar performed it without an avatar in 3D VR. Both groups were instructed to mentally imagine performing running in VR without executing actual physical movements. We recorded electro-physiological data before, during, and after the 20-min intervention. We also measured the participants’ level of presence and intensity of experienced cybersickness.RESULTS In the group with Avatar, all physiological responses increased from the resting to the intervention period. The group with Avatar also showed a higher level of presence and fewer cybersickness symptoms than the group without Avatar.CONCLUSIONS The results suggest imagery running with an avatar in 3D VR might be effective as an alternative exercise.

Download Full-text

Cepstral and Spectral Analysis of Whispery Voice by Healthy Adults: Preliminary Study

Journal of speech-language & hearing disorders ◽

10.15724/jslhd.2015.24.4.024 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 259-266 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

서인효 ◽

Lee Ok-bun

Keyword(s):

Spectral Analysis ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Preliminary Study

Download Full-text

Intermanual Transfer Effects on Performance Gain Following Dominant Hand Training in Community-Dwelling Healthy Adults: A Preliminary Study

Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare ◽

10.2147/jmdh.s298991 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol Volume 14 ◽

pp. 1007-1016

Author(s):

Rashid Ali Beg ◽

Mohammad Abu Shaphe ◽

Mohammed Qasheesh ◽

Fuzail Ahmad ◽

Shahnawaz Anwer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Adults ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Intermanual Transfer ◽

Dominant Hand ◽

Performance Gain ◽

Transfer Effects ◽

Preliminary Study

Download Full-text

Determining the Underlying Relationship Between Swallowing and Maximum Vocal Pitch Elevation: A Preliminary Study of Their Hyoid Biomechanics in Healthy Adults

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00125 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (10) ◽

pp. 3408-3418

Author(s):

Anumitha Venkatraman ◽

Robert Brinton Fujiki ◽

Bruce A. Craig ◽

M. Preeti Sivasankar ◽

Georgia A. Malandraki

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Young Adults ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Age Group ◽

Age Related ◽

Vocal Pitch ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Muscle Changes ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Moderate Positive Correlation

Purpose Deficiencies in swallowing (aspiration) and in maximum vocal pitch elevation have been shown to correlate in dysphagia. However, the underlying mechanisms that may explain this relationship are not known. In this study, we compare hyoid kinematics between swallowing and maximum vocal pitch elevation in healthy adults. Method Ten young ( M = 21 ± 1.33 years) and eight older ( M = 72.85 ± 5.59 years) healthy adults completed trials of maximum vocal pitch elevation (vowels /a/ and /i/) and swallowing (thin liquid and pudding) under videofluoroscopy. Superior and anterior hyoid excursions were obtained using kinematic analysis. Two-way analyses of variance and Spearman rho correlations were used to examine differences and relationships between swallowing and maximum pitch elevation biomechanics. Results Superior hyoid excursion was significantly greater for liquid swallows compared to pitch elevation tasks (/a/ and /i/; p = .002; Cohen's d = 1.28; p = .0179, Cohen's d = 1.03, respectively) and for pudding swallows compared to pitch tasks ( p = .000, Cohen's d = 1.64; p = .001, Cohen's d = 1.38, respectively). Anterior hyoid excursion was not significantly different between the two functions, but was overall reduced in the older group ( p = .0231, Cohen's d = .90). Furthermore, there was a moderate positive correlation between the degree of superior excursion during liquid swallows and maximum pitch elevation for both vowels ( r s = .601, p = .001; r s = .524, p = .003) in young adults, and between the degree of anterior excursion during liquid swallows and pitch elevation for both vowels ( r s = .688, p = .001; r s = .530, p = .008) in older adults. Conclusions Swallowing and maximum pitch elevation require similar anterior, but not superior, hyoid excursion in healthy adults. Differential correlations between the two tasks for each age group may be associated with age-related muscle changes. We provide evidence of partially shared biomechanics between swallowing and maximum pitch elevation.

Download Full-text

A STANDARD ANTI-CARDIOLIPIN (aCL) TEST: USEFULNESS IN IDENTIFICATION OF THE ANTI-PHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME

10.1055/s-0038-1644235 ◽

1987 ◽

Author(s):

EN Harris ◽

RA Asherson ◽

E Baguley ◽

M Ridley ◽

GRV Hughes

Keyword(s):

Solid Phase ◽

Fetal Loss ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Multicenter Studies ◽

Uniform System ◽

Clinical Disorders ◽

Cardiolipin Antibodies ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Antibody Levels ◽

Anti Phospholipid Syndrome

Some, but not all, patients with the lupus anticoagulant and anti-cardiolipin antibodies are prone to thrombosis, fetal loss and thrombocytopenia. It will be important to identify the particular sub-group of patients with anti-phospholipid (aPL) antibodies most subject to these clinical disorders. A preliminary study has shown that the level of IgG aCL antibody is predicitive for thrombosis, fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia but it will be difficult to substantiate (or refute) these findings unless there is a uniform system to measure aCL antibody levels.Five test sera with defined IgG and IgM aCL levels are currently available to laboratories wishing to standardise the aCL test. The concentrations of aCL in these sera cover the full sensitive range of aCL solid phase assays. Using these. 5 test sera to calibrate our assay system, sera from 3000 patients were analysed: 1400 healthy adults and 1600 consecutive patients with autoimmune disorders. All sera from healthy adults had aCL levels below 10GPL (IgG aCL) or below 10MPL (IgM aCL) units. Of the 1600 autoimmune patients, 115 had levels above 5 GPL and/ or 5MPL units. More than 2/3 of patients with IgG aCL levels above 20 GPL units (30 patients) had thrombosis or fetal loss, but the frequency of these disorders decreased in the 10-20 GPL and 5-10 GPL unit groups. Of the 9 patients with IgM aCL levels above 15 MPL units, 6 had thrombosis or fetal loss.The availability of reference sera to measure IgG and IgM aCL antibody levels may better enable multicenter studies to be performed. A relatively uniform system of measurement may also enable easier identification and management of patients with the anti-phospholipid syndrome.

Download Full-text