Search

rehabilitation of the ability to speak in a natural sounding voice, for patients who suffer larynx and voice box deficiencies, has long been a dream for both patients and researchers working in this field. Removal of, or damage to, the voice box in a surgical operation such as laryngectomy, affects the pitch generation mechanism of the human voice production system. Such patients speech thus becomes hoarse, whisper like and sometimes not easily perceptible. This speech is obviously different to that from normal speakers, and will have lost many of the distinctive characteristics of the original speech. However, these patients typically retain the ability to whisper in a similar way to normal speakers. This paper aims to present an engineering approach to providing laryngectomy patients the capacity to regain their ability to speak with a more natural voice, and as a side effect, to allow them to conveniently use a mobile phone for communications. The method uses auditory information only, allied with analysis, formant insertion and novel methods for spectrum enhancement and formant smoothing within the reconstruction process. In effect, natural sounding speech is obtained from their spoken whisper-speech, without recourse to surgery. The method builds upon our previously published works using an analysis-by-synthesis approach for voice reconstruction with a modified CELP codec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on breathing disorder and definitions of words related to the disorder as used in the book "Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability." According to the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), to establish that a person is suffering from breathing disorders, he has to submit evidence which includes shortness of breath, laboratory test results such as pulmonary function studies, and physical symptoms such as wheezing. Related words include, trachea and rales.

The respiratory system includes the nasal and oral cavities: the sinuses and larynx as the upper airway, and the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli as the lower airway. Many of the diseases that occur in the oral cavity are also found in the upper airway regions. Inflammatory lesions, both infectious and allergic are found in the nose, sinuses, nasopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx. Tumors of the upper air passages are similar to oral neoplasms, with a few lesions being unique to the sinonasal region. The respiratory mucosal lining overlies mucinous glands, and these glands can give rise to salivary type tumors. Since these tissues are in close proximity to the oral cavity, the dentist should be familiar with the basic disease processes that are diagnosed and treated by the otolaryngologist. Diseases of the lower tract are typically referred to as pulmonary diseases. Acute and chronic pulmonary infections are of concern to the dental team since some of these infections are transmissible in the dental office. Pulmonary infections can compromise respiratory function and pose a risk during inhalation anesthesia. Allergic reactions of the airway, particularly anaphylactic shock, can be induced by a variety of drugs and may constitute a medical emergency. Asthma is also an immunopathologic condition that is characterized by airway constriction and can become an emergency when a severe attack develops. A group of chronic pulmonary diseases progressively lead to a loss of pulmonary function, a condition known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients with COPD have difficulty breathing, particularly when reclined, and they also pose a risk during inhalation anesthesia. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the major causes of death each year in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chapter of the book "DK Guide to the Human Body" is presented. It discusses the physiological role of the human respiratory system in oxygen intake and disposal of carbon dioxide. The major organs of the respiratory system and their functions, such as larynx, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, are explored.