This study investigates the role of prosody in the reading aloud of dyslexic children. Ten dyslexic and 30 non-dyslexic control children (mean age 9.5 and 9.9 years, respectively) were recorded when reading a text of appropriate level and subsequently asked to retell it and tested on its comprehension. The data were analysed acoustically by the WinPitchPro programme. The temporal and intonational processing of reading of the two groups were contrasted and revealed unusual characteristics of the dyslexic group with respect to what follows: (1) temporal processing (reduced speeds of reading and articulation and alterations in the number and duration of pauses); (2) variation of the fundamental frequency (limited ability to vary the melody at the phrasal and phonemic level); and (3) vowel stress patterning (difficulty in producing typical stress patterns, and of marking the pre-stressed and stressed syllables). Fulfilling its objective, the present study promotes advances in the understanding of the functioning of prosody in reading aloud in dyslexia.

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This paper reports the development and application of a low-cost multifunctional webcam spectrophotometer for the conduct of molecular absorption and fluorometric measurements. The equipment, which costs approximately US$20 to be fabricated, consists of a webcam, a diffraction grating, and a slit, all positioned inside an MDF box. Spectral measurements were carried out using the multifunctional equipment with the aid of a free software. The equipment was found to be suitable for conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses of fluorescence, absorption, and emission spectra and for analytical determinations in the spectral range of 380.00 to 1000.00 nm with 0.8 nm resolution. By simply changing the light radiation source, the equipment allowed us to determine the thermodynamic equilibrium constant of Alizarin Red S (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone-3-sodium sulfonate) and to obtain the fluorescence spectra of chlorophyll and anthocyanins (two natural pigments). The multifunctional spectrophotometer allows one to perform real-time spectral analysis, offers an easy and fast calibration process as an alternative to the commonly applied calibration approach by the diffraction grid equation, and does not require the use of lenses for beam collimation since the webcam lens itself performs this function. The equipment was successfully applied in experiments conducted by a class of 30 students from high school in a science fair to aid them in learning chemistry.

RESUMO -Motivo do estudo:Alterações da voz, denominadas disartria hipocinética, têm sido bem caracterizadas em doença de Parkinson (DP), ocorrendo em 90% dos pacientes. No entanto, estudos da fala em DP, sobretudo em falantes nativos de outros idiomas que não o inglês são escassos. Nosso objetivo é comparar as características da prosódia de mulheres com DP com controles pareadas por idade, utilizando-se análise acústica. Método: Nós estudamos 8 mulheres com DP (68,4 ± 6,4 anos) e 8 mulheres controles (63,5 ± 6,8 anos). As pacientes (estágio H-Y 2, uma; estágio 2,5, quatro; estágio 3, três), embora tratadas com l-dopa, foram examinadas quando off. A frequência fundamental (Fo), intensidade e duração da fala foram analisadas com o programa , ANT menos (26 ± 12,6 Hz), NSS (4,8 ± 0,1) menor, IM mais alta (32,7 ± 5,6 dB), I max mais alta (37,1 ± 2,9 dB), I min mais alta (23,2 ± 6,1 dB) e IPNT mais alta (35,4 ± 2,9 dB). Nas controles estas variáveis tiveram os seguintes valores-248,7 ± 23,9 Hz, 216,4 ± 25,6 Hz, 197,5 ± 35,8 Hz, 0,3 ± 0,2 Hz, 22,7 ± 15,9 Hz, 36,3 ± 21,8 Hz, 5,3 ± 0,8, 30,4 ± 6,1 dB, 20,2 ± 6,6 dB, 33,1 ± 2,9 dB e 30,9 ± 4,3 dB. Conclusão: Em comparação com controles, brasileiras com DP têm uma fala caracterizada por pequena variação de Fo (o que possivelmente explica sua tessitura vocal pobre), mais lenta e de maior intensidade que controles. Este último achado é compatível com esforço para compensar pobre tessitura vocal. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: doença de Parkinson, prosódia, fonoaudiologia, voz, fala. Acoustic analysis of prosody in females with Parkinson´s disease: comparison with normal controlsABSTRACT -Background: Voice abnormalities, collectively labeled as hypokinetic dysarthria, have been well characterized and occur in 90% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, studies of speech in PD, particularly of patients whose native language is other than English, are rarely found. The aim of this study is to compare the prosodic features of the speech of female PD patients and gender-and age-matched controls using acoustic analysis. Method: We have studied 8 PD female patients (68.4 ± 6.4 years) and 8 female controls (63.5 ± 6.8 years). The PD patients (H-Y stage 2, one subject; stage 2.5, four patients; stage 3, three patients), although treated with l-dopa, were examined when off. The fundamental frequency (Fo), intensity and duration of the speech were analysed with the software WinPitch 1.8 (Philippe Martin

OBJECTIVE: To compare voice and life quality of male patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, with individuals without disease (Control Group). METHODS: A cross-sectional study that evaluated the voice of individuals with Parkinson's disease, the group was composed of 27 subjects, aged from 39 to 79 years-old (average 59.96). The Control Group was matched on sex and age. Participants underwent voice recording. Perceptual evaluation was made using GRBASI scale, which considers G as the overall degree of dysphonia, R as roughness, B as breathiness, A as asthenia, S as strain and I as instability. The acoustic parameters analyzed were: fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic to noise ratio (NHR). For vocal self-perception analysis, we used the Voice Related Quality of Life protocol. RESULTS: Fundamental frequency and jitter presented higher values in the Parkinson's group. NHR values were higher in the Control Group. Perceptual analysis showed a deviation ranging. The vocal disorder self-perception demonstrated a worse impact on quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with Parkinson's disease have an altered voice quality and a negative impact on quality of life.