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Biomedical subjects

Jack J Jiang

Publications and source records attributed to Jack J Jiang.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Mechanical stress during phonation in a self-oscillating finite-element vocal fold model.

The stress information during phonation in the vocal folds is helpful in understanding the etiologies of vocal trauma and its related vocal diseases, such as nodules. In this paper, a self-oscillating finite-element model, which combines aerodynamic properties, tissue mechanics, airflow-tissue interactions, and vocal fold collisions, was used to simulate the vocal fold vibration during phonation. The spatial and temporal characteristics of mechanical stress in the vocal folds were predicted by this model. Temporally, it was found that mechanical stress periodically undulates with vibration of the vocal folds and that vocal fold impact causes a jump in the normal stress value. Spatially, the normal stress is significantly higher on the vocal fold surface than inside of the vocal folds. At the midpoint of the medial surface, the peak-to-peak amplitude of the normal stress reaches its maximum value. Using different lung pressures (0-1.5kPa) to drive the self-oscillating model, we found that lower lung pressure can effectively decrease the mechanical stress in the vocal folds. This study supports the fatigue damage hypothesis of vocal trauma. With this hypothesis and the numerical simulation in this study, the clinical observations of vocal fold trauma risk can be explained. This implies the mechanical stress predicted by this self-oscillating model could be valuable for predicting, preventing, and treating vocal fold injury.

Animals↗

Acoustic analyses of sustained and running voices from patients with laryngeal pathologies.

In this paper, we investigated the acoustic characteristics of sustained and running vowels from normal subjects and patients with laryngeal pathologies. Perturbation methods (including jitter and shimmer), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and nonlinear dynamic methods (such as correlation dimension and second-order entropy) were used to analyze sustained and running vowels. We found that the sustained vowels and running voices from normal subjects and patients with laryngeal pathologies had low-dimensional dynamic characteristics. For sustained vowels, the analyses of jitter, shimmer, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy revealed significant differences between normal and pathological voices. For running voices, jitter and shimmer did not statistically discriminate between normal and pathological voices, but a significant difference was found for SNR, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy. The results suggest that nonlinear dynamic analysis and traditional SNR analysis may be valuable for the analysis of sustained and running vowels; perturbation analysis may be applicable for the analysis of sustained vowels but should be applied with caution for running voice analysis.

Adult↗

Parameter estimation of an asymmetric vocal-fold system from glottal area time series using chaos synchronization.

In this paper, we apply an iterative parameter adaption scheme based on chaos synchronization to estimate system parameters of the asymmetric vocal folds from glottal area time series. The original asymmetric vocal-fold system associated with recurrent laryngeal paralysis shows chaotic vibrations with positive Lyapunov exponents. Aperiodic glottal area time series from the original system will be applied as the feedback variable coupling the simulative and the original vocal-fold systems. The parameter adaption technique based on chaos synchronization is employed to manipulate the simulative system parameters. The chaotic vibrations, system parameters, and the bifurcation diagram of the original vocal-fold system can be exactly reproduced in the simulative system, and the two chaotic systems can be synchronized. Furthermore, the effects of noise, sampling rate, and equation difference due to nonlinear spring terms on vocal-fold parameter estimations are investigated. Despite large noise perturbations, large equation differences, and low sampling rate, the parameter adaption scheme can effectively estimate the original vocal-fold system parameters. This study provides a theoretical base to apply chaos synchronization to estimate the vocal-fold system parameters from the glottal area data and show its potential application in laryngeal physiology.

Algorithms↗

Theoretical and experimental studies of parameter estimation based on chaos feedback synchronization.

In this paper, we perform theoretical and experimental studies of parameter estimation based on chaos feedback synchronization. The Chua chaotic system is applied as the original system, and its time series of a single variable is applied as a feedback variable to drive a simulative system. The simplex method is employed to minimize the synchronization error in the simulative system to iteratively approach the original system parameters. Furthermore, the effects of feedback function, feedback weight, and noise are investigated. The parameter estimation method based on feedback synchronization shows its robustness to noise perturbation. Finally, the circuit experiment of parameter estimation is implemented in order to examine its practical applicability. The original Chua circuit parameters can be well approached from its recorded time series of a single variable. The results show the parameter estimation method based on feedback synchronization may be capable of estimating real system parameters from a chaotic time series.

Algorithms↗

Simulation of vocal fold impact pressures with a self-oscillating finite-element model.

Vocal fold impact pressures were studied using a self-oscillating finite-element model capable of simulating vocal fold vibration and airflow. The calculated airflow pressure is applied on the vocal fold as the driving force. The airflow region is then adjusted according to the calculated vocal fold displacement. The interaction between airflow and the vocal folds produces a self-oscillating solution. Lung pressures between 0.2 and 2.5 kPa were used to drive this self-oscillating model. The spatial distribution of the impact pressure was studied. Studies revealed that the tissue collision during phonation produces a very large impact pressure which correlates with the lung pressure and glottal width. Larger lung pressure and a narrower glottal width increase the impact pressure. The impact pressure was found to be roughly the square root of lung pressure. In the inferior-superior direction, the maximum impact pressure is related to the narrowest glottis. In the anterior-posteriorfirection, the greatest impact pressure appears at the midpoint of the vocal fold. The match between our numerical simulations and clinical observations suggests that this self-oscillating finite-element model might be valuable for predicting mechanical trauma of the vocal folds.

Air Pressure↗

Anterior-posterior biphonation in a finite element model of vocal fold vibration.

In this paper, a finite-element model is used to simulate anterior-posterior biphonation [Neubauer et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110(6), 3179-3192 (2001)]. The anterior-posterior stiffness asymmetric factor and the anterior-posterior shape asymmetric factor describe the asymmetry properties of vocal folds. Spatiotemporal plot, spectral analysis, anterior-posterior fundamental frequency ratio, cross covariation function, and correlation length quantitatively estimate the spatial asymmetry of vocal fold oscillations. Calculation results show that the anterior-posterior stiffness asymmetry decreases the spatial coherence of vocal fold vibration. When the stiffness asymmetry reaches a certain level, the drop in spatial coherence desynchronizes the vibration modes. The anterior and posterior sides of the vocal fold oscillate with two independent fundamental frequencies (f(a) and f(p)). The complex spectral characteristics of vocal fold vibration under biphonation conditions can be explained by the linear combination of f(a) and f(p). Empirical orthogonal eigenfunctions prove the existence of higher-order anterior-posterior modes when anterior-posterior biphonation occurs. Then, it is found that the anterior-posterior shape asymmetry also decreases the spatial coherence of vocal fold vibration, and shape asymmetry is a possible reason for anterior-posterior biphonation.

Humans↗

Phonatory impairment in Parkinson's disease: evidence from nonlinear dynamic analysis and perturbation analysis.

Many persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) will eventually experience vocal impairment as their condition advances. Using standard perturbation analyses (parameters like jitter and shimmer) to measure fluctuations in phonatory signal may inhibit researchers from recognizing severely disordered patterns that seem to be present in the voices of some PD patients. Nonlinear dynamic analysis can quantify these aperiodic patterns, which indicate severe pathology that is usually characterized perceptually by hoarseness. Here, sustained vowel phonations of a heterogeneous group of PD subjects (20 women and 21 men) were compared with those of a control group (22 women and 18 men) based on results of nonlinear dynamic analyses (D(2)) and perturbation analyses. Results showed PD subjects as a whole to have significantly higher D(2) values than control subjects (P = 0.016), which indicates increased signal complexity in PD vocal pathology. Differences in the comparison of these two groups were significant in jitter (P = 0.014) but nonsignificant in shimmer (P = 0.695). Furthermore, the performance on these three measures was affected by subject sex. Nonlinear dynamic analysis showed significantly higher D(2) in the female PD group than in the female control group (P = 0.001), but jitter and shimmer did not show such a difference. The male PD group had statistically higher jitter than the male control group (P = 0.036), but these groups did not differ in D(2) or shimmer. Overall, nonlinear dynamic analysis may be a valuable method for the diagnosis of Parkinsonian laryngeal pathology.

Female↗

Spatiotemporal chaos in excised larynx vibrations.

Spatiotemporal chaos in excised larynx vibrations is reported using high-speed digital imaging. Spatiotemporal correlation and eigenmode analyses are applied to describe the spatiotemporal dynamics of the vocal fold vibrations and to investigate the effects of subglottal pressure. High subglottal pressures cause spatiotemporal chaos with decreased spatiotemporal correlation and increased entropy in the vocal fold vibrations. Spatiotemporal analysis shows a valuable biomedical application in investigating the spatiotemporal chaotic dynamics of the vocal fold system.

Animals↗

Chaos in voice, from modeling to measurement.

Chaos has been observed in turbulence, chemical reactions, nonlinear circuits, the solar system, biological populations, and seems to be an essential aspect of most physical systems. Chaos may also be central to the interpretation of irregularity in voice disorders. This presentation will summarize the results from a series of our recent studies. These studies have demonstrated the prescence of chaos in computer models of vocal folds, experiments with excised larynges, and human voices. Methods based on nonlinear dynamics can be used to quantify chaos and irregularity in vocal fold vibration. Studies have suggested that disordered voices from laryngeal pathologies such as laryngeal paralysis, vocal polyps, and vocal nodules might exhibit chaotic behaviors. Conventional parameters, such as jitter and shimmer, may be unreliable for analysis of periodic and chaotic voice signals. Nonlinear dynamic methods, however, have differentiated between normal and pathological phonations and can describe the aperiodic or chaotic voice. Chaos theory and nonlinear dynamics can enchance our understanding and therefore our assessment of pathological phonation.

Analysis of Variance↗

Synchronized pseudorandom systems and their application to speech communication.

An approach to the synchronization of pseudorandom systems is proposed and applied to secure speech communication. The encoding signal produced by the pseudorandom synchronization scheme passes the random test, and shows much more complex dynamics, better random properties, and greater sensitivity to parameter mismatches than that produced by the active-passive decomposition scheme. Also, two coupled pseudorandom systems can be exactly synchronized despite their different initial states or seeds. Pseudorandom encoding and synchronization may yield great security in communication.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

Perturbation and nonlinear dynamic analyses of voices from patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis.

This study used perturbation methods (eg, jitter and shimmer) and nonlinear dynamic methods (eg, phase space reconstruction and correlation dimension) to analyze sustained voices generated by normal subjects and patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis. We found that normal and pathological voices had low-dimensional dynamic characteristics. For nearly periodic voices, jitter and shimmer values of pathological voices from patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis were significantly different from normal voices. For nearly periodic and aperiodic voices, the correlation dimensions of pathological voices were statistically higher than normal voices. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performances of jitter, shimmer, and correlation dimension. High sensitivity and specificity of these three acoustic analyses in distinguishing unilateral laryngeal paralysis patients from normal subjects were found. We concluded that combining traditional perturbation analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis might provide efficient descriptions of pathological voices and represent a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of nonlinear dynamic methods and perturbation methods for voice analysis.

Nonlinear dynamic methods and perturbation methods are compared in terms of the effects of signal length, sampling rate, and noise. Results of theoretical and experimental studies quantitatively show that measurements representing frequency and amplitude perturbations are not applicable to chaotic signals because of difficulties in pitch tracking and sensitivity to initial state differences. Perturbation analyses are only reliable when applied to nearly periodic voice samples of sufficiently long signal lengths that were obtained at high sampling rates and low noise levels. In contrast, nonlinear dynamic methods, such as correlation dimension, allow the quantification of chaotic time series. Additionally, the correlation dimension method presents a more stable analysis of nearly periodic voice samples for shorter signal lengths, lower sampling rates, and higher noise levels. The correlation dimension method avoids some of the methodological issues associated with perturbation methods, and may potentially improve the ability for real time analysis as well as reduce costs in experimental designs for objectively assessing voice disorders.

Adult↗

Estimating model parameters by chaos synchronization.

Using chaos synchronization and a proposed iterative method of parameter adaptation, we precisely estimate the model parameters of chaotic systems and synchronize two chaotic systems with originally mismatching model parameters. This parameter adaptation method can be applied to a spatiotemporal chaotic system with a one-way-coupled map lattice. As a biomedical application, this method is capable of estimating the asymmetric tension parameter of a vocal fold model.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

Chaotic vibrations of a vocal fold model with a unilateral polyp.

A nonlinear model was proposed to study chaotic vibrations of vocal folds with a unilateral vocal polyp. The model study found that the vocal polyp affected glottal closure and caused aperiodic vocal fold vibrations. Using nonlinear dynamic methods, aperiodic vibrations of the vocal fold model with a polyp were attributed to low-dimensional chaos. Bifurcation diagrams showed that vocal polyp size, stiffness, and damping had important effects on vocal fold vibrations. An increase in polyp size tended to induce subharmonic patterns and chaos. This study provides a theoretical basis to model aperiodic vibrations of vocal folds with a laryngeal mass.

Humans↗

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of voices before and after surgical excision of vocal polyps.

Phase space reconstruction, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy, methods from nonlinear dynamics, are used to analyze sustained vowels generated by patients before and after surgical excision of vocal polyps. Two conventional acoustic perturbation parameters, jitter and shimmer, are also employed to analyze voices before and after surgery. Presurgical and postsurgical analyses of jitter, shimmer, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy are statistically compared. Correlation dimension and second-order entropy show a statistically significant decrease after surgery, indicating reduced complexity and higher predictability of postsurgical voice dynamics. There is not a significant postsurgical difference in shimmer, although jitter shows a significant postsurgical decrease. The results suggest that jitter and shimmer should be applied to analyze disordered voices with caution; however, nonlinear dynamic methods may be useful for analyzing abnormal vocal function and quantitatively evaluating the effects of surgical excision of vocal polyps.

Adult↗

Nonlinear dynamics of phonations in excised larynx experiments.

Nonlinear dynamic methods including correlation dimension and Lyapunov exponents are applied to quantitatively analyze phonations in excised larynx experiments. Irregular phonations are typically characterized by aperiodic waveforms and broadband spectra. Finite correlation dimensions and positive Lyapunov exponents of irregular phonations demonstrate the existence of chaos in excised larynx phonations. Furthermore, the correlation dimension, maximal Lyapunov exponent, jitter, shimmer, and peak prominence ratio are used to statistically distinguish irregular phonations from normal phonations. The correlation dimension and maximal Lyapunov exponent indicate a significant difference between irregular and normal phonations; however, jitter, shimmer, and peak prominence ratio do not reveal such a significant difference and thus are unsuitable to differentiate between irregular phonations and normal phonations. These findings might potentially assist investigators in understanding rough phonations and developing clinically valuable methodologies for the diagnosis of voice disorders.

Animals↗

Chaotic vibration induced by turbulent noise in a two-mass model of vocal folds.

The contribution of turbulent noise was modeled in symmetric vocal folds. A two-mass model was used to simulate irregular vocal fold vibrations. The threshold values of system parameters to produce irregular vibrations were decreased as a result of turbulent airflow. Periodic vibrations were then driven into the regions of irregular vibrations. Using nonlinear dynamics including Poincaré map and Lyapunov exponents, irregular vibrations were demonstrated as chaos. For the deterministic vocal-fold model with noise free and steady airflow, a fine period-doubling bifurcation cascade was shown in a bifurcation diagram. However, turbulent noise added to the vocal-fold model would induce chaotic vibrations, broaden the regions of irregular vocal fold vibrations, and inhibit the fine period-doubling bifurcations in the bifurcation diagrams. The perturbations from neurological and biomechanical effects were simulated as a random variation of the vocal fold stiffness. Turbulent noise as an external random source, as well as random stiffness perturbation as an internal random source, played important roles in the presence of irregular vocal fold vibrations.

Humans↗