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PubMed2002

Superior laryngeal nerve identification and preservation in thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Injury to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) can result in detrimental voice changes, the severity of which varies according to the voice demands of the patient. Variations in its anatomic patterns and in the rates of identification reported in the literature have discouraged thyroid surgeons from routine exploration and identification of this nerve. Inconsistent with the surgical principle of preservation of critical structures through identification, modern-day thyroidectomy surgeons still avoid the EBSLN rather than identifying and preserving it. OBJECTIVES: To describe the anatomic variations of the EBSLN, particularly at the junction of the inferior constrictor and cricothyroid muscles; to propose a systematic approach to identification and preservation of this nerve; and to define the identification rate of this nerve during thyroidectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of thyroid lobectomies and total thyroidectomies performed between 1978 and 1997 was carried out. A total of 884 patients were included, with 1057 EBSLNs explored. Intraoperative findings of identification of the EBSLN were recorded and compared on an annual basis for both benign and malignant disease. Overall results were also compared with those found in previous series identified through a 50-year literature review. RESULTS: The 3 anatomic variations of the distal aspect of the EBSLN as it enters the cricothyroid were encountered and are described. The total identification rate over the 20-year period was 900 (85.1%) of 1057 nerves. Operations performed for benign disease were associated with higher identification rates (599 [86.1%] of 696) as opposed to those performed for malignant disease (301 [83.4%] of 361). Operations performed in recent years have a higher identification rate (over 90%). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the 3 anatomic variations of the distal portion of the EBSLN and its relation to the inferior constrictor muscle allows for high rates of identification of this nerve. The EBSLN should be explored during thyroid surgery and identification is possible in most cases. Preservation of the EBSLN maintains optimal function of the larynx.

Humans↗
PubMed2000

Odontological identification of human remains from mass graves in Croatia.

This paper reports the results and methods of dental identification of 1000 human remains exhumed from mass graves in Croatia up to July 1998. Personal identification of the victims was performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Criminology at the School of Medicine in Zagreb. A forensic odontologist participated in the identification process by carrying out the dental identification. A total of 824 victims were positively identified, while 176 victims remained unidentified. Dental identification based on available dental antemortem data was achieved in 25% of the cases. Dental identification based on dental charts was achieved in 35%, on x-rays in 15%, on photographs of teeth in 22%, on interviews in 18%, and on confirmation by odontologists in 10% of the cases. Teeth, in combination with anthropological parameters, age, sex and height, as well as other specific characteristics such as tattoos, personal identification cards, clothes, jewellery and DNA, were helpful for identification of 64% of the victims, but the significance for the identification was not dominant. Only in 11% of the cases was identification achieved by other relevant means and teeth not used at all. Identification procedures in Croatia will continue until another 1700 people who are still missing or kept as prisoners of war since the aggression on Croatia in 1991 are found and/or identified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A computerised system for the identification of lactic acid bacteria.

A generic computerised system for the identification of bacteria was developed. The system is equipped with a key to the identification of lactic acid bacteria. The identification is carried out in two steps. The first step distinguishes groups of bacteria by following a decision tree with general identification tests. The second step in the identification is the distinction of species within a group on the basis of biochemical fermentation patterns. During grouping, probabilities for test failure are used. These probabilities can be used for assessing the quality of a given test answer. The probabilities are also used to select the most probable test answer in cases where the test result is inconclusive. The probabilities of test failure were determined by a group of experts and a group of potential users of the identification system. During species identification, similarity indices are calculated for all bacteria in a group. The described identification system has the ability to "learn" from different sessions in the species identification step, improving both identification speed and accuracy. Because of the versatile way in which the system is set up, it can very easily be expanded with identification keys to other organisms.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗
PubMed2006

Evaluating common de-identification heuristics for personal health information.

BACKGROUND: With the growing adoption of electronic medical records, there are increasing demands for the use of this electronic clinical data in observational research. A frequent ethics board requirement for such secondary use of personal health information in observational research is that the data be de-identified. De-identification heuristics are provided in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule, funding agency and professional association privacy guidelines, and common practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the re-identification risks due to record linkage are sufficiently low when following common de-identification heuristics and whether the risk is stable across sample sizes and data sets. METHODS: Two methods were followed to construct identification data sets. Re-identification attacks were simulated on these. For each data set we varied the sample size down to 30 individuals, and for each sample size evaluated the risk of re-identification for all combinations of quasi-identifiers. The combinations of quasi-identifiers that were low risk more than 50% of the time were considered stable. RESULTS: The identification data sets we were able to construct were the list of all physicians and the list of all lawyers registered in Ontario, using 1% sampling fractions. The quasi-identifiers of region, gender, and year of birth were found to be low risk more than 50% of the time across both data sets. The combination of gender and region was also found to be low risk more than 50% of the time. We were not able to create an identification data set for the whole population. CONCLUSIONS: Existing Canadian federal and provincial privacy laws help explain why it is difficult to create an identification data set for the whole population. That such examples of high re-identification risk exist for mainstream professions makes a strong case for not disclosing the high-risk variables and their combinations identified here. For professional subpopulations with published membership lists, many variables often needed by researchers would have to be excluded or generalized to ensure consistently low re-identification risk. Data custodians and researchers need to consider other statistical disclosure techniques for protecting privacy.

Biomedical Research↗
PubMed1999

Posttraumatic stress disorder and identification in disaster workers.

OBJECTIVE: Disaster workers who work with deceased victims are at increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Identification with the deceased has been proposed as one of the mechanisms in this stress-illness relationship. To examine this hypothesis, this study investigated three types of identification with the dead in a group of disaster workers: identification with the deceased as oneself, identification with the deceased as a friend, and identification with the deceased as a family member. METHOD: Fifty-four volunteer disaster workers who worked with the dead following an explosion on the USS Iowa naval ship were assessed 1, 4, and 13 months after the disaster. PTSD symptoms (measured with the DSMPTSD-IV scale), intrusive and avoidant disaster-related symptoms (measured with the Impact of Event Scale), somatization and general distress (measured with the SCL-90-R), and health care utilization were assessed. RESULTS: Disaster workers who reported identification with the deceased as a friend were more likely than those who did not to have PTSD, more intrusive and avoidant symptoms, and greater levels of other posttraumatic symptoms including somatization. Disaster workers who reported identification with the deceased as a family member had greater intrusive symptoms 1 month after the disaster than those who did not. There were no differences between those who did and did not identify with the deceased as self. Health care utilization was not associated with identification. CONCLUSIONS: Identification with the deceased is a risk factor for PTSD and posttraumatic symptoms in disaster workers exposed to the dead. Identification with the dead as a friend is specifically associated with higher risk for these workers.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Audit of transfusion procedures in 660 hospitals. A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of patient identification and vital sign monitoring frequencies in 16494 transfusions.

CONTEXT: Hemolytic transfusion reactions are often the result of failure to follow established identification and monitoring procedures. OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequencies with which health care workers completed specific transfusion procedures required for laboratory and blood bank accreditation. DESIGN: In 2 separate studies, participants in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory quality improvement program audited nonemergent red blood cell transfusions prospectively and completed questionnaires profiling their institutions' transfusion policies. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 660 institutions, predominantly in the United States, at which transfusion medicine services are provided. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The percentages of transfusions for which participants completed 4 specific components of patient and blood unit identifications, and for which participants monitored vital signs at 3 specific intervals during transfusions. RESULTS: In the first study, all components of patient identification procedures were performed in 62.3%, and all required patient vital sign monitoring was performed in 81.6% of 12 448 transfusions audited. The median frequencies with which institutions participating in the first study performed all patient identification and monitoring procedures were 69.0% and 90.2%, respectively. In the second study, all components of patient identification were performed in 25.4% and all patient vital sign monitoring was performed in 88.3% of 4046 transfusions audited. The median frequencies with which institutions participating in the second study performed all patient identification and monitoring procedures were 10.0% and 95.0%, respectively. Individual practices and/or institutional policies associated with greater frequencies of patient identification and/or vital sign monitoring included transporting units of blood directly to patient bedsides, having no more than 1 individual handle blood units in route, checking unit labels against physicians' orders, having patients wear identification tags (wristbands), reading identification information aloud when 2 or more transfusionists participated, using written checklists to guide the administration of blood, instructing health care personnel in transfusion practices, and routinely auditing the administration of transfusions. CONCLUSIONS: In many hospitals, the functions of identification and vital sign monitoring of patients receiving blood transfusions do not meet laboratory and blood bank accreditation standards. Differences in hospital transfusion policies influence how well health care workers comply with standard practices. We would expect that efforts designed to perfect transfusion policies might also improve performance in those hospitals in which practice compliance is substandard.

Accreditation↗
PubMed2005

Suspect/foil identification in actual crimes and in the laboratory: a reality monitoring analysis.

Four reality monitoring variables were used to discriminate suspect from foil identifications in 183 actual criminal cases. Four hundred sixty-one identification attempts based on five and six-person lineups were analyzed. These identification attempts resulted in 238 suspect identifications and 68 foil identifications. Confidence, automatic processing, eliminative processing and feature use comprised the set of reality monitoring variables. Thirty-five verbal confidence phrases taken from police reports were assigned numerical values on a 10-point confidence scale. Automatic processing identifications were those that occurred "immediately" or "without hesitation." Eliminative processing identifications occurred when witnesses compared or eliminated persons in the lineups. Confidence, automatic processing and eliminative processing were significant predictors, but feature use was not. Confidence was the most effective discriminator. In cases that involved substantial evidence extrinsic to the identification 43% of the suspect identifications were made with high confidence, whereas only 10% of the foil identifications were made with high confidence. The results of a laboratory study using the same predictors generally paralleled the archival results. Forensic implications are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Identification and analysis of human remains recovered from wells from the 1991 War in Croatia.

From 1996 to the present, the remains of 61 individuals killed during the 1991 War in Croatia were recovered from both dried out and functioning wells. Positive identification was established in 60.7% or 37/61 cases. Remains recovered from the same geographical region but from non-well settings were identified in 77.4% or 1256/1623 cases. The purpose of this paper is to report on the taphonomic, demographic and trauma characteristics of remains recovered from wells and identify factors responsible for the discrepancy in the identification ratios. The age and sex distributions in the well and non-well series were similar, as were the frequencies of recovered personal documents, jewelry and other artifacts. The taphonomic features of the remains were, however, significantly different. Preservation of remains was considerably better in non-well settings (1400/1623 or 86.3% compared to 40/61 or 65.5% in wells). Congruently, commingling of remains was more frequent in wells (26/61 or 42.6% compared to 77/1623 or 4.7% in non-well settings). In bodies recovered from non-well settings the preservation, state and commingling of the remains were strongly correlated with positive identification. None of these features were correlated with the identification of bodies from wells. Instead, identification of remains from wells was significantly affected by the presence or absence of water in the well. As both series have similar frequencies, and identical rankings of identification factors, the reason for the discrepancy in the identification ratios lies in the fact that by themselves, these factors were rarely sufficient for positive identification. In both series the majority of identifications (51.4% in the well, and 58.1% in the non-well series) were established through a combination of biological and non-biological features. The significantly lower identification ratio in the well series resulted from the difficult recovery conditions in wells with significant amounts of water, and the negative effect that water had on the preservation of clothing, personal artifacts and some dental features. Significant differences were also noted in the types and locations of perimortem traumas. There is a significantly higher frequency of entrance gunshot wounds to the back of the head, suggestive of execution style murders, in the well series.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of the Titertek-Enterobac-Automated System (TTE-AS) for identification of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

The Titertek-Enterobac-Automated System (TTE-AS, Flow Laboratories, Meckenheim, FRG) was evaluated for identification of members of the family of Enterobacteriaceae using a total of 816 bacterial strains obtained from stock cultures and clinical specimens. A comparison of the results of the TTE-AS kit with conventional methods was conducted. Identifications were classified as correct, not identified (two or more taxa possible, identification score less than 80%, supplementary tests for final identification were not performed), and incorrect. Correct identification results were further subdivided according to the level of identification by species or biotype: (a) greater than or equal to 98%, (b) 90% to 97%, (c) 80% to 89%. When compared with conventional identification results, the TTE-AS system correctly identified 95.3% (778 of 816 strains), 90.0% (734 strains) belonging to category (a), 3.4% (28 strains) belonging to category (b), and 2.0% (16 strains) belonging to category (c). For 18 (2.2%) of the remaining strains, the system generated the correct identification result, but with an identification level less than 80% (low discrimination results). 11 strains (1.3%) were misidentified and the system failed to generate identification results with 9 strains (1.1%). Reactions within TTE-AS were reproducible with an estimated probability of erroneous test results of 1.7%.

Enterobacteriaceae↗
PubMed1995

Odor identification as an early marker for Alzheimer's disease: impact of lexical functioning and detection sensitivity.

The impact of lexical functioning and detection sensitivity on the deficit of odor identification in Alzheimer's disease (AD) was studied in persons diagnosed with probable and questionable AD. Tests consisted of lexical-based odor identification, lexical-based picture identification, picture-based odor identification, and odor-detection threshold. Results suggest (1) that odor identification is poorer than picture identification in probable and questionable AD, (2) that odor identification continues to be poor even when lexical demands are eliminated, (3) that odor detection does contribute to the odor-identification deficit, but does not account for it completely, and (4) that odor identification tests have a correct classification rate of 83-100%. Odor identification tests can be very useful tools in diagnosing AD and should be considered an important addition to existing diagnostic test batteries.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

PRIDE: a public repository of protein and peptide identifications for the proteomics community.

PRIDE, the 'PRoteomics IDEntifications database' (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride) is a database of protein and peptide identifications that have been described in the scientific literature. These identifications will typically be from specific species, tissues and sub-cellular locations, perhaps under specific disease conditions. Any post-translational modifications that have been identified on individual peptides can be described. These identifications may be annotated with supporting mass spectra. At the time of writing, PRIDE includes the full set of identifications as submitted by individual laboratories participating in the HUPO Plasma Proteome Project and a profile of the human platelet proteome submitted by the University of Ghent in Belgium. By late 2005 PRIDE is expected to contain the identifications and spectra generated by the HUPO Brain Proteome Project. Proteomics laboratories are encouraged to submit their identifications and spectra to PRIDE to support their manuscript submissions to proteomics journals. Data can be submitted in PRIDE XML format if identifications are included or mzData format if the submitter is depositing mass spectra without identifications. PRIDE is a web application, so submission, searching and data retrieval can all be performed using an internet browser. PRIDE can be searched by experiment accession number, protein accession number, literature reference and sample parameters including species, tissue, sub-cellular location and disease state. Data can be retrieved as machine-readable PRIDE or mzData XML (the latter for mass spectra without identifications), or as human-readable HTML.

Databases, Protein↗
PubMed1980

Four methods for identification of gram-negative nonfermenting rods: organisms more commonly encountered in clinical specimens.

Four commercial kits, Oxi/Ferm (OF), API 20E (AP), Minitek (MT; BBL Microbiology Systems), and Flow N/F (NF), were evaluated, without additional tests, for identification of 258 gram-negative nonfermentative rods. OF and MT were read after 48 h of incubation, and AP and NF were read after both 24 and 48 h of incubation, respectively. Overall, OF correctly identified 51% of strains, with 46% as part (but not first) of a spectrum of identifications (SI), and 3% incorrect species identification. MT yielded 85% correct identification, with 15% SI. Of 126 glucose-positive strains, or those with greater than or equal to 3 positive AP reactions after 24 h, 60% were correctly identified, with 40% SI; incubation for an additional 24 h raised the rate of correct identification to 99%, with 1% SI. A total of 132 strains yield less than 3 positive AP reactions after 24 h and were identified after 48 h only; of these, 82% were correctly identified, with 17% SI and 1% incorrect species identification. NF correctly identified 79% of cultures after 24 h, with 21% SI; corresponding figures after an additional 24 h of incubation were 80% and 20%, respectively. All four commercial methods show promise; OF is easiest to inoculate, but requires extra tests for optimal identification. AP reliably identifies the majority of clinically important nonfermenters, with fairly good species identification of saccharolytic strains after 24 h. MT yields reliable identification of most nonfermenters and has the advantage of flexibility. NF is easy to inoculate, yields satisfactory identification rates, and may be read after 24 h of incubation.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2004

Assessment of partial sequencing of the 65-kilodalton heat shock protein gene (hsp65) for routine identification of Mycobacterium species isolated from clinical sources.

We assessed the ability of an in-house database, consisting of 111 hsp65 sequences from putative and valid Mycobacterium species or described groups, to identify 689 mycobacterial clinical isolates from 35 species or groups. A preliminary assessment indicated that hsp65 sequencing confirmed the identification of 79.4% of the isolates from the 32 species examined, including all Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates, all isolates from 13 other species, and 95.6% of all M. avium-M. intracellulare complex isolates. Identification discrepancies were most frequently encountered with isolates submitted as M. chelonae, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, M. scrofulaceum, and M. terrae. Reexamination of isolates with discrepant identifications confirmed that hsp65 identifications were correct in a further 40 isolates. This brought the overall agreement between hsp65 sequencing and the other identification methods to 85.2%. The remaining 102 isolates had sequence matches below our acceptance criterion, had nondifferential sequence matches between two or more species, were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as a putative taxonomic group not contained in our database, or were identified by hsp65 and 16S rRNA gene sequencing as a species not in our biochemical test database or had conflicting identifications. Therefore, to incorporate the unconfirmed isolates it was necessary to create 29 additional entries in our hsp65 identification database: 18 associated with valid species, 7 indicating unique sequences not associated with valid or putative species or groups, and 4 associated with unique, but currently described taxonomic groups. Confidence in the hsp65 sequence identification of a clinical isolate is best when sequence matches of 100% occur, but our data indicate that correct identifications can be confidently made when unambiguous matches exceeding 97% occur, but are dependent on the completeness of the database. Our study indicates that for hsp65 sequencing to be an effective means for identifying mycobacteria a comprehensive database must be constructed. hsp65 sequencing has the advantage of being more rapid and less expensive than biochemical test panels, uses a single set of reagents to identify both rapid- and slow-growing mycobacteria, and can provide a more definitive identification.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Faster identification of pathogens in positive blood cultures by fluorescence in situ hybridization in routine practice.

Rapid identification of microorganisms in blood cultures is required to optimize empirical treatment at an early stage. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can reduce the time to identification of microorganisms in growth-positive blood cultures. In this study, we evaluated the performance, time to identification, and potential clinical benefits of FISH compared to those of conventional culture methods in routine practice. After Gram staining, blood culture fluids were simultaneously further identified with FISH and with conventional culture methods. Results and points in time of FISH and culture identification (provisional and final identifications) were collected and compared. For 91% of microorganisms, the genus or family name was identified, and for 79%, the species name could be attributed. The sensitivity and specificity of the individual probes exceeded 95%, except for the Enterobacteriaceae probe (sensitivity, 89%). Cross-hybridization was obtained with the Klebsiella pneumoniae probe for Klebsiella oxytoca. The time gains of FISH and final culture identification were more than 18 h for bacteria and 42 h for yeasts. With FISH, Staphylococcus aureus was differentiated from coagulase-negative staphylococci 1.4 h faster than by provisional identification (P < 0.001). In conclusion, FISH allows rapid and reliable identification of the majority of microorganisms in growth-positive blood cultures. The substantial time gain of identification with FISH may allow same-day adjustment of antimicrobial therapy, and FISH is especially useful if no provisional identification is obtained. With further extension of the number of probes and a reduction in turnaround time, FISH will become a very useful diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of bloodstream infections.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed2006

Evaluation of the Phoenix 100 ID/AST system and NID panel for identification of Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrionaceae, and commonly isolated nonenteric gram-negative bacilli.

The Phoenix 100 ID/AST system (Becton Dickinson Co., Sparks, Md.) is an automated system for the identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates. This system with its negative identification (NID) panel was evaluated for its accuracy in the identification of 507 isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae, 57 other nonenteric gram-negative isolates that are commonly isolated in clinical microbiology laboratories, and 138 isolates of the family Vibrionaceae. All of the isolates had been characterized by using approximately 48 conventional tube biochemicals. Of the 507 isolates of the Enterobacteriaceae, 456 (89.9%) were correctly identified to the genus and species levels. The five isolates of Proteus penneri required an off-line indole test, as suggested by the system to differentiate them from Proteus vulgaris. The identifications of 20 (3.9%) isolates were correct to the genus level but incorrect at the species level. Two (0.4%) isolates were reported as "no identification." Misidentifications to the genus and species levels occurred for 29 (5.7%) isolates of the Enterobacteriaceae. These incorrect identifications were spread over 14 different genera. The most common error was the misidentification of Salmonella species. The shortest time for a correct identification was 2 h 8 min. The longest time was 12 h 27 min, for the identification of a Serratia marcescens isolate. Of the 57 isolates of nonenteric gram-negative bacilli (Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Burkholderia, Plesiomonas, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas spp.), 48 (84.2%) were correctly identified to the genus and species levels and 7 (12.3%) were correctly identified to the genus level but not to the species level. The average time for a correct identification was 5 h 11 min. Of the Vibrionaceae spp., 123 (89.1%) were correctly identified at the end of the initial incubation period, which averaged 4 h. Based on the findings of this study, the Phoenix 100 ID/AST system NID panel falls short of being an acceptable new method for the identification of the Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrionaceae, and gram-negative nonenteric isolates that are commonly encountered in many hospital microbiology laboratories.

Automation↗
PubMed1996

Effects of practice on identification of multidimensional stimuli.

This study investigated the effects of practice on the identification of multidimensional stimuli. Subjects were instructed to perform a two dimensional identification task. The stimuli could be identified either physically or connotatively. There were two orders of reporting the two dimensions of a stimulus. Analysis showed that method of identification and order of report significantly affected speed of identification. Physical identification was faster than identification of meaning. An appropriate order of report shortened response times, and increased practice reduced response times. Practice in multidimensional identification seemed to follow the same laws and trends of unidimensional performance. The effects of practice on multimensional identification could be represented by straight lines if response times were plotted against the logarithm of the number of trials as noted in unidimensional performance. Further, practice attenuated initial differences in response times between physical identification and identification of meaning.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

An evaluation of empirical measures of source identification.

Source identification refers to memory for the origin of information. A consistent nomenclature is introduced for empirical measures of source identification which are then mathematically analyzed and evaluated. The ability of the measures to assess source identification independently of identification of an item as old or new depends on assumptions made about how inconsistencies between the item and source components of a source-monitoring task may be resolved. In most circumstances, the empirical measure that is used most often when source identification is measured by collapsing across pairs of sources (sometimes called "the identification-of-origin score") confounds item identification with source identification. Alternative empirical measures are identified that do not confound item and source identification in specified circumstances. None of the empirical measures examined provides a valid measure of source identification in all circumstances.

Association Learning↗
PubMed2001

Speaker identification utilizing noncontemporary speech.

The noncontemporariness of speech is important to both of the two general approaches to speaker identification. Ear-witness identification is one of them; in that instance, the time at which the identification is made is noncontemporary. A substantial amount of research has been carried out on this relationship and it now is well established that an auditor's memory for a voice decays sharply over time. It is the second approach to speaker identification which is of present interest. In this case, samples of a speaker's utterances are obtained at different points in time. For example, a threat call will be recorded and then sometime later (often very much later), a suspect' s exemplar recording will be obtained. In this instance, it is the speech samples that are noncontemporary and they are the materials that are subjected to some form of speaker identification. Prevailing opinion is that noncontemporary speech itself poses just as difficult a challenge to the identification process as does the listener's memory decay in earwitness identification. Accordingly, series of aural-perceptual speaker identification projects were carried out on noncontemporary speech: first, two with latencies of 4 and 8 weeks followed by 4 and 32 weeks plus two more with the pairs separated by 6 and 20 years. Mean correct noncontemporary identification initially dropped to 75-80% at week 4 and this general level was sustained for up to six years. It was only after 20 years had elapsed that a significant drop (to 33%) was noted. It can be concluded that a listener's competency in identifying noncontemporary speech samples will show only modest decay over rather substantial periods of time and, hence, this factor should have only a minimal negative effect on the speaker identification process.

Adult↗