• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.67-77
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• 2014

This study investigated (1) whether Korean learners of English use discourse-level prosody in L2 production as native speakers of English do, and (2) whether discourse-level prosody is also found in the Korean language, as is evident in the prosody of native speakers of English. The study compared the production of the same 15 sentences in two types of reading materials, sentence-level and discourse-level. This study analyzed the onset pitch, sentence mean pitch and pause length to examine the paratone (intonational paragraph) realization in discourse-level speech. The results showed that in L2 discourse-level prosody, the Korean speakers were limited in displaying paratone and did not made significant difference between sentence-level and discourse-level prosody. On the other hand, in L1 discourse-level text, both English and Korean participants demonstrated paratone using pitch. However, there were differences in using prosodic cues between two groups. In using pauses, the ES group paused longer before both the orthographically marked and not marked topic sentences. The KS group paused longer only before the orthographically marked topic sentence in both L1 and L2 text reading. In the comparison of sentence-level and discourse-level prosody, the topic sentences were marked by different prosodic cues. English participants used higher sentence mean pitch, and the Korean participants used higher onset pitch.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.67-74
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• 2017

An increase in speech intelligibility has been found in Clear Speech compared to conversational speech. Clear Speech is defined by decreased articulation rates and increased frequency and length of pauses. The objective of the present study was to investigate improvement in immediate speech intelligibility in 10 patients with Parkinson's disease (age range: 46 to 75 years) using Clear Speech. This experiment has been performed using the Phonatory Aerodynamic System 6600 after the participants read the first sentence of a Sanchaek passage and the "List for Adults 1" in the Sentence Recognition Test (SRT) using casual speech and Clear Speech. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters that affect speech intelligibility were measured, including mean F0, F0 range, intensity, speaking rate, mean airflow rate, and respiratory rate. In the Sanchaek passage, use of Clear Speech resulted in significant differences in mean F0, F0 range, speaking rate, and respiratory rate, compared with the use of casual speech. In the SRT list, significant differences were seen in mean F0, F0 range, and speaking rate. Based on these findings, it is claimed that speech intelligibility can be affected by adjusting breathing and tone in Clear Speech. Future studies should identify the benefits of Clear Speech through auditory-perceptual studies and evaluate programs that use Clear Speech to increase intelligibility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Broadcast Engineers Conference
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• 2009.01a
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• pp.719-722
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to develop a robot that moves independently, communicates with a human, and explicitly extracts information from the human mind that is rarely expressed verbally. In a spoken dialog system for information collection, it is desirable to continue communicating with the user as long as possible, but not if the user does not wish to communicate. Therefore, the system should be able to terminate the communication before the user starts to object to using it. In this paper, to enable the construction of a decision model for a system to decide when to stop communicating with a human, we acquired speech and motion data from individuals who were asked many questions by another person. We then analyze their speech and body motion when they do not mind answering the questions, and also when they wish the questioning to cease. From the results, we can identify differences in speech power, length of pauses, speech rate, and body motion.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.19-34
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• 2010

This study investigates how EFL learners' chunking ability both in oral and silent reading affects reading comprehension, and how the chunking ability in silent reading relates to that of oral reading. The participants of this study consisted of 30 Korean university students taking a required 'English Reading' course. Chunking is a technique of grouping words into meaningful syntactic units for better understanding. Chunking was measured from pauses in oral reading. Results of this study suggest that the participants who can chunk properly both orally and silently display better comprehension of texts in general. However, chunking in silent reading was found to be a stronger indicator of improved reading comprehension. Also, the chunking skills in silent reading showed a statistically strong correlation with those observed in oral reading, suggesting that the chunking ability in silent reading may develop in parallel with that of oral reading. Oral as well as silent reading should be continuously practiced to improve reading comprehension of all levels of EFL learners, including low levels of learners. There is also a need to encourage students to read aloud with appropriate prosodic cues to help them read in meaningful units of words, therefore increasing EFL learners' comprehension not only in reading but also in listening.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2022

The current study was designed to explore whether taking English pronunciation classes could improve the realization of English rhythm by Korean learners of English. Specifically, this study used various rhythm metrics to examine the extent to which the learners' speech became rhythmically similar to the target language after taking classes that focused on English pronunciation. Sixteen learners who took a 15-week English pronunciation course at a university read an English passage twice (at the beginning and the end of the semester). The rhythm metrics such as Deltas, Varcos, and Pairwise Variability Indices were calculated for the learners' speech, as well as that of 8 native speakers of English. The results demonstrated that the learners' speech was slower, and they put more frequent within-sentence pauses than the native speakers even after the classes. The analyses also indicated that the speech recorded at the beginning of the semester was rhythmically much more different from the target language than at the end of the semester. After the classes, however, the learners' consonantal intervals became much more target-like, while the vocalic intervals were rhythmically even further from those in the target language. Overall, the findings suggested that the pronunciation classes helped the learners to produce English speech that was rhythmically similar to the native speakers.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.187-192
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Clear speech is an effective communication strategy used in difficult listening situations that draws on techniques such as accurate articulation, a slow speech rate, and the inclusion of pauses. Although too slow speech and improperly amplified spectral information can deteriorate overall speech intelligibility, certain amplitude of increments of the mid-frequency bands (1 to 3 dB) and around 50% slower speech rates of clear speech, when compared to those in conversational speech, were reported as factors that can improve speech intelligibility positively. The purpose of this study was to identify whether amplitude increments of mid-frequency areas and slower speech rates were evident in Korean clear speech as they were in English clear speech. Subjects and Methods: To compare the acoustic characteristics of the two methods of speech production, the voices of 60 participants were recorded during conversational speech and then again during clear speech using a standardized sentence material. Results: The speech rate and longterm average speech spectrum (LTASS) were analyzed and compared. Speech rates for clear speech were slower than those for conversational speech. Increased amplitudes in the mid-frequency bands were evident for the LTASS of clear speech. Conclusions:The observed differences in the acoustic characteristics between the two types of speech production suggest that Korean clear speech can be an effective communication strategy to improve speech intelligibility.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 2017

Background: The absence of atrial contraction (AC) after the maze procedure has been reported to cause subsequent annular dilatation and to increase the risk of embolic stroke. We hypothesized that the lack of AC could increase the risk of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation in patients undergoing the maze procedure. Methods: In 376 consecutive patients who had undergone a cryo-maze procedure and combined valve operation, recovery of AC was assessed at baseline and at immediate (${\leq}2$ weeks), early (${\leq}1$ year, $4.6{\pm}3.8$ months), and late (>1 year, $3.5{\pm}1.1$ years) postoperative stages. Results: With a median follow-up of 53 months, 10 patients underwent PPM implantation. Seven PPM implants were for sinus node dysfunction (pauses of $9.6{\pm}2.4$ seconds), one was for marked sinus bradycardia, and two were for advanced/complete atrioventricular block. The median (interquartile range) time to PPM implantation was 13.8 (0.5-68.2) months. Our time-varying covariate Cox models showed that the absence of AC was a risk factor for PPM implantation (hazard ratio, 11.92; 95% confidence interval, 2.52 to 56.45; p=0.002). Conclusion: The absence of AC may be associated with a subsequent risk of PPM implantation.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.49-62
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• 1999

This study is concerned with the educational program Visual Analysis Tool (VAT) for sound development for foreign intonation using personal computer. The VAT can run on IBM-PC 386 compatible or higher. It shows the spectrogram, waveform, intensity and the pitch contour. The system can work freely on either waveform zoom in-out or the documentation of measured value. In this paper, intensity and pitch contour information were used. Twelve French sentences were recorded from a French conversational tape. And three Korean participated in this study. They spoke out twelve sentences repeatly and trid to make the same pitch contour - by visually matching their pitcgh contour to the native speaker's. A sentences were recorded again when the participants themselves became familiar with intonation, intensity and pauses. The difference of pitch contour(rising or falling), pitch value, energy, total duration of sentences and the boundary of rhythmic group between native speaker's and theirs before and after training were compared. The results were as following: 1) In a declarative sentence: a native speaker's general pitch contour falls at the end of sentences. But the participant's pitch contours were flat before training. 2) In an interrogative: the native speaker made his pitch contours it rise at the end of sentences with the exception of wh-questions (qu'est-ce que) and a pitch value varied a greath. In the interrogative 'S + V' form sentences, we found the pitch contour rose higher in comparison to other sentences and it varied a great deal. 3) In an exclamatory sentence: the pitch contour looked like a shape of a mountain. But the participants could not make it fall before or after training.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1350-1357
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• 2005

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-$\kappa$B) regulates the expression of multiple cytokines, chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules that are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. We investigated the anti-asthmatic effects and the mechanism of action of DA-9201, an extract of the black rice, in a mouse model of asthma. Mice immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) were administered with DA-9201 (30, 100 or 300 mg/kg) or dexamethasone (DEXA, 3 mg/kg) for 2 weeks and challenged with aerosolized OVA during the last 3 days. Anti-asthmatic effects were assessed by means of enhanced pauses, level of total lgE and Th2 cytokines in plasma or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the percentage of eosinophils in BALF, and histopathological examination. The expression of NF-$\kappa$B in nuclear and cytoplasmic fraction and its DNA-binding activity in lung tissues were analyzed by means of Western blotting and electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA), respectively. DA-9201 significantly reduced airway hyperrespon-siveness (AHR), total lgE level in plasma and BALF, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in BALF, and the percentage of eosinophils in BALF. Tissue inflammation was significantly improved by DA­9201 treatment. In addition, DA-9201 dramatically suppressed the expression of NF-$\kappa$B and its DNA-binding activity. These results suggest that DA-9201 may be useful for the treatment of asthma and its efficacy is related to suppression of NF-$\kappa$B pathway.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.55-66
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• 2021

Proper prosody in reading allows the reader to naturally convey the meaning, which manifests as changes in pitch, loudness, and speech rate. Children with reading disability face difficulty in delivering information due to poor prosody. This study identified the difference in prosodic features between children with reading disabilities and nondisabled children through means of reading tasks. Reading tasks, according to sentence types (short sentences, assumptions/conditions, intentions, relative-clause), were recorded by 15 children studying in the 3rd to 6th grade in elementary school. Children with reading disability had a statistically significant wider range of pitch, slower speech rate, more frequent usage of pauses, longer total pause duration, and steeper pitch slope than nondisabled one in sentence-final and -medial words. Children with reading disability, therefore, exhibited a less natural and expressive reading than nondisabled children. Through this study, the characteristics of prosody observed in children with reading disability were identified and the need for an approach for effective intervention was also suggested.