Fear of public speaking: the effects of a communicational improvement training on physiological parameters and the perception of communication.

Presentations to audiences are often seen as challenging by university students, causing physiological reactivity on cortisol levels and heart rate, for example. Many students perceive that they have difficulties expressing themselves or do not consider themselves to be good communicators. With the thought that efficient communication is able to bring well-being and more confidence, it is understood that a communication skills training could mitigate adverse effects on the body during public speaking. This study aimed to verify whether a communicational improvement training can improve physiological parameters and perception when speaking in public among university students. This was a prospective, blinded, controlled, and randomized trial. Students from colleges and universities were recruited for this study. Invitations were either in person or via social networks and/or e-mail. There were 39 university students who completed the tasks, ages between 18 and 30. There were two groups: the intervention group (IG) and control group (CG). The intervention group participated in a communicational improvement program for six weeks to work on breathing, articulation, speech rhythm, pneumophonoarticulatory coordination, expressiveness and non-verbal communication. Data of heart rate measures, salivary cortisol analysis, self-perception of public speaking, and presentation ratings were collected. The intervention group presented with lower heart rates and cortisol levels, better presentation ratings, and higher self-perception of public speaking than the control group after participating in the communication improvement training. In this study it was possible to verify the efficiency of a communicational improvement training, being able to improve cortisol levels, heart rate, and perception when speaking in public in university students. Based on the results presented, new studies are suggested: (a) measuring the individual effect of the workshops demonstrated here and (b) comparing this type of intervention with other types of treatment used in the health area (medication, psychotherapeutic, holistic, etc.).

What are the Symptoms that Characterize the Clinical Condition of Vocal Fatigue? A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Vocal fatigue is a clinical manifestation associated with a perception of negative vocal adjustment. It is related to the increase in the sensation of excessive effort when speaking and the lack of conditioning of the muscles and structures that involve vocal production. Because it has a complex and multifactorial diagnosis, there is still no consensus on the symptoms most commonly found in this clinical condition. OBJECTIVE: To review and analyze the symptoms that characterize the clinical condition of vocal fatigue. METHODS: This study consists of a scoping review carried out in the Cochrane Library, Embase, Lilacs, and Medline databases. Observational studies or clinical trials from the last 10 years. Studies with participants younger than 18 years of age were excluded; as well as research that did not describe symptoms of vocal fatigue or that presented vocal fatigue as a symptom; studies with patients with neurological, psychiatric, syndromic conditions, or head and neck cancer. The Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies NHLBI-NIH scale was used to assess the methodological quality of selected observational studies and the PEDro scale for the analysis of experimental studies. The steps were performed by three blinded evaluators. Subsequently, meta-analyses of global means were executed for each factor under study; a comparison of the difference in the mean score for each factor between exposed and unexposed; a comparison of the difference in the average score, among non-professional voice users, for each factor between exposed and unexposed. RESULTS: In the searches performed, 956 articles were found and 29 articles were selected according to the eligibility criteria. Of these, 93.11% of the studies were observational and 6.89% were clinical trials. Regarding the gender and age group of the study samples, women aged between 30 and 45 years were predominant. As for the occupational use of voice, 68.97% of the samples were composed of professional voice users and 31.03% of non-professional voice users, with most professional voice users being teachers and non-professional voice users, individuals with dysphonia or vocal complaint. To assess vocal fatigue symptoms, 28 studies used the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) protocol, and only one study used another assessment protocol, Self-Administered Voice Rating. All studies were classified as regular, according to the scale used. As for the meta-analyses performed, the mean scores of the VFI factors were higher among professional voice users when compared to non-professional voice users and higher in dysphonic individuals compared to non-dysphonic individuals. CONCLUSION: The vocal fatigue symptoms found in this review were common in the populations of professional voice users and non-professional voice users and dysphonic and non-dysphonic individuals. These symptoms were related to vocal recovery after rest, physical discomfort, and restricted vocal use.

Impactos da percepção comunicacional e da timidez autorreferidos na avaliação ao falar em público de estudantes universitários / Impacts of self-reported communication perception and shyness on the public speaking assessment of university students

RESUMO Objetivo comparar a autoavaliação ao falar em público, por meio da Escala para Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público, com a percepção comunicacional e timidez autorreferidos, de estudantes universitários. Método tratou-se de um estudo observacional transversal prospectivo. Foram convidados a participar deste estudo, estudantes universitários do Brasil de diferentes áreas de conhecimento, sendo incluídos os que assentiram em participar. Os participantes receberam convite eletrônico e preencheram um formulário elaborado na plataforma Google Forms que continha questões sociodemográficas, sobre autopercepção como bom falante, sobre facilidade para se expressar, sobre timidez, e a Escala para Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público. Foram comparadas as médias da Escala de Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público com a autopercepção como bom falante, com a facilidade para se expressar e com a timidez. Resultados os participantes que se consideravam bons comunicadores, os que acreditavam ter facilidade para se expressar e os que não eram tímidos apresentaram melhor autopercepção sobre as suas habilidades de fala em público. Conclusão a autopercepção comunicacional positiva, bem como a autopercepção de menor timidez estão relacionadas a uma autoavaliação mais favorável em relação a apresentações em público.

ABSTRACT Purpose To compare self-assessment when speaking in public, using the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale, with the communicational perception and self-reported shyness of university students. Methods This was a prospective cross-sectional observational study. University students from different areas of knowledge in Brazil were invited to participate in this study. Those who agreed to participate were included. Participants received an electronic invitation and filled out a form created on the Google Forms platform that contained sociodemographic questions, on self-perception as a good speaker, on ease of expression, on shyness, and the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale. The means of the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale were compared with the self-perception as a good speaker, the ease of expressing oneself, and shyness. Results Participants who considered themselves to be good communicators, those who believed they had an ease to express themselves, and those who were not shy had better self-perception of their public speaking skills. Conclusion positive communicational self-perception, as well as less shyness self-perception, are related to a more favorable self-assessment in relation to public presentations.

Efeitos de um programa de fonoterapia da voz em grupo de pacientes com disfonia: estudo piloto / Effects of a voice therapy program in a group of patients with dysphonia: a pilot study

RESUMO Objetivo Identificar os efeitos de um programa de fonoterapia da voz em grupo de pacientes com disfonia, por meio de avaliações perceptivo-auditiva e autopercepção vocal. Métodos Estudo-piloto de ensaio clínico não controlado, com amostra de conveniência. O estudo contou com 22 participantes com diagnóstico otorrinolaringológico de disfonia. Dentre eles, 15 mulheres e sete homens, com média de idade de 59,4 ± 12,53. Foram realizadas dez sessões de terapia fonoaudiológica em grupos de cinco a seis pessoas, com abordagens diretas e indiretas, baseadas no Programa Integral de Reabilitação Vocal (PIRV). Os participantes foram avaliados individualmente, antes e após a realização do programa terapêutico. A avaliação incluiu análise de autopercepção com a Escala de Sintomas Vocais (ESV) e perceptivo-auditiva da qualidade vocal com a escala Grade, Roughness, Breathness, Asteny, Strain, (GRBAS), realizadas por fonoaudiólogos especialistas em voz. Resultados Após o programa terapêutico, observou-se diferença significativa na pontuação de grau geral de alteração da ESV (p=0,002) e também nas subescalas Limitação (p=0,002) e Emocional (p=0,006), indicando autopercepção de redução dos sintomas vocais após intervenção. No entanto, destaca-se que não foram encontrados resultados significativos na comparação pré e pós-tratamento com relação à qualidade vocal. Conclusão O programa de fonoterapia da voz teve efeitos estatisticamente significativos em relação aos sintomas vocais autorrelatados, sinalizando um caminho promissor de abordagem eclética para a terapia vocal em grupo.

ABSTRACT Purpose To identify the effects of a phonotherapy program in a group of patients with dysphonia through auditory-perceptual and vocal self-perception assessments. Methods Pilot study: an uncontrolled clinical trial with a convenience sample. Twenty-two patients with an otorhinolaryngological diagnosis of dysphonia participated in the study, including 15 women and 7 men, with a mean age of 59.4 ± 12.53, who underwent 10 speech therapy sessions in groups of 5 to 6 people, with direct and indirect therapy based on the Comprehensive Vocal Rehabilitation Program (CVRP). Patients were individually assessed before and after the therapeutic program, the assessment included auditory-perceptual analysis with the Vocal Symptoms Scale (VSS) and auditory-perceptual analysis of voice quality GRBAS, performed by speech-language pathologists specializing in voice. Results After the therapeutic program, there was a significant difference in the score for the general degree of change in the VSS (p=0.002), and also in the limitation (p=0.002) and emotional (p=0.006) subscales, indicating selfperceived reduction in vocal symptoms after intervention. However, no significant results were found in the pre- and posttreatment comparison regarding vocal quality. Conclusion The study demonstrated that the voice therapy program had statistically significant effects in relation to self-reported vocal symptoms, thus signaling a promising path for an eclectic approach to group vocal therapy.

Impacts of self-reported communication perception and shyness on the public speaking assessment of university students. / Impactos da percepção comunicacional e da timidez autorreferidos na avaliação ao falar em público de estudantes universitários.

PURPOSE: To compare self-assessment when speaking in public, using the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale, with the communicational perception and self-reported shyness of university students. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional observational study. University students from different areas of knowledge in Brazil were invited to participate in this study. Those who agreed to participate were included. Participants received an electronic invitation and filled out a form created on the Google Forms platform that contained sociodemographic questions, on self-perception as a good speaker, on ease of expression, on shyness, and the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale. The means of the Self-Statements During Public Speaking scale were compared with the self-perception as a good speaker, the ease of expressing oneself, and shyness. RESULTS: Participants who considered themselves to be good communicators, those who believed they had an ease to express themselves, and those who were not shy had better self-perception of their public speaking skills. CONCLUSION: positive communicational self-perception, as well as less shyness self-perception, are related to a more favorable self-assessment in relation to public presentations.

OBJETIVO: comparar a autoavaliação ao falar em público, por meio da Escala para Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público, com a percepção comunicacional e timidez autorreferidos, de estudantes universitários. MÉTODO: tratou-se de um estudo observacional transversal prospectivo. Foram convidados a participar deste estudo, estudantes universitários do Brasil de diferentes áreas de conhecimento, sendo incluídos os que assentiram em participar. Os participantes receberam convite eletrônico e preencheram um formulário elaborado na plataforma Google Forms que continha questões sociodemográficas, sobre autopercepção como bom falante, sobre facilidade para se expressar, sobre timidez, e a Escala para Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público. Foram comparadas as médias da Escala de Autoavaliação ao Falar em Público com a autopercepção como bom falante, com a facilidade para se expressar e com a timidez. RESULTADOS: os participantes que se consideravam bons comunicadores, os que acreditavam ter facilidade para se expressar e os que não eram tímidos apresentaram melhor autopercepção sobre as suas habilidades de fala em público. CONCLUSÃO: a autopercepção comunicacional positiva, bem como a autopercepção de menor timidez estão relacionadas a uma autoavaliação mais favorável em relação a apresentações em público.

Efeito de um programa de aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação oral na ansiedade e no estresse autorreferidos / Effect of a program to improve oral communication skills on self-reported anxiety and stress

RESUMO Objetivo Verificar os efeitos de um programa fonoaudiológico de aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação oral, por meio da mensuração dos índices autorreferidos de ansiedade e estresse. Métodos Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado controlado. Os participantes da pesquisa foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: grupo intervenção (GI) e grupo controle (GC). O GI participou de seis oficinas de aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação oral. O GC participou de uma única oficina sobre saúde vocal. Foram aplicados, antes da primeira e após a última oficina, os protocolos: Questionário de caracterização da amostra, Self Statements During Public-Speaking Scale (SSPS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) e o Cuestinário de Ansiedad Social para Adultos (CASO). Após seis meses, foi realizado um follow-up. Resultados O GI apresentou, após o aprimoramento, redução significativa dos escores de ansiedade no CASO, de forma geral, e em todos os parâmetros do protocolo. Os valores da PSS referentes ao estresse demonstraram aumento da autoavaliação positiva e diminuição da autoavaliação negativa. Já na autoavaliação ao falar em público, foi verificado, na SSPS, aumento da pontuação geral, em relação ao GC. Conclusão O programa de aprimoramento fonoaudiológico das habilidades de comunicação oral promoveu a diminuição nos índices de ansiedade e estresse autorreferidos, aumentando a autopercepção positiva ao falar em público. O presente estudo foi registrado no Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC), sob o identificador primário RBR-37r3S2.

RESUMO Objetivo Verificar os efeitos de um programa fonoaudiológico de aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação oral, por meio da mensuração dos índices autorreferidos de ansiedade e estresse. Métodos Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado controlado. Os participantes da pesquisa foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: grupo intervenção (GI) e grupo controle (GC). O GI participou de seis oficinas de aprimoramento das habilidades de comunicação oral. O GC participou de uma única oficina sobre saúde vocal. Foram aplicados, antes da primeira e após a última oficina, os protocolos: Questionário de caracterização da amostra, Self Statements During Public-Speaking Scale (SSPS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) e o Cuestinário de Ansiedad Social para Adultos (CASO). Após seis meses, foi realizado um follow-up. Resultados O GI apresentou, após o aprimoramento, redução significativa dos escores de ansiedade no CASO, de forma geral, e em todos os parâmetros do protocolo. Os valores da PSS referentes ao estresse demonstraram aumento da autoavaliação positiva e diminuição da autoavaliação negativa. Já na autoavaliação ao falar em público, foi verificado, na SSPS, aumento da pontuação geral, em relação ao GC. Conclusão O programa de aprimoramento fonoaudiológico das habilidades de comunicação oral promoveu a diminuição nos índices de ansiedade e estresse autorreferidos, aumentando a autopercepção positiva ao falar em público. O presente estudo foi registrado no Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC), sob o identificador primário RBR-37r3S2.

Wannier90 as a community code: new features and applications.

Wannier90 is an open-source computer program for calculating maximally-localised Wannier functions (MLWFs) from a set of Bloch states. It is interfaced to many widely used electronic-structure codes thanks to its independence from the basis sets representing these Bloch states. In the past few years the development of Wannier90 has transitioned to a community-driven model; this has resulted in a number of new developments that have been recently released in Wannier90 v3.0. In this article we describe these new functionalities, that include the implementation of new features for wannierisation and disentanglement (symmetry-adapted Wannier functions, selectively-localised Wannier functions, selected columns of the density matrix) and the ability to calculate new properties (shift currents and Berry-curvature dipole, and a new interface to many-body perturbation theory); performance improvements, including parallelisation of the core code; enhancements in functionality (support for spinor-valued Wannier functions, more accurate methods to interpolate quantities in the Brillouin zone); improved usability (improved plotting routines, integration with high-throughput automation frameworks), as well as the implementation of modern software engineering practices (unit testing, continuous integration, and automatic source-code documentation). These new features, capabilities, and code development model aim to further sustain and expand the community uptake and range of applicability, that nowadays spans complex and accurate dielectric, electronic, magnetic, optical, topological and transport properties of materials.

The Effectiveness of the EASE Scale in the Development of a Vocal Warm-up Program for an Amateur Choir.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the EASE-BR (Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for Brazil) protocol in the development of a vocal warm-up program for members of an amateur choir. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective cross-sectional study measuring pre- and postintervention results at two moments. METHODS: Forty-four subjects filled out a questionnaire to characterize the sample and underwent two major applications of the EASE-BR scale-the first to determine the group's vocal requirements and the second to assess the performance after the application of a customized vocal warm-up routine. RESULTS: Overall reduction of the scores in the postintervention moment has been determined. The score of 16 of the questions (72.7%) showed a statistically relevant reduction after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The EASE-BR scale proved a valuable assessment tool and its use may help develop customized vocal warm-up programs for different types of singers.

Relação entre condições de trabalho e sintomas vocais em operadores de um call center modelo / Relationship between working conditions and voice symptoms among operators of a model call center

RESUMO Introdução Os operadores de call centers são profissionais da voz com alta demanda vocal e, consequentemente, sujeitos a distúrbios e sintomas vocais. Objetivo: Caracterizar aspectos vocais e laríngeos em operadores de um call center que segue as normas regulamentadoras de ergonomia, mensurando autopercepção vocal, avaliação otorrinolaringológica e análise perceptivo-auditiva vocal. Métodos Participaram do estudo 30 operadores de call center, entre 18 e 41 anos de idade. Todos os sujeitos foram avaliados por meio da Escala de Sintomas Vocais - versão brasileira da Voice Symptoms Scale (VoiSS), avaliação otorrinolaringológica por meio de videonasofibrolaringoscopia e avaliação perceptivo-auditiva da voz com a escala GRBASI, que avalia grau de alteração vocal (G), rugosidade da voz (R), soprosidade (B), astenia (A), tensão (S) e instabilidade (I). Resultados Na Escala de Sintomas Vocais, houve correlação entre o domínio geral e os demais subdomínios e entre os subdomínios limitação e físico. Na avaliação otorrinolaringológica, 12 operadores apresentaram alguma alteração, como acúmulo de secreção à fonação e fendas. A análise perceptivo-auditiva da voz encontrou indivíduos com vozes normais e com grau de alteração discreto a moderado, além de correlação entre o item instabilidade da escala GRBASI com o grau geral, rugosidade, soprosidade e astenia. Conclusão Ambientes de trabalho adequados e que primam por cuidados com a voz podem melhorar a qualidade laboral dos profissionais de call center, amenizando os riscos de desenvolvimento de distúrbios vocais. Contudo, fatores físicos, sociais, ambientais, organizacionais e psicológicos podem ocasionar sintomas vocais nesses profissionais da voz.

ABSTRACT Introduction Call center operators are voice professionals with great vocal demand and, consequently, are exposed to voice disorders. Purpose Characterize vocal and laryngeal aspects among operators of a call center that follows the regulatory standards in ergonomics by measuring voice self-perception, otorhinolaryngological evaluation, and voice perceptual-auditory analysis. Methods The study assessed 30 call center operators between 18 and 41 years old. All subjects were assessed using the Escala de Sintomas Vocais (ESV) – the Brazilian version of the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) –, otorhinolaryngological evaluation using fiberoptic video rhinolaryngoscopy, and voice perceptual-auditory assessment using the GRBASI scale that evaluates degree of voice alteration (G), voice roughness (R), breathiness (B), asthenia (A), strain (S), and instability (I). Results The ESV showed a correlation between the overall domain and the other subdomains and between the subdomains limitation and physical. The otorhinolaryngological evaluation revealed that 12 operators had some alteration such as secretion accumulation during phonation and glottic chinks. The voice perceptual-auditory analysis found individuals with normal voice and with slight to moderate degree of alteration, besides a correlation between the item instability in the GRBASI scale and the overall degree, roughness, breathiness, and asthenia. Conclusion Proper work environments that provide care with voice may improve labor quality of call center professionals, thus mitigating the risks of developing voice disorders. Nonetheless, physical, social, environmental, organizational, and psychological factors may cause voice symptoms among those voice professionals.

Chemomechanical Origin of Hydrogen Trapping at Grain Boundaries in fcc Metals.

Hydrogen embrittlement of metals is widely observed, but its atomistic origins remain little understood and much debated. Combining a unique identification of interstitial sites through polyhedral tessellation and first-principles calculations, we study hydrogen adsorption at grain boundaries in a variety of face-centered cubic metals of Ni, Cu, γ-Fe, and Pd. We discover the chemomechanical origin of the variation of adsorption energetics for interstitial hydrogen at grain boundaries. A general chemomechanical formula is established to provide accurate assessments of hydrogen trapping and segregation energetics at grain boundaries, and it also offers direct explanations for certain experimental observations. The present study deepens our mechanistic understanding of the role of grain boundaries in hydrogen embrittlement and points to a viable path towards predictive microstructure engineering against hydrogen embrittlement in structural metals.

Índice de Desvantagem Vocal pré e pós-intervenção vocal em pacientes disfônicos / Voice Handicap Index check pre and post vocal intervention in patients with dysphonia

RESUMO Objetivo: Caracterizar e mensurar a autopercepção vocal de pacientes pré e pós-tratamento fonoaudiológico, por meio do protocolo de Índice de Desvantagem Vocal (IDV). Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, com utilização do banco de dados de pacientes atendidos em um setor de Fonoaudiologia. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 23 pacientes, sendo 16 (69,6%) do gênero feminino e sete (30,4%) do gênero masculino. A média de idade foi de 58 anos, a média do tempo de terapia foi de três meses e o número de sessões foi de 11 atendimentos. Dentre os tipos de disfonia encontrados, a orgânica foi a mais frequente (47,8%), seguida da funcional (30,7%) e da organofuncional (21,7%). A mediana do escore total do protocolo apresentou diminuição no período pré-intervenção, em relação ao período pós-intervenção, significando menor desvantagem vocal. Além disso, 80% das questões do protocolo apresentaram diferença significativa, quando comparadas pré e pós-fonoterapia da voz. Conclusão: Houve diferença na percepção da voz após a intervenção fonoaudiológica, indicada por meio da redução dos escores nos itens do IDV. Os achados demonstraram a importância do uso do protocolo IDV na prática clínica, auxiliando o profissional fonoaudiólogo no direcionamento do tratamento e no entendimento do comportamento vocal de pacientes disfônicos. Sugere-se futuras pesquisas, tendo em vista a eficácia do instrumento.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Characterize and measure the voice self-perception of patients pre and post speech therapy treatment using the Índice de Desvantagem Vocal (IDV) protocol, adapted from the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) protocol. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using a database of patients seen in a speech therapy service. Results: The sample comprised 23 patients, 16 (69.6%) of whom female and seven (30.4%) male. The mean age was 58 years and the mean therapy duration was three months with 11 sessions. Among the types of dysphonia found, organic was the most frequent (47.8%) followed by functional (30.7%) and organic-functional (21.7%). The protocol's total score median decreased prior to intervention compared to the post-intervention period, which means a lower voice handicap. Moreover, 80% of the protocol's questions significantly differed when compared pre and post speech therapy. Conclusion: A difference was found in voice perception after speech therapy intervention, indicated by lower scores in the IDV items. The findings show the importance of using the IDV protocol in clinical practice to help the speech therapist target the treatment and understand the voice behavior of dysphonic patients. Further research is suggested given the instrument's efficacy.

Atuação Fonoaudiológica na Voz do Idoso: Revisão Sistemática Exploratória de Literatura / Voice Speech Therapy in the Aged: Exploratory Systematic Review of Literature / Actuación Fonoaudiológica en la Voz de Adultos Mayores: Revisión Sistemática Exploratoria de la Literatura

Introdução: Com o aumento da expectativa de vida da população mundial, surge a importância de estudos acerca do envelhecimento - processo que resulta no declínio de mecanismos de controle necessários para a vida diária. A voz também sofre impactos com a progressão dos anos, sendo esse processo conhecido como presbifonia e sendo o fonoaudiólogo o profissional apto a intervir nesse processo. Objetivo: Revisão sistemática de estudos sobre a atuação fonoaudiológica com voz de idosos. Material e Métodos: Revisão sistemática exploratória nas bases de dados LILACS, Medline e SciELO, com cruzamento de unitermos relacionados à temática do estudo. Foram aceitos artigos em português, inglês e espanhol, entre o período de 2005 e 2014. Os artigos relevantes foram selecionados a partir de critérios de inclusão e exclusão aplicados ao resumo e ao texto integral. Resultados: A busca eletrônica inicial apontou 1047 publicações, das quais 1025 foram excluídas na análise do resumo e 15 foram elegíveis para este estudo após a sua leitura completa. Discussão: Os estudos que compuseram esta revisão trataram da atuação fonoaudiológica nos processos de promoção, avaliação e reabilitação vocal do idoso. Algumas pesquisas falharam em caracterizar suas amostras. Não houve consenso quanto ao marco cronológico da senescência nesses estudos. Vários dos artigos analisados foram publicados em periódicos sem fator de impacto. Conclusão:Houve fraca visibilidade do assunto devido ao fator de impacto dos periódicos, além de baixa qualidade de evidência, destacando-se a necessidade de pesquisas robustas voltadas à atuação fonoaudiológica com idosos na área da voz.

Introducción: Con la esperanza de vida cada vez mayor de la población mundial, surge la importancia de los estudios sobre el envejecimiento - proceso de la disminución de los mecanismos de control necesarios para la vida diaria. La voz también sufre impactos con la progresión de los años, siendo conocido este proceso como presbifoniay siendo el fonoaudiólogo el profesional capas de intervenir en este proceso. Objetivo: Revisión sistemática de los estudios sobre la actuación fonoaudiológica con la voz de adultos mayores. Material y Métodos: Revisión sistemática exploratoria en las bases de datos LILACS, Medline y SciELO, con cruce de palabras clave relacionadas con el tema de estudio. Se aceptaron artículos en Portugués, Inglés y Español, el período entre 2005 y 2014. Los artículospertinentes fueron seleccionados en base a criterios de inclusión y exclusión aplicados al resumen y al texto completo. Resultados: La búsqueda electrónica inicial mostró 1047 publicaciones, de las cuales 1025 fueron excluidos en el análisis del resumen y 15 fueron elegibles para este estudio después de su lectura completa. Discusión: Los estudios que compusieron esta revisión abordaron la intervención fonoaudiológica en los procesos de promoción, evaluación y rehabilitación de voz en adultos mayores. Algunas investigaciones han fallado en caracterizar sus muestras. No hubo consenso cuanto al marcador cronológico de la senescencia en estos estudios. Varios artículos analizados fueron publicados en revistas sin factor de impacto. Conclusión: Hubo poca visibilidad del asunto debido al factor de impacto de los periódicos, además de la baja calidad de evidencia, destacando la necesidad de investigaciones robustas centradas en la actuación fonoaudiológica con adultos mayores en el área de la voz.

Introduction: With world population life expectancy rising, comes the importance of conducting studies about aging - process which results in the decline of control mechanisms needed for daily life. The voice also suffers impacts with the progression of years, this process being known as presbyphonia. The Speech-Language Pathologist is the professional who has the knowledge to intervene in this process. Objective: Survey studies about speech therapy intervention on voice in the aged. Methods: Exploratory Systematic Review in the following data bases: LILACS.Medline and SciELO. The search was conducted using keywords related to the topic of study. Articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish were accepted, with periods between 2005 and 2014. Relevant articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to the abstract and full text. Results: The electronic search ended with 1047publications, of which 1025 were excluded in the analysis of the abstract and 15 were eligible for this study afterthe complete reading of the content. Discussion: The studies that composed this review describe the speech therapyintervention in the promotion, evaluation and vocal rehabilitation processes with the elderly Some researchers havefailed to characterize their samples. There was no consensus about the chronological marker of senescence in thesestudies. Several of the analyzed articles were published in journals without impact factor. Conclusion: There waspoor visibility due to the impact factor of publications, as well as low quality of evidence, highlighting the need forresearches focused on speech therapy with the elderly in the voice

Peak compression in reversed-phase gradient elution.

Previous reports suggest that peak widths in linear gradient elution are consistently larger than predicted by theory; however, if gradient compression is ignored, experiment and theory are in reasonable agreement. This suggests that gradient compression might represent an incorrect or poorly understood concept. In the present study, an experimental program was carried out to better understand the role of gradient compression and the reason for past differences between experiment and theory. It is concluded that the concept of gradient compression is correct.