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R Colombo

Publications and source records attributed to R Colombo.

225 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Unusual technical procedures in reconstructive urological surgery.

Three successful technical procedures for the correction of complex defects of the urinary excretory pathway and the renal vessels are described. The authors emphasize their original technique which allowed kidney preservation and yielded good long-term results. They suggest that this conservative approach be used in more patients to avoid unnecessary nephrectomies.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multiparametric quantitative evaluation of the speech production system: a study in normal subjects.

This paper describes a systems architecture developed for the study of the speech production system. The architecture utilizes two personal computers: the "Word-Image Presenter" (WIP) that presents a sequence of words to the subject under examination as visual stimulation, and the "Signal Acquisition System" that controls the WIP, acquires the acoustic signal, the oromandibular electromyographic signals, the kinematic lip and jaw signals and measures reaction times and durations. Thirty normal subjects divided into three age groups (18-44, 45-59, 60-80) underwent examination by means of the described system. During the test a random sequence of two words was presented to the subjects; the protocol consisted of an immediate reading task and two delayed reading tasks with variable foreperiods of 0.1 and 1.5 s for one task and 0.5 and 4 s for the other. The analysis of the resultant acoustic and electromyographic signals indicated that reaction times increased with age in both the immediate and delayed tasks. The analysis of variance showed that the difference between the young and elderly groups was statistically significant. The sample size of the groups, however, is too small to consider these results normative data.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Processes of speech production: Analysis of the methods and applications in a group of normal subjects (I)].

The measurement of reaction times in response to suitable stimuli may provide insight into the separate functional blocks corresponding to diverse speech production mechanisms. The quantitative evaluation of speech motor performance provides useful information for the early detection and long-term monitoring of many neurological diseases. The vocal reaction times (VRTs) technique and its application in the assessment of a group of normal subjects is presented. Speech motor performance and the effect of age were investigated by measuring VRTs and speech duration, in a group of thirty normal subjects divided into three age groups (18-44, 45-59, 60-80). VRTs were measured by using an immediate and delayed reaction stimulation paradigm. Analysis of the acoustic and electromyographic signals indicated that reaction times increased with age in both the immediate and delayed tasks; also the acoustic signal durations increased with age. The analysis of variance showed that the difference between the young and elderly groups was statistically significant. This technique may be considered a useful tool to provide qualitative and quantitative measures of the processes involved in speech production.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Processes of speech production: Application in a group of subjects chronically exposed to organic solvents (II)].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic exposition to neurotoxic solvents in a group of laundry operators by means of Vocal Reaction Times (VRTs) measurements. A group of normal subjects, matched for age and educational level, constituted the controls. Vocal Reaction Times were measured by a device that presented to each subject a sequence of words on a computer screen, acquired the acoustic signal and measured VRTs and durations. During the test a random sequence of words was presented to the subjects; the protocol consisted of two immediate reading task and two delayed reading tasks. The test was performed using concrete and meaningless words. Statistical analysis showed that reaction times measured on the acoustic signals were longer for the exposed group than for the controls. The differences between durations were significant for the delayed reading tasks using concrete words and for all tasks using meaningless words. These findings suggest that this technique may be considered a useful tool for the assessment of the preclinical alterations of CNS in the monitoring of individuals chronically exposed to neurotoxic solvents.

Adult↗