The growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has coincided with more timely manuscript submissions and improved efficiency in scientific writing. While AI tools help authors produce clear and well-structured work, excessive or undisclosed reliance raises concerns about originality, authenticity, and the integrity of scholarly publications. Editors increasingly recognize AI-assisted writing and face the challenge of preserving rigorous standards. Emerging guidelines emphasize transparency in AI use, alongside the need to retain individual voice and diversity in scientific expression. This editorial highlights the balance between leveraging AI’s benefits and safeguarding ethical publication practices, while acknowledging contributors to the current issue.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is transmitted via infectious respiratory particles. Infectious respiratory particles are released when an infected person breathes, coughs, or speaks. Several studies have measured respiratory particle concentrations through focusing on activities such as breathing, coughing, and short speech. However, few studies have investigated the effect of speech duration. METHODS: This study aimed to clarify the effects of speech duration and volume on the respiratory particle concentration. Study participants were requested to speak at three voice volumes across five speech durations, generating 15 speech patterns. Participants spoke inside a clean booth where particle concentrations and voice volumes were measured and analyzed during speech. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that as speech duration increased, the aerosol number concentration also increased. Through focusing on individual differences, we considered there might be super-emitters who emit more aerosol particles than the average human. Two participants were identified as statistical outliers (aerosol number concentration, n = 1; mass concentration, n = 1). CONCLUSIONS Considering speech duration may improve our understanding of respiratory particle concentration dynamics. Two participants were identified as potential super-emitters.
Humans ; Male ; Speech/physiology* ; Adult ; Female ; COVID-19/transmission* ; Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets ; Voice ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Time Factors ; Young Adult ; Aerosols/analysis*

Pitch abnormalities are a common manifestation of various voice disorders, with complex pathophysiological mechanisms involving changes in vocal fold tension, mass, and neuromuscular dysfunction of the larynx. This study aims to investigate the underlying physiological mechanisms of pitch-related disorders and explore diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, providing insights for clinical management.
Humans ; Voice Disorders/therapy* ; Vocal Cords/physiopathology*

This paper introduces the concept of the "medical artistic voice", aiming to provide new perspectives for the development of the discipline. This perspective emphasizes the use of medical approaches to promote the growth of artistic voice. Through medical interventions, it assists professional voice users in managing their careers, addressing voice-related diseases, and evaluating clinical demands for voice treatment and the development of new equipment. This approach seeks to expand the research scope and application fields of the medical artistic voice.
Humans ; Voice ; Voice Disorders

Objective:To explore the influence of voice training combined with active breathing and circulation techniques on voice recovery following vocal cord polyp surgery. Methods:A total of 110 patients who underwent vocal cord polyp surgery at our hospital from May 2022 to November 2023 were selected and randomly divided into a control group （n=55） and a combination group （n=55） using a random number table method. During the recovery period, both groups received dietary control and aerosol treatment. The control group participated in voice training, while the combination group received active breathing and circulation techniques in addition to voice training for 2 months. Morphological changes, voice acoustic indicators （Shimmer, Jitter, Maximum Phonation Time[MPT]）, and the Voice Handicap Index （VHI） were compared between the two groups, and clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results:The combination group demonstrated higher clinical efficacy after training compared to the control group, with a statistically significant difference （P<0.05）. The proportion of incomplete closure, abnormal mucosal wave, and supraglottic compensation decreased in both groups after training （P<0.05）. However, there was no significant difference in the proportions of incomplete closure and abnormal mucosal wave between the two groups （P>0.05）. Notably, the proportion of patients with supraglottic compensation in the combination group was lower than in the control group （P<0.05）. After training, the Shimmer and Jitter values decreased in both groups, with the combination group exhibiting lower values （P<0.05）. Conversely, the MPT values increased in both groups, again with higher values in the combination group （P<0.05）. Additionally, after training, the functional, physiological, and emotional scores of the VHI decreased in both groups, with the scores in the combination group lower than those in the control group, demonstrating statistical significance （P<0.05）. Conclusion:Voice training combined with active breathing and circulation techniques has a beneficial effect on recovery following vocal cord polyp surgery. This combined approach significantly improves vocal cord morphology and acoustic indices, alleviates voice disorders, and enhances overall voice recovery.
Humans ; Vocal Cords/surgery* ; Polyps/surgery* ; Voice Training ; Male ; Female ; Voice Quality ; Laryngeal Diseases/surgery* ; Voice ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Respiration

Objective:To explore the factors influencing adherence to voice therapy among patients with voice disorders in China. Methods:Patients with voice disorders who visited the Voice Therapy Center at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, from February to May 2022 were enrolled in the study. Adherence was assessed using the URICA-Voice scale, while influencing factors were assessed through the Voice Handicap Index（VHI） scale and a general information questionnaire. Correlation analysis was conducted using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results:A total of 247 patients were included in the study, comprising 57 males（23.08%） and 190 females（76.92%）. The results revealed that: ①Female patients demonstrated higher likelihood of being in the contemplation stage（OR=0.22） compared to males. ②Patients with a monthly family income per capita>6 000 yuan were more likely to be in the contemplation stage than those with<3 000 yuan with an OR = 13.94. ③High vocal-demand occupations increased contemplation stage probability（OR=7.70） compared to moderate-demand occupations. ④Residence within 30-minute commute predicted action/maintenance stages（OR=7.14） versus≥60-minute commute. ⑤Patients whose occupations had high voice demands were more likely to be in the action and maintenance stages than those with average voice demands, with an OR of 16.20. Conclusion:Gender, monthly family income per capita, occupational voice demands, and distance to the hospital significantly impact the URICA-Voice compliance stages of patients. Patients who are female, have higher family income, have occupations with high voice demands, and live closer to the hospital exhibit higher compliance with voice training.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Voice Disorders/therapy* ; Patient Compliance ; Voice Training ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; China ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Voice Quality ; Logistic Models ; Aged

Over the past decade, the assessment and management of voice disorders have witnessed remarkable progress. The assessment framework encompasses a multidimensional system that includes subjective audio-perceptual assessment, objective acoustic analysis, voice-related quality of life assessment, laryngoscopy and vocal fold vibration evaluation, aerodynamic analysis and laryngeal electromyography. In China, the Expert Consensus for Assessment of Vocal Function was published in 2024. Therapeutically, continuous refinement of phonomicrosurgical techniques, injection laryngoplasty, laryngeal framework surgery, and laryngeal reinnervation procedures has yielded favorable functional outcomes in phonation and swallowing. Voice therapy delivered either as an adjunct to surgery or as a standalone intervention-now plays an indispensable role in comprehensive voice care. In the future, voice disorders will be assessed more precisely, treated more effectively, and supported by more comprehensive rehabilitation.
Humans ; Voice Disorders/diagnosis* ; Quality of Life ; Laryngoscopy ; Voice Training ; Voice Quality ; Vocal Cords ; Electromyography ; Laryngoplasty

Objective:To explore the impacts of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training on voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors in patients who were diagnosed with vocal cord polyp and received operation. Methods:A total of 96 cases who received operation on vocal cord polyp were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group was given ABCLOVE voice training for rehabilitation after the operation. The study group was given acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training. The voice function and the levels of inflammatory factors of the two groups were compared. Results:The effective rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）. The scores of main symptoms such as hoarseness, dry mouth, and thirst in the study group were lower than those in the control group（P<0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment, the voice fundamental frequency（F0） of the study group was higher than that of the control group（P<0.05）, the maximum phonation time（MPT） was longer than that of the control group（P<0.05）, and the voice fundamental frequency perturbation value（Jitter） and voice amplitude perturbation value（Shimmer） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. The levels of serum interleukin-6（IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） were lower than those of the control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with ABCLOVE voice training can obviously alleviate hoarseness and other symptoms, improve voice function and reduce the level of inflammatory factors, thus is an effective treatment for patients who received operation on vocal cord polyp.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Polyps/therapy* ; Vocal Cords ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Voice Training ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Young Adult ; Laryngeal Diseases/therapy*

OBJECTIVES: To construct vocal recognition classification models using 6 machine learning algorithms and vocal emotional characteristics of individuals with subthreshold depression to facilitate early identification of subthreshold depression. METHODS: We collected voice data from both normal individuals and participants with subthreshold depression by asking them to read specifically chosen words and texts. From each voice sample, 384-dimensional vocal emotional feature variables were extracted, including energy feature, Meir frequency cepstrum coefficient, zero cross rate feature, sound probability feature, fundamental frequency feature, difference feature. The Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) method was employed to select voice feature variables. Classification models were then built using the machine learning algorithms Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Random Forest (RF), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Logistic Regression (LR), Lasso Regression (LRLasso), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), and the performance of these models was evaluated. To assess generalization capability of the models, we used real-world speech data to evaluate the best speech recognition classification model. RESULTS: The AdaBoost, RF, and LDA models achieved high prediction accuracies of 100%, 100%, and 93.3% on word-reading speech test set, respectively. In the text-reading speech test set, the accuracies of the AdaBoost, RF, and LDA models were 90%, 80%, and 90%, respectively, while the accuracies of the other 3 models were all below 80%. On real-world word-reading and text-reading speech data, the classification models using AdaBoost and Random Forest still achieved high predictive accuracies (91.7% and 80.6% for AdaBoost and 86.1% and 77.8% for Random, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Analyzing vocal emotional characteristics allows effective identification of individuals with subthreshold depression. The AdaBoost and RF models show excellent performance for classifying subthreshold depression individuals, and may thus potentially offer valuable assistance in the clinical and research settings.
Humans ; Machine Learning ; Emotions ; Depression/diagnosis* ; Algorithms ; Voice ; Support Vector Machine ; Male ; Female

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between e-cigarette vaping, voice quality and vocal cord integrity among patients aged 19 years old and above at the Quezon City General Hospital based on the Filipino Voice Handicap Index (VHI), laryngoscopy, and GRBAS scale.

Design: Cross-Sectional Study

Setting: Tertiary Government Training Hospital

Participants: Ninety-eight (98) participants aged 19 years old and above with no previously known laryngeal illness who use e-cigarettes, completed the Filipino VHI, laryngoscopic evaluation, and GRBAS evaluation were recruited in the study.

Out of 98 participants, 65.3% (64/98) and 34.7% (34/98) were current and past e-cigarette users, respectively, of which 30% (29/98) had abnormal laryngeal findings. Abnormal laryngeal findings were observed in 34.4% (22/64) and 20.6% (7/34) of current and past e-cigarette users, respectively, (p=.172) which include erythema, edema or swelling, vascularity, and mucus in the vocal folds. Asthma (OR=145.1, 95%CI=2.6-79.2, p=.015) and current smoking (OR=13.9, 95%CI=1.6-17.1, p=.016) were significantly associated with abnormal laryngeal findings, while current smoking was significantly associated with higher GRBAS scores (β=0.5, 95%CI=0.06-1.0, p=.025). Years vaping, pods and drops used, and nicotine content level were not significantly associated with abnormal laryngeal findings, GRBAS scores and VHI scores (p > .05).

In this study, the prevalence of abnormal laryngeal findings was 30% among e-cigarette users which was higher among current e-cigarette users than past users. Concurrent cigarette smoking was a significant predictor of abnormal endoscopic findings and voice quality. Further research is recommended to substantiate the association of e-cigarette vaping with voice quality and laryngeal integrity.