Multitaper Spectrum Analysis of Consonants Produced by Patients With Dentofacial Disharmonies.

Purpose: This study investigates differences in American English consonants produced by patients who present with various dentofacial disharmonies (DFDs), including severe overbites (Class II), underbites (Class III), and anterior open bites. Previous studies have found that patients with these malocclusion types all produce lingual sibilants and plosives with increased spectral center of gravity and increased spectral variance relative to controls. This result is puzzling since some DFD groups differ from controls in opposite ways, and it is also difficult to interpret because spectral moment measures are affected by a wide range of speech and nonspeech factors.

DENTOFACIAL DISHARMONY PATIENTS' SIBILANTS DIFFER FROM CONTROLS' MORE IN SOURCE THAN FILTER PROPERTIES.

This study uses multitaper spectral analysis to examine the differences in consonants produced by patients who present with different dentofacial disharmonies (DFD) including severe overbites (Class II), underbites (Class III) and anterior open bites. Previous studies have found that patients with these malocclusion types all produce sibilants and plosives with increased spectral center of gravity and increased spectral spread relative to controls. This result is puzzling since some DFD groups differ from controls in opposite ways.

The European health data space: Too big to succeed?

In May 2022, the European Commission issued the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the aims of granting citizens increased access to and control of their (electronic) health data across the EU, and facilitating health data re-use for research, innovation, and policymaking. As the first in a series of European domain-specific "data spaces", the EHDS is a high-stakes development that will transform health data governance in the EU region. As an international consortium of experts from health policy, law, ethics and the social sciences, we are concerned that the EHDS Proposal will detract from, rather than lead to the achievement of, its stated aims.

A tetrahydroacridine derivative and its conjugate with gold nanoparticles: promising agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

A new tetrahydroacridine derivative (CHDA) with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties was synthesized. Using a range of physicochemical techniques, it was shown that the compound strongly adsorbs onto the surface of planar macroscopic or nanoparticulate gold, forming a nearly full monolayer. The adsorbed CHDA molecules reveal well-defined electrochemical behavior, being irreversibly oxidized to electroactive species.

Impacts of Development, Dentofacial Disharmony, and Its Surgical Correction on Speech: A Narrative Review for Dental Professionals.

Speech is a communication method found only in humans that relies on precisely articulated sounds to encode and express thoughts. Anatomical differences in the maxilla, mandible, tooth position, and vocal tract affect tongue placement and broadly influence the patterns of airflow and resonance during speech production. Alterations in these structures can create perceptual distortions in speech known as speech sound disorders (SSDs).

Potential of Lactoferrin in the Treatment of Lung Diseases.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein that exhibits a variety of properties, such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer, that can be used to treat numerous diseases. Lung diseases continue to be the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Many of the therapies currently used to treat these diseases have limited efficacy or are associated with side effects.

The Role of Vitamins in the Pathogenesis of Asthma.

Vitamins play a crucial role in the proper functioning of organisms. Disturbances of their levels, seen as deficiency or excess, enhance the development of various diseases, including those of the cardiovascular, immune, or respiratory systems. The present paper aims to summarize the role of vitamins in one of the most common diseases of the respiratory system, asthma.

Expression of Isoforms in Human Brain: Impact of Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology and Genetics.

The single nucleotide polymorphisms rs35349669 and rs10933431 within Inositol Polyphosphate-5-Phosphatase D () are strongly associated with Alzheimer's Disease risk. To better understand expression in the brain, we investigated isoform expression as a function of rs35349669 and rs10933431, as well as Alzheimer's disease neuropathology, by qPCR and isoform-specific primers. In addition, allelic expression imbalance was evaluated relative to rs1141328 within exon 1.

drives transcriptional heterogeneity and maladaptive immunometabolic responses of astrocytes.

Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) is the strongest risk allele associated with the development of late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Across the CNS, astrocytes are the predominant expressor of while also being critical mediators of neuroinflammation and cerebral metabolism. APOE4 has been consistently linked with dysfunctional inflammation and metabolic processes, yet insights into the molecular constituents driving these responses remain unclear.

Computed tomography with positron emission tomography is more useful in local than systemic infectious process related to cardiac implanted electrotherapy device: a prospective controlled multicenter diagnostic intervention PET-Guidance Trial.

Assess the diagnostic value of 18-F FDG PET/CT in cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) infections in facilitating diagnostic process and optimizing decision-making process.Study group (n = 21) patients with initial suspected diagnosis of CIED-related infection or fever of unknown origin and patients referred for device removal due to infection. Control group (n = 13) patients with implanted CIED, who underwent PET/CT due to other non-infectious indications and had no data for infectious process in follow-up.

Impacts of anterior-posterior jaw disproportions on speech of dentofacial disharmony patients.

Background/objectives: Articulation problems impact communication, development, and quality of life, and are diagnosed in 73-87% of patients with Class II Dentofacial Disharmony (DFD). We evaluated whether differences exist in stop (/t/ or/k/), fricative (/s/ or/ʃ/), and affricate (/tʃ/) consonant sounds of Class II DFD subjects, and whether extent of malocclusion correlates with severity of speech distortion. We hypothesized that Class II patients display milder distortions than Class III and anterior open bite (AOB), as Class II patients can posture into a Class I occlusion.

Impacts of Skeletal Anterior Open Bite Malocclusion on Speech.

Introduction: Articulation problems are seen in 80-90% of dentofacial deformity (DFD) subjects compared with 5% of the general population, impacting communication and quality of life, but the causal link is unclear. We hypothesize there are both qualitative (perceptual) and quantitative (spectral) differences in properties of stop (/t/ or /k/), fricative (/s/ or /∫/), and affricate (/t∫/) consonant sounds and that severity of anterior open bite (AOB) jaw disharmonies correlates with degree of speech abnormality.

Methods: To test our hypotheses, surgical orthodontic records and audio recordings were collected from DFD patients (n=39 AOB, 62 controls).

Validating Spectral Moment Analysis as a Quantitative Measure of Speech Distortions in Speakers With Class III Malocclusions.

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between judged speech sound distortions and spectral moment metrics in speakers with Class III malocclusion.

Methods: A quantitative online survey was distributed to 30 speech specialists (clinicians and/or students) and 100 lay listeners to judge the clarity of the sounds /s/, /ʃ/, /t/ and /k/ using a visual analog scale (VAS) from recordings of 11 Class III (underbite) Dentofacial Disharmony (DFD) patients and eight Class I controls. Patients and controls were grouped according to high, moderate, and low /s/-/ʃ/ first spectral moment differences.

Exogenous Short Chain Fatty Acid Effects in APP/PS1 Mice.

Elucidating the impact of the gut microbiome on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an area of intense interest. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are major microbiota metabolites that have been implicated as a mediator of gut microbiome effects in the brain. Here, we tested the effects of SCFA-treated water vs.

An Alternatively Spliced TREM2 Isoform Lacking the Ligand Binding Domain is Expressed in Human Brain.

Background: Genetic variants in TREM2 are strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk but alternative splicing in TREM2 transcripts has not been comprehensively described.

Objective: Recognizing that alternative splice variants can result in reduced gene expression and/or altered function, we sought to fully characterize splice variation in TREM2.

Methods: Human anterior cingulate autopsy tissue from 61 donors was used for end-point and quantitative PCR and western blotting to identify and quantify novel TREM2 isoforms.

Alveolar Backing in 3-Year-Old Children with and without Repaired Cleft Palate: Preliminary Findings Related to Cleft Type and History of Otitis Media.

Objective: The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine if cleft type and/or history of otitis media with effusion (OM) contribute to backing of /t/ and/or /s/ in young children with and without repaired cleft palate.

Method: Participants were 39 children (mean age=36 months, range 34 to 41). Ten children had repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP), nine had repaired cleft palate only (CP), twelve had no clefts but histories of OM, and eight were typically-developing (TD) without clefts or OM history.

Perylene-Based Chromophore as a Versatile Dye for Light Amplification.

One of the challenges for modern optoelectronics is to find versatile, easily adaptable components for novel laser-based technologies. A very attractive perylene-derivative chromophore in different organic matrices for high-performance light amplification is discussed and outlined. Our approach demonstrates the outstandingly compatible laser dye and a viable strategy to provide an effective optical gain for stimulated emission enhancement.

APOE genetics influence murine gut microbiome.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles impact pathogenesis and risk for multiple human diseases, making them primary targets for disease treatment and prevention. Previously, we and others reported an association between APOE alleles and the gut microbiome. Here, we evaluated effects of APOE heterozygosity and tested whether these overall results extended to mice maintained under ideal conditions for microbiome analyses.

Regulatory Peptides in Asthma.

Numerous regulatory peptides play a critical role in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation, airflow obstruction and hyperresponsiveness, which are hallmarks of asthma. Some of them exacerbate asthma symptoms, such as neuropeptide Y and tachykinins, while others have ameliorating properties, such as nociception, neurotensin or β-defensin 2. Interacting with peptide receptors located in the lungs or on immune cells opens up new therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of asthma, especially when it is resistant to available therapies.

Development and Resolution of Nasal Fricatives in a Child with Repaired Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: A Case Report.

Purpose: This case report describes the development, characteristics, and resolution of anterior nasal fricatives (ANFs) - a learned maladaptive articulation error - in a young girl with repaired bilateral cleft lip and palate.

Method: The girl was observed every two months from 12 to 24 months of age with follow-ups at 36, 48, and 67 months of age.

Results: At 12 months of age, the girl nasalized /b/ inconsistently and had mild conductive hearing loss.

The Palatal Closure Efficiency (PaCE) Index: A New Speaker-Centered Aerodynamic Metric for the Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Function During Speech.

Purpose: Pressure-flow testing provides clinicians with estimates of velopharyngeal (VP) gap size during speech production. Traditionally, adequacy of VP function has been based on absolute area criteria. This clinical focus article provides a brief overview of pressure-flow testing and introduces the PaCE index, a speaker-centered metric to interpret findings.

Mineral Micronutrients in Asthma.

Asthma represents one of the most common medical issues in the modern world. It is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent inflammation of the airways and disturbances in redox status, leading to hyperresponsiveness of bronchi and airway obstruction. Apart from classical risk factors such as air pollution, family history, allergies, or obesity, disturbances of the levels of micronutrients lead to impairments in the defense mechanisms of the affected organism against oxidative stress and proinflammatory stimuli.

Orthognathic speech pathology: impacts of Class III malocclusion on speech.

Introduction: Patients with dentofacial disharmonies (DFDs) seek orthodontic care and orthognathic surgery to address issues with mastication, esthetics, and speech. Speech distortions are seen 18 times more frequently in Class III DFD patients than the general population, with unclear causality. We hypothesize there are significant differences in spectral properties of stop (/t/ or /k/), fricative (/s/ or /ʃ/), and affricate (/tʃ/) consonants and that severity of Class III disharmony correlates with the degree of speech abnormality.