Ultra high density imaging arrays in diffuse optical tomography for human brain mapping improve image quality and decoding performance.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has dramatically advanced non-invasive human brain mapping and decoding. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) non-invasively measure blood oxygen fluctuations related to brain activity, like fMRI, at the brain surface, using more-lightweight equipment that circumvents ergonomic and logistical limitations of fMRI. HD-DOT grids have smaller inter-optode spacing (~ 13 mm) than sparse fNIRS (~ 30 mm) and therefore provide higher image quality, with spatial resolution ~ 1/2 that of fMRI, when using the several source-detector distances (13-40 mm) afforded by the HD-DOT grid.

The Hao-Fountain syndrome protein USP7 regulates neuronal connectivity in the brain via a novel p53-independent ubiquitin signaling pathway.

Mutation or deletion of the deubiquitinase USP7 causes Hao-Fountain syndrome (HAFOUS), which is characterized by speech delay, intellectual disability, and aggressive behavior and highlights important unknown roles of USP7 in the nervous system. Here, we conditionally delete USP7 in glutamatergic neurons in the mouse forebrain, triggering disease-relevant phenotypes, including sensorimotor deficits, impaired cognition, and aggressive behavior. Although USP7 deletion induces p53-dependent neuronal apoptosis, most behavioral abnormalities in USP7 conditional knockout mice persist following p53 loss.

Validation of the Singing Voice Handicap Index in Greek Singers: Normal and Voice-Disordered Participants.

Objectives: The Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) was culturally adapted and validated in Greek to examine the impacts of voice problems on a singer's everyday life.

Methods: The translated version was administered to 120 singers in total, along with the translated version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), a sort voice history questionnaire, two Self-Rating Dysphonia Severity Scales (SRDSSs), and two visual analog scales. A week after the original completion of the Greek version of SVHI, a second copy of the SVHI was administered to 50% of the participants.

Early childhood educators' perspectives of the social functioning and strengths of children exposed to intimate partner violence.

Background: Exposure to IPV can negatively impact children's social functioning. However, children exposed to IPV can also display significant strengths. The early educational environment can be a key factor promoting resilience outside of the family, with early educators in an ideal position to identify a broad range of social challenges, strengths and needs of children exposed to IPV.

Pitch-based correspondences related to abstract concepts.

Previous investigations have shown pitch-based correspondences with various perceptual and conceptual attributes. The present study reveals two novel pitch-based correspondences with highly abstract concepts. Three experiments with varying levels of implicitness of the association task showed that the concepts of future and in are associated with high-pitch sounds, while past and out are associated with low-pitch sounds.

Development and Validation of a GULP-Based Predictive Model for Dehydration in Elderly Patients with Post-Stroke Dysphagia.

The background for establishing and verifying a dehydration prediction model for elderly patients with post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) based on General Utility for Latent Process (GULP) is as follows: For elderly patients with PSD, GULP technology is utilized to build a dehydration prediction model. This aims to improve the accuracy of dehydration risk assessment and provide clinical intervention, thereby offering a scientific basis and enhancing patient prognosis. This research highlights the innovative application of GULP technology in constructing complex medical prediction models and addresses the special health needs of elderly stroke patients.

How to Manage an Individual Living with Parkinson's Disease Who Acutely Cannot Swallow.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative condition that can lead to problems swallowing. Individuals living with PD may be unable to take medications orally for various reasons including acute or chronic dysphagia, non-PD related causes and being placed nil-by-mouth for elective reasons. This article outlines a five-step approach to managing an individual living with PD who is unable to take oral medication acutely.

Surface Electromyographic Activities of Submental and Infrahyoid Muscles: Comparisons Based on Residue, Penetration and Aspiration.

Background: Surface electromyography (sEMG) has been used in a wide range of studies conducted in the field of dysphagia.

Objectives: The main aim of this case-control study is to obtain how submental and infrahyoid sEMG signals differ based on residue, penetration and aspiration.

Methods: A total of 100 participants (50 patients with suspected dysphagia and 50 healthy controls) were enrolled in the present study.

The experiences of speech-language pathologists when collaborating with spoken language interpreters, multilingual families, and their children with hearing loss.

Purpose: The parents of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may require a spoken language interpreter to access early-intervention services. This research sought to describe speech-language pathologists' perspectives regarding collaboration with interpreters in this space.

Method: Twenty-seven speech-language pathologists working in Australia completed a cross-sectional mixed-method online survey.

Graphene-Based, Flexible, Wearable Piezoresistive Sensors with High Sensitivity for Tiny Pressure Detection.

Flexible, wearable, piezoresistive sensors have significant potential for applications in wearable electronics and electronic skin fields due to their simple structure and durability. Highly sensitive, flexible, piezoresistive sensors with the ability to monitor laryngeal articulatory vibration supply a new, more comfortable and versatile way to aid communication for people with speech disorders. Here, we present a piezoresistive sensor with a novel microstructure that combines insulating and conductive properties.

An End-To-End Speech Recognition Model for the North Shaanxi Dialect: Design and Evaluation.

The coal mining industry in Northern Shaanxi is robust, with a prevalent use of the local dialect, known as "Shapu", characterized by a distinct Northern Shaanxi accent. This study addresses the practical need for speech recognition in this dialect. We propose an end-to-end speech recognition model for the North Shaanxi dialect, leveraging the Conformer architecture.

Velopharyngeal Insufficiency and Impaired Tongue Movement Indicate Neuromuscular Disorders: A 10-Year Statistical Study in a Single Tertiary Institution.

: This study aimed to determine the positive predictive value of our NMD Suspicion Criteria in the diagnosis of NMDs. Other clinical factors routinely examined in our voice and swallowing examinations were also investigated to see if they had a significant association with the diagnosis of NMDs. : This study retrospectively investigated the medical charts of patients who visited our Voice and Swallowing outpatient clinic between 2013 and 2022.

Efficacy of Hearing Aids in Patients with Hearing Difficulties in Noise: Focus on Hidden Hearing Loss.

Hearing aids (HAs) have been used for standard high-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus, but their effects on speech intelligibility in noise (SIN) in people with normal hearing, including hidden hearing loss (HHL), have been little explored. We included in a prospective cohort study patients who experience poor SIN and have normal pure tone average in quiet conditions or slight HL. We used open-fit HAs.

A Biopsychosocial Overview of Speech Disorders: Neuroanatomical, Genetic, and Environmental Insights.

Speech disorders encompass a complex interplay of neuroanatomical, genetic, and environmental factors affecting individuals' communication ability. This review synthesizes current insights into the neuroanatomy, genetic underpinnings, and environmental influences contributing to speech disorders. Neuroanatomical structures, such as Broca's area, Wernicke's area, the arcuate fasciculus, and basal ganglia, along with their connectivity, play critical roles in speech production, comprehension, and motor coordination.

Managing cyberbullying among adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A scoping review.

Purpose: While there is evidence for the effectiveness of programmes targeting cyberbullying in general adolescent populations, less is known for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, who are at heightened risk of involvement in cyberbullying. This scoping review aimed to identify and map the evidence in relation to managing cyberbullying among adolescents aged 10-19 with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Method: The following databases were searched: ProQuest (including dissertations and theses), PsychInfo, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar.

Atrophy of cerebellum Crus I indicates poor outcome of cochlear implantation in the elderly.

Cochlear implantation (CI) is a highly effective treatment for profound hearing loss in elderly individuals, including those with ARHL. However, factors influencing the success of CI in the elderly population are not fully understood. Hence, we sought to investigate the association of regional cerebellar gray matter volume with effectiveness of CI in the elderly.

Oral microbiota among treatment-naïve adolescents with depression: A case-control study.

Background: Adolescent depression has profound impacts on physical, cognitive, and emotional development. While gut microbiota changes have been linked to depression, the relationship between oral microbiota and depression remains elusive. Our study aims to investigate the oral microbiota in treatment-naïve adolescents experiencing depression and examine their potential associations with cognitive function.

TRIPLE THERAPY COMBINED WITH ACCELERATED RECOVERY STRATEGY CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH MECHANICAL VENTILATION.

Objective: The integration of physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech therapy (ST) into a triple therapy approach has gained recognition in the rehabilitation of patients. The integration of PT-OT-ST triple therapy with accelerated recovery strategies in pulmonary rehabilitation for elderly mechanically ventilated patients is anticipated to overcome the limitations of traditional rehabilitation approaches.

Methods: By applying stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 60 elderly patients over 60 years old requiring mechanical ventilation were selected.

Investigating the moments of "aha" and "hmm" through acoustic analysis of voice and speech in pre-service physics teacher education-A novel method for identifying significant learning moments.

The aim of the study was to find whether certain meaningful moments in the learning process are noticeable through features of voice and how acoustic voice analyses can be utilized in learning research. The material consisted of recordings of nine university students as they were completing tasks concerning direct electric circuits as part of their course of teacher education in physics. Prosodic features of voice-fundamental frequency (F0), sound pressure level (SPL), acoustic voice quality measured by LTAS, and pausing-were investigated.

Gender biases and hate speech: Promoters and targets in the Argentinean political context.

Hate speech found in social media a place to flourish. In the Argentinean context, new right-wing parties have disrupted the political arena, winning the elections of 2023. Many of these new right-wing figures grew in popularity due to their use of social media, on a background of increasing political violence.

Efficacy of videoconferencing-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy to reduce anxiety disorder severity in LGBTQ+ people: An exploratory trial protocol.

Objective: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a well-established treatment for anxiety disorders in the general population. However, the efficacy of CBT for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and otherwise non-heterosexual or non-cisgender (LGBTQ+) people with anxiety disorders is still emerging in the literature. This protocol proposes an exploratory, two-group, randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of CBT for anxiety disorders against a waitlist control group.

Lipreading as a communication strategy to enhance speech recognition in individuals with hearing impairment: a scoping review.

This article explores the existing research evidence on the potential effectiveness of lipreading as a communication strategy to enhance speech recognition in individuals with hearing impairment. A scoping review was conducted, involving a search of six electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Engineering Village, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) for research papers published between January 2013 and June 2023. This study included original research papers with full texts available in English, covering all study designs: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.

Maternal Emotional Availability Supports Child Communicative Development Regardless of Child Temperament-Findings From the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

The interplay of emotional availability (EA) and child temperament in association with early language development is understudied. We explored associations between maternal EA and infant communicative development and possible moderations by child temperament. Participants were 151 mother-child dyads from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

Experimental study on the preventive effect of Anemarrhena rhizome on pregnancy loss and the incidence rate of cleft palate in A/J mice.

Pregnancy loss is a significant concern worldwide, encompassing miscarriage and stillbirth. Miscarriage, defined as the loss of a baby before 28 weeks of gestation, accounts for approximately 15% of pregnancies. Stillbirth, occurring at or after 28 weeks of gestation, affects nearly 2.

Factors Associated With Social-Pragmatic Understanding in Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Typically Hearing 6-Year-Old Children.

Purpose: Children develop social-pragmatic understanding with the help of sensory, cognitive, and linguistic functions by interacting with other people. This study aimed to explore (a) associations between auditory, demographic, cognitive, and linguistic factors and social-pragmatic understanding in children who use bilateral hearing aids (BiHAs) or bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) and in typically hearing (TH) children and (b) the effect of the group (BiHA, BiCI, TH) on social-pragmatic understanding when the effects of demographic, cognitive, and linguistic factors are controlled for.

Method: The Pragma test was used to assess social-pragmatic understanding in 119 six-year-old children: 25 children who use BiHAs, 29 who use BiCIs, and 65 TH children.