Orthographic Knowledge and Clue Word Facilitated Spelling in Children With Developmental Language Disorder

Purpose This study investigated the orthographic knowledge and how orthographic and phonological information could support children with developmental language disorder (DLD) to make more accurate spelling attempts. Method Children with DLD ( N = 37) were matched with chronological age–matched (CAM) children and language age–matched children. These children completed specific and general orthographic knowledge tasks as well as spelling task conditions with either no clue word (pretest), a phonological clue word, or an orthographic clue word. Results Children with DLD were significantly less accurate in their specific orthographic knowledge, compared with CAM children, but had similar scores for general orthographic knowledge to CAM children. Children with DLD and both controls had significantly higher spelling scores in the orthographic clue word condition compared with a pretest pseudoword spelling task. Conclusions Children with DLD acquire the general knowledge of a written language's orthography but, possibly through less print exposure, have less well-represented word-specific orthographic knowledge. Moreover, children with DLD are able to extract the orthographic features of a clue word and employ these to produce more accurate spellings. These findings offer support for a spelling intervention approach based on orthography.

A-65 Quality Analysis of Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder Using a Neuropsychological Assessment Battery

Objective We completed a case study to investigate whether there are cognitive changes after Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery in the treatment of refractory Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as an initiation of a quality analysis due to increased referrals for this procedure at our institution. Method We evaluated a 21-year-old male before and after bilateral nucleus accumbens DBS placement for OCD. His pre-operative neurosurgery evaluation and brain imaging were unremarkable. Post-operative imaging revealed stable changes of bilateral DBS lead placement. Pre and post-operative neuropsychological testing included measures of mental status, language, memory, attention, and executive functioning. Results A reliable change estimate was obtained for each test. There was no significant change in performance on the Mini-Mental State Exam, Boston Naming Test, Logical Memory I/II, Faces I, Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) immediate and delayed recall, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64, Trail Making Tests A & B, Letter Fluency, Animal Fluency, and Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop) color and color-word condition. There was significant decline for all California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition trials (trials 1–5, short delay recall, and long delay recall) and RCFT recognition. There was significant improvement for the Stroop word condition. Conclusions. Given mixed findings, it is unclear the extent to which DBS impacted this patient’s overall cognitive functioning. Meanwhile, he showed improvement in OCD symptoms, to the degree that he could live alone, maintain employment, and independently manage daily activities. There is need for future studies to examine the cognitive effects of DBS for OCD, with larger samples and a control group.

Free-Weight Resistance Exercise Is More Effective in Enhancing Inhibitory Control than Machine-Based Training: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Resistance exercise has been demonstrated to improve brain function. However, the optimal workout characteristics are a matter of debate. This randomized, controlled trial aimed to elucidate differences between free-weight (REfree) and machine-based (REmach) training with regard to their ability to acutely enhance cognitive performance (CP). A total of n = 46 healthy individuals (27 ± 4 years, 26 men) performed a 45-min bout of REfree (military press, barbell squat, bench press) or REmach (shoulder press, leg press, chest press). Pre- and post-intervention, CP was examined using the Stroop test, Trail Making Test and Digit Span test. Mann–Whitney U tests did not reveal between-group differences for performance in the Digit Span test, Trail Making test and the color and word conditions of the Stroop test (p > 0.05). However, REfree was superior to REmach in the Stroop color-word condition (+6.3%, p = 0.02, R = 0.35). Additionally, REfree elicited pre-post changes in all parameters except for the Digit Span test and the word condition of the Stroop test while REmach only improved cognitive performance in part A of the Trail Making test. Using free weights seems to be the more effective RE method to acutely improve cognitive function (i.e., inhibitory control). The mechanisms of this finding merit further investigation.

Brain Processing (Auditory Event-Related Potential) of Stressed Versus Unstressed Words in Thai Speech

This study investigated the effect of the stressed word in Thai language on auditory event-related potential (aERP) in unattended conditions. We presented 30 healthy participants with monosyllabic Thai words consisting of either stressed or unstressed words. We instructed them not to attend to the sound stimuli, but rather to watch and memorize the contents of a silent natural documentary without subtitles. The two listening conditions consisted of 20% deviant stimuli (70 stressed and 70 unstressed words, respectively) and 80% standard stimuli (other 280 unstressed words) presented pseudorandomly and binaurally via a pair of earphones. Participants’ aERPs from the two conditions were evaluated by the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of aERP. The mismatch negativity amplitudes in the stressed word condition were significantly higher than those in the unstressed word condition, especially in frontal and left fronto-central brain areas. Therefore, these data show the role of the frontal and left fronto-central brain regions in auditory preattentive processing of stressed word perception among native Thai speakers. This is the first study demonstration that stressed meaningful monosyllable words in tonal language facilitate word perception in this preattentive stage. This result has implications for developing clinical tests evaluating preattentive speech perception.

Effects of Physical Exercise Intervention on Motor Skills and Executive Functions in Children With ADHD: A Pilot Study

Objective: This study examined the effect of a 12-week table tennis exercise on motor skills and executive functions in children with ADHD. Method: Fifteen children with ADHD received the intervention, whereas 15 children with ADHD and 30 typically developing children did not. The Test of Gross Motor Development–2, Stroop, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were conducted before and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, the ADHD training group scored significantly higher in the locomotor as well as object-control skills, Stroop Color–Word condition, and WCST total correct performance compared with the ADHD non-training group, and we noted improvements in the locomotor as well as object-control skills, Stroop Color–Word condition, and three aspects of the WCST performances of the ADHD training group over time. Conclusion: A 12-week table tennis exercise may have clinical relevance in motor skills and executive functions of children with ADHD.

Effects of Acute Physical Exercise on Executive Functions: A Comparison Between Aerobic and Strength Exercise

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acute aerobic and strength exercises on selected executive functions. A counterbalanced, crossover, randomized trial was performed. Forty-two healthy women were randomly submitted to three different conditions: (1) aerobic exercise, (2) strength exercise, and (3) control condition. Before and after each condition, executive functions were measured by the Stroop Test and the Trail Making Test. Following the aerobic and strength sessions, the time to complete the Stroop “non-color word” and “color word” condition was lower when compared with that of the control session. The performance in the Trail Making Test was unchanged. In conclusion, both acute aerobic and strength exercises improve the executive functions. Nevertheless, this positive effect seems to be task and executive function dependent.

Stability Analysis of Steel Pipe with Large Diameter under Radial Pressure during Deep Shaft Construction

With the increase in depth of coal mining, coal mines constructed are constructing some industrial building of new type in order to improving word condition and increasing utilization of energy. E.g. deep vertical Shaft Carries water chilled to decreasing hyperthermia harm of coal face, the methane is used by steel pipe drainage from deep coal area. Steel pipe’s instability under radial pressure lead to failure during deep shaft construction, calculative method applied isn’t perfect. Critical force of stability is analyzed by theoretical analysis、experimental research and numerical simulation, conclusions can be used for designing as a reference.