The Relationship Between Emotional Content and Phonological Processing in Persian Speaking Children Who Stutter: A Study by Event-related Potential

Introduction: Emotion can contribute to the severity of stuttering, although the underlying mechanism is unknown. Event-related Potential (ERP) could be very helpful for assessing emotional processing in persons with stuttering. Our study aimed at the investigation of phonological processing for emotional and neutral words in Children Who Stutter (CWS) by ERP. Materials and Methods: Ten CWS were given 120 emotional and neutral words to read. Phonological processing was assessed by aloud reading task, while simultaneously ERP was recorded. The results were analyzed as behavioral (reaction time and accuracy) and electrophysiological (amplitude and topography). Results: There were significant differences in reaction time and accuracy between positive, negative, and neutral words (P<0.05). The electrophysiological data analysis showed significant differences for a minimum of amplitude in the left frontal area, for a maximum of amplitude in the right temporal area, and peak to peak distance in the left frontal area (P<0.05). Visual inspection suggested that recorded fluctuations have a bigger amplitude range for neutral words in all brain regions, except prefrontal, frontal and right frontal. Conclusion: Valence would affect behavioral measures. Generally, emotion facilitates word processing by reducing activity in anterior brain areas in phonological processing time.

Trichoscopy (Hair and Scalp Videodermoscopy) in the Healthy Egyptians Female. Norms for Measurable Parameters

Background Trichoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that allows the recognition of morphologic structures not visible by the naked eye. The aim of this study was to standardize the videodermoscopy method and to establish the norms for measurable parameters of normal Egyptian hair in females. The current study included 90 healthy Egyptian females between 18 and 50 years of age. Objective Our study revealed that there was a highly statistically significant difference between average number of hair in each of frontal and occipital areas and number of hairs in temporal area. The difference between number of hairs in frontal and occipital area was statistically significant. Patients and Methods The study included 90 volunteer Egyptian females with age ranging from 18-50 years, during the period between February 2018 till May 2019. The study protocol Was approved by Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Research Ethics Committee (FWA 000017585). The volunteers gave a written consent to participate in the work after explanation of the technique and study performed. Volunteers The group under study was selected from patients visiting dermatology clinic at Ain Shams University hospital due to nonhair related conditions, who never complained of excessive hair shedding and who had no early hair loss cases by family history. They were subjected to careful clinical inspection and pull test. Results Average hair shaft thickness showed a highly statistically significant difference between frontal area and each of temporal and occipital areas. Percentage of thin, mediumsized and thick hairs in frontal, occipital and temporal areas revealed that there was a highly statistically significant difference between percentage of thin hairs in each of frontal and temporal areas and in occipital area, a highly statistically significant between percentage of mid hairs in frontal area and in each of temporal and occipital areas, and a highly statistically significant difference between percentage of thick hairs in frontal area and in temporal area. Conclusions Norms of measurable parameters can be established using trichoscopy (hair and scalp videodermoscopy). Our results indicate that for healthy adult Egyptian females, not only are the average hair diameters and densities different in the different scalp regions, but also the contribution of thin and thick hairs, as well as follicular units. Better understanding of the norms in clinical practice will help to detect what is abnormal in hair and scalp videodermoscopy.

Pott's puffy tumor: as a very rare and unpredicted complication of ipsilateral pan sinusitis - case presentation and review of articles

Pott's puffy tumor is considered as a rare clinical entity. It is developed as a rare complication of frontal sinusitis. In addition, the trauma to the frontal area is another suggested cause. The Pott's puffy tumor is presented as a forehead swelling due to sub-periosteal collection. Although, the Pott's puffy tumor is a rare condition but at the same time, it can be serious because it may lead to life threatening complications namely, extradural abscess, subdural abscess, meningitis, encephalitis, and brain abscess. Thus, the Pott's puffy tumor is classified as a very significant surgical emergency.

Complete Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome: an exceptional cause of facial nerve palsy

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a rare disease, with unknown etiology characterized by oro-facial oedema, fissuring tongue and peripheral facial palsy. The mainstay treatment is corticosteroids. We report the case of a 38-year old female, who presented six recurrent episodes of left peripheral facial palsy associated with simultaneous oedema of the median frontal area, treated successfully by short course oral corticosteroids with neuromuscular facial re-education. However, the recovery of the last episode was incomplete and the patient kept a left House-Brackmann grade II facial palsy at six months. The median frontal area was slightly inflammatory, being the location of simultaneous repetitive oedema and the tongue was fissured. These cardinal symptoms realise the complete triad of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS). The histopathological examination of the lip biopsy showed lymphocytic inflammation around the blood vessels. Since the residual facial palsy was graded as mild dysfunction, the frontal oedema fully recovered and the fissured tongue was not painful, the treatment consisted on appropriate neuromuscular re-education. The 6 months follow-up showed no recurrence with a stable grade II left facial palsy. We present this case to supplement the rare literature data concerning the management of this rare entity. Patients should be prepared to the risk of recurrent episodes with longer duration of symptoms and more incomplete recoveries, which may indicate other therapeutic options.

An Investigation on the Effects of Input Parameters on the Dynamic and Electric Consumption of Electric Motorcycles

The purpose of this paper is to study how input parameters affect the dynamic characteristics and electric consumption characteristics of an electric motorcycle. To achieve this goal, a simulation model of the electric motorcycle, including dynamic models and battery models were established based on mathematical models and using the MATLAB SIMULINK software (Parnas Tower 14th Floor521 Teheran-street Gangnam-district Seoul 06164 Korea). The simulation model was used to determine the velocity, propulsion torque, electric consumption characteristics with variable electric motorcycle mass, driver mass, wheel radius, frontal area, and transmission ratio. Through the simulation study, the paper found that when the electric motorcycle mass was increased from 60 kg to 100 kg, the maximum velocity decreased by 5.45%, the moving distance was reduced by 5.89%, and electric consumption increased by 0.11%. Following increased driver mass from 48 kg to 88 kg, the velocity and moving distance decreased by 5.45% and 5.89%, respectively, while also increasing electric consumption by 0.11%. When the wheel radius was changed from 0.205 m to 0.245 m, the maximum velocity increased by 11%, the moving distance increased by 11.2%, and electric consumption increased by 0.11%. When the frontal area was increased from 0.52 m2 to 0.92 m2, the velocity and moving distance decreased by 2.43% and 2.06%, respectively, while electric consumption increased by 0.04%. When the transmission ratio was increased from 2.66 to 4.94, the velocity and moving distance increased from 30.74 km/h to 70.7 km/h and from 303.12 m to 710.44 m, respectively, while electric consumption increased by 0.16%. Finally, an experimental study is conducted to examine the dynamics of the electric motorcycle. The experimental results have the same trend with simulation in the same initial condition. Through combination simulation and experiment, the researcher can optimize the dynamic and electric consumption of an electric motorcycle.

THE STATE OF CHILDREN MASTICATORY MUSCLES WITH DENTITION DEFECTS IN THE FRONTAL AREA AND NARROWING OF DENTAL ARCHES IN THE TRANSVERSE PLANE

Orthopedic and orthodontic treatment of 49 patients aged 6 to 17 years with dentition defects in the frontal area was examined and performed to conduct and determine the state of the masticatory muscles in children with dentition defects. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the period of formation of the dento-maxillaire system and each of the groups was divided into two subgroups depending on the method of treatment and the mechanism of fixation of the orthodontic appliance in the oral cavity. When comparing the indicators between groups I A and I B, we can state that there were more qualitative and dynamic changes in electromyographic indicators in children of group I B than group I A. When comparing the data received after orthopedic and orthodontic treatment of children in group II, we can state that quantitative and qualitative indicators of electromyography for group II B were better than those of children in group II A. In children who were treated with removable appliances, these indicators improved, but remained at a worse level than in those treated with non-removable appliances.

Sleep EEG characteristics associated with total sleep time misperception in young adults

Backgroud: Power spectral analysis (PSA) is one of the most commonly-used EEG markers of cortical hyperarousal which help to understand subjective-objective sleep discrepancy (SOD). Age is associated with decreased sleep EEG activity. Currently, PSA of young adults are limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the correlation of spectral EEG power with total sleep time misperception in young patients. Methods : Forty-seven young adults were recruited and underwent a polysomnography recording in a sleep laboratory. The clinical records and self-report questionnaires of all patients were collected, who were categorized into the GS (n=10), insomnias with a low mismatch (IWLM, n=19) and participants with a high mismatch (IWHM, n=18) subgroups. Power spectral analysis was performed during the first 6 hours of sleep. Results : The IWLM group showed increased absolute beta power in central-frontal area and relative beta power in frontal areas compared to the GS group. In addition, IWHM patients exhibited higher absolute and relative beta power in the central area compared to the GS group. The absolute and relative beta/delta ratios in frontal area in the IWHM and IWLM groups were higher than those in the GS group. The IWHM group also showed higher absolute and relative beta/delta ratios in the central area compared with the GS group. No significant difference in the above parameters was observed between the IWHM and IWLM groups. Moreover, the SOD of TST was negatively correlated with the relative delta power (r=0.289, p=0.049), beta power (r=0.373, p=0.010), beta/delta ratio(r= 0.314, p=0.032), and the absolute beta/delta ratio (r=0.314, p=0.032) in central area. Conclusions: Young IWHM and IWLM patients showed increased beta EEG power compared to GS, suggesting that there exists increased cortical activity in these patients. Also, the beta/delta ratio was negatively correlated with the SOD in patients with IWHM and IWLM.

An Evaluation of Executive Control Function and Its Relationship with Driving Performance

The driver’s attentional state is a significant human factor in traffic safety. The executive control process is a crucial sub−function of attention. To explore the relationship between the driver’s driving performance and executive control function, a total of 35 healthy subjects were invited to take part in a simulated driving experiment and a task−cuing experiment. The subjects were divided into three groups according to their driving performance (aberrant driving behaviors, including lapses and errors) by the clustering method. Then the performance efficiency and electroencephalogram (EEG) data acquired in the task−cuing experiment were compared among the three groups. The effect of group, task transition types and cue−stimulus intervals (CSIs) were statistically analyzed by using the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the post hoc simple effect analysis. The subjects with lower driving error rates had better executive control efficiency as indicated by the reaction time (RT) and error rate in the task−cuing experiment, which was related with their better capability to allocate the available attentional resources, to express the external stimuli and to process the information in the nervous system, especially the fronto−parietal network. The activation degree of the frontal area fluctuated, and of the parietal area gradually increased along with the increase of CSI, which implied the role of the frontal area in task setting reconstruction and working memory maintaining, and of the parietal area in stimulus−response (S−R) mapping expression. This research presented evidence of the close relationship between executive control functions and driving performance.

Comparative Characteristic of Using Removable and Non-Removable Prostheses Appliances for Replacement of Dentition Defects in Children during the Mixed Occlusion Period

The purpose of the study was to increase the effectiveness of orthopedic and orthodontic treatment of children with dentition defects during the period of mixed occlusion to prevent secondary dento-maxillaire deformities. Material and methods. 47 patients aged from 6 to 11 years with dentition defects in the frontal and lateral areas were examined and treated to conduct comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of using removable and non-removable prostheses appliances in patients with dentition defects during the period of mixed occlusion. All the patients were divided into two clinical groups by the design type of a prosthesis appliance, the choice of which depended on the results of a complete clinical research taking into account the location and the length of dentition defects. For group I patients (n=29), we used removable orthodontic prostheses appliances (standard mechanically-operated appliances with artificial teeth), in areas with missing teeth, to regulate the size of upper and lower dentition and replace dentition defects. For group II patients (n=18), we used non-removable orthodontic prostheses appliances (bands with a spacer and a non-removable prosthesis appliance of our own design). At the beginning of treatment and after 3 and 6 months, the assessment of oral hygiene was conducted using Yu. A. Fedorov and V. V. Volodkina indices. Follow-up examinations of patients in both groups were conducted once a month. However, every 3 and 6 months, patients of group I (with removable prosthesis appliances) received repetitive jaw impressions and made control diagnostic models, which measured the size of a dentition defect area to monitor the treatment. The data on control measurements was compared with data obtained at the beginning of the treatment. The criteria for completion of orthodontic treatment were considered to be the regulation of the size of upper and lower dentition and the position of individual teeth, as well as the preservation of the place in the dental arch until the physiological change of prematurely lost teeth. Results and discussion. The main causes of dentition defects occurrence in patients of both groups were the following: premature removal of temporary and permanent teeth due to complications of caries – 39 patients (83.0%), the loss of teeth due to a trauma – 5 patients (10.5%). Dentition defect was caused by adentia – in 2 people (4.3%), by retention – in 1 person (2.1%). We determined that 30 people (63.8%) had defects of the upper jaw, which was the most prevailing dentition defects. Dentition defects in the lateral areas were recorded in 32 people (68.1%). The largest number of dentition defects was of short size – 29 (61.7%). To restore the integrity of the dentition, we made 29 removable prostheses appliances with artificial teeth for group I patients, 9 (31.0%) of them served to replace dentition defects of the frontal area and 20 (69.0%) replaces dentition defects of the lateral area. In order to replace the dentition defect and preserve the place in the dental arch, we made 18 non-removable prostheses appliances for group II patients, 6 (33.3%) of them were of our own design to replace the dentition defect in the frontal area, and 12 (66.7%) replaced teeth gap bands with a spacer for the lateral one. Based on the analysis of these indicators in people with dentition defects who used removable and non-removable appliances, we can conclude, that there is a clear connection between the impact of orthodontic appliances on oral hygiene, depending on its type. The negative dynamics of changes in the hygiene index according to Fedorov-Volodkina in patients with non-removable prostheses appliances can be explained by the deterioration of oral hygiene conditions due to the design features of the appliances and the inability to remove the appliance yourself. Therefore, the use of non-removable appliances requires additional hygienic measures. Removable appliances had almost no effect on the state of oral hygiene, but worked less predictably by reducing the time of their active action in the oral cavity. If children refused to wear removable prostheses and prosthesis appliances, there quickly developed secondary dento-maxillaire deformities, which over time became more stable, and pathological changes were more significant. In group I patients, 6 months after the start of treatment with removable prostheses appliances, the shortening of dentition defects was detected in the frontal area by 1.3±1.1 mm and in the lateral area by 1.2±0.9 mm. Negative changes in the length of the dentition defect in patients of group I before treatment and after 6 months are specifically connected with irresponsible attitude to treatment. Not all patients in this group fully wore removable prostheses appliances, and some of them did not wear at all. Conclusion. Our research showed that removable orthodontic appliances for replacement of dentition defects and prevention of secondary dento-maxillaire deformities could be used in patients of different ages, their special effectiveness was observed in pediatric-age patients, however, only in those who responsibly followed the recommendations of an orthodontist. The use of non-removable orthodontic appliances for replacement of dentition defects and prevention of secondary dento-maxillaire deformities is a more rational choice of dental prosthesis. The prosthesis appliance for the upper jaw developed by us doesn’t inhibit the growth of the jaw, meets all the esthetic and functional requirements applied to these appliances. During treatment with non-removable appliances patients cannot control the time when the appliance “works”, which leads to a more predictable result of treatment