Search

The emergence of robotic body augmentation provides exciting innovations that will revolutionize the fields of robotics, human-machine interaction and wearable electronics. Although augmentative devices such as extra robotic arms and fingers are informed by restorative technologies in many ways, they also introduce unique challenges for bidirectional human-machine collaboration. Can humans adapt and learn to operate a new robotic limb collaboratively with their biological limbs, without restricting other physical abilities? To successfully achieve robotic body augmentation, we need to ensure that, by giving a user an additional (artificial) limb, we are not trading off the functionalities of an existing (biological) one. Here, we introduce the 'neural resource allocation problem' and discuss how to allow the effective voluntary control of augmentative devices without compromising control of the biological body. In reviewing the relevant literature on extra robotic fingers and arms, we critically assess the range of potential solutions available for this neural resource allocation problem. For this purpose, we combine multiple perspectives from engineering and neuroscience with considerations including human-machine interaction, sensory-motor integration, ethics and law. In summary, we aim to define common foundations and operating principles for the successful implementation of robotic body augmentation., The development of extra fingers and arms is an exciting research area in robotics, human-machine interaction and wearable electronics. It is unclear, however, whether humans can adapt and learn to control extra limbs and integrate them into a new sensorimotor representation, without sacrificing their natural abilities. The authors review this topic and describe challenges in allocating neural resources for robotic body augmentation.

Aims. Total laryngectomy still plays an essential part in the treatment of laryngeal cancer and loss of voice is the most feared consequence of the surgery. Commonly used rehabilitation methods include esophageal voice, electrolarynx, and implantation of voice prosthesis. In this paper we focus on a new perspective of vocal rehabilitation utilizing alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) methods. Methods and Patients. 61 consecutive patients treated by means of total laryngectomy with or w/o voice prosthesis implantation were included in the study. All were offered voice banking and personalized speech synthesis (PSS). They had to voluntarily express their willingness to participate and to prove the ability to use modern electronic communication devices. Results. Of 30 patients fulfilling the study criteria, only 18 completed voice recording sufficient for voice reconstruction and synthesis. Eventually, only 7 patients started to use this AAC technology during the early postoperative period. The frequency and total usage time of the device gradually decreased. Currently, only 6 patients are active users of the technology. Conclusion. The influence of communication with the surrounding world on the quality of life of patients after total laryngectomy is unquestionable. The possibility of using the spoken word with the patient's personalized voice is an indisputable advantage. Such a form of voice rehabilitation should be offered to all patients who are deemed eligible.

Biological control is a worldwide trend and has been prominent as an effective and compatible strategy for use in Integrated Pest Management programs. In Brazil, the control of these organisms using biological agents has been used in several agricultural systems, including floriculture. This paper approaches biological control from the perspective of the interaction between organisms in nature, applied as a pest management strategy. Knowledge about the dependence and reciprocity among populations in a natural environment is fundamental to understanding that this control method is nothing more than an exploiting of a natural ecological service. Considering that, for the biological control of a pest we must increase the population density of natural enemies, we report on the two main ways to achieve this increase: conservative biological control and augmentative biological control. The first is done by modifying the environment’s vegetation structure to favor natural enemies’ maintenance or their attraction to the crops. The second is done by mass rearing entomophagous and entomopathogen species with attributes that can ensure their function as control agents when released in crops. Among such agents, we emphasize those produced and marketed in Brazil for application in ornamental plants. Finally, we report on the technologies most recently employed to increase the appropriate use and the efficiency of these biological control agents. Resumo O controle biológico é uma tendência mundial e tem se destacado como uma estratégia eficaz e compatível para uso em programas de Manejo Integrado de Pragas. No Brasil, o controle desses organismos, envolvendo agentes biológicos, tem sido utilizado em diversos sistemas agrícolas, inclusive, na floricultura. Neste artigo, o controle biológico é abordado sob o ponto de vista natural, por meio da interação entre os organismos na natureza, e aplicado, como estratégia para o manejo de pragas. O conhecimento sobre a dependência e reciprocidade existentes entre as populações na natureza é fundamental para a conscientização de que esse método de controle consiste na exploração de um serviço ecológico natural. Tendo-se em vista que, para o controle biológico de uma praga, a densidade populacional dos inimigos naturais deve ser aumentada, relatamos sobre as duas principais formas para se atingir esse incremento: o controle biológico conservativo e controle biológico aumentativo. A primeira, por meio da modificação do ambiente de cultivo de modo a oferecer uma estrutura vegetacional que favoreça a manutenção e/ou atração dos inimigos naturais, e a segunda, por meio da criação massal de entomófagos e entomopatógenos com características que possam garantir sua função como agentes de controle por ocasião da sua liberação nos cultivos. Entre tais agentes, enfatizamos aqueles que são produzidos e comercializados no Brasil para aplicação em plantas ornamentais. Por fim, relatamos sobre as tecnologias que têm sido mais recentemente empregadas para incrementar o uso adequado e a eficiência desses agentes biocontroladores.

Purpose Many, but not all, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a difficult time communicating in conventional ways to express their decisions, preferences, and ideas. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can fulfill many purposes of communication and support a child to achieve maximal self-determination and agency. The goal of assessment is not to fit the child to a particular device or communication strategy—but rather to identify the strategies that enhance the child's strengths to maximize their independent communication and ultimately their ability to exert control over their world. Method Our method was to combine results from our scoping review of the research literature, observations of videos of AAC assessments being conducted by specialists, and interviews with AAC experts (Lund, Quach, Weissling, McKelvey, & Dietz, 2017) and use these combined sources to extract overlapping themes. Finally, we completed an expert review of the results to verify their validity. Results There are 11 areas, which we found through our research, that should be included when assessing the communication and language skills of children with ASD who are minimally verbal. They are communication needs, current communication skills, language, cognition, symbol representation, sensory perceptual skills, motor skills, literacy, behavior, preferences, and system features. Conclusions It is important to embrace agency and choice throughout the assessment process. Having access to communication through AAC can give children with ASD a voice not only to express their choices but also to increase their self-determination.

Biological control, or biocontrol, is the exploitation of living agents (incl. viruses) to combat pestilential organisms (incl. pathogens, pests, and weeds) for diverse purposes to provide human benefits. Thus, during the last century the practices and concepts involved have evolved in separate streams associated with distinct scientific and taxonomic disciplines. In parallel developments, there have been increasing references to biological control in industrial contexts and legislation, resulting in conceptual and terminological disintegration. The aim of this paper is to provide a global conceptual and terminological platform that facilitates future development of the field. We review use of previously suggested terms in key fields (e.g., phytopathology, entomology, and weed science), eliminate redundant terminology, identify three principles that should underpin the concept, and then present a new framework for biological control, rooted in seminal publications. The three principles establish that (1) only living agents can mediate biological control, (2) biological control always targets a pest, directly or indirectly, and (3) all biocontrol methods can be classified in four main categories depending on whether resident agents are utilized, with or without targeted human intervention (conservation biological control and natural biological control, respectively) or agents are added for permanent or temporary establishment (classical biological control and augmentative biological control, respectively). Correct identification of what is, and is not, biological control can help efforts to understand and optimize biological pest control for human and environmental benefits. The new conceptual framework may contribute to more uniform and appropriate regulatory approaches to biological control, and more efficient authorization and application of biocontrol products.

Objectives: Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) provides a means of effective communication to individuals with severe impairments in speech comprehension and production. The present study aimed to examine the awareness of Iranian Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) of AAC services. Methods: In total, 111 SLPs who were selected by convenience sampling method participated in this cross-sectional study. Using a researcher-made questionnaire, information on SLPs’ familiarity with the term AAC and its methods; patients who can benefit from AAC methods; the kind of AAC method that could be used per patient, and the effectiveness of each method were obtained. This research was conducted at rehabilitation clinics in Tehran City, Iran. Results: The obtained results revealed that only 8.1% of the respondents were familiar with the concept of AAC; however, 92.8% of SLPs had contact with Patients With Communication Problems (PWCP). Only 0.9% of SLPs were familiar with high-tech devices. Additionally, 88.3% of the respondents were willing to further educational opportunities concerning AAC. Discussion: Iranian SLPs had little familiarity with AAC and the target population of these services. Overall, there appeared to be a lack of AAC expertise within the profession in Iran. Therefore, training these professionals, both theoretically and clinically, is essential.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) refers to a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, behaviour and socialization of the individuals diagnosed with ASD. In children, ASD is considered as a high incidence disability since it affects one in eight children. In regard to functional communication skills of the children, effective augmentative or alternative communication process and device is highly important to facilitate positive outcomes. Both Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and the iPad with its communication applications are considered emerging treatment children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The purpose of this literature review is to compare the effectiveness of low tech intervention (through the utilization of PECS) and high tech intervention (through the utisation of iPad). The study was conducted by selecting electronic articles from several databases which were published between 2008-2018. The findings show that PECS is highly effective for increasing intentional communication skills and independence in requesting and making decisions as well as beneficial for non-English speakers. Meanwhile, iPad-based intervention is beneficial to solve children’s literacy problems, to reduce stressors during interventions, and to increase the children’s effective intra-verbal responses. It is then suggested that teachers, parents and care givers employ the combination of both low tech and high tech interventions as combining the two will lead to better outcomes.

Objetivo: identificar los factores, inherentes a la práctica clínica, que determinan la atención odontológica de pacientes con discapacidad. Métodos: realización de estudio descriptivo, de alcance explicativo, cuantitativo y corte transversal; aplicación de encuesta dirigida a odontólogos que ejercen como profesionales independientes, con la cual se midieron variables de caracterización, conocimientos, habilidades, percepción, infraestructura y atención del paciente con discapacidad. También, se desarrolló un análisis descriptivo, correlacional y multivariado. Resultados: no todos los odontólogos recibieron formación para la atención clínica de personas con discapacidad; algunos conocen los métodos de comunicación alternativa y aumentativa y, de estos, una mayoría representativa no los sabe manejar. Sobre la infraestructura, se identificó que esta cumple parcialmente con la normatividad y que la mayoría de los profesionales se sienten medianamente preparados para llevar a cabo esta atención, por lo que el 67,3% (99) afirmó atender esta población con sus protocolos clínicos habituales, pero, el 83,7% (123) manifestó brindar la atención solo en casos de urgencia odontológica. Los factores que determinan la atención del paciente con discapacidad están relacionados con la cantidad de pacientes asistentes, las experiencias negativas previas, las habilidades en el manejo de la consulta, la sensación de preparación y los años de experiencia clínica. Conclusiones: las experiencias negativas previas en la práctica clínica con pacientes con discapacidad son determinantes; para su disminución se sugiere la urgente implementación de técnicas comunicativas, la adecuación de infraestructura y el desarrollo de habilidades para la atención integral e inclusiva.

This paper presents the vernacular form caraças which, in European Portuguese (EP) is associated to multiple contexts, differents from its use as a feminine common noun. The data I will present shows that caraças behaves as a polarity item, without referential interpretation. On the one hand, caraçasbehaves as a minimizer, a subtype of Negative Polarity Item (NPI), being associated to the lowest point of a scale of value. On the other hand, it also behaves as a Positive Polarity Item (PPI), expressing maximal degrees, therefore being a maximizer. The fact that caraças occurs simultaneously as a NPI and a PPI could indicate we are in the presence of a bipolar element, as described by van der Wouden (1997). Nevertheless, data suggests that there are two distinct items caraças, one of them being a NPI and the other a PPI.The form caraças is also associated to other contexts of use, namely as a metalinguistic negation marker and in evaluative constructions such as N-of-an-N constructions. We also find it functioning as an interjection in exclamative sentences.Although the feminine common noun caraça (augmentative of cara ‘face’) remains in the lexicon as synonym of mask, the polarity item caraças does not result from a process of grammaticalization of the common noun, as documented for other polarity items. In this paper I will put forth the idea that caraças, in its masculine singular form, appeared as an euphemistic variant of caralho ‘dick’, a highly offensive taboo term, used to designate the masculine sexual organ.

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a multisystemic impairment disease, among them, the total loss of communicative abilities. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAA) seeks to provide effective communication through specific resources. Objective: To verify the influence of ALS on aspects of personal, social and environmental life in patients who use the CAA. Methods: This is a qualitative, exploratory, longitudinal research of a series of cases. The patients with ALS were invited to participate of an evaluation with a sociodemographic and semi-structured questionnaire. Each participant obtained a CAA resource offered by the present research and returned for a reevaluation. Results: The analysis based on the reports that emerged from the spontaneous comments and generated five categories (socialization, social attitudes, communication and rights, services, systems and policies, and family interaction). Conclusion: Even with the use of CAA, ELA generates negative impacts on socialization and social participation due to social and environmental factors.

Patients who do not communicate verbally or speak in an understandable way are a serious problem in providing appropriate care to patients due to a lack of understanding of their needs. Therefore, it is important that nursing staff have the knowledge and skills of alternative and assistive communication to communicate with patients with speech disorders. The purpose of article is to present the current state of knowledge of the alternative and augmentative communication with special consideration the signs used in Poland with a practicular emphasis laid to the revelant description of the eye tracking device. The literature has been reviewed, including also in this relation topics: alternative and augmentative communication, examples of signs used in alternative communication in Poland and communication and eye tracking. Not everyone has the ability to communicate verbally with the environment. In relation to this problem the solution is the alternative and augmentative communication which uses signs and devices to enable the patient to communicate with other people. (JNNN 2020;9(1):39–45)

This article provides an overview of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) and discusses ways in which AAC may be integrated into music therapy clinical practice with neurodivergent children and young adults. The article begins with an overview of commonly used AAC modalities and subsequently explores their use in clinical practice through a series of vignettes. This article may be of value to students who wish to understand the myriad ways in which AAC may be integrated into their clinical work and to clinicians interested in developing their clinical practice knowledge in this area.

Objective: To review clinical and neurobiological features of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. Data source: We carried out a narrative review using the PubMed database. We considered the following search terms combined through the Boolean operator “AND”: “autism spectrum disorder”; “minimally verbal.” Data synthesis: To date, there is no shared definition of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. The heterogeneity in intellectual functioning and in linguistic abilities among these individuals suggests there is no single mechanism underlying their difficulties in learning to speak. However, the reasons why these children do not speak and the biological markers that can identify them are still unknown. Language impairment in these children can lead to several unfavorable consequences, including behavior problems (such as self-aggression, hetero-aggression, and property destruction), poorer daily living and social skills. Psychiatric comorbidities (including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific phobias, and compulsions) consist in a serious problem related to the lack of verbal language in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Although in the literature there are very few evidence-based results, several findings suggest that an alternative and augmentative communication intervention, creating an extra-verbal communication channel, may be effective in these individuals. Conclusions: The exact definition, clinical characteristics, associated disorders, etiology, and treatment of minimally verbal subjects with autism spectrum disorder must still be further studied and understood.

The following article deals with augmentative formations, that is, word formation products that reinforce or intensify the meaning of the basis. The focus is on the use of augmentation in the language of the German mass media. Based on a number of examples registered in current mass media texts, we have analyzed various word formation methods, the semantic peculiarities and the pragmatic performance of augmentative formations in modern German., Bulgacova, Irina. Augmentativbildungen in der Sprache der Massenmedien / Irina Bulgacova // 5 International Spring Symposium Proceedings "Professional Development in Language Contexts: Perceptions and Practices", March 15th-16th, 2019. ��� B��l��i : [s. n.], 2019. ��� P. 15-22. ��� ISBN 978-9975-3316-2-3.

Background A principal difference between neurotypical people and those with autistic spectrum conditions is reliance on structure and sameness (Cohmer, 2014). There is evidence that people with autistic spectrum conditions lack flexibility of thinking (Ciesielski & Harris, 1997). The ability to react to events or small changes can trigger anxiety. Little sabotages structure and sameness more than a death. Aims Dealing with death is difficult, and for somebody with an autistic spectrum condition, it may introduce more challenges and anxieties. Routines change, people behave unusually, emotions can be all-consuming. People with autistic spectrum conditions can experience Alexithymia, the inability to differentiate between emotions (Poquerusse, Pastore, Dellantonio et al., 2018), highlighting the need for effective and immediate emotional support pre- and post- bereavement. Hospice social workers recognised the importance of providing effective and specialised support for people with autistic spectrum conditions pre- and post- bereavement. Methods An example of this is the use of widgets to explain death, dying and bereavement to individuals with an autistic spectrum condition. Widgets are an augmentative communication system using words and pictures to enable understanding and to processing messages. They are an ideal way to refer back to a social story or schedule to consistently communicate a message. Examples of how widgets can be used are: what happens at a funeral, what is cancer etc. Results Feedback has been good with a high level of engagement from people with autism and learning disability. This approach led to relationships developing with services and schools around the county that support people with these conditions, facilitating consistent organisational approaches. Conclusions Objectives are to build on achievements in terms of inclusive support. The hospice now has an inclusion and diversity working group, delivering training sessions internally and externally to raise awareness and to support others to develop practice in this area.

This paper presents the first iteration of the design of a web application which supports its users to access and arrange pictures as a non-linguistic way of supporting communication. We motivate our initial design by examining related work on Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC). We present our reflections on the use of a working prototype by two minimally-verbal users with intellectual disability and how this can inform future work.

Computer quiz games are introduced to improve teaching and learning in a freshman engineering chemistry course in an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) environment. These quiz games are developed and implemented as a supplemental and augmentative tool to enhance traditionally delivered lectures. The paper shows an increase in students’ motivation and compare the performance between students who participated in computer quiz games, a paper-based quiz or neither activity. Assessment of the effectiveness of quiz games in learning is conducted via a proposed novel chemistry achievement test, Freshman Engineering Chemistry Aptitude Test and an attitude questionnaire. The findings contribute to our understanding of the role of game-based learning in students’ achievement in chemistry and their motivation and attitudes towards learning general chemistry at a university within an ESL environment, while the computer games developed are useful in all English based Chemistry classes.

The last twenty years have seen the development of gaze-controlled computer interfaces for augmentative communication and other assistive technology applications. In many applications, the user needs to look at symbols on a virtual on-screen keyboard and maintain gaze to make a selection. Executive control is essential to learning to use gaze-control, affecting the uptake of the technology. Specifically, the user of a gaze-controlled interface must suppress looking for its own sake, the so-called “Midas touch” problem. In a pre-registered study ( https://osf.io/2mak4 ), we tested whether gaze-typing performance depends on executive control and whether learning-dependent plasticity leads to improved executive control as measured using the antisaccade task. Forty-two university students were recruited as participants. After five 30-min training sessions, we found shorter antisaccade latencies in a gaze-control compared to a mouse-control group, and similar error-rates. Subjective workload ratings were also similar across groups, indicating the task in both groups was matched for difficulty. These findings suggest that executive control contributes to gaze-typing performance and leads to learning-induced plasticity.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) This work aims to investigate the indexical anchorages that present social hierarchy in the Tukano language (ethnic and linguistic family from South America) regarding its pronominal use. It is well known that among various spheres of relations social hierarchies are somehow represented in the speech and are motivated in social groups by consanguineous, religious and financial relations. As far as indigenous languages are concerned, the Tukano language has been very productive in relation to the use of hierarchical markers, which differentiate from their conventional pronominal anchorages. It means that in the family contexts this language is rich in the representation of distance among their speakers. To carry out this research, interviews of native speakers of Tukano had been performed through the application of semi-directed investigation protocol. The questionnaires consisted of the validation of sentences created by linguists for the natives. Besides that and because it is a semantic-pragmatic analysis, being dependent on contextual options, it was also requested for the natives to select the most applicable sentence among many different situational contents. The analysis showed that in certain situations when Tukano speakers need to communicate, for instance as speaking to a superiorized subject, the augmentative morpheme occurs within their speech forms, according to this research’s initial hypothesis. A good example of this phenomenon is the sentence: mi’îhó yɨ’îre kumupatá mi'ĩtiasa’, that means “could big you bring the chair?” (here mi’î → you and -hó → the enhanced suffix) which would be used by a child or younger person to address his parent or an elderly within the family. This means different linguistic procedures are used depending on whether the speaker, in his speech context, addresses someone of the same level or a superior figure. To test that hypothesis various analyses had been carried out under two different but complementary fields. First, the Expressive Dimension (POTTS, 2005; 2007 and FORTIN, 2011) which allows to conclude that this morpheme works on a temporal degree, not only on a spatial degree, as the augmentative morpheme is used to be represented. Secondly, the Honorification (LEVINSON, 2007 [1983]) that permits to define the phenomenon through the point of view of pragmatics. This work intends to contribute to the study of representation of the social hierarchy of Tukano individuals as an universal element in natural languages within both fields of Pragmatics and Semantics. Furthermore, it will hopefully bring more attention to the Tukano language and to contribute to its revitalization. O presente trabalho busca investigar as ancoragens indexicais que representam hierarquia na língua tukano (família étnico-linguística do Alto do Rio Negro na Amazônia), observando seu uso pronominal. É sabido que diferenças hierárquicas comumente são, de alguma forma, representadas em interações linguísticas e são motivadas no âmbito social por relações consanguíneas, religiosas, financeiras, dentre outras diferentes esferas. No que diz respeito às línguas indígenas, a que estudamos tem sido muito produtiva em relação ao uso de um marcador hierárquico, o qual se diferencia das ancoragens pronominais prototípicas. Isso significa que a língua tukano pode ser capaz de representar características extralinguísticas entre seus falantes, mais especificamente dentro do contexto familiar. Para realizar essa pesquisa, entrevistas foram feitas por meio da aplicação de um protocolo semi-guiado de investigação. Os questionários consistiram na validação de sentenças criadas por linguistas e informantes nativos. Além disso, por ser uma análise semântico-pragmática, que depende de opções contextuais, foi também pedido aos falantes nativos que selecionassem as sentenças mais eficientes, dentre várias de conteúdos similares. Sendo assim, conseguimos identificar uma partícula que vai de acordo com a nossa hipótese inicial, de que essa língua possui honoríficos. Nossa análise mostrou que, quando falantes de tukano precisam se comunicar, em certos contextos, como falando com um sujeito mais velho, por exemplo, o morfema aumentativo é utilizado durante sua interação. O principal exemplo que ilustra nosso objeto de estudos é mi’îhó yi’îre kumupatá mi'ĩtiasa’, que significa “vocêzão traz a cadeira para mim?”, sendo mi’î → você; e o sufixo -hó → o aumentativo, que usado por pessoas mais novas (filhos, por exemplo) em conversas com pessoas mais velhas (pais, tios, avós, etc.) é o cerne do fenômeno em questão. Isso significa que processos distintos acontecem quando os falantes se direcionam para pessoas do mesmo nível que elas, assim como quando ancoram figuras superiores nos seus contextos discursivos. Assim, realizamos análises que descrevem o fenômeno sobre dois campos, ao mesmo tempo diferentes e complementares, que são a dimensão expressiva (POTTS, 2005; 2007 e FORTIN, 2011) que, por meio de representações formais, nos permite demonstrar o funcionamento do aumentativo como escala etária / honorífica e não somente espacial, como esse morfema comumente é utilizado, por exemplo em português; e a honorificação (LEVINSON, 2007 [1983]), que busca definir o fenômeno por um viés relacionado às questões pragmáticas da comunicação. Dessa maneira, nós esperamos colaborar com o estudo das formas de representação da hierarquia social como um elemento universal nas línguas naturais, objetivando contribuir para os estudos de Semântica e Pragmática. Também buscamos contribuir para a descrição da língua tukano. CAPES: Código de Financiamento 001 CAPES: 1721357

A system is proposed for mental condition assessment (MCA) system in adaptive testing complexes. The complexity involves the Emotiv Epoc+ neuroheadset with fourteen channels of the EEG digital network and the ECG-recorder for collecting signals for cardiac output (HRV). In various processing States, biochemical values were recorded in Ten healthy individuals: history (available remainder), TOVA-test (psychological stack), hypotension (physiological load), and after cutting. The somewhat reduced HRV continuum’s strength was observed to change dramatically, induced by a supremacy-segmental heartbeat regulatory effect. There is also observed a decline in the prefrontal cortical treatment techniques ([Formula: see text]-rhythmic activity). Simultaneously, unregulated motions increase the mean accelerometer interests’ magnitude to locate the head’s maximum steady location compared to the gravity matrix.

Background People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) face significant communication barriers when accessing health care services; they find it difficult to identify and describe conditions clearly enough to support practitioners in making an accurate diagnosis. In addition, medical professionals generally have little knowledge and understanding of the needs of people with ID, which may result in the use of consultation techniques that do not cater to their patients’ skills. Objective This review aims to identify and synthesize the literature on alternative and augmentative communication technologies that are used to support adults with mild ID during the exchange of information with medical practitioners. Methods We performed a scoping review of studies published in English that describe the technologies that are used to promote communication with patients with mild ID during medical consultations. The databases searched were PubMed, ACM Digital Library, and Google Scholar. A qualitative framework-based approach was used to synthesize the data and discern key recurring themes across the identified literature. Results Of the 1557 articles screened, 15 (0.96%) met our inclusion criteria. The bulk of the communication aids used focused on low-tech solutions, including patient passports, note-based prompts, Talking Mats, health diaries, and easy-read information sheets. Their influence on current practice ranged from advancing medical professionals’ knowledge of the health and communication needs of people with ID to increasing interagency collaboration, patient advocacy skills, and health promotion activities. The major barriers to the implementation of low-tech aids were a lack of portability and increased maintenance efforts. Only 3 studies explored the use of mobile apps to promote communication. Their findings indicated that high-tech solutions offer greater customization with regard to the accessibility and health care needs of people with ID. Conclusions Alternative and augmentative communication technologies have the potential to increase the quality of care provided to patients with mild ID; however, little work has been carried out in this area. Greater emphasis must be placed on (high-tech) two-way communication aids that empower patients to become involved in decisions regarding their care. Quantitative evaluation methods should be used to discern the true benefits of such aids, and researchers should describe their study protocols in depth to promote replication and generalizability.

Objectives: People with motor neurone disease (pwMND) experience communication impairments due to speech and motor dysfunction. Communication support in the form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in conjunction with Assistive Technology (AT) access methods are available, however, variation in provision care pathways exists across Scotland. We conducted a baseline study of communication support for pwMND in Scotland to inform and improve future service provision. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was undertaken. Anonymised demographic and clinical phenotypic data for all pwMND in Scotland were extracted from the Care Audit Research Evaluation of MND (CARE-MND) platform, the National MND Register for Scotland. Additional information for AT loans was provided by the third sector charitable organization MND Scotland (MNDS). Results: In total, 371 pwMND were included, 43% of all pwMND were recorded as having impaired speech (recent ALSFRS-R score assessment ≤3) and 69% had been referred to Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) services, although there was variation in referral time from diagnosis date. AAC equipment had been acquired by 17.3% of all pwMND; most commonly iPads and the LightwriterTM speech generating device. Conclusions: Our data highlight a high prevalence of speech impairment in pwMND irrespective of the subtype diagnosis. We therefore recommend standardized care pathways and earlier access to coordinated SLT and Occupational Therapist services to enable prospective and personalized decision making. Our findings further highlight the need for qualitative research to understand the preferences and impact of such interventions from the perspective of the user and their communication partners.

With advances in the treatment of femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing, the optimal option remains controversial. This study aimed to quantitatively investigate outcomes in a comparison of exchange nailing and augmentative plating for femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing. The EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane library and Clinical databases were systematically searched dating from their inception to March 2018. All retrospective controlled and prospective trials evaluating exchange nailing and augmentative plating for the treatment of femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing were identified. Two investigators extracted all related data independently and we used the review manager software to perform the meta-analysis. Three studies with a total of 232 patients were eligible for data extraction in our study. The meta-analysis indicated that the augmentative plating group had a lower nonunion rate, shorter time to union, less intra-operative blood loss, and shorter operative time than the exchange nailing group. While for the infection rate, there was no significant difference between augmentative plating and exchange nailing group. The available evidence has shown that augmentative plating is superior to exchange nailing for femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2019;4:513-518. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.4.180054

In this article we present a novel system for natural language generation ( nlg ) of Spanish sentences from a minimum set of meaningful words (such as nouns, verbs and adjectives) which, unlike other state-of-the-art solutions, performs the nlg task in a fully automatic way, exploiting both knowledge-based and statistical approaches. Relying on its linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, the system is able to generate complete, coherent and correctly spelled sentences from the main word sets presented by the user. The system, which was designed to be integrable, portable and efficient, can be easily adapted to other languages by design and can feasibly be integrated in a wide range of digital devices. During its development we also created a supplementary lexicon for Spanish, aLexiS, with wide coverage and high precision, as well as syntactic trees from a freely available definite-clause grammar. The resulting nlg library has been evaluated both automatically and manually (annotation). The system can potentially be used in different application domains such as augmentative communication and automatic generation of administrative reports or news.

Adherence to pain self-management strategies is associated with favorable psychobehavioral outcomes among individuals with chronic pain. Substantive adherence to treatments teaching these adaptive skills often proves challenging, resulting in poor individual and societal outcomes. Evidence demonstrates motivation for behavior change as a key predictor of treatment adherence. Despite behavioral techniques that target motivation, however, nonadherence persists as a barrier to positive clinical outcomes in chronic pain. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying treatment motivation might highlight novel avenues for augmentative therapies. The purpose of this review is to present theory and evidence that the mesocorticolimbic system (i.e., brain circuitry associated with reward processing and motivation) contributes to treatment motivation among chronic pain patients, ultimately influencing adherence. We review evidence for motivation as a key adherence determinant, detail neuroimaging findings relating mesocorticolimbic circuitry and motivation, and discuss data supporting mesocorticolimbic dysfunction among chronic pain patients. We propose a neurobehavioral model for adherence to pain self-management interventions, listing testable hypotheses. Finally, we discuss potential research and intervention implications from the proposed model.

About 21% -35% of patients with acute stroke experience aphasia or motor impairment language interpretation. Impact because of the lack of action independence of the nurse in improving Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) is not the fulfillment of the needs of the patient. AAC is media in the form of electronic devices, alphabet boards, drawing boards that contain the basic needs which may be designated by the patient that helps in communicating. The research method is a literature research, focused on the search of some previous research. The results of the research show that the role of transformational leadership increase the AAC in stroke patients aphasia motor through insiparasional motivation where the leader becomes an example to be emulated by subordinates, providing a strong motivation for change with guidance and training, individualizad consideration that is hear input to want to change apply the AAC, Idealized influence where the leader as a mentor who has charisma makes followers want to practice the AAC, and intellectual stimulation is to encourage the subordinates to see problems in aphasia motor can be minimized with the AAC. Thus it can be concluded that the Style of transformational leadership has a used of therapeutic AAC to nurses practice.

A pesquisa aqui apresentada baseia-se no estudo da convivência entre duas línguas – quimbundo e português – no município de Cazengo-Ndalatando, uma província da região Kwanza Norte, em Angola. Uma observação sociolinguística do contato e uso simultâneo entre as duas línguas mostra claramente situações de interferência do quimbundo na língua portuguesa (língua oficial em Angola), o que é possível comprovar pela análise linguística de enunciados orais recolhidos diretamente na zona geográfica em questão e cujo juízo de aceitação linguística foi atestado por um dos autores deste trabalho, que é falante nativo de quimbundo. Neste artigo são, assim, analisados três fenômenos linguísticos de interferência do quimbundo no português, indicadores de variação morfossintática nos registros orais da língua portuguesa: formação do plural, concordância de gênero, além da formação do diminutivo e do aumentativo dos substantivos.

A capacidade de comunicar permite criar oportunidades de interação, influenciar o comportamento de outros e através disso exercer controlo sobre o meio ambiente da pessoa. Proporcionar uma forma aumentativa ou alternativa de comunicar potencia a autonomia e uma melhor qualidade de vida das crianças com perturbações da comunicação. Este facto, requere da parte dos profissionais um conjunto de competências para intervir junto destas crianças. A implementação da Comunicação Aumentativa e Alternativa (CAA) pode ser dificultada por preconceitos sobre a necessidade de uso, período mais adequado para iniciar a aprendizagem e competências precisas para o desenvolvimento da comunicação através destes recursos. Nesse sentido, este texto tem como finalidade contribuir para uma compreensão acerca dos mitos e realidades em relação ao uso da CAA. Foram analisadas as produções científicas nacionais e internacionais acerca do uso da CAA em populações com problemas graves na comunicação. Para isso, foi realizada uma busca em bases de dados de artigos, teses e dissertações, utilizando a combinação dos descritores, “Comunicação Aumentativa” e “Perturbações da Comunicação”. Os cinco mitos apresentados, caso não sejam adequadamente esclarecidos, podem levar a problemas na adesão à CAA por parte das famílias e de alguns profissionais. Assim, surge a necessidade de desmistificar estas questões de forma a promover o apoio adequado a crianças que podem beneficiar de CAA., The ability to communicate allows for opportunities for interaction, influencing the behaviour of others and thereby exercising control over the person’s environment. To provide an augmentative or alternative way of communicating promotes the autonomy and a better quality of life of children with communication disorders. This requires professionals to have a set of skills to intervene with these children. The implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be hampered by prejudices about the need to use, a more appropriate period to start learning and the precise skills to develop communication through these resources. In this sense, this text aims to contribute to an understanding of the myths and realities about the use of the AAC. National and international scientific productions about the use of AAC in populations with severe communication problems were analysed. A search was carried out in databases of articles, theses and dissertations, using the combination of the descriptors “Alternative Communication”, “Augmentative Communication” and “Communication Disorders”. The five myths presented, if not adequately clarified, may lead to problems in adherence to the AAC by families and professionals. Thus, there is a need to demystify these issues in order to promote adequate support for children who can benefit from AAC.