The size-weight illusion in visual form agnosic patient DF

ABSTRACT

The size-weight illusion is a perceptual illusion where smaller objects are judged as heavier than equally weighted larger objects. A previous informal report suggests that visual form agnosic patient DF does not experience the size-weight illusion when vision is the only available cue to object size. We tested this experimentally, comparing the magnitudes of DF’s visual, kinesthetic and visual-kinesthetic size-weight illusions to those of 28 similarly-aged controls. A modified t-test found that DF’s visual size-weight illusion was significantly smaller than that of controls (z_cc = ?1.7). A test of simple dissociation based on the Revised Standardized Difference Test found that the discrepancy between the magnitude of DF’s visual and kinesthetic size-weight illusions was not significantly different from that of controls (z_dcc = ?1.054), thereby failing to establish a dissociation between the visual and kinesthetic conditions. These results are consistent with previous suggestions that visual form agnosia, following ventral visual stream damage, is associated with an abnormally reduced size-weight illusion. The results, however, do not confirm that this reduction is specific to the use of visual size cues to predict object weight, rather than reflecting more general changes in the processing of object size cues or in the use of predictive strategies for lifting.     

Intratelencephalic projections of the avian visual dorsal ventricular ridge: Laminarly segregated,reciprocally and topographically organized

Recent reports have shown that the avian visual dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) is organized as a trilayered complex, in which the forming layers—the thalamo-recipient entopallium (E), an overlaying nidopallial stripe called intermediate nidopallium (NI), and the dorsally adjacent mesopallium ventrale—appear to be extensively interconnected by topographically organized columns of reciprocal axonal processes running perpendicular to the layers, an arrangement highly reminiscent to that of the sensory cortices of mammals. In the present report, we implemented in vivo anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques aiming to elucidate the organization of the connections of this complex with other pallial areas. Previous studies have shown that the efferent projections of the visual DVR originate mainly from the NI and E, reaching several distinct associative and premotor nidopallial areas. We found that the efferents from the visual DVR originated solely from the NI, and confirmed that the targets of these projections were the pallial areas described by previous studies. We also found novel projections from the NI to the visual hyperpallium, and to the lateral striatum. Moreover, we found that these projections were reciprocal, topographically organized, and originated from different cell populations within the NI. We conclude that the NI constitutes a specialized layer of the visual DVR that form the core of a dense network of highly specific connections between this region and other higher order areas of the avian pallium. Finally, we discuss to what extent these hodological properties resemble those of the mammalian cortical layers II/III.     

视网膜颞上分支静脉阻塞合并黄斑水肿的SD-OCT特征及视野分析

目的观察颞上视网膜分支静脉阻塞(branch retinal vein occlusion,BRVO)合并黄斑水肿的频域光学相干断层扫描(spectral domain-optical coherence tomography,SD-OCT)特征,分析视野改变特点。方法回顾性研究。随机选取2019年2月至11月于承德医学院附属医院眼科确诊为BRVO合并黄斑水肿患者34例(34眼)作为BRVO组,同期健康人16人(29眼)作为正常对照组。两组均行最佳矫正视力、裂隙灯显微镜、眼压、间接检眼镜、荧光素眼底血管造影(fundus fluorescein angiograph,FFA)、SD-OCT、自动静态视野计检查。比较两组采用SD-OCT测量的黄斑各分区视网膜厚度、视野平均光敏度(mean sensitivity,MS)及视野平均缺损(mean defect,MD)。结果BRVO组中,黄斑区视网膜可呈海绵样弥漫型视网膜增厚、黄斑囊样水肿、浆液性视网膜脱离及混合型(前三种模式特征皆有)等多种形态表现。BRVO组黄斑中心凹,黄斑中心内外环的颞侧、上方、鼻侧、下方,共9个区域的视网膜厚度分别为(398.09±106.69)μm、(425.06±99.09)μm、(467.18±89.36)μm、(402.53±94.27)μm、(349.47±61.61)μm、(367.44±98.67)μm、(440.88±79.37)μm、(343.32±47.43)μm、(292.91±40.66)μm,正常对照组相应部位分别为(234.21±12.16)μm、(303.21±14.47)μm、(317.90±13.81)μm、(316.59±15.32)μm、(316.76±13.00)μm、(269.48±14.19)μm、(286.86±11.79)μm、(294.76±12.98)μm、(268.76±13.71)μm,两组间比较差异均有统计学意义(均为P<0.05)。BRVO组、正常对照组下方视野MS分别为(18.71±5.47)dB、(27.17±1.18)dB,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。黄斑中心内环上半侧、黄斑中心外环上半侧视网膜厚度与下方视野MD均无相关性(均为P>0.05)。结论BRVO合并的黄斑水肿呈现形态多种、分布广泛的特征,同时具有下方视野损害的特点。     

超导可视无痛人流术178例临床观察分析

目的：探究超导可视无痛人流术178例临床疗效。方法对照组178例患者给予无痛人工流产术治疗，观察组178例患者给予超导可视无痛人流术，观察对比2组手术时间、宫腔操作时间、术中出血量、术后并发症等情况。结果观察组手术时间、宫腔操作时间及术中出血量分别为（4.1±1.2）min、（1.2±0.4）min、（10.7±2.5）mL，对照组各观察指标分别为（5.8±1.3）min、（1.9±0.5）min、（19.2±2.4）mL，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；观察组术后并发生症率为7.3%，明显低于对照组的25.3%，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；观察组未发生宫腔残留，对照组宫腔残留率为7.3%，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论在阴道B超可视条件下开展无痛人流术操作，有助于保障手术操作的有效性和安全性，值得临床应用和推广。     

Light‐dependent development of the tectorotundal projection in pigeons

Left–right differences in the structural and functional organization of the brain are widespread in the animal kingdom and develop in close gene–environment interactions. The visual system of birds like chicks and pigeons exemplifies how sensory experience shapes lateralized visual processing. Owing to an asymmetrical posture of the embryo in the egg, the right eye/ left brain side is more strongly light‐stimulated what triggers asymmetrical differentiation processes leading to a left‐hemispheric dominance for visuomotor control. In pigeons (Columba livia), a critical neuroanatomical element is the asymmetrically organized tectofugal pathway. Here, more fibres cross from the right tectum to the left rotundus than vice versa. In the current study, we tested whether the emergence of this projection asymmetry depends on embryonic light stimulation by tracing tectorotundal neurons in pigeons with and without lateralized embryonic light experience. The quantitative tracing pattern confirmed higher bilateral innervation of the left rotundus in light‐exposed and thus, asymmetrically light‐stimulated pigeons. This was the same in light‐deprived pigeons. Here, however, also the right rotundus received an equally strong bilateral input. This suggests that embryonic light stimulation does not increase bilateral tectal innervation of the stronger stimulated left but rather decreases such an input pattern to the right brain side. Combined with a morphometric analysis, our data indicate that embryonic photic stimulation specifically affects differentiation of the contralateral cell population. Differential modification of ipsi‐ and contralateral tectorotundal connections could have important impact on the regulation of intra‐ and interhemispheric information transfer and ultimately on hemispheric dominance pattern during visual processing.     

Audiological and subjective outcomes of 100 implanted transcutaneous bone conduction devices and preoperative bone conduction hearing aids in patients with bilateral microtia-atresia

Abstract

Background: Bonebridge (BB) and bone conduction hearing aid (BCHA) are effective in patients with bilateral congenital microtia-atresia (CMA).

Objectives: To investigate and compare the outcomes of these devices in a large sample size.

Materials and methods: This single center prospective study involved 100 patients with bilateral CMA who were implanted with BBs and used BCHAs before implantation. Sound field threshold (SFT), speech reception thresholds (SRTs) and word recognition scores (WRSs) were compared between unaided, BCHA used and implanted patients. The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) was used to evaluate subjective satisfaction.

Results: Compared to unaided condition, the SFT, WRS and SRT of BCHA and BB were significantly improved. With BCHA or BB, the three subscale scores of the APHAB (ease of communication, background noise and reverberation) significantly reduced. However, the aversiveness subscale scored significantly higher than unaided condition. All outcomes were better in BB condition than BCHA.

Conclusions: BB or BCHA use can be considered as effective methods to improve audiological outcomes and subjective satisfaction. Although not as good as BB, BCHA use is critical for improving hearing in the early period of language and auditory pathway development before the skull is suitable for BB implantation.     

The influence of tongue strength on children's performance in computer games reliant on lingual force generation

Oral motor exercises, for recovering tongue strength, can be integrated with computer games to increase motivation, especially for treatments in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of tongue strength on motor performance in computer games reliant on lingual force generation. An observational study was carried out at a speech-language pathology outpatient university clinic. Twenty participants (10 with normal tongue strength and 10 with reduced tongue strength) aged 8-13 years used an intra-oral joystick controlled by the tongue to play six computer games during which they had to reach targets that appeared on the screen. Motor performance was measured by the number of attempts to score and the time during which the target force was maintained. Tongue motor performance was compared between groups and across directions of tongue movement, resistance force levels, order of target appearance, continuous force application time on the target, age and sex. Children with normal tongue strength had a lower number of attempts to score (P = .014) and maintained the target force for longer periods (P = .002) than those with reduced tongue strength. The performance was better for both groups (a) in the downward direction compared with the performance in other directions, (b) in games with the lowest resistive force level (0.5 N) compared to those with other levels of resistive force and (c) in the second and third rounds compared with the first round. There were no gender-related differences in performance. Older participants performed better than younger participants. Tongue strength, direction of movement, force to reach the target, time of continuous force application, order of target appearance and age influenced tongue motor performance.