Psychometric analysis of child language pragmatic aspect evaluation: icra-a battery

ResumenEl estudio que se informa describe el análisis psicométrico de la validación y confiabilidad de los instrumentos que conforman la Batería ICRA-A (Investigación de la Competencia Comunicativa para la Realización de Actos de Habla - Abraham & Brenca, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009a, 2013), la cual fue diseñada para evaluar sistemáticamente el aspecto pragmático del lenguaje infantil en el marco de la evaluación neurolingüística. La batería está conformada por cuatro instrumentos: (1) Análisis y Registro de Actos de Habla, (2) Observación Pragmática del Juego, (3) Cuestionario para Padres y (4) Guía para Padres. Fueron evaluados 155 niños, 100 de ellos tenían compromisos del lenguaje no verbal y/o verbal, y 55, con desarrollo típico del lenguaje. Se realizó el análisis de la validez de constructo utilizando Análisis Factorial con Componentes Principales y Rotación Varimax, la confiabilidad entre jueces, aplicando Coeficiente de Correlación Intraclase con acuerdo absoluto y la consistencia interna, mediante el coeficiente de Alpha de Cronbach. Se determinaron percentiles y valores de corte empleando la Curva ROC, como así también valores de especificidad, sensibilidad, predictibilidad y razón de probabilidad. La validez de constructo para el instrumento 1 fue igual a 65.5% y para el instrumento 2, igual a 73.7 % y la correlación intraclase fue igual a .90 y .89 respectivamente. Los resultados de la Curva ROC fueron: .92 para el instrumento 1 y .89 para el 2. Para el instrumento 1, el valor de sensibilidad fue igual a 81%, el de especificidad 90.9%, de seguridad (VP + 94.2%; VP - 72.5%) y de predictibilidad (CP + 8.47; CP - .21). Los instrumentos 3 y 4 brindan información preponderantemente cualitativa, ya que registran la percepción que tiene cada uno de los padres sobre la competencia comunicativa del niño. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la fortaleza de la Batería ICRA-A para evaluar el aspecto pragmático del lenguaje infantil en la clínica fonoaudiológica.In this paper we describe the psychometric analysis of the validation and reliability of the instruments which constitute ICRA-A Battery (Communicative Competence for Speech Acts Production Research - Abraham & Brenca, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009a, 2013). It was designed for systematic assessment of child language pragmatic aspect, with a progression criterion, within the framework of neurolinguistic evaluation, in River Plate Spanish speeking children. In this way, it allows to register and analyze pragmatic development rigorously, with variables control, what is added to the analysis made in the other dimensions (phonological, lexical-semantic and morphosyntactic), so permitting to get a whole profile of the child linguistic competence. ICRA-A Battery is applied to little children who show pragmatic impairment. It is also useful with older children with a lower communicative or intellectual range. It is composed of four instruments. (1) Speech Acts Analysis and Register: it allows to evaluate in a quantitative and a qualitative mood pre and paralinguistic manifestations of the seven speech acts basic in children language development. (2) Playing Pragmatic Observation: information can be obtained about communicative competence, fundamentally non verbal, taking into consideration shared referenciality, protodeclaring and protoimperative conducts, prelinguistic functions, basic speech acts precursors, ludic interaction type and mode, analyzed into six communicative dimensions. (3) Parents Questionnaire: useful to get information on the perception each parent has about his / her child communicative competence. (4) Parents Guide: to give parents guidance on their child communicative behavior in three daily routines within the familiar context. ICRA-A Battery includes created ad hoc concrete and figurative material, as well as Register and Results forms. It is incorporated into the ICRA Method, which, from a systematic and progressive fashion, allows to formulate the pragmatic objectives of treatment plan and intervention strategies. One hundred and fifty five children were assessed: 100 with verbal and/or non verbal language impairment, and 55 with normal language development. Construct validity analysis was made through Factorial Analysis with Principal Components and Varimax Rotation. For reliability between judges we applied Intraclass Correlation Coefficient with absolute agreement; and internal consistency through Cronbach Alpha - Coefficient. Percentiles and cut values were determined through ROC Curve, and so specificity, sensibility, predictability values and probability ratio. Construct validity for instrument 1 was of 65.5%; for 2, of 73.7%; intraclass correlation was of .90 and .89, respectively. ROC Curve results were of .92 for instrument 1 and .89 for 2. For instrument 1, sensitivity value was of 81%, specificity of 90.9%,security (VP + 94.2%; VP - 72.5%); predictability (CP + 8.47; CP - .21). Instruments 3 and 4 give a preponderantly qualitative information, as they register the perception that each parent has on their child communicative competence. These results show the Battery ICRA-A fortitude to evaluate the child language pragmatic aspect in phono-audiological work. Speech acts systematic study is a relevant tool in phonoaudiological treatment to obtain greater precision in language analysis of children with communicative competence development difficulties, in differential diagnosis and consequent treatment. The psychometric results that have been achieved show ICRA-A Battery fortitude for its use in the phonological work with neurolinguistic orientation.Fil: Abraham, Maria del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J.a Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Brenca, Rosa María. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J.a Rimoldi; Argentin

Las destrezas narrativas en niños de 5 años: Propuesta de un instrumento de evaluación clínica del lenguaje

The skills involved in narrative competence allow us to predict the child’s further cognitive-linguistic performance. Thus, from a speech and language perspective, it is extremely important to have clinical tools to evaluate such aspect .The present manuscript addresses the design of a clinical instrument   to assess the abilities involved in narrative competence. Such abilities comprise those related to the development of canonical narrative structure as well as those related to the expression of content. These abilities are analyzed   through an activity of re-telling a store induced from an ad-hoc oral text accompanied with pictures .A form specifically created for systematic qualitative and quantitative analysis was used to collect the data. The materials used in and a preliminary psychometric analysis of a pilot study conducted in 22 normal-language  development pre-school children coming from middle-class families in the city of Buenos Aires are discussed. The results show that the instrument is capable of determining which narrative skills are involved in pre-school children and the manner they should be assessed.Las habilidades implicadas en la competencia narrativa permiten predecir el futuro desempeño lingüístico-cognitivo del niño, por lo cual resulta fundamental contar con recursos evaluativos específicos en la clínica fonoaudiológica. Proponemos un instrumento de evaluación de tales destrezas infantiles que abarca tanto las habilidades correspondientes al desarrollo de la estructura narrativa canónica como las que corresponden a la expresión del contenido, cuyas características se analizan mediante la actividad de renarración de un cuento con imágenes, creado adhoc. Los datos se registran en un formulario diseñado para el análisis sistemático cuanti-cualitativo. Se presentan los materiales empleados y el análisis psicométrico preliminar, realizado en un estudio piloto con 22 niños preescolares sin problemas de lenguaje, de clase media, de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Los resultados reflejan la fortaleza del instrumento para establecer con precisión, cuales son las destrezas narrativas en la edad preescolar y el modo de evaluarlas

Avaliação neurolinguística pragmática para pacientes afásicos graves de causa sequencial ou degenerativa: Bateria ICRA-R

En la literatura neuropsicolingüística es basta la referencia a la necesidad de evaluar el aspecto pragmático del lenguaje en pacientes afásicos. Si bien se cuenta con instrumentos para realizarlo, aún su evaluación predomina centrada en el discurso y en la modalidad cualitativa de análisis de lo registrado. Por otra parte, son escasos los test específicos para afásicos severos y poco precisos los criterios para determinar grados de compromiso pragmático. Es necesario contar con recursos que le permitan al fonoaudiólogo evaluar, de modo cuantitativo y cualitativo, los componentes pragmáticos verbales y no verbales del lenguaje de los pacientes afásicos que tienen comprometidas las habilidades comunicativas mínimas. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar los instrumentos que conforman la Batería ICRA-R creada para la evaluación sistemática de la competencia pragmática básica de pacientes afásicos severos siguiendo un criterio de progresión a partir del concepto de acto de habla y la definición de rasgo pragmático. Se describen las características de sus instrumentos, recursos y estrategias para su implementación clínica y se determinan criterios de grados de severidad pragmática.There is a pressing need to assess the pragmatic aspect of language in aphasic patients, as evidenced by most of the current literature on neurolinguistics. Although the necessary tools are available, assessments are still focused on speech and its qualitative analysis. On the other hand, there are very few specific tests in place for severe aphasia and the criteria to determine the degree of pragmatic impairment are not specific enough. It is necessary to rely on resources that enable the speech therapist to assess, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the verbal and non-verbal pragmatic language components of aphasic patients whose minimal communicative skills are compromised. The purpose of this paper is to put forward the tools comprised in the ICRA-R Battery, designed for the systematic assessment of basic pragmatic competence in severe aphasic patients following a progression criterion which is based on the concept of act of speech and definition of pragmatic aspect. This paper further describes the tools, resources and strategies for its clinical implementation and outlines the various degrees of pragmatic severity.Na literatura neuropsicológica, a referência à necessidade de avaliar o aspecto pragmático da linguagem em pacientes afásicos é vasta. Embora existam instrumentos para realizá-lo, sua avaliação ainda predomina no discurso e na modalidade qualitativa de análise do que foi registrado. Por outro lado, os testes específicos para afásicos graves são escassos e os critérios para determinar graus de comprometimento pragmático são escassos. É necessário ter recursos que permitam ao fonoaudiólogo avaliar, de maneira quantitativa e qualitativa, os componentes pragmáticos verbais e não verbais da linguagem de pacientes afásicos com habilidades mínimas de comunicação. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar os instrumentos que compõem a Bateria ICRA-R criada para a avaliação sistemática da competência pragmática básica de pacientes afásicos graves, seguindo um critério de progressão baseado no conceito de ato de fala e na definição de traço pragmático. As características de seus instrumentos, recursos e estratégias para sua implementação clínica são descritas e critérios de graus de gravidade pragmática são determinados.Fil: Abraham, Maria del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Richaud, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Bogliotti, Erica. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Rohde, Mariela. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Beatriz. Hospital Italiano; Argentin

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in root s(NN)=2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as nu(ch)(2) (jet). Jet finding is performed employing the anti-k(T) algorithm with a resolution parameter R = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero nu(ch)(2) (jet) is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50% centrality) for 20 <p(T)(ch) (jet) <90 GeV/c. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the nu(2) of single charged particles at high p(T). Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe

Search for top squark production in fully hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search for production of the supersymmetric partners of the top quark, top squarks, is presented. The search is based on proton-proton collision events containing multiple jets, no leptons, and large transverse momentum imbalance. The data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb(-1). The targeted signal production scenarios are direct and gluino-mediated top squark production, including scenarios in which the top squark and neutralino masses are nearly degenerate. The search utilizes novel algorithms based on deep neural networks that identify hadronically decaying top quarks and W bosons, which are expected in many of the targeted signal models. No statistically significant excess of events is observed relative to the expectation from the standard model, and limits on the top squark production cross section are obtained in the context of simplified supersymmetric models for various production and decay modes. Exclusion limits as high as 1310 GeVare established at the 95% confidence level on the mass of the top squark for direct top squark production models, and as high as 2260 GeV on the mass of the gluino for gluino-mediated top squark production models. These results represent a significant improvement over the results of previous searches for supersymmetry by CMS in the same final state.Peer reviewe

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| &lt; 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Measurement of the W gamma Production Cross Section in Proton-Proton Collisions at root s=13 TeV and Constraints on Effective Field Theory Coefficients

A fiducial cross section for W gamma production in proton-proton collisions is measured at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 137 fb(-1) of data collected using the CMS detector at the LHC. The W -> e nu and mu nu decay modes are used in a maximum-likelihood fit to the lepton-photon invariant mass distribution to extract the combined cross section. The measured cross section is compared with theoretical expectations at next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics. In addition, 95% confidence level intervals are reported for anomalous triple-gauge couplings within the framework of effective field theory.Peer reviewe