An argument analysis of cognate objects in Dschang (Yemba)

Focusing on the Foto dialect of Dschang (Yemba), an understudied Grassfields Bantu language spoken in Cameroon, this paper offers a cross-linguistic perspective on Cognate Objects (CO). An argument analysis of Dschang COs is supported by both cross-linguistic comparison, e.g. forms of corresponding wh-questions, the compatibility with strong determiners, quantifiers and possessors, and the ability to be pronominalized and relativized, and Dschang-internal evidence including word order variations and tonal marking in object position

Maintenance of inferences by adults with right brain damage

The process of inferencing involves not only generation, but also selection and maintenance of inferences. The current study examined generation and maintenance of predictive inferences in adults with right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) and healthy older adults without brain damage (NBD). Results from the NBD group suggest that these individuals were able to both generate predictive inferences and maintain them over time. Data from the small contingent of adults with RHD tested to date indicate that some individuals may be slow to generate inferences, although the majority can maintain them over time

Tangential, egocentric, verbose language: Is it right hemisphere brain damage or normal aging?

Discourse produced by both adults with right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) and healthy older adults (HOAs) has been described as tangential, overpersonalized, disorganized and inefficient. Twenty experienced speech-language pathologists rated discourse productions on the basis of tangentiality, egocentrism, and quantity (verbosity vs. paucity of speech). Raters correctly classified participants into groups (RHD vs. HOA) with 73% accuracy. Discourse from adults with RHD was rated as more tangential and egocentric than that from HOAs. Raters’ certainty of their classifications was not related to accuracy, but was related to their reported familiarity with RHD communication disorders

Agronomic assessment of grazing method of corn residues on cow performance, residue utilization, crop yield, and soil properties

The objectives were to evaluate the effects of beef cows grazing corn residues on cow performance, residue utilization, subsequent crop yield, and soil physical and chemical properties. Two grazing methods (strip grazing, (SG) and continuous grazing, (CG)) and a control (ungrazed, (CT)) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications each yr for 3 yr. Within SG, subplots were assigned with a grazing order (1, 2, 3). Thirty-six spring-calving, multiparous, Angus cows were utilized in yr 1 (BW = 648 ± 41 kg) and 2 (BW = 710 ± 71 kg) at a stocking density of 3.0 cows·ha-1, and 42 winter-calving Angus heifers (BW = 566 ± 39 kg) were utilized in yr 3 at a stocking density of 3.6 heifers·ha-1. Cattle grazed for 42 d beginning on 29 Sept. 2012 (yr 1), 2 Nov. 2013 (yr 2), and 4 Oct. 2014 (yr 3). Residue samples were collected on d 14 and d 28 of grazing and after grazing in yr 1, and before and after grazing in yr 2. Soil samples were collected before and after cattle grazing in yr 1 and 2. Paddock dimensions were marked during yr 1 with GPS coordinates so that the same treatment was applied to the same paddock area and location each yr. Cows within the SG treatment were heavier (P = 0.04) after grazing and had an increase (P = 0.04) in body weight change compared to CG. At d 28 in yr 1, SG residue had decreased (P ˂ 0.01) acid detergent fiber and tended (P = 0.08) to have increased organic matter compared to CG. At the conclusion of grazing, SG had decreased (P = 0.02) neutral detergent fiber compared to CG. Within SG in yr 2, strip 3 tended to have increased (P = 0.10) total residue available compared to strips 1 and 2 after grazing. Strip 1 had increased (P = 0.02) acid detergent fiber and tended (P = 0.09) to have decreased crude protein compared to strips 2 and 3. No differences (P = 0.19) were detected between treatments for subsequent corn yield following two grazing seasons. However, within SG, the first strip tended (P = 0.10) to have reduced yields compared to the second strip, with the third strip being intermediate. Soil bulk density was increased (P ˂ 0.01) in both grazing treatments compared to CT, but penetration resistance was not affected (P = 0.56) by treatment. Water aggregate stability was decreased (P = 0.01) in CG and SG compared to CT. Soil nitrate was increased (P = 0.03) in CG compared to SG, with CT being intermediate. Soil ammonium was not affected (P = 0.14) by grazing treatment. Soil pH was increased (P ˂ 0.01) in SG compared to CG and CT. Grazing order in SG did not affect (P ≥ 0.25) soil physical or chemical properties. Strip grazing corn residues increased cow performance. Grazing residue did not affect subsequent crop performance, yet the effects that strip grazing has on crop performance need to be further investigated. Although livestock grazing increased soil compaction, root restricting levels of compaction were not reached. Results indicate that cattle and crops can be integrated with the grazing of corn residue, resulting in minimal effects on soil properties and subsequent crop yield

Heading and cognitive performance in female collegiate soccer players

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between number of headers and cognitive processing in collegiate female soccer players over the course of a typical soccer season. This study expands upon the current literature by counting headers not only during games, but also during practices. Additionally, cognitive function was assessed at 4 points throughout the season to allow examination of change over time. The primary hypothesis was that performance on a cognitive test would be negatively related to the number of headers during the season

The Company Prosodic Deficits Keep Following Right Hemisphere Stroke: A Systematic Review

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to identify the presence and nature of relationships between specific forms of aprosodia (i.e., expressive and receptive emotional and linguistic prosodic deficits) and other cognitive-communication deficits and disorders in individuals with right hemisphere damage (RHD) due to stroke. Methods: One hundred and ninety articles from 1970 to February 2020 investigating receptive and expressive prosody in patients with relatively focal right hemisphere brain damage were identified via database searches. Results: Fourteen articles were identified that met inclusion criteria, passed quality reviews, and included sufficient information about prosody and potential co-occurring deficits. Twelve articles investigated receptive emotional aprosodia, and two articles investigated receptive linguistic aprosodia. Across the included studies, receptive emotional prosody was not systematically associated with hemispatial neglect, but did co-occur with deficits in emotional facial recognition, interpersonal interactions, or emotional semantics. Receptive linguistic processing was reported to co-occur with amusia and hemispatial neglect. No studies were found that investigated the co-occurrence of expressive emotional or linguistic prosodic deficits with other cognitive-communication impairments. Conclusions: This systematic review revealed significant gaps in the research literature regarding the co-occurrence of common right hemisphere disorders with prosodic deficits. More rigorous empirical inquiry is required to identify specific patient profiles based on clusters of deficits associated with right hemisphere stroke. Future research may determine whether the co-occurrences identified are due to shared cognitive-linguistic processes, and may inform the development of evidence-based assessment and treatment recommendations for individuals with cognitive-communication deficits subsequent to RHD

Frequency and co-occurrence of suppression and coarse coding deficits in adults with RHD

This study examines two language processing functions that have the potential to create socially handicapping language comprehension difficulties in adults with right hemisphere brain damage (RHD). The first, coarse semantic coding, allows normal comprehenders to bring to mind distant meanings or features of words that are appropriate in highly specific contexts (e.g., the "rotten" feature of the word "apple" in the context of spoiled produce). The second, suppression, is a process that inhibits contextually-irrelevant meanings (e.g., the "card-playing" meaning of the word "spade" in "He dug with the spade."). In prior work, some adults with RHD were found to have impaired suppression1-4 or coarse coding processes5-6. These language processing impairments can make it difficult for individuals with RHD to participate in everyday social communication. For example, they can have trouble thinking beyond the most typical instance of an entity (e.g., an apple that's red, round, and crunchy) when another instance is being referred to (e.g., an apple that's rotten). Another possibility is they can be misled by ambiguities which are commonplace in conversation, and have difficulty getting back on track (e.g., keeping in mind the "card-playing" meaning of the word "spade" in a sentence like "He dug with the spade"). These problems predict comprehension performance on measures of narrative comprehension, as well7,8. To date, there is no information about how prevalent these deficits are, or how often they may co-occur in the same individual. This project identifies the proportions of a sizeable group of adults with RHD that have either a coarse coding deficit, a suppression deficit, co-occurring deficits, or neither deficit in reference to criteria developed from prior studies of healthy control subjects1-3,5,6

Generalization of a Novel, Implicit Treatment for Coarse Coding Deficit

The language comprehension deficits in adults with focal right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) can cause considerable social handicap. To date, however, treatment for language deficits in this population remains almost entirely untested. This abstract reports a single-subject experimental design study, performed to investigate whether Contextual Constraint Treatment -- a novel, implicit, stimulation-facilitation treatment for language comprehension processes -- can yield generalized gains to broader measures of language comprehension in adults with RHD. The focus of Contextual Constraint Treatment (CCT) is motivated by two major accounts of common language comprehension problems in adults with RHD: coarse coding and suppression deficits. The patient in this study had a coarse coding (CC) deficit, so we describe here only the CC version of the treatment. CC processes activate wide-ranging aspects of word meaning independent of the surrounding context, and CC deficits in adults with RHD impair the processing of distant meanings or features of words (e.g., “rotten” as a feature of “apple”)1. CC is a partially domain-general language comprehension process. That is, CC ability predicts aspects of discourse comprehension, is hypothesized to underpin figurative language comprehension, and is involved in processing phrasal metaphors2. Thus, treatment that improves CC processes has the potential to generalize to a range of communicative outcomes. CCT is novel in aiming to facilitate comprehension processes implicitly, through contextual prestimulation. This approach contrasts with the majority of treatments for neurologically-based cognitive-linguistic disorders, which are direct, explicit, and/or metalinguistic. We implemented this approach to avoid confounding treatment of impaired processes with irrelevant, and potentially difficult, task demands, as adults with RHD who can perform well on implicit assessments of language processing often have difficulty with metalinguistic assessments of the same processing operations2

Cognitive impairment after ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

Purpose: Cognitive impairment is a common consequence of stroke and has direct implications for poststroke functioning and quality of life, including the ability to maintain a job, live independently, sustain interpersonal relationships, and drive a vehicle. In this scientific statement, we critically appraise the literature on the prevalence, diagnosis, and management of poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and provide a framework for clinical care while highlighting gaps that merit further study. Methods: We performed a scoping literature review of randomized controlled clinical trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies, clinical guidelines, review articles, and editorials on the incidence and prevalence, natural history, diagnosis, and management of PSCI. Scoping reviews determine the scope of a body of literature on a given topic to indicate the volume of literature and the studies currently available and provide an overview of its focus. Results: PSCI is common after stroke, especially in the first year, and ranges from mild to severe. Although cognitive impairment is reversible in some cases early after stroke, up to one-third of individuals with stroke develop dementia within 5 years. The pathophysiology is not yet fully elucidated but is likely attributable to an acute stroke precipitating a series of pathological events, often in the setting of preexisting microvascular and neurodegenerative changes. Screening for associated comorbidities and interdisciplinary management are integral components of the care of individuals with PSCI. There is a need for prospective studies evaluating the individual trajectory of PSCI and the role of the acute vascular event in the predisposition for Alzheimer disease and related dementias, as well as high-quality, randomized clinical trials focused on PSCI management

Theory of mind in utterance interpretation: the case from clinical pragmatics

The cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is an area that continues to provoke intense theoretical debate among pragmatists. That utterance interpretation involves some type of mind-reading or theory of mind (ToM) is indisputable. However, theorists are divided on the exact nature of this ToM-based mechanism. In this paper, it is argued that the only type of ToM-based mechanism that can adequately represent the cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is one which reflects the rational, intentional, holistic character of interpretation. Such a ToM-based mechanism is supported on conceptual and empirical grounds. Empirical support for this view derives from the study of children and adults with pragmatic disorders. Specifically, three types of clinical case are considered. In the first case, evidence is advanced which indicates that individuals with pragmatic disorders exhibit deficits in reasoning and the use of inferences. These deficits compromise the ability of children and adults with pragmatic disorders to comply with the rational dimension of utterance interpretation