MORPHOPHONOLOGICAL ACQUISITION IN A MINIATURE LANGUAGE LEARNING TASK WITH MONOLINGUAL AND BILINGUAL SPEAKERS

This paper explores the role of bilingualism in a person’s ability to learn the morphophonological rules of a miniature language - a small, novel language designed to investigate language acquisition. Previous research has investigated whether bilingual speakers show cognitive and linguistic advantages over monolinguals, with mixed results. Some research shows general cognitive advantages for bilinguals, others show advantages with specific linguistic constructions but not others, and still others show no advantages. To inform this debate, participants were taught the pattern of pluralization in a novel language using a miniature-language learning task and were then tested on their ability to apply the rules they learned to new forms. The plural forms illustrated either initial consonant mutation, where the first consonant of a word changes in certain contexts, or infixation, where a morpheme is added in the middle of a word. The proportion of correct responses was compared between monolingual and bilingual speakers for both pluralization patterns, and no significant difference was found. While further research is necessary to determine the specificity of this finding, this experiment suggests that there may be no difference in bilingual and monolingual speaker’s ability to learn the morphophonological rules of a language

Unveiling the potential application of intraoperative brain smear for brain tumor diagnosis in low-middle-income countries: A comprehensive systematic review

Background: Immediate intraoperative histopathological examination of tumor tissue is indispensable for a neurosurgeon to track surgical resection. A brain smear is a simple, rapid, and cost-effective technique, particularly important in the diagnosis of brain tumors. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of intraoperative brain smear in the diagnosis of brain tumors in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), while also evaluating its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy.Methods: A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The retrieved articles were independently screened by two reviewers. The data was extracted, processed, and organized using Microsoft Excel.Results: A total of 59 out of 553 articles screened were included in the final analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of the intraoperative smear of brain tumors were found to be over 90% in most studies. The PPV was consistently above 90% in 11 studies, reaching 100% in one study and the NPV varied, ranging from 63% to 100%, and the accuracy was found to be \u3e80% in most studies. One recurrent theme in the majority of the included studies was that an intraoperative brain smear is a cost-effective, quick, accessible, and accurate method of diagnosing brain tumors, requiring minimal training and infrastructure.Conclusion: Intraoperative brain smear is a simple, rapid, cost-effective, and highly sensitive diagnostic modality for brain tumors. It can be a viable and accessible alternative to more traditional methods such as frozen sections and can be incorporated into neurosurgical practice in LMICs as a reliable and efficient diagnostic tool

A mixed-methods assessment of the feasibility of conducting neurosurgical clinical research in Uganda

Background: Clinical research is necessary to evaluate neurosurgical interventions, yet clinical trials are conducted less frequently in low- and middle-income countries. Because specific barriers, facilitating factors, and strategies for neurosurgical clinical research in Uganda have not been previously identified, this study evaluated neurosurgical providers\u27 perspectives on clinical research and documentation patterns of neurosurgical variables at [BLINDED FOR REVIEW, INSTITUTION A].Methods: Retrospective review of 166 neurosurgical patient charts assessed the frequency of documentation of key variables. Twenty-two providers working in neurosurgery participated in 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) with qualitative analysis utilizing the framework method.Results: Chart review showed that primary diagnosis (99.4%), pupil light response (97.6%), and CT scan results (93.3%) were documented for most patients. Cranial nerve exam (61.5%), pupil size (69.9%), and time to neurosurgical intervention (45%) were documented less frequently. On average, Glasgow Coma Scale was documented for 86.6% of days hospitalized, while vital signs were documented for 12.3%. In most FGDs, participants identified follow-up, financing, recruitment, time, approval, and sociocultural factors as research barriers. Participants described how the current health workforce facilitates successful research. To improve research capacity, suggested strategies focused on research networks, data collection, leadership, participant recruitment, infrastructure, and implementation.Conclusion: At [BLINDED FOR REVIEW, INSTITUTION A ABBREVIATION], there was variability in the frequency of documentation of neurosurgical variables, which may impact data collection for future studies. While multiple barriers were identified, sociocultural, financing, and time barriers greatly impacted neurosurgical clinical research. Despite that, identified facilitating factors and strategies could be utilized to support neurosurgical research capacity growth

Exploring the feasibility of pupillometry training and perceptions of potential use for intracranial pressure monitoring in Uganda: A mixed methods study

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for the majority of Uganda’s neurosurgical disease burden; however, invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is infrequently used. Noninvasive monitoring could change the care of patients in such a setting through quick detection of elevated ICP. Purpose: Given the novelty of pupillometry in Uganda, this mixed methods study assessed the feasibility of pupillometry for noninvasive ICP monitoring for patients with TBI. Methods: Twenty-two healthcare workers in Kampala, Uganda received education on pupillometry, practiced using the device on healthy volunteers, and completed interviews discussing pupillometry and its implementation. Interviews were assessed with qualitative analysis, while quantitative analysis evaluated learning time, measurement time, and accuracy of measurements by participants compared to a trainer’s measurements. Results: Most participants (79%) reported a positive perception of pupillometry. Participants described the value of pupillometry in the care of patients during examination, monitoring, and intervention delivery. Commonly discussed concerns included pupillometry’s cost, understanding, and maintenance needs. Perceived implementation challenges included device availability and contraindications for use. Participants suggested offering continued education and engaging hospital leadership as implementation strategies. During training, the average learning time was 13.5 minutes (IQR 3.5), and the measurement time was 50.6 seconds (IQR 11.8). Paired t-tests to evaluate accuracy showed no statistically significant difference in comparison measurements. Conclusion: Pupillometry was considered acceptable for noninvasive ICP monitoring of patients with TBI, and pupillometer use was shown to be feasible during training. However, key concerns would need to be addressed during implementation to aid device utilization.</p