The Clinical Features of Preschool Children With Speech and Language Disorder and the Role of Maternal Language

Objective@#To retrospectively review the characteristics of preschool children with speech and language disorders to determine their clinical features and compares the average degrees of language delay based on hospital visit purposes, language developmental delay causes, and maternal language. @*Methods@#One thousand one hundred two children (832 males, 270 females) with the chief complaint of language or speech problems who underwent language assessment for the first time were included. Their medical records, including demographic data, language environments, and family history of language problems and other developmental problems, were collected. Furthermore, the results of language and developmental assessments and hearing tests were collected. @*Results@#Among the children enrolled in this study, 24% had parental problems and 9% were nurtured by their grandparents. The average degree of language delay did not differ regarding purposes of hospital visits. The average degree of language delay was greatest in children with autism spectrum disorders and least in children with mixed receptive–expressive language disorders. In children with mothers who do not speak Korean as their native language, social quotients in the social maturity scale were less than 70. @*Conclusion@#Language environment is an essential factor that may cause speech and language disorders. Moreover, maternal language seems to affect the social quotient of the social maturity scale.

Comparison of the Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation Between Obese and Non-obese Patients After Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on functional capacity in obese and non-obese patients who have suffered acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Overall, 359 patients who have suffered AMI, and were referred for CR after percutaneous coronary intervention from 2010 to 2015 and underwent an exercise tolerance test before and after phase II CR were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: obese group with body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² (n=170; age, 54.32±9.98 years; BMI, 27.52±2.92 kg/m²) and non-obese group with BMI <25 kg/m² (n=189; age, 59.12±11.50 years; BMI 22.86±2.01 kg/m²). The demographic characteristics and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity of all patients were analyzed before and after CR. RESULTS: There were significant changes in resting heart rate (HR(rest)) before and after CR between the obese and non-obese groups (before CR, p=0.028; after CR, p=0.046), but other cardiopulmonary exercise capacity before and after CR was not different between the groups. HR(rest) (p<0.001), maximal metabolic equivalents (METs, p<0.001), total exercise duration (TED, p<0.001), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max), p<0.001) improved significantly in the obese and non-obese groups after CR. No difference in the change in the cardiopulmonary exercise capacity rate was detected between the groups. CONCLUSION: CR may improve functional capacity in patients who suffered AMI regardless of their obesity.

Successful Treatment of Phantom Limb Pain by 1 Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Over Affected Supplementary Motor Complex: A Case Report

A 37-year-old man with a right transfemoral amputation suffered from severe phantom limb pain (PLP). After targeting the affected supplementary motor complex (SMC) or primary motor cortex (PMC) using a neuro-navigation system with 800 stimuli of 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 85% of resting motor threshold, the 1 Hz rTMS over SMC dramatically reduced his visual analog scale (VAS) of PLP from 7 to 0. However, the 1 Hz rTMS over PMC failed to reduce pain. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a successfully treated severe PLP with a low frequency rTMS over SMC in affected hemisphere.

The Change of the Temporomandibular Joint after Experimental Distraction of Mandibular Ramus in Rabbit

Distraction osteogenesis is a commonly used technique for mandibular lengthening, but changes in the temporomandibular joint(TMJ) have not been well documented. The TMJ is one of the most complex joint in the body and is composed of a fibrous surface layer, a proliferative zone, hypertrophic cartilage, and bone. The shape and role of the TMJ change and modify during a person's life-time. Possible complications that can arise after mandibular distraction include failure of the formation, failure of callus, infection, disturbance of TMJ and of occlusion. However, there are only a few reports on changes in the TMJ as a result of distraction osteogenesis. Hence, the goal of this study was to evaluate the change of the TMJ after experimental distraction of mandibular ramus in rabbit. We studied histological changes of mandibular condyle, articular disk and retrodiscal tissue, and also examined the collagen I gene expression and MMP-1 gene expression. The results were as follows. 1. In the histological staining, experimental condylar surface showed more thick fibrous articular layer and proliferative layer, compared with the control condyle and experimental articular disc showed thick and dense collagen fibers compared with the control disc. 2. In the collagen I and MMP-1 gene RT-PCR analysis, experimental discs showed increased collagen I expression compared with the control disc, while MMP-1 gene expression was decreased compared with the control disc. The retrodiscal tissue was almost equal expressions of the collagen I and MMP-1 genes compared with the control retrodiscal tissue. These findings suggest that histological and biomolecular changes occur in condyles and discs after unilateral mandibular distraction osteogenesis.