Crown-Root Angle Measurement in Permanent Central Incisors

The anatomical variations of teeth are directly related to the esthetics achieved in orthodontic treatment. These variations include the dental axes, such as the long crown axis and the long root axis. For this reason, these axes and the angle formed by their intersection, or crown-root angle, have been studied using several methodologies, mainly in central incisors. This study aimed to propose the visual- spatial processing as a method to determine the long crown axis and the long root axis, and thus measure the angle between these axes (crown-root angle) in the permanent upper and lower central incisors. The study had a quantitative, descriptive, observational and cross- sectional approach. The study sample consisted of 100 Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images: 50 of permanent upper central incisors and 50 of permanent lower central incisors. The crown-root angle was measured considering the long crown axis and the long root axis. The mean crown root angle in the upper central incisors was 21.34 °, with a standard deviation (SD) of 4.41º; for the lower central incisors, the mean value was 20.05º with a SD of 4.18º. This study suggests that the visual-spatial processing can be a valid method to determine the long crown axis and the long root axis, also with the advantage of not requiring specific instruments and anatomical reference points, which simplifies the tracing of axes and thus measurement of the crown-root angle.

Las variaciones anatómicas de los dientes tienen directa relación con la estética lograda en el tratamiento de ortodoncia. Dentro de estas variaciones se encuentran los ejes dentarios, como el eje mayor de la corona y el eje mayor radicular. Por esta razón, se ha estudiado mediante diversas metodologías estos ejes y el ángulo formado por dicha intersección o ángulo corono radicular, principalmente en los incisivos centrales. El objetivo del presente estudio es plantear la percepción viso espacial como método para determinar el eje mayor de la corona y el eje mayor radicular, y así medir el ángulo entre estos ejes (ángulo corono radicular) en los incisivos centrales superiores e inferiores definitivos. La investigación es de enfoque cuan- titativo, descriptivo, observacional y transversal. La muestra del estudio fueron 100 imágenes de CBCT: 50 de incisivos centrales superiores definitivos y 50 de incisivos centrales inferiores definitivos. Se midió el ángulo corono radicular considerando el eje mayor de la corona y el eje mayor radicular. El promedio del ángulo corono radicular en los incisivos centrales superiores fue de 21.34° con desviación estándar (DS) de 4. 41º y para los incisivos centrales inferiores se obtuvo como valor promedio 20.05º con DS de 4.18º. Este estudio plantea que la percepción viso espacial puede ser válido como método para determinar el eje mayor de la corona y el eje mayor radicular, teniendo además la ventaja de prescindir de instrumentos específicos y de puntos anatómicos de referencia, lo cual simplifica el trazado de los ejes y por ende la medición del ángulo corono radicular.

Difficulties of normally-hearing adults in daily listening situations / Dificuldades de adultos ouvintes em situações cotidianas de escuta

ABSTRACT Purpose: to verify hearing difficulties related to everyday listening situations self-reported by normally-hearing adults. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study in which adult individuals with clinically normal hearing, verified through audiometry and tympanometry, were included. The participants answered the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) questionnaire. Statistical analysis comprised descriptive and Spearman's correlation test with a significance level of 5%. Results: the sample consisted of 28 participants, aged between 20 and 44 years. The median SSQ score was 8.75, in the Hearing to Speech domain, 8.11, in the Spatial Hearing domain, and 8.91, in the Quality-of-Hearing domain. There was an association between the participant's age and the score on five questions, demonstrating less self-reported difficulty as age increased. Conclusion: difficulties in everyday listening situations, self-reported by normally-hearing adults, participating in this study, were more related to situations with competitive noise and listening effort.

RESUMO Objetivo: verificar as dificuldades auditivas relacionadas a situações cotidianas de escuta autorrelatadas por adultos normo-ouvintes. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal. Foram incluídos indivíduos adultos com limiares auditivos normais, verificados por meio de audiometria e timpanometria. Os participantes responderam à versão no português brasileiro do questionário Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ). Os resultados foram analisados descritiva e estatisticamente. A análise estatística compreendeu teste descritivo e de correlação de Spearman com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: a amostra foi composta por 28 participantes, com idades entre 20 e 44 anos. A mediana da pontuação no SSQ foi de 8,75 pontos no domínio Audição para a Fala; 8,11 no domínio Audição Espacial e 8,91 pontos no domínio Qualidade da Audição. Observou-se associação entre a idade do participante e a pontuação em cinco questões, demonstrando menor dificuldade autorrelatada conforme o aumento da idade. Conclusão: as dificuldades em situações cotidianas de escuta autorrelatadas pelos adultos normo-ouvintes participantes desse estudo foram mais relacionadas a situações com ruído competitivo e esforço de escuta.

Correlates of neuropsychiatric and motor tests with language assessment in patients with Lewy body dementia

Abstract Background Lewy body dementia (LBD) impairs performance in daily activities and affects motor, language and visuospatial tasks. Objective We aimed to correlate neuropsychiatric and motor assessments with language and visual organization tests in LBD. Methods Twenty-two patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and ten patients with Parkinson's disease dementia participated on a cross-sectional study that assessed cognition, functionality, caregiver burden, verbal fluency, the primer-level dictation section of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (PLD-BDAE), the Hooper Visual Organization Test, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Results Language and visuospatial test results followed motor impairment and general cognitive performance. Whereas visual organization did not predict performance in the PLD-BDAE, visuospatial abilities and verbal fluency were concurrently associated, suggesting that linguistic impairment in LBD may be attributed to neuropsychological components of cognition and language. Only visual organization was associated with behaviour, suggesting that neuropsychiatric symptoms associate with differential impairment of visual organization in comparison with language in LBD. Schooling did not affect visual organization or language test performance, while the length of dementia was negatively associated with visual organization and verbal fluency. Discussion Though visual organization tests follow behaviour and motor performance in LBD, there is differential impairment regarding language skills.

The Mini-Mental Examination for Children (MMC): Evidence of validity for children with learning difficulties / Mini-exame do estado mental para crianças (mmc): evidência de validade para crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem

ABSTRACT The Mini-Mental Examination for Children (MMC) is a widely used tool for assessing global cognitive deficits, however,is still unknown whether MMC is sensitive for investigating cognitive profiles associated with learning difficulties (LD). Objective: Here we investigate the feasibility of using the MMC for screening school-aged children with learning difficulties in spelling and math. Methods: The MMC and other neurophysiological tests were administered to a sample of 168 children, aged 7 to 12 years. The sample was subdivided into a Control group and LD group (Math Difficulties, Spelling Difficulties, Math and Spelling Difficulties). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed with ROC analysis. Convergent and divergent validity was assessed using correlation analysis. Results: Performance on the MMC was associated with nonverbal intelligence, age and school achievement. The LD group had significantly lower performance on the MMC than the Control group. Performance on the MMC discriminated LD children with a global accuracy of around 0.80. Associations between the MMC and the other neuropsychological variables were higher for finger gnosis (r=0.40) and generally higher for early elementary school grades. The MMC proved satisfactory for identifying LD children with good accuracy. Nonverbal intelligence, and perceptual/motor abilities play an important role in MMC performance. Conclusion: The MMC could be a useful instrument for screening children with LD.

RESUMO Mini-exame mental para crianças (MMC) é uma ferramenta amplamente utilizada para avaliar déficits cognitivos globais, no entanto, ainda é desconhecido se a MMC é sensível para investigar perfis cognitivos associados a dificuldades de aprendizagem. Objetivo: Aqui nós investigamos a viabilidade de usar MMC para triagem de crianças em idade escolar com dificuldades de aprendizagem em ortografia e matemática. Métodos: MMC e outros testes neuropsicológicos foram administrados em uma amostra de 168 crianças de 7 a 12 anos de idade. A amostra foi subdividida em um Grupo Controle e um grupo LD (dificuldade na matemática, na escrita, ou na escrita e na matemática). A acurácia diagnóstica foi analisada através de uma análise de curva ROC. A validade convergente e divergente foi investigada através de análises de correlações. Resultados: A performance no MMC foi associada com a inteligência não verbal, idade e desempenho escolar. O grupo LD apresentou desempenho significativamente inferior ao Grupo Controle no MMC. A performance no MMC pôde identificar crianças LD com uma acurácia global em torno de 0.80. As associações entre MMC e outras variáveis neuropsicológicas foram maiores para gnosias digitais (r=0.40) e em geral, mais altas nas séries iniciais. O MMC se mostrou satisfatório para identificar crianças LD com uma boa acurácia. A inteligência não verbal, habilidades perceptivas/motoras tem um importante papel na performance no MMC. Conclusão: O MMC pode ser um instrumento útil para o rastreamento de crianças com LD.

Improvement of Visuo-spatial Function Assessed by Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices in Dementia with Lewy Bodies by Donepezil Treatment

OBJECTIVE: Donepezil is used to improve cognitive impairment of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Visuo-spatial dysfunction is a well-known symptom of DLB. Non-verbal Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM) were used to assess both visual perception and reasoning ability in DLB subjects treated with donepezil. METHODS: Twenty-one DLB patients (mean age, 78.7±4.5 years) were enrolled. RCPM assessment was performed at the time of starting donepezil and within one year after starting donepezil. RESULTS: There were significant improvements of RCPM in the total scores between one year donepezil treatment (p=0.013), in both Set A score (p=0.002) and Set AB score (p=0.015), but trend in the Set B score (p=0.083). CONCLUSION: Donepezil is useful for improving visuo-spatial impairment in DLB, but not for problem-solving impairment.

Benchmarks for the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in Brazilian Portuguese for ear and age / Valores de referência para o teste de identificação de sentenças dicóticas em português brasileiro segundo orelha e idade

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Dichotic listening tests should be used in local languages and adapted for the population. OBJECTIVE: Standardize the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in normal listeners, comparing the performance for age and ear. METHODS: This prospective study included 200 normal listeners divided into four groups according to age: 13-19 years (GI), 20-29 years (GII), 30-39 years (GIII), and 40-49 years (GIV). The Dichotic Sentence Identification was applied in four stages: training, binaural integration and directed sound from right and left. RESULTS: Better results for the right ear were observed in the stages of binaural integration in all assessed groups. There was a negative correlation between age and percentage of correct responses in both ears for free report and training. The worst performance in all stages of the test was observed for the age group 40-49 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Reference values for the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in normal listeners aged 13-49 years were established according to age, ear, and test stage; they should be used as benchmarks when evaluating individuals with these characteristics.

RESUMO Introdução: Os testes de escuta dicótica devem ser utilizados na língua nativa e adaptados para a população alvo. Objetivo: Estabelecer critérios de referência para o teste DSI em indivíduos normouvintes segundo a orelha, faixa etária e etapa do teste. Método: Estudo prospectivo transversal com 200 indivíduos normouvintes, separados em quatro grupos: 13 a 19 anos (GI), 20 a 29 anos (GII), 30 a 39 anos (GIII) e 40 a 49 anos (GIV). O teste DSI foi aplicado em quatro etapas: Treino, integração binaural, escuta direcionada direita e esquerda. Resultados: Foram observados melhores resultados para a orelha direita nas etapas de integração binaural em todos os grupos avaliados. Houve correlação negativa entre a porcentagem de acertos e a idade, bilateralmente, para as etapas de treino e integração binaural. O pior desempenho, em todas as etapas do teste, foi observado para a faixa etária de 40 a 49 anos de idade. Conclusões: Os valores de referência para a versão em português brasileiro do teste DSI em indivíduos normouvintes de 13 a 49 anos de idade foram estabelecidos segundo a idade, orelha e etapa do teste e devem ser utilizados como padrões de referência na avaliação dos indivíduos com essas características.

The different durations of methamphetamine abuse influenced abusers' spatial processing function / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of different durations of methamphetamine abuse on spatial cognitive processing.Methods The mental rotation task was used to evaluate the spatial processing function of 35 methamphetamine abusers and 30 healthy subjects.The methamphetamine abusers are divided into 2 groups according to their abuse durations,group 1 contains 16 abusers with an average duration of 1 year and group 2 contains 19 abusers with an average duration of 3 years.Participants were asked to judge the right hand/food or the left hand/food of the experimental stimuli at difference angles.The reaction time (RT) and the accurate rate (AR) of the mental rotation task were recorded.Results Compared with the control group,RT of group 1 methamphetamine abusers was longer at the angle of 0°((1469±318)ms) and 180°((1718±412)ms) (P＜0.05),RT of group 2 was longer at the angle of 0°((1466±243) ms),60°((1497±294) ms) and 180°((1708±288) ms) (P ＜0.05).And the AR of methamphetamine abusers was higher at every angle (P＜0.05).Conclusion Long-term dependence on methamphetmine can damage the abuser's spatial processing function.