Knowledge, attitude, and practice of techniques of breastfeeding among new mothers: A survey across Delhi Region

Objective:The present study aims to evaluate aims to assess the knowledge,attitude,and practice of primiparous mothers in the immediate postpartum period regarding breastfeeding techniques which will be helpful in forming awareness and training programs.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used.A total of 120 primiparous mothers with a mean age of 24.92 years participated in the survey and filled the questionnaire related to the knowledge,attitude,and practice of techniques of breastfeeding.Results:Results revealed that 48.3%of new mothers were not aware of the correct techniques to initiate breastfeeding,whereas 68.3%of subjects reported that during latching,the baby’s upper and lower lip should be everted.The majority of new mothers were aware of breastfeeding techniques with some misconceptions as in our culture,most of the breastfeeding information passed from generation to generation.Conclusion:The level of awareness about feeding skills among primiparous mothers can be further improved by antenatal counseling or training from health-care workers during the gestational period.This will further help new mothers to educate and will provide adequate information which will decrease the myths.

Evaluation of auditory working memory in Bharatanatyam dancers

Background:Neuroplasticity is a phenomenon exhibited by our nervous system as an indicator of overall development and in response to training,injury/loss of particular function,treatment/drugs and as a result of stimulation from the surrounding environment.Objective:The aim of the current study was to assess the auditory working memory capacities in Bharatanatyam dancers.Method:The participants comprised fifty-four females with normal hearing sensitivity who belonged to two groups.Group-I consisted of 27 individuals who underwent formal training in Bharatanatyam for a minimum period of three years.Group-II consisted of the age-matched control group,consisting of 27individuals who were non-dancers.The auditory working memory tasks included arranging the English digits presented binaurally in forward,backward,ascending,and descending spans.The maximum values(for the length of sequence arranged),midpoint values(average score),and response time for each task were noted down and compared among groups.Results:The scores were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test,which revealed enhanced working memory exhibited by dancers for maximum values and midpoint scores for all three tasks except ascending span.It was also noted that the dancers exhibited a shorter response time compared to nondancers for all the tasks except ascending span.Conclusion:The current study highlights an enhanced auditory working memory capacity in Bharatanatyam dancers,which could be perceived as evidence of neuroplastic changes induced in the auditory and motor cortex as a consequence of extensive stimulation for auditory processing abilities and motor planning resulting from long-term dance training and regular practice.

Incidence and Predictors of Dysphagia Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: Prospective Observational Study

The incidence of dysphagia following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) reported in the literature varies due to differences in measures and time intervals applied, ranging from nearly 3/4 at 2 weeks to 13% at 12 months. The most commonly used dysphagia scales remain subjective, non-validated, and do not capture functional impact. Various risk factors have been identified, though few consistently reproduced and none studied in an Australasian context. The aims of this study were to use objective and validated measures, assess both traditional and novel risk factors, and determine the impact of dysphagia on dietary status, length of stay and complications. METHODS: Twenty-nine adults undergoing ACDF for degenerative pathologies were enrolled between March and November 2015 in an Australian institution. Bazaz dysphagia scale, Dysphagia short questionnaire, 3-ounce swallow test and dietary status were assessed preoperatively, and 2 days and 6 weeks postoperatively. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the study sample and logistic regression modelling performed on risk factors. RESULTS: Dysphagia incidence ranged from 85% on day-2 Dysphagia short questionnaire to zero on 6-week 3-ounce swallow. All measures increased at 2 days and fell by 6 weeks. Failing day-2 3-ounce swallow was the only measure associated with modifications in solids (P = 0.06), showing significant linear correlation (P = 0.02). Respiratory comorbidity increased risk of failing day-2 3-ounce swallow by more than 32-fold (OR: 32.4;95% CI: 1.8 - 587.7;P = 0.019) and scoring moderate or severe on Bazaz by almost 10-times (OR: 9.3;95% CI: 0.9 - 95.95;P = 0.061). Psychiatric history also increased risk of failing day-2 3-ounce swallow by more than 10-fold (OR: 10.9;95% CI: 1 - 123.7;P = 0.054). Failing 3-ounce swallow increased length of stay (5 versus 7 days;P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of dysphagia following ACDF was dependent on the measure used, though all improved over time. The 3-ounce swallow test correlated with dietary modification and length of stay, while respiratory comorbidity posed the most significant risk. This may identify a group of patients who may benefit from early intervention.

Oesophageal atresia: The growth gap

Poor growth is an under-recognised yet significant long-term sequelae of oesophageal atresia(OA)repair.Few studies have specifically explored the reasons for growth impairment in this complex cohort.The association between poor growth with younger age and fundoplication appears to have the strongest supportive evidence,highlighting the need for early involvement of a dietitian and speech pathologist,and consideration of optimal medical reflux management prior to referring for anti-reflux surgery.However,it remains difficult to reach conclusions regarding other factors which may negatively influence growth,due to conflicting findings,inconsistent definitions and lack of validated tool utilisation.While swallowing and feeding difficulties are particularly frequent in younger children,their relationship with growth remains unclear.It is possible that these morbidities impact on the diet of children with OA,but detailed analysis of dietary composition and quality,and its relationship with these complications and growth,has not yet been conducted.Another potential area of research in OA is the role of the microbiota in growth and nutrition.While the microbiota has been linked to growth impairment in other paediatric conditions,it is yet to be investigated in OA.Further research is needed to identify the most important contributory factors to poor growth,the role of the intestinal microbiota,and effective interventions to maximise growth and nutritional outcomes in this cohort.

Presbycusis: A Critical Issue in Our Community

Hearing is an important sensation to the elderly as it promotes their quality of life and maintains their safety and wellness. For example, healthy hearing lets the elderly catch alarm sounds, stay alert to danger whilst asleep, listen in the dark, detect sounds from behind, communicate efficiently with other people, and maintain links to the world via telephone and radio, especially after retirement. However, age-related hearing loss, i.e., presbycusis, seems to become a growing problem in our community. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate whether presbycusis is a critical issue in our community. To achieve this purpose, the data in the literature as well as in the websites sponsored by hearing-related professional associations and sponsored by related government’s departments have been searched and reviewed. The data resulted from the review show a high prevalence of presbycusis, an ever-growing senior population, an incredible increase in hearing impairment and presbycusis population in the next two decades, a rank as high as at the third place for the prevalence of presbycusis among chronic health conditions in elderly resident facilities, and an alarmingly negative effect of presbycusis on mental health, social life, speech perception and hearing-related areas in the brain. These findings demonstrate that hearing loss in the elderly is a critical issue in our community. The etiology, clinical significance, management of presbycusis, prevention, and access of presbycusis population to assistive devices are also overviewed and discussed.

Association between Aphasia and Acalculia: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Acalculia in aphasic patients should be better investigated in order to understand if it is a simple comorbid or if it is influenced by language disorders. This study aimed to compare the performance on EC301 battery calculation tasks between aphasic and normal subjects and sought to verify a possible association between number processing and calculation skills and linguistic changes in aphasic patients, in order to investigate if language disorders interfere with number processing and calculation. Analytical cross-sectional study with a control group, performed of the Department of Speech and Hearing Disorders of a public university, conducted in the city of S&atildeo Paulo, Brazil. First, to analyze the specific difficulties encountered in numerical processing and calculation tasks among the aphasic group, aphasic and healthy adult’s performance in specific calculation tasks were compared. The calculation tasks, which had been badly performed by aphasic patients, were selected. Aphasic patients were also submitted to the language tasks from Montreal-Toulouse Protocol: oral and written comprehension, repetition, reading aloud, naming and dictation. We observed that aphasic individuals showed changes in numerical processing and calculation tasks that were not observed in the healthy population. The most important finding of this study was that aphasic individuals showed changes in numerical processing and calculation that were positively associated to their linguistic performance. The strong associations between battery EC301 and linguistic tasks suggest that language disorders interfere with number processing and calculation.

Atoh1 regulation in the cochlea:more than just transcription

More than 80%of all cases of deafness are related to the death or degeneration of cochlear hair cells and the associated spiral ganglion neurons,and a lack of regeneration of these cells leads to permanent hearing loss.Therefore,the regeneration of lost hair cells is an important goal for the treatment of deafness.Atoh1 is a basic helix-loop-helix(bHLH)transcription factor that is critical in both the development and regeneration of cochlear hair cells.Atoh1 is transcriptionally regulated by several signaling pathways,including Notch and Wnt signalings.At the post-translational level,it is regulated through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that manipulation of these signaling pathways not only controls development,but also leads to the regeneration of cochlear hair cells after damage.Recent progress toward understanding the signaling networks involved in hair cell development and regeneration has led to the development of new strategies to replace lost hair cells.This review focuses on our current understanding of the signaling pathways that regulate Atoh1 in the cochlea.

Frontiers in auditory bioscience and technology: a special feature on recent advances in hearing research

IwasgreatlyhonoredtobeaskedbyHelen ZHANG,Former Managing Editor,to serve as a guest editorofthisspecialfeatureofJournalofZhejiang University-SCIENCEB(Biomedicine&Biotechnology)on'FrontiersinAuditoryBioscienceand Technology(FABT)'.