Word orders are not distributed equally: SOV and SVO are the most prevalent among the world's languages. While there is a consensus that SOV might be the “default” order in human languages, the factors that trigger the preference for SVO are still a matter of debate. Here we provide a new perspective on word order preferences that emphasizes the role of a lexicon. We propose that while there is a tendency to favor SOV in the case of improvised communication, the exposure to a shared lexicon makes it possible to liberate sufficient cognitive resources to use syntax. Consequently SVO, the more efficient word order to express syntactic relations, emerges. To test this hypothesis, we taught Italian (SVO) and Persian (SOV) speakers a set of gestures and later asked them to describe simple events. Confirming our prediction, results showed that in both groups a consistent use of SVO emerged after acquiring a stable gesture repertoire.

Quality of life is affected by factors such as regional differences in access to treatment choices, and rehabilitation. This study aims to assess the result of epilepsy surgery and its impact on QoL in Iran. The data for 60 patients who underwent epilepsy surgery in Loghman-Hakim hospital between 2003 to 2017 were analyzed prospectively through clinical observation. Clinical variables of interest and the WHOQOL-BREF scale to assess QoL were applied. Scores of operated patients were compared to their preoperative scores as well as epileptic patients controlled with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and healthy individuals. The mean age of surgery group patients was 33.78 (34 male; 26 female). Twenty seven patients underwent temporal mesial lobectomy, 20 anterior callosotomy, and 13 neocortical resections. The average QoL score in healthy group was 72.48, in AEDs controls was 56.16, and in operated patients was 65.61. In addition, analysis showed a significant increase in postoperative QoL of the surgical group compared to the AEDs controls. Epilepsy surgery could be the best approach in patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy even in developing countries, which can result in seizure relief and a reduction in the frequency of disabling seizures.

Our native tongue influences the way we perceive other languages. But does it also determine the way we perceive nonlinguistic sounds? The authors investigated how speakers of Italian, Turkish, and Persian group sequences of syllables, tones, or visual shapes alternating in either frequency or duration. We found strong native listening effects with linguistic stimuli. Speakers of Italian grouped the linguistic stimuli differently from speakers of Turkish and Persian. However, speakers of all languages showed the same perceptual biases when grouping the nonlinguistic auditory and the visual stimuli. The shared perceptual biases appear to be determined by universal grouping principles, and the linguistic differences caused by prosodic differences between the languages. Although previous findings suggest that acquired linguistic knowledge can either enhance or diminish the perception of both linguistic and nonlinguistic auditory stimuli, we found no transfer of native listening effects across auditory domains or perceptual modalities. (PsycINFO Database Record

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Introduction Endovascular treatment of high-flow vascular lesions with onyx may be very dangerous due to premature occlusion of the vein resulting from high flow-induced migration of this embolic substance without occlusion of the feeding vessels and the nidus. It is also dangerous because of the risk of occlusion of the normal vessels around the lesion. Inducing temporary cardiac arrest using adenosine may be helpful in limiting and minimizing these risks. However anaesthetic management of this procedure in children suffering from high-flow vascular lesions is difficult and challenging. Methods We report three paediatric patients with high-flow cerebrospinal vascular lesions that underwent endovascular treatment under general anaesthesia and temporary cardiac arrest with adenosine. Adenosine was administered in escalating doses to induce a few seconds of cardiac standstill and the onyx injection was synchronized with the onset of adenosine-induced cardiac standstill, the fistula being occluded by onyx. Results There were no complications in peri-procedural treatment in all three cases. Post-embolization angiography revealed complete obliteration of the lesion, and the patients’ neurological status progressively improved at follow-up. Conclusion Adenosine-induced temporary cardiac standstill was successfully used to facilitate safe and controlled endovascular onyx embolization of high-flow central nervous system vascular lesions.