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In this paper, a vision-based method for fingerspelled acronyms recognition is proposed. First, the visual information carried by the image is reduced to the person's edges. The heterogeneous and changing background is removed by semantic segmentation of the person using a pre-trained R-CNN Mask. Then, the feature vector is generated by the encoder - part of the autoencoder, previously trained in an unsupervised manner. Finally, the sequence of feature vectors obtained in this way is fed into the input of the Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory network used for classification. The method is tested on a demanding dataset, including the execution of acronyms fingerspelled by Deaf people who use sign language on a daily basis. Promising results suggest that the method can be incorporated into the Signed Communication System developed by the research team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A large sample was used to test tactile sensitivity among blind and deaf. • Early blind show no difference in tactile sensitivity compared to controls. • Deaf and late blind show reduced tactile sensitivity compared to controls. • Tactile sensitivity declines with age. • Men and women show no difference in tactile sensitivity. Perceptual experience is shaped by a complex interaction between our sensory systems in which each sense conveys information on specific properties of our surroundings. This multisensory processing of complementary information improves the accuracy of our perceptual judgments and leads to more precise and faster reactions. Sensory impairment or loss in one modality leads to information deficiency that can impact other senses in various ways. For early auditory or visual loss, impairment and/or compensatory increase of the sensitivity of other senses are equally well described. Investigating individuals with deafness (N = 73), early (N = 51), late blindness (N = 49) and corresponding controls, we compared tactile sensitivity using the standard monofilament test on two locations, the finger and handback. Results indicate lower tactile sensitivity in people with deafness and late blindness but not in people with early blindness compared to respective controls, irrespective of stimulation location, gender, and age. Results indicate that neither sensory compensation nor simple use-dependency or a hindered development of the tactile sensory system is sufficient to explain changes in somatosensation after the sensory loss but that a complex interaction of effects is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the reference tracking strategies among deaf adults with signing deaf parents (DoD) and adult deaf signers with non-signing hearing parents or caregivers (DoH) who had late exposure to Turkish Sign Language (TİD). Consistent with the theories of saliency and referential accessibility, regardless of their acquisition groups or parental hearing status, signers mainly used nominals and extension classifiers for introducing referents. To maintain a referent from the previous clause, the signers used zero anaphora (e.g., constructed action, agreement and plain verbs). For topic shifts or re-introduced contexts, nominals and pronouns were chiefly favored although we observed very little pronominal use. As for the effect of native acquisition from deaf caregivers, we only report limited over-redundancy for DoH signers who used zero anaphora less compared to DoD especially for introduced and maintained contexts. We conclude that DoH signers are still able to achieve native-like competency in terms of reference tracking in simple narratives but DoD signers utilize the spatial affordances of the visual-spatial modality better than DoH signers only to a certain extent. • Deaf of deaf (DoD) and deaf of hearing (DoH) adult signers' narratives examined in Turkish Sign Language. • Nominals and extension classifiers preferred to introduce referents. • Zero anaphora, whole entity and body part classifiers used for maintenance. • Pronouns were rare but mainly used to re-introduce referents along with nominals. • DoH were somewhat more over-redundant than DoD in their references, pointing to less sensitivity to economy of form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deaf-mute individuals encounter substantial difficulties in their daily lives due to communication impediments. These individuals may encounter difficulties in social contact, communication, and capacity to acquire knowledge and engage in employment. Recent studies have contributed to decreasing the gap in communication between deaf-mute people and normal people by studying sign language interpretation. In this paper, a real-time Arabic avatar system is created to help deaf-mute people communicate with other people. The system translates text or spoken input into Arabic Sign Language (ArSL) movements that the avatar makes using deep-learning-based translation. The dynamic generation of the avatar movements allows smooth and organic real-time communication. In order to improve the precision and effectiveness of ArSL translation, this study depends on a state-of-the-art deep learning model, which makes use of YOLOv8, to recognize and interpret sign language gestures in realtime. The avatar is trained on three diverse datasets of Arabic sign language images, namely Sign-language-detection Image (SLDI), Arabic Sign Language (ArSL), and RGB Arabic Alphabet Sign Language (AASL), enabling it to accurately capture the nuances and variations of hand movements. The best recognition accuracy of the suggested approach was 99.4% on the AASL dataset. The experimental results of the suggested approach demonstrate that deaf-mute people will be able to communicate with others in Arabic-speaking communities more effectively and easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated Cantonese and Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) phonological activation patterns in Hong Kong deaf readers using the ERP technique. Two experiments employing the error disruption paradigm were conducted while recording participants' EEGs. Experiment 1 focused on orthographic and speech-based phonological processing, while Experiment 2 examined sign-phonological processing. ERP analyses focused on the P200 (180–220 ms) and N400 (300–500 ms) components. The results of Experiment 1 showed that hearing readers exhibited both orthographic and phonological effects in the P200 and N400 windows, consistent with previous studies on Chinese reading. In deaf readers, significant speech-based phonological effects were observed in the P200 window, and orthographic effects spanned both the P200 and N400 windows. Comparative analysis between the two groups revealed distinct spatial distributions for orthographic and speech-based phonological ERP effects, which may indicate the engagement of different neural networks during early processing stages. Experiment 2 found evidence of sign-phonological activation in both the P200 and N400 windows among deaf readers, which may reflect the involvement of sign-phonological representations in early lexical access and later semantic integration. Furthermore, exploratory analysis revealed that higher reading fluency in deaf readers correlated with stronger orthographic effects in the P200 window and diminished effects in the N400 window, indicating that efficient orthographic processing during early lexical access is a distinguishing feature of proficient deaf readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Deaf individuals often face communication challenges within healthcare settings. Given the importance of the role played by physicians in shaping patients' health outcomes, it is paramount to explore Deaf patient-physician interactions. This research aims to explore (1) the existing communication support and (2) the factors influencing its usage in medical consultations with Deaf patients.Methods: A scoping review was carried out and adhered to the Preferred Reporting System for Meta-Analysis. A comprehensive search strategy of four databases; PubMed, Medline, CINAHL Plus and Scopus, from January 2011 to June 2021 was applied. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: Ten journal articles were included, and four themes were identified; patient experiences using communication methods, practitioners' cultural competence in Deaf culture, inherent challenges of communication methods, and extrinsic factors. Professional interpreters are often regarded as the preferred modality of communication but writing and lip-reading were commonly used in healthcare settings, with video remote interpreting the least common.Conclusion: Healthcare professionals need to appreciate the heterogeneity of Deaf patients and their communication methods and adopt a more person-centred approach.Practice Implications: This review provides up-to-date insight on Deaf patient-physician interactions and provisional recommendations for practice, education and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few studies that have explored the Quality of Life (QoL) for deaf adolescents in high school (13–18 years). Following the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic literature review examined peer-reviewed research that has explored QoL for deaf adolescents in high school by using databases such as Science Citation Index, Scopus and Social Science Citation Index in addition to some related journals such as American Annals of the Deaf, the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, Ear and Hearing, and Deafness and Education International spanning 14 years (2010–2024). By analysing the titles, abstracts, and keywords and reading full manuscripts, only seven were deemed appropriate for inclusion in this systematic review. All seven studies used quantitative research. This systematic review found that there is a discrepancy between the studies included in the use of measures. The results of the studies are different and some are contradictory. The QoL concept also differed amongst the studies. This study concluded that there is a great need to conduct more research into the QoL of deaf adolescents in high school with diverse research methods and the use of qualitative or mixed research, as well as expanding the scope of studies to include more dimensions in the concept of QoL. • QoL has several meanings and dimensions. • There is an increasing focus on the implications of deafness on QoL. • Many factors and issues relate to QoL for deaf people. • There is a need to know the studies conducted on QoL of deaf adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correct sign language recognition helps deaf people communicate normally with hearing people. However, existing sign language recognition techniques have low recognition accuracy due to insufficient feature extraction. In this paper, we propose an approach to improve the accuracy of sign language recognition. Firstly, we design a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) using the skip connection approach Secondly, we propose an improved multi-head attention mechanism that incorporates bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) networks within a multi-head attention mechanism. Thirdly, we position this improved multi-head attention mechanism behind the final convolutional layer of the proposed CNN architecture and denote the resultant architecture as BMCNN. Finally, we verify the performance of our approach with BMCNN architecture through ten-fold cross-validation on the sensing dataset. Our approach achieves 99.13% accuracy in sign language recognition. The results show that our proposed approach outperforms the traditional machine learning approaches and other state-of-the-art techniques in this field. [Display omitted] • Proposing an approach based on sensing data and deep learning. • The convolutional neural network using skip connection enhances feature extraction. • The improved multi-head attention extracts temporal properties and key features. • Realizing real-time accurate sign language recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study explores deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals' preferred sources of information for COVID-19 and their perceptions of developing severe illness from COVID-19 given underlying medical conditions.Methods: A national online bilingual American Sign Language/English survey was conducted from April 17 to May 1, 2020. Weighted sample of 474 DHH adults living in the United States. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine independent associations of sociodemographic variables and health indicators with perceived COVID-19 health consequences.Results: About 44% of the medical condition sample used the Internet (English-based text) first for COVID-19 information, followed by TV (24%). Only 1% selected healthcare provider as the go-to source; the remainder got information from family or friends. Perceived health consequences increased with age (adjusted OR = 1.04; CI 95% = 1.02, 1.06). At-risk respondents who self-identified as persons of color were nearly three times more likely to believe that their health will be severely affected by COVID-19 compared to respondents who self-identified as white (adjusted OR = 2.94; CI 95% = 1.20, 7.18).Conclusions: Perception of COVID-19 health consequences vary among DHH adults at higher risk for severe illness.Practice Implications: Information delivery methods must be flexible and comprehensive to meet the diverse community's needs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATLASLang is a machine translation system from Arabic text language into Arabic sign language (ArSL). The first version of the system (Brour and Benabbou, 2019) is based on two approaches: rule-based Interlingua and example-based approaches. It is a classical machine translation system, its limitations are the linguistic knowledge necessary to develop the rules, also many rules and exceptions required. In the last few years, a neural machine translation has achieved notable results, and several well-known companies including Google (Wu et al., 2016) and Systran (Crego et al., 2016) have starting to exploit it. In this paper, we present a new version of ATLASLang that is implemented using a feed-forward back-propagation Artificial Neural Network. In this version, we have started to translate simple sentences composed from a limited number of words since generally communication with deaf person uses short sentences. We have used the same ATLASLang MTS database of signs and we have utilized morphological characteristics to derive the maximum information from each word in the input of the neural translation system. The two versions of the system are compared using n-gram BLEU score (Papineni et al., 2002), and the results demonstrate that neuron network approaches outperform the other classical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pharmacists are often unable to maintain satisfactory communication with people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHoH), potentially exposing those who are DHoH to various risks related to the use of medications.Objective: To evaluate the use of medications, knowledge on their rational use, and communication with the pharmacist during the dispensing of medications among people who are DHoH.Methods: A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2020 and May 2020 among those who are DHoH in Brazil. Data were collected using an online questionnaire about sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the use of medications, knowledge on the rational use of medications, and communication with the pharmacist during dispensing. The questionnaire was developed in Brazilian sign language.Results: Twenty-one responses were obtained. The mean age of the respondents was 31.9 years, 67% were women, and 38% had cochlear implants. The most used medications were analgesics (22.2%) and anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs (14.3%). The responses to the 20 statements on the rational use of medications resulted in a mean of 12.6 correct responses per individual. Almost all participants provided correct responses to the statements about medication intake times and expiration dates of medications. Only 33.3% of the patients responded that they would approach the pharmacist if they had questions regarding the medications. Most of the participants were dissatisfied with pharmacist counseling during the dispensing of medications.Conclusion: This study revealed an important reflection on possible self-medication by patients who are DHoH, poor knowledge on the rational use of medications, and dissatisfaction with pharmacist counseling during the dispensing of medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges in early oral language acquisition in profoundly deaf individuals have an impact on cognitive neurodevelopment. This has led to the exploration of alternative sound perception methods involving training of vibrotactile discrimination of sounds within the language spectrum. In particular, stimulus duration plays an important role in linguistic categorical perception. We comparatively evaluated vibrotactile temporal discrimination of sound and how specific training can modify the underlying electrical brain activity. Fifteen profoundly deaf (PD) and 15 normal-hearing (NH) subjects performed a vibrotactile oddball task with simultaneous EEG recording, before and after a short training period (5 one-hour sessions; in 2.5–3 weeks). The stimuli consisted of 700 Hz pure-tones with different duration (target: long 500 ms; non-target: short 250 ms). The sound-wave stimuli were delivered by a small device worn on the right index finger. A similar behavioral training effect was observed in both groups showing significant improvement in sound-duration discrimination. However, quantitative EEG measurements reveal distinct neurophysiological patterns characterized by higher and more diffuse delta band magnitudes in the PD group, together with a generalized decrement in absolute power in both groups that might reflect a facilitating process associated to learning. Furthermore, training-related changes were found in the beta-band in NH. Findings suggest PD have different cognitive adaptive mechanisms which are not a mere amplification effect due to greater cortical excitability. • Vibrotactile sound perception might aid early oral language acquisition in deaf. • Sound-duration plays an important role in linguistic categorical perception. • We study somatosensory sound-duration discrimination and EEG in deaf and controls. • Vibrotactile discrimination of sound-duration improves with short training program. • Cognitive adaptive mechanisms might explain delta and beta band qEEG findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers dialogicality as a dynamic ontology and epistemology, and as interaction in concrete daily situations. These two features of dialogicality are presented in selected examples involving communication of people with congenital deaf/blindness and their carers. Since people with deaf/blindness cannot use verbal language in their dialogues, they make themselves understood to their partners by using a variety of innovative non-verbal strategies. For example, they improvise, repeat touching gestures, overextend meanings of signs, guess meanings of co-participants, and otherwise. Each dialogical situation is a unique single case, in which participants use simultaneously different modalities of communication and attempt to balance their subjective and intersubjective activities. • Dialogicality is a dynamic ontology and epistemology. • Dialogical interactions express temporal relations among constitutive elements. • Self and Others are interdependent through sense-creating of social realities. • A child with congenital deaf/blindness cannot use verbal language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describe and compare the experiences and preferences of Deaf and hearing individuals with different levels of health literacy in accessing, interpreting, and acting upon online health information. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 Deaf and 10 hearing participants with high and low health literacy from three healthcare sites. We conducted thematic analysis of the transcripts to explore information navigation experiences, information sources and dissemination preferences. We found thematic differences between Deaf and hearing participants with high and low health literacy in terms of information needs, information search experiences, information search perceptions, and preferred information dissemination approaches. Relative to hearing counterparts, Deaf participants were more likely to encounter challenges in accessing and understanding online information. Deaf participants with low health literacy were more likely to rely on visual graphics to support their understanding of the information than those with high health literacy. Deaf participants advocated for tailored approaches to disseminate health information to Deaf communities. Our findings suggest that differences in online health information navigation experiences and accessibility may inform disparities in health literacy outcomes between Deaf and hearing individuals. Online health information should be presented in a manner accessible to Deaf community members. • Deaf individuals have different needs for online health information than hearing individuals. • Deaf individuals use different approaches to search for online health information than hearing individuals. • Deaf individuals recommend tailored approaches to share health information with their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children may experience communication delays, irrespective of early intervention and technology. Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is one approach in early intervention to address language delays. Current prevalence of Auslan use among Australian families with DHH children is unknown. The first aim was to determine the proportion of families enrolled in an Australian statewide hearing loss databank who use Auslan with their DHH child. The second aim was to explore the relationships between indicators of child hearing loss (bilateral or unilateral hearing loss, degree of hearing loss, and device use: hearing aids and cochlear implants), family factors (maternal education, attendance at early intervention, family history of deafness, and socio-economic disadvantage) and the family's reported use of Auslan. We analysed the enrolment data from 997 families who participated in an Australian statewide hearing loss databank between 2012 and 2021. We described the proportion of families who used Auslan with their DHH child at home. The association between indicators of child hearing loss and family factors, and the parental reports of communication approach were examined using correlation analyses. Eighty-seven of 997 parents (8.7%) reported using Auslan with their DHH child. Of these, 26 (2.6%) used Auslan as their primary language. The use of Auslan at home was associated with the following indicators of child hearing loss: bilateral hearing loss, profound compared to mild hearing loss, and cochlear implant and hearing aid use compared to no device use. The family factors associated with the use of Auslan were: referral or attendance at early intervention compared to those who did not attend, and a family history of deafness compared to those with none. No association was found between maternal education and socio-economic disadvantage and the use of Auslan. This Australian study found a low proportion (8.7%) of families with a DHH child who reported using Auslan. Seven child hearing loss and family factors were considered, and five were significantly associated with using Auslan at home. Children with a greater degree of hearing loss, attendance at early intervention and family history of deafness tended to use Auslan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child forensic interviewers have expressed concerns regarding the quality of interpreter-mediated child forensic interviews. However, research on interpreters' perspectives on these interviews is scarce and specialized education for interpreters limited. This mixed-methods study aimed to explore interpreters' experiences and knowledge of interpreting child forensic interviews. A total of 130 Swedish interpreters with different authorization statuses responded to a digital survey about interpreting child forensic interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis and content analysis, and quantitative data with descriptive and inferential statistics. Interpreters reported challenges concerning children's limited language skills, the emotional effects of interpreting child forensic interviews, the limited access to information before interviews, and the complex balance between following interpreters' ethical guidelines and adjusting for situational demands. Regarding practical conditions, interpreters preferred interpreting in person instead of via telephone. Interpreters' general knowledge of child forensic interviewing did not differ between interpreters with different authorization statuses (F (2,108) = 0.80, ω 2 = −0.002, p =.45), except from views on using leading questions (H (2) = 17.34, η 2 = 0.14, p <.001) and whether interpreters may clarify terms to child interviewees (H (2) = 8.02, η 2 = 0.06, p =.02). It is crucial to consider interpreters' perspectives when striving to improve the quality of interpreter-mediated child forensic interviews. Interpreters should be provided sufficient information to prepare and assess their suitability. Interpreters should also be offered education in interpreting child forensic interviews and given appropriate service structures to support their wellbeing. • Interpreters face various challenges when interpreting child forensic interviews. • Good communication between interpreters and forensic interviewers is essential. • Interpreters need prior information to assess their suitability and prepare. • Interpreters prefer interpreting child interviews on-site instead of via telephone. • Interpreters' education and training in interpreting child interviews is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a mobile application developed in conjunction with the City Hall from Viana do Castelo, a city in the north of Portugal. This application targets people with permanent or temporary reduced mobility and intends to show them information about taxi points, parking spaces and reference points in the city with the possibility to navigate to them using an optimized algorithm, based on routes defined for each segment (deaf people, visually impaired people, etc.). The Dijkstra's algorithm was used to implement the shortestPath given an origin, destination and segment. In this paper we present implementation details as well as final layouts of the prototype. At the current moment, the application is ended and will soon enter in usability tests with the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mutations in SLC26A4 represent the second most common mutations in deafness patients. The majority of patients with SLC26A4 mutations have a large vestibular aqueduct (LVA). Recently, some reports showed the presence of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) in patients with LVA on the basis of high-resolution enhanced 3T-MRI. However, detailed evaluation has not been performed. We provide the first report on ELH in LVA patients with biallelic SLC26A4 mutations. In this study, we focused on 1) the findings of ELH in LVA patients with biallelic SLC26A4 mutations, and 2) the findings of the endolymphatic duct (ED) and endolymphatic sac (ES) by using two different gadodimide (Gd) enhancement methods.Subjects and Methods: Five patients with SLC26A4 mutations underwent enhanced 3T-MRI using the intratympanic (IT) or intravenous (IV) injection of Gd for the diagnosis ELH.Results: All of the patients had ELH in at least one ear. ELH was identified in the vestibule (8/10 ears) as well as in the cochlea (7/10 ears). With regard to the ED and ES, all ears for which MRI was performed with an IT injection of Gd had black areas in the ES or VA or both; however, all of the ears receiving an IV injection had no black areas and were well enhanced.Conclusions: A majority of the patients had severe ELH in the cochleo-vestibular endolymph, with two different patterns observed in the MRI findings of the ED and ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The synthesis of isolated signs and the synthesis of whole utterances rely on different processes. • Keyframe, procedural and data-driven techniques are commonly used to create signs. • Concatenative synthesis is preferred for the generation of utterances. • Gestural representations of signs are needed as input of synthesis engines. Three sign language avatars: Raymond from the IRISA lab (http://lsf.irisa.fr/), Paula of DePaul University (http://asl.cs.depaul.edu) and the cat of MoCapLab (https://www.mocaplab.com/fr/) Signing avatars make it possible for deaf people to access information in their preferred language. However, sign language synthesis represents a challenge for the computer animation community as the motions generated must be realistic and have a precise semantic meaning. In this article, we distinguish the synthesis of isolated signs deprived of any contextual inflections from the generation of full sign language utterances. In both cases, the animation engine takes as input a representation of the synthesis objective to create the final animation. Because of their spatiotemporal characteristics, signs and utterances cannot be described by a sequential representation like phonetics in spoken languages. For this reason, linguistic and gestural studies have aimed to capture the typical and special features of signs and sign language syntax to promote different sign language representations. Those sign representations can then be used to produce an avatar animation thanks to sign synthesis techniques based on keyframes, procedural means or data-driven approaches. Novel utterances can also be generated using concatenative or articulatory techniques. This article constitutes a survey of (i) the challenges specific to sign languages avatars, (ii) the sign representations developed in order to synthesize isolated signs, (iii) the possible sign synthesis approaches, (iv) the different utterance specifications, and (v) the challenges and animation techniques for generating sign language utterances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study explores adverse childhood communication experiences and its RRs for acquiring specific chronic diseases and mental health disorders in adults who are deaf and hard of hearing.Methods: A cross-sectional design with snowball sampling was used to recruit adults who were deaf and hard of hearing and were born or became deaf in both ears before age 13 years. Patient-reported outcomes surveys in American Sign Language and English were disseminated to collect data about early life communication experiences with caregivers. Modified Poisson regression with robust SEs was used to calculate RR estimates and 95% CIs for all medical conditions with early life communication experiences as main predictors.Results: Data collection occurred from May 2016 to July 2016, October 2016 to April 2018, and October 2018 to May 2019. The U.S. sample consisted of 1,524 adults who were born or became deaf early. After adjusting for parental hearing status and known correlates of medical conditions, poorer direct child-caregiver communication was significantly associated with an increased risk of being diagnosed with diabetes (RRR=1.12, 95% CI=1.01, 1.24), hypertension (RRR=1.10, 95% CI=1.03, 1.17), and heart disease (RRR=1.61, 95% CI=1.39, 1.87). Poor indirect family communication/inclusion increased risks for lung diseases (RRR=1.19, 95% CI=1.07, 1.33) and depression/anxiety disorders (RRR=1.34, 95% CI=1.24, 1.44). The absolute risk increase and number needed to harm are also reported.Conclusions: Outcomes data reported by patients who were deaf and hard of hearing demonstrated that poorer direct child-caregiver communication and ongoing exclusion from incidental family communication were associated with increased risks for multiple chronic health outcomes. Practices should consider developing and utilizing an adverse childhood communication screening measure to prevent or remediate language deprivation and communication neglect in pediatric patients who were deaf and hard of hearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We assessed if olfactory compensation occurs for detection of food-related hazards. • We tested thresholds for detection of a rotten food odor (fermented fish sauce). • We included 100 blind subjects, 74 deaf subjects and two control samples (n = 199). • Smell acuity did not differ significantly between the participating groups. • Sensory deprived subjects rated their sensitivity as higher than did control groups. The exposure-driven olfactory compensation associated with sensory loss is likely to be observed in assessment of food-related dangers. Therefore, in the current study we tested the hypothesis that olfactory compensation occurs in the case of protection from food-related hazards. We compared thresholds for detection of an unpleasant rotten food odor (fermented fish sauce) in four groups of subjects: blind subjects (n = 100), sighted controls (n = 100), deaf subjects (n = 74) and hearing controls (n = 99). Overall, we observed no significant differences in smell acuity between the blind and deaf groups and their matched control samples. However, the sensory deprived subjects assessed their sensitivity as higher than did control groups. The present study is yet another example of research among large samples of sensory deprived individuals that shows no evidence of olfactory compensation. This result is consistent with a growing number of studies suggesting no sensory compensation in simple, absolute sensitivity tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese sign language (CSL) is one of the most widely used sign language systems in the world. As such, the automatic recognition and generation of CSL is a key technology enabling bidirectional communication between deaf and hearing people. Most previous studies have focused solely on sign language recognition (SLR), which only addresses communication in a single direction. As such, there is a need for sign language generation (SLG) to enable communication in the other direction (i.e., from hearing people to deaf people). To achieve a smoother exchange of ideas between these two groups, we propose a skeleton-based CSL recognition and generation framework based on a recurrent neural network (RNN), to support bidirectional CSL communication. This process can also be extended to other sequence-to-sequence information interactions. The core of the proposed framework is a two-level probability generative model. Compared with previous techniques, this approach offers a more flexible approximate posterior distribution, which can produce skeletal sequences of varying styles that are recognizable to humans. In addition, the proposed generation method compensated for a lack of training data. A series of experiments in bidirectional communication were conducted on the large 500 CSL dataset. The proposed algorithm achieved high recognition accuracy for both real and synthetic data, with a reduced runtime. Furthermore, the generated data improved the performance of the discriminator. These results suggest the proposed bidirectional communication framework and generation algorithm to be an effective new approach to CSL recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand the communication and social challenges that individuals with SSD face post diagnosis.Methods: Fifty-two single-sided deaf patients from all over the world participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using a thematic analysis approach.Results: Patients with single sided deafness identified challenges including: increased reliance on family members, decreased sense of autonomy, communication quality changes with family members, information discrepancy across family members and various emotional responses, conflicting information from interactions with multiple medical professionals, and lack of knowledge regarding what to anticipate post diagnosis.Conclusion: This study provides insights into patients' perspectives around single-sided deafness and its challenges, and the various health care approaches (e.g., patient- and family-centered care, third party disability, patient navigation) that could be implemented post diagnosis to decrease negative experiences and outcomes associated with SSD.Practical Implications: This study has practical implications for improving our understanding of what single-sided deaf patients need and for health professionals to offer better care to current and future populations impacted by single-sided deafness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Patients' empathic opportunities are susceptible to the interpreter's performance. • Patients' empathic opportunities are susceptible to the doctor's actions. • Interpreted empathic opportunities might differ in meaning and/or intensity. • Shifts in meaning / intensity do not incur a change in the level of empathy. • Doctors and interpreters require specific skills for empathic communication. To investigate how empathic communication is expressed in interpreter-mediated consultations (IMCs) and the interpreter's effect on it. We coded 20 authentic video-recorded IMCs by using the Empathic Communication Coding System (ECCS). We compared patient-initiated empathic opportunities (EOs) and doctors' responses as expressed by patients and doctors and as rendered by interpreters. We identified 44 EOs. In 2 of the 44 EOs there was a close match in the way the EOs were expressed by the patient in the first place and in the way they were rendered by the interpreter. Twenty-four of the 44 EOs that were passed on by the interpreter to the doctor and presented the doctor with an opportunity to respond, came with a shift in meaning and/or intensity. Twenty of the 44 EOs were not passed on by the interpreter to the doctor. In IMCs, EOs are subject to the interpreter's renditions and the doctor's actions during interaction. Doctors and interpreters require skills to detect patient cues, assess them correctly, render them completely and in an appropriate manner (interpreters) and display communicative behaviours that take into account the intricacies of interpreter-mediated clinical communication and facilitate each other's communicative goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to evaluate the changes in daily voice production, analysed through the Ambulatory Phonation Monitoring (APM), and their relationship with Quality of Life (QOL) measurements in a group of profound deaf patients treated with Cochlear Implant (CI).Methods: A total of 12 consecutive post-lingual deaf patients (8 females and 4 males) treated with CI for bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss were enrolled. Each patient was evaluated before and after 6 months of CI use. In particular, the daily voice production evaluation was performed using the APM, while QOL information were gathered from the Italian version of the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (I-NCIQ).Results: Significant differences in the APM results obtained before and after CI were found. In particular, a significant decrease of the mean amplitude and a significant increase of the daily phonation time and percentage of phonation time were demonstrated after CI use in all the patients. A significant improvement in the I-NCIQ scores was demonstrated after CI use and significant correlations among I-NCIQ scores and the APM parameters were found.Conclusions: The APM could be useful in the evaluation of the benefits of cochlear implantation and may represents an indicator of deaf patient participation. In addition, the daily voice production's modifications after CI and their significant relations with the changes in QOL measurements could be useful in treatment planning as well as during pre- and post-operative counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people who have trouble hearing rely heavily on sign language as their primary means of communication. As a form of visual language, sign language is primarily used as features by the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with one another. These features make it challenging for the average person to grasp what is being said. As a result, it becomes more difficult for deaf people to interact with the hearing community. In order to solve this communication barrier, scientists have been working on sign language recognition systems. The purpose of this research is to propose a hand gesture recognition framework for Pakistan Sign Language (PSL) by training a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) on PSL gesture images obtained with the aid of a testbed built in the laboratory using the Kinect motion sensor for Urdu alphabets. Kinect images of hands were taken in this study under a variety of lighting conditions. A feature vector set was created from hand margin, size, shape, palm center points, and finger position using Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT). Important features of PSL-based sign images were extracted using SIFT and then converted to vector points. The proposed improved CNN model was able to achieve an impressive accuracy of 98.74% on the PSL dataset, demonstrating an impressively low error rate of only 1.26%. A case study is demonstrated in the assessment of the system that has been provided. Finally, a comparison is performed between others and our work to show the efficiency of the proposed framework and legitimize the concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deaf migrants are required to learn two new languages simultaneously instead of one. • It is vital to examine cultural contexts when studying language practices. • Deaf migrants do not have always have access to their home country's language(s). • It is a challenge to make new teaching materials that suit deaf migrants' needs. Linguistic skills are often seen as valuable capital necessary for migrants to successfully integrate into society. As part of Sweden's integration policy, deaf migrants are provided with opportunities to learn Swedish and Swedish Sign Language. Using an ethnographic approach comprising of classroom observations and semi-structured interviews in four folk high schools in Sweden, this study examines how deaf migrants' linguistic and cultural backgrounds influence their language learning experiences. The study also explores different misunderstandings that have arisen as a result of not having the relevant linguistic resources necessary for efficient communication. The findings show the complexity of language learning and how this process is influenced by several social factors such as communication with family growing up, educational experiences or lack thereof, and cultural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people around the world are plagued by hearing loss. More than 50% of congenital or pre-lingual deafness is associated with genetic factors and has highly genetic heterogeneity. To date, although hundreds of genes have been found to be implicated in non-syndromic deafness, there are still lots of genes or loci that we need to verify. In this study, we performed target sequencing and Sanger sequencing in a Kazakh consanguineous family with autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss. Following that, functional and structural studies predicted the pathogenic effect of novel mutations by use of the online tools. We identified a novel homozygous mutation p.R3191C in MYO15A gene causing deafness in this family. The mutation p.R3191C co-segregated with the disease phenotype in this family and was not present in any public databases. Automatic tools predict that the novel mutation makes a great impact on the function and structure of MYO15A protein. This is a novel mutation of MYO15A causing deafness and also the first report of MYO15A mutations causing deafness in the Kazakh families. This finding expanded the spectrum of MYO15A mutations, making it more precise for future genetic diagnosis in patients with deafness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing and addressing the problems faced by the differently abled people such as visually, audibly and vocally challenged, through a single device is a tough job. A lot of research has been done on each problem and solutions have been proposed separately. But not all of them are addressed together. The aim of the project is to create a single device solution in such a way that is simple, fast, accurate and cost-effective. The main purpose of the device is to make the differently abled people, feel independent confident by seeing, hearing and talking for them. The paper provides a Google API and Raspberry Pi based aid for the blind deaf and dumb people. The proposed device enables visually challenged people to read by taking an image. Further, Image to text conversion and speech synthesis is done, converting it into an audio format that reads out the extracted text translating documents, books and other available materials in daily life. For the audibly challenged, the input is in form of speech taken in by the microphone and recorded audio is then converted into text which is displayed in the form of a pop-up window for the user in the screen of the device. The vocally impaired are aided by taking the input by the user as text through the built-in customized on-screen keyboard where the text is identified, text into speech conversion is done and the speaker gives the speech output. This way the device speaks for the user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DFNB1, caused by mutations of GJB2 or GJB6 , is the most prevalent genetic form of nonsyndromic (i.e., isolated) congenital deafness in countries located around the Mediterranean Sea. Because some mutations are restricted to specific ethnic-geographic groups, we studied the prevalence and spectrum of GJB2 / GJB6 mutations in deaf patients originating from two different Algerian regions, Kabylie and Sahara. Among 91 reportedly unrelated Algerian patients affected by prelingual deafness, 80 patients (41 from Kabylie and 39 from Sahara) were diagnosed with isolated deafness. All had profound deafness, except one patient with mild deafness. They were screened for the presence of GJB2 mutations by direct sequencing of the single coding exon of GJB2. Patients without mutations were then screened for the presence of the most frequent two deletions of GJB6 : del(GJB6 -D13S1854) and del(GJB6 -D13S1830). Causative mutations were found in 13 and 8 patients from Kabylie and Sahara, respectively, accounting for more than a quarter of the cohort. The c.35delG, p.Gly12Valfs*2 mutation remains the most important mutation both in Kabylie (10 patients) and Sahara (7 patients). All detected patients were homozygous for this mutation. In addition, two other mutations (c.139G > T, p.Glu47* and c.167delT, p.Leu56Argfs*26) were found homozygous in one family each, and two patients were compound heterozygotes for (c.35delG p.Gly12Valfs*2/c.139G > T, p.Glu47*). No deletion of GJB6 was detected. We confirm that mutations in GJB2 , mainly c.35delG, are one of the most prevalent causes of nonsyndromic congenital deafness in Algeria, whereas the del (GJB6 -D13S1854) and del (GJB6 -D13S1830) deletions of GJB6 contribute little, if any. Further investigation is needed to identify the cause of deafness in other patients without diagnostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We present data from a nationally representative assessment of learning outcomes for the blind and for the deaf in Kenya. • Literacy outcomes for the blind and the deaf are low and few children are reading fluently with comprehension. • Blind children who attend special units perform better than blind children who attend special units within public schools. • Deaf children who attend special units perform no better than deaf children who attend special units within public schools. • Literacy outcomes for the deaf and for the deaf-blind appear significantly lower than outcomes for children without disabilities in similar schools. Evidence is scarce as to the literacy skills of children with special needs in low- and middle-income countries. Utilizing nationally representative data from Kenya, we present literacy outcomes for the blind and for the deaf in English, and for the blind in Kiswahili in Grade 1 and 2. Although comparisons with children in "regular" classrooms would be inappropriate due to language differences, we used large-scale data available from non-special-needs Kenyan classrooms to investigate the distribution of literacy skills. We found that children served by special schools for the blind outperformed those who were attending special units within "regular" schools, across nearly all estimates of literacy. For the deaf, no meaningful differences emerged in performance scores between children attending special schools and special units. Further, language preferences for the deaf population varied broadly; future research should consider assessing skills in Kenya Sign Language as well as Signed Exact English. Given the low literacy skills of both the blind and the deaf populations, we recommend substantial investment in programs designed to improve literacy outcomes for these populations. We also recommend examining literacy skills among all special-needs learners at scale, because of the complexity countries find in supporting these diverse learners, and because only looking at a handful of schools can mask trends in low performance that would become more obvious at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branchio-Oto (BO) syndrome is one of the common syndromic forms of hearing loss. In this study, we aimed to characterize the clinical and genetic features of BO syndrome in two Chinese Han deaf families. The auditory and other BO-related clinical features of Family 1809 and Family 1974 were summarized. Targeted next-generation sequencing in 144 known deafness genes was performed in the probands. Co-segregation of the pathogenic mutations and the phenotype was confirmed by Sanger sequencing in the family members. Interfamilial and intrafamilial variations can be observed in the clinical phenotypes of BO syndrome in Family 1809 and 1974. A novel c.1493_1494insAT (p.Ile498PhefsTer*3) mutation and a previous reported c.967-2A>G mutation in EYA1 were identified as the pathogenic cause in Family 1974 and 1809, respectively. Our results supported the heterogeneity of the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of BO syndrome. The recurrent c.967-2A>G in different ethnical groups suggested that it is a hot-spot mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tinnitus is the phantom perception of sound and can have negative effect on the quality of life. Sudden deafness is generally defined as sensorineural hearing loss of 30 dB or greater over at least three contiguous audiometric frequencies and within a three-day period, which is usually unilateral and can be associated with tinnitus. The exact pathogenesis of such auditory diseases is still unknown, and alterations in the functional connectivity of the brain network are suspected to involve one possible pathogenesis. Scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis is a common approach to capture brain neural activity. This paper conducts a twofold study in terms of brain network analysis for auditory diseases based on EEG data. Specifically, the brain network is constructed in view of the phase lag index (PLI) between signals. The unsupervised study is first conducted via the unsupervised network community detection algorithm. The goal is to reveal the underlying characteristics of functional connectivity concerning subjects with and without auditory diseases from the brain network perspective. The second study is the supervised learning. A new strategy termed FBA (Features from Brain Areas) is proposed to abstract each brain network as a feature vector and the supervised classification method, i.e., Support Vector Machine (SVM) is utilized to perform the three-class classification concerning the regular control group, tinnitus patient group and sudden deafness patient group. Extensive experiments have been conducted on totally 146 subjects including 41 regular controls, 51 sudden deafness patients and 54 tinnitus patients. The results show the necessary of the unsupervised study that may shed light on the pathogenesis and the classification performed in the supervised study may serve as a portable detection method for auditory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe knowledge and risk perception of human papillomavirus (HPV) among deaf adults who use American sign language (ASL) comparison with hearing adults in the United States. Secondary HPV knowledge data for the deaf subset sample were drawn from the Health Information National Trends survey in ASL that was administered between 2015 and 2018. HPV knowledge data for the hearing subset sample were drawn from cycle 5 of the Health Information National Trends survey in English that was administered in 2017. Surveys are a nationally based survey of deaf ASL users in the United States and a nationally based survey of hearing non-ASL users in the United States. The age of the deaf and hearing subset samples was determined on the basis of catchup vaccine eligibility criteria as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommends catchup vaccination in women, men who have sex with men, immunocompromised individuals, and those who identify as transgender. We examined HPV, HPV vaccine, and HPV-related cancer knowledge in deaf and hearing subsets. Our sample consisted of 235 deaf and 115 hearing adults aged 18-26 years. Of the deaf participants 58% (136/235) reported knowledge of HPV compared with 84% (97/115) of hearing participants (P <.001). Hearing participants showed higher accuracy in risk perception of HPV relation to cervical cancer compared with deaf participants (P <.001). Hearing participants were more likely to have heard of the HPV vaccine as well as believe it is successful in preventing cervical cancer compared with deaf participants (P <.001). Deaf ASL users are less likely to have knowledge of HPV, virus-related cancer risk, and preventative vaccination compared with hearing peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective To evaluate outcomes in pediatric and adolescent patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) undergoing cochlear implantation. Methods A retrospective cohort design at two tertiary level academic cochlear implant centers. The subjects included nine children ages 1.5 to 15 years-old with single-sided deafness (SSD) who had undergone cochlear implantation in the affected ear. Objective outcome measures included were speech reception testing in quiet and noise, bimodal speech reception threshold testing in noise, tinnitus suppression, and device usage. Results Nine pediatric and adolescent patients with SSD were implanted between 2011 and 2017. The median age at implantation was 8.9 years (range, 1.5–15.1) and the children had a median duration of deafness 2.9 years (range, 0.8–9.5). There was variability in testing measures due to patient age. Median pre-operative aided word recognition scores on the affected side were <30% regardless of the testing paradigm used. Six patients had pre-operative word testing (4 CNC, median score 25%; 2 MLNT, 8% and 17%). Four patients had pre-operative sentence testing (3 AzBio, median score 44%; 1 HINT-C, 57%). Median post-implantation follow-up interval was 12.3 months (range, 3–27.6 months). Six subjects had post-operative word recognition testing (CNC median, 70%; MLNT 50%, 92%) with a median improvement of 45.5% points. Five subjects had post-operative sentence testing (AzBio, median 82%; HINT, median 76%), with a median improvement of 40.5% points. Eight patients are full time users of their device. Tinnitus and bimodal speech reception thresholds in noise were improved. Conclusion Pediatric subjects with SSD benefit substantially from cochlear implantation. Objective speech outcome measures are improved in both quiet and noise, and bimodal speech reception thresholds in noise are greatly improved. There is a low rate of device non-use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cochlear implants (CIs) are being implanted in people with unilateral hearing loss because they can improve speech intelligibility and sound source localization. Though designed to restore the afferent auditory stimulation, the CI possibly restores some efferent effects. The present study aimed at investigating this possibility. Five single-sided deaf CI users with less than 30 dB hearing loss up to 4 kHz in their acoustic ear participated in the study. Absolute thresholds for their acoustic ears were measured for pure tones of 500 and 4000 Hz with durations of 10 and 200 ms in the presence and in the absence of contralateral broadband electrical stimulation (CBES) delivered with the CI. The electrical stimulus consisted of pulse trains (symmetric biphasic pulses with phase duration 36 μs) on all 16 electrodes sequentially stimulated at a rate of 843 Hz. Its intensity was set to sound as loud as broadband noise at 50 or 60 dB SPL in the acoustic ear. Thresholds were measured using a three-interval, three-alternative, forced-choice procedure with a two-down, one-up adaptive rule to estimate the level for 71% correct in the psychometric function. Thresholds measured without the CBES were lower for the longer than for the shorter tones, and the difference was larger at 500 than at 4000 Hz. CBES equivalent to 50 or 60 dB SPL caused significant threshold elevation only for short (10 ms) and low frequency (500 Hz) acoustic tones of 1.2 and 2.2 dB. These increases appear smaller than previously reported for normal hearing listeners in related experiments. These results support the notion that for single-sided deaf CI users, the CI modulates hearing in the acoustic ear. The possible mechanisms that may be contributing this effect are discussed. Highlights • For single-sided deaf CI users, the cochlear implant can modulate hearing in the normal acoustic ear. • Contralateral stimulation through a CI caused significant threshold elevation for short and low frequency acoustic tones. • Acoustic threshold increase caused by contralateral electrical stimulation appears smaller than in normal hearing listeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prolonged auditory sensory deprivation leads to brain reorganization. This is indicated by functional enhancement in remaining sensory systems and known as cross-modal plasticity. In this study we investigated differences in functional brain network topology between deaf and hearing individuals. We also studied altered functional network responses between deaf and hearing individuals with a recording paradigm containing an eyes-closed and eyes-open condition. Electroencephalography activity was recorded in a group of sign language-trained deaf (N = 71) and hearing people (N = 122) living in rural Africa. Functional brain networks were constructed from the functional connectivity between fourteen electrodes distributed over the scalp. Functional connectivity was quantified with the phase lag index based on bandpass filtered epochs of brain signal. We studied the functional connectivity between the auditory, somatosensory and visual cortex and performed whole-brain minimum spanning tree analysis to capture network backbone characteristics. Functional connectivity between different regions involved in sensory information processing tended to be stronger in deaf people during the eyes-closed condition in both the alpha and beta frequency band. Furthermore, we found differences in functional backbone topology between deaf and hearing individuals. The backbone topology altered during transition from the eyes-closed to eyes-open condition irrespective of deafness, but was more pronounced in deaf individuals. The transition of backbone strength was different between individuals with congenital, pre-lingual or post-lingual deafness. Functional backbone characteristics correlated with the experience of sign language. Overall, our study revealed more insights in functional network reorganization caused by auditory deprivation and cross-modal plasticity. It further supports the idea of a brain plasticity potential in deaf and hearing people. The association between network organization and acquired sign language experience reflects the ability of ongoing brain adaptation in people with hearing disabilities. Highlights • Functional brain mapping in homogeneous population in rural Nigeria. • Increased functional synchronization in deaf people in alpha en beta frequency. • Synchronization effects are present in brain-wide network backbone structures. • Topological network reorganization is associated with sign language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An increased number of treatment options has become available for patients with single sided deafness (SSD), who are seeking hearing rehabilitation. For example, bone-conduction devices that employ contralateral routing of sound (CROS), by transmitting acoustic bone vibrations from the deaf side to the cochlea of the hearing ear, are widely used. However, in some countries, cochlear implantation is becoming the standard treatment. The present study investigated whether CROS intervention, by means of a CROS bone-conduction device (C-BCD), affected sound-localization performance of patients with SSD. Several studies have reported unexpected moderate to good unilateral sound-localization abilities in unaided SSD listeners. Listening with a C-BCD might deteriorate these localization abilities because sounds are transmitted, through bone conduction to the contralateral normal hearing ear, and could thus interfere with monaural level cues (i.e. ambiguous monaural head-shadow cues), or with the subtle spectral localization cues, on which the listener has learned to rely on. The present study included nineteen SSD patients who were using their C-BCD for more than five months. To assess the use of the different localization cues, we investigated their localization abilities to broadband (BB, 0.5–20 kHz), low-pass (LP, 0.5–1.5 kHz), and high-pass filtered noises (HP, 3–20 kHz) of varying intensities. Experiments were performed in complete darkness, by measuring orienting head-movement responses under open-loop localization conditions. We demonstrate that a minority of listeners with SSD (5 out of 19) could localize BB and HP (but not LP) sounds in the horizontal plane in the unaided condition, and that a C-BCD did not deteriorate their localization abilities. Highlights • Localization abilities of patients with SSD do not deteriorate when listening with a bone-conduction device. • Some listeners with SSD can localize broadband and high-pass sounds in the horizontal plane in non-aided condition. • Spectral cues can provide location information for horizontal sound localization. • Monaural listeners rely on sound level for localization of broadband noises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rationale Children with unilateral deafness could have concurrent vestibular dysfunction which would be associated with balance deficits and potentially impair overall development. The prevalence of vestibular and balance deficits remains to be defined in these children. Methods Twenty children with unilateral deafness underwent comprehensive vestibular and balance evaluation. Results Retrospective review revealed that more than half of the cohort demonstrated some abnormality of the vestibular end organs (otoliths and horizontal canal), with the prevalence of end organ specific dysfunction ranging from 17 to 48% depending on organ tested and method used. In most children, impairment occurred only on the deaf side. Children with unilateral deafness also displayed significantly poorer balance function than their normal hearing peers. Conclusions The prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in children with unilateral deafness is high and similar to that of children with bilateral deafness. Vestibular and balance evaluation should be routine and the functional impact of combined vestibulo-cochlear sensory deficits considered. Highlights • There is a high prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in unilateral deafness. • Significantly poorer balance skills are also observed in unilateral deafness. • Vestibular and balance evaluation should be considered in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Arabic Sign Language (ArSL) is a visual language used by deaf Arabs and some hard of hearing to translate their thinking. It is a language in its own right as well as spoken languages such as Arabic or English. It is produced by body, face, and gestures of the hands. Hundreds of thousands of deaf people around the world currently practice it. Each country has its own sign language that deaf people use so it is not universal, but deaf people from different countries communicate easily with each other after a short period of adaptation. This communication becomes difficult when a deaf want to communicate with a normal person with no interpreter available. In this way, building a translation system that can generate real-time statements via a signing avatar is helpful. The system to be developed is a machine translation system from Arabic text to the Arabic sign language, it will allow hearing persons to communicate more easily, using a text written in Arabic by normal person, with people suffering from hard hearing and knowing only sign language. The system must perform a morpho-syntactic analysis of the text in the input and convert it to video sequences phrases playing by a 3D human avatar who expresses the usual signs used by deaf people. In this paper, we present a first version of our machine translation system ATLASLang MTS 1 based on rule-based Interlingua and example-based approaches. It uses SAFAR Platform [11] and ALKHALIL morpho system [1] to extract the morphological properties of each word of the input sentence. Then it generates a video sequence representing the sentence in Arabic sign language based on well-established translation rules and the database of signs. During the translation, if a word of sentence is a proper noun or does not have a correspondence in the database, it will be finger spelled. The main constraint imposed by our machine translation system is the assumption that the sentence given in the input must be completely vowelized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Older adults often experience difficulties in understanding speech, partly because of age-related hearing loss (HL). In young adults, activity of the left articulatory motor cortex is enhanced and it interacts with the auditory cortex via the left-hemispheric dorsal stream during speech processing. Little is known about the effect of aging and age-related HL on this auditory-motor interaction and speech processing in the articulatory motor cortex. It has been proposed that upregulation of the motor system during speech processing could compensate for HL and auditory processing deficits in older adults. Alternatively, age-related auditory deficits could reduce and distort the input from the auditory cortex to the articulatory motor cortex, suppressing recruitment of the motor system during listening to speech. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of aging and age-related HL on the excitability of the tongue motor cortex during listening to spoken sentences using transcranial magnetic stimulation and electromyography. Our results show that the excitability of the tongue motor cortex was facilitated during listening to speech in young and older adults with normal hearing. This facilitation was significantly reduced in older adults with HL. These findings suggest a decline of auditory-motor processing of speech in adults with age-related HL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]