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Communications Biology Jun 2024Human language relies on the correct processing of syntactic information, as it is essential for successful communication between speakers. As an abstract level of...
Human language relies on the correct processing of syntactic information, as it is essential for successful communication between speakers. As an abstract level of language, syntax has often been studied separately from the physical form of the speech signal, thus often masking the interactions that can promote better syntactic processing in the human brain. However, behavioral and neural evidence from adults suggests the idea that prosody and syntax interact, and studies in infants support the notion that prosody assists language learning. Here we analyze a MEG dataset to investigate how acoustic cues, specifically prosody, interact with syntactic representations in the brains of native English speakers. More specifically, to examine whether prosody enhances the cortical encoding of syntactic representations, we decode syntactic phrase boundaries directly from brain activity, and evaluate possible modulations of this decoding by the prosodic boundaries. Our findings demonstrate that the presence of prosodic boundaries improves the neural representation of phrase boundaries, indicating the facilitative role of prosodic cues in processing abstract linguistic features. This work has implications for interactive models of how the brain processes different linguistic features. Future research is needed to establish the neural underpinnings of prosody-syntax interactions in languages with different typological characteristics.
Topics: Humans; Speech Perception; Male; Female; Adult; Language; Brain; Speech; Young Adult; Magnetoencephalography; Linguistics; Cues
PubMed: 38902370
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06444-7 -
Zeitschrift Fur Evidenz, Fortbildung... Jun 2024In Germany, an estimated number of 70,000 people diagnosed with long COVID or post-COVID syndrome (PCS) had received inpatient medical rehabilitation by the end of 2022....
["The idea of rehabilitation will have to be completely rethought for this illness" - Qualitative results of an online survey on patients' experiences with inpatient rehabilitation for post COVID-19 condition (long COVID)].
BACKGROUND
In Germany, an estimated number of 70,000 people diagnosed with long COVID or post-COVID syndrome (PCS) had received inpatient medical rehabilitation by the end of 2022. Due to the heterogeneity of the clinical picture, the variability of interventions and inconsistent endpoints, previous studies on the effectiveness of rehabilitation are of limited value. It therefore remains unclear whether and to what extent rehabilitation measures established for, e.g., pulmonary, cardiovascular, or neurological diseases are suitable for patients with PCS.
OBJECTIVES
To identify the experiences and perspectives of those affected by PCS, in relation to inpatient rehabilitation and to describe patients' values and wishes with respect to evidence-based medicine.
METHODS
In January/February 2023, the German initiative "Long COVID Deutschland" conducted a retrospective online survey (39 closed items, two open answer fields) among adult PCS sufferers on their experiences with inpatient rehabilitation. Recruitment was carried out via social media and websites of patient initiatives. The open answers were analyzed using a structuring and summarizing qualitative content analysis according to Mayring, supplemented by descriptive representations of the distribution of standardized information.
RESULTS
Of 1,191 participants in the survey, 733 used open response formats to additionally explain their experiences and the effects of individual measures on their general condition. 366 (50%) reported that their state of health deteriorated, mainly because of strength or endurance training and too extensive treatment plans. The presence of a post-exertional malaise (PEM) or its insufficient consideration during rehabilitation was described as the main barrier. Recognition and acceptance of individual performance limits, flexible and coordinated individual treatment plans tailored to the patient's limitations, and support in coping with the disease were described as supportive factors. From the participants' perspective, learning strategies to avoid deterioration in their state of health due to overexertion, the so-called pacing, should be the core treatment goal for patients affected by PEM.
DISCUSSION
The results are not statistically representative but ensure systematic insights into the subjective perspectives of those affected, the consideration of which represents one of the three principles of evidence-based medicine. The results show that for PCS patients with PEM, even minimum requirements for rehabilitation measures can lead to overexertion and aggravation.
CONCLUSIONS
Common subject-specific rehabilitation concepts appear to be only partially suitable for dealing with the symptoms and the heterogeneity of the disease. Aims and interventions should be individually adapted, and the focus should be on pacing, disease coping and management. A reliable test for PEM and rehabilitation ability before the start of rehabilitation is needed to ensure safety for those affected. To adequately classify studies on the effectiveness of rehabilitation, risks and side effects should be disclosed.
PubMed: 38890022
DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2024.05.007 -
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology Jun 2024In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we assessed 4-year-olds' ability to extend verbs to new action events on the basis of abstract similarities....
In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we assessed 4-year-olds' ability to extend verbs to new action events on the basis of abstract similarities. Participants were presented with images of actions (e.g., peeling an orange) while hearing sentences containing a conventional verb (e.g., peeling), a verb sharing an abstract relation (i.e., an analogical verb, e.g., undressing), a verb sharing an object type (i.e., an object-related verb, e.g., pressing) with the action, or a pseudoverb (e.g., kebraying). The amplitude of the N400 gradually increased as a function of verb type-from conventional verbs to analogical verbs to object-related verbs to pseudoverbs. These findings suggest that accessing the meaning of a verb is easier when it shares abstract relations with the expected verb. Our results illustrate that measuring brain signals in response to analogical word extensions provides a useful tool to investigate preschools' analogical abilities.
PubMed: 38879929
DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105984 -
Revue Medicale de Liege Jun 2024It's easy to imagine using medicines to treat or even cure an illness. For most people, however, the idea of taking one or more medicines to prevent or delay the onset... (Review)
Review
It's easy to imagine using medicines to treat or even cure an illness. For most people, however, the idea of taking one or more medicines to prevent or delay the onset of an illness or its complications seems less obvious. However, there is indeed a place for using medicines in the field of prevention. Knowing the definition of a medicine means you can immediately understand the role it can play in the field of prevention. What's more, the use of medicines should be based not only on evidence-based medicine, but also on an approach that integrates a collegial discussion with the patient, which will make it possible to discuss the expected benefits of such an approach, as well as explaining any possible side-effects. Only in this way can we expect better compliance of a person still without a disease. This article briefly summarizes the role that medicines can play in a prevention strategy.
Topics: Humans; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Primary Prevention
PubMed: 38869112
DOI: No ID Found -
Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ban =... Jun 2024To describe the current distribution of daily physical activity time among elementary and junior high school students in Beijing, and to analyze the influencing factors...
OBJECTIVE
To describe the current distribution of daily physical activity time among elementary and junior high school students in Beijing, and to analyze the influencing factors and pathways at the individual, family, school and community levels.
METHODS
Data were drawn upon from a cross-sectional investigation in Beijing in 2023, and a total of 3 157 elementary and junior high school students were included in the final analysis. Questionnaire was used to collect data on basic characteristics, overall and in-school physical activity time per day, the number of sports mastered, perceived physical activity benefits and barriers scales, perceived family, school, and community physical activity supportive environment scales. Log-binomial regression model was used to analyze the associations between physical activity time and influencing factors, and structural equation modeling was used for the path analysis of the influencing factors.
RESULTS
The reported rates of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day and ≥1 hour of physical activity in school per day among elementary and junior high school students in Beijing in 2023 were 33.1% and 64.8%, respectively. The associations between the number of sports mastered by students and the reported rate of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day showed a typical dose-response relationship (-<0.001). The perceived physical activity benefits-to-barriers ratio (=1.24, 95%: 1.20-1.28), scores of perceived family, school, and community physical acti-vity supportive environment scales were all positively associated with the reported rate of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day (=1.51, 95%: 1.38-1.66; =1.50, 95%: 1.37-1.64; =1.21, 95%: 1.16-1.27). The structural equation modeling showed that the number of sports mastered by the students (=0.11, <0.001), perceived physical activity benefits-to-barriers ratios (=0.15, <0.001), and scores of supportive environment scales consisting of family, school, and community (=0.13, <0.001) were associated with the reported rates of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day directly. In addition, the scores of supportive environment scales could indirectly influence the reported rates of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day by influencing the number of sports mastered by the students (=0.21, <0.001) and the perceived physical activity benefits-to-barriers ratio (=0.56, <0.001), while the number of sports mastered by the students could indirectly influence the reported rates of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day by influencing the perceived physical activity benefits-to-barriers ratios (=0.05, =0.003). The influencing factors and pathways of the reported rates of ≥1 hour of physical activity in school per day were similar with those of the reported rates of ≥2 hours of overall physical activity per day described above.
CONCLUSION
The daily physical activity time among elementary and junior high school students in Beijing in 2023 fell short of meeting the national requirement. There was a need to build a supportive environment consisting of family, school, and community for physical activity, to promote the students ' sports skills, to establish the idea of independent physical activity, and to ensure that primary and secondary school students were given one hour of physical activity time every day, both inside and outside the school.
Topics: Humans; Students; Adolescent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Beijing; Schools; Exercise; Male; Female; Surveys and Questionnaires; Child; Sports; China
PubMed: 38864124
DOI: 10.19723/j.issn.1671-167X.2024.03.005 -
South African Family Practice :... May 2024No abstract available.
No abstract available.
Topics: Humans; Suicide, Assisted; Euthanasia
PubMed: 38832383
DOI: 10.4102/safp.v66i1.5948 -
Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za... May 2024To summarize the dynamic and synchronized changes between the hair cycle and dermal adipose tissue as well as the impact of dermal adipose tissue on hair growth, and to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the dynamic and synchronized changes between the hair cycle and dermal adipose tissue as well as the impact of dermal adipose tissue on hair growth, and to provide a new research idea for the clinical treatment of hair loss.
METHODS
An extensive review of relevant literature both domestic and international was conducted, analyzing and summarizing the impact of dermal adipose precursor cells, mature dermal adipocytes, and the processes of adipogenesis in dermal adipose tissue on the transition of hair cycle phases.
RESULTS
Dermal adipose tissue is anatomically adjacent to hair follicles and closely related to the changes in the hair cycle. The proliferation and differentiation of dermal adipose precursor cells promote the transition of hair cycle from telogen to anagen, while mature adipocytes can accelerate the transition from anagen to catagen of the hair cycle by expressing signaling molecules, with adipogenesis in dermal adipose tissue and hair cycle transition signaling coexistence.
CONCLUSION
Dermal adipose tissue affects the transition of the hair cycle and regulates hair growth by secreting various signaling molecules. However, the quantity and depth of existing literature are far from sufficient to fully elucidate its prominent role in regulating the hair cycle, and the specific regulatory mechanisms needs to be further studied.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Adipocytes; Adipogenesis; Adipose Tissue; Alopecia; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Dermis; Hair; Hair Follicle; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38752252
DOI: 10.7507/1002-1892.202402092 -
BMJ Open May 2024The rapid growth of the ageing population underscores the critical need for dementia care training among care providers. Innovative virtual reality (VR) technology has...
Facilitators, barriers and impacts to implementing dementia care training for staff in long-term care settings by using fully immersive virtual reality: a scoping review protocol.
INTRODUCTION
The rapid growth of the ageing population underscores the critical need for dementia care training among care providers. Innovative virtual reality (VR) technology has created opportunities to improve dementia care training. This scoping review will specifically focus on the barriers, facilitators and impacts of implementing fully immersive VR training for dementia care among staff in long-term care (LTC) settings.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
We will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review methodology to ensure scientific rigour. We will collect literature of all languages with abstracts in English from CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and ProQuest database until 31 December 2023. Grey literature from Google Scholar and AgeWell websites will be included. Inclusion criteria encompass papers involving paid staff (Population), fully immersive VR training on dementia care (Concept) and LTC settings (Context). Literature referring only to non-paid caregivers, non-fully immersive VR or other chronic diseases will be excluded. Literature screening, data extraction and analysis will be conducted by two reviewers separately. We will present a narrative summary with a charting table on the main findings.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
This work does not require ethics approval, given the public data availability for this scoping review. Through a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding impacts, barriers and facilitators on this topic, potential insights and practical recommendations will be generated to support the implementation of VR training to enhance staff competence in LTC settings. The findings will be presented in a journal article and shared with practitioners on the frontline.
Topics: Humans; Dementia; Long-Term Care; Virtual Reality; Health Personnel
PubMed: 38719284
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083724 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Apr 2024This review delves into the possible role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical research, from planning to publication. AI can aid in idea generation, data... (Review)
Review
This review delves into the possible role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical research, from planning to publication. AI can aid in idea generation, data analysis, and writing, with tools like chatbots and transcription systems enhancing efficiency. However, AI's limitations, including the "hallucination" problem in which it generates false information, require careful use and verification. Ensuring anonymity compliance with sensitive data is also vital. AI's transformative potential in research brings opportunities for innovation, necessitating mindful application to manage biases and data accuracy.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Biomedical Research; Humans; Data Accuracy
PubMed: 38704722
DOI: 10.61409/V08230532 -
Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the... 2024Researchers collect data and use various methods to organize it. Ensuring the reliability and reproducibility of data is crucial, and collaboration across different...
Researchers collect data and use various methods to organize it. Ensuring the reliability and reproducibility of data is crucial, and collaboration across different research fields is on the rise. However, when there is geographical distance, sharing data becomes a challenging task. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a mechanism for sharing data on the web. We have developed an integrated database to facilitate the sharing and management of research data, particularly focusing on small molecules. The integrated database serves as a platform for centralizing data related to small molecules, including their chemical structures, wet lab experimental data, simulation data, and more. It has been constructed as a web application, offering features such as library management for small molecules, registration and viewing of wet lab experiment results, generation of initial conformations for simulations, and data visualization. This enables researchers to efficiently share their research data and collaborate seamlessly, whether within their research group or via cloud-based access that allows project and team members to connect from anywhere. This integrated database plays a critical role in connecting wet lab experiments and simulations, enabling researchers to cross-reference and analyze experimental data comprehensively. It serves as an essential tool to advance research and foster idea generation.
Topics: Computer Simulation; Databases, Factual; Information Dissemination; Internet; Reproducibility of Results; Small Molecule Libraries
PubMed: 38692930
DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.23-00191-2