Search Results (213)

Background: Reading is a fundamental skill for children’s cognitive, social, and academic development which relies on the integration of multiple linguistic and cognitive abilities. Longitudinal studies consistently show that oral language skills predict reading development both in typically developing children and in those at risk for reading difficulties (RD). Despite strong empirical evidence, a gap remains between research and educational practice. Objective: The present study aims to compare linguistic variables, including vocabulary, oral text comprehension, oral morphological awareness (OMA), and morphological skills between diagnostic group (control vs. at-risk), study grade, and sex. Method: The study included 93 Spanish-speaking children aged 6 to 12 years (M = 8.7, SD = 1.9; 50 boys, 43 girls). Two diagnostic groups were established: 44 children at risk of reading difficulties (including ADHD or DLD) and 49 typically developing controls. Participants were also classified by academic cycle: 55 in the first cycle (1st–2nd grade) and 38 in the second cycle or higher (3rd–6th grade). Linguistic variables were measured through tests administered individually, with data collected during one-on-one assessment sessions. Results: Among the variables analysed, significant differences were observed only in morphological skills and OMA. No significant differences were found based on sex, whereas both academic cycle and diagnostic group showed significant effects. Conclusion: The most relevant and novel finding is that the type and frequency of errors in the OMA task could serve as an early indicator of students at risk of RD. OMA assessment could therefore be a promising method of early screening and targeted interventions. Full article

(1) Background: To synthesize available evidence on the prevalence of keratoconus (KC) reported in Indian study populations and describe its demographic distribution. (2) Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were checked using free text and controlled vocabulary. A random-effect meta-analysis of pooled prevalence and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for KC among study participants recruited in India was conducted using exact binomial distributions and the Freeman–Tukey double-arcsine transformation. To identify potential sources of variability, we conducted subgroup analyses by dividing the data by geographic region, KC assessment, and study population. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS). Evidence quality was evaluated using the GRADE system. (3) Results: Across included studies, the total number of KC cases was 16,164, and sample sizes ranged from 152 to 2,384,523 participants. Prevalence estimates varied markedly across studies, reflecting substantial heterogeneity in study design, diagnostic criteria, and population characteristics. Most studies were conducted in high-risk clinical settings, limiting generalizability to the general population. Subgroup analyses showed no significant differences by geographic region or diagnostic modality (p = 0.79 and 0.07, respectively). There was a statistically significant subgroup effect (p < 0.001) in the study population. The reported prevalence among females ranged from 0.00 to 0.04, while the pooled prevalence estimate was 0.02 (95% CI: 0.00–0.04). Four cross-sectional studies scored 8–10 on the NOS. (4) Conclusions: Our meta-analysis synthesized the currently available evidence on keratoconus prevalence across Indian study populations, highlighting substantial variability across studies and emphasizing that estimates should be interpreted within their specific study contexts rather than as representative of the national population. Full article

This study examined how working memory, attention control, and frequency of ChatGPT-4 use are structurally associated with vocabulary retention in foreign language learning. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 1002 EFL learners via stratified random sampling. Validated self-report instruments measured working memory, attention control, frequency of ChatGPT use, and vocabulary retention (immediate recall, delayed retention, semantic integration, and productive use). Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model. The results showed that working memory was strongly associated with attention control and exerted a direct effect on vocabulary retention across all dimensions. Attention control explained a substantial share of the relationship between working memory and retention, indicating that regulatory allocation of attention, rather than memory capacity alone, governs whether lexical information is stabilised during ChatGPT-assisted learning. The frequency of ChatGPT use conditioned these cognitive pathways by strengthening links between working memory and attention control, and between attention control and vocabulary retention, at higher levels of engagement. Frequency did not predict retention independently, indicating that repeated use supports learning only to the extent that it reinforces cognitive regulation rather than increasing exposure. Vocabulary learning with AI relies more on cognitive regulation and engagement than exposure. Full article

Background/Objectives: Receptive vocabulary is essential for children’s language, academic, and cognitive development. While cochlear implants (CIs) help children with severe to profound hearing loss develop spoken language, their vocabulary skills often fall behind their typical hearing (TH) peers, although early implantation and auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) can help narrow this gap. Children with CIs and other developmental difficulties face additional challenges, but can still progress, with outcomes depending on the disabilities’ type and severity. Limited research exists on Arabic-speaking children with CIs, where cultural factors may delay intervention, and outcomes vary widely. It remains unclear how well these children develop receptive vocabulary compared to hearing peers and which factors influence their progress. Methodology: A multicenter, cross-sectional study in six GCC hospitals compared 103 children with CIs to a control group of 94 children with TH. Children with CIs were divided into those with and without additional difficulties. Receptive vocabulary was evaluated utilizing the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fifth Edition. Results: Children with CIs in the GCC scored lower (mean 89.5; SD = 20.5) than the TH control group (mean 104; SD = 16.8). Children with CIs without additional difficulties (mean 97.7; SD = 18.8) scored similarly to TH, while children with CIs and additional difficulties scored significantly lower (mean 76.7; SD = 15). Age at switch-on and presence of additional difficulties significantly affected receptive vocabulary outcomes. Conclusions: Children with CI who have no additional disabilities can reach receptive vocabulary levels similar to typical hearing peers, while those with extra difficulties show very diverse outcomes and continue to face challenges. Full article

Microalgae and cyanobacteria are investigated for compounds that may relate to obesity and metabolic phenotypes, yet the evidence base remains scattered and inconsistently reported. We conducted a PRISMA-ScR scoping review of PubMed, Europe PMC, and OpenAlex and mapped eligible full-text studies to a controlled vocabulary covering intervention concepts, mechanistic pathway nodes, and obesity-related outcome domains. Of 2651 reports sought for full text, 936/2651 (35.3%) were not retrieved; therefore, evidence maps should be interpreted as conditioned on full-text accessibility. We included 836 studies and summarized study density (counts only) by population/model tier, mechanistic reporting depth, chemical class, and safety/toxin flags. The literature is concentrated in animal models (485 studies) and human studies (292), with fewer in vitro/ex vivo reports (59). Mechanistic reporting was often limited: 582 studies did not provide extractable mechanistic endpoints, whereas 254 reported biomarker or pathway “anchors”. Across intervention concepts, lipid/PUFA, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, and polysaccharides were most common; within the anchored subset, inflammation (NF-κB), AMPK signaling, adipogenesis (PPARγ-related), and lipogenesis were the most frequently mapped nodes. Together, this evidence map clarifies where mechanistic anchoring and safety documentation are sparse and provides a clear starting point for downstream evaluation. Full article

Background/Objectives: With growing waves of migration, children speaking a home language different from the language of school literacy have become increasingly common in Western education systems. In this context, understanding and monitoring bilinguals’ reading development is crucial to inform both educational and clinical practices and ensure equitable services. The present study contributes to the literature by investigating learning patterns in single-word reading across primary school grades. Monolingual and bilingual children learning to read in an alphabetic orthography were examined. Methods: The sample consisted of 565 typically developing monolingual and bilingual primary school children from grades 1–5 (bilinguals = 162). Participants completed a computerised Lexical Decision task (LDT) recording accuracy and response times, and standardised tests of reading and cognition. A parental questionnaire was used to gather socio-demographic and linguistic information. Results: Response bias-corrected accuracy rates in the LDT revealed an increase in sensitivity across school years after correcting for potential confounds (SES, vocabulary, nonverbal intelligence). No significant effect of bilingualism was observed. Response times for correct responses also decreased consistently across grades after controlling for the same confounds. Although no significant main effect of bilingualism emerged, an interaction with grade revealed a greater decrease in response times for second-grade bilinguals compared to monolingual peers. Conclusions: Monolingual and bilingual children showed comparable sensitivity rates and reading times, suggesting similar decoding skill acquisition. However, an earlier decrease in response times for bilinguals points to a facilitatory effect in the early stages of reading development, consistent with a bilingual advantage during skill learning. Full article

Construction accident reports contain rich causal evidence; however, their unstructured narratives make systematic analysis difficult. Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) have created new opportunities to leverage such information at scale. This study develops an integrated LLM–BERT–network framework for analyzing construction accident causation. Based on 347 official construction accident investigation reports, a DeepSeek-based pipeline with human-in-the-loop quality control was used to extract causal keywords describing direct and indirect causes, yielding 2572 keywords. A BERT-based semantic normalization procedure then consolidated synonymous expressions, reducing 811 deduplicated keywords to 104 normalized terms (an 87.2% reduction in vocabulary size). A manual sample-based evaluation further supported the reliability of the LLM-based extraction and BERT-based normalization procedures. The normalized keywords were further organized into a hierarchical taxonomy and used to construct a directed keyword-association network linking indirect and direct causes for structured relational analysis. To strengthen methodological rigor, additional validation and analytical experiments were conducted, including manual sample-based evaluation of keyword extraction, sensitivity analysis of normalization settings, and examination of representative failure cases. The results support the reliability and robustness of the proposed framework. The analysis indicates that behavior-related factors and management deficiencies occupy structurally important positions in the directed network. Overall, the findings suggest that construction accidents arise from the interaction of human, managerial, environmental, material, and technical factors rather than isolated single causes. Effective prevention therefore requires system-oriented interventions that strengthen worker competence, supervision, training, accountability, and hazard identification. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cognitive impairment affects multiple brain functions, and its early detection is essential to prevent progression to dementia; artificial intelligence has shown considerable potential in this field. This scoping review aims to map the impact of artificial intelligence–based tools for the early detection of cognitive impairment by identifying the main technologies used, examining their effectiveness, and exploring their ethical implications. Methods: A scoping review was conducted between April and May 2025 following the PRISMA-ScR methodological framework; the review protocol was previously registered on the Open Science Framework. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched using natural language and controlled vocabulary terms via Medical Subject Headings. The search was limited to articles published between 2020 and 2025, in English or Spanish, with free full-text access. Methodological quality was assessed using CASPe, JBI, and MMAT. Results: A total of 14 studies were included after the selection and critical appraisal process. The findings show that artificial intelligence–based tools such as deep-learning models applied to neuroimaging, speech and gait analysis, electronic health record analysis, and mobile health applications demonstrate promising accuracy in detecting early cognitive changes. These technologies enable the identification of subtle patterns that may be difficult to detect using conventional clinical assessments. Conclusions: AI-based tools can provide substantial support for clinical decision-making by effectively identifying subtle changes that are imperceptible to human intelligence. However, their use also raises ethical issues related to patient privacy and data security. Full article

Terrain segmentation performance directly affects the reliability of robotic environmental perception and decision making, yet most existing methods are built upon the assumptions of fixed sensing configurations and closed label sets. As a result, they struggle to meet real world outdoor requirements where modalities can be dynamically available and semantic classes continually expand. This paper systematically studies open-vocabulary terrain segmentation under arbitrary imaging modality combinations and proposes a unified foundation model-based framework named AIM-SEEM (SEEM for Arbitrary Imaging Modalities). Built upon Segment Everything Everywhere All at Once (SEEM), AIM-SEEM performs stable input side adaptation and controlled fusion of heterogeneous modalities, maximizing the reuse of pre-trained visual priors to accommodate different modality types and counts. Furthermore, to address the distribution shifts and the resulting vision–text alignment degradation caused by modality extension, a vision-guided text calibration mechanism is introduced to preserve open-vocabulary segmentation capability under multi-modality combination inputs. Experiments on two benchmarks under three evaluation settings, including full-modality, modality-agnostic, and open-vocabulary, show that AIM-SEEM consistently outperforms prior methods. Full article

Hot springs, hot-water bathing, and saunas are widely practiced forms of acute heat exposure and are often perceived as health-promoting. However, emergency clinicians frequently encounter patients in whom these exposures precipitate syncope, hypotension, drowning/aspiration, heat-related illness, and renal or electrolyte disturbances. This narrative review integrates these modalities within a unified “acute heat exposure” framework and summarizes pathophysiology and clinical implications from an emergency medicine perspective. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE from inception to January 2026 using controlled vocabulary and free-text terms related to heat stress, thermoregulation, hot-water immersion, sauna exposure, and acute clinical outcomes; evidence was synthesized qualitatively. Across modalities, acute heat exposure induces shared physiological responses—peripheral vasodilation, relative hypovolemia, circulatory stress, and internal heat storage—that can trigger diverse emergency presentations. We classify acute heat exposure–related illness into four domains: (1) cardiovascular events, including syncope, hypotension, and arrhythmic/ischemic complications in vulnerable individuals; (2) the heat-illness spectrum from exhaustion to heat stroke with organ dysfunction; (3) renal and electrolyte disturbances related to dehydration and hypoperfusion; and (4) neurological and traumatic complications, including falls, drowning, and aspiration. This framework may support risk stratification, evaluation, management, and prevention after hot spring, hot bath, or sauna use. Full article

Operational logs are a central information source for monitoring and diagnosing complex information systems, yet the effect of log-sequence representation on anomaly detection remains underexplored. This paper investigates three families of sequence embeddings, E1 (template-ID lookup), E2 (semantic), and E3 (hybrid), for log-based anomaly detection. Each embedding is paired with CNN, LSTM, and Transformer heads under a unified training protocol. We conduct controlled experiments on diverse public corpora to assess in-domain and cross-dataset generalization. We report PR–AUC (primary), AUROC, F1, and precision at recall ≥0.9, with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals. Beyond accuracy, we analyze the impact of sequence length, parser choice, and out-of-vocabulary (OOV) rates at both token and template levels within and across datasets. The results suggest that representation choice can meaningfully influence detection performance, particularly under distribution shift. Open-vocabulary semantic and hybrid embeddings can improve robustness to OOV effects, but transfer gains are inconsistent, and degradation often persists under strict cross-dataset transfer. Full article

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common musculoskeletal conditions associated with pain, functional limitation, and reduced quality of life (QoL). Despite the widespread use of conservative and minimally invasive treatments, the available evidence remains fragmented across heterogeneous interventions, diagnostic criteria, and outcome measures, limiting comparative interpretation and clinical applicability. Objectives: The primary objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative and minimally invasive interventions for pain reduction in adult patients with temporomandibular disorders. Secondary objectives include assessing effects on mandibular function and QoL and exploring differences across intervention categories, TMD subtypes, diagnostic criteria, and follow-up durations. Methods: This protocol is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD420251250251) and adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. A systematic search will be conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from 1 January 2015, up to the date of study initiation, using controlled vocabulary terms and free-text keywords combined with Boolean operators. Eligible studies will include adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with temporomandibular disorders using validated diagnostic criteria and treated with conservative or minimally invasive interventions, compared with placebo/sham, no treatment or usual care, or active comparators, in accordance with the PICOS framework. Two reviewers will independently screen studies and extract data, with disagreements resolved by consensus or consultation with a third reviewer; the study selection process will be documented using a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram. Interventions will be synthesized within predefined clusters (e.g., physical and manual therapies, occlusal splint therapy, physical agent modalities, and minimally invasive joint procedures). Risk of bias will be assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2). The primary outcome will be pain intensity, while secondary outcomes will include mandibular function and QoL. Where appropriate, meta-analysis using a random-effects model will be performed; otherwise, a structured narrative synthesis will be provided. Expected Impact: The systematic review is expected to deliver an updated and methodologically rigorous synthesis of evidence on conservative and minimally invasive interventions for TMDs. By addressing existing research gaps such as the fragmentation of evidence across intervention types, heterogeneity in diagnostic criteria, and variability in outcome measures, this review will support evidence-based clinical decision-making and identify priorities for future research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), defined as onset before age 18, is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity, often associated with a more burdensome disease course and earlier disability milestones than adult-onset MS. Although comorbidities may significantly affect disease progression and outcomes, their prevalence, incidence, risk, and characteristics in POMS remain poorly understood. To date, no systematic review has comprehensively evaluated comorbidities in POMS. The primary aim is to systematically identify and synthesize available evidence on the prevalence, incidence, risk, and characteristics of these comorbidities in POMS populations, as well as any reported effects on disease course, treatment outcomes, and overall clinical management. Methods: We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis following a hierarchical and pragmatic analytical strategy tailored to the expected heterogeneity and limited evidence base in POMS. MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Embase (produced by Elsevier) will be searched without date restrictions, combining controlled vocabulary terms (MeSH/Emtree) and relevant keywords for POMS and 15 predefined comorbidity categories. Study selection, abstract and full-text screening, and data extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers using predefined criteria and standardized forms. The primary quantitative outcome will be the pooled prevalence of comorbidities. Where study design and reporting permit, incidence rates will be assessed as secondary outcomes, and risk estimates (e.g., odds ratios) will be evaluated only in studies with appropriate comparator groups. Meta-analyses will be conducted using random-effects models when pooling is feasible. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the I² statistic and Cochran’s Q test, with sensitivity and subgroup analyses performed only when sufficient data are available. When quantitative synthesis is not appropriate due to limited data or substantial heterogeneity, findings will be summarized descriptively. Publication bias will be evaluated using funnel plots and, where applicable, Egger’s and Begg’s tests. This protocol adheres to PRISMA and PRISMA-P guidelines. Discussion: A systematic quantification of comorbidity prevalence, incidence (where available), and risk, together with POMS-specific characteristics and any reported impact on clinical outcomes, is anticipated to provide a crucial evidence base for guiding screening, refining management strategies, and informing future research directions. Ultimately, these findings may improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for children and adolescents with MS. Full article

This study explores the effects of integrating virtual reality (VR) into task-based learning (TBL) to support Chinese language learning among Thai university students enrolled in a basic Chinese course. A total of fifty first-year students were selected using simple random sampling and assigned to either a VR-supported experimental group or a traditional control group. Both groups received instruction on the same vocabulary and writing content, delivered by the same instructor, and were assessed using identical pre- and post-tests. The findings indicate that students in the VR-supported group significantly outperformed their peers in the control group. Large effect sizes suggest substantial improvements in both vocabulary knowledge and Chinese character writing, while the control group demonstrated only minimal progress. Survey responses also revealed that students found VR-based tasks highly engaging, closely connected to real-life communication, and strongly motivating. Most participants reported a better understanding of vocabulary and noticeable advancement in learning Chinese characters. However, some students encountered technical difficulties and mild discomfort while interacting with the VR environment. These observations underscore the need for careful instructional design and the importance of implementing VR in a user-friendly and accessible manner. Overall, the study highlights the potential of VR-supported TBL to enhance learning outcomes in beginner-level Chinese courses, provided that technological and pedagogical considerations are carefully addressed. Full article

This article outlines the central role of the human eye as a consistent and recurring aesthetic strategy in the cinematic oeuvre of Sergei Eisenstein via an investigation of three films—Strike (1925), Potemkin (1925), and the unfinished, two-part Ivan the Terrible (1945, 1958). It analyses seeing, being seen, and shut and open eyes, in conjunction with the use of the close-up, as crucial to Eisenstein’s visual vocabulary and argues for the need to think about the persistent focus on eyes and vision in terms of panoptic mechanisms of political surveillance and control. Meaning is generated from eye to eye, through configurations of looking and spying, revealing and concealing—formal and aesthetic strategies which condition the gaze of the spectator, creating sites of affect that provide continuity between the films. It furthermore contextualises Soviet montage and Eisenstein’s work in relation to European avant-gardes, specifically French Impressionism and German Expressionism, whose influence on the director’s filmography has received little scholarly attention. Full article