Predictive Processing in Poetic Language: Event-Related Potentials Data on Rhythmic Omissions in Metered Speech

Predictions during language comprehension are currently discussed from many points of view. One area where predictive processing may play a particular role concerns poetic language that is regularized by meter and rhyme, thus allowing strong predictions regarding the timing and stress of individual syllables. While there is growing evidence that these prosodic regularities influence language processing, less is known about the potential influence of prosodic preferences (binary, strong-weak patterns) on neurophysiological processes. To this end, the present electroencephalogram (EEG) study examined whether the predictability of strong and weak syllables within metered speech would differ as a function of meter (trochee vs. iamb). Strong, i.e., accented positions within a foot should be more predictable than weak, i.e., unaccented positions. Our focus was on disyllabic pseudowords that solely differed between trochaic and iambic structure, with trochees providing the preferred foot in German. Methodologically, we focused on the omission Mismatch Negativity (oMMN) that is elicited when an anticipated auditory stimulus is omitted. The resulting electrophysiological brain response is particularly interesting because its elicitation does not depend on a physical stimulus. Omissions in deviant position of a passive oddball paradigm occurred at either first- or second-syllable position of the aforementioned pseudowords, resulting in a 2-by-2 design with the factors foot type and omission position. Analyses focused on the mean oMMN amplitude and latency differences across the four conditions. The result pattern was characterized by an interaction of the effects of foot type and omission position for both amplitudes and latencies. In first position, omissions resulted in larger and earlier oMMNs for trochees than for iambs. In second position, omissions resulted in larger oMMNs for iambs than for trochees, but the oMMN latency did not differ. The results suggest that omissions, particularly in initial position, are modulated by a trochaic preference in German. The preferred strong-weak pattern may have strengthened the prosodic prediction, especially for matching, trochaic stimuli, such that the violation of this prediction led to an earlier and stronger prediction error. Altogether, predictive processing seems to play a particular role in metered speech, especially if the meter is based on the preferred foot type.

183 Improving Wellbeing Among UK Doctors Redeployed During Thecovid-19 Pandemic

Background In response to the COVID-19, the NHS has implemented significant workforce changes to manage the increased and changing demand on healthcare services. We aimed to investigate the impact of such changes on the wellbeing of redeployed doctors. Method We conducted a survey at three NHS trusts over 2 weeks during the peak of the pandemic, asking redeployed doctors to rate their morale, work–life balance, perceived support and safety, and to voice concerns. Results 172 redeployed doctors responded to the survey. On exploring morale, 114 (66.3%) respondents felt confident in their new role, 113 (65.7%) felt satisfied or neutral with their new role and only 54 (31.4%) felt stressed at work. 114 (66.3%) doctors felt valued by their team and 136 (79%) felt valued by the general public. 111 (64.5%) had noticed an increase in the length of breaks and 153 (89%) felt that their rotas provided sufficient respite. 95 respondents (55.2%) did not feel confident in the Public Health personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance and similarly 94 (54.7%) did not feel safe while wearing PPE. The three most common concerns were training opportunities – 105 (61%), PPE – 99 (57.6%) and family health – 95 (55.2%). Conclusions Our findings suggest that, among the doctors surveyed, morale is higher than might be expected, with doctors feeling valued, confident, and well rested in their new role. Concerns about training opportunities/career progression, PPE and family safety need to be addressed to minimise the adverse effects on doctor’s wellbeing due to redeployment.

The Multifaceted Role of HSF1 in Pathophysiology: Focus on Its Interplay with TG2

The cellular environment needs to be strongly regulated and the maintenance of protein homeostasis is crucial for cell function and survival. HSF1 is the main regulator of the heat shock response (HSR), the master pathway required to maintain proteostasis, as involved in the expression of the heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSF1 plays numerous physiological functions; however, the main role concerns the modulation of HSPs synthesis in response to stress. Alterations in HSF1 function impact protein homeostasis and are strongly linked to diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic diseases, and different types of cancers. In this context, type 2 Transglutaminase (TG2), a ubiquitous enzyme activated during stress condition has been shown to promote HSF1 activation. HSF1-TG2 axis regulates the HSR and its function is evolutionary conserved and implicated in pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss the role of HSF1 in the maintenance of proteostasis with regard to the HSF1-TG2 axis and we dissect the stress response pathways implicated in physiological and pathological conditions.

FGF23: A Review of Its Role in Mineral Metabolism and Renal and Cardiovascular Disease

FGF23 is a hormone secreted mainly by osteocytes and osteoblasts in bone. Its pivotal role concerns the maintenance of mineral ion homeostasis. It has been confirmed that phosphate and vitamin D metabolisms are related to the effect of FGF23 and its excess or deficiency leads to various hereditary diseases. Multiple studies have shown that FGF23 level increases in the very early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and its concentration may also be highly associated with cardiac complications. The present review is limited to some of the most important aspects of calcium and phosphate metabolism. It discusses the role of FGF23, which is considered an early and sensitive marker for CKD-related bone disease but also as a novel and potent cardiovascular risk factor. Furthermore, this review gives particular attention to the reliability of FGF23 measurement and various confounding factors that may impact on the clinical utility of FGF23. Finally, this review elaborates on the clinical usefulness of FGF23 and evaluates whether FGF23 may be considered a therapeutic target.

The Role of Worldview in Moral Case Deliberation: Visions and Experiences of Group Facilitators

This study investigates the role of worldview in moral case deliberation (MCD). MCD is a form of clinical ethics support which aims to assist caregivers in reflection on moral dilemmas, experienced in daily practice. Bioethicists acknowledge that existential and religious aspects must be taken into account in the analysis of ethical questions, but it remains unclear how these elements are addressed in clinical ethics support. We investigated how facilitators of MCD address worldview in MCD. MCD facilitation is often done by spiritual caregivers, but not in their role as spiritual caregiver. Discussing worldview is no standard part of the procedure in MCD. This study was qualitative, focusing on the views and experiences of the facilitators of MCD. Semi-structured interviews (N = 12) were conducted with facilitators of MCD. Grounded theory was used for analysis. The results show that worldview plays both an explicit and an implicit role in the MCD process. The explicit role concerns the religious beliefs of patients and professionals. This calls for avoiding stereotyping and devoting attention to different visions. The implicit role comes to the fore in addressing core values and spiritual fulfillment. In order to clarify the fundamental nature of values, more explicit attention for worldview might be useful during MCD. However, this should be done with caution as the term ‘worldview’ might be interpreted by participants in terms of religious and personal beliefs, rather than as an invitation to reflect on one’s view of the good life as a whole.

Motherhood and Home Quarantine: Exploring the Experiences of Iranian Mothers in Caring for their Children During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Background: Following the spread of new coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) in Iran, people began a new lifestyle in quarantine to survive the disease. Mother-child relationships were affected by this new lifestyle. This phenomenological study was conducted to explore the experiences of Iranian mothers in caring for their children during COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with an interpretive phenomenological approach. The participants were selected using purposive sampling among mothers living in Tehran in 2020. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The participants were mothers with 7- to 9-year-old children with the experience of living in quarantine. The collected data were theoretically saturated after 17 interviews. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the resulting data were analyzed using van Manen’s phenomenological approach. Results: Four main themes were extracted from the collected data: the mother’s health and physical concerns, confusion in playing the motherhood role, concerns about educational quality and wasting learning opportunities, and concerns about the impact of financial disputes on children. Conclusion: The experiences of the mothers as the main caregivers in home quarantine were very unique. Understanding the complexities of their experiences, beliefs, and attitudes about motherhood and caring for children in quarantine can provide useful insights for decision-makers, healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals.

REKONSTRUKSI HISTORIS TERHADAP PERAN KHALIFAH AL-HAKIM BIAMRILLAH DULAH FATIMIYAH DALAM PERKEMBANGAN PERPUSTAKAAN DAR AL-HIKMAH DI MESIR TAHUN 996-1021 M

This research aims to understand the role of al-Hakim Biamrillah in developing of Dar Al-Hikmah library in Egypt during his leadership as Khalifah Daulah Fatimiyah. The research used a qualitative approach based on literature, both primary and secondary sources. This study found a number of important points related to the development of Dar Al-Hikmah library for the role played by the Khalifah al-Hakim. The first role played by al-Hakim is management of Dar Al-Hikmah library with the appointment of library managers to handle the library collections. The second role is the development of collection through procurement, especially related to the mechanism of purchasing books, both from local and other the countries. The last role concerns the library as a center for the development of science and teaching. As a center of science, this period is marked by the birth of great scientists, such as Ali bin Nu'man and Ibn Killis.

What were the lasting effects of Thatcher’s legacy for social security? The burial of Beveridge?

This chapter examines the sustained attack on the social benefits, increasing in intensity across the period of Thatcher’s premiership. These undermined social insurance and (in interaction with other policies) contributed to the increase of poverty. They were supported by a sustained cluster of arguments—that poverty is not a problem, that people must do more to help themselves, and that in the long run a successful economy will bring income gains for all—which have created an ideological legacy (sustained by her successors, and not only her Conservative ones), which has muted the role concerns about poverty and inequality play on the political agenda.

The effect of herbal materials on the p-glycoprotein activity and function

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by the MDR1 (multidrug resistance 1) gene is ATP-dependent transporting protein which is localizated in the cell membrane. P-gp is expressed mainly in organs with the secretory functions and its physiological role concerns tissue protection against xenobiotics. P-glycoprotein is involved in the permeability barriers of the blood-brain, blood-placenta directly protecting these organs. It participates in the transport of many drugs and other xenobiotics affecting their absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. The high P-gp activity in the cell membranes of cancer tissue is a major cause of lack of effectiveness of chemotherapy. Hence, the methods which could increase the sensibility of these pathological cells to cytostatics are still being searched. In the experimental studies it was shown that natural plant substances may have an effect on the expression level and activity of P-glycoprotein. Hypericum perforatum, Ginkgo biloba and Camellia sinensis increase P-gp activity while curcumin from Curcuma longa, piperine and silymarin inhibit this protein. Taking into account a wide substrate spectrum of P-gp, application of our knowledge on interactions of herbals and synthetic drugs should be considered in order to improve drug impact on different tissues.

SOLOW'S RETURN: INVENTIONS, IDEAS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE

Robert Solow's model of "exogenous" economic growth driven by the global diffusion of technology is out of fashion because it is contradicted by empirical evidence of income divergence. Today, economic growth is considered "endogenous" and institutions are seen as central to the long-term growth process. At the same time, non-income measures of quality of life do see strong patterns of global growth and convergence. This suggests that institutions may be less important to achieve progress in broader quality of life while a larger and important role concerns the factors that drive exogenous change, including the flow of technology and ideas.