The ascorbate biosynthesis pathway in plants is known, but there is a way to go with understanding control and functions.

Ascorbate (vitamin C) is one of the most abundant primary metabolites in plants. Its complex chemistry enables it to function as an antioxidant, as a free radical scavenger, and as a reductant for iron and copper. Ascorbate biosynthesis occurs via the mannose/l-galactose pathway in green plants, and the evidence for this pathway being the major route is reviewed. Ascorbate accumulation is leaves is responsive to light, reflecting various roles in photoprotection. GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) is the first dedicated step in the pathway and is important in controlling ascorbate synthesis. Its expression is determined by a combination of transcription and translation. Translation is controlled by an upstream open reading frame (uORF) which blocks translation of the main GGP-coding sequence, possibly in an ascorbate-dependent manner. GGP associates with a PAS-LOV protein, inhibiting its activity, and dissociation is induced by blue light. While low ascorbate mutants are susceptible to oxidative stress, they grow nearly normally. In contrast, mutants lacking ascorbate do not grow unless rescued by supplementation. Further research should investigate possible basal functions of ascorbate in severely deficient plants involving prevention of iron overoxidation in 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases and iron mobilization during seed development and germination.

Capacity of Generative AI to Interpret Human Emotions From Visual and Textual Data: Pilot Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: Mentalization, which is integral to human cognitive processes, pertains to the interpretation of one's own and others' mental states, including emotions, beliefs, and intentions. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and the prominence of large language models in mental health applications, questions persist about their aptitude in emotional comprehension. The prior iteration of the large language model from OpenAI, ChatGPT-3.5, demonstrated an advanced capacity to interpret emotions from textual data, surpassing human benchmarks. Given the introduction of ChatGPT-4, with its enhanced visual processing capabilities, and considering Google Bard's existing visual functionalities, a rigorous assessment of their proficiency in visual mentalizing is warranted. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the research was to critically evaluate the capabilities of ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard with regard to their competence in discerning visual mentalizing indicators as contrasted with their textual-based mentalizing abilities. METHODS: The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test developed by Baron-Cohen and colleagues was used to assess the models' proficiency in interpreting visual emotional indicators. Simultaneously, the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale was used to evaluate the large language models' aptitude in textual mentalizing. Collating data from both tests provided a holistic view of the mentalizing capabilities of ChatGPT-4 and Bard. RESULTS: ChatGPT-4, displaying a pronounced ability in emotion recognition, secured scores of 26 and 27 in 2 distinct evaluations, significantly deviating from a random response paradigm (P<.001). These scores align with established benchmarks from the broader human demographic. Notably, ChatGPT-4 exhibited consistent responses, with no discernible biases pertaining to the sex of the model or the nature of the emotion. In contrast, Google Bard's performance aligned with random response patterns, securing scores of 10 and 12 and rendering further detailed analysis redundant. In the domain of textual analysis, both ChatGPT and Bard surpassed established benchmarks from the general population, with their performances being remarkably congruent. CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT-4 proved its efficacy in the domain of visual mentalizing, aligning closely with human performance standards. Although both models displayed commendable acumen in textual emotion interpretation, Bard's capabilities in visual emotion interpretation necessitate further scrutiny and potential refinement. This study stresses the criticality of ethical AI development for emotional recognition, highlighting the need for inclusive data, collaboration with patients and mental health experts, and stringent governmental oversight to ensure transparency and protect patient privacy.

The role of visual imagery in story reading: Evidence from aphantasia.

Aphantasia is a condition in which people are unable to experience visual imagery. Since visual imagery is thought to be key to language processing, we hypothesized the experience of a story would differ between individuals with aphantasia and controls. Forty-seven individuals with aphantasia were compared to fifty-one matched controls on their experience of reading a short story and their general reading habits. Aphantasics were less likely to be engaged with, interested in, and absorbed in the story, and experienced reduced emotional engagement with and sympathy for the story characters, compared to controls. Yet, aphantasics and controls did not differ in how much they liked or appreciated the story, and in general, the reading habits of the two groups also did not differ. Results have implications for embodied theories of language, suggesting visual imagery may influence how a story is experienced, but it is not the only route to story enjoyment.

The advantage of being a synesthete: The behavioral benefits of ticker-tape synesthesia.

As first described by Francis Galton, some persons perceive vividly and automatically in their mind's eye the written form of words that they are hearing. This phenomenon, labeled ticker-tape synesthesia (TTS), is thought to reflect an abnormally strong influence of speech processing in language areas on to orthographic representations in the visual cortex. Considering the relevance of TTS for the study of reading acquisition, we looked for objective behavioral advantages or impairments in 22 synesthetes, as compared to 22 matched control participants. In three auditory tasks relying on orthographic working memory (letters counting, backward spelling, and letter shape decision), we predicted and observed better performance in synesthetes than in controls. In two visual tasks (lexical decision and letter decision) with a concurrent auditory stimulation, we predicted that synesthetes should suffer from a larger interference by irrelevant speech than controls, but eventually found no difference between the groups. Those results, which we discuss in relation to orthographic processing, mental imagery, and working memory, promote TTS from pure subjectivity to an experimentally measurable phenomenon.

Breathing better: A tech-monitored study of positive expiratory pressure and reading aloud for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing and positive expiratory pressure (PEP), relieve breathlessness in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effects of breathing exercises with PEP and reading aloud on vital signs, fatigue level, severity of dyspnoea and respiratory function parameters in patients with COPD. DESIGN: The study followed a randomized controlled trial of COPD patients from a single hospital in eastern Turkey. METHODS: The study included 103 patients who were randomly assigned to receive pre-reading exercises, breathing exercises with a PEP device or no intervention for 8 weeks. RESULTS: The use of a PEP device improved oxygen saturation, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 ) and FEV1 /forced vital capacity (FVC) values and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity. Reading aloud lowered the mean arterial pressure and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that PEP devices and reading aloud can improve respiratory function in patients with COPD. Additionally, reading aloud is an accessible, easy-to-implement and economically feasible method for treating COPD symptoms.

A Study of the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by the Use of Electrochemiluminescent Biosensor Based on Asymmetric Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification Strategy.

A new and reliable method has been constructed for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) open reading frames 1ab (ORF1ab) gene via highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor technology based on highly efficient asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (asymmetric PCR) amplification strategy. This method uses magnetic particles coupled with biotin-labeled one complementary nucleic acid sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab gene as the magnetic capture probes, and [Formula: see text]-labeled amino-modified another complementary nucleic acid sequence as the luminescent probes, and then a detection model of magnetic capture probes-asymmetric PCR amplification nucleic acid products-[Formula: see text]-labeled luminescent probes is formed, which combines the advantages of highly efficient asymmetric PCR amplification strategy and highly sensitive ECL biosensor technology, enhancing the method sensitivity of detecting the SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab gene. The method enables the rapid and sensitive detection of the ORF1ab gene and has a linear range of 1-[Formula: see text] copies/[Formula: see text], a regression equation of [Formula: see text] = [Formula: see text] + 2919.301 ([Formula: see text] = 0.9983, [Formula: see text] = 7), and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1 copy/[Formula: see text]. In summary, it can meet the analytical requirements for simulated saliva and urine samples and has the benefits of easy operation, reasonable reproducibility, high sensitivity, and anti-interference abilities, which can provide a reference for developing efficient field detection methods for SARS-CoV-2.

Near and Far Transfer Effects of Computerized Progressive Attention Training (CPAT) Versus Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Practice Among Adults With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the near (attention) and far (reading, ADHD symptoms, learning, and quality of life) transfer effects of a Computerized Progressive Attention Training (CPAT) versus Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practice among adults with ADHD compared to a passive group. METHOD: Fifty-four adults participated in a non-fully randomized controlled trial. Participants in the intervention groups completed eight 2-hr weekly training sessions. Outcomes were assessed before, immediately after, and 4 months post-intervention, using objective tools: attention tests, eye-tracker, and subjective questionnaires. RESULTS: Both interventions showed near-transfer to various attention functions. The CPAT produced far-transfer effects to reading, ADHD symptoms, and learning while the MBSR improved the self-perceived quality of life. At follow-up, all improvements except for ADHD symptoms were preserved in the CPAT group. The MBSR group showed mixed preservations. CONCLUSION: Both interventions have beneficial effects, however only the CPAT group exhibited improvements compared to the passive group.

What do you have in mind? ERP markers of visual and auditory imagery.

This study aimed to investigate the psychophysiological markers of imagery processes through EEG/ERP recordings. Visual and auditory stimuli representing 10 different semantic categories were shown to 30 healthy participants. After a given interval and prompted by a light signal, participants were asked to activate a mental image corresponding to the semantic category for recording synchronized electrical potentials. Unprecedented electrophysiological markers of imagination were recorded in the absence of sensory stimulation. The following peaks were identified at specific scalp sites and latencies, during imagination of infants (centroparietal positivity, CPP, and late CPP), human faces (anterior negativity, AN), animals (anterior positivity, AP), music (P300-like), speech (N400-like), affective vocalizations (P2-like) and sensory (visual vs auditory) modality (PN300). Overall, perception and imagery conditions shared some common electro/cortical markers, but during imagery the category-dependent modulation of ERPs was long latency and more anterior, with respect to the perceptual condition. These ERP markers might be precious tools for BCI systems (pattern recognition, classification, or A.I. algorithms) applied to patients affected by consciousness disorders (e.g., in a vegetative or comatose state) or locked-in-patients (e.g., spinal or SLA patients).

Developmental emergence of holistic processing in word recognition.

Holistic processing (HP) of faces refers to the obligatory, simultaneous processing of the parts and their relations, and it emerges over the course of development. HP is manifest in a decrement in the perception of inverted versus upright faces and a reduction in face processing ability when the relations between parts are perturbed. Here, adopting the HP framework for faces, we examined the developmental emergence of HP in another domain for which human adults have expertise, namely, visual word processing. Children, adolescents, and adults performed a lexical decision task and we used two established signatures of HP for faces: the advantage in perception of upright over inverted words and nonwords and the reduced sensitivity to increasing parts (word length). Relative to the other groups, children showed less of an advantage for upright versus inverted trials and lexical decision was more affected by increasing word length. Performance on these HP indices was strongly associated with age and with reading proficiency. Also, the emergence of HP for word perception was not simply a result of improved visual perception over the course of development as no group differences were observed on an object decision task. These results reveal the developmental emergence of HP for orthographic input, and reflect a further instance of experience-dependent tuning of visual perception. These results also add to existing findings on the commonalities of mechanisms of word and face recognition. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Children showed less of an advantage for upright versus inverted trials compared to adolescents and adults. Relative to the other groups, lexical decision in children was more affected by increasing word length. Performance on holistic processing (HP) indices was strongly associated with age and with reading proficiency. HP emergence for word perception was not due to improved visual perception over development as there were no group differences on an object decision task.

The effect of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation on memory recall in reading: A pilot study.

Expert reading acquisition is marked by fluent, effortless decoding, and adequate comprehension skills and is required for modern daily life. In spite of its importance, many individuals struggle with reading comprehension even when decoding skills are adequate. Unfortunately, effective reading comprehension interventions are limited, especially for adults. A growing body of research suggests that non-invasive transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular vagus nerve (taVNS) may drive neural plasticity for low-level reading skills such as speech sound perception and letter-sound learning, but it is unknown whether taVNS can improve higher level skills as well. Thus, the current pilot study was designed to evaluate the effect of taVNS paired with passage reading on reading comprehension performance. Twenty-four typically developing young adults were recruited and screened for baseline reading and working memory skills. Participants received either sham or active taVNS while reading short passages out loud. Immediately following each passage, participants answered a series of test questions that required either direct recall of passage details or more complete comprehension of the passage content. While taVNS did not improve the mechanics of reading (e.g., reading rate or accuracy), there was a significant effect of active taVNS on test performance. This effect was driven by significant improvement on accuracy for memory questions while there was no effect of taVNS on comprehension question accuracy. These findings suggest that taVNS may be beneficial for enhancing memory, but its efficacy may be limited in higher cognitive domains.

Glycyrrhizin as a promising kryptonite against SARS-CoV-2: Clinical, experimental, and theoretical evidences.

COVID-19 is the most devastating disease in recent times affecting most people globally. The higher rate of transmissibility and mutations of SARS-CoV-2 along with the lack of potential therapeutics has made it a global crisis. Potential molecules from natural sources could be a fruitful remedy to combat COVID-19. This systematic review highlights the detailed therapeutic implication of naturally occurring glycyrrhizin and its related derivatives against COVID-19. Glycyrrhizin has already been established for blocking different biomolecular targets related to the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle. In this article, several experimental and theoretical evidences of glycyrrhizin and related derivatives have been discussed in detail to evaluate their potential as a promising therapeutic strategy against COVID-19. Moreover, the implication of glycyrrhizin in traditional Chinese medicines for alleviating the symptoms of COVID-19 has been reviewed. The potential role of glycyrrhizin and related compounds in affecting various stages of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle has also been discussed in detail. Derivatization of glycyrrhizin for designing potential lead compounds along with combination therapy with other anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents followed by extensive evaluation may assist in the formulation of novel anti-coronaviral therapy for better treatment to combat COVID-19.

Event-related brain potential markers of visual and auditory perception: A useful tool for brain computer interface systems.

Objective: A majority of BCI systems, enabling communication with patients with locked-in syndrome, are based on electroencephalogram (EEG) frequency analysis (e.g., linked to motor imagery) or P300 detection. Only recently, the use of event-related brain potentials (ERPs) has received much attention, especially for face or music recognition, but neuro-engineering research into this new approach has not been carried out yet. The aim of this study was to provide a variety of reliable ERP markers of visual and auditory perception for the development of new and more complex mind-reading systems for reconstructing the mental content from brain activity. Methods: A total of 30 participants were shown 280 color pictures (adult, infant, and animal faces; human bodies; written words; checkerboards; and objects) and 120 auditory files (speech, music, and affective vocalizations). This paradigm did not involve target selection to avoid artifactual waves linked to decision-making and response preparation (e.g., P300 and motor potentials), masking the neural signature of semantic representation. Overall, 12,000 ERP waveforms × 126 electrode channels (1 million 512,000 ERP waveforms) were processed and artifact-rejected. Results: Clear and distinct category-dependent markers of perceptual and cognitive processing were identified through statistical analyses, some of which were novel to the literature. Results are discussed from the view of current knowledge of ERP functional properties and with respect to machine learning classification methods previously applied to similar data. Conclusion: The data showed a high level of accuracy (p ≤ 0.01) in the discriminating the perceptual categories eliciting the various electrical potentials by statistical analyses. Therefore, the ERP markers identified in this study could be significant tools for optimizing BCI systems [pattern recognition or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms] applied to EEG/ERP signals.

Functional and Kinetic Treatment With Rehabilitation Combined With Cryotherapy Compared to Cryotherapy Alone in the Treatment of Acute Grade I or II Inversion Ankle Sprains: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare Functional and Kinetic Treatment with Rehabilitation (FAKTR) combined with cryotherapy to cryotherapy alone in the treatment of acute grade I or II inversion ankle sprains. Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical trial of adult (18-40 years of age) participants (n = 40) with acute grade I or II inversion ankle sprain of less than 3 weeks, who were randomly allocated into a FAKTR and cryotherapy group (n = 20) or a cryotherapy only group (n = 20). The participants had 3 treatments (inclusive of the initial consultation), with a fourth as a measurement follow-up (2 weeks after the third treatment). Measurement procedures were completed at the outset of the first to third consultations and the fourth measurement only consultation. Clinical measures taken by a blinded research assistant included the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Foot function index, algometer, digital inclinometer for ankle dorsiflexion range of motion measures, the figure-of-8 maneuver measured swelling, and the Stork-Balance-Stand Test. Results: Significant intergroup differences were observed for pain rating (P ≤ .01; 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.74 to 0.86), pain pressure threshold (P ≤ .05; 95% CI -1.06 to 1.52), balance and proprioception (P ≤ .01; 95% CI -5.28 to -1.39), and foot function index (P ≤ .01; 95% CI -30.12 to 4.83). No significant intergroup differences were observed in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (P = .242; 95% CI -3.17 to 1.20) and edema measurements (P = .602; 95% CI 0.41-1.46). Conclusion: The FAKTR instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization treatment combined with cryotherapy indicated a trend toward greater clinical effectiveness than cryotherapy for measures of pain, pain pressure threshold, balance and proprioception, and foot function index; however, these outcomes were not reflected for ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and edema measurements.

Children's perspectives on being absorbed when reading fiction: A Q methodology study.

Research in the intersections of literature, media, and psychology increasingly examines the absorbing story experiences of adult readers, typically relying on quantitative self-report questionnaires. Meanwhile, little work has been done to explore how being "lost in a book" is experienced by children, despite the phenomenon's importance for literacy education. Such work requires tools that are more inductive and child-centered than questionnaires. We have conducted a Q methodology study with participants aged 9-12 (n = 28), exploring how it feels for them when the mind and body are attuned to a story and how different facets of absorption (e.g., mental imagery, emotional engagement) inform the experience. Participants numerically sorted 24 cards expressing inner states and expectations relating to book-length fiction reading and were subsequently interviewed regarding their sorting choices. The cards were generated inductively based on preliminary research (focus groups, individual interviews, observations). By-person factor analysis of the sortings combined with reflective thematic analysis of the post-sorting interviews revealed four distinct reader subjectivities, or perspectives: Growth, Confirmation, Attachment and Mental Shift. Crucially, the children in these groups differed as to prominent dimensions of absorption but also as to the overall place of reading in their inner and everyday lives. Based on the four perspectives, we demonstrate that children have varied ways of being absorbed when reading fiction, and reflect on the affordances of Q methodology as a suitable child-centered approach to studying the subjective experiences of reading.

Lateralized and Region-Specific Thalamic Processing of Lexical Status during Reading Aloud.

To explore whether the thalamus participates in lexical status (word vs nonword) processing during spoken word production, we recorded local field potentials from the ventral lateral thalamus in 11 essential tremor patients (three females) undergoing thalamic deep-brain stimulation lead implantation during a visually cued word and nonword reading-aloud task. We observed task-related beta (12-30 Hz) activity decreases that were preferentially time locked to stimulus presentation, and broadband gamma (70-150 Hz) activity increases, which are thought to index increased multiunit spiking activity, occurring shortly before and predominantly time locked to speech onset. We further found that thalamic beta activity decreases bilaterally were greater when nonwords were read, demonstrating bilateral sensitivity to lexical status that likely reflects the tracking of task effort; in contrast, greater nonword-related increases in broadband gamma activity were observed only on the left, demonstrating lateralization of thalamic broadband gamma selectivity for lexical status. In addition, this lateralized lexicality effect on broadband gamma activity was strongest in more anterior thalamic locations, regions which are more likely to receive basal ganglia than cerebellar afferents and have extensive connections with prefrontal cortex including Brodmann's areas 44 and 45, regions consistently associated with grapheme-to-phoneme conversions. These results demonstrate active thalamic participation in reading aloud and provide direct evidence from intracranial thalamic recordings for the lateralization and topography of subcortical lexical status processing.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite the corticocentric focus of most experimental work and accompanying models, there is increasing recognition of the role of subcortical structures in speech and language. Using local field potential recordings in neurosurgical patients, we demonstrated that the thalamus participates in lexical status (word vs nonword) processing during spoken word production, in a lateralized and region-specific manner. These results provide direct evidence from intracranial thalamic recordings for the lateralization and topography of subcortical lexical status processing.

Music reading expertise affects visual change detection: Evidence from a music-related flicker paradigm.

To study the mechanisms and boundary conditions of expertise effects on change detection, we introduced a novel music-related variant of the flicker paradigm. Specifically, we monitored the eye movements of expert musicians (with 10 years of music experience) and non-musicians (who could not read music) while they located changes across two rapidly alternating versions of a music score, with a blank screen presented between each screen change. Relative to the non-musicians, experts were faster at change detection, with shorter fixations and larger saccade amplitudes. Expertise effects on accuracy and saccade amplitude were magnified for visually complex relative to simple music scores. Consistent with the assumptions of chunking and template theories of expertise, our results suggest that expert musicians can use chunking (i.e., perceptual grouping) mechanisms to facilitate perceptual encoding during change detection.

Necesidad de una lectura socioantropológica del cáncer

RESUMEN El cáncer continúa siendo una enfermedad que tiene una representación social negativa, a pesar de la información que de él se posee, sus manifestaciones y consecuencias no pueden ser explicadas solo desde una perspectiva biologicista y desde las implicaciones de naturaleza médica, pues involucra a la persona en su complejidad y diversidad de interacciones. Su atención comprende aspectos científico- técnicos muy actualizados, pero también alberga significados sociales, culturales, simbólicos, en consecuencia, antropológicos, que lo distinguen y estigmatizan. El objetivo del trabajo consistió en argumentar la necesidad de una lectura socioantropológica del cáncer, como vía para garantizar su abordaje integral. Los autores consideran que el estudio del cáncer debe incluir la visión antropológica que subyace en tres aspectos: abordaje holístico de la salud, enfoque de género y conceptualizaciones prácticas y narrativas de las vivencias.

ABSTRACT Cancer continues to be a disease that has a negative social representation, despite the information that it has, its manifestations and consequences cannot be explained only from a biological perspective and from the implications of a medical nature, since it involves the person in its complexity and diversity of interactions. Its attention includes very up-to-date scientific-technical aspects, but it also harbors social, cultural, symbolic meanings, consequently anthropological, that distinguish and stigmatize it. The objective of the work was to argue the need for a socio-anthropological reading of cancer, as a way to guarantee its comprehensive approach. The authors consider that the study of cancer should include the anthropological vision that underlies three aspects: a holistic approach to health, a gender approach, and practical and narrative conceptualizations of experiences.

Short breaks at school: effects of a physical activity and a mindfulness intervention on children's attention, reading comprehension, and self-esteem.

BACKGROUND: Although breaks are essential to restoring cognitive and psychological conditions for learning, short breaks within school lessons are not established and the specificity of effects has not often been investigated. Therefore, the effects of a physical activity (Study 1) and a mindfulness intervention (Study 2) were investigated. PROCEDURE: By an intervention-control group design, the effects of daily 10-min physical activity (Study 1: N = 162, 4th grade) and mindfulness breaks (Study 2: N = 79, 5th grade) were implemented within regular school lessons over a 2-week time period to research the impact on attention, reading comprehension, and self-esteem. RESULTS: In the physical activity intervention children's attention improved (attention-processing speed: p < .004, ηp2 = .05, attention-performance: p < .025, ηp2 = .03), and in the mindfulness intervention reading comprehension improved (p < .012, ηp2 = .08) compared to the controls. Results further indicated that self-esteem moderated the relationship between groups and attention improvement in study 1. CONCLUSION: Classroom-based short physical and mindfulness breaks could support attention and reading comprehension, which are known to support overall academic success.

Micropoetry Meets Neurocognitive Poetics: Influence of Associations on the Reception of Poetry.

Reading and understanding poetic texts is often described as an interactive process influenced by the words and phrases building the poems and all associations and images induced by them in the readers mind. Iser, for example, described the understanding process as the closing of a good Gestalt promoted by mental images. Here, we investigate the effect that semantic cohesion, that is the internal connection of a list words, has on understanding and appreciation of poetic texts. To do this, word lists are presented as modern micropoems to the participants and the (ease of) extraction of underlying concepts as well as the affective and aesthetic responses are implicitly and explicitly measured. We found that a unifying concept is found more easily and unifying concepts vary significantly less between participants when the words composing a micropoem are semantically related. Moreover these items are liked better and are understood more easily. Our study shows evidence for the assumed relationship between building spontaneous associations, forming mental imagery, and understanding and appreciation of poetic texts. In addition, we introduced a new method well-suited to manipulate backgrounding features independently of foregrounding features which allows to disentangle the effects of both on poetry reception.

Resting-state functional connectivity and reading subskills in children.

Individual differences in reading ability have been linked to characteristics of functional connectivity in the brain in both children and adults. However, many previous studies have used single or composite measures of reading, leading to difficulty characterizing the role of functional connectivity in discrete subskills of reading. The present study addresses this issue using resting-state fMRI to examine how resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) related to individual differences in children's reading subskills, including decoding, sight word reading, reading comprehension, and rapid automatized naming (RAN). Findings showed both positive and negative RSFC-behaviour relationships that diverged across different reading subskills. Positive relationships included increasing RSFC among left dorsal and anterior regions with increasing decoding proficiency, and increasing RSFC between the left thalamus and right fusiform gyrus with increasing sight word reading, RAN, and reading comprehension abilities. In contrast, negative relationships suggested greater functional segregation of attentional and reading networks with improved performance on RAN, decoding, and reading comprehension tasks. Importantly, the results suggest that although reading subskills rely to some extent on shared functional networks, there are also distinct functional connections supporting different components of reading ability in children.