Clinical reading-related oculomotor assessment in visual snow syndrome / Evaluación oculomotora clínica relacionada con la lectura en el síndrome de nieve visual

Purpose: Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a complex neurological condition presenting with an array of sensory, motor, and perceptual dysfunctions and related visual and non-visual symptoms. Recent laboratory studies have found subtle, basic, saccadic-based abnormalities in this population. The objective of the present investigation was to determine if saccadic-related problems could be confirmed and extended using three common clinical reading-related eye movement tests having well-developed protocols and normative databases. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 32 patients (ages 16–56 years) diagnosed with VSS in the first author's optometric practice. There was a battery of three reading-related tests: the Visagraph Reading Eye Movement Test, the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test, and the RightEye Dynamic Vision Assessment Test, all performed using their standard documented protocols and large normative databases. Results: A high frequency of oculomotor deficits was found with all three tests. The greatest percentage was revealed with the Visagraph (56%) and the least with the RightEye (23%). A total of 77% of patients failed at least one of the three tests. Conclusion: The present findings confirm and extend earlier investigations revealing a high frequency of saccadic-based oculomotor problems in the VSS population, now including reading-related tasks. This is consistent with the more general oculomotor/motor problems found in these individuals.(AU)

A systematic review of the impact of childhood vision impairment on reading and literacy in education

Purpose: This systematic review evaluates current literature on the impact vision impairment has on reading and literacy levels within education. Methods: Six databases were searched with inclusion criteria of trials or studies involving children who are blind or vision impaired, and impact on academic or school performance – including reading and literacy. 1262 articles were identified, with 61 papers undergoing full screening. Quality appraisal was performed using Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) and seven articles deemed eligible for inclusion. Results: Included articles achieved a quality score of over 70 % using the CASP checklists. Direct comparison of articles was not possible due to methodological differences in assessing reading and literacy levels. All seven studies investigated aspects of reading speed, with additional measures of reading performance, such as reading reserve, comprehension, and reading accuracy. Discussion: Underlying trends highlighted students with a vision impairment do not perform at same level as their normally sighted peers with respect to reading performance - in terms of speed, but not ability. Additionally, early intervention to enhance literacy skills may help improve educational outcomes. Future direction should be aimed at identifying specific obstacles to learning these students face and providing interventions to improve academic outcomes. (AU)

Assessing the Efficacy of Large Language Models in Health Literacy: A Comprehensive Cross-Sectional Study.

Enhanced health literacy in children has been empirically linked to better health outcomes over the long term; however, few interventions have been shown to improve health literacy. In this context, we investigate whether large language models (LLMs) can serve as a medium to improve health literacy in children. We tested pediatric conditions using 26 different prompts in ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, Microsoft Bing, and Google Bard (now known as Google Gemini). The primary outcome measurement was the reading grade level (RGL) of output as assessed by Gunning Fog, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Automated Readability Index, and Coleman-Liau indices. Word counts were also assessed. Across all models, output for basic prompts such as "Explain" and "What is (are)," were at, or exceeded, the tenth-grade RGL. When prompts were specified to explain conditions from the first- to twelfth-grade level, we found that LLMs had varying abilities to tailor responses based on grade level. ChatGPT-3.5 provided responses that ranged from the seventh-grade to college freshmen RGL while ChatGPT-4 outputted responses from the tenth-grade to the college senior RGL. Microsoft Bing provided responses from the ninth- to eleventh-grade RGL while Google Bard provided responses from the seventh- to tenth-grade RGL. LLMs face challenges in crafting outputs below a sixth-grade RGL. However, their capability to modify outputs above this threshold, provides a potential mechanism for adolescents to explore, understand, and engage with information regarding their health conditions, spanning from simple to complex terms. Future studies are needed to verify the accuracy and efficacy of these tools.

Reading comprehension improvement in autism.

Introduction: A subset of autistic children excel at word decoding but have difficulty with reading comprehension (i.e., the discrepant poor comprehender reading profile). Prior research suggests the Visualizing and Verbalizing (V/V) for language comprehension and thinking intervention helps improve reading comprehension in autistic children with this reading profile. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of vocabulary, memory, and social functioning in reading comprehension; however, predictors and moderators of reading comprehension within this specific profile of autistic readers have not been thoroughly explored. Methods: In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the V/V intervention by comparing reading comprehension scores between groups and across time. Participants included a sample of autistic children (AUT-EXP; n=22) and a waitlist control group of autistic children (AUT-WLC; n=17) with reading comprehension difficulties, as well as a sample of non-autistic children (Non-AUT; n=26) (all age 8-13 years). AUT-EXP and AUT-WLC groups completed a battery of cognitive assessments during pre and post tests. We also analyzed whether cognitive assessment scores predicted reading comprehension, and examined the moderating effects of group (AUT-EXP vs. AUT-WLC) on these relationships. Results: The AUT-EXP group significantly improved in their pre to post reading comprehension scores (t(21)=4.19, p<.001, d=.89), whereas the AUT-WLC group did not. Verbal memory significantly predicted reading comprehension, though group did not moderate relationships between cognitive test performance and reading comprehension. Discussion: Results suggest that the V/V intervention may help improve reading comprehension for autistic children with the discrepant poor comprehender reading profile. Additionally, strategies for improving verbal memory may indirectly enhance reading comprehension in autistic children with this reading profile.

Childhood book availability helps to preserve cognitive function in older adults with low education: Results from the NEIGE study.

OBJECTIVES: It is well-known that low educational attainment is associated with cognitive function decline in older age. Childhood book availability may help to preserve cognitive function in older adults with low education. The study objective was to examine the association between childhood book availability and cognitive function among older adults with low educational attainment, and to investigate the mediating effect of the volume of reading-related brain regions (e.g., superior temporal cortex). METHODS: A cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older Japanese adults aged 65-84 years was conducted (n=474). Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Childhood book availability was assessed using a retrospective questionnaire. Brain region volume was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Multivariate regression modeling and structural equation modeling were used for analysis. RESULTS: Both high educational attainment and childhood book availability were independently associated with high MMSE score. Stratification of educational level showed that childhood book availability was positively associated with MMSE score among participants with low educational attainment (coefficient=1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31 to 2.66), but not among those with moderate or high educational attainment (coefficient=-0.01, 95% CI: -1.44 to 1.42 and -1.21, 95% CI: -3.85 to 1.42, respectively). Among participants with low educational attainment, left superior temporal cortex volume mediated the association between childhood book availability and MMSE score. DISCUSSION: The availability of books in childhood helps to preserve cognitive function in older adults with low education via left superior temporal cortex volume. Further research is needed to replicate these findings.

A smart handheld magnifier for reflowing printed text notices in public spaces.

PURPOSE: Individuals with reduced vision may rely on handheld magnifiers for near reading of texts on household items such as food packaging and far reading of information notices and signposts. Smartphones have become favoured magnification devices due to their pervasiveness. Users typically take a photo of the text, view the image with magnification and explore details by panning in two-dimensions. However, two-dimensional panning is cumbersome, confusing and slow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To improve the magnification experience, we implemented a proof-of-concept magnifier that reflows text to fit the device's viewport width. The user navigates through the text by scrolling up/down. Our implementation relies on a novel pixel-based text reflow image analysis algorithm. RESULTS: The prototype can successfully reflow text printed on sheets of paper such as notices. Initial tests showed that users preferred the smart digital magnifier over ordinary magnification. CONCLUSIONS: More work is needed to successfully handle other important use cases such as electronic information boards and household product packaging. We discuss open challenges and future directions for smart magnifiers.

What Environments Support Reading Growth Among Current Compared With Former Reading Intervention Recipients? A Multilevel Analysis of Students and Their Schools.

School context can shape relative intervention response in myriad ways due to factors, such as instructional quality, resource allocation, peer effects, and correlations between the school context and characteristics of enrolled students (e.g., higher-poverty students attending higher-poverty schools). In the current study, we used data from 16,000 Grade 3 students in a community-based supplemental reading intervention program to investigate the degree to which school context factors (percentage eligible for free/reduced-price lunch [FRPL], school-level achievement) relate to the differences in triannual reading fluency growth rates between students actively receiving supplemental intervention (active recipients) and those that formerly received intervention (and therefore only received general class instruction at this time; former recipients). Using Bayesian multilevel modeling, our findings indicate that school-level FRPL eligibility played a more prominent factor in growth rate differences between these two groups than school-level reading achievement. However, school-level reading achievement was much more strongly related to reading fluency differences between active and former intervention recipients at the beginning of the school year (when controlling for FRPL). Implications for investigating school-level heterogeneity in intervention response and sustainability are discussed.

Gaze and behavioural metrics in the refractive correction of presbyopia.

PURPOSE: To investigate gaze and behavioural metrics at different viewing distances with multifocal contact lenses (MFCLs), single vision contact lenses (SVCLs) and progressive addition lenses (PALs). METHODS: Fifteen presbyopic contact lens wearers participated over five separate study visits. At each visit, participants were randomly assigned to wear one of five refractive corrections: habitual PAL spectacles, delefilcon A (Alcon Inc.) MFCLs and three separate pairs of delefilcon A single vision lenses worn as distance, intermediate and near corrections. Participants wore a Pupil Core headset to record eye and head movements while performing three visual tasks: reading, visual search and scene observation. Data were investigated using linear regression and post-hoc testing. Parameters of interest included gaze (fixation duration, head movement) and behavioural (reading speed, reading accuracy, visual search time) metrics. RESULTS: Reading speed in SVCLs was significantly faster than in MFCLs and PAL spectacles (F = 16.3, p < 0.0001). Refractive correction worn did not influence visual search times (F = 0.16, p = 0.85). Fixation duration was significantly affected by the type of visual task (F = 60.2, p < 0.001), and an interaction effect was observed between viewing distance and refractive correction (F = 4.3, p = 0.002). There was significantly more horizontal and vertical head movement (F = 3.2, p = 0.01 and F = 3.3, p = 0.01, respectively) during visual search tasks when wearing PAL spectacles compared to SVCLs or MFCLs. CONCLUSION: This work showed that the type of refractive correction affects behavioural metrics such as reading speed and gaze behaviour by affecting horizontal and vertical head movements. The findings of this study suggest that under certain conditions, wearers of MFCLs make fewer head movements compared to PAL spectacles. Gaze behaviour metrics offer a new approach to compare and understand contact lens and spectacle performance, with potential applications including peripheral optical designs for myopia management.

The English Sublexical Toolkit: Methods for indexing sound-spelling consistency.

This work introduces the English Sublexical Toolkit, a suite of tools that utilizes an experience-dependent learning framework of sublexical knowledge to extract regularities from the English lexicon. The Toolkit quantifies the empirical regularity of sublexical units in both the reading and spelling directions (i.e., grapheme-to-phoneme and phoneme-to-grapheme) and at multiple grain sizes (i.e., phoneme/grapheme and onset/rime unit size). It can extract multiple experience-dependent regularity indices for words or pseudowords, including both frequency indices (e.g., grapheme frequency) and conditional probability indices (e.g., grapheme-to-phoneme probability). These tools provide (1) superior estimates of the regularities that better reflect the complexity of the sublexical system relative to previously published indices and (2) completely novel indices of sublexical units such as phonographeme frequency (i.e., combined units of individual phonemes and graphemes that are independent of processing direction). We demonstrate that measures from the toolkit explain significant amounts of variance in empirical data (naming of real words and lexical decision), and either outperform or are comparable to the best available consistency measures. The flexibility of the toolkit is further demonstrated by its ability to readily index the probability of different pseudowords pronunciations, and we report that the measures account for the majority of variance in these empirically observed probabilities. Overall, this work provides a framework and resources that can be flexibly used to identify optimal corpus-based consistency measures that help explain reading/spelling behaviors for real and pseudowords.

Autologous platelet concentrate in epiretinal membrane surgery: A single-centre prospective comparative non-inferiority study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to compare the anatomical and functional results including reading ability after epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery in patients with and without the use of autologous platelet concentrate (APC). METHODS: Design: Prospective, comparative non-inferiority series. SETTING: Institutional. PATIENTS: 51 eyes of 51 patients, who underwent pars-plana vitrectomy (PPV) for ERM surgery. 29 eyes additionally received intraoperative APC, 22 eyes underwent standard procedure without APC use. OBSERVATIONS: anatomical and functional outcome parameters (central retinal thickness (CRT), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and reading ability (RA)) were compared between the two groups at 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Subjective assessment of visual acuity and reading ability was also analysed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BCVA, RA and CRT. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant CRT reduction and RA improvement, while BCVA improvement was significant only in eyes with intraoperative APC use during the follow-up time of 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference between CRT reduction, BCVA and RA improvement between the groups. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative APC use for ERM surgery results in similar anatomical and functional outcomes compared with standard ERM surgery without APC use.

Dissociating reading and auditory comprehension in persons with aphasia.

Language comprehension is often affected in individuals with post-stroke aphasia. However, deficits in auditory comprehension are not fully correlated with deficits in reading comprehension and the mechanisms underlying this dissociation remain unclear. This distinction is important for understanding language mechanisms, predicting long-term impairments and future development of treatment interventions. Using comprehensive auditory and reading measures from a large cohort of individuals with aphasia, we evaluated the relationship between aphasia type and reading comprehension impairments, the relationship between auditory versus reading comprehension deficits and the crucial neuroanatomy supporting the dissociation between post-stroke reading and auditory deficits. Scores from the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised from 70 participants with aphasia after a left-hemisphere stroke were utilized to evaluate both reading and auditory comprehension of linguistically equivalent stimuli. Repeated-measures and univariate ANOVA were used to assess the relationship between auditory comprehension and aphasia types and correlations were employed to test the relationship between reading and auditory comprehension deficits. Lesion-symptom mapping was used to determine the dissociation of crucial brain structures supporting reading comprehension deficits controlling for auditory deficits and vice versa. Participants with Broca's or global aphasia had the worst performance on reading comprehension. Auditory comprehension explained 26% of the variance in reading comprehension for sentence completion and 44% for following sequential commands. Controlling for auditory comprehension, worse reading comprehension performance was independently associated with damage to the inferior temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, posterior inferior temporal gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, lingual gyrus and posterior thalamic radiation. Auditory and reading comprehension are only partly correlated in aphasia. Reading is an integral part of daily life and directly associated with quality of life and functional outcomes. This study demonstrated that reading performance is directly related to lesioned areas in the boundaries between visual association regions and ventral stream language areas. This behavioural and neuroanatomical dissociation provides information about the neurobiology of language and mechanisms for potential future treatment interventions.

Efficacy of Learning Disorder Treatment for Reading or Mathematics Disorders: An Open Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of treatment programs for children with reading (RD) or mathematics disorders (MD). Structured treatment programs were developed to improve phonological awareness and number sense among children and adolescents with RD or MD, respectively, and the effectiveness of the learning disorder treatment programs were evaluated. Methods: We used standardized, objective diagnostic, and evaluation tools not only to recruit participants with RD, MD, or comorbid attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, but also to assess the effectiveness of the treatments regarding both improved core neurocognitive deficits of RD or MD and academic achievement. Forty children with RD or MD received one-on-one treatments from therapists. Results: In the RD group, treatment effects were observed in all subtests. In the word and paragraph reading tests, the accuracy rates and fluency improved. The results of the phonological working memory test, word-sound correspondence test, and rapid automatic naming tests also improved. In the MD group, the accuracy rate and fluency on the arithmetic test improved. An increase in the accuracy rate in the size and distance comparison tests and a decrease in the error rate in the estimation test were also observed. However, there were no improvements in reaction time in these subtests. Conclusion: Learning disorder treatment programs that focus on improving phonological awareness or number sense in children with RD or MD improved achievement, phonological awareness, and number sense.

Biosurfer for systematic tracking of regulatory mechanisms leading to protein isoform diversity.

Long-read RNA sequencing has shed light on transcriptomic complexity, but questions remain about the functionality of downstream protein products. We introduce Biosurfer, a computational approach for comparing protein isoforms, while systematically tracking the transcriptional, splicing, and translational variations that underlie differences in the sequences of the protein products. Using Biosurfer, we analyzed the differences in 32,799 pairs of GENCODE annotated protein isoforms, finding a majority (70%) of variable N-termini are due to the alternative transcription start sites, while only 9% arise from 5' UTR alternative splicing. Biosurfer's detailed tracking of nucleotide-to-residue relationships helped reveal an uncommonly tracked source of single amino acid residue changes arising from the codon splits at junctions. For 17% of internal sequence changes, such split codon patterns lead to single residue differences, termed "ragged codons". Of variable C-termini, 72% involve splice- or intron retention-induced reading frameshifts. We found an unusual pattern of reading frame changes, in which the first frameshift is closely followed by a distinct second frameshift that restores the original frame, which we term a "snapback" frameshift. We analyzed long read RNA-seq-predicted proteome of a human cell line and found similar trends as compared to our GENCODE analysis, with the exception of a higher proportion of isoforms predicted to undergo nonsense-mediated decay. Biosurfer's comprehensive characterization of long-read RNA-seq datasets should accelerate insights of the functional role of protein isoforms, providing mechanistic explanation of the origins of the proteomic diversity driven by the alternative splicing. Biosurfer is available as a Python package at https://github.com/sheynkman-lab/biosurfer.

An inner mitochondrial membrane microprotein from the SLC35A4 upstream ORF regulates cellular metabolism.

Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are cis-acting elements that can dynamically regulate the translation of downstream ORFs by suppressing downstream translation under basal conditions and, in some cases, increasing translation under stress conditions. Computational and empirical methods have identified uORFs in the 5'-UTRs of approximately half of all mouse and human transcripts, making uORFs one the largest regulatory elements known. Because the prevailing dogma was that eukaryotic mRNAs produce a single functional protein, the peptides and small proteins, or microproteins, encoded by uORFs are under studied. We hypothesized that a uORF in the SLC35A4 mRNA is producing a functionalmicroprotein (SLC35A4-MP) because of its conserved amino acid sequence. Through a series of biochemical and cellular experiments, we find that the 103-amino acid SLC35A4-MP is a single-pass transmembrane inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) microprotein. The IMM contains the protein machinery crucial for cellular respiration and ATP generation, and loss of function studies with SLC35A4-MP significantly diminish maximal cellular respiration, indicating a vital role for this microprotein in cellular metabolism. The findings add to the growing list of functional microproteins and, more generally, indicate that uORFs that encode conserved microproteins are an untapped reservoir of functional microproteins.

Several inaccurate or erroneous conceptions and misleading propaganda about brain-computer interfaces.

Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a revolutionizing human-computer interaction, which has potential applications for specific individuals or groups in specific scenarios. Extensive research has been conducted on the principles and implementation methods of BCI, and efforts are currently being made to bridge the gap from research to real-world applications. However, there are inaccurate or erroneous conceptions about BCI among some members of the public, and certain media outlets, as well as some BCI researchers, developers, manufacturers, and regulators, propagate misleading or overhyped claims about BCI technology. Therefore, this article summarizes the several misconceptions and misleading propaganda about BCI, including BCI being capable of "mind-controlled," "controlling brain," "mind reading," and the ability to "download" or "upload" information from or to the brain using BCI, among others. Finally, the limitations (shortcomings) and limits (boundaries) of BCI, as well as the necessity of conducting research aimed at countering BCI systems are discussed, and several suggestions are offered to reduce misconceptions and misleading claims about BCI.

Reading processes of public and private middle school and high school students.

INTRODUCTION: Reading has been widely discussed, mainly due to the published results of international performance tests of schoolchildren. The gaps generated in literacy hinder the development of basic skills necessary for reading, which will have a negative impact on the teaching-learning process from elementary school to high school. This study aimed to compare the reading performance of the students in public and private schools through tests of the Brazilian reading processes-PROLEC-SE-R. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. The Brazilian adaptation of the PROLEC-SE-R was administered to 436 students: 221 from the state school (G1 6th year, n = 30; G2 7th year, n = 33; G3 8th year, n = 35; G4 9th year, n = 31; G5 1st year, n = 32; G6 2nd year, n = 30; G7 3rd year, n = 30) e 215 private schools (G8 6th year, n = 31; G9 7th year, n = 31; G10 8th year, n = 30; G11 9th year, n = 31; G12 1st year, n = 30; G13 2nd year, n = 31; G14 3rd year, n = 31). Tools of descriptive and bivariate analysis were used. RESULTS: Superior performance of the private school students on spelling tests helps their reading as evidenced by their scores for syntactic and semantic processes. When the knowledge of the use of the word in text, extraction of meaning and its understanding was needed, the difficulty of access to the mental lexicon of the studied population became evident. CONCLUSION: The PROLEC-SE-R, in addition to establishing the reading profile of elementary and high school students, shows that the gaps in teaching and learning, which exist between public and private education in the literacy period, accompany students throughout the basic education cycle. Knowing the reading profile and in which process there is a disruption is important so that the teaching of specific strategies can be promoted throughout the entire schooling process, especially in primary and secondary education.

Why did humans surpass all other primates? Are our brains so different? Part 2.

The second part of this review is an attempt to explain why only Homo sapiens developed language. It should be remarked that this review is based on the opinion of a clinical neurologist and does not intend to go beyond an overview of this complex topic. The progressive development of language was probably due to the expansion of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its networks. PFC is the largest area of the human cerebral cortex and is much more expanded in humans than in other primates. To achieve language, several other functions should have been attained, including abstraction, reasoning, expanded working memory, and executive functions. All these functions are strongly related to PFC and language had a profound retroactive impact on them all. Language and culture produce anatomic and physiological modifications in the brain. Learning to read is presented as an example of how culture modifies the brain.

A segunda parte desta revisão é uma tentativa de explicar por que apenas o Homo sapiens desenvolveu a linguagem. Ressalta-se que esta revisão é baseada na opinião de um neurologista clínico e não pretende ir além de uma visão geral deste tema complexo. O desenvolvimento progressivo da linguagem provavelmente se deveu à expansão do córtex pré-frontal (PFC) e de suas conexões. O PFC é a maior área do córtex cerebral humano e é muito maior em seres humanos do que em outros primatas. Para adquirir a linguagem, diversas outras funções precisavam ter sido alcançadas, incluindo abstração, raciocínio, expansão da memória de trabalho e funções executivas. Todas essas funções estão fortemente relacionadas com o PFC e a linguagem teve um profundo impacto retroativo em todas elas. A linguagem e a cultura produzem modificações anatômicas e fisiológicas no cérebro. Aprender a ler é apresentado como um exemplo de como a cultura modifica o cérebro.

Childhood Reading Ability and Pain in Childhood Through to Midlife.

Dyslexia and pain have recently been shown to correlate on a genetic level, but there has been little exploration of this association on the phenotypic level despite reports of increased pain in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which commonly co-occurs with dyslexia. In this study we test for an association between reading ability, which is the primary feature of dyslexia, and pain both in childhood and adulthood. Logistic regression modeling was used to test associations between reading ability in childhood and pain from childhood to midlife in a large UK birth cohort; the 1958 National Child Development Study. Associations were found between poor childhood reading ability and increased headache and abdominal pain in childhood, and between poor childhood reading ability and headache, eye pain, back pain, and rheumatism in adulthood. Mediation analyses indicated that socioeconomic status (defined by employment) fully mediated the association between poor reading ability in childhood and back pain at age 42. By contrast, the association between reading ability and eye pain acted independently of socioeconomic status. Different mechanisms were thus indicated for the association of reading with different pain types, including manual labor and a potential shared biological pathway. PERSPECTIVE: This study found a relationship between poor reading ability in childhood and pain in childhood and adulthood. Those with reading difficulties should be monitored for pain symptoms. Future research may uncover shared biological mechanisms, increasing our understanding of pain and potential treatments.

Harnessing Children's Picture Books to Socialize Children About Pain and Injury: A Qualitative Study.

Pain experiences are common during childhood (eg, "everyday" pain, vaccine injections) and are powerful opportunities for children to learn about pain and injury. These experiences likely inform fundamental and life-long beliefs about pain. There is scant research investigating the sociocultural contexts in which children learn about pain and injury. One unexplored context is the shared reading of picture books (eg, between parents/caregivers and children). In this study, we investigated whether shared reading of picture books that included depictions of pain and/or injury prompted parent/caregiver-child interactions. If interactions were observed, we explored what those interactions entailed. Twenty parents/caregivers (8 men, 12 women) and their children (n = 27; 10 boys, 17 girls) were recruited from libraries in South Australia. Parent/caregiver-child families chose from 8 books (7 fiction, 1 nonfiction) with varying amounts of pain/injury-related content. Shared reading interactions were video recorded, transcribed, and analyzed alongside analysis of the picture books using reflexive thematic analysis. Pain/injury-related interactions were observed between parents/caregivers and children during shared reading of picture books. Qualitative analyses generated 1 main theme and 3 subthemes. Findings identified that shared reading presented an opportunity for children's understanding of pain and injury to be socialized through discussion of characters' experiences. This included teaching children about pain and injury, as well as promoting empathy and emotional attunement toward characters who were depicted as being in pain. Finally, parents/caregivers often responded with observable/expressed amusement if pain/injury was depicted in a light-hearted or unrealistic way. Overall, shared reading of picture books presents an untapped opportunity to socialize children about pain and injury. PERSPECTIVE: Shared reading of picture books that have depictions of pain and/or injury can prompt parent/caregiver-child interactions about pain and injury. These interactions present critical opportunities that can be harnessed to promote children's learning of adaptive pain-related concepts and behaviors during a critical developmental period.

Deep learning to decode sites of RNA translation in normal and cancerous tissues.

The biological process of RNA translation is fundamental to cellular life and has wide-ranging implications for human disease. Yet, accurately delineating the variation in RNA translation represents a significant challenge. Here, we develop RiboTIE, a transformer model-based approach to map global RNA translation. We find that RiboTIE offers unparalleled precision and sensitivity for ribosome profiling data. Application of RiboTIE to normal brain and medulloblastoma cancer samples enables high-resolution insights into disease regulation of RNA translation.