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Age-related differences in speech and gray matter volume: the modulating role of multilingualism
Get PDFSpeech involves complex processes like language formulation, motor coordination, and cognitive functions. As people age, their speech abilities often decline, showing reduced fluency and complexity. Older adults also show decreased gray matter volume. However, the relationship between age-related differences in speech and gray matter volume remain unclear. Multilinguals may exhibit unique age-related speech patterns depending on their language profiles. This study investigates the relationships between age-related differences in brain structure and multilingual speech across different languages, considering the effects of multilingual experience. An integrated measure of speech was calculated and used to reflect the overall speech quality, which was lower in older than younger adults. Native language speech (i.e., Cantonese) was higher than non-native language speech (i.e., Mandarin), especially in older adults. More extensive use of multiple languages was associated with enhanced speech quality in both native and non-native languages. Age significantly impacts whole brain gray matter volume, which was lower in older than younger adults. The right middle temporal gyrus emerged as a critical region for speech in both languages in older adults. Bilateral putamen shows sensitivity to the effect of multilingual experience on speech performance in older adults. These findings underscore the complex interplay between age, multilingualism, and brain structure, providing valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying multilingual speech performance
Improving weather forecasts through advanced use of observations
No full textWeather forecasts play a vital part in our lives, with major impacts on
society and the economy. Forecasts are obtained by combining observations of the
weather with computational predictions using a data assimilation process. Forecast
accuracy relies on accurate estimates of the uncertainty in these weather observations.
Remotely sensed observations, for example from satellites and ground-based
instruments such as radar, provide the most benefit to forecast accuracy, but these
are the most expensive data to acquire and their errors are not well understood. Research
at the University of Reading has developed new methodology for estimating
observation error statistics and has contributed important theoretical advances in
understanding the role of observation uncertainty in weather forecasting.
These methods are now being used in operational systems worldwide by the
UK Met Office, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, US Naval
Research Laboratory and NASA, amongst others. Thanks to these advances, there
have been significant improvements in forecast accuracy and cost-effectiveness of
observations for forecasting agencies, without loss of computational efficiency. The
research has also influenced strategies for system enhancement, diagnostic activities
and training at these centres and has raised the quality of weather information
provided to government, business and the public for decision-making
Reduced winter‐time clear air turbulence in the Trans‐Atlantic region under stratospheric aerosol injection
Get PDFClear air turbulence (CAT) is a safety threat within the aviation sector and is projected to worsen under global warming. Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) is a climate intervention strategy that aims to ameliorate climate change by artificially cooling Earth. Climate model simulations have found a side-effect of SAI would be a strengthening of the positive phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This links to a stronger North Atlantic jet stream and suggests enhanced CAT in the region. Here, we analyze simulations from the UKESM1 climate model to evaluate the impact of a realistic SAI application on winter-time trans-Atlantic CAT. We find a 23% decrease in severe CAT frequency under SAI when compared to a baseline high-end global warming scenario. Our results indicate that the amelioration of global warming under SAI has a more dominant impact on CAT over the North Atlantic than residual impacts to the NAO
Disentangling anthropogenic and dynamic contributions to recent ocean warming
Get PDFAs the ocean absorbs over 90% of excess radiative heat, recent ocean warming is shaped by a combination of anthropogenic surface heat gain and dynamical processes redistributing heat. To distinguish these contributions, we introduce a novel framework that decomposes temperature changes into three components: ‘spice’ (density-compensated variability) and ‘heave’ (density-contributing variability), with heave further divided into ‘passive’ (net warming) and ‘dynamic’ (redistribution) contributions. Passive heave captures anthropogenic warming subducted along isopycnals, while spice and dynamic heave, which globally sum to zero, represent heat redistribution. Observations and climate models demonstrate general agreement on passive heave, establishing it as a key oceanic fingerprint of anthropogenic climate change. In contrast, dynamic heave, driven by interannual-to-decadal variability, exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with notable discrepancies between models and observations. This framework links ocean heat uptake to sea-level change, with passive heave driving global thermosteric rise and dynamic heave contributing to regional dynamic sea level changes
How can we best support mothers of children with sensory processing differences that impact participation in daily occupations from a coaching perspective?
Get PDFMany children experience sensory differences that are associated with disruption to child and
family daily occupations and increased maternal stress. Emerging evidence suggests that a one-to-one coaching approach with parents is helpful, but there are numerous gaps in both. The
current studies aim to identify gaps in current evidence, to ascertain what mothers find helpful,
then to pilot a brief online group coaching intervention based on occupational performance
coaching for mothers of children with sensory differences.
Study 1: A scoping review identified current knowledge and gaps in the literature, showing that
there is some limited evidence for individual or family coaching, but evaluation of group
coaching was missing.
Study 2 and 3: As the scoping review highlighted that mothers’ voices were rarely heard in
studies, qualitative semi-structured interviews with six mothers and then a large-scale survey
with 132 participants explored mothers’ everyday experiences. Using both thematic and
descriptive analysis, the significant impact of sensory differences on both mothers and
children’s everyday life and relationships was clear. Mothers are empowered by relationships
based on listening, gaining knowledge, and understanding as well as adapting activities and the
environment to accommodate for child’s sensory needs. Supportive social and professional
relationships, media, social media, and direct intervention to mothers were reported by
mothers as helpful. The survey sample was split by mothers of autistic versus non-autistic
children. The mothers of autistic children with sensory differences reported greater levels of
challenge in everyday activities and relationships, particularly in the school and community.
Supportive relationships, media and parent intervention was equally helpful to both
subsamples of mothers of children with sensory differences.
Study 4: A pilot study of a brief online group coaching with eleven mothers of children with
sensory differences explored the acceptability of the intervention to mothers and
demonstrated coaching was perceived to build social networks and reduce maternal stress as
well as improve child occupational performance.
A wide range of approaches to intervention are helpful to mothers of children with sensory
differences including supportive relationships, media, and parent intervention. Brief online
group coaching is supported by emerging evidence but requires further study
Widening participation in art education: How do novel approaches and alternative spaces increase engagement in children and young adults?
No full textThis research addresses critical challenges in art education within the UK, particularly
against a political climate prioritising Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM)
subjects. The focus on STEM has inadvertently diminished opportunities for children from
diverse backgrounds,
including those from protected ethnic, socioeconomic, and working-class or white male students. Acknowledging the substantial contributions of art graduates to
various sectors through their creative and critical skills, this thesis explores models of art
education that prioritise inclusivity and engagement.
The study explores novel methods and alternative spaces to enhance engagement among
children and young adults (aged 8-18) in arts-based Widening Participation (WP) activities.
Through practice-based research and analysis, the effectiveness of these approaches is
evaluated. The goal is to provide evidence of successful, replicable and adaptable project
designs that other educators can adopt. The research expands on how to approach WP
projects, including integrating new and emerging technology and teaching and learning
methods from other disciplines, such as art, drama, design technology, and the sciences.
The research draws preliminary conclusions and identifies areas for further investigation and
dissemination.
A distinctive contribution of this PhD research lies in applying artistic practices when
developing reproducible teaching and learning activities. In this context, ‘artistic practices’
refers to the methods and approaches typically employed by artists in their creative work,
such as experimentation with different materials and techniques, creating artwork, reflecting,
playing, testing and presenting work. Employing a multimodal approach methodology, this
research includes case studies, interviews, photo documentation, examples of practice-based activities, and participant observations.
A diverse cohort of young participants, educators, and stakeholders was involved in the
studies to provide a comprehensive view of the issue. The data collected is used to uncover
the barriers and opportunities for young people in art education and identify the factors
influencing participation. The research questions were developed collaboratively over six
years whilst working with ArtLab, sponsors of the PhD at the University of Reading.
ArtLab (see fig.1) aims to engage children from varied social backgrounds in art and
technology projects. The author's experience as an artist educator influences a research
focus encompassing cybernetics, drama pedagogy, storytelling, and thinking through
making. The project advocates for an educational paradigm shift that moves away from the
perceived hierarchical roles of artists and teachers as knowledge givers and instead
promotes a co-researched approach to WP learning experiences.
This research is set against a backdrop where many teachers are wary of breaking the
confines of a linear curriculum at the risk of unsettling their students and consequentially
falling behind in league tables. This has led to a reluctance towards creative experimentation
and risk-taking.2 The ticking of examination hall clocks is drowning out the authentic voices
of many young people. The thesis establishes a solid theoretical foundation for proposing
educational shifts and articulating the value of creative practices in achieving WP objectives
Intramural human remains from Roman towns in Britain: a case study from Late Iron Age and Roman Silchester
No full textIntramural adult human remains, whether articulated or disarticulated, from Roman towns in Britain are uncommon. There is evidence for some remains to have been deliberately curated and/or treated post mortem in a particular way before final deposition. This paper focuses on the disarticulated human remains from late Iron Age and Roman Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), noting the parts of the skeleton represented, their contexts, and whether there is evidence for curation or treatment post mortem. Twenty-one examples have been radiocarbon dated enabling an assessment of changes in spatial patterning over time. An early and a late cluster are identified. The results from Silchester follow a review of comparable evidence from the major towns of Roman Britain. This reveals a broad similarity in patterning between Silchester and the Romano-British countryside. There are several urban parallels for Silchester’s late cluster, but only London for the early grouping
‘Not the God of the philosophers…’: can Aquinas’s approach to God be reconciled with Pascal’s?
Get PDFPascal stressed the importance of ‘reasons of the heart’ in leading us to God, and insisted that the God to whom he turned during his ‘night of fire’ on 23 November 1654 was ‘not the God of the philosophers and scholars’, but the God of the patriarchs and of Jesus Christ. This suggests a very different approach from that of Thomas, who characterises God in seemingly abstract terms, such as ‘being itself’ and ‘goodness itself’. This paper first explores the methodological and epistemological lessons to be drawn from Pascal’s notion of ‘reasons of the heart’ and argues that we have good reason to take them seriously. The second half of the paper discusses Aquinas’s apparently more impersonal conception of the deity, as an ‘infinite ocean of substance’ (John of Damascus) on which all things depend. But it then explores Aquinas’s account of the passage in Exodus where God addresses Moses in personal terms, and argues that this account, together with what Aquinas has to say on the subject of prayer, indicates that the God of his philosophical deliberations can indeed be reconciled with the intensely personal God of Scripture to whom Pascal turned during his night of fire
性别、童年和儿童文学—国际童年研究中心的研究方法 (Gender, childhood, and children’s literature: research approaches of the International Childhood Research Centre)
No full textTrump tariffs: there may be silver linings in the trade war storm clouds
No full textUS tariffs – both threatened and imposed – on trade partners including China, Canada, Mexico and the EU quickly set off waves of retaliatory measures. The latest commodities in the sights of president Donald Trump are steel and aluminium – with tariffs of 25% announced for all imports. But not only do these taxes disrupt well-established trade flows, they ignite concerns over the very future of globalisation