BERT is a recent language representation model that has surprisingly performed well in diverse language understanding benchmarks. This result indicates the possibility that BERT networks capture structural information about language. In this work, we provide novel support for this claim by performing a series of experiments to unpack the elements of English language structure learned by BERT. Our findings are fourfold. BERT’s phrasal representation captures the phrase-level information in the lower layers. The intermediate layers of BERT compose a rich hierarchy of linguistic information, starting with surface features at the bottom, syntactic features in the middle followed by semantic features at the top. BERT requires deeper layers while tracking subject-verb agreement to handle long-term dependency problem. Finally, the compositional scheme underlying BERT mimics classical, tree-like structures.
Damián E. Blasi, J. Henrich, Evangelia Adamou
et al.
English is the dominant language in the study of human cognition and behavior: the individuals studied by cognitive scientists, as well as most of the scientists themselves, are frequently English speakers. However, English differs from other languages in ways that have consequences for the whole of the cognitive sciences, reaching far beyond the study of language itself. Here, we review an emerging body of evidence that highlights how the particular characteristics of English and the linguistic habits of English speakers bias the field by both warping research programs (e.g., overemphasizing features and mechanisms present in English over others) and overgeneralizing observations from English speakers' behaviors, brains, and cognition to our entire species. We propose mitigating strategies that could help avoid some of these pitfalls.
The role of educational drama and the successful implementation
of drama techniques in teaching foreign languages have been confirmed by
various research findings. There is a growing need for English as a foreign
language (EFL) teachers to find appropriate tools to improve the teaching and
learning of EFL to satisfy learners with special educational needs (SEN). The
paper focuses on the link between the incorporation of drama techniques
and teaching learners with SEN in the higher level of primary school with
close attention to special needs connected with cognition and learning (e.g.
dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.) and needs connected with social, emotional,
and mental health (e.g. ADD, ADHD, etc.). The paper presents the findings
of document analysis and semi-structured interviews with in-service EFL
teachers at the higher level of primary schools with Hungarian language of
instruction in Slovakia. The major aim of the interviews was to investigate
EFL teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in implementing inclusive
practices, their attitudes and experiences concerning teaching learners with
SEN and using drama techniques. A secondary aim was to examine the
current situation in schools and the support EFL teachers receive in their
institution. Based on the findings, implications for management strategies,
teacher education, and teacher training courses or trainings are discussed.
Lucas Fornari Laurindo, Victória Dogani Rodrigues, Enzo Pereira de Lima
et al.
Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of mortality worldwide. In this scenario, atherosclerotic cardiovascular outcomes dominate since their incidence increases as populations grow and age. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects arteries. Although its pathophysiology is heterogeneous, some genes are indissociably associated with its occurrence, and understanding their effects on the disease’s occurrence could undoubtedly define effective screening and treatment strategies. One such gene is NEDD4L. The NEDD4L gene is related to ubiquitin ligase enzyme activities. It is essential to regulate vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis plaque stability, endothelial and vascular smooth cell function, and lipid metabolism, particularly in controlling cholesterol levels. However, the evidence is dubious, and no review has yet synthesized the effects of targeting NEDD4L on atherosclerosis. Therefore, our review aims to fill this gap by analyzing the literature on NEDD4L concerning atherosclerosis occurrence. To achieve this goal, we performed a systematic literature search of reputable databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase. The inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed original studies using in vitro and animal models due to the unavailability of relevant clinical studies. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and articles that did not focus on the relationship between NEDD4L and atherosclerosis and those unrelated to this health condition were excluded. Studies not written in the English language were also excluded. The search strategy included studies from January 2000 to January 2025 in the final analysis to capture recent advancements. Following screening, five studies were included. Most of the included studies underscored NEDD4L’s role in increasing atherosclerosis plaque formation, but other studies indicated that stimulating NEDD4L may positively counter atherosclerosis plaque formation. Therefore, future research endeavors must address several limitations, which have been tentatively highlighted throughout the manuscript, for more informative research based on preclinical studies and to successfully translate the findings into clinical trials.
Raden Aulia Utami Hidayat, Sri Setyaarini, Gin Gin Gustine
et al.
Critical literacy has become an essential approach in education, yet research on its perception and implementation at the primary school level, particularly in EFL contexts, still needs to be completed. This study examines primary school teachers' perceptions of critical literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in West Java. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 50 primary school teachers through structured surveys and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were analyzed thematically. Findings indicate a limited understanding of critical literacy, although teachers are strongly willing to incorporate it into their teaching. Key challenges include inadequate professional development, insufficient resources, and rigid curriculum constraints, emphasizing the need for targeted training to enhance students' learning experiences. Limitations include the small sample size and focus on one region. Future research should explore broader contexts and the longitudinal impacts of critical literacy practices. However, it is still expected that the study could give primary school teachers insight into critical literacy as one of the approaches in education.
Behnaz Ahrabi, Hojjat Allah Abbaszadeh, Abbas Piryaei
et al.
Introduction: Chronic and progressive damage to the kidney by inflammatory processes, may lead to an increase in the extracellular matrix production, a condition known as renal fibrosis. The current study aims to evaluate if the extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from autophagic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) can reduce the inflammation and extracellular matrix accumulation in damaged kidney tissue. Methods: Autophagy was induced in ADMSCs using 2µM concentration curcumin and was confirmed by evaluating LC3B, ATG7, and Beclin1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot. An in vitro renal fibrotic model was established in HEK-293 cells exposed to H2O2 (0.8mM) for 24 and 72 hours. The fibrotic model was confirmed through evaluation of collagen I, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), E-cadherin, and vimentin genes expression using real-time PCR, collagen I protein by ELISA. After induction of fibrosis for 24 and 72 hours, the HEK cells were treated with NEVs (non-autophagy EVs) (50µM) or AEVs (autophagy EVs) (50µM) at 48, 96, and 124 hours, and then the samples were collected at 72 and 148 hours. Expression of collagen I, TGF-β1, E-cadherin, and vimentin Genes was evaluated via RT-PCR, and protein levels of IL1, TNF-α, IL4, IL10 using ELISA. Results: Induction of autophagy using curcumin (2µM) for 24 hours significantly increased LC3B, Beclin1, and ATG7 in the ADMSCs. Upregulation in anti-fibrotic (E-cadherin) and anti-inflammatory (IL4, IL10) gene expression was significantly different in the fibrotic model treated by AEVs compared to NEVs. Also, the downregulation of fibrotic (TGF-β1, vimentin, collagen I) and pro-inflammatory (IL1, TNFα) gene expression was significantly different in AEVs compared with those treated by NEVs. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that AEVs can be considered as a therapeutic modality for renal fibrosis in the future.
Meinita Wahyuni, Aunurrahman Aunurrahman, M.Iqbal Ripo Putra
et al.
This research aims to find out the non-English students’ attitude towards English language at IKIP PGRI Pontianak. In this research, the form of research is descriptive mixed method. The subject of the research were non-English students’ of IKIP PGRI Pontianak. The data were taken through close-ended questionnaire and unstructured interview. In analyzing the data, the interactive model of data analysis proposed by Miles and Huberman was used. The sample was selected used a quota sampling. The result of this research based on the data collected showed that the respondents tend to have positive attitude towards English language. From the results of the questionnaire on the Likert scale of 52.69%, it indicated the agree category. This value shows that the average number of non-English students agrees. Thus, it can be said that the attitudes of non-English students tend to have a positive attitude towards English. The results of the data and conclusions in this study are real results obtained from the data source itself.
This study is aimed to find the kinds of code mixing and to know which kinds of code mixing are dominantly used in Bukan Empat Mata Program on TRANS 7 Television channel. Descriptive qualitative method is used in this study. The data were collected through watching, recording, transferring, playing, selecting and transcribing the data from the conversations between the presenters and the guest stars. The collected data were then analyzed through identifying the data, selecting the data related to the code mixing, listing and classifying the data based on the kinds of code mixing and finally drawing conclusion. It was found that there are two kinds of code mixing used by prersenters and guest stars in Bukan Empat Mata program, namely situational and conversational code mixing. Between two kinds of code mixing, conversational code mixing is dominantly used both by presenters and the guest stars in which they sometimes change the pronunciation from English into Indonesian in the conversation.
This study investigates the lexicalization patterns of six basic constructs of emotion in English: anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise. These words, along with all their synonyms in noun, verb, and adjective forms were recorded and supplied with corpus frequency data. The resulting catalogue of basic emotion terms in English was analyzed. The categories of words denoting different emotions were quantified in order to determine their relative cultural significance. Word frequency patterns were analyzed in order to determine any manifestations of display rules. The results indicate that in English all emotions are preferentially lexicalized as adjectives. Negative emotions are preferentially expressed as verbs, and positive emotions – as nouns. English boasts more words for negative than positive emotions, confirming the presence of the negative differentiation effect. At the same time, the less numerous words for positive emotions were found to be more frequently used, confirming the Pollyanna effect. The study revealed the central role of fear in the English-speaking world. Uniquely, fear was found to conceptually and semantically overlap with all other basic emotions regardless of their valence; the mean frequency of all the words denoting fear made it the second most frequent overtly, verbally communicated emotion in English – after joy.
The New Left Thinkers is undoubtedly one of the most controversial and newsworthy works of the late English philosopher, Roger Scruton, which has been published in recent decades as a critique of the new left thinkers. Scruton analyzed, and critiqued the most important contemporary philosophers in the last decades, aimed to decrypt the new speak of the left discourse. The most common aspect between these thinkers, more than anything else, is the distance from the right discourse. By critical reading, Scruton tried to simplify the idea, complex language, and complicated theories of the New Left. He wanted to show how these ideas were emerged in emotional reaction to the historical events of their time, and actually they were rooted in the human’s need for faith and belief in something. Although criticizing the mainstream of Scruton’s time is a courageous subject, special and scares, and we can admire Scruton for doing this, in final analysis of this work, I must say Scruton argued and criticized the new left in a way that he should be criticized too. In the other word we can criticize Scruton as the same point that he criticized and accused the new left. Regardless of the content of his arguments, as the methodological view, his approach to these texts is selective, unscientific and emotional. By critical reviewing of this book, I try to prove my claim about the selective and emotional approach of Scruton in this article. Without arguing the content of his discussions, as far as possible, I show that the value-based approach and believing in single truth, and anger and hated of the Left and the New Left are the basis of his argument in criticizing the personality of thinkers, selecting and describing their theory and finally Seizure as he desired the argument. He argued in the same way and the same style that he claimed the New Left did it.
Indo-Iranian languages and literature, General Works