Computational Linguistics and Audio-Visual Readability : Analysing Linguistic Features of Intralingual-Subtitles Corpora

This paper aims to evaluate a new perspective for computational linguistic studies, determining if it is possible to carry out a complete linguistic analysis on tendencies and features of audio-visual works (films, TV-shows, documentaries, videogames) by collecting original intralingual subtitles in POS-tagged linguistic corpora. Two corpora were made starting from textual materials of two ‘Netflix Original’ TV-series, in the attempt to provide a structured approach for further research on the linguistic aspects of subtitles

Feasibility, Adherence and Efficacy of Liraglutide Treatment in a Sample of Individuals With Mood Disorders and Obesity

Background: Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable medication approved for the treatment of obesity. Hereby we report the feasibility, adherence and efficacy of liraglutide treatment in a sample of individuals with mood disorders and obesity.Methods and Sample: Twenty-nine patients with Bipolar or Major Depressive Disorder received liraglutide once daily subcutaneously at a dose gradually titrated from 0.6 to 3 mg. All patients were obese and had previously failed multiple healthy lifestyle interventions, including exercise and diet programs. Patients' weight was recorded before liraglutide treatment (T0) and then 1 (T1), 3 (T3), and 6 months (T6) following T0.Results: Mean baseline (T0) weight was 110.54 Kg (±24.95). Compared to baseline, the percentage of weight loss was 3.37% at T1, 7.85% at T3, and 10.20% at T6. Thirty-one percent (n = 9) of patients had no side effects, 34.48% (n = 10) had one, 24.14% (n = 7) had two, and 10.34% (n = 3) had three side effects. All 29 subjects were still on liraglutide at T1; 79.31 and 48.28% were on liraglutide at T3 and T6. No significant relationship was found between liraglutide dose and likelihood to continue the medication. No patient showed a worsening of the psychiatric condition due to liraglutide treatment. Acceptability and satisfaction with treatment were good for the 48% that completed the study.Conclusions: Liraglutide treatment was efficacious, accepted and tolerated by ~50% of our sample, followed up for a period of 180 days. Larger, longer, controlled, prospective studies are warranted

THE ACQUISITION OF PHRASAL VERBS THROUGH ENHANCED AUDIOVISUAL CAPTIONS. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUBTITLING TOOL FOR EFL LEARNERS

Since their introduction in the late 1980s, captioned audiovisual materials have increasingly gained attention in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research (Gottlieb 1994; Danan 2004; Caimi 2006; Pavesi & Perego 2008). These materials, initially conceived as tools for accessibility, have demonstrated a potential to enhance language learning, making them increasingly relevant for educators and researchers. Recent studies have underscored the effectiveness of textual input enhancement (TIE) techniques, which can highlight particular linguistic elements in audiovisual input to draw learners’ attention and facilitate learning. Research by MacDonald and Comeaux (2018), Montero-Perez et al. (2015, 2018), Lee and Révész (2018, 2020), and Cintrón-Valentín and Garcia-Amaya (2021) suggests that TIE applied to captioned videos can significantly impact learners’ ability to notice and retain linguistic forms. Yet, despite these positive findings, the relationship between attention, noticing, and retention remains insufficiently understood (Zhang 2022). Moreover, while the consensus supports that TIE favours attentional processes, it is less clear whether different forms of TIE (such as colouring, highlighting, or keyword captioning) lead to differential outcomes in noticing and retention. This gap in the literature is particularly evident concerning more complex lexico-grammatical items, such as English phrasal verbs (PVs). Although TIE techniques have been successfully employed to enhance learning of linguistic features like individual words and grammatical structures, the application of these methods for phrasal verb acquisition via subtitled videos remains under-researched (Fu 2021). English phrasal verbs represent a particularly challenging linguistic feature for learners, as they often involve a combination of both literal and idiomatic meanings. Studies have consistently shown that learners, especially those at lower proficiency levels, tend to avoid using phrasal verbs due to their perceived complexity (Dagut & Laufer 1985). This avoidance persists even as learners become more proficient, suggesting that traditional teaching methods may not effectively address the cognitive difficulties associated with phrasal verb acquisition (Natsumi 2021). Thus, this doctoral project seeks to address several key gaps in the current research. First, it investigates the impact of different TIE techniques on learners’ ability to notice and retain phrasal verbs in captioned videos. Second, it explores the role of high-quality captioning materials, as the availability of pre-prepared and accurately captioned videos remains a significant challenge for educators (Romero-Fresco 2020). Lastly, it aims to develop a learning tool, “SubTeachMe,” to simplify the process of creating and using enhanced captioned materials, thereby bridging the gap between research findings and pedagogical practice. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether specific TIE techniques can enhance the acquisition of phrasal verbs through captioned audiovisual materials. In doing so, it also aims at providing insights into the broader implications of input enhancement strategies in multimedia learning. By combining empirical investigation with the development of a pedagogical tool, this research contributes to both theoretical interpretations of SLA and practical approaches to language teaching. To achieve these goals, the study is divided into two main components. The first is an experimental study that evaluates the effects of different captioning conditions (no enhancement, colouring, and keyword captioning) on learners’ noticing and retention of English phrasal verbs. Preliminary results suggest that coloured captions may significantly enhance learners’ ability to notice phrasal verbs, although further research is required to determine the impact on retention. The second component involves the creation of a software tool, “SubTeachMe,” designed to assist educators in producing high-quality, TIE-enhanced captioned materials. This tool represents an innovative contribution to the field, facilitating the integration of audiovisual input into language classrooms and addressing the practical challenges faced by teachers. The first chapter of the thesis establishes the theoretical foundations of this research. It explores key concepts like input salience, noticing, and input enhancement within the framework of SLA theories. This introductory part also delves into the role of working memory in language processing, drawing connections between cognitive capacity and learners’ ability to notice and retain linguistic features. The second chapter provides a thorough review of audiovisual studies in SLA, focusing on how subtitles and captions have been used in language learning contexts. It reviews contemporary research on different types of subtitles (intralingual and interlingual) and enhanced captions, outlining their effects on learners’ noticing and retention of linguistic forms. The third chapter is dedicated to a detailed analysis of phrasal verbs, their complexity in English as a second language, and how learners often struggle to acquire them. It introduces key theoretical perspectives on the cognitive challenges of acquiring phrasal verbs and discusses how audiovisual input and TIE techniques might address these challenges. The fourth chapter presents the empirical core of the research. It details the experimental design and methodology used to investigate the effects of different captioning conditions (no enhancement, colouring, and keyword captioning) on the noticing and retention of phrasal verbs among EFL learners. The results are discussed in relation to both existing literature and the research questions. In the fifth and final chapter, the research turns practical, focusing on the development of the “SubTeachMe” tool, a software designed to help teachers and learners create and use enhanced captions for language learning. This part discusses the rationale behind the tool, its key features, and how it can be integrated into educational practice to optimise phrasal verb acquisition through audiovisual input. By offering a comprehensive investigation into the impact of TIE techniques on phrasal verb learning and the creation of a tailored subtitling tool, this doctoral project aims to contribute both to the field of applied linguistics and to the practical resources available for educators in EFL contexts

Exploring the Potentials of Intralingual Subtitling in Second Language Learning: An Experimental Study with EFL University Students

In the last two decades, Audiovisual Translation (AVT) studies have become of interest for Second Language Acquisition (SLA) researchers, particularly regarding the use of subtitles in language learning activities. This paper will present an experiment aimed at investigating the role of subtitled 'input enhancement' in SLA. The study involved a group of Italian native students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from Milan University. They were exposed to a video with three different subtitling techniques (interlingual subtitles, intralingual subtitles, and enhanced intralingual subtitles), and they were asked to perform a proficiency test immediately after the exposure to the video. The study showed that visual enhancements in the subtitled input improve learners’ noticing process of language features, thus facilitating short-term vocabulary acquisition. The results proved that future SLA and AVT cross-studies should focus on input enhancement in the subtitles to improve learners’ noticing process of language features in the input.</jats:p

Exploring the Potentials of Intralingual Subtitling in Second Language Learning: An Experimental Study with EFL University Students

In the last two decades, Audiovisual Translation (AVT) studies have become of interest for Second Language Acquisition (SLA) researchers, particularly regarding the use of subtitles in language learning activities. This paper will present an experiment aimed at investigating the role of subtitled 'input enhancement' in SLA. The study involved a group of Italian native students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from Milan University. They were exposed to a video with three different subtitling techniques (interlingual subtitles, intralingual subtitles, and enhanced intralingual subtitles), and they were asked to perform a proficiency test immediately after the exposure to the video. The study showed that visual enhancements in the subtitled input improve learners’ noticing process of language features, thus facilitating short-term vocabulary acquisition. The results proved that future SLA and AVT cross-studies should focus on input enhancement in the subtitles to improve learners’ noticing process of language features in the input

A study on the association of mood disorders and gluten-related diseases

Our study aimed to evaluate the presence of antibodies related to gluten intolerance in patients with mood disorders. A total of 60 patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or depressive disorder were recruited. Fourty-eight subjects randomly selected among unrelated family members were included as controls. Celiac disease-associated antibodies were assayed both in the patients and controls. Mean values of IgA/IgG anti-gliadin antibodies, IgA/IgG anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies and IgA anti-transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies were not different between patients and controls. However, a significant difference was found for anti-tTG IgG antibodies. Even if both in controls and in patients the mean anti-tTG IgG value was below the cutoff, the estimates produced by the statistical model showed that each unit increase in the anti-tTG IgG antibody value corresponded to an approximately 5% increased chance of having a mood disorder. The patient group showed a more frequent presence of symptoms associated to non-celiac gluten sensitivity. However, as there was neither any correlation between antibody levels and gastrointestinal symptoms, nor with the intensity of the psychiatric symptoms, it may be conceivable that the increase in anti-tTG IgG antibodies is not disorder-related but possibly an outcome of the psychiatric disorder itself

Disturbi dell’umore e patologie glutine correlate. Mood disorders and gluten-related diseases

Background. Immune activation against gluten has been studied and well described in several mental disorders, including Schizophrenia, but systematic and conclusive data pertaining to mood disorders (MD) is still lacking. The study aims to assess whether MD are related to an immune response against gluten. Methods. Patients were administered the following psychometric tools: (a) Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), i.e. a semi-structured clinical interview, to confirm the diagnosis; (b) Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) to evaluate depressive and anxiety symptomatology, respectively; (c) Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) e Young Mania Rating Scale to evaluate psychotic and manic symptoms. Controls received the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-Non Patients Version (SCID-NP) to rule out the presence of current or past psychiatric disorders. Statistical analyses were performed with non-parametric tests. Serum samples from the 60 patients diagnosed with MD and from the 48 healthy controls, genetically unrelated with the 60 patients, were analyzed for IgA and IgG anti-transglutaminase antibodies (tTG), IgA antiendomysial antibodies (EMA), IgA and IgG anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) and IgA and IgG anti-deamidated gliadin peptides antibodies (DGP). All antibody tests were run with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence technique (IFI) (Eurospital, Trieste, Italy). Results. Only the tTG IgG levels resulted significantly higher in patients than controls (p < 0.007), whose mean values were 16.3 ± 11.8 in the patient group and 11.2±10.0 in the control group. When evaluating subgroups of recruited subject-patients with/without comorbidity of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, controls with/without comorbidity of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases-tTG IgG results were similar in patients with or without comorbidity. On the contrary, a significant difference (p <0.004) in the subgroups without comorbidity was observed between tTG IgG of patients (16.6 ± 11.7) and tTG IgG of controls (10.2± 8.8). Conclusions. Subjects with MD do not seem to be at higher risk of suffering celiac disease (CD) or non-celiac gluten sensitivity than general population. tTG IgG autoantibodies seem to be typical of MD, in whom may not be related to a specific/primary autoimmune or inflammatory disease. Yet, they might represent an aetiopathogenetic factor for the development of psychatric disorder or a secondary effect of the psychiatric disorder on the immunary syste