Socioeconomic and sociocultural determinants of psychological distress and quality of life among patients with psoriasis in a selected multi-ethnic Malaysian population

Patients with psoriasis may have increased risk of psychological comorbidities. This cross-sectional study aimed at determining associations between sociocultural and socioeconomic factors with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) scores and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores. Adult patients with psoriasis were recruited from a Dermatology outpatient clinic via convenience sampling. Interviews were conducted regarding socio-demographic factors and willing subjects were requested to complete the DASS and DLQI questionnaires. The Pearson χ² test, Fisher’s exact test and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis to determine independent predictors of depression, anxiety, stress and severe impairment of quality of life. Unadjusted analysis revealed that depression was associated with Indian ethnicity (p = .041) and severe impairment of quality of life was associated with Indian ethnicity (p = .032), higher education (p = .013), higher income (p = .042), and employment status (p = .014). Multivariate analysis revealed that Indian ethnicity was a predictor of depression (p = .024). For stress, tertiary level of education (p = .020) was an independent risk factor while a higher monthly income was a protective factor (p = .042). The ethnic Indians and Malays were significantly more likely than the ethnic Chinese to suffer reduced quality of life (p = .001 and p = .006 respectively) and subjects with tertiary education were more likely to have severe impairment of quality of life (p = .002). Our study was unique in determining sociocultural influences on psychological complications of psoriasis in a South East Asian population. This has provided invaluable insight into factors predictive of adverse effects of psoriasis on psychological distress and quality of life in our patient population. Future studies should devise interventions to specifically target at risk groups in the development of strategies to reduce morbidity associated with psoriasis.     

Trait compassion is associated with the neural substrate of empathy

Individual differences in the personality trait Agreeableness underlie humans’ ability to interpret social cues and coordinate effectively with others. However, previous investigations of the neural basis of Agreeableness have yielded largely inconsistent results. Recent evidence has demonstrated that Agreeableness can be divided into two, correlated subdimensions. Compassion reflects tendencies toward empathy, sympathy, and concern for others, while Politeness reflects tendencies toward compliance and refraining from aggression and exploitation. The present study seeks to clarify the neural substrates of Agreeableness by examining whether structural differences in the brain show distinct associations with Compassion and Politeness. Results of a meta-analysis of fMRI studies examining empathy were used to generate hypotheses about the brain regions and networks that underlie trait Compassion. Results of a large-scale structural neuroimaging investigation (N = 275) were largely consistent with the meta-analysis: Compassion was positively correlated with gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and anterior insula (AI). Further, these differences appear to be associated with Compassion specifically, as opposed to Politeness, suggesting that these two traits have at least partially distinct neuroanatomical substrates.     

When kinesthetic information is neglected in learning a Novel bimanual rhythmic coordination

Many studies have shown that rhythmic interlimb coordination involves perception of the coupled limb movements, and different sensory modalities can be used. Using visual displays to inform the coupled bimanual movement, novel bimanual coordination patterns can be learned with practice. A recent study showed that similar learning occurred without vision when a coach provided manual guidance during practice. The information provided via the two different modalities may be same (amodal) or different (modality specific). If it is different, then learning with both is a dual task, and one source of information might be used in preference to the other in performing the task when both are available. In the current study, participants learned a novel 90° bimanual coordination pattern without or with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. In posttest, all participants were tested without and with visual information in addition to kinesthesis. When tested with visual information, all participants exhibited performance that was significantly improved by practice. When tested without visual information, participants who practiced using only kinesthetic information showed improvement, but those who practiced with visual information in addition showed remarkably less improvement. The results indicate that (1) the information is not amodal, (2) use of a single type of information was preferred, and (3) the preferred information was visual. We also hypothesized that older participants might be more likely to acquire dual task performance given their greater experience of the two sensory modes in combination, but results were replicated with both 20- and 50-year-olds.     

The Relationship between Online Game Experience and Multitasking Ability in a Virtual Environment

Online game playing has become popular entertainment, yet its relationship with individuals' multitasking ability was inconsistent. Types of online game genre so far have not been compared and may be associated with multitasking abilities. This study proposed to explore the relationships between types of online game playing and multitasking ability, using Edinburgh Virtual Errands Test (EVET). One hundred and sixteen participants playing different online game genres, including multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), other online game playing, and no‐online game playing were compared. Each participant was required to fill in Chen's Internet Addiction Scale and the Internet Usage Questionnaire and perform EVET and working memory tests. The results showed a positive correlation between multitasking ability and working memory. In addition, a positive association was found between MOBA‐type gaming and multitasking abilities measured by EVET. In conclusion, MOBA‐type gaming compared with other game playing is associated with better multitasking abilities in a virtual environment.Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

关于临床决策问题

医生在临床工作中做出明确诊断,并据此给予有效的处理均属于决策过程.制定决策的整个过程,同时也是进行决策思维的过程.近年来高新技术的迅猛发展以及医疗费用急剧增加,使制定决策更加复杂.如何进行正确的决策思维,做出最切实可行的和最佳的决策,对避免决策的盲目性、局限性及惰性具有重要的现实意义.     

逻辑与人工智能

20世纪中期以来,计算机科学以撼世惊人的速度不断向前发展.作为其核心分支的人工智能研究亦取得了一次又一次的突破,并且以其不断逼近与挑战人类智能的姿态而引人注目.在人工智能成就的背后,逻辑学是促其前行的最主要动力引擎之一.逻辑为人工智能提供了根本性的观点与方法,并促成了人工智能研究中最主要派别--逻辑主义AI.而有着漫长学科发展史的逻辑学本身也在与人工智能的结姻过程中获得了自数学公理化、形式化运动以来的又一次全新发展契机.有论者认为"人工智能将是21世纪逻辑学发展的主要动力源泉,并且在很大程度上将决定21世纪逻辑学的面貌".[1]     

青少年身体自我的发展特点和性别差异研究

对1699名青少年学生用自编具有较好信度和效度指标的身体自我量表进行测试。结果表明：青少年学生对身体的满意度从“最满意”到“最不满意”依次是负面特征、相貌特征、性特征、运动特征和身材特征,随年龄的增长其发展呈现波动性,青春期早期和中期呈明显下降趋势,青春期后期有缓慢上升;身体自我在相貌特护、身材特征、性特征、负面特征方面都存在显著的性别差异,男生比女生对身体更满意;城市学生比农村学生对自己的身体更满意。     

显性自恋与隐性自恋:自恋人格的心理学探析

自恋是一种形式多样化的综合性人格构造,它具有两种不同的形式,即显性自恋和隐性自恋。本研究在文献综述、开放式问卷调查和个别访谈的基础上,编制了自恋人格问卷。经对大学生被试进行测查,结果表明：（1）自编的自恋人格问卷具有较好的信度和效度。（2）因素分析得出显性自恋的四个维度是：权欲、优越感、特权感和自我钦羡;隐性自恋的三个维度是：易感质、特权感和自我钦羡。（3）显性自恋和隐性自恋与心理健康有着不同的关联：前者与心理异常症状不存在显著相关,而后者存在显著正相关。