Attention network test: Assessment of cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome

Information processing difficulties are common in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It has been shown that the time it takes to process a complex cognitive task, rather than error rate, may be the critical variable underlying CFS patients' cognitive complaints. The Attention Network Task (ANT) developed by Fan and colleagues may be of clinical utility to assess cognitive function in CFS, because it allows for simultaneous assessment of mental response speed, also called information processing speed, and error rate under three conditions challenging the attention system. Comparison of data from two groups of CFS patients (those with and without comorbid major depressive disorder; n = 19 and 22, respectively) to controls (n = 29) consistently showed that error rates did not differ among groups across conditions, but speed of information processing did. Processing time was prolonged in both CFS groups and most significantly affected in response to the most complex task conditions. For simpler tasks, processing time was only prolonged in CFS participants with depression. The data suggest that the ANT may be a task that could be used clinically to assess information processing deficits in individuals with CFS.     

Compulsive buying and life aspirations: An analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic goals

This study intends to gain better insight into the role the life aspirations described in the framework of Self-determination theory play in compulsive buying. Profiles based on the importance and likelihood for extrinsic and intrinsic personal goals in three groups with low, moderate, and high compulsive buying propensities from a general population representative sample (N = 2159) were initially established. Moreover, results from MANCOVA analyses showed that the high propensity group obtained significantly higher scores on the importance placed on each and every one of the extrinsic goals of financial success, image, popularity, and conformity, and on the likelihood of attainment of image and conformity. As for the intrinsic aspirations, it was confirmed that while the high risk group presented similar or significantly higher scores on the importance placed to them, they obtained significantly lower scores for the likelihood of attaining all the intrinsic goals of self-acceptance, affiliation, community feeling, physical health, and safety. Accordingly, interventions focused on the potentiation of the perceived likelihood of attainment of intrinsic goals, jointly with the reduction of the importance ascribed to extrinsic aspirations, may contribute to the effective treatment and prevention of compulsive buying.     

Constrained paths based on the Farey sequence in learning to juggle

In this article we report the results of a study conducted to investigate the learning dynamics of three-ball juggling from the perspective of frequency locking. Based on the Farey sequence, we predicted that four stable coordination patterns, corresponding to dwell ratios of 0.83, 0.75, 0.67, and 0.50, would appear in the learning process. We examined the learning process in terms of task performance, taking into account individual differences in the amount of learning. We observed that the participants acquired individual-specific coordination patterns in a relatively early stage of learning, and that those coordination patterns were preserved in subsequent learning, even though performance in terms of number of successful consecutive throws increased substantially. This increase appeared to be related to a reduction in spatial variability of the juggling movements. Finally, the observed coordination patterns were in agreement with the predicted patterns, with the proviso that the pattern corresponding to a dwell ratio of 0.50 was not realized and only a hint of evidence was found for the dwell ratio of 0.67. This implies that the dwell ratios of 0.83 and 0.75 in particular exhibited a stable coordination structure due to strong frequency locking between the temporal variables of juggling.     

Emergent Power Hierarchies and Group Performance

In newly formed groups, informal hierarchies emerge automatically and readily. In this study, we argue that emergent group hierarchies enhance group performance (Hypothesis 1) and we assume that the more the power hierarchy within a group corresponds to the task‐competence differences of the individual group members, the better the group performs (Hypothesis 2). Twelve three‐person groups and 28 four‐person groups were investigated while solving the Winter Survival Task. Results show that emerging power hierarchies positively impact group performance but the alignment between task‐competence and power hierarchy did not affect group performance. Thus, emergent power hierarchies are beneficial for group performance and although they were on average created around individual group members' competence, this correspondence was not a prerequisite for better group performance.     

早期目标血糖管理下严重脓毒症患者HMGB1的变化及其临床意义

探讨早期目标血糖管理对严重脓毒症患者HMGB1变化的影响.严重脓毒症患者随机分为血糖控制A（4.4mmol/L~6.1mmol/L）、B（6.2mmol/L~8.3mmol/L）、C（8.4mmol/L~10.0mmol/L）三组.给予早期目标血糖管理,入ICU后0d、1d、3d、5d、7d采血测TNF-α、HMGB1浓度.三组TNF-α、HMGB1浓度及APACHEⅡ评分均呈下降趋势,A组HMGB1浓度及APACHEⅡ评分在第7d较B、C组明显降低（P＜0.05）.A组28d病死率较B、C组降低（P＆gt;0.05）.严重脓毒症患者在早期目标血糖管理下,显著降低HMGB1浓度,降低病死率和改善预后,HMGB1可用来评价脓毒症的严重程度及预后.     

The environment influences whether high-fat foods are associated with palatable or with unhealthy

This study investigated whether relatively automatic evaluations of food differ between situations and between obese people and lean controls. These evaluations were assessed in the affective priming paradigm (APP) -- a response latency based measure for associations. In Experiment 1, we either focused participants (33 obese and 26 lean controls) on the palatability (restaurant condition) or on the healthiness (health condition) of food, prior to the APP. Independent of weight-status, relatively automatic evaluations of food were based on palatability in the restaurant condition, and on health in the health condition. So, the current focus of attention can shape the way foods are evaluated relatively automatically. In Experiment 2, craving was induced in participants (27 obese and 29 lean controls). Unexpectedly, the craving induction did not achieve its goal of focusing on the palatability of food in general, but just for low-fat foods, possibly because of the health-emphasizing environment -- a hospital. Interestingly, obese people showed a stronger palatability priming effect with increasing levels of initial craving. For normal weight controls the effect was in the same direction, but missed significance. In our environment, palatability of food may be too salient, and health may not be salient enough, influencing automatic food-evaluations.     

血红素氧合酶-1与动脉粥样硬化和高血压的关系

血红素氧合酶-1（HO-1）是血红素分解的起始酶和限速酶,它分解血红素最终生成胆红素、一氧化碳和铁.这三种产物通过抗炎症损伤、抗氧化应激、抗细胞增殖、抗细胞凋亡、抑制血小板聚集、调节血管张力及细胞内信号传递等途径对心血管系统起着重要的保护作用.研究显示,HO的诱导剂及多种能降低心血管病风险的药物能诱导 HO-1表达增加,从而起到抗动脉粥样硬化的发生发展及调节血压的作用.因此开发临床可应用的HO诱导剂,甚至开发HO的基因治疗方法是目前研究的方向.     

新生儿重症监护病房患儿家属心理状况分析

探讨新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）住院患儿家属的心理状况及影响因素。采用焦虑自评量表（SAS）及自行设计的调查问卷对190名NICU住院患儿家属进行调查。结果显示患儿家属表现出不同程度的焦虑,与全国常模（29．78±0．46）相比,其焦虑情绪标准分49．54±1．07,高于常模组（P〈O．05）。影响因素主要包括文化水平、家庭人均收入及患儿病情严重程度等。患儿父母关注的主要问题包括：病情严重程度、预后、医护人员解释病情满意度及病房探视制度。笔者认为医护人员应加强与患儿家属的有效沟通,满足其心理需求,提高医疗护理质量,促进医患关系和谐。     

妊娠合并结核临床诊治的决策

妊娠合并结核是一种对母婴健康危害极大的妊娠期疾病。在妊娠期结核病中,多数患者无明显症状,早期症状与妊娠期某些生理反应相似,加之妊娠与结核病的相互影响,x线、CT等重要的影像学检查受限,致使本病易被误诊或误治。某些抗结核药物对母婴的不良影响,使其治疗难以实施,由于结核病本身及治疗后可能对胎儿的影响,在临床上是否终止妊娠往往难以决策。本文就妊娠合并结核诊治过程中的相关问题进行综述,以期为临床诊治决策提供帮助。     

Bases of social power,leadership styles,and organizational commitment

Affective organizational commitment reflects the extent to which organizational members are loyal and willing to work toward organizational objectives (Meyer & Allen, 1997). In particular, affective organizational commitment holds very important implications at all organizational levels (e.g., turnover rates, performance, and citizenship behavior). Whereas previous research has evinced the positive influence of transformational and charismatic leadership styles on affective commitment toward the organization (Bass & Avolio, 1994), little is known with regard to the nature of this relationship. In line with the interpersonal power/interaction model, the present investigation aimed to investigate the mechanism at play between transformational leadership style and affective organizational commitment. Specifically, we hypothesized that transformational leadership style would increase affective organizational commitment through its effect on willingness to comply with soft bases of power. In two studies, we subjected the foregoing hypotheses to empirical scrutiny. In Study 1, the proposed mediation model was empirically supported with Italian employees in the public sector. Attesting to the robustness of our findings, Study 2 replicated the findings of Study 1 with Italian employees from the public and private sectors. In addition, Study 2 replicated Study 1 using a different measure of transformational leadership. Both Study 1 and Study 2 provided results consistent with our hypotheses. Specifically, the present paper reports empirical evidence that (1) the more participants report having a transformational leader, the more willing they become to comply with soft (but not harsh) power bases, (2) in turn, greater willingness to comply with soft (but not harsh) power bases increases one's affective organizational commitment. These findings provide additional support for the interpersonal power/interaction model and pave the way for new research directions.