Modulation of motor area activity during observation of unnatural body movements

The mirror neuron system (MNS) is activated when observing the actions of others. However, it remains unclear whether the MNS responds more strongly to natural bodily actions in the observer’s motor repertoire than to unnatural actions. We investigated whether MNS activity is modulated by the unnaturalness of an observed action by inserting short pauses in the middle of the action (0, 2, and 6 pauses; no-pause, pause-1, and pause-2 conditions, respectively). The results indicated that the number of pauses significantly affected motor area activity. Subsequent analyses revealed significant differences between the pause-1 and pause-2 conditions (P < 0.01), as well as the no-pause and pause-2 conditions (P < 0.05). There was significant activation in the pause-1 condition (P < 0.001), while significant deactivation was observed in the pause-2 condition (P < 0.05). These results indicate that MNS activity is modulated by the kinematic characteristics of the observed action. We suggest the possibility that a slightly deviated action may enhance the MNS activity during action observation, while a highly unnatural action would lead to a strong attenuation (deactivation) of activity in the MNS.     

Making decisions about now and later: Development of future-oriented self-control

This study explored factors underlying preschoolers’ ability to make future-oriented choices. In a delay-of-gratification choice task, quantity and visibility of the reward was systematically varied. Participants included 90 typically developing children aged 2–4 years. Children made more choices to delay gratification as the quantity of the reward increased from 1 to 4 stickers, but covering the reward did not have an effect. The study extends previous findings on delay of gratification choice tasks in suggesting a developmental pattern beginning with an early appearing “hot” motivational system. Having children think about the present self versus the future self presumably activates a second “cool” representational system. Age differences in the development of this system and its integration with the motivational system may be at the heart of the “U” shaped function observed in the present work, one in which simpler abilities underlying self-control develop in parallel and integrate to produce more complex behaviour. The study thus contributes to our understanding of the development of future-oriented self-control, a milestone central to socialization and the definition of the self.     

镜像神经系统—研究药物依赖行为的新靶点

镜像神经是近年来认知与大脑神经科学研究中崭新的课题,大量实验证实了镜像神经元(系统)参与到了多种心理能力的发展与进化之中。目前有研究发现,吸烟相关线索会激活尼古丁成瘾者大脑相应的动作脑区,而该区域也正是人类镜像神经区域,这意味着镜像神经在相关线索激发的心理渴求中可能扮演了重要角色。该实验结果有重要的意义,动作计划脑区的神经线索反应为发展可靠的依赖行为的生物学标记提供了另一个新目标,不仅开发了一个新型的依赖行为的理论模型,还为把神经科学的研究发现运用到实践应用打下了良好的基础。     

General Theory of the Commutator for Deductive Systems. Part I. Basic Facts

The purpose of this paper is to present in a uniform way the commutator theory for k-deductive system of arbitrary positive dimension k. We are interested in the logical perspective of the research — an emphasis is put on an analysis of the interconnections holding between the commutator and logic. This research thus qualifies as belonging to abstract algebraic logic, an area of universal algebra that explores to a large extent the methods provided by the general theory of deductive systems. In the paper the new term ‘commutator formula’ is introduced. The paper is concerned with the meanings of the above term in the models provided by the commutator theory and clarifies contexts in which these meanings occur. The work is presented in an abstracted form: main ideas are outlined but proofs are deferred to the second part of the paper. Dedicated to the memory of Willem Johannes Blok     

No decision‐maker is an Island: integrating expert advice with information acquisition

The present research examined the social context of information acquisition. The main purpose was to examine how decision‐makers' information acquisition processes changed when they were provided access to expert advice. Results indicated that all decision‐makers opted to acquire advice; however, they typically did so only after completing over 75% of their own information search. Decision‐makers agreed more with the advice as task complexity increased, but, in general, searched information in two stages—i.e., a pre‐advice “hypothesis generation” stage and a post‐advice “hypothesis testing” stage. To behave in an adaptive manner, decision‐makers could have used expert advice either to increase their decision accuracy or to reduce their effort expenditure (or both); they chose the former. Implications and further extensions are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

干细胞移植技术离临床治疗应用到底还有多远

骨髓细胞移植是一种早期的干细胞移植性治疗方式.干细胞分离纯化技术的革命,尤其是干细胞移植在各种临床疾病治疗中近期疗效的不断报道促成了干细胞移植技术的推广迅猛发展.胚胎干细胞或成体干细胞如何分化形成指定的有恰当功能的组织器官一直是发育生物学家和干细胞移植科学家们关注的重大研究课题.实际上,干细胞移植治疗既存在理论性困惑,又存在技术性问题,因此干细胞移植技术的实际应用前途是光明的,但道路是曲折的.     

研究生临床技能测试制度与临床决策能力培养

医学研究生的生源不同、学制不同和培养方式等的差异,导致医学研究生毕业时的临床技能和临床决策能力参差不齐。建立医学毕业研究生临床技能测试制度,合理地评价医学研究生毕业时的实际临床能力,从而制定针对个体的临床技能培养方案,为快速培养和提高青年研究生的临床决策能力提供有力的措施。     

关于建立健全治理医药购销领域商业贿赂长效机制的思考

医药购销领域的商业贿赂,形式多样,对我国政治、经济、社会等方面均带来很大的负面影响。它的出现,既有物质条件、心理条件,更有制度条件。治理医药购销领域的商业贿赂,要从思想道德建设、制度建设、体制改革、管理监督等从多方面着手,建立健全长效机制。     

医务社会工作者:医学人文关怀的使者

医务社会工作的内涵决定了其社会作用的重要性,医务社会工作的历史进程显示了其迅速发展的必然性,我国医疗卫生体制改革凸现出发展医务社会工作的紧迫性.目前国内医务社会工作还有许多问题亟待解决,应进一步提高认识水平,加强专业人才队伍建设,健全各项政策法规,积极进行实践探索,构建中国特色的医务社会工作模式,促进医务社会工作的发展.     

我国老龄化与老年医疗保障

中国进入21世纪面临着人口老龄化的重大课题.中国老年人口的数量及老龄化的速度在世界上都是相当高的.老龄化带来了一系列棘手的社会、经济问题,其中如何完善老年人口的医疗保障制度尤其突出.通过从我国人口老龄化的现状出发,分析现有医疗保障制度的局限性,运用系统层次理论,进一步提出建立多层次老年医疗保障体系的具体设想.即在宏观、中观、微观三个层面上,充分发挥国家与社会、社区、家庭和个人的作用,做好"老有所医"的工作.