Computerized cognitive remediation therapy on cognitive impairment and social function in patients with chronic schizophrenia

BACKGROUND Patients with schizophrenia may have various disease manifestations,most of which gradually tend toward incurable chronic decline,leading to mental disability.The basic symptoms of the disease can impair social function,whereas long-term hospitalization produces hospitalization syndrome,causing serious damage to social function.AIM To investigate the effects of Computerized Cognitive Remediation Therapy(CCRT)on cognitive and social functioning in patients with chronic schizophrenia.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 120 patients with chronic schizophrenia in Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center was performed.They were divided into an intervention group(60 cases treated with CCRT combined with conventional medication)and a control group(60 cases treated with conventional medication).After treatment,effects on cognitive function and social roles were observed in both groups.The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS)was used to assess the patients'psychiatric symptoms.The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST)was used to assess the patients'cognitive functioning,and the Social Functioning Scale for Psychiatric Inpatients(SSPI)was used to assess the social functioning of the inpatient psychiatric patients.RESULTS No significant differences were observed in the PANSS,WCST,and SSPI intergroup scores before treatment(P>0.05).After 2,4,and 6 wk of therapy,general psychopathological factors,positive symptoms,negative symptoms,and total PANSS scores of PANSS in the intervention group were lower than in the control group(P<0.05).After 2,4,and 6 wk of treatment,the number of false responses,number of persistent bugs,and total responses in the WCST were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group(P<0.05),and the amount of completed classification was significantly higher than in the control group(P<0.05).After 2,4,and 6 wk of therapy,the SSPI scores were significantly greater than those of the controls(P<0.05).After 6 wk of treatment,the efficacy rates of the control and intervention groups were 81.67%and 91.67%,respectively.The curative effect in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION CCRT can significantly improve cognitive function and social abilities in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Assessment on self-care, mobility and social function of children with spina bifida in Turkey

The aim of the study was to investigate the functional performance in children with spina bifida, using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory （PEDI） to look into capacity of twen- ty-eight children with spina bifida with lesions at different levels in different dimensions of self- care, mobility and social function. Mean age of the patients was 3.5 ± 2.3 （1-10） years. In the muscle test carried out, 13 patients （44.8%） had no movements including pelvic elevation in lower extremity muscles and they were at level 5. Sixteen patients （54%） were non-ambulatory according to the Hoofer ambulation classification. Raw and scale scores in the self-care, mobil- ity and social function domains both in the functional skill scale and in the caregiver scale were found to be lower compared to the data of the normal population. A statistically significant correlation was observed in the self-care values of the Functional Skills Scales and the Caregiver Assistance Scale measurements, which was positive for age and negative for Functional Ambu- lation Scale and muscle test （P 〈 0.05）. A positive relation was found between the Functional Skills Scales-mobility area and age while a negative relation was observed between Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test （P 〈 0.005）. A negative relation was also found between Care- giver Assistance Scale-mobility and Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test （P 〈 0.005）. In our study, the functional performance of the children was found to be low. Low-level lesions, encouraging muscular strength and independence in mobility are all very important factors for functional independence.

Effect of non-pharmacological treatment on the full recovery of social functioning in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND Long-term treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)is associated with adverse events,such as nausea and vomiting,dizziness,and sleep disturbances,and poor maintenance of late ADHD medication compromises treatment outcomes and prolongs the recovery of patients’social functioning.AIM To evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological treatment on the full recovery of social functioning in patients with ADHD.METHODS A total of 90 patients diagnosed with ADHD between May 2019 and August 2020 were included in the study and randomly assigned to either the pharmacological group(methylphenidate hydrochloride and tomoxetine hydrochloride)or the non-pharmacological group(parental training,behavior modification,sensory integration therapy,and sand tray therapy),with 45 cases in each group.Outcome measures included treatment compliance,Swanson,Nolan,and Pelham,Version IV(SNAP-IV)scores,Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire(PSQ)scores,and Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale(WFIRS)scores.RESULTS The non-pharmacological interventions resulted in significantly higher compliance in patients(95.56%)compared with medication(71.11%)(P<0.05).However,no significant differences in SNAP-IV and PSQ scores,in addition to the learning/school,social activities,and adventure activities of the WFIRS scores were observed between the two groups(P>0.05).Patients with non-pharmacological interventions showed higher WFIRS scores for family,daily life skills,and self-concept than those in the pharmacological group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Non-pharmacological interventions,in contrast to the potential risks of adverse events after longterm medication,improve patient treatment compliance,alleviate patients’behavioral symptoms of attention,impulsivity,and hyperactivity,and improve their cognitive ability,thereby improving family relationships and patient self-evaluation.

Modem Consumption Under Consumer Culture Context and Its Social Function

Consumption has drawn scholars＇ attention from many fields and is studied from many perspectives. With the overwhelmingly powerful position of consumption in the society, new meanings have been endowed with the behavior of consumption. This paper tries to introduce the consumer culture theory, referring mainly to the French sociologist Baudrillard and to explore the social functions, namely differentiation and alienation of consumption under the consumer culture context.

Consumer satisfaction, quality of life and distress with regard to social function and gender in severe mental illness

OBJECTIVE. The relationships between subjective satisfaction, distress and quality of life for severely mental ill patients with different functional levels and gender was investigated in a multi-center cohort, using a balanced mix of subjective and clinician ratings in an outcome-informed model for a clinical management based on shared decision making, 'The Quality star'. METHODS. Naturalistic data for 2552 persons, mainly with schizophrenia diagnoses, in long-term treatment and rehabilitation, were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS. With increasing Social Function, rated with the split-GAF Disability/Functioning scale, the better were patients' Satisfaction, subjective Quality of life and Perceived Global Distress. Women were more satisfied with the care but also more distressed. CONCLUSION. Main findings were in line with other studies. However, the gender differences are in line with some, but not with other, studies. This poses questions how patient factors, instrument constructs, and treatment, especially shared decision making, influence subjective reports.

Effect of Social Skill Training on Social Function in Patients with Schizophrenia

Objective:To explore the effect of Social Skills Training(SST)on the social function of inpatients with schizophrenia.Methods:A total of 40 patients with schizophrenia(20 in the intervention group and 20 in the control group)were selected from a psychiatric hospital in Shanghai for 10 times(once a week)of social skills training.The control group was treated with routine hospitalization(drug therapy and routine hospitalization nursing)for 10 weeks.Social Disability Screening Schedule before and after intervention for patients enrolled in the intervention group(Social Disability Screening Schedule,SDSS and Scale of Social Function in Psychosis Inpatients,SSPI).Conclusion:The results of social skills training on SDSS and SSPI were different between the two groups,and there was no statistical value(P>0.05).Observation of patients in this group,when undergoing social skills training,SSPI score was significantly better than the control group(P<0.01)and SDSS score was significantly lower than the control group(P<0.01),the differences were statistically significant.Social skills training and social work group intervention can improve psychiatric symptoms and further enhance social function in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.

Urban spatial structure analysis:quantitative identification of urban social functions using building footprints

Analysis of urban spatial structures is an effective way to explain and solve increasingly serious urban problems.However,many of the existing methods are limited because of data quality and availability,and usually yield inaccurate results due to the unclear description of urban social functions.In this paper,we present an investigation on urban social function based spatial structure analysis using building footprint data.An improved turning function(TF)algorithm and a selforganizing clustering method are presented to generate the variable area units(VAUs)of high-homogeneity from building footprints as the basic research units.Based on the generated VAUs,five spatial metrics are then developed for measuring the morphological characteristics and the spatial distribution patterns of buildings in an urban block.Within these spatial metrics,three models are formulated for calculating the social function likelihoods of each urban block to describe mixed social functions in an urban block,quantitatively.Consequently,the urban structures can be clearly observed by an analysis of the spatial distribution patterns,the development trends,and the hierarchy of different social functions.The results of a case study conducted for Munich validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Identifying urban land use social functional units:a case study using OSM data

Urban land use is always the central focus of urban planners and policymakers when pursuing urban sustainable development.Currently,many studies have explored urban land use using satellite data,but few of them can identify the social function of land use through these data.In this research,OpenStreetMap(OSM)data are used to extract urban land use social functional units.Firstly,the OSM data are transferred to actual land use types based on the established mapping rules between OSM data and the urban land use classification standards.Then,the improved DBSCAN algorithm is applied with OSM data of the study area after estimating the parameters of the neighborhood radius(Eps)and the minimum polygons(MinPolys)based on the polygon density.With the two estimated parameters,the improved DBSCAN algorithm is used to cluster residential,commercial and public service land use social functional polygons of the OSM data.Following that,the clusters of the three land use types are processed into land use social functional units.The results show that OSM data perform well in determining these three land use social functional clusters using the improved DBSCAN algorithm,and the social functional units display obvious spatial features.

Chinese Ageing in Minority Cultures： The Role of Social Functioning

The increasing proportions of older people in the populations of many societies and the patterns of increasing global mobility make social services with ageing ethnic minorities of ever greater importance to social work practitioners. The paper reviews current knowledge and understanding of factors that contribute to social functioning within and outside the family among one migrant group： older ethnic Chinese in Western countries. The findings show that the capacity to maintain a functional social role varies across different groups of Chinese ethnic elders： some are marginalized and excluded from mainstream social engagement on a number of different levels. Some have difl!iculty in accessing public services; some are in a disadvantageous position with regard to wider social connections; and others are empowered in later life in terms of income, social engagement, autonomy and being in a collective, reciprocal relationship. The impact of these factors is complicated by the mixture of the older people＇s cultural heritage, degree of acculturation, socioeconomic status, educational achievements, patterns and history of immigration, refigious beliefs, and family dynamics. Similarly these factors must be understood by social service professionals for providing services to match the needs of ethnic Chinese older people.

Relationship between primary caregivers’social support function,anxiety,and depression after interventional therapy for acute myocardial infarction patients

BACKGROUND An acute myocardial infarction(AMI)is often treated with direct coronary intervention and requires home-based rehabilitation.Caregivers of patients with AMI need adequate social support to maintain high-quality care;however,their social support function is low,and relevant indicators for intervention must be identified.AIM To analyze the correlation between social support for primary caregivers,their anxiety,and depression,when caring for patients with AMI after interventional therapy.METHODS Using convenience sampling,we selected 300 primary caregivers of patients with AMI who had undergone interventional therapy.The Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS),Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),and Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS)were used to assess the primary caregivers.A Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations between the SSRS,SAS,and SDS,and a multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing the low social support function of primary caregivers.The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve(AUC)were used to evaluate the predictive ability of the SAS and SDS for low social support function in primary caregivers.RESULTS Considering the norm among Chinese people,AMI caregivers’objective support,subjective support,support utilization,and SSRS scores were lower,while their SAS and SDS scores were higher.The SSRS scores of female caregivers were higher than those of the male caregivers(t=2.123,P=0.035).The Pearson correlation analysis showed that objective support,subjective support,support utilization,and SSRS total scores were significantly correlated with both SAS(r=-0.414,-0.460,-0.416,-0.535)and SDS scores(r=-0.463,-0.379,-0.349,-0.472).Among the 300 AMI caregivers,56 cases(18.67%)had a low level of support function(SSRS≤22 points).Logistic regression model analysis showed that SAS and SDS were independent risk factors for low social support function of AMI caregivers,regardless of adjustment for other variables(P<0.05).SAS and SDS predicted that the AUC of AMI caregivers with low support function was 0.84,sensitivity was 67.9 and 71.4,and specificity was 84.0 and 70.9,respectively.CONCLUSION The social support function of the primary caregiver of patients with AMI after interventional therapy was lower and negatively correlated with anxiety and depression in the primary caregiver.

A Brief Study of the Pragmatic Functions of English Euphemism in Social Life

Euphemism,as a unique form in language expression,conveys a lot about the society and culture in which it exits.This paper studies the functions of euphemism and its application of euphemisms in social-cultural activities.

Relationship between Social Capital and Cognitive Functions among Community-Based Elderly

The concept of social capital encompasses all relationships and networks among people in a local community or society as a whole. It has been found to be associated with the health and daily living status of people. Furthermore, an association between social capital and cognitive functions among the elderly has been suggested in recent years. However, the number of such reports is very few. Hence, the present study aims to evaluate the relationship between social capital and cognitive functions among the elderly living in a local community in Japan. A questionnaire survey was administered to 192 elderly individuals belonging to 10 neighborhood elderly groups. A regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between cognitive functions and the level of engagement with the local community, after adjusting for age, gender, and symptoms of depression. Valid responses were collected from 145 participants (mean age: 75.3 years). An analysis of the data concerning the level of engagement with the local community revealed a significant difference in the cognitive function scores between the group of people who indicated that they had someone they could consult (n = 69) and the group that indicated they had no one to consult (n = 76) (regression coefficient: -0.61, p = 0.0038, 95% confidence interval: -1.02 to -0.20). This result indicates the existence of a significant correlation between social capital and cognitive functions of the elderly living in a local community. In future studies, we need to investigate the same with a larger number of participants from a wider geographical area, and by incorporating more indicators for a comprehensive evaluation of social capital.

Cultural Characteristics and Communicative Functions of English Euphemism

Euphemism is a linguistic concept and meanwhile a cultural phenomenon.It truly reflects the life and values of English people through history,thus is closely linked with the culture of English-speaking countries.Moreover,euphemism has significant social functions.It has been causing wide interest in people.Many linguistic researchers and scholars have done much research on it.Based on their achievements the author will have an exploration of the cultural characteristics and social functions of English euphemism.

Clinical Correlates Associated with Basic Ability of Social Life in Schizophrenia Inpatients

Objective: The aim of the present study is to explore clinical factors associated with basic ability of social life in schizophrenia inpatients. Methods: The subjects were 50 inpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV). Their mean age was 53.08 (SD = 12.08) years. Social life functioning was evaluated using the Rehabilitation Evaluation of Hall and Baker (REHAB). Cognitive function was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and clinical symptoms with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS). Results: The REHAB deviant behavior score showed a significant correlation with the PANSS positive syndrome score (r = 0.55, p < 0.01) and the REHAB general behavior score had significant correlations with the PANSS positive syndrome score (r = 0.28, p < 0.05), the PANSS negative syndrome score (r = 0.53, p < 0.01), and the DIEPSS score (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between the scores of the REHAB and the BACS. Conclusion: These results suggest that negative and drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms are much more important factors related to lowered basic ability of social life of schizophrenia inpatients than cognitive function.

基于暗数据视角对情报学的反思

[目的/意义]引入暗数据概念,对情报学现有观念、理论等做出新的诠释。[方法/过程]首先,梳理文献,辨析概念,提出广义的暗数据概念;然后,从暗数据视角对情报的本质、情报活动的目的和情报的社会功能等做出新的阐释。[结果/结论]暗数据是指潜藏在人们的认知之外,且对社会生活产生重要影响的数据。从暗数据视角反思情报学,可获得一些新的认识:确定性不是情报的本质特征,不确定性才是情报的根本属性;情报活动的目的,不在于揭示事物的规律及基于规律的预测,而是最大限度地减少事物的不确定性;情报的社会功能不宜定位于服务决策或成为决策的参谋,而是辅助或影响决策。

ChatGPT智能文化建构与社会功能研究

ChatGPT4.0的出现不仅从技术基底的角度推动AIGC产业腾飞发展,其蕴含的智能文化也已初步显化,并以物质生产力的解放和自我进化的精神将现代社会重新紧密联结。从ChatGPT已展现出的能力看,其在泛在性教学补全社会教育、去沉积化传播社会资源、数智化解放生产力、类人化陪伴等社会功能上表现较为突出,并不断自我涌现,突破能力边界。智能文化的实质是在多层面进行的行业系统性数智化变革创新,我们要在双数化观念的推动下,打造现代数智化全媒体人才培养模式,引导新闻舆论工作发展,积极回应时代之变。