Effects of Counselling on In-School Adolescents＇ about HIVIAIDS in Malaysia

The study examined the effects of counselling on in-school adolescents about HIV/AIDS in Malaysia. A total of 100 male and female students were randomly chosen from three residential commercial areas located in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. A questionnaire on HIV/AIDS symptoms was administered. The findings of the study indicated that two thirds of the interviewed adolescents have high desires to live longer on the earth. Also, adolescents do not associate high death rates of youths with HIV/AIDS symptoms. This report has implications for HIV/AIDS counselling in the Malaysian school system. This is supported by the fact that with the success of retrovirus therapy, many of the infected now live healthier lives and are pursuing a wider range of activities. Many HIV/AIDS infected people today can participate in undergoing their daily life activities, with a significant chance of living longer on the earth. The authors conclude that collaborative partnership between HIV/AIDS services and HIV counselling as part of the integrated system will provide early intervention services to boast relief of anxiety for the young people in Malaysia who already live with HIV/AIDS.

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.

Mindfulness Facets and Psychological Well-Being among Meditators:Serenity as a Mediating Process

Guided by the theoretical processes of mindfulness and psychological well-being,this study examined serenity as a mediator between mindfulness facets and psychological well-being,as indexed by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction.Participants were 133 mindfulness practitioners who took part in a 3-day transnational meditation event in Hong Kong.Upon informed consent,participants completed a self-report questionnaire.The findings from structural equation modeling showed that serenity mediated the relation between two facets of mindfulness,including describing and nonreacting to inner experience,and life satisfaction.Serenity also mediated the relation between the mindfulness facet of describing and depressive symptoms.Direct associations were indicated between two mindfulness facets,including observing and nonjudging of inner experience,and depressive symptoms.Taken together,the findings revealed mindfulness facets as major correlates of serenity and psychological outcomes among Chinese meditation practitioners.To foster psychological well-being,researchers,educators,and practitioners should pay attention to the role of serenity,describing,and nonreacting to inner experience in mental health.

Optimism,Social Support,and Caregiving Burden among the Long-Term Caregivers:The Mediating Effect of Psychological Resilience

Background:As the elderly population grows,the demand for long-term care services is increasing.Despite significant investments in care quality and workforce training,long-term care workers often face challenges such as work fatigue,heavy workloads,and inadequate support.These issues can impact job satisfaction,mental health,and care quality,leading to staff turnover.This study examines how optimism,social support,and psychological resilience relate to caregiving burden,aiming to understand their effects on caregivers’well-being and performance to enhance the quality of long-term care services.Methods:The participants were 542 long-term care workers.Descriptive statistics,t-tests,one-way ANOVA,and hierarchical regression were used for data analysis.Results:(1)Optimism and social support were significantly and positively correlated with psychological resilience and significantly and negatively associated with caregiving burden.(2)Regarding differences in optimism,social support,psychological resilience,and caregiving burden among long-term care workers,females scored significantly higher than males in“social support;”married workers scored significantly higher than unmarried workers in“optimism,”“social support,”and“psychological resilience”;workers aged 45–65 scored significantly higher than those aged 25–45 in“optimism”;workers aged 25–45 scored significantly higher than those aged 45–65 in“caregiving burden”;social workers scored significantly higher than nursing staff in“optimism.”(3)Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between social support and caregiving burden concerning explanatory and predictive power.Conclusions:These findings suggest that optimism,social support,and psychological resilience are essential factors in reducing the caregiving burden among long-term care workers.The study highlights the importance of promoting psychological resilience and providing social support to alleviate the burden of caregiving.

Review of Albanian studies suggests the need for further efforts to counteract significant hepatitis B virus prevalence

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is categorized as one of the smallest enveloped DNA viruses and is the prototypical virus of the Hepatoviridae family.It is usually transmitted through body fluids such as blood,semen,and vaginal secretions.The majority(more than 95%)of immunocompetent adults infected with HBV spontaneously clear the infection.In the context of the high prevalence of HBV infection in Albania,the research gap is characterized by the lack of studies aimed at advancing the current understanding and improving the prevailing situation.The main objective of this study was to address the low rate of HBV diagnosis and the lack of a comprehensive national program to facilitate widespread diagnosis.AIM To analyze the prevalence of HBV infection in Albania and elucidate the persistently high prevalence despite efforts and measures implemented.METHODS Using a systematic literature review,we collected existing research on the epidemiology of HBV in Albania from PubMed,Cochrane Library,Google Scholar,and Albanian Medical Journals,focusing on studies published after the 1980s and conducted solely in the Albanian population.RESULTS The findings reveal a dynamic shift in HBV prevalence in Albania over several decades.Initially high,the prevalence gradually declined following the implementation of screening and vaccination programs.However,the prevalence rates have remained notably high,exceeding 8%in recent years.Contributing factors include vertical transmission,inadequate healthcare infrastructure,and challenges in screening and diagnosis.Studies among Albanian refugees in neighboring countries also reported high prevalence rates,emphasizing the need for transnational interventions.Despite advancements in screening,vaccination,and healthcare infrastructure,Albania continues to face a substantial burden of HBV infection.CONCLUSION The persistence of high prevalence underscores the complexity of the issue,requiring ongoing efforts to ensure a comprehensive understanding and effective mitigation.Addressing gaps in vaccination coverage,improving access to screening and diagnosis,and enhancing public awareness are crucial steps toward reducing HBV prevalence in Albania.

Self-Compassion Moderates the Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Well-Being:Evidence from Cross-Sectional Survey and Experiment

Contingent self-esteem captures the fragile nature of self-esteem and is often regarded as suboptimal to psychological functioning.Self-compassion is another important self-related concept assumed to promote mental health and well-being.However,research on the relation of self-compassion to contingent self-esteem is lacking.Two studies were conducted to explore the role of selfcompassion,either as a personal characteristic or an induced mindset,in influencing the effects of contingent self-esteem on well-being.Study 1 recruited 256 Chinese college students(30.4%male,mean age=21.72 years)who filled out measures of contingent self-esteem,self-compassion,and well-being.The results found that self-compassion moderated the effect of contingent self-esteem on well-being.In Study 2,a sample of 90 Chinese college students(34%male,mean age=18.39 years)were randomly assigned to either a control or self-compassion group.They completed baseline trait measures of contingent self-esteem,self-compassion,and self-esteem.Then,they were led to have a 12-min break(control group)or listen to a 12-min self-compassion audio(self-compassion group),followed by a social stress task and outcome measures.The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the brief self-compassion training and its moderating role in influencing the effects of contingent self-esteem on negative affects after the social stress task.This research provides implications that to equip with a self-compassionate mindset could lower the risk of the impairment of well-being associated with elements of contingent selfesteem,which involves a fragile sense of self-worth.It may also provide insights into the development of an“optimal selfesteem”and the improvement of well-being.

Sequence of events leading to primary biliary cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis(PBC)is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that is observed more frequently in middle-aged women.This disorder is considered an autoimmune disease,since liver injury is sustained by the presence of selfdirected antimitochondrial antibodies targeting the bile duct cells.The prognosis may vary depending on an early diagnosis and response to therapy.However,nearly a third of patients can progress to liver cirrhosis,thus requiring a liver transplant.Traditional immunosuppressive therapies,commonly employed for other autoimmune diseases,have limited effects on PBC.In fact,dramatic functional changes that occur in the biliary epithelium in the course of inflammation play a major role in perpetuating the injury.In this minireview,after a background on the disease and possible predisposing factors,the sequential cooperation of cellular/molecular events leading to end-stage PBC is discussed in detail.The rise and maintenance of the autoimmune process,as well as the response of the biliary epithelia during inflammatory injury,are key factors in the progression of the disease.The so-called“ductular reaction(DR)”,intended as a reactive expansion of cells with biliary phenotype,is a process frequently observed in PBC and partially understood.However,recent findings suggest a strict relationship between this pathological picture and the progression to liver fibrosis,cell senescence,and loss of biliary ducts.All these issues(onset of chronic inflammation,changes in secretive and proliferative biliary functions,DR,and its relationship with other pathological events)are discussed in this manuscript in an attempt to provide a snapshot,for clinicians and researchers,of the most relevant and sequential contributors to the progression of this human cholestatic disease.We believe that interpreting this disorder as a multistep process may help identify possible therapeutic targets to prevent evolution to severe disease.

Chinese herbal medicine combined with cognitive–behavioural therapy for avoidant paruresis:a controlled trial

Background Avoidant paruresis is a common clinical condition in urology and psychosomatic medicine.However,it has limited treatment options that are safe and effective with few side effects.Aims Our study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the Chinese herbal Yangxin Tongquan decoction combined with cognitive-behavioural therapy(CBT)for avoidant paruresis.Methods Sixty-eight patients with avoidant paruresis were divided into a treatment group(33 patients)and a control group(35 patients).The control group was assigned 10 weeks of CBT and systematic desensitisation.In addition to CBT and systematic desensitisation,the treatment group was given the Chinese herbal Yangxin Tongquan decoction during the 10-week study.The Shy Bladder Syndrome Scale(SBS)and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)were administered before and after treatment to measure any change.Results The overall efficacy in the treatment group(n=30)was 80.0%vs 62.5%in the control group(n=33).Comparing pretreatment and post-treatment measures,both groups showed improvement in SBS scores and SAS scores(treatment group:t_((SBS))=8.397,p_((SBS))<0.001,t_((SAS))=8.216,p_((SAS))<0.001;control group:t_((SBS))=6.802,p_((SBS))<0.001,t_((SAS))=5.171,p_((SAS))<0.001).Moreover,both groups’SBS and SAS scores changed significantly over time(SBS scores:F_(time)=118.299,p<0.001;SAS scores:F_(time)=92.114,p<0.001).However,the treatment group performed better than the control group(SBS scores:F_(time*group)=5.709,p=0.020;SAS scores:F_(time*group)=7.235,p=0.009).Conclusions The Chinese herbal Yangxin Tongquan decoction combined with cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy positively affects the treatment of avoidant paruresis without significant adverse effects.

Positive Organizational Scholarship from a Psychotherapeutic Perspective

Many organizational development perspectives and discussions adopt a medical or diagnostic viewpoint of organizational dysfunction, focusing heavily on the numerous deficiencies, mistakes, and other negative aspects of struggling organizations. While any organization has a fair share of problems to address, such an overarching focus on everything that is wrong with an organization can create a harmful cycle of pessimism, depression, and low energy that can be difficult to overcome. Positive Organization Scholarship (POS) practitioners, much like the skilled therapist, help organizations shift from a negative, limiting mindset into a positive, open mindset in order to facilitate positive change. This paper explores how cognitive reappraisal strategies common in psychotherapy could be used by POS practitioners to facilitate change and growth in the organizations they serve.

Assessment of the Neurological Activation in Law Enforcement under High Threat Situations: A Fuzzy Logic Approach

This paper discusses a law enforcement officer (LEO) study that involved expert and novice police deputies from a small-sized city located in the Southern U.S. A virtual reality range was utilized to simulate high threat scenarios that require split second decisions on the use of deadly force. A fuzzy-logic based controller was constructed to analyze electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected from the participants. The fuzzy controller made use of several functions associated with the different regions of the brain to correlate Brodmann areas to multiple outputs. Electromagnetic Tomography (i.e. LORETA) was used to identify where the signals from the surface electrodes originated within the brain through a process called source localization. Once the sources of the EEG signals were located, they were associated with corresponding Brodmann areas. The fuzzy controller then provided insights on the subjects’ exhibited neural activation behavior indicative of vision, memory, shape/distance, hearing/sound, and theory of mind. Comparing and contrasting experienced and novice officers allowed for a greater understanding of the neurological processes present in police deputies when dealing with high threat situations.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of 99.9% Pure Silver Trilaminate Cups in the Prevention and Treatment of Nipple Pain and Fissures

Breastfeeding is drastically decreasing over time and nipple trauma constitutes one of the most significant reasons for its discontinuation. In this context, this study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and tolerability of a topical treatment device, namely Silver Cap® (Depofarma S.P.A.), when used to prevent pain and nipple fissure formation. The medical device consists in a silver trilaminate cup to be placed on the nipple, providing physical protection and creating a moist environment. The study involved 187 women: 38 started to apply the device prior to lactation (PL group) and 149 during lactation (DL group). Aiming to collect safety and performance data, both groups were provided with questionnaires during 6 consecutive visits (120 days of follow-up). At last visit, absence of painful symptoms was reported by the 98.8% and the 100% of women in DL and PL groups, respectively. Moreover, no nipple fissures were observed and no adverse events directly correlated to use of the device were reported. According to these findings, it can be concluded that Silver Cap® is a safe and effective device for nipple pain and fissure prevention. .

Associations between Mental Health Outcomes and Adverse Childhood Experiences and Character Strengths among University Students in Southern China

Adverse childhood experiences(ACEs)can negatively affect mental health,whereas character strengths seem to be positively correlated with mental health.Detailed information on the history of ACEs among university students in China and the extent which mental health is associated with ACEs and character strengths can contribute to the needed empirical evidence for relevant stakeholders.Objectives of this study are 1)to estimate the prevalence of ACEs among undergraduate students in Southern China;and 2)to assess the extent which mental health outcomes(positive growth,well-being,and depression)are associated with ACEs and character strengths among undergraduate students in Southern China.We conducted a self-administered survey amongfirst and second-year students at a university in Southern China and analyzed data using descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses.Among the 779 students who completed the questionnaire,283 were males,439 were females,and 57 did not indicate their gender.The prevalence of ACEs among the participants was 32.1%.History of ACEs was associated with lower positive growth score(Adjusted Beta=-0.20;95%CI=-0.37,-0.02;p=0.030)and lower well-being score(Adjusted Beta=-1.13;95%CI=-2.04,-0.23;p=0.014).Vitality domain of character strength was associated with all three mental health outcomes after adjusting for covariables(all p-values<0.001).Our studyfindings provide empirical evidence for stakeholders in university mental health.However,caveats regarding lack of temporality,selection bias,social desirability bias,and lack of generalizability should be considered in the interpretation of the studyfindings.

On the Effects of Driven Element L/D Ratio and Length in VHF-SHF Yagi-Uda Arrays

While the Yagi-Uda array has been studied for decades, one issue appears to have received less attention than perhaps it should, namely, the effects on performance of the array’s driven element length and its length-to-diameter ratio. This paper looks at that question. It shows that decreasing the L/D ratio increases impedance bandwidth, but it may shift the IBW band sufficiently far from the design frequency that other parameters such as gain and front-to-back ratio probably are adversely affected. It also shows that array performance is not relatively independent of element diameters. This paper also investigates the effect of lengthening the driven element, which can substantially improve IBW. Several iterations of a 3-element prototype and improved arrays are modeled with the Method of Moments and discussed in detail. A five step design procedure is recommended and applied to a Genetic Algorithm-optimized 3-element Yagi at 146 MHz. This array exhibits excellent performance in terms of gain, front-to-back ratio, and especially impedance bandwidth (nearly 14% for voltage standing wave ratio ≤ 2:1 with two frequencies at which 50 ? is almost perfectly matched). While the analysis and recommended design steps are applied to cylindrical array elements, which commonly are aluminum tubing for stand-alone VHF-SHF Yagis, they can be applied to other element geometries as well using equivalent cylindrical radii, for example, Printed Circuit Board traces for planar arrays. One consequence of lengthening the driven element while reducing its L/D ratio is that some reactance is introduced at the array feedpoint which must be tuned out, and two approaches for doing so are suggested.

Estimated prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of mental disorders in medical students of Hebei Province,China:A crosssectional study

BACKGROUND In China,the identification rate and treatment rate of mental disorders are low,and there are few surveys on the prevalence of mental disorders among college students using diagnostic tools such as Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview(MINI),so the prevalence and treatment of mental disorders among college students are unclear.AIM To estimate prevalence of mental disorders among medical students in Hebei Province,and provide guidance for improving their mental health.METHODS This was a cross-sectional study based on an Internet-based survey.Three levels of medical students in Hebei Province were randomly selected(by cluster sampling)for screening.Using the information network assessment system,the subjects scanned the 2D code with their mobile phones,clicked to sign the informed consent,and answered a scale.A self-designed general status questionnaire was used to collect information about age,gender,ethnicity,grade,and origin of students.The MINI 5.0.was used to investigate mental disorders.Data analysis was performed with SPSS software.Statistically significant findings were determined using a two-tailed P value of 0.05.RESULTS A total of 7117 subjects completed the survey between October 11 and November 7,2021.The estimated prevalence of any mental disorders within 12 mo was 7.4%.Mood disorders were the most common category(4.3%),followed by anxiety disorders(3.9%);15.0%had been to psychological counseling,while only 5.7%had been to a psychiatric consultation,and only 10%had received drug therapy in the past 12 mo.CONCLUSION Although the estimated prevalence of mental disorders in medical students is lower than in the general population,the rate of adequate treatment is low.We determined that improving the mental health of medical students is an urgent matter.

The Powerful Role of Mothers in Adolescent Purpose Development

Adolescence is a critical time for the cultivation of life purpose,also known as a meaningful long-term aim focused on contribution to others.Youth with purpose,especially marginalized youth,report a number of positive outcomes.Relationships with caring adults appear to be particularly helpful in guiding young people on their path to purpose,but little work has focused specifically on the role of mothers.This qualitative study,approved by a Institutional Review Board,examines how twenty adolescents from marginalized communities describe their sense of purpose and its relationship to their caregivers.The sample size was determined based on saturation,a process in qualitative research when the researchers begin to observe redundancy in the data.Through content analysis,a major theme emerged:the role of mothers and their impact on purpose development on their children.Results showed that mothers helped their adolescents develop their sense of purpose through serving as a sense of inspiration,providing the adolescents with support,sparking a desire for the adolescents to make their mothers proud,and through the mothers and adolescents in engaging in conversations about one’s future.

老年人社会支持与期望的调查研究

运用问卷调查法,通过对272名城市老年人的调查,考察了老年人的社会支持与期望的现状及其特点。结果发现:老年人的社会支持系统很不平衡,性别、年龄、受教育年限和职业对老年人的婚姻和家庭生活,人际关系和互助行为,住房情况和经济状况,以及心理需要和社会期望等具有不同的影响;相当比例的老年人在不同侧面尚需要家人和社会的关注、理解和支持。

“阳刚”还是“清秀”更具吸引力？--对男性面孔二态性不同偏好的元分析

生活中,有的喜欢"清秀"的男性面孔,而有的则更偏爱长得"阳刚"的面孔,已有大量的研究致力于解释这一分歧,但是得出的研究结果各不一致。本研究用元分析方法考察对男性面孔二态性的不同偏好,通过检索、搜集了23篇有效文献,56对数据满足了元分析标准(n=8408)。结果发现,漏斗图和Begg&Mazumdar秩相关检验、Egger’s检验结果显示不存在发表偏差;主效应检验发现对男性面孔二态性无明显偏好;调节效应检验表明,对男性面孔二态性偏好受面孔生成技术、生理周期的调节,但不受被试性别、关系背景和文化的调节。人们对男性面孔二态性的偏好,除了本身生物学特质(生理周期)外,还受到生成技术的影响。

小学儿童互选友谊的发展趋势及攻击行为的影响:3年追踪研究

对小学3、4年级的285名儿童进行了3年追踪调查,分析了儿童分别与男、女生互选友谊数的变化趋势及其在个体间的差异,探讨了外部攻击和关系攻击分别对两类互选友谊数的影响。结果表明:(1)儿童的男、女生互选友谊数在3年时间内都有显著的增加趋势,并表现出显著的性别差异,儿童与同性互选友谊数显著多于他们与异性的互选友谊数,男生与女生互选友谊数的增加速度比女生与女生互选友谊数增加速度慢,儿童与男生的互选友谊数越多,他/她与女生的互选友谊数就越少,表明了性别疏离现象的存在。(2)在控制了关系攻击的影响后,儿童的外部攻击对他们在各时间点测得的与女生的互选友谊数有显著的消极影响,而对他们与男生的互选友谊数影响不显著;在控制了外部攻击的影响后,儿童的关系攻击对他们在各时间点测得的与女生的互选友谊数有显著的积极影响,而对他们与男生的互选友谊数影响不显著。这说明外部攻击和关系攻击对儿童互选友谊数的影响存在性别差异。

我国老年人的社会支持与服务

鉴于我国老龄化现状,简要地回顾了社会支持的定义与种类,考察了我国传统的孝顺价值观和行为;并着重分析了我国老年人的社会支持与服务,包括老年人的社会支持与幸福感,老年人的家庭支持与照料,老年组织与公共老年服务;以及我国老年人社会支持的城乡差异。

灾后民众创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)与事件冲击量表(IES)的发展和应用

本文简单回顾了国际上在创伤后应激障碍研究中较常使用的自评测量工具——事件冲击量表(IES)及其修改版(IES-R)和儿童版CRIES的发展和应用。并综合报道了在四川绵竹运用IES-R对956名受灾群众进行的测查结果。推论,5·12汶川地震后,将有大约一半的幸存者在一到两个月出现PTSD的主要症状,并具有比较显著的性别差异:女性的分数普遍高于男性,建议及早进行心理危机干预。