Ability Scale Research Articles

Emotional Contagion Ability Scale: Compilation and empirical validity for Chinese college students

The aim of our research was to develop a reliable and valid questionnaire to assess trait emotional contagion ability in Chinese college students. In Study 1 we generated a preliminary questionnaire by modifying previously established questionnaires and eliminating items assessing emotional response. The final version consisted of 12 items categorized into four dimensions, and it demonstrated high reliability and validity. Study 2 was designed to examine the empirical validity of the questionnaire in a laboratory setting. Results revealed that trait emotional contagion ability was significantly associated with muscle activity and level of state emotional contagion in the laboratory experiment, indicating that the Emotional Contagion Ability Scale is a valid tool for assessing emotional contagion ability and can be utilized in laboratory-based emotional contagion research among college students.

A Study on Social Support for Career Adaptation of Local College Students in Southwest China

As the deteriorating socio-economic environment exacerbates the lack of educational resources for general universities in southwest China, the problem of the competition for employment of their graduates becomes particularly acute. To solve the above problems, based on the theoretical framework of social support, this study selected social support, social adaptation, psychological capital, self-care management ability and other scales to survey students in six universities in Southwest China. The survey results show that: (1) Social support has a significant positive impact on social adjustment. (2) Psychological capital and self-career management ability play a significant chain mediating role in the impact of social support on social adaptation. (3) Due to the lack of objective educational resources, universities should actively establish links with social enterprises so that students can continuously build professional confidence through practice. This will fill the resource gap and enable students to better adapt to society.

Caring ability and its related factors in the family caregivers of patients with cancer.

Caregivers of cancer patients experience a variety of challenges caused by the prolonged burden of care. Many of these caregivers do not have the necessary knowledge, skills and caring ability to fulfil their caring role. Therefore, healthcare providers should support them in learning to provide high-quality care. Evaluating caregivers' ability will be the first step of this supportive programme. The aim of this study was to determine the caring ability of the caregivers of cancer patients and its related factors. This descriptive correlational study was performed with 271 caregivers of cancer patients who were selected through convenience sampling conducted from July to December 2021 in selected hospitals in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. The data were collected using the caring ability of family caregivers of patients with cancer scale (CAFCPCS), which was developed by Nemati et al (2020). In addition, the stability reliability coefficient was calculated to be ICC=0.93. Data analysis was performed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 26), using descriptive and inferential statistics and correlation coefficient tests at a significance level of 0.05. The mean score for the caring ability of the family caregivers of cancer patients in this study was 91.86±7.59. The mean total score of caring ability scale had a statistically significant correlation with the type of cancer and the duration of patient care (P-value=0.05). The results of the study demonstrated that the family caregivers of cancer patients do not have the necessary knowledge and awareness to perform their caring role effectively. Therefore, it is recommended to empower caregivers and use strategies to improve their trust, especially in caregivers who oversee patient care for a significant period of time.

Sanat Temelli Özel Çalışma Modülü: Tıp Öğrencilerinin Görsel Düşünme ve İletişim Becerilerinin Geliştirilmesi

Aim: Visual arts have been incorporated into medical education in different ways. The arts have been successfull in enhancing tolerance for ambiguity, fostering, empathy, and holistic views of medical students of all levels. Physical examination is a fundamental part of clinical diagnosis. A proper observation can provide critical information for the diagnostic evaluation and accuracy of treatment. The Special Study Module (SSM) is an educational method in which students are given the opportunity to study, research, and have experience in their own areas of interest. This training method places emphasis on changing students' attitudes towards self-learning techniques and other skills such as teamwork, problem solving, observation, communication, and presentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between art and the skills to be a good physician, such as the development of observational skills in medical education. Methods: This is a survey-based prospective study. Second-year medical students enrolled in the "Medicine and Art History" Special Study Module (SSM), were included in the study. Demographic data was collected. Before and after the SSM period (24 weeks), students completed a survey on the impact of art on medical education. Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS) and Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) were administered. Data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS v.22. Results: While the total GRAS score was 75 before the SSM, it increased to 79 after the SSM. The rate of students who completely agreed with the statement "I must have good communication skills to be a good doctor" was 50% before the SSM, and it increased to 80% after the SSM. Before the SSM, 80% of the students stated that they did not use art regularly to learn medical concepts, 20% stated that they were undecided. After the SSM, 60% of the students stated that they would use art regularly to learn medical concepts. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this innovative study are encouraging. All students considered art to be a valuable tool to learn medicine. Art-based medical education contributed significantly to students' communication skills, and observation skills when the pre- and post-module surveys were compared. Reflection ability and observational skills are essential in providing professional collaboration and working in a team. We believe that art can help medical students to become better clinical observers and improve personal and professional development as well as to be an empathetic person.

Associations of screen use with cognitive development in early childhood: the ELFE birth cohort.

The associations of screen use with children's cognition are not well evidenced and recent, large, longitudinal studies are needed. We aimed to assess the associations between screen use and cognitive development in the French nationwide birth cohort. Time and context of screen use were reported by parents at ages 2, 3.5 and 5.5. Vocabulary, non-verbal reasoning and general cognitive development were assessed with the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MB) at age 2, the Picture Similarities subtest from the British Ability Scales (PS) at age 3.5 and the Child Development Inventory (CDI) at ages 3.5 and 5.5. Outcome variables were age-adjusted and standardized (mean = 100, SD = 15). Multiple imputations were performed among children (N = 13,763) with ≥1 screen use information and ≥1 cognitive measures. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between screen use and cognitive development were assessed by linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and birth factors related to the family and children, and children's lifestyle factors competing with screen use. Baseline cognitive scores were further considered in longitudinal analysis. TV-on during family meals at age 2, not screen time, was associated with lower MB scores at age 2 (β [95% CI] = -1.67 [-2.21, -1.13]) and CDI scores at age 3.5 (-0.82 [-1.31, -0.33]). In cross-sectional analysis, screen time was negatively associated with CDI scores at ages 3.5 (-0.67 [-0.94, -0.40]) and 5.5 (-0.47 [-0.77, -0.16]), and, in contrast, was positively associated with PS scores (0.39 [0.07, 0.71]) at age 3.5. Screen time at age 3.5 years was not associated with CDI scores at age 5.5 years. Our study found weak associations of screen use with cognition after controlling for sociodemographic and children's birth factors and lifestyle confounders, and suggests that the context of screen use matters, not solely screen time, in children's cognitive development.

Relationship between Nurses Reflection, Self-efficacy and Work Engagement: A Multicenter Study.

Reflection is considered an essential element in nurses' practice with different positive outcomes, we decided to determine the level of nurses' reflection and then assess the relationship between nurses' reflection with their self-efficacy and work engagement. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 240 nurses were selected from seven educational hospitals affiliated with Tabriz University of medical sciences (Iran). The stratified random sampling method was used to select the participants from hospitals. Data were collected through three questionnaires including Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS), Sherer's General Self-Efficacy Scale (SGSES), and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 13. According to the results, the mean (SD) score of nurses' reflection was calculated as 86.51 (8.17) out of 115. The mean (SD) score of nurses' self-efficacy was 60.89 (11.11) out of 85. Moreover, the mean (SD) total score of nurses' work engagement in a possible range of 0 to 6 was 3.39 (1.36). There was a positive and significant relationship between the total reflection score with work engagement and self-efficacy scores. According to the results, nurses working in different units showed different scores of reflection. Moreover, the results of the present study showed that nurses' reflection is associated with nurses' work engagement and self-efficacy. Therefore, nurse managers and nurse educators should improve nurses' skills in reflection and they should support the reflective practice in clinical settings.

Individuals with High Metacognitive Ability Are Better at Divergent and Convergent Thinking.

Is metacognitive ability a predictor of creative performance? Previous studies have produced conflicting findings. To clarify whether this relationship exists, the current study used eye tracking techniques and vocal thinking reports to explore creativity differences in individuals with different levels of metacognitive ability. One hundred and twelve participants completed the Metacognitive Ability scale, and were divided into two groups (with thirty participants in each group) based on their metacognition scores (the highest and lowest 27% of metacognitive ability scores). Then, participants in both groups completed two creative thinking tasks (AUT and CCRAT) while their eye behaviors were recorded by eye tracking. The results showed that participants with high metacognitive ability were better at divergent thinking, as evidenced by greater fixation and saccade counts, as well as smaller saccade amplitudes in the AUT task. In addition, Bayesian analyses provide anecdotal evidence that participants with high metacognitive ability tended to be better at convergent thinking. Furthermore, eye tracking results demonstrated that they exhibited longer fixation duration and more fixation count on the materials in the CCRAT task. These findings reflect an important role of metacognition in creative thinking, especially in divergent thinking.

The relationship between non-suicidal self-injury and childhood abuse in transgender people: a cross-sectional cohort study.

To explore the relationship between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and childhood abuse in transgender people and the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation traits in the association between childhood abuse and non-suicidal self-injury. From May to October 2021, 296 female-to-male (FTM) and 675 male-to-females (MTF), with age of 24.5 ± 6.4 years, were recruited using peer-driven sampling and anonymous questionnaires in Guangdong Province. The Childhood Abuse Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4+) emotion regulation ability scale and the DSM-5 Clinical Examination of Stereotypic Disorders were used to measure childhood abuse experiences, emotional dysregulation traits and self-injurious behaviour, respectively. Childhood abuse scores were positively correlated with both emotional dysregulation traits scores and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviours (p < 0.01), and emotional dysregulation traits scores were positively correlated with NSSI behaviours (p < 0.01); emotional dysregulation traits partially mediated the association between childhood abuse and NSSI behaviours, with the mediating effect accounting for 23.23% of the total effect. In addition, among the factors of childhood abuse, emotional dysregulation traits mediated the association between emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, physical neglect and NSSI behaviour significantly, with the mediating effect accounting for 22.48%-32.58% of the total effect. Transgender NSSI behaviours are associated with childhood abuse and emotional dysregulation traits, and emotional dysregulation traits partially mediates the association between childhood abuse and NSSI behaviours, and screening for emotional dysregulation traits in transgender people and timely interventions are needed to improve the current situation of discrimination against transgender people.

Using palliative and end-of-life simulation to enhance pre-licensure nursing students' emotional intelligence, palliative care knowledge and reflective abilities: A single group, pretest-posttest study

BackgroundNursing students have reported that they lack skills and knowledge in palliative and end-of-life care, and as a result, they faced numerous challenges caring for patients and families receiving palliative and end-of-life care during clinical attachments. ObjectivesTo develop a palliative and end-of-life care simulation program and evaluate its effects on nursing students' emotional intelligence, palliative care knowledge and reflective abilities. DesignA single group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. SettingsA simulation center in a Singapore university. ParticipantsA convenience sample of 135 third-year undergraduate nursing students. MethodsStudents attended a two-day simulation program consisting of four scenarios in total. Outcomes were measured before and after the study. Palliative care knowledge was measured using the Palliative Care Knowledge Test, emotional intelligence using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24, and reflective abilities using the Groningen Reflective Ability Scale. Outcome and demographic data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. ResultsTotal Palliative Care Knowledge Test scores (p = 0.003) and total Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 scores (p < 0.001) improved significantly, but there was no significant change in Groningen Reflective Ability Scale scores (p = 0.650). Demographic characteristics did not significantly influence most outcome variables. Students' highest education level and experience with caring for a person receiving palliative or end-of-life care significantly affected the posttest scores of the Palliative Care Knowledge Test. Students with prior experience in caring for a person receiving palliative or end-of-life care scored significantly better in the Palliative Care Knowledge Test post-simulation compared to those who did not (p = 0.011). ConclusionsThe palliative and end-of-life simulation program significantly improved nursing students' emotional intelligence and palliative care knowledge. Further research is needed on developing a reliable tool to measure nursing students' palliative care knowledge. Future simulations should include structured and deliberate reflection features aside from debriefings to enhance reflective abilities, which is an important nursing competency. More research is needed on the effect of palliative and end-of-life care simulations on emotional intelligence and reflective abilities, and the influence of demographic variables on nursing students' outcomes.

Analysis of the information ability of nurses in county hospitals in northern Henan province: a survey

ObjectiveTo investigate the status quo of nursing information ability of nurses in county-level hospitals and analyze its influencing factors.MethodsIn June 2022, a total of 303 on-the-job clinical nurses from 3 county-level hospitals in Hebi City, Henan Province were selected as subjects by convenience sampling method. General data questionnaire and self-rating nursing information ability scale were used to investigate them.ResultsThe total score of nursing information ability of 303 nurses in county hospitals of Hebi City, Henan Province was (77.72 ± 18.76). There were statistically significant differences in the scores of nursing information ability among different ages, working years, positions, education, marriage, monthly income, whether they had learned computer-related knowledge and skills, and whether they had participated in the learning or training of nursing information system (all p < 0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, years, position, monthly income and whether they had learned computer-related knowledge and skills were the main influencing factors of nursing information ability of county-level nurses (all p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe nursing information ability of nurses in county-level hospitals in northern Henan is at a medium level. The government or society should provide training and guidance on nursing information ability, so as to provide more opportunities for nurses in county-level hospitals to participate in and learn nursing information technology to improve their ability.

Writing Task Performance and First Language Background on an ESL Placement Exam

First Language (L1) has been assumed to play a role in Second Language ability (Bachman &amp; Palmer, 1996). However, the interplay between them across skill, task, or scoring criteria is more complex (Hamp-Lyons &amp; Davies, 2008). Using Many-Facets Rasch Measurement, this study investigates the main effects of examinee ability, rater severity, task difficulty, and rubric scale difficulty and functionality on the writing section of an English as a Second Language program's placement test, then compares performance among L1 Spanish and Japanese examinees to discern the presence of bias across facet. The results for examinee ability and rater severity suggest score variability not expected by the model. Regarding task difficulty and scale difficulty and functionality, it can be concluded that an argumentative essay genre was more difficult than a customer review, or that rater assessed rubric criteria for Content, Organization, and Language more harshly for the former. A bias analysis among L1 Spanish and Japanese examinees revealed that the customer review displayed a bias against Japanese examinees, particularly for Organization, while the argumentative essay displayed bias for them, particularly for Organization and Language. These results demonstrate how placement testing could inform curricula in language programs with linguistically diverse student populations.

Cognitive and adaptive behaviors associated with disease severity and genotype in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis II

BackgroundMucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II) is a rare, X-linked lysosomal storage disease caused by pathogenic variants of the iduronate-2-sulfatase gene (IDS) and is characterized by a highly variable disease spectrum. MPS II severity is difficult to predict based on IDS variants alone; while some genotypes are associated with specific phenotypes, the disease course of most genotypes remains unknown. This study aims to refine the genotype–phenotype categorization by combining information from the scientific literature with data from two clinical studies in MPS II. MethodsGenotype, cognitive, and behavioral data from 88 patients in two clinical studies (NCT01822184, NCT02055118) in MPS II were analyzed post hoc in combination with published information on IDS variants from the biomedical literature through a semi-automated multi-stage review process. The Differential Ability Scales, second edition (DAS-II) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales™, second edition (VABS-II) were used to measure cognitive function and adaptive behavior. ResultsThe most common category of IDS variant was missense (47/88, 53.4% of total variants). The mean (standard deviation [SD]) baseline DAS-II General Conceptual Ability (GCA) and VABS-II Adaptive Behavior Composite (ABC) scores were 74.0 (16.4) and 82.6 (14.7), respectively. All identified IDS complete deletions/large rearrangements (n = 7) and large deletions (n = 1) were associated with a published ‘severe’ or ‘predicted severe’ progressive neuronopathic phenotype, characterized by central nervous system involvement. In categories comprising more than one participant, mean baseline DAS-II GCA scores (SD) were lowest among individuals with complete deletions/large rearrangements 64.0 (9.1, n = 4) and highest among those with splice site variants 83.8 (14.2, n = 4). Mean baseline VABS-II ABC scores (SD) were lowest among patients with unclassifiable variants 79.3 (4.9, n = 3) and highest among those with a splice site variant 87.2 (16.1, n = 5), in variant categories with more than one participant. ConclusionsMost patients in the studies had an MPS II phenotype categorized as ‘severe’ or ‘predicted severe’ according to classifications, as reported in the literature. Patients with IDS complete deletion/large rearrangement variants had lower mean DAS-II GCA scores than those with other variants, as well as low VABS-II ABC, confirming an association with the early progressive ‘severe’ (neuronopathic) disease. These data provide a starting point to improve the classification of MPS II phenotypes and the characterization of the genotype–phenotype relationship.

Construction and Validation of the Postgraduate Research Innovation Ability Scale (PRIAS): A Three-Dimensional Structural Model Based on Componential Theory of Creativity.

To explore the structure of postgraduate research innovation ability and verify the Postgraduate Research Innovation Ability Scale. This study was based on the componential theory of creativity. First, we drafted an item pool from the literature review, semi-structured interviews, and group discussions. A total of 125 postgraduates were selected for the pre-test. After item selection and exploratory factor analysis, an 11-item, 3-factor postgraduate research innovation ability scale was formed. The scale was applied to a sample of 330 postgraduates from various domestic universities. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the factor structure of the scales. The results support a three-factor model including creativity-relevant processes, domain-relevant skills, and intrinsic motivation for the Postgraduate Research Innovation Ability Scale. The scale showed good internal consistency (α =0.89) and test-retest reliability (r=0.86). Exploratory factor analysis showed that the KMO value was 0.87, and the Bartlett's sphericity test results were significant. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the three-factor construct demonstrated a good model fit (χ2/df=1.945, GFI=0.916, CFI=0.950, RMSEA=0.076). The Postgraduate Research Innovation Ability Scale has good reliability and validity, and it can be used for future research in related fields.

Factors Associated with Self-Management of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients in Urumqi of Xinjiang of China: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

To explore the factors associated with self-management of Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) patients and methods of acquiring PD knowledge. Cross-sectional survey design. Urumqi, Xinjiang, China. 131 Chinese maintenance Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to March 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University of China. 131 PD patients were recruited. Data were collected, including demographic characteristics, clinical dialysis data, self-management ability scale, and methods to obtain PD knowledge. A self-management questionnaire was used for the evaluation of self-management ability. The score of the self-management ability of PD patients in Xinjiang, China, was (57.6±13.7) points, which was at the middle level in China. There was no statistically significant difference in the self-management ability scores of patients with different ages, sex, ethnicity, marital status, pre-dialysis status, PD time, PD procedures, self-care ability, PD satisfaction, and 24-hour average urine output (P>0.05). There were significant differences in the self-management ability scores of patients with different education levels, occupations, and medical insurance forms (P<0.05). The self-management ability of PD patients was positively correlated with the disease course of uremia and attending lectures on PD knowledge (P<0.05). The main factor affecting self-management ability was education level. There 73.28% of patients considered that it was necessary to establish a WeChat group for PD patients, and 65.7% believed that establishing a WeChat group for PD patients could facilitate communication between patients and enhance treatment confidence. The study surveyed PD patients who have certain self-management ability. For patients with different education levels, different health education methods should be adopted to promote the improvement of patients' self-management ability. Furthermore, WeChat is essential for Chinese PD patients to obtain disease-related information.

개정 명명반응 모형을 위한 IRT 척도 연계 방법과 연계 계수의 표준오차

Under item response theory (IRT), common-item linking methods are used to develop a common ability scale between two test forms administered to examinee groups from different populations. The nominal response (NR) model, proposed first by Bock, was reparameterized by Thissen and his colleagues. This paper presents three types of IRT linking methods, the direct least squares (DLS), mean/least squares (MLS), and item category response function (ICRF) methods, for the reparameterized NR model and investigates their performance through computer simulations. The presentation assumes that the highest response categories are specified for all linking items. This paper also presents analytic formulas for computing the asymptotic standard errors (SEs) of linking coefficient estimates for the three methods. Important findings were obtained from a simulation study. Overall, the ICRF method outperformed the DLS and MLS methods in linking accuracy, and the DLS and MLS methods performed almost equally. The linking coefficients for the DLS and MLS methods should be estimated using item parameter estimates only for the highest response categories whereas those for the ICRF method should be estimated by the criterion function that is defined using all ICRFs across linking items. The analytic formulas for the asymptotic SEs worked properly for the three linking methods, and the SEs were, approximately, inversely proportional to the square root of the sample size.

Family Social Support and Career Adaptability in Students of Faculty of Psychology, Satya Wacana Salatiga Christian University

Final year students who experience the transition from the world of education to the world of work (school-to-work) is a big challenge that all students must face. Final year students still need to prepare many things related to the career path they will take. However, some of the final year students are still indecisive and unprepared in determining their careers after graduating from college, so they need to prepare themselves to be able to adjust when entering the world of work by having career adaptability. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between family social support and career adaptability in college students. The type of research method used is quantitative method with correlational design. The participants involved in this study were 81 students of the Faculty of Psychology, Satya Wacana Christian University class of 2019. The measurement scale used is a family social support scale (Social Provisions Scale Chapter) and a career adaptability scale (Career Adapt Abilities Scale). Based on the results of the Pearson product moment correlation test, r = 0.556 was obtained with sig. = 0.000 (p&lt;0.01). Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between family social support and career adaptability in college students. Thus, the hypothesis proposed in this study can be accepted. The results of this study can help individuals overcome the obstacles experienced and prepare individuals to overcome unexpected situations that arise in facing the transition from education to the world of work. The results of this study indicate that the higher the family social support, the higher the level of career adaptability in college students.

Detecting the Differential Item Functioning of Numerical Ability Test in the Gulf Multiple Mental Abilities Scale by Mental-Haenszel and Likelihood Ratio Test

Detecting the Differential Item Functioning of Numerical Ability Test in the Gulf Multiple Mental Abilities Scale by Mental-Haenszel and Likelihood Ratio Test

Exploring risk factors for persistent neurocognitive sequelae after hospitalization for COVID-19.

In this study of patients hospitalized during acute SARS-CoV2 infection with 6-months of follow-up data, we identified risk factors associated with the development of neuro-PASC. We conducted an exploratory, observational single-center cohort study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from November 2020 to March 2022. Our primary outcome was persistent neurocognitive symptoms, defined as fatigue, headache, loss of taste/smell, brain fog, confusion, concentration/memory/word finding difficulty, and/or change in speech present at 1-month and persisting for 6-months following acute SARS-CoV2 infection. Secondary outcomes included persistent impairment scores on PROMIS cognitive function and abilities scales. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified potential risk factors for neuro-PASC. Of 89 participants, 60% reported persistent neurocognitive symptoms at 6-months; fatigue was the most prevalent, occurring in 53% of participants, followed by brain fog in 34% of participants. Lower self-reported socioeconomic status and increased pre-COVID-19 anxiety scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were associated with increased odds of developing persistent neurocognitive symptoms. Being female and of Hispanic descent were associated with increased odds of persistent cognitive function and ability impairment. Sociodemographic factors and pre-COVID-19 anxiety symptoms may be important risk factors for neuro-PASC. These findings underscore the need to assess various sociodemographic factors in research on PASC. Our study also highlights premorbid mental health symptoms as a potential predictor of persistent neurocognitive symptoms following hospitalization with SARS-CoV2 infection.

Impact of APOE ε4 allele on familial aggregation and cerebrovascular disease in Alzheimer’s Dementia: A cross‐sectional pilot study from India

AbstractBackgroundThe ε4 variant of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE4) is associated with the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Previous studies have reported APOE4 status association with familial loading and vascular changes in AD. With a diverse ethnic population, and high rates of metabolic syndromes, the consequences of being a carrier of the APOE4 polymorphism needs further exploration in Indian context.MethodPatients (N = 452) diagnosed to have AD, including 75 with a family history of AD in first‐degree relatives [‘familial’ AD (FAD)] and others without a significant family history [‘sporadic’ AD (SAD)], under evaluation at a tertiary hospital in India are described. All patients were assessed using Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR), Hindi Mental Status Examination (HMSE), Everyday Abilities Scale for India (EASI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the Hachinski Ischemic Scale (HIS), along with detailed clinical evaluation. Blood samples were collected from AD patients, and 456 matched healthy controls for APOE genotyping using Polymerase Chain Reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism.ResultsThe ε4 allele frequency was 22.57% and 9.65% among AD patients and healthy controls. APOE4 carrier status was noted in 52% of FAD, 38.46% of SAD patients, and was a significant risk factor for FAD with an odd’s ratio (OR) of 1.73 (95% confidence interval (CI):1.04‐2.9, p = 0.03). The presence of APOE4 did not have a significant association with metabolic comorbidities (p = 0.54). Furthermore, APOE4 status was a negative predictor for cerebrovascular disease among all AD patients (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.12‐0.71, p = 0.008).ConclusionAPOE4 allele has a positive association with familial aggregation and a negative association with cerebrovascular adversities in AD. The effect of APOE4 polymorphism on the clinical manifestation of AD in Indian population is unclear and needs further evaluation.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation based on electro-oculogram signal regulation for children with mental retardation: a randomized controlled trial

To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at Changqiang (GV 1) based on the modulation of electro-oculogram (EOG) signal for children with mental retardation, and explore the evaluation effect of the goal attainment scale (GAS) in children with mental retardation.Sixty children with mental retardation were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, with 30 cases in each one. The children in the control group were treated with conventional rehabilitation, 5 times a week. On the basis of the control group, TEAS at Changqiang (GV 1) under the modulation of EOG signal was adopted in the treatment group. When the similarity between the collected EOG signal and the template was within the range of EOG threshold, one electric stimulation was triggered at Changqiang (GV 1) for 20 s (continuous wave, 70-100 Hz in frequency, 0.1-0.2 ms in pulse width), lasting 30 min in each treatment, the intervention was given twice a week. One course of treatment was composed of 4 weeks, and 3 courses were required in total in the two groups. The infant-junior high school student's social living ability scale (S-M) and GAS were scored and compared before and after treatment in the two groups.After treatment, the scores of self-living ability in the treatment group and communication ability in the control group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). The scores of collective activity and motor ability in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, GAS scores were higher than before treatment in both groups (P<0.001), and the score in the treatment group was higher than the control group (P<0.05).TEAS under the modulation of EOG signal is conductive to improving the collective, motor and self-living abilities of the children with mental retardation and promoting children's individual goals. Compared with the standard score of S-M, the T value of GAS can better reflect the subtle progress of individual.目的：观察基于眼电生物信号调控的经皮穴位电刺激长强穴治疗精神发育迟滞（MR）患儿的临床疗效，探讨目标成就量表（GAS）对MR的评价效应。方法：将60例MR患儿随机分为观察组和对照组，各30例。对照组采用常规康复治疗，每周5次；观察组在对照组的基础上，采用基于眼电生物信号调控的经皮穴位电刺激长强穴进行治疗，当采集到的眼电信号与眼电模板的相似度在其眼电阈值范围内时，触发1次20 s的长强穴位电刺激治疗（连续波，频率70~100 Hz，脉宽0.1~0.2 ms），每次治疗30 min，每周2次。两组均4周为一疗程，共治疗3个疗程。分别于治疗前后比较两组患儿婴儿-初中学生社会生活能力量表（S-M）、GAS评分。结果：治疗后，观察组患儿独立生活评分、对照组患儿交往评分较治疗前升高（P<0.01，P<0.05），观察组患儿参加集体活动、运动评分高于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗后，两组患儿GAS评分均较治疗前升高（P<0.001），且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：基于眼电生物信号调控的经皮穴位电刺激长强穴有助于提升MR患儿参加集体活动、运动和独立生活能力，并能促进患儿个体化目标的实现；与S-M的标准分相比，GAS评分（T值）更能体现出患儿个体化的细微进步。.