Personality Traits Affect Teaching Performance of Attending Physicians: Results of a Multi-Center Observational Study

Background

Worldwide, attending physicians train residents to become competent providers of patient care. To assess adequate training, attending physicians are increasingly evaluated on their teaching performance. Research suggests that personality traits affect teaching performance, consistent with studied effects of personality traits on job performance and academic performance in medicine. However, up till date, research in clinical teaching practice did not use quantitative methods and did not account for specialty differences. We empirically studied the relationship of attending physicians'' personality traits with their teaching performance across surgical and non-surgical specialties.

Method

We conducted a survey across surgical and non-surgical specialties in eighteen medical centers in the Netherlands. Residents evaluated attending physicians'' overall teaching performance, as well as the specific domains learning climate, professional attitude, communication, evaluation, and feedback, using the validated 21-item System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ). Attending physicians self-evaluated their personality traits on a 5-point scale using the validated 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI), yielding the Five Factor model: extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness and openness.

Results

Overall, 622 (77%) attending physicians and 549 (68%) residents participated. Extraversion positively related to overall teaching performance (regression coefficient, B: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10, P = 0.02). Openness was negatively associated with scores on feedback for surgical specialties only (B: −0.10, 95% CI: −0.15 to −0.05, P<0.001) and conscientiousness was positively related to evaluation of residents for non-surgical specialties only (B: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.22, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Extraverted attending physicians were consistently evaluated as better supervisors. Surgical attending physicians who display high levels of openness were evaluated as less adequate feedback-givers. Non-surgical attending physicians who were conscientious seem to be good at evaluating residents. These insights could contribute to future work on development paths of attending physicians in medical education.     

Default Network Deactivations Are Correlated with Psychopathic Personality Traits

Background

The posteromedial cortex (PMC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are part of a network of brain regions that has been found to exhibit decreased activity during goal-oriented tasks. This network is thought to support a baseline of brain activity, and is commonly referred to as the “default network”. Although recent reports suggest that the PMC and mPFC are associated with affective, social, and self-referential processes, the relationship between these default network components and personality traits, especially those pertaining to social context, is poorly understood.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In the current investigation, we assessed the relationship between PMC and mPFC deactivations and psychopathic personality traits using fMRI and a self-report measure. We found that PMC deactivations predicted traits related to egocentricity and mPFC deactivations predicted traits related to decision-making.

Conclusions/Significance

These results suggest that the PMC and mPFC are associated with processes involving self-relevancy and affective decision-making, consistent with previous reports. More generally, these findings suggest a link between default network activity and personality traits.     

Indoor-Air Microbiome in an Urban Subway Network: Diversity and Dynamics

Subway systems are indispensable for urban societies, but microbiological characteristics of subway aerosols are relatively unknown. Previous studies investigating microbial compositions in subways employed methodologies that underestimated the diversity of microbial exposure for commuters, with little focus on factors governing subway air microbiology, which may have public health implications. Here, a culture-independent approach unraveling the bacterial diversity within the urban subway network in Hong Kong is presented. Aerosol samples from multiple subway lines and outdoor locations were collected. Targeting the 16S rRNA gene V4 region, extensive taxonomic diversity was found, with the most common bacterial genera in the subway environment among those associated with skin. Overall, subway lines harbored different phylogenetic communities based on α- and β-diversity comparisons, and closer inspection suggests that each community within a line is dependent on architectural characteristics, nearby outdoor microbiomes, and connectedness with other lines. Microbial diversities and assemblages also varied depending on the day sampled, as well as the time of day, and changes in microbial communities between peak and nonpeak commuting hours were attributed largely to increases in skin-associated genera in peak samples. Microbial diversities within the subway were influenced by temperature and relative humidity, while carbon dioxide levels showed a positive correlation with abundances of commuter-associated genera. This Hong Kong data set and communities from previous studies conducted in the United States formed distinct community clusters, indicating that additional work is required to unravel the mechanisms that shape subway microbiomes around the globe.     

Prion Propagation: The Role of Protein Dynamics

The transfer of phenotypes from one individual to another is a fundamental aspect of biology. In addition to traditional nucleic acid-based genetic determinants, unique proteins known as prions can also act as elements of inheritance, infectivity, and disease. Nucleic acids and proteins encode genetic information in distinct ways, either in the sequence of bases in DNA or RNA or in the three dimensional structure of the polypeptide chain. Given these differences in the nature of the genetic repository, the mechanisms underlying the transmission of nucleic acid-based and protein-based phenotypes are necessarily distinct. While the appearance, persistence and transfer of nucleic acid determinants require the synthesis of new polymers, recent studies indicate that prions are propagated through dynamic transitions in the structure of existing protein.Key Words: prion, PrP, [PSI⁺], [URE3], [Het-s], Sup35, Ure2, Het-s, Hsp104     

Prion Propagation: The Role of Protein Dynamics

The transfer of phenotypes from one individual to another is a fundamental aspect of biology. In addition to traditional nucleic acid-based genetic determinants, unique proteins known as prions can also act as elements of inheritance, infectivity, and disease. Nucleic acids and proteins encode genetic information in distinct ways, either in the sequence of bases in DNA or RNA or in the three dimensional structure of the polypeptide chain. Given these differences in the nature of the genetic repository, the mechanisms underlying the transmission of nucleic acid-based and protein-based phenotypes are necessarily distinct. While the appearance, persistence and transfer of nucleic acid determinants require the synthesis of new polymers, recent studies indicate that prions are propagated through dynamic transitions in the structure of existing protein.     

学业不良大学生的人格特征分析

大学生学业不良主要是指由于焦虑等心理因素影响大学生学习潜力的发挥,造成学习效果不理想的状况,并且学习成绩未达到在读高校的既定标准。学习成绩结果具有暂时性、可逆性、具体性、社会性等特征。近年来,学业不良大学生的队伍不断扩大,学者们开始关注这个特殊群体。研究表明,学生的学习成绩与人格存在一定的相关。本文从学业不良的定义入手,分析了国内外对学业不良的研究现状,然后,着重对学业不良大学生的人格特征方面的研究进行综述,并提出一些相关建议。     

Political Attitudes Develop Independently of Personality Traits

The primary assumption within the recent personality and political orientations literature is that personality traits cause people to develop political attitudes. In contrast, research relying on traditional psychological and developmental theories suggests the relationship between most personality dimensions and political orientations are either not significant or weak. Research from behavioral genetics suggests the covariance between personality and political preferences is not causal, but due to a common, latent genetic factor that mutually influences both. The contradictory assumptions and findings from these research streams have yet to be resolved. This is in part due to the reliance on cross-sectional data and the lack of longitudinal genetically informative data. Here, using two independent longitudinal genetically informative samples, we examine the joint development of personality traits and attitude dimensions to explore the underlying causal mechanisms that drive the relationship between these features and provide a first step in resolving the causal question. We find change in personality over a ten-year period does not predict change in political attitudes, which does not support a causal relationship between personality traits and political attitudes as is frequently assumed. Rather, political attitudes are often more stable than the key personality traits assumed to be predicting them. Finally, the results from our genetic models find that no additional variance is accounted for by the causal pathway from personality traits to political attitudes. Our findings remain consistent with the original construction of the five-factor model of personality and developmental theories on attitude formation, but challenge recent work in this area.     

The Evolution of Musical Diversity: The Key Role of Vertical Transmission

Music, like languages, is one of the key components of our culture, yet musical evolution is still poorly known. Numerous studies using computational methods derived from evolutionary biology have been successfully applied to varied subset of linguistic data. One of the major drawback regarding musical studies is the lack of suitable coded musical data that can be analysed using such evolutionary tools. Here we present for the first time an original set of musical data coded in a way that enables construction of trees classically used in evolutionary approaches. Using phylogenetic methods, we test two competing theories on musical evolution: vertical versus horizontal transmission. We show that, contrary to what is currently believed, vertical transmission plays a key role in shaping musical diversity. The signal of vertical transmission is particularly strong for intrinsic musical characters such as metrics, rhythm, and melody. Our findings reveal some of the evolutionary mechanisms at play for explaining musical diversity and open a new field of investigation in musical evolution.     

The Role of Adiposity in Cardiometabolic Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Background

The association between adiposity and cardiometabolic traits is well known from epidemiological studies. Whilst the causal relationship is clear for some of these traits, for others it is not. We aimed to determine whether adiposity is causally related to various cardiometabolic traits using the Mendelian randomization approach.

Methods and Findings

We used the adiposity-associated variant rs9939609 at the FTO locus as an instrumental variable (IV) for body mass index (BMI) in a Mendelian randomization design. Thirty-six population-based studies of individuals of European descent contributed to the analyses.Age- and sex-adjusted regression models were fitted to test for association between (i) rs9939609 and BMI (n = 198,502), (ii) rs9939609 and 24 traits, and (iii) BMI and 24 traits. The causal effect of BMI on the outcome measures was quantified by IV estimators. The estimators were compared to the BMI–trait associations derived from the same individuals. In the IV analysis, we demonstrated novel evidence for a causal relationship between adiposity and incident heart failure (hazard ratio, 1.19 per BMI-unit increase; 95% CI, 1.03–1.39) and replicated earlier reports of a causal association with type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and hypertension (odds ratio for IV estimator, 1.1–1.4; all p<0.05). For quantitative traits, our results provide novel evidence for a causal effect of adiposity on the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase and confirm previous reports of a causal effect of adiposity on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, 2-h post-load glucose from the oral glucose tolerance test, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (all p<0.05). The estimated causal effects were in agreement with traditional observational measures in all instances except for type 2 diabetes, where the causal estimate was larger than the observational estimate (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

We provide novel evidence for a causal relationship between adiposity and heart failure as well as between adiposity and increased liver enzymes. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

Personality Predictors of Successful Development: Toddler Temperament and Adolescent Personality Traits Predict Well-Being and Career Stability in Middle Adulthood

The aim of the study was to predict both adaptive psychological functioning (well-being) and adaptive social functioning (career stability) in middle adulthood based on behaviors observed in toddlerhood and personality traits measured in adolescence. 83 people participated in an ongoing longitudinal study started in 1961 (58% women). Based on children’s behavior in toddlerhood, three temperamental dimensions were identified – positive affectivity, negative affectivity and disinhibition. In adolescence, extraversion and neuroticism were measured at the age of 16 years. Various aspects of well-being were used as indicators of adaptive psychological functioning in adulthood: life satisfaction, self-esteem and self-efficacy. Career stability was used as an indicator of adaptive social functioning. Job careers of respondents were characterized as stable, unstable or changeable. Extraversion measured at the age of 16 proved to be the best predictor of well-being indicators; in case of self-efficacy it was also childhood disinhibition. Extraversion in adolescence, childhood disinhibition and negative affectivity predicted career stability. Findings are discussed in the context of a theoretical framework of higher order factors of the Big Five personality constructs, stability and plasticity.     

The Association Between Personality Traits,Morphological Traits and Alternative Mating Behaviour in Male Endler's Guppies,Poecilia wingei

Alternative mating behaviour, personality traits and morphological characters are predicted to be correlated. Bolder, larger and more colourful males are expected to preferentially court females, while shy, small and drab‐coloured individuals are predicted to sneak copulations. We used males of Endler's guppy, Poecilia wingei, to test this association over a long temporal period (hence including ontogenetic changes) and under two social environments (male‐biased and female‐biased). We found that personality traits (exploration, boldness, activity) of P. wingei males were highly repeatable across long time spans, but they were not correlated (formed no behavioural syndrome). Male age and social environment had no effect on any personality trait, despite their effects on alternative mating behaviour. Young males with higher activity levels were more likely to attempt sneaking. In older fish, there was an association between orange coloration, courtship and boldness, but this was not observed in young males. Our results suggest that alternative mating behaviour is more flexible than personality traits and is independent of them. Non‐colour‐based morphological traits (gonopodium length, body length, caudal straps length, dorsal fin length) were not correlated with any particular mating behaviour.     

Genetics of the Nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Strain HP88: The Diversity of Beneficial Traits

Genotypic variation among infective juveniles of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (strain HP88) in heat, desiccation, ultraviolet tolerance, and host-finding ability was assessed by comparing the performance of inbred lines of this entomopathogenic nematode in laboratory assays. Each line consisted of highly homozygous offspring originating from one individual obtained from a natural population. Considerable variation in all four traits was detected among the different inbred lines. The heritability values for heat or ultraviolet tolerance and for host-finding ability were high, indicating that selection should be an efficient way for improving these traits in the population. The results for desiccation tolerance varied considerably within each line. Heritability value was low, indicating that the results were influenced mainly by environmental variation and suggesting that selective breeding for higher desiccation tolerance would be inefficient. Improvement through induction of mutations may be a better alternative in this population.     

Freezing and Desiccation Tolerance in Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Diversity and Correlation of Traits

The ability of entomopathogenic nematodes to tolerate environmental stress such as desiccating or freezing conditions, can contribute significantly to biocontrol efficacy. Thus, in selecting which nematode to use in a particular biocontrol program, it is important to be able to predict which strain or species to use in target areas where environmental stress is expected. Our objectives were to (i) compare inter- and intraspecific variation in freeze and desiccation tolerance among a broad array of entomopathogenic nematodes, and (ii) determine if freeze and desiccation tolerance are correlated. In laboratory studies we compared nematodes at two levels of relative humidity (RH) (97% and 85%) and exposure periods (24 and 48 h), and nematodes were exposed to freezing temperatures (-2°C) for 6 or 24 h. To assess interspecific variation, we compared ten species including seven that are of current or recent commercial interest: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (VS), H. floridensis, H. georgiana, (Kesha), H. indica (HOM1), H. megidis (UK211), Steinernema carpocapsae (All), S. feltiae (SN), S. glaseri (VS), S. rarum (17C&E), and S. riobrave (355). To assess intraspecific variation we compared five strains of H. bacteriophora (Baine, Fl1-1, Hb, Oswego, and VS) and four strains of S. carpocapsae (All, Cxrd, DD136, and Sal), and S. riobrave (355, 38b, 7-12, and TP). S. carpocapsae exhibited the highest level of desiccation tolerance among species followed by S. feltiae and S. rarum; the heterorhabditid species exhibited the least desiccation tolerance and S. riobrave and S. glaseri were intermediate. No intraspecific variation was observed in desiccation tolerance; S. carpocapsae strains showed higher tolerance than all H. bacteriophora or S. riobrave strains yet there was no difference detected within species. In interspecies comparisons, poor freeze tolerance was observed in H. indica, and S. glaseri, S. rarum, and S. riobrave whereas H. georgiana and S. feltiae exhibited the highest freeze tolerance, particularly in the 24-h exposure period. Unlike desiccation tolerance, substantial intraspecies variation in freeze tolerance was observed among H. bacteriophora and S. riobrave strains, yet within species variation was not detected among S. carpocapsae strains. Correlation analysis did not detect a relationship between freezing and desiccation tolerance.     

Within-Trait Heterogeneity in Age Group Differences in Personality Domains and Facets: Implications for the Development and Coherence of Personality Traits

The study investigated differences in the Five-Factor Model (FFM) domains and facets across adulthood. The main questions were whether personality scales reflected coherent units of trait development and thereby coherent personality traits more generally. These questions were addressed by testing if the components of the trait scales (items for facet scales and facets for domain scales) showed consistent age group differences. For this, measurement invariance (MI) framework was used. In a sample of 2,711 Estonians who had completed the NEO Personality Inventory 3 (NEO PI-3), more than half of the facet scales and one domain scale did not meet the criterion for weak MI (factor loading equality) across 12 age groups spanning ages from 18 to 91 years. Furthermore, none of the facet and domain scales met the criterion for strong MI (intercept equality), suggesting that items of the same facets and facets of the same domains varied in age group differences. When items were residualized for their respective facets, 46% of them had significant (p < 0.0002) residual age-correlations. When facets were residualized for their domain scores, a majority had significant (p < 0.002) residual age-correlations. For each domain, a series of latent factors were specified using random quarters of their items: scores of such latent factors varied notably (within domains) in correlations with age. We argue that manifestations of aetiologically coherent traits should show similar age group differences. Given this, the FFM domains and facets as embodied in the NEO PI-3 do not reflect aetiologically coherent traits.     

基于表型性状的叶用莴苣资源多样性分析

对从国内外引进的153份叶用莴苣种质资源的15个表型性状进行了系统鉴定,主要包括叶片性状、植株性状、抽薹开花时间等。结果表明:15个表型性状的平均变异系数为28.98%,其中叶缘变异系数最大(49.85%),开花期的最小(7.05%)。15个表型性状的平均遗传多样性指数为1.08,抽薹期(1.41)、叶形(1.56)、株高(1.39)的遗传多样性指数均较大,叶裂刻的遗传多样性指数最小(0.3)。通过SAS对这些材料进行聚类分析,将153份材料分为4组群,结果表明第l I和IV组群包含资源60和65份,其余组群包含材料较少。总体来讲叶用莴苣资源型性状的变异程度和遗传多样性指数较高,具有丰富的变异程度和多样性。