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IntroductionDespite popular speculation that nostalgic social media use skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, this has yet to be formally investigated in the scientific literature.MethodsInterrupted time series analysis (ITSA) using a segmented regression model was performed to examine the changes in the weekly volume of searches for nostalgic songs on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), as a proxy for nostalgic social media use, before and after the lockdown of Wuhan (signaled the start of the pandemic on a national scale in China).ResultsAcross the study period (January 1, 2019–February 28, 2021), an immediate and significant increase in nostalgic social media use was observed when the pandemic initially started (95% CI = [47314.30, 154969.60], p

IntroductionPrevious studies have found a causal relationship between scarcity and the adverse impact it has on executive functioning. However, few studies have directly examined perceived scarcity, and cognitive flexibility (the third component of executive functions) has rarely been included.MethodsUsing a 2 (group: scarcity group vs. control group) × 2 (trial type: repeat trial vs. switch trial) mixed design, this study directly explored perceived scarcity’s impact on cognitive flexibility and revealed its neural basis in the switching tasks. Seventy college students participated in this study through open recruitment in China. A priming task was used to induce perceived scarcity, thus exploring the impact of perceived scarcity on participants’ performance in switching tasks and enabling the analysis of the neural activity of the brain, combined with electroencephalograph (EEG) technology.ResultsIn terms of behavioral outcomes, perceived scarcity led to poorer performance and a greater switching cost of reaction time in the switching tasks. Regarding neural activity, perceived scarcity led to an increase in the amplitude of P3 differential wave (repeat trials minus switch trials) in the parietal cortex during the target-locked epochs in the switching tasks.DiscussionPerceived scarcity can lead to changes in the neural activity of the brain regions related to executive functioning, resulting in a temporary decrease in cognitive flexibility. It may lead to individuals unable to adapt well to the changing environment, unable to quickly devote themselves to new tasks, and reduce work and learning efficiency in daily life.

BackgroundThe emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment in which numerous determinants of poor mental health are intensified. Lockdown, re-lockdown, and media coverage of the spread of the virus, have the potential to contribute to increased levels of anxiety and depression. Mindfulness may act as a buffer against COVID-19-related depressive and anxiety disorders.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for any study published between January 2020 and March 2022. In this study, Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3 software was applied to evaluate the effect size by random effect model. In addition, the heterogeneity analysis was evaluated using indicators Q and I2 indicators. Three methods were used to test for publication bias: funnel plot, Classic Fail-safe N, and Egger’s linear regression. According to the features of the included articles, subgroup analysis was utilized for the moderator analysis of this study.ResultsThe analysis finally included 12 articles (16 samples, N = 10,940) and obtained 26 independent effect sizes. In accordance with the meta-analysis, in the random effect model, the correlation between mindfulness and anxiety was −0.330 (p

In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are often faced with uncertain risky choice. Risky choice will be affected by different descriptions of the event’s gain or loss framework, this phenomenon is known as the framing effect. With the continuous expansion and in-depth study of frame effects in the field of risky choice, researchers have found that the are quite different in different situations. People have different interpretations of the same event at different psychological distances, and will also be affected by their own emotions. Therefore, the current study examines the common influence of task frame, spatial distance, and trait emotion on risky choice through two studies. Study 1 used a 2 (framework: gain vs. loss) × 2 (trait sentiment: high vs. low) inter-subject design, and the dependent variable is the choice of the rescue plan for the classic “Asian disease” problem. The results revealed that trait anger did not predict individuals’ risky choice preferences, and high trait anxiety led individuals to be more risk-averse. The framing effect exists in risky choice, and individuals prefer risk seeking in the loss frame. Study 2 used a 2 (spatial distance: distant vs. proximal) × 2 (framework: gain vs. loss) × 2 (trait sentiment: high vs. low) three-factor inter-subject design in which the dependent variable is the choice of rescue plan. The results indicate that the framing effect also exists in risky choice, and individuals prefer risk seeking in a loss frame. High trait anxiety lead individuals to be more risk-averse, while trait anger has no significant predictive effect on risk preference. Distant spatial distance lead individuals to increase their preference for risk-seeking under the gain frame, which leads to the disappearance of the framing effect. In conclusion, trait anxiety and spatial distance have a certain degree of influence on risky choice under the framework of gain and loss.

ObjectIn this study, we aimed to explore the influences of stress responses and negative emotion on mental health of college students during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in China.MethodsA nationally representative sample of 1,351 college students, aged 18–23 years, took part in an online survey during the COVID-19 outbreak. The ANOVA, correlation coefficients, structural equation modeling (path analysis), and other statistical analysis methods were used for data analysis.Results(1) The Chinese college students' epidemic panic and cognitive evaluation were found to be moderate (3.73 ± 0.74, 3.76 ± 0.62), while their defensive response was higher (4.61 ± 0.55). Their mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak was found to be good (3.75 ± 0.76). (2) The quality of their mental health was significantly and negatively associated with epidemic panic, and the quality of their mental health was significantly and positively associated with defensive response. (3) The quality of their mental health was significantly and negatively associated with negative emotion. (4) College students' epidemic panic and defensive response to the COVID-19 had a directly predictive effect on their mental health.ConclusionCollege students' negative emotion played a partial mediating role in the relationship between epidemic panic and mental health. College students' negative emotion played a complete mediating role in the relationship between cognitive appraisal and mental health.

ObjectIn this study, we aimed to explore the influences of pandemic stress, risk perception, and coping efficacy on the mental health of Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA nationally representative sample of Chinese college students (N = 3,381, Mage = 20.85, SDage = 1.31) took part in an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlation coefficients, structural equation modeling, and other statistical analysis methods were used for data analysis.Results(1) The Chinese college students' pandemic stress and perceived pandemic risk were found to be moderate (3.51 ± 0.83, 3.45 ± 0.94), whereas their perceived infection risk was lower (2.10 ± 0.67). Their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be good (3.80 ± 0.73). (2) The quality of their mental health was significantly and negatively associated with pandemic stress, perceived pandemic risk, and perceived infection risk. The level of their mental health was significantly and positively associated with coping efficacy, and their coping efficacy was significantly and negatively associated with pandemic stress, perceived pandemic risk, and perceived infection risk.ConclusionCoping efficacy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between pandemic stress and mental health, coping efficacy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived infection risk and mental health, and coping efficacy played a complete mediating role in the relationship between perceived pandemic risk and mental health. Our findings show the importance of fostering college students' coping efficacy to improve their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on the nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF), we develop a quantum nonlinear theory to study time-dependent ac transport properties in the low frequency and nonlinear bias voltage regimes. By expanding NEGF in terms of time to the linear order in Wigner representation, we can explicitly include the time-dependent self-consistent Coulomb interaction induced by external ac bias. Hence this theory automatically satisfies two basic requirements, i.e. current conservation and gauge invariance. Within this theory, the nonlinear ac current can be evaluated at arbitrarily large bias voltages under the low frequency limit. In addition, we obtain the expression of time-dependent current under the wide band limit and derive the relation between the nonlinear electrochemical capacitance and the bias voltage, which are very useful in predicting the dynamical properties of nanoelectronic devices. This quantum theory can be directly combined with density functional theory to investigate time-dependent ac transport from first-principles calculation.

Using the nonequilibrium Green’s function combined with the density functional theory, we investigate the spin-resolved photoelectric current in ferromagnetic hydrogenated zigzag graphene nanoribbons with boron or phosphorus atom substitutions (B/P-ZGNRs). Our findings indicate that B/P substitution induces half-metallic or semiconducting characteristics, depending on the edge form and substituted atoms. Induced by linear polarized light, the spin-resolved photocurrent could reveal information of the band structure and the contribution of different orbitals to the transport processes. Photocurrent peaks at specific photon energies clearly indicate the band edge of B/P-ZGNRs, while its signs reflect the distribution of the transmission coefficient spectrum. In symmetrically hydrogenated B/P-ZGNRs, the p _x orbital is found to be dominant. However, in asymmetric B/P-ZGNRs, the p _y orbital can also be dominant. Furthermore, B/P substitution induces a narrow band near the Fermi level, leading to remarkable negative differential resistance. These findings suggest potential applications of B/P-ZGNRs in spintronic devices and micro photoelectric detection.

Monolayer ${\mathrm{MoS}}_2$ is a typical valleytronic material with valley-spin locked valence bands. We numerically investigate the valley-spin polarized current in monolayer ${\mathrm{MoS}}_2$ via adiabatic electron pumping. By introducing an exchange field to break the energy degeneracy of monolayer ${\mathrm{MoS}}_2$ , the top of its valence bands is valley-spin polarized and tunable by the exchange field. A device with spin-up polarized left lead, spin-down polarized right lead, and untuned central region is constructed through applying different exchange fields in the corresponding regions. Then, equal amount of pumped currents with opposite valley-spin polarization are simultaneously generated in the left and right leads when periodically varying two pumping potentials. Numerical results show that the phase difference between the pumping potentials can change the direction and hence polarization of the pumped currents. It is found that the pumped current exhibits resonant behavior in the valley-spin locked energy window, which depends strongly on the system size and is enhanced to resonant current peaks at certain system lengths. More importantly, the pumped current periodically oscillates as a function of the system length, which is closely related to the oscillation of transmission. The effects of other system parameters, such as the pumping amplitude and the static potential, are also thoroughly discussed.

The somatic marker hypothesis (SMH) has been utilized to demonstrate the role of emotion and somatic state in decision-making under uncertainty over the past two decades. Despite some debate, the SMH has provided not only a neurobiological framework for understanding emotion and decision-making but also a good empirical support for ecological rationality and embodied emotion. Unlike the traditional maximizing rationality and bounded satisficing rationality, the ecological rationality stresses that emotions should be brought to the decision-making process. The embodied emotion furthermore emphasizes that emotions are embodied in the body and the brain. On the other hand, behavioral decision-making has spawned many new interdisciplines, including neuroeconomics. In this case, the SMH could act as a bridge to translate the ecological rationality and the embodied emotion into emerging neuroeconomics. Thus, this mini-review article aims to propose an integrated framework for introducing ecological rationality and embodied emotion into the field of neuroeconomics by virtue of insights from the SMH.

Twenty-three years ago, the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (SMH) proposed by Damasio was introduced to explain the role of emotion in decision-making, and provided a unique neuroanatomical framework for decision-making and its influence by emotion. The core idea of the SMH is that decision-making is a process that is affected by somatic state signals, including those that express themselves in emotion and feeling. In order to verify the SMH, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) was originally designed by Bechara et al. and the skin conductance responses (SCRs) was recorded during the IGT. The initial confirmatory results showed that normal subjects would generate anticipatory SCRs when they received reward or punishment, but patients of the VMPFC lesion entirely failed to generate anticipatory SCRs prior to their selection of a card. With the further development of the SMH–related researches, other electrophysiological methods of measuring somatic state was gradually used to test the SMH, including event-related potentials (ERPs), and heart rate (HR). In this mini review article, we summarize the extant electrophysiological research on the SMH and decision-making under ambiguity, propose an integrative perspective for employing different electrophysiological measurement methods, and indicate the application of electrophysiological measurement based on the SMH in daily social decision-making.

The core problem in the distribution dilemma is the trade-off between equity and efficiency. With the development of socio-economic conditions, the optimal decision changes between equitable and efficient options. The methods for nudging decision-makers to make optimal decisions without changing the event are extremely important. This study used two laboratory behavior experiments to explore the impact of maxim information on the trade-off between equity and efficiency. The study explores whether stake levels and division schemes affect the nudging effect of the maxim in a Trade-Off Game (TOG). We found that participants were affected by maxim information in decision-making scenarios, and participants showed different equity preferences as the maxim information changed, without relevance of the stake level. Additionally, the nudging effect of the maxim only exists under the condition that the distributor's interests is not affected.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in December has seen more than 76,000 cases in China, causing more than 3,000 medical staff infections. As the disease is highly contagious, can be fatal in severe cases, and there are no specific medicines, it poses a huge threat to the life and health of nurses, leading to a severe impact on their emotional responses and coping strategies. Therefore, this study will investigate nurses' emotional responses and coping styles, and conduct a comparative study with nursing college students. This study was conducted through the online survey 'questionnaire star' from February 1st to February 20th, 2020 in Anhui Province, using the snowball sampling method to invite subjects. The results found that women showed more severe anxiety and fear than men. Participants from cities exhibited these symptoms more than participants from rural areas, however rural participants experienced more sadness than urban participants. The nearer a COVID-19 zone is to the participants, the stronger the anxiety and anger. The COVID-19 outbreak has placed immense pressure on hospitals and those nurses at the frontline are more seriously affected. Hospitals should focus on providing psychological support to nurses and training in coping strategies.

Psychopathy is a personality development disorder increasing the risk of antisocial behavior. Studies on the relationship between psychopathy and decision-making have received limited attention and the result of studies is mixed. A present study examines whether or not the different factors of psychopathy are related to decision-making under risk and ambiguity in offenders and how they are related. Also, the study investigates whether general intelligence is associated with decision-making or moderates the relationship between psychopathy and decision-making. The results showed that only antisocial factor of psychopathy significantly correlates with Game of Dice Task (GDT) risky selections, but there no general relation between psychopathy and Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) performance. Lastly, general intelligence neither is related to decision-making under risk and ambiguity nor moderates the relationship between decision-making and psychopathy. The study results show that antisocial factor of psychopathy was associated with decision-making under risk rather than ambiguity. Our results also suggest that the antisocial factor of psychopathy was more related to executive dysfunction in offenders.

Very recently, two new two-dimensional (2D) layered semi-conducting materials MoSi2N4 and WSi2N4 were successfully synthesized in experiments, and a large family of these two 2D materials, namely MA2Z4, was also predicted theoretically (Science, 369, 670 (2020)). Motivated by this exciting family, in this work, we systematically investigate the mechanical, electronic and optical properties of monolayer and bilayer MoSi2P4 and MoSi2As4 by using the first-principles calculation method. Numerical results indicate that both monolayer and bilayer MoSi2Z4 (Z = P, As) present good structural stability, isotropic mechanical parameters, moderate bandgap, favorable carrier mobilities, remarkable optical absorption, superior photon responsivity and external quantum efficiency. Especially, due to the wave-functions of band edges dominated by d orbital of the middle-layer Mo atoms are screened effectively, the bandgap and optical absorption hardly depend on the number of layers, providing an added convenience in the experimental fabrication of few-layer MoSi2Z4-based electronic and optoelectronic devices. We also build a monolayer MoSi2Z4-based 2D optoelectronic device, and quantitatively evaluate the photocurrent as a function of energy and polarization angle of the incident light. Our investigation verifies the excellent performance of a few-layer MoSi2Z4 and expands their potential application in nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Spin–orbit coupling (SOC) plays a determinate role in spintronics and topological physics. Previous studies indicate that the SOC in graphene nanoribbon (GNR) can be enhanced by the proximity effect from two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide (2D-TMD). However, the bulk inversion symmetry of GNR/2D-TMD restricts further increase of the proximity-induced SOC in GNR. In this view, we introduce a TMD nanoribbon (TMDNR) with finite width, and propose three methods to break the bulk inversion symmetry, i.e. defects in TMDNR, spatial interlayer edge coupling, and twist between GNR and TMDNR, which can further enhance the SOC in the GNR by roughly 30 times, 20 times and 150 times, respectively, depending on the relative energy between the Dirac point of GNR and the states of TMDNR. Furthermore, the significantly enhanced SOC can drive the GNR into a topological superconducting phase. By introducing the Zeeman splitting and s -wave superconductivity in the GNR, quasi one-dimensional topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes (MZMs) can be achieved in the GNR. At last we propose a feasible experimental method to realize and manipulate MZMs in the GNR/TMDNR system.

Previous studies have shown that people would like to sacrifice benefits to themselves in order to avoid inequitable outcomes, not only when they receive less than others (disadvantageous inequity aversion) but also when they receive more (advantageous inequity aversion). This feature is captured by the theory of inequity aversion. The present study was inspired by what appears to be asymmetry in the research paradigm toward advantageous inequity aversion. Specifically, studies that supported the existence of advantageous inequity aversion always relied on the paradigm in which participants can determine allocations. Thus, it is interesting to know what would occur if participants could not determine allocations or simply passed judgment on predetermined allocations. To address this, a behavioral experiment (N = 118) and a skin conductance response (SCR) experiment (N = 29) were adopted to compare participants' preferences for advantageous inequity directly when allocations were determined and when allocations were predetermined in an allocating task. In the determined condition, participants could divide by themselves a sum of money between themselves and a matched person, whereas in the predetermined condition, they could simply indicate their satisfaction with an equivalent program-generated allocation. It was found that, compared with those in the determined condition, participants in the predetermined condition behaved as if they liked the advantageous inequity and equity to the same degree (Experiment One) and that the SCRs elicited by advantageous inequity had no differences from those elicited by equity, suggesting that participants did not feel negatively toward advantageous inequity in this situation (Experiment Two). The present study provided mutual corroboration (behavioral and electrophysiological data) to document that advantageous inequity aversion may differ as a function of the individual's role in determining allocations, and it would disappear if individual cannot determine allocations.

We study theoretically spin transport through a single-molecule magnet (SMM) in the sequential and cotunneling regimes, where the SMM is weakly coupled to one ferromagnetic and one normal-metallic leads. By a master-equation approach, it is found that the spin polarization injected from the ferromagnetic lead is amplified and highly polarized spin-current can be generated, due to the exchange coupling between the transport electron and the anisotropic spin of the SMM. Moreover, the spin-current polarization can be tuned by the gate or bias voltage, and thus an efficient spin injection device based on the SMM is proposed in molecular spintronics.

Quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) has been experimentally realized in magnetic topological insulator (MTI) thin films fabricated on magnetically doped ${({\rm{Bi}},{\rm{Sb}})}_{2}{{\rm{Te}}}_{3}$ . In an MTI thin film with the magnetic easy axis along the normal direction ( z -direction), orientations of magnetic dopants are randomly distributed around the magnetic easy axis, acting as magnetic disorders. With the aid of the non-equilibrium Green's function and Landauer–Büttiker formalism, we numerically study the influence of magnetic disorders on QAHE in an MTI thin film modeled by a three-dimensional tight-binding Hamiltonian. It is found that, due to the existence of gapless side surface states, QAHE is protected even in the presence of magnetic disorders as long as the z -component of magnetic moment of all magnetic dopants are positive. More importantly, such magnetic disorders also suppress the dissipation of the chiral edge states and enhance the quality of QAHE in MTI films. In addition, the effect of magnetic disorders depends very much on the film thickness, and the optimal influence is achieved at certain thickness. These findings are new features for QAHE in three-dimensional systems, not present in two-dimensional systems.

We numerically investigate the electronic transport properties of graphene nanoribbons and carbon nanotubes with inter-valley coupling, e.g., in $\sqrt{3}N\times \sqrt{3}N$ and $3N\times 3N$ superlattices. By taking the $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ graphene superlattice as an example, we show that tailoring the bulk graphene superlattice results in rich structural configurations of nanoribbons and nanotubes. After studying the electronic characteristics of the corresponding armchair and zigzag nanoribbon geometries, we find that the linear bands of carbon nanotubes can lead to the Klein tunnelling-like phenomenon, i.e., electrons propagate along tubes without backscattering even in the presence of a barrier. Due to the coupling between K and ${K}^{\prime }$ valleys of pristine graphene by $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ supercells, we propose a valley-field-effect transistor based on the armchair carbon nanotube, where the valley polarization of the current can be tuned by applying a gate voltage or varying the length of the armchair carbon nanotubes.

Job satisfaction is an important topic in teacher education research. Exploring the issue of teacher job satisfaction helps us gain a deeper understanding of teachers' mental state, such as their occupational attitudes, zeal for teaching, and work enthusiasm, which affects the quality of teaching and education. From an examination of teachers' job satisfaction studies conducted in China (including Hong Kong) in the past ten years, we identified changes in job satisfaction among China's teachers and proposed suggestions that school and educational administrators may find relevant in their decision making and administration. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)