The Effects of Temperament and Character on Symptoms of Depression in a Chinese Nonclinical Population

Objective. To examine the relations between personality traits and syndromes of depression in a nonclinical Chinese population. Method. We recruited 469 nonclinical participants in China. They completed the Chinese version temperament and character inventory (TCI) and self-rating depression scale (SDS). A structural equation model was used to rate the relation between seven TCI scales and the three SDS subscale scores (based on Shafer's meta-analysis of the SDS items factor analyses). This was based on the assumption that the three depression subscales would be predicted by the temperament and character subscales, whereas the character subscales would be predicted by the temperament subscales. Results. The positive symptoms scores were predicted by low self-directedness (SD), cooperativeness (C), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P) as well as older age. The negative symptoms scores were predicted only by an older age. The somatic symptoms scores were predicted by high SD. Conclusion. Syndromes of depression are differentially associated with temperament and character patterns. It was mainly the positive symptoms scores that were predicted by the TCI scores. The effects of harm avoidance (HA) on the positive symptoms scores could be mediated by low SD and C

Ubiquitous nematic Dirac semimetal emerging from interacting quadratic band touching system

Quadratic band touching (QBT) points are widely observed in 2D and 3D materials, including bilayer graphene and Luttinger semimetals, and attract significant attention from theory to experiment. However, even in its simplest form, the 2D checkerboard lattice QBT model, the phase diagram characterized by temperature and interaction strength still remains unknown beyond the weak-coupling regime. Intense debates persist regarding the existence of various interaction-driven insulating states in this system [1-7]. To address these uncertainties, we employ thermal tensor network simulations, specifically exponential tensor renormalization group [8], along with density matrix renormalization group calculations. Our approach enables us to provide a comprehensive finite-temperature phase diagram for this model and shed light on previous ambiguities. Notably, our findings consistently reveal the emergence of a robust bond-nematic Dirac semimetal (BNDS) phase as an intermediate state between the nematic insulating state and other symmetry broken states. This previously overlooked feature is found to be ubiquitous in interacting QBT systems. We also discuss the implications of these results for experimental systems such as bilayer graphene and iridate compounds