Effects of Violent Video Game Exposure on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive thought Accessibility, and Aggressive Affect among Adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recent mass shootings have prompted the idea among some members of the public that exposure to violent video games can have a pronounced effect on individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Empirical evidence for or against this claim currently is absent. To address this issue, adults with and without ASD were assigned to play a violent or nonviolent version of a customized first-person shooter video game, after which responses on three aggression-related outcome variables (aggressive behavior, aggressive thought accessibility, and aggressive affect) were assessed. Results showed strong evidence that adults with ASD are not differentially affected by acute exposure to violent video games compared to typically developing adults. Moreover, model comparisons showed modest evidence against any effect of violent game content whatsoever. Findings from the current experiment suggest that societal concerns over whether violent game exposure has a unique effect on adults with autism are not supported by evidence

Isostatic Compensation and Conduit Structures of Western Pacific Seamounts: Results of Three-Dimensional Gravity Modeling

Detailed three-dimensional polygonal prism models of two large western Pacific seamounts show that the 135 mgal difference in the observed sea surface gravity over the two can be best explained by similar mean densities (2.6 gjcm3) and crustal thickening under one seamount (Airy isostatic compensation). Observed calculated residuals are further reduced by including dense (2.9 gjcm3) vertical feeder pipes or volcanic conduits in the models. Dense conduits or fracture zones 5 to 17 km in diameter are located under many, if not all, craters on volcanic islands and seamounts. Results from the detailed seamount studies can be generalized using exact expressions for the on-axis vertical component of gravity for cones or frustrums of cones. Seamount isostatic compensation levels can then be rapidly estimated by iteratively inverting the on-axis gravity. The estimation algorithm is independent of mechanical assumptions regarding oceanic lithosphere and is particularly useful for the rapid evaluation of large data sets. The results and associated uncertainties are comparable to those of the detailed three-dimensional models and frequency domain studies. As predicted by cooling plate models, the estimated Airy (local) compensation levels p. for seamounts are inversely proportional to the root ofthe seafloor age at the time of loading t: p.(%) = 68 -5.6t1/ 2• A map of depth-corrected on-axis gravity values for western Pacific seamounts indicates that seamounts with similar p. \u27fBlues tend to form clusters

Obesity and vulnerability of the CNS

AbstractThe incidence of obesity is increasing worldwide, and is especially pronounced in developed western countries. While the consequences of obesity on metabolic and cardiovascular physiology are well established, epidemiological and experimental data are beginning to establish that the central nervous system (CNS) may also be detrimentally affected by obesity and obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction. In particular, data show that obesity in human populations is associated with cognitive decline and enhanced vulnerability to brain injury, while experimental studies in animal models confirm a profile of heightened vulnerability and decreased cognitive function. This review will describe findings from human and animal studies to summarize current understanding of how obesity affects the brain. Furthermore, studies aimed at identifying key elements of body–brain dialog will be discussed to assess how various metabolic and adipose-related signals could adversely affect the CNS. Overall, data suggest that obesity-induced alterations in metabolism may significantly synergize with age to impair brain function and accelerate age-related diseases of the nervous system. Thus, enhanced understanding of the effects of obesity and obesity-related metabolic dysfunction on the brain are especially critical as increasing numbers of obese individuals approach advanced age

Navigation performance in a virtual environment with bonephones

Presented at the 11th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD2005)Audio navigation interfaces have traditionally been studied (and implemented) using headphones. However, many potential users (especially those with visual impairments) are hesitant to adopt these emerging wayfinding technologies if doing so requires them to reduce their ability to hear environmental sounds by wearing headphones. In this study we examined the performance of the SWAN audio navigation interface using bone-conduction headphones (``bonephones''), which do not cover the ear. Bonephones enabled all participants to complete the navigation tasks with good efficiencies, though not immediately as effective as regular headphones. Given the functional success here, and considering that the spatialization routines were not optimized for bonephones (this essentially represents a worst-case scenario), the prospects are excellent for more widespread usage of bone conduction for auditory navigation, and likely for many other auditory displays

Novel Alleles of gon-2, a C-elegans Ortholog of Mammalian TRPM6 and TRPM7, Obtained by Genetic Reversion Screens

TRP (Transient Receptor Potential) cation channels of the TRPM subfamily have been found to be critically important for the regulation of Mg2+ homeostasis in both protostomes (e.g.,the nematode, C. elegans, and the insect, D. melanogaster) and deuterostomes (e.g.,humans). Although significant progress has been made toward understanding how the activities of these channels are regulated, there are still major gaps in our understanding of the potential regulatory roles of extensive, evolutionarily conserved, regions of these proteins. The C. elegans genes, gon-2, gtl-1 and gtl-2, encode paralogous TRP cation channel proteins that are similar in sequence and function to human TRPM6 and TRPM7. We isolated fourteen revertants of the missense mutant, gon-2(q338),and these mutations affect nine different residues within GON-2. Since eight of the nine affected residues are situated within regions that have high similarity to human TRPM1, 3, 6 and 7, these mutations identify sections of these channels that are potentially critical for channel regulation. We also isolated a single mutant allele of gon-2 during a screen for revertants of the Mg2+-hypersensitive phenotype of gtl-2(-) mutants. This allele of gon-2 converts a serine to phenylalanine within the highly conserved TRP domain, and is antimorphic against both gon-2(+) and gtl-1 (+). Interestingly, others have reported that mutation of the corresponding residue in TRPM7 to glutamate results in deregulated channel activity

Convection-Enhanced Delivery for Targeted Delivery of Antiglioma Agents: The Translational Experience

Recent improvements in the understanding of glioblastoma (GBM) have allowed for increased ability to develop specific, targeted therapies. In parallel, however, there is a need for effective methods of delivery to circumvent the therapeutic obstacles presented by the blood-brain barrier and systemic side effects. The ideal delivery system should allow for adequate targeting of the tumor while minimizing systemic exposure, applicability across a wide range of potential therapies, and have existing safe and efficacious systems that allow for widespread application. Though many alternatives to systemic delivery have been developed, this paper will focus on our experience with convection-enhanced delivery (CED) and our focus on translating this technology from pre-clinical studies to the treatment of human GBM

Serum phospholipid fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids is the preferred indicator for nutrition and health status in hemodialysis patients

Long chain (LC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are major components of cell membrane phospholipids (PL) and serve as precursors for numerous bioactive lipid derivatives. Fatty acids (FA) are routinely analyzed in biological samples to assess composition of tissues, cells, and lipid fractions. In human studies, serum or plasma is often used because of their easy procurement. However, the lipid pool in serum and plasma is a mixture of triacylglycerol (TG), PL, cholesterol and its esters, and other components. Herein, we report findings from a serum FA analysis after fractionation of polar and neutral lipids by solid phase extraction in a large cohort of 400 hemodialysis patients. LC PUFA were found concentrated in the polar fraction compared to the total or the neutral lipid fraction. When correlated with clinical markers of disease, a greater number of significant correlations were found for PUFA in polar compared to total or the neutral fraction. We also observed that polar lipids are a reliable reflection of LC PUFA status compared to the total or neutral fractions because the latter are diluted by non-essential FA. The relative amounts of LC PUFA in the total and neutral fractions reflect the contribution of TG in blood that varies with diet, age, and physiologic state. Our data indicate that LC PUFA in the polar fraction are superior indicators of bioactive FA-status than in the total or the neutral fraction and should be used to establish important links between PUFA status, their bioactive substrates in hemodialysis patients