Immersion in video games, creative self-efficacy, and political participation

Data from a cross-national survey (N = 801) of young adults in Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, and the U.S. (Guam, Hawaii, Continental U.S.) were analyzed to explore the relationships between the three subcomponents of the immersion motivation of video game play—discovery, role-play, and customization (Yee, 2006)—creative self-efficacy, and political participation. Findings reveal role-play and creative self-efficacy are positively associated with political participation; discovery and role-play are positively associated with creative self-efficacy. Furthermore, discovery, role-play, and customization had small indirect effects on political participation via creative self-efficacy

Immersion in video games, creative self-efficacy, and political participation

Data from a cross-national survey (N = 801) of young adults in Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, and the U.S. (Guam, Hawaii, Continental U.S.) were analyzed to explore the relationships between the three subcomponents of the immersion motivation of video game play—discovery, role-play, and customization (Yee, 2006)—creative self-efficacy, and political participation. Findings reveal role-play and creative self-efficacy are positively associated with political participation; discovery and role-play are positively associated with creative self-efficacy. Furthermore, discovery, role-play, and customization had small indirect effects on political participation via creative self-efficacy

Female gamers’ experience of online harassment and social support in online gaming: a qualitative study

Female gaming is a relatively under-researched area, and female gamers often report experiencing harassment whilst playing online. The present study explored female experiences of social support while playing online video games, because of the previous research suggesting that females often experience harassment and negative interactions during game play. Data were collected from an online discussion forum, and comprised posts drawn from 271 female gamers. Thematic analysis of the discussions suggested that a lack of social support and harassment frequently led to female gamers playing alone, playing anonymously, and moving groups regularly. The female gamers reported experiencing anxiety and loneliness due to this lack of social support, and for many, this was mirrored in their experiences of social support outside of gaming. The female gamers frequently accepted the incorporation into their gaming of specific coping strategies to mitigate online harassment, including actively hiding their identity and avoiding all forms of verbal communication with other players. These themes are discussed in relation to relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research and consideration of possible explanations for the themes observed

Oceanapiside, a Marine Natural Product, Targets the Sphingolipid Pathway of Fluconazole-Resistant <i>Candida glabrata</i>

Oceanapiside (OPS), a marine natural product with a novel bifunctional sphingolipid structure, is fungicidal against fluconazole-resistant Candida glabrata at 10 μg/mL (15.4 μM). The fungicidal effect was observed at 3 to 4 h after exposure to cells. Cytological and morphological studies revealed that OPS affects the budding patterns of treated yeast cells with a significant increase in the number of cells with single small buds. In addition, this budding morphology was found to be sensitive in the presence of OPS. Moreover, the number of cells with single medium-sized buds and cells with single large buds were decreased significantly, indicating that fewer cells were transformed to these budding patterns, suggestive of inhibition of polarized growth. OPS was also observed to disrupt the organized actin assembly in C. glabrata, which correlates with inhibition of budding and polarized growth. It was also demonstrated that phytosphingosine (PHS) reversed the antifungal activity of oceanapiside. We quantified the amount of long chain-bases (LCBs) and phytoceramide from the crude extracts of treated cells using LC-ESI-MS. PHS concentration was elevated in extracts of cells treated with OPS when compared with cells treated with miconazole and amphotericin B. Elevated levels of PHS in OPS-treated cells confirms that OPS affects the pathway at a step downstream of PHS synthesis. These results also demonstrated that OPS has a mechanism of action different to those of miconazole and amphotericin B and interdicts fungal sphingolipid metabolism by specifically inhibiting the step converting PHS to phytoceramide

Oceanalin B, a Hybrid α,ω-Bifunctionalized Sphingoid Tetrahydroisoquinoline β-Glycoside from the Marine Sponge Oceanapia sp.

Oceanalin B (1), an α,ω-bipolar natural product belonging to a rare family of sphingoid tetrahydoisoquinoline β-glycosides, was isolated from the EtOH extract of the lyophilized marine sponge Oceanapia sp. as the second member of the series after oceanalin A (2) from the same animal. The compounds are of particular interest due to their biogenetically unexpected structures as well as their biological activities. The structure and absolute stereochemistry of 1 as a α,ω-bifunctionalized sphingoid tetrahydroisoquinoline β-glycoside was elucidated using NMR, CD and MS spectral analysis and chemical degradation. Oceanalin B exhibited in vitro antifungal activity against Candidaglabrata with a MIC of 25 μg/mL