Impact of MindUP Among Young Children: Improvements in Behavioral Problems, Adaptive Skills, and Executive Functioning

Objectives: We evaluated the impacts of a mindfulness-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program on behavioral problems, adaptive skills, and executive functioning among kindergarten students. Methods: A total of 23 classrooms were assigned to the intervention group, in which the teachers implemented MindUP, and 19 classrooms were assigned to the comparison group, in which the teachers delivered their classes as usual. Teachers assessed the behavior of students (N = 584; intervention n = 261; comparison n = 323) both pre- and post-intervention with two measures: the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition, Teacher Rating Scales (BASC-3 TRS) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool and Child Version (BRIEF-P; BRIEF-2). Results: Students who received the intervention demonstrated an improvement in adaptive skills and reduction in behavioral symptoms, internalizing composite, and externalizing composite outcomes. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in executive functioning deficits among students who participated in MindUP. There were no gender differences regarding changes in any of the five study outcomes. Conclusions: The study suggests that mindfulness-based SEL intervention can improve psychosocial and behavioral outcomes in young children

Combined Exposure to Metals in Drinking Water Alters the Dopamine System in Mouse Striatum

Environmental exposure to arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) frequently occurs; however, data on the specific effects of combined exposure on neurotransmission, specifically dopaminergic neurotransmission, are lacking. In this study, motor coordination and dopamine content, along with the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), and dopamine receptors (DRs), were examined in the striatum of adult male mice following exposure to drinking water containing As, Pb, and/or Cd. We found that exposure to a metal mixture impaired motor coordination. After 4 weeks of treatment, a significant decrease in dopamine content and expression of TH, DAT, and VMAT2 was observed in the striatum of metal-mixture-treated mice, compared to the controls or single-metal-exposed groups. However, DRD1 and DRD2 expression did not significantly change with metal treatment. These results suggest that altered dopaminergic neurotransmission by the collective action of metals may contribute to metal-mixture-induced neurobehavioral disorders

Association between Heavy Metal Exposure and Parkinson’s Disease: A Review of the Mechanisms Related to Oxidative Stress

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a gradually progressing neurodegenerative condition that is marked by a loss of motor coordination along with non-motor features. Although the precise cause of PD has not been determined, the disease condition is mostly associated with the exposure to environmental toxins, such as metals, and their abnormal accumulation in the brain. Heavy metals, such as iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb), have been linked to PD and contribute to its progression. In addition, the interactions among the components of a metal mixture may result in synergistic toxicity. Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated a connection between PD and either single or mixed exposure to these heavy metals, which increase the prevalence of PD. Chronic exposure to heavy metals is related to the activation of proinflammatory cytokines resulting in neuronal loss through neuroinflammation. Similarly, metals disrupt redox homeostasis while inducing free radical production and decreasing antioxidant levels in the substantia nigra. Furthermore, these metals alter molecular processes and result in oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis, which can potentially trigger dopaminergic neurodegenerative disorders. This review focuses on the roles of Hg, Pb, Mn, Cu, and Fe in the development and progression of PD. Moreover, it explores the plausible roles of heavy metals in neurodegenerative mechanisms that facilitate the development of PD. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying metal toxicities will enable the establishment of novel therapeutic approaches to prevent or cure PD

Focused clamping of a single neuronal SNARE complex by complexin under high mechanical tension

The SNARE complex enables the fusion of synaptic vesicles with presynaptic membrane via a zippering process that is modulated by the protein complexin, though the precise mechanism remains unclear. Here, the authors used magnetic tweezers to show how complexin prepares a SNARE complex for fusion under mechanical tension

The Implementation of MiRO, a Media-as-Place Computer Game

In this study, we implemented MiRO, a web-based Media-as-Place storytelling game that resembles an existing OS. Media-as-Place storytelling refers to a story where its medium is identical to its place. Observing from escape room games, we propose this concept by contrasting it with interactive storytelling and tangible interaction. To realize the computer version of Media-as-Place storytelling, we focused on imitating visual representation and interactions of existing OSs. MiRO involves OS elements (e.g., a taskbar), in-game applications (e.g., e-mail, a web browser), and interaction techniques for existing OSs (e.g., drag-and-drop). We also conducted a preliminary user evaluation with 17 participants. MiRO was perceived as an OS visually, although its interaction was limited due to the characteristics of the web environment. From the interviews, we found that the role of guidance is important because Media-as-Place storytelling allows a high variety of available interaction at a time.N

Detection of paradoxical carbon dioxide gas embolism with opening of patent foramen ovale by perioperative transesophageal echocardiography during laparoscopic hepatectomy - A case report -

Background Due to its various advantages, laparoscopic surgery is preferred over laparotomy in patients who require hepatic resection. Carbon dioxide embolism—which occurs approximately ten times more often in laparoscopic hepatectomy than in general laparoscopic surgery—presents with insignificant symptoms and may be overlooked. Case A 70-year-old male with hepatic cell carcinoma underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy. Though his vital signs were stable during the initiation of surgery, they became unstable during the procedure. The surgeon detected portal vein rupture, and transesophageal echocardiography was subsequently performed. A large amount of gas in the heart chamber and paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale due to a right-to-left shunt were observed. We treated the symptoms, and the surgery was completed without any further issues. Conclusions Active use of transesophageal echocardiography to identify and monitor heart functions during a suspected carbon dioxide embolism can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality associated with that embolism

Kernel Prediction Network for Detail-Preserving High Dynamic Range Imaging

Generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image from multiple exposure images is challenging in the presence of significant motions, which usually causes ghosting artifacts. To alleviate this problem, previous methods explicitly align the input images before merging the controlled exposure images. Although recent works try to learn the HDR imaging process using a convolutional neural network (CNN), they still suffer from ghosting or blurring artifacts and missing details in extremely under/overexposed areas. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end framework for detail-preserving HDR imaging of dynamic scenes. Our method employs a kernel prediction network and produces per-pixel kernels to fully utilize every pixel and its neighborhood in input images for the successful alignment. After applying the kernels to the input images, we generate a final HDR image using a simple merging network. The proposed framework is an end-to-end trainable method without any preprocessing, which not only avoids ghosting or blurring artifacts but also hallucinates fine details effectively. We demonstrate that our method provides comparable results to the state-of-the-art methods regarding qualitative and quantitative evaluations.N

Retraction Note to: Correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of problematic game use in a national wide sample of Korean adults

The authors are retracting this article [1]. After publication they became aware that the criteria they had used for the diagnosis of problematic game use were not the DSM-5 Internet gaming disorder criteria as reported in the article but other similar criteria. As this error undermines the results and conclusions of their study they are retracting this article. All authors agree with this retraction

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of problematic game use in a national wide sample of Korean adults

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of problematic game use in a nationally representative sample of Korean adults. Methods Of the 6022 subjects who participated in the 2011 Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study and completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1, 1397 game users were evaluated for problematic game use using 9-item DSM-5 proposed criteria for Internet gaming disorder. Respondents who responded “yes” to five or more of the nine DSM-5 criteria were considered as problematic game users and the reminders were considered as normal game users. Results 4.0% (56/1397) of game users were classified as a problematic game user. Problematic game users were more likely to be in younger age group and live in urban area compared with normal game user. Problematic game use was positively associated with several psychiatric disorders including nicotine use disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, but not associated with alcohol use disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, after adjusting for age, sex, and residential area. Problematic game use was significantly and positively associated with suicide plans, after controlling for psychiatric disorders as well as socio-demographic factors. Conclusion Problematic game use is relatively prevalent in Korean adult population and highly comorbid with other psychiatric disorders and suicidality. Therefore, preventive strategy for problematic game use is needed for game users who were more likely to be addicted such as young adults in urban area, and mental health screening and appropriate treatment are needed for individuals with problematic game use

Association between level of suicide risk, characteristics of suicide attempts, and mental disorders among suicide attempters

Abstract Background Past attempted suicide is a strong predictor of future suicide risk, but the risk varies among suicide attempters. Hence, it is important to clarify distinguishing features of lifetime attempters with a high level of current suicide risk for efficient preventive management. Methods We compared characteristics of suicide attempts and clinical characteristics among high-, moderate-, and low-risk attempters. Among the total of 6022 participants in the Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, 193 reported a suicide attempt in their lifetime, 36 of which had high, 126 moderate, and 30 low levels of current suicide risk (1 incomplete response). Results High-risk suicide attempters had more past attempts compared with moderate- and low-risk suicide attempters. Suicide attempts were closely linked to a wide range of psychiatric comorbidities regardless of degree of current level of suicide risk, but the relative risk for having at least one mental disorder was the highest in high-risk attempters. Specifically, the relative risks for depressive disorder, anxiety disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders were higher in high-risk attempters, and relative risk for somatoform disorder was higher in low-risk attempters than others. Conclusions Our findings indicated that special attention is required for suicide attempters with a history of repeated attempts and current mental disorders, particularly anxiety disorders