Does “forced abstinence” from gaming lead to pornography use? Insight from the April 2018 crash of Fortnite's servers

In April 2018, the servers of the popular video game "Fortnite" crashed for 24 hr. During this period, Pornhub (a popular pornographic website) analyzed trends in pornography access, finding that: (a) the percentage of gamers accessing Pornhub increased by 10% and (b) the searches of pornographic videos using the key term "Fortnite" increased by 60%. In this letter, we discuss these observations in the context of ongoing debate regarding the validity of "withdrawal" when applied to problematic involvement in video gaming and the potential use of pornography as a "compensation behavior" during the periods of "forced abstinence" from gaming

Flipped detection of psychoactive substances in complex mixtures using handheld Raman spectroscopy coupled to chemometrics

© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/New psychoactive substance (NPS) misuse represents a critical social and health problem. Herein, a novel flipped approach is presented for the detection of psychoactive substances in complex mixtures using portable Raman spectroscopy. This consists firstly of evaluating the spectral dissimilarities of an NPS product to its constituent adulterants followed by detection of the NPS by means of key spectral signatures. To demonstrate it, three structurally diverse NPS and four commonly used adulterants were selected. A Design‐of‐Experiments guided approach was employed to determine the composition of simulate street samples, ranging from binary to quinary mixtures of varying concentrations. Spectra were acquired for all mixtures using a portable Raman spectrometer and examined using projection analysis on model systems, developed via principal component analysis using reference materials. For all 21 mixtures investigated, the innovative ‘flipped’ methodology resulted in isolated and unequivocal detection of the NPS. Interestingly, the NPS signatures were consistent across all mixtures investigated and were 1712, 1000, and 777/1022 cm−1 for 5F‐PB‐22, phenibut, and N‐Me‐2‐AI containing samples, respectively. Thus indicating that the developed model systems could be applicable to structural analogs. NPS were detected to concentrations as low as 6.0% w/w. This flipped methodology was benchmarked to the instrument's output algorithms and outperformed these in terms of NPS detection, particularly for low concentration ternary and quinary mixtures. As a result, this study represents a critical change in the conceptualization of novel approaches for the detection of psychoactive substances and further denotes a blueprint for the development of detection methodologies of target analytes in complex mixtures.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

The Evolution of Deep Ocean Chemistry and Respired Carbon in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific Over the Last Deglaciation

It has been shown that the deep Eastern Equatorial Pacific (EEP) region was poorly ventilated during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) relative to Holocene values. This finding suggests a more efficient biological pump, which indirectly supports the idea of increased carbon storage in the deep ocean contributing to lower atmospheric CO2 during the last glacial. However, proxies related to respired carbon are needed in order to directly test this proposition. Here we present Cibicides wuellerstorfi B/Ca ratios from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1240 measured by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) as a proxy for deep water carbonate saturation state ([CO32-], and therefore [CO32-]), along with C-13 measurements. In addition, the U/Ca ratio in foraminiferal coatings has been analyzed as an indicator of oxygenation changes. Our results show lower [CO32-], C-13, and [O-2] values during the LGM, which would be consistent with higher respired carbon levels in the deep EEP driven, at least in part, by reduced deep water ventilation. However, the difference between LGM and Holocene [CO32-] observed at our site is relatively small, in accordance with other records from across the Pacific, suggesting that a counteracting mechanism, such as seafloor carbonate dissolution, also played a role. If so, this mechanism would have increased average ocean alkalinity, allowing even more atmospheric CO2 to be sequestered by the ocean. Therefore, the deep Pacific Ocean very likely stored a significant amount of atmospheric CO2 during the LGM, specifically due to a more efficient biological carbon pump and also an increase in average ocean alkalinity

The wideband backend at the MDSCC in Robledo. A new facility for radio astronomy at Q- and K- bands

The antennas of NASA's Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) in Robledo de Chavela are available as single-dish radio astronomical facilities during a significant percentage of their operational time. Current instrumentation includes two antennas of 70 and 34 m in diameter, equipped with dual-polarization receivers in K (18 - 26 GHz) and Q (38 - 50 GHz) bands, respectively. We have developed and built a new wideband backend for the Robledo antennas, with the objectives (1) to optimize the available time and enhance the efficiency of radio astronomy in MDSCC; and (2) to tackle new scientific cases impossible to that were investigated with the old, narrow-band autocorrelator. The backend consists of an IF processor, a FFT spectrometer (FFTS), and the software that interfaces and manages the events among the observing program, antenna control, the IF processor, the FFTS operation, and data recording. The whole system was end-to-end assembled in August 2011, at the start of commissioning activities, and the results are reported in this paper. Frequency tunings and line intensities are stable over hours, even when using different synthesizers and IF channels; no aliasing effects have been measured, and the rejection of the image sideband was characterized. The first setup provides 1.5 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth in a single polarization, using 8192 channels and a frequency resolution of 212 kHz; upgrades under way include a second FFTS card, and two high-resolution cores providing 100 MHz and 500 MHz of bandwidth, and 16384 channels. These upgrades will permit simultaneous observations of the two polarizations with instantaneous bandwidths from 100 MHz to 3 GHz, and spectral resolutions from 7 to 212 kHz.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

Problematic internet use prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic

The health and socio-economic challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have led to greater reliance on the internet to meet basic needs and responsibilities. Greater engagement in online activities may have negative mental and physical health consequences for some vulnerable individuals, particularly under mandatory self-isolation or ‘lockdown’ conditions. The present study investigated whether changes in levels of involvement in online activities during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., watching TV series, online sexual activities, video games, social networks, gambling, online shopping, and instant messaging) were associated with problematic internet use, as well as whether certain psychological risk factors (positive/negative affect and impulsivity) were significant predictors of these changes. A total of 1,275 participants (66.1% female, aged between 18-55 years) completed an online survey while in lockdown in Spain (April 15th-23rd, 2020). The survey assessed current engagement in seven different online activities and their engagement prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as psychological risk factors (affect and impulsivity). Most participants (between 60.8%-98.6% depending on the activity) reported no changes in participation in online activities, but there was a significant increase in weekly internet use (between 25 and 336 min). However, increased internet use was not accompanied by a corresponding increase in problematic use, except for problematic TV series watching and video gaming. Psychological risk factors considered in the study (affect, impulsivity traits) were largely minor or non-significant predictors. Thus, increased internet use during the lockdown in Spain was not related to a proportional growth in problematic usage, suggesting that these behavioral changes may constitute adaptive coping strategies in the context of the pandemic

Congruencia en conocimientos y educación afectivo-sexual en personas con DI

En la educación de las personas con diversidad funcional intelectual (DFI) es importante que los principales agentes implicados (usuarios/as, padres y profesionales que trabajan con ellos) posean criterios comunes acerca de los objetivos educativos en general, y especialmente, en el área de la sexualidad. Sin embargo, las tres perspectivas no siempre son coincidentes con las consecuencias que se derivan de ello. Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de la identificación de necesidades y metas comunes, planteamos este trabajo con el objetivo de conocer el grado de concordancia entre: 1) los conocimientos que los usuarios tienen sobre sexualidad y la que los padres y profesionales les atribuyen y 2) la opinión de padres, profesionales y usuarios/as sobre la necesidad de proveer/recibir educación afectivo-sexual. Para ello, 92 adultos con DI (45.6% mujeres, 54.4% hombres) con edades entre los 19 y 67 años (M=37.5) y sus padres y profesionales, completaron un instrumento donde se les preguntaba acerca del conocimiento sobre sexualidad y sobre el interés de recibir formación en educación afectivo-sexual. Los resultados señalan una concordancia respecto a los conocimientos sobre sexualidad del 36.7% entre padres y usuarios/as y del 58.4% entre profesionales y usuarios. En cuanto a la concordancia respecto a la necesidad de recibir formación en educación afectivo-sexual, ésta fue 75.5% entre padres y usuarios/as y del 88.5% entre profesionales y usuarios. La concordancia entre los tres respecto a esta cuestión resultó alta (74.7%). A partir de estos resultados podemos concluir que los profesionales son mejores conocedores de las necesidad, capacidades y conocimientos de los/as usuarios/as de lo que lo son sus propios padres pero que todos tienen en común el identificar la necesidad de introducir de forma normalizada la educación afectivo-sexual en este colectivo.In education of people with intellectual disability (ID) it is important that the main agents involved (users, parents and professionals working with them) have common criteria about educational objectives in general, and especially, in sexuality. However, the three perspectives do not always coincide with the consequences of it. Taking into account the importance of identifying common needs and goals, we propose this work with the objective of knowing the degree of agreement between: 1) the knowledge that users have about sexuality and the attribution their parents and professionals made about them and 2) the opinion of parents, professionals and users on the need to provide/receive affective-sexual education. For this, 92 adults with ID (45.6% women, 54.4% men) with ages between 19 and 67 year old (M=37.5) and their parents and professionals, completed an instrument where they were asked about knowledge about sexuality and the interest of receiving training in affective-sexual education. Results indicate agreement respect to sexuality knowledge of 36.7% between parents and users and 58.4% between professionals and users. Regarding the agreement of the need to receive training in affective-sexual education, this was 75.5% between parents and users and 88.5% between professionals and users. The agreement between the three regarding this issue was high (74.7%). From these results we can conclude that professionals are better aware of the needs, skills and knowledge of the users than their own parents are but, all have in common the identification of the need to introduce in a standardized way affective-sexual education in this group

Measurements of the reaction pˉp→ϕη\bar{p}p \to \phi \eta of antiproton annihilation at rest at three hydrogen target densities

The proton-antiproton annihilation at rest into the $\phi\eta$ final state was measured for three different target densities: liquid hydrogen, gaseous hydrogen at NTP and at a low pressure of 5 mbar. The yield of this reaction in the liquid hydrogen target is smaller than in the low-pressure gas target. The branching ratios of the $\phi\eta$ channel were calculated on the basis of simultaneous analysis of the three data samples. The branching ratio for annihilation into $\phi\eta$ from the $^3S_1$ protonium state turns out to be about ten times smaller as compared to the one from the $^1P_1$ state.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Postscript figures. Accepted by Physics Letters

New data on OZI rule violation in bar{p}p annihilation at rest

The results of a measurement of the ratio R = Y(phi pi+ pi-) / Y(omega pi+ pi-) for antiproton annihilation at rest in a gaseous and in a liquid hydrogen target are presented. It was found that the value of this ratio increases with the decreasing of the dipion mass, which demonstrates the difference in the phi and omega production mechanisms. An indication on the momentum transfer dependence of the apparent OZI rule violation for phi production from the 3S1 initial state was found.Comment: 11 pages, 3 PostScript figures, submitted to Physics Letter

Spatially resolved proteomic profiling identifies tumor cell CD44 as a biomarker associated with sensitivity to PD-1 axis blockade in advanced non-small- cell lung cancer

Most patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) fail to derive significant benefit from programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) axis blockade, and new biomarkers of response are needed. In this study, we aimed to discover and validate spatially resolved protein markers associated with sensitivity to PD-1 axis inhibition in NSCLC

Comorbidities in patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A comparative registries-based study

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of the main comorbidities in 2 large cohorts of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a focus on cardiovascular (CV) diseases. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional multicenter study where the prevalence of more relevant comorbidities in 2 cohorts was compared. Patients under followup from SJOGRENSER (Spanish Rheumatology Society Registry of Primary SS) and RELESSER (Spanish Rheumatology Society Registry of SLE), and who fulfilled the 2002 American-European Consensus Group and 1997 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria, respectively, were included. A binomial logistic regression analysis was carried out to explore potential differences, making general adjustments for age, sex, and disease duration and specific adjustments for each variable, including CV risk factors and treatments, when appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 437 primary SS patients (95% female) and 2,926 SLE patients (89% female) were included. The mean age was 58.6 years (interquartile range [IQR] 50.0-69.9 years) for primary SS patients and 45.1 years (IQR 36.4-56.3 years) for SLE patients (P?<?0.001), and disease duration was 10.4 years (IQR 6.0-16.7 years) and 13.0 years (IQR 7.45-19.76 years), respectively (P?<?0.001). Smoking, dyslipidemia, and arterial hypertension were associated less frequently with primary SS (odds ratio [OR] 0.36 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.28-0.48], 0.74 [95% CI 0.58-0.94], and 0.50 [95% CI 0.38-0.66], respectively) as were life-threatening CV events (i.e., stroke or myocardial infarction; OR 0.57 [95% CI 0.35-0.92]). Conversely, lymphoma was associated more frequently with primary SS (OR 4.41 [95% CI 1.35-14.43]). The prevalence of severe infection was lower in primary SS than in SLE (10.1% versus 16.9%; OR 0.54 [95% CI 0.39-0.76]; P?<?0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary SS patients have a consistently less serious CV comorbidity burden and a lower prevalence of severe infection than those with SLE. In contrast, their risk of lymphoma is greater