Government Regulation of Online Game Addiction

While the Internet has changed the world with online knowledge, communication, and collaboration, it has also introduced online addiction. Online game addiction can be severe with tragic outcomes. Most governments and organizations are yet to recognize the severity of online game addiction and the need for intervention. We briefly review the literature on online game addiction. We also summarize the limited attempts of governments to develop regulations aimed at preventing online game addiction. Special attention is paid to China and its efforts to reduce the number of hours that young people can play online. We present evidence suggesting that online game addiction is an issue that should be considered by governments everywhere and that information systems researchers can play an important role in analyzing the impacts of government regulation of online addiction and shaping regulation improvements

Laboratory observation of ion acceleration via reflection off laser-produced magnetized collisionless shocks

Fermi acceleration by collisionless shocks is believed to be the primary mechanism to produce high energy charged particles in the Universe,where charged particles gain energy successively from multiple reflections off the shock front.Here,we present the first direct experimental evidence of ion energization from reflection off a supercritical quasi perpendicular collisionless shock,an essential component of Fermi acceleration in a laser produced magnetized plasma. We observed a quasi monoenergetic ion beam with 2,4 times the shock velocity in the upstream flow using time of flight method. Our related kinetic simulations reproduced the energy gain and showed that these ions were first reflected and then accelerated mainly by the motional electric field associated with the shock. This mechanism can also explain the quasi monoenergetic fast ion component observed in the Earth's bow shock

Interaction between Dysfunctional Connectivity at Rest and Heroin Cues-Induced Brain Responses in Male Abstinent Heroin-Dependent Individuals

BACKGROUND: The majority of previous heroin cue-reactivity functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies focused on local function impairments, such as inhibitory control, decision-making and stress regulation. Our previous studies have demonstrated that these brain circuits also presented dysfunctional connectivity during the resting state. Yet few studies considered the relevance of resting state dysfunctional connectivity to task-related neural activity in the same chronic heroin user (CHU). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We employed the method of graph theory analysis, which detected the abnormality of brain regions and dysregulation of brain connections at rest between 16 male abstinent chronic heroin users (CHUs) and 16 non-drug users (NDUs). Using a cue-reactivity task, we assessed the relationship between drug-related cue-induced craving activity and the abnormal topological properties of the CHUs' resting networks. Comparing NDUs' brain activity to that of CHUs, the intensity of functional connectivity of the medial frontal gyrus (meFG) in patients' resting state networks was prominently greater and positively correlated with the same region's neural activity in the heroin-related task; decreased functional connectivity intensity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in CHUs at rest was associated with more drug-related cue-induced craving activities. CONCLUSIONS: These results may indicate that there exist two brain systems interacting simultaneously in the heroin-addicted brain with regards to a cue-reactivity task. The current study may shed further light on the neural architecture that supports craving responses in heroin dependence

Mitigating the risk of antimalarial resistance via covalent dual-subunit inhibition of the Plasmodium proteasome

The Plasmodium falciparum proteasome constitutes a promising antimalarial target, with multiple chemotypes potently and selectively inhibiting parasite proliferation and synergizing with the first-line artemisinin drugs, including against artemisinin-resistant parasites. We compared resistance profiles of vinyl sulfone, epoxyketone, macrocyclic peptide, and asparagine ethylenediamine inhibitors and report that the vinyl sulfones were potent even against mutant parasites resistant to other proteasome inhibitors and did not readily select for resistance, particularly WLL that displays covalent and irreversible binding to the catalytic β2 and β5 proteasome subunits. We also observed instances of collateral hypersensitivity, whereby resistance to one inhibitor could sensitize parasites to distinct chemotypes. Proteasome selectivity was confirmed using CRISPR/Cas9-edited mutant and conditional knockdown parasites. Molecular modeling of proteasome mutations suggested spatial contraction of the β5 P1 binding pocket, compromising compound binding. Dual targeting of P. falciparum proteasome subunits using covalent inhibitors provides a potential strategy for restoring artemisinin activity and combating the spread of drug-resistant malaria

Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated sites: Eco-environmental concerns, field studies, sustainability issues and future prospects

Environmental contamination due to heavy metals (HMs) is of serious ecotoxicological concern worldwide because of their increasing use at industries. Due to non-biodegradable and persistent nature, HMs cause serious soil/water pollution and severe health hazards in living beings upon exposure. HMs can be genotoxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic in nature even at low concentration. They may also act as endocrine disruptors and induce developmental as well as neurological disorders and thus, their removal from our natural environment is crucial for the rehabilitation of contaminated sites. To cope with HM pollution, phytoremediation has emerged as a low-cost and eco-sustainable solution to conventional physico-chemical cleanup methods that require high capital investment and labor alter soil properties and disturb soil microflora. Phytoremediation is a green technology wherein plants and associated microbes are used to remediate HM-contaminated sites to safeguard the environment and protect public health. Hence, in view of the above, the present paper aims to examine the feasibility of phytoremediation as a sustainable remediation technology for the management of metals-contaminated sites. Therefore, this paper provides an in-depth review on both the conventional and novel phytoremediation approaches, evaluate their efficacy to remove toxic metals from our natural environment, explore current scientific progresses, field experiences and sustainability issues and revise world over trends in phytoremediation research for its wider recognition and public acceptance as a sustainable remediation technology for the management of contaminated sites in 21st century

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Controlling vibrational population distribution of the Na

The population transfer and vibrational population distribution of the target state in the three-state Na2 molecule are theoretically investigated by using the time-dependent wave packet method. The population can be efficiently transferred to the target state by the process of adiabatic passage by light induced potentials (APLIP). The vibrational population distribution of the target state can be controlled by adjusting the laser parameters, such as the pulse width, time delay, intensity and envelope. The calculations show the vibrational population distribution variations under different laser parameters where the preparation of the specific state for molecules can be rationalised. In addition, the influence of the ionization state on the population transfer is studied