Problematic Use of Internet Associates with Poor Quality of Life via Psychological Distress in Invididuals with ADHD.

Background: Problematic use of internet (PUI) may have negative impacts on psychological distress and quality of life (QoL). This situation might be more profound in people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) due to poorer behavioral control and regulatory capacity. However, there is little evidence regarding mediated effects in the associations between PUI, psychological distress, and QoL in people with ADHD. Aims: To investigate mediating effects of psychological distress in the associations of problematic smartphone use (PSPU), problematic use of social media (PUSM), and problematic gaming (PG) with QoL in individuals with ADHD. Methods and Procedures: PUI behaviors of participants with ADHD (n = 99) were assessed using the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and Internet Gaming Disorder-Short Form. Psychological distress was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale and QoL using the Kid-KINDL. Outcomes and Results: Psychological distress mediated the associations between PUI and different domains of QoL, except for self-esteem QoL. There were also positively direct effects between PG and physical QoL, PUSM and friends' QoL, and PSPU and physical QoL. Conclusions and Implications: PUI may associate with poor QoL in people with ADHD via psychological distress. Programs on reducing PUI for people with ADHD are needed.

Family Communication as a Mediator between Family Resilience and Family Functioning under the Quarantine and COVID-19 Pandemic in Arabic Countries.

The coronavirus pandemic has become an unprecedented world crisis in which we have struggled against the most potent threat of the twenty-first century. This pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals and families. Therefore, the study aimed to examine family communication as a mediator of the relationship between family resilience and family functioning under the quarantine and coronavirus pandemic in Algeria and Iraq. This study was conducted among individuals in Iraq and Algeria (N = 361). The respondents completed the Family Communication Scale (FCS), Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire (WFRQ), and Family Functioning Scale (FFS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) with the bootstrapping method was used to conduct the mediated effects of family communication. Using the bootstrapping method in SEM, family resilience and communication significantly affected family functioning (coefficient = 0.808). Moreover, the direct effect and indirect effect (via family functioning) of family resilience on family functioning were both significant, with coefficients of 0.682 and 0.126. In addition, numerous groups from Iraq and Algeria have been analyzed as a sample and have shown no differences in the relationships between family resilience, family communication, and family functioning. In conclusion, the results showed that family communication mediated the relationship between family resilience and family functioning. Moreover, the type of this mediation seemed to be partial because of the significant direct relationship between family resilience and family functioning. According to the findings, healthcare providers should consider improving family resilience and communication to achieve good family functioning.

High power and high pulse repetition frequency transistorized pulser by time base stability improvement and power synthesis technique.

Output power of a transistorized pulser is usually limited by the power capacity of avalanche transistors. To improve the total output power, the power synthesis method is widely used, in which a single pulser with high output power and high time base stability is required. However, the time base stability tends to deteriorate as the output power increases. To improve the output power under the premise of high time base stability, from the perspective of carrier movement, the mechanisms of pulse jitter and pulse drift are investigated. It is found that the pulse jitter is caused by time dispersion of the ionization process in the collector depletion region, while the pulse drift is due to the decrement of the diffusion coefficient Dn and the electron mobility µn, which are both temperature-dependent. Based on the microscopic theoretical study, some macroscopic improvements on the time base stability are made. Some parameters of the trigger pulse and the circuit (e.g., charging capacitance) are optimized experimentally. Consequently, we achieved a pulser with an amplitude of 1.8 kV, pulse jitter of 25 ps, pulse drift of 100 ps/min at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 100 kHz. Additionally, a new parameter k, the product of the highest PRF f and the peak power Ep, is defined to evaluate the output power. With almost the same time base stability, the proposed pulser has a k of 6.48 GHz W, which is improved significantly. Finally, a synthesized pulser with an amplitude of 2.5 kV and highest PRF of 100 kHz is achieved.

A portable ultrawideband electromagnetic radiator with a 1.4 MW/50 kHz solid-state subnanosecond pulser.

In this note, a portable ultrawideband (UWB) electromagnetic radiator is developed based on a transistorized pulser with the peak power of 1.4 MW, the rise time less than 150 ps, and the repetition frequency of 50 kHz. To generate high-amplitude pulses, a 100-stage Marx circuit with parallel connection of multiple transistors is proposed. To improve the pulse repetition rate, the parallel charging Marx circuit is adopted with ferrite beads connected in series between stages for high isolation of pulses. In order to radiate the UWB electromagnetic pulse directionally, a compact combined antenna array is fabricated and connected with the pulser via a coaxial feeding module. The effective potential of the UWB radiator reaches 10.5 kV with the band range (-10 dB) from 173 MHz to 2.32 GHz.

[Improving the Storage Integrity of Electroencephalography (EEG) Recordings in the Pediatric Ward].

BACKGROUND & PROBLEMS: A total of 20 cases of children with epilepsy implemented electroencephalography (EEG) recording examinations in our ward between January 1st and March 10th, 2016. Fifteen (75%) of the recordings were incompletely stored, indicating that the EEG recordings storage integrity in our unit was 25%. Incomplete storage of these recordings results in prolonged hospital stays and negatively affects the ability of doctors to provide accurate diagnoses. PURPOSE: This project was developed to increase the EEG recording storage integrity for epileptic children to 100%. RESOLUTIONS: Improvement plans included reinforcing related promotions, formulating a standard flowchart for EEG recording education, making "warm bear signs", designing simple cartoon health-education flashcards, and providing in-service education. RESULTS: The EEG recording storage integrity for epileptic children in our ward rose to 100% after implementation of the resolution measures, which achieved our purpose. CONCLUSIONS: We want to share this experience to improve the storage integrity of EEG recordings at other hospitals and clinics. The greatest benefit of this project was that the family members of children with epilepsy perceived more strongly the effort and care of the nursing staffs during examinations, which reduces the costs of healthcare.

Production of 1-Dodecanol, 1-Tetradecanol, and 1,12-Dodecanediol through Whole-Cell Biotransformation in Escherichia coli.

Medium- and long-chain 1-alkanol and α,ω-alkanediols are used in personal care products, in industrial lubricants, and as precursors for polymers synthesized for medical applications. The industrial production of α,ω-alkanediols by alkane hydroxylation primarily occurs at high temperature and pressure using heavy metal catalysts. However, bioproduction has recently emerged as a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative. Among alkane monooxygenases, CYP153A from Marinobacter aquaeolei VT8 (CYP153A M.aq ; the strain is also known as Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus VT8) possesses low overoxidation activity and high regioselectivity and thus has great potential for use in terminal hydroxylation. However, the application of CYP153A M.aq is limited because it is encoded by a dysfunctional operon. In this study, we demonstrated that the operon regulator AlkR M.aq is functional, can be induced by alkanes of various lengths, and does not suffer from product inhibition. Additionally, we identified a transposon insertion in the CYP153A M.aq operon. When the transposon was removed, the expression of the operon genes could be induced by alkanes, and the alkanes could then be oxyfunctionalized by the resulting proteins. To increase the accessibility of medium- and long-chain alkanes, we coexpressed a tunable alkane facilitator (AlkL) from Pseudomonas putida GPo1. Using a recombinant Escherichia coli strain, we produced 1.5 g/liter 1-dodecanol in 20 h and 2 g/liter 1-tetradecanol in 50 h by adding dodecane and tetradecane, respectively. Furthermore, in 68 h, we generated 3.76 g/liter of 1,12-dodecanediol by adding a dodecane-1-dodecanol substrate mixture. This study reports a very efficient method of producing C12/C14 alkanols and C12 1,12-alkanediol by whole-cell biotransformation.IMPORTANCE To produce terminally hydroxylated medium- to long-chain alkane compounds by whole-cell biotransformation, substrate permeability, enzymatic activity, and the control of overoxidability should be considered. Due to difficulties in production, small amounts of 1-dodecanol, 1-tetradecanol, and 1,12-dodecanediol are typically produced. In this study, we identified an alkane-inducible monooxygenase operon that can efficiently catalyze the conversion of alkane to 1-alkanol with no detection of the overoxidation product. By coexpressing an alkane membrane facilitator, high levels of 1-dodecanol, 1-tetradecanol, and 1,12-dodecanediol could be generated. This study is significant for the bioproduction of medium- and long-chain 1-alkanol and α,ω-alkanediols.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) and alginate cross-linked matrix with immobilized Prussian blue and ion exchange resin for cesium removal from waters.

Cesium (Cs) removal from contaminated water bodies is an emerging issue after the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The Prussian blue (PB) is an effective Cs adsorbent but will release hexacyanoferrate fragments from the adsorbent matrix during adsorption. Alginate is an affordable biopolymer for PB particles immobilization. This study synthesized poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and alginate cross-linked matrix for immobilization of PB nano-sized particles and a surface-modified styrene-ethyl styrene divinyl benzene resin and tested their swelling stability and Cs adsorption performance in fresh water and in seawater. The PVA-alginate granules have high structural stability in both fresh water and seawater, with the Cs adsorption capability higher for the former than the latter. The adopted resin effectively remove released PB fragments from the tested granules. The transport and reaction parameters for the granules and for the sand filter bed were estimated.

The designs and applications of a scanning interface with electrical signal detection on the scalp for the severely disabled.

This study discussed a computer-aided program development that meets the requirements of people with physical disabilities. A number of control modes, such as electrode signal recorded on the scalp and blink control, were combined with the scanning human-machine interface to improve the external input/output device. Moreover, a novel and precise algorithm, which filters noise and reduces misrecognition of the system, was proposed. A convenient assistive device can assist people with physical disabilities to meet their requirements for independent living and communication with the outside. The traditional scanning keyboard is changed, and only the phonetic notations are typed instead of characters, thus the time of tone and function selection could be saved, and the typing time could be also reduced. Barrier-free computer assistive devices and interface for people with physical disabilities in typing or speech could allow them to use a scanning keyboard to select phonetic symbols instead of Chinese characters to express their thoughts. The human-machine interface controls can obtain more reliable results as 99.8% connection success rate and 95% typing success rate.

A novel method for concentration evaluation of reading behaviors with electrical activity recorded on the scalp.

In this paper, a concentration evaluation of reading behaviors with electrical signal detection on the head is presented. The electrode signal is extracted by brain-computer-interface (BCI) to monitor the user's degree of concentration, where the user is reminded by sound to concentrate, or teaching staffs are reminded to help users improve reading habits, in order to facilitate the user's ability to concentrate. The digital signal processing methods, such as the Kalman Filter, Fast Fourier Transform, the Hamming window, the average value of the total energy of a frame, correlation coefficient, and novel judgment algorithm are used to obtain the corresponding parameters of concentration evaluation. Users can correct their manner of reading with reminders. The repeated test results may be expected to lie with a probability of 95%. Such model training results in better learning effect.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors reduce P2Y12 receptor-mediated amplification of platelet aggregation.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been reported to reduce platelet aggregation induced by ADP. ADP induces platelet aggregation through two purinergic receptors P2Y1 and P2Y12. We characterized the inhibitory properties of SSRIs on ADP-induced platelet aggregation and investigated the effects of SSRIs on the signaling pathways downstream of P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors. Specific antagonists were used to evaluate which purinergic receptor-mediated aggregation was influenced by SSRIs. The primary phase of ADP-induced aggregation was not inhibited by citalopram. Citalopram failed to influence ADP-induced platelet shape change, intracellular calcium mobilization and the early phosphorylation of PKCα. Differently, citalopram inhibited the secondary phase of ADP-induced platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. Other SSRIs, including fluoxetine and sertraline, exhibited the same anti-platelet effects. Under P2Y1 blockade, citalopram inhibited platelet aggregation and integrin αIIbß3 activation in response to ADP, indicating that citalopram inhibited P2Y12-mediated aggregation. Citalopram concentration-dependently inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3ß, p38 MAPK and Syk induced by ADP, but showed no effect on the decrease of cAMP and VASP phosphorylation. With integrin αIIbß3 blockade, however, the phosphorylation of Akt triggered by ADP was unaltered by the addition of citalopram. Taken together, under the stimulation of ADP, SSRIs inhibit the amplification of platelet aggregation secondary to the activation of P2Y12 receptor, and subsequently reduce the activation of the downstream molecules of the outside-in signaling pathways.

A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, inhibits collagen-induced platelet aggregation and activation.

Clinical depression is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and confers an increased risk of mortality. Increased platelet reactivity may predispose depressed patients to cardiovascular diseases. The antidepressants selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been found to have cardioprotective effects probably via the attenuation of platelet activation independently in addition to treatment of depression itself. However, the characters of the inhibitory effect of SSRIs on platelets remain largely unknown. Here we show that an SSRI, citalopram, specifically inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Citalopram, however, revealed only little inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, U46619, and ionomycin, and failed to inhibit reversible platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate with fibrinogen. Collagen-induced of αIIbß3 integrin activation in platelets under a static condition was not influenced by citalopram. Citalopram inhibited convulxin-induced platelet aggregation and αIIbß3 integrin activation. In the experiments with fibrinogen-induced aggregation in elastase-treated platelets, citalopram inhibited only collagen-induced αIIbß3 activation but not the binding activities between activated αIIbß3 integrin and fibrinogen. Moreover, citalopram inhibited α-granule and dense granule secretion from platelets in response to collagen, as determined by a reduced expression of P-selectin and adenosine triphosphate release, respectively. In addition, collagen-induced thromboxane A2 release in platelets was attenuated by citalopram pretreatment. These findings might specify the mechanisms of inhibitory effects of citalopram on collagen mediated platelet activation and aggregation, and further support the cardioprotective effect of SSRIs.