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Many individuals, both in the public and within the field of psychology, often perceive aging as a burden that negatively impacts intellectual and mental health. Our present study aims to challenge this notion by identifying the crucial components of positive mental health in later life. These components not only promote positive mental health but also actively contribute to it, even under difficult circumstances. To accomplish this, we first offer a concise review of well-being and mental health models that highlight the psychological aspects of flourishing in late life. We then introduce a psychological competence-based model for positive mental health, which aligns with the concept of positive aging. Subsequently, we present a measurement tool suitable for practical applications. Finally, we provide a comprehensive overview of positive aging, drawing on methodological guidelines and existing research findings concerning sustainable positive mental health in later life. We examine the evidence indicating that psychological resilience (the capacity to adapt and recover from adversity or stress) and competence (skills and abilities to effectively cope with challenges across various life domains) significantly contribute to slowing down biological aging processes. Furthermore, we discuss insights into the relationship between psychological factors and aging derived from research on Blue Zones (regions characterized by a higher proportion of individuals experiencing longer, healthier lives). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of non-benzodiazepines (non-BZDs) to benzodiazepines (BZDs) in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Methods: For relevant literature, Google Scholar, PubMed, Embase, OVID MEDLINE, EBSCO, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Randomized control trials (RCTs) were included, omitted were nonblinded trials, blinded trials that were not randomized, and open-label studies. The Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment was used to assess the trial's quality. A meta-analysis and a narrative synthesis were carried out. Results: Twenty non-BZDs and five BZDs were investigated in thirty RCTs. Meta-analysis favored gabapentin over chlordiazepoxide and lorazepam (d = 0.563, p < 0.001) and carbamazepine over oxazepam and lorazepam (d = 0.376, p = 0.029), for reducing Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-Ar) scale scores. Eleven non-BZDs fared better than BZDs for reducing CIWA-Ar, Total Severity Assessment, Selective Severity Assessment, Borg and Weinholdt, and Gross Rating Scale for Alcohol Withdrawal scores. Eight non-BZDs outmatched BZDs regarding autonomic, motor, awareness, and psychiatric symptoms. Sedation and fatigue were prevalent in BZDs, while seizures were prevalent in non-BZDs. Conclusion: For AWS treatments, non-BZDs are superior to or equally effective as BZDs. Non-BZD adverse events warrant further investigation. Agents that inhibit gated ion channels are promising candidates. Protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42022384875. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inferior colliculus (IC) is critical in initiating acoustically evoked alcohol withdrawal-induced seizures (AWSs). Recently, we reported that systemic inhibition of Ca2+ entry via the reverse mode activity of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCXrev) suppressed AWSs, suggesting remodeling of NCX expression and function, at least in the IC, the site of AWS initiation. Here, we probe putative changes in protein expression in the IC of NCX isoforms, including NCX type 1 (NCX1), 2 (NCX2), and 3 (NCX3). We also evaluated the efficacy of targeted inhibition of NCX1rev and NCX3rev activity in the IC on the occurrence and severity of AWSs using SN-6 and KB-R943, respectively. We used our well-characterized alcohol intoxication/withdrawal model associated with enhanced AWS susceptibility. IC tissues from the alcohol-treated group were collected 3 h (before the onset of AWS susceptibility), 24 h (when AWS susceptibility is maximal), and 48 h (when AWS susceptibility is resolved) following alcohol withdrawal; in comparison, IC tissues from the control-treated group were collected at 24 h after the last gavage. Analysis shows that NCX1 protein levels were markedly higher 3 and 24 h following alcohol withdrawal. However, NCX3 protein levels were only higher 3 h following alcohol withdrawal. The analysis also reveals that bilateral microinjections of SN-6 (but not KB-R7943) within the IC markedly suppressed the occurrence and severity of AWSs. Together, these findings indicate that NCX1 is a novel molecular target that may play an essential role in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of AWSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addictive disorders affect a considerable proportion of the population worldwide and in India. Treatment-related barriers and facilitators play a role in the processes of how patients seek care. This study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators of addiction treatment of patients reaching an addiction treatment facility in India. This qualitative interview–based study included 49 adult patients with at least alcohol or opioid dependence. Interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was conducted using grounded theory approach. The common barriers of treatment were treatment-related, apprehension of the treatment of the setting, travel-related problems, work commitments, and inability to get leave and not feeling the need for treatment. The common facilitators of treatment were family-related, adverse consequences due to substance use, and treatment-related. The identified barriers and facilitators of treatment can be used to make care accessible to a larger numbers of patients with substance use disorders and bridge the treatment gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outbred rats differentially consume alcohol when having free access to it. Among others, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is believed to control voluntary ethanol intake in rodents. Meanwhile, expression of BDNF exons in brain regions and epigenetic mechanisms underlying alcohol intake pattern remain obscure. The main goal was to study whether voluntary alcohol drinking pattern affects expression of BDNF exons in selected rat brain regions during early abstinence. Intermittent access to 20% ethanol in a two-bottle-choice procedure (IA2BC) was used as a model of voluntary ethanol intake. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) had twenty 24-h sessions of free access to two-bottle choice (water or 20% ethanol) with 24-h withdrawal periods (water only). Control animals had access to water only (n = 11). After finishing IA2BC, the animals were divided according to the compliance of ethanol intake pattern with gradual escalation, a key feature of the paradigm. To access potential behavioral disturbances during the early abstinence, rats were consequently tested in the open field test, the elevated plus-maze, and the sucrose preference test. On the third day after the last drinking session, expression of BDNF exons and polypeptide was measured in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and midbrain using quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Additionally, chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed to analyze enrichment of positive Ph-CREB (Ser133) and negative EZH2 transcriptional regulators as well as markers of active H3K9ac and repressed H3K27me3 chromatin at exon-specific BDNF promoters in brain regions with affected BDNF expression. During the course of the IA2BC, one part of animals demonstrated gradual escalation from low to high alcohol intake and preference of alcohol over water (a typical pattern for IA2BC) while the other one consumed alcohol at a consistently high level (an unusual pattern for IA2BC). Drinking pattern in the IA2BC does not define differences of behavior in any of the tests during early abstinence. Finally, the IA2BC rats with growing alcohol intake showed elevation of BDNF mRNA containing exon VI in the hippocampus associated with an enhanced H3K9ac occupancy at the respective promoter. Thus, rats differentially consuming alcohol in the IA2BC paradigm differ in epigenetically determined expression of BDNF exon VI in the hippocampus during early abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional disturbances emerge following alcohol withdrawal. The anxiolytic effect of alcohol may be one important motivation for its consumption in conditions where alcohol intake is anxiety reducing. Besides, early alcohol experience will predict future alcohol-related problems at some point in their lives. Rats classified according to their anxiety-like behavior phenotype show a higher preference for alcohol. Yet, despite preclinical studies have identified the behavioral and physiological effects of alcohol withdrawal, little has been shown on relapse to alcohol after a period of abstinence following intermittent long-term alcohol consumption in low-(LA) and high-anxiety (HA) phenotype rats. This study attempts to assess the role of emotional reactivity of early-aged LA and HA rats on later alcohol preference, through an operant response procedure. For this, a sweetened liquid fading procedure associated with a long-term and intermittent voluntary alcohol drinking was used, with the animals being tested on different withdrawal periods. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms were recorded, and blood alcohol levels were assessed at two intervals to examine the influence of anxiety phenotype on blood alcohol clearance. Data from HA control and HA withdrawn rats show that emotionality selectively influences alcohol preference. Blood alcohol decay was faster in HA than in LA alcohol pretreated rats. HA rats showed an ascending curve of alcohol intake, exhibiting a high level of alcohol drinking on withdrawal and withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, HA alcohol experienced rats show a high frequency of lever-pressing response during extinction, associated with a facilitation of bar-pressing recovery trials, an indication of alcohol-seeking behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Container ships are becoming larger and larger in recent years, requiring more evident assurance of the structural safety. To achieve this, it is essential to grasp actual stress history experienced by the ship structures to facilitate efficient design and maintenance, and to use them for optimal operation of the ship. To perform accurate estimation of these stress histories, it is important to precisely estimate the sea state which the ship is actually encountering. In this study, the authors studied a new method to estimate directional wave spectra using measured ship responses and discussed the following three cases. The first one is the combination of two components, vertical bending stress and horizontal bending stress. The second one is the combination of three components, vertical bending stress, horizontal bending stress and double bottom bending stress. The last one is the combination of three components of ship motion (pitch, roll and heave). The estimated sea states are compared with the ocean wave hindcast database and radar data, and then, accuracy and selection of appropriate combination of the responses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this clinical narrative review is to summarize and critically appraise the literature on the differential diagnosis of hypocalcemia and to provide its correct management. Calcium is essential for muscle contraction and neurotransmitter release, but clinical manifestations of hypocalcaemia (serum calcium level <8 mg/dl; 2.12 mmol/L) may involve almost any organ and system and may range from asymptomatic to life-threating conditions. Disorders causing hypocalcemia can be divided into parathyroid hormone (PTH) and non-PTH mediated. The most frequent cause of hypocalcemia is postsurgical hypoparathyroidism, while a more comprehensive search for other causes is needed for appropriate treatment in the non PTH-mediated forms. Intravenous calcium infusion is essential to raise calcium levels and resolve or minimize symptoms in the setting of acute hypocalcemia. Oral calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation is the most frequently used as treatment of chronic hypocalcemia. In hypoparathyroidism, providing the missing hormone with the use of the recombinant human (rh) PTH(1–84) has been recently approved both by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This new therapy has the advantage of being effective for correcting serum calcium levels and significantly reducing the daily requirements of calcium and active vitamin D supplements. However, due to the high cost, a strict selection of candidates to this therapy is necessary. More challenging is the long-term hypocalcemia treatment, due to its associated complications. The development of long-acting recombinant human PTH will probably modify the management of chronic hypoparathyroidism in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (IBGC) or primary familial brain calcification is a rare genetic condition characterized by an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern and the presence of bilateral calcifications in the basal ganglia, thalami, cerebellum and cerebral subcortical white matter. The syndrome is genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous. Causal mutations have been identified in four genes: SLC20A2, PDGFRB, PDGFB and XPR1. A variety of progressive neurological and psychiatric symptoms have been described, including cognitive impairment, movement disorders, bipolar disorder, chronic headaches and migraine, and epilepsy. Here we describe a family with a novel SLC20A2 mutation mainly presenting with neurological symptoms including cortical myoclonus and epilepsy. While epilepsy, although rare, has been reported in patients with IBGC associated with SLC20A2 mutations, cortical myoclonus seems to be a new manifestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Genetic (idiopathic) generalized epilepsy (GGE) is a common form of epilepsy characterized by unknown aetiology and a presence of genetic component in its predisposition.Methods: To understand the genetic factor in a family with GGE, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) on a trio of a juvenile myoclonic epilepsy/febrile seizure (JME/FS) proband with JME/FS mother and healthy father. Sanger sequencing was carried out for validation of WES results and variant detection in other family members.Results: Predictably damaging variant found in affected proband and mother but absent in healthy father in SCN1A gene was found to be associated with generalized epilepsy and febrile seizure. The novel non-synonymous substitution (c.5753C>T, p.S1918F) in SCN1A was found in all family members with GGE, of which 4/8 were JME subtypes, and/or febrile seizure, while 3 healthy family member controls did not have the mutation. This mutation was also absent in 41 GGE patients and 414 healthy Malaysian Chinese controls.Conclusion: The mutation is likely to affect interaction between the sodium channel and calmodulin and subsequently interrupt calmodulin-dependent modulation of the channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronic use of alcohol can lead to the onset of an alcohol use disorder (AUD). About 50% of subjects with an AUD may develop alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) when they reduce or discontinue their alcohol consumption and, in 3-5% of them, convulsions and delirium tremens (DTs), representing life-threatening complications, may occur. Unfortunately, few physicians are adequately trained in identifying and treating AWS. The Italian Society on Alcohol has, therefore, implemented a task force of specialists to draw up recommendations for the treatment of AWS with the following main results: (1) while mild AWS may not require treatment, moderate and severe AWS need to be pharmacologically treated; (2) out-patient treatment is appropriate in patients with mild or moderate AWS, while patients with severe AWS need to be treated as in-patients; (3) benzodiazepines, BDZs are the "gold standard" for the treatment of AWS and DTs; (4) alpha-2-agonists, beta-blockers, and neuroleptics may be used in association when BDZs do not completely resolve specific persisting symptoms of AWS; (5) in the case of a refractory form of DTs, the use of anaesthetic drugs (propofol and phenobarbital) in an intensive care unit is appropriate; (6) alternatively to BDZs, sodium oxybate, clomethiazole, and tiapride approved in some European Countries for the treatment of AWS may be employed for the treatment of moderate AWS; (7) anti-convulsants are not sufficient to suppress AWS, and they may be used only in association with BDZs for the treatment of refractory forms of convulsions in the course of AWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alkaloid lobeline (Lob) has been studied due to its potential use in treatment of drug abuse. This study evaluates the possible anticonvulsant and neuroprotective activities of Lob to obtain new information on its properties that could confirm it as a candidate in the treatment of alcohol addiction. The anticonvulsant effect of Lob was evaluated using a pilocarpine-induced seizure model. In addition, possible neuroprotective effects were investigated measuring DNA damage using the comet assay, assessing free radical levels by dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF) oxidation, and measuring the antioxidant potential using the α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay, besides measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities in brain tissues. Lobeline increased the latency to the first seizure and decreased the percentage of seizures in a similar way as diazepam, used as control. DNA damage induced by Pil and hydrogen peroxide were decreased in hippocampus and cerebral cortex from mice treated with Lob. The levels of free radicals and CAT activity increased in cortex and hippocampus, respectively, in mice treated with Pil. Lobeline decreased CAT in hippocampus, leading to similar values as in the saline negative control. In conclusion, Lob has anticonvulsant and neuroprotective actions that may be mediated by antioxidant-like mechanisms, indicating its potential as candidate drug in alcoholism therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a research support system named 'MSM Tools' that can be used for stochastic modelling of real processes in various information systems and implements the heterogeneous computing paradigm. The proposed approach to data mining is based on method of moving separation of probability mixtures. To obtain statistical estimations of the unknown parameters of mixed probability models, the system implements several modifications of so-called EM algorithm (including grid modifications for the NVIDIA CUDA architecture) that are commonly used in such areas as pattern recognition, clustering, classification, processing of censored and/or truncated data. An example of real data analysis via 'MSM Tools' service is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sierra de San Luis forms the southern tip of the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas in central Argentina. Two narrow belts of low-grade phyllites and quartz arenites, i.e. the San Luis Formation, have accommodated part of the strain-related differential exhumation of the medium- to high-grade metamorphic domains that constitute to the basement complex of the sierra. Eleven phyllite samples were subjected to the K/Ar fine-fraction dating technique. Results are interpreted in relation to the Kübler index of the illites, which indicate epimetamorphic conditions for the majority of the samples. Obtained ages between 330 and 290 Ma cover a period of compressional tectonics in the late Mississippian (Visean/Serpukhovian boundary) followed by the subsidence during the formation of the Paganzo Basin in the provinces of La Rioja and San Luis. These tectonic movements are coincident with the Toco orogeny in northern Chile and southern Bolivia. This suggests that the older K/Ar ages document the compressional stage and that younger ages record the cooling of the basement during the subsequent extensional uplift of the basement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider three high-resolution schemes for computing shallow-water waves as described by the Saint-Venant system and discuss how to develop highly efficient implementations using graphical processing units (GPUs). The schemes are well-balanced for lake-at-rest problems, handle dry states, and support linear friction models. The first two schemes handle dry states by switching variables in the reconstruction step, so that bilinear reconstructions are computed using physical variables for small water depths and conserved variables elsewhere. In the third scheme, reconstructed slopes are modified in cells containing dry zones to ensure non-negative values at integration points. We discuss how single and double-precision arithmetics affect accuracy and efficiency, scalability and resource utilization for our implementations, and demonstrate that all three schemes map very well to current GPU hardware. We have also implemented direct and close-to-photo-realistic visualization of simulation results on the GPU, giving visual simulations with interactive speeds for reasonably-sized grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]