University of Münster

About: University of Münster is a education organization based out in Münster, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 35609 authors who have published 69059 publications receiving 2278534 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Munster & University of Muenster.

Problematic computer game use among adolescents, younger and older adults.

Abstract: AIMS: Playing digital games has been associated with forms of addictive behavior. Past research on the subject has often been criticized on theoretical and empirical grounds, mainly due to measurement or sampling issues. The present study aims to overcome these two limitations, and presents data from a representative study in Germany using an already established instrument for measuring problematic game use. DESIGN: Large-scale, representative study using a computer-assisted telephone survey. SETTING: Germany. PARTICIPANTS: N = 580 adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age, N = 1866 younger adults between 19-39 years, and N = 1936 older adults aged 40 and older (overall N = 4382). MEASUREMENTS: Problematic game use was measured with the Gaming Addiction Short Scale (GAS), which covers seven criteria including salience, withdrawal and conflicts. Additionally, differential aspects of personality, as well as gaming behavior were measured. FINDINGS: Only seven respondents (0.2%, 95%-CI [0.1, 0.3]) met all criteria of the GAS Scale. In contrast, 3.7% (95%-CI [3.2, 4.3]) of the respondents can be considered problematic users, meeting at least half of these conditions. The percentage of problematic gamers among adolescents is above average (7.6%, 95%-CI [5.6, 10.1]). High GAS scores are associated with aggression, low sociability and self-efficacy, and lower satisfaction with life. Additionally, these scores correspond with intensive use and preferences for certain gaming genres across all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Following Gaming Addiction Short Scale criteria, gaming addiction is currently not a widespread phenomenon among adolescents and adults in Germany. Gaming Addiction Short Scale scores are associated with intensive use, as well as certain problematic aspects of individuals' personalities and social lives. Language: en

The calcium sensor CBL10 mediates salt tolerance by regulating ion homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

Abstract: *† These authors contributed equally to this work. Summary Calcium serves as a critical messenger in many adaptation and developmental processes. Cellular calcium signals are detected and transmitted by sensor molecules such as calcium-binding proteins. In plants, the calcineurin B-like protein (CBL) family represents a unique group of calcium sensors and plays a key role in decoding calcium transients by specifically interacting with and regulating a family of protein kinases (CIPKs). We report here that the CBL protein CBL10 functions as a crucial regulator of salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. Cbl10 mutant plants exhibited significant growth defects and showed hypersensitive cell death in leaf tissues under high-salt conditions. Interestingly, the Na + content of the cbl10 mutant, unlike other salt-sensitive mutants identified thus far, was significantly lower than in the wild type under either normal or high-salt conditions, suggesting that CBL10 mediates a novel Ca2+ -signaling pathway for salt tolerance. Indeed, the CBL10 protein physically interacts with the salt-tolerance factor CIPK24 (SOS2), and the CBL10–CIPK24 (SOS2) complex is associated with the vacuolar compartments that are responsible for salt storage and detoxification in plant cells. These findings suggest that CBL10 and CIPK24 (SOS2) constitute a novel salt-tolerance pathway that regulates the sequestration/compartmentalization of Na+ in plant cells. Because CIPK24 (SOS2) also interacts with CBL4 (SOS3) and regulates salt export across the plasma membrane, our study identifies CIPK24 (SOS2) as a multi-functional protein kinase that regulates different aspects of salt tolerance by interacting with distinct CBL calcium sensors.