KRAP regulates mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by licensing IP3 receptor activity and stabilizing ER-mitochondrial junctions

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are high-conductance channels that allow the regulated redistribution of Ca2+ from the ER to the cytosol and, at specialised membrane contact sites (MCS), to other organelles. Only a subset of IP3Rs release Ca2+ to the cytosol in response to IP3. These 'licensed' IP3Rs are associated with Kras-induced actin-interacting protein (KRAP) beneath the plasma membrane. It is unclear whether KRAP regulates IP3Rs at MCS. We show, using simultaneous measurements of Ca2+ concentration in the cytosol and mitochondrial matrix, that KRAP also licenses IP3Rs to release Ca2+ to mitochondria. Loss of KRAP abolishes cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ signals evoked by stimulation of IP3Rs via endogenous receptors. KRAP is located at ER-mitochondria membrane contact sites (ERMCS) populated by IP3R clusters. Using a proximity ligation assay between IP3R and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), we show that loss of KRAP reduces the number of ERMCS. We conclude that KRAP regulates Ca2+ transfer from IP3Rs to mitochondria by both licensing IP3R activity and stabilizing ERMCS.

Kinetic and Thermodynamic Enhancement of Low-Temperature Oxygen Release from Strontium Ferrite Perovskites Modified with Ag and CeO2

The redox behavior of the nonstoichiometric perovskite oxide SrFeO_3-δ modified with Ag, CeO₂, and Ce was assessed for chemical looping air separation (CLAS) via thermogravimetric analysis and by cyclic release and uptake of O₂ in a packed bed reactor. The results demonstrated that the addition of ∼15 wt % Ag at the surface of SrFeO_3-δ lowers the temperature of oxygen release in N₂ by ∼60 °C (i.e., from 370 °C for bare SrFeO_3-δ to 310 °C) and more than triples the amount of oxygen released per CLAS cycle at 500 °C. Impregnation of SrFeO_3-δ with Ag increased the concentration of oxygen vacancies at equilibrium, lowering (3 - δ) under all investigated oxygen partial pressures. The addition of CeO₂ at the surface or into the bulk of SrFeO_3-δ resulted in more modest changes, with a decrease in temperature for O₂ release of 20-25 °C as compared to SrFeO_3-δ and a moderate increase in oxygen yield per reduction cycle. The apparent kinetic parameters for reduction of SrFeO_3-δ, with Ag and CeO₂ additives, were determined from the CLAS experiments in a packed bed reactor, giving activation energies and pre-exponential factors of E_a,reduction = 66.3 kJ mol^-1 and A_reduction = 152 mol s^-1 m^-3 Pa^-1 for SrFeO_3-δ impregnated with 10.7 wt % CeO₂, 75.7 kJ mol^-1 and 623 mol_O2 s^-1 m ^-3 Pa^-1 for SrFeO_3-δ mixed with 2.5 wt % CeO₂ in the bulk, 29.9 kJ mol^-1 and 0.88 mol_O2 s^-1 m^-3 Pa^-1 for Sr_0.95Ce_0.05FeO_3-δ, and 69.0 kJ mol^-1 and 278 mol_O2 s^-1 m^-3 Pa^-1 for SrFeO_3-δ impregnated with 12.7 wt % Ag, respectively. Kinetics for reoxidation were much faster and were assessed for two materials with the slowest oxygen uptake, SrFeO_3-δ, giving the activation energy E_a,oxidation = 177.1 kJ mol^-1 and pre-exponential factor A_oxidation = 3.40 × 10¹⁰ mol_O2 s^-1 m^-3 Pa^-1, and Sr_0.95Ce_0.05FeO_3-δ, giving the activation energy E_a,oxidation = 64.0 kJ mol^-1, and pre-exponential factor A_oxidation = 584 mol_O2 s^-1 m^-3 Pa^-1.

Digital access constraints predict worse mental health among adolescents during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing social restrictions disrupted young people's social interactions and resulted in several periods during which school closures necessitated online learning. We hypothesised that digitally excluded young people would demonstrate greater deterioration in their mental health than their digitally connected peers during this time. We analysed representative mental health data from a sample of UK 10-15-year-olds (N = 1387) who completed a mental health inventory in 2017-2019 and thrice during the pandemic (July 2020, November 2020 and March 2021). We employed longitudinal modelling to describe trajectories of adolescent mental health for participants with and without access to a computer or a good internet connection for schoolwork. Adolescent mental health symptoms rose early in the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highest mean Total Difficulties score around December 2020. The worsening and subsequent recovery of mental health during the pandemic was greatly pronounced among those without access to a computer, although we did not find evidence for a similar effect among those without a good internet connection. We conclude that lack of access to a computer is a tractable risk factor that likely compounds other adversities facing children and young people during periods of social isolation or educational disruption.

Trajectories of adolescent life satisfaction

Increasing global policy interest in measuring and improving population wellbeing has prompted academic investigations into the dynamics of lifespan life satisfaction. Yet little research has assessed the complete adolescent age range, although it harbours developmental changes that could affect wellbeing far into adulthood. This study investigates how life satisfaction develops throughout the whole of adolescence, and compares this development to that in adulthood, by applying exploratory and confirmatory latent growth curve modelling to UK and German data, respectively (37 076 participants, 10-24 years). We find a near universal decrease in life satisfaction during adolescence. This decrease is steeper than at any other point across adulthood. Further, our findings suggest that adolescent girls' life satisfaction is lower than boys', but that this difference does not extend into adulthood. The study highlights the importance of studying adolescent subjective wellbeing trajectories to inform research, policy and practice.

The Sisyphean Cycle of Technology Panics

Widespread concerns about new technologies-whether they be novels, radios, or smartphones-are repeatedly found throughout history. Although tales of past panics are often met with amusement today, current concerns routinely engender large research investments and policy debate. What we learn from studying past technological panics, however, is that these investments are often inefficient and ineffective. What causes technological panics to repeatedly reincarnate? And why does research routinely fail to address them? To answer such questions, I examined the network of political, population, and academic factors driving the Sisyphean cycle of technology panics. In this cycle, psychologists are encouraged to spend time investigating new technologies, and how they affect children and young people, to calm a worried population. Their endeavor, however, is rendered ineffective because of the lack of a theoretical baseline; researchers cannot build on what has been learned researching past technologies of concern. Thus, academic study seemingly restarts for each new technology of interest, which slows down the policy interventions necessary to ensure technologies are benefiting society. In this article, I highlight how the Sisyphean cycle of technology panics stymies psychology's positive role in steering technological change and the pervasive need for improved research and policy approaches to new technologies.

Teenagers, screens and social media: a narrative review of reviews and key studies

INTRODUCTION

In light of growing concerns about an increasingly digital adolescence, the academic field investigating how digital technologies affect adolescents' psychological well-being is growing rapidly. In the last years, much research has amassed, and this has been summarised in over 80 systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Systematic reviews, meta-analyses and key studies are reviewed to provide insights into the state of current research linking digital technology and social media use to well-being; possible future directions and improvements are discussed.

RESULTS

When examining the reviews, it becomes evident that the research field is dominated by cross-sectional work that is generally of a low quality standard. While research has highlighted the importance of differentiating between different types of digital technology use many studies do not consider such necessary nuances. These limitations aside, the association between digital technology use, or social media use in particular, and psychological well-being is-on average-negative but very small. Furthermore, the direction of the link between digital technology use and well-being is still unclear: effects have been found to exist in both directions and there has been little work done to rule out potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

Reviewing the last decade of reviews in the area, it is evident that the research field needs to refocus on improving transparency, interpreting effect sizes and changing measurement. It also needs to show a greater appreciation for the individual differences that will inherently shape each adolescent's reaction to digital technologies.