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Clinician perspectives on virtual reality use in physical therapy practice in the United States

The primary goal of physical rehabilitation is to assess movement impairments and restore function to improve overall quality of life. Virtual reality (VR) may provide the optimal environment to promote these goals due to its motivating and modifiable nature which can be difficult to accomplish through traditional real-world therapeutic methods. Current research of VR for rehabilitation has demonstrated that VR interventions can produce clinically meaningful change in motor outcomes. Despite this, adoption and usage of VR by physical therapy professionals is unclear due to the limited research in this area. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the current usage and perspectives of VR in physical rehabilitation among physical therapy professionals. Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) in the United States were recruited to participate in this survey-based study. A total of N = 658 participants completed the survey, which consisted of demographic information followed by the Assessing Determinants Of Prospective Take-up of Virtual Reality (ADOPT-VR2) survey that assesses 12 constructs (e.g., Attitudes, Perceived Usefulness, Facilitating Conditions and Barriers) related to the use of VR in clinical settings. Most respondents reported not using VR in clinical practice (n = 611; 92.9%). For all respondents, the constructs of Attitudes, Perceived Ease of Use, Compatibility, Client Influence, and Self-Efficacy were found to statistically contribute to the prediction of Behavioral Intention to use VR (p < .05). However, for those clinicians using VR in their clinical practice, Superior Influence and Perceived Behavioral Control were significant positive predictors for intention to use VR. Future investigation should aim to test strategies to target these factors significantly influencing VR use to further address the gap between evidence and clinical practice in the use of VR for physical rehabilitation interventions.

Physicochemical Attributes of Tomatoes after Different Forms of Harvesting and Transportation for Industrial Processing

Background The mechanized harvesting and transportation of tomatoes can significantly impact their physicochemical characteristics, affecting quality and industrial processing efficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of harvesting methods and transportation conditions on the firmness, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS – °Brix), pH, and percentage of loss of fresh mass (LFM) of tomatoes intended for industrial use. Methods The mechanized harvesting and transportation of tomatoes can significantly impact their physicochemical characteristics, affecting quality and industrial processing efficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of harvesting methods and transportation conditions on the firmness, TA, TSS (°Brix), pH, and percentage of LFM in tomatoes intended for industrial use. Results Mechanized harvesting reduced tomato firmness, TA, pH, and increased mass loss. Manual harvesting resulted in 29.7% greater firmness than mechanical harvesting. The vibration effects varied depending on the floor and direction within the container, but container type did not significantly influence tomato quality. The position of the fruit in the transport medium affected firmness, with tomatoes at the rear exhibiting greater firmness and lower quality loss. Depth was negatively correlated with firmness, LFM, TA, and pH. The LFM increased with longer unloading times. Conclusion The findings highlight the need for improved handling and logistics strategies in the tomato production chain to reduce quality deterioration during harvesting and transportation. Effective interventions can minimize economic losses and increase industrial processing efficiency. Additionally, the results of this study suggest that laboratory models that use equipment such as shakers can replicate these effects for other bulk-transported crops, including fresh fruits and tubers.

Retraction: Targeted non AR mediated smart delivery of abiraterone to the prostate cancer

Correction: More on mobility and sedentism: Changes in adaptation from Upper Paleolithic to Incipient Jomon, Tanegashima Island, southern Japan

“My drinking was way worse during the pandemic”: A qualitative analysis of contextual and individual factors impacting alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background Evidence shows that alcohol use in the United States increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This primarily quantitative work has not examined how the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. may have shaped motivations for alcohol use during this crisis. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews examining people’s motivations for using alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Participants (N = 26) were derived from those who completed all three waves of the National Alcohol Survey COVID Cohort- a longitudinal population-based survey of non-institutionalized U.S. adults. Interviews were conducted from April-July 2022 over Zoom. Interview transcripts were analyzed iteratively via codebook thematic analysis. Results Participants described how both contextual and individual level factors resulted in increased alcohol use. Contextual factors included reductions in barriers to alcohol use and increases in alcohol availability and accessibility. Individual level factors included using alcohol to regulate emotions (e.g., to alleviate boredom and as an end of day “reward”) and to celebrate reconnecting with loved ones once social distancing restrictions began to ease. Conclusions Our results suggest that environmental forces may have interacted with individuals’ emotions to shape alcohol use motivations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work helps to contextualize quantitative research on changes in alcohol use observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. More research is needed to determine the long-term impacts of pandemic era changes in alcohol use. It is also necessary for future studies to examine how such impacts may manifest differently across the U.S. population (e.g., among racial/ethnic minority individuals).

Evaluating how different balancing data techniques impact on prediction of premature birth using machine learning models

Premature birth can be defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, which is a significant global health issue, being the main cause for neonatal deaths. In this work, we evaluate machine learning models for predicting premature birth using Brazilian sociodemographic and obstetric data, focusing on the challenge of data imbalance, a common problem that can lead to biased predictions. We evaluate five data balancing techniques: Undersampling, Oversampling, and three Hybridsampling configurations where the minority class was increased by factors 2, 3, and 4. The machine learning models, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, and AdaBoost, are trained and evaluated on a dataset of over 483,000 cases. The use of the Hybridsampling approach resulted in an accuracy of 70%, a recall of 64%, and a precision of 74% in the Decision Tree model. Results show that Hybridsampling techniques significantly improves models’ performance compared to Undersampling and Oversampling, highlighting the importance of a proper data balancing in predictive models for preterm birth. The relevance of our work is particularly significant for the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). By improving the accuracy of premature birth predictions, our models could assist healthcare providers in identifying at-risk pregnancies earlier, allowing for timely interventions. This integration could enhance maternal and neonatal care, reduce the incidence of preterm births, and potentially decrease neonatal mortality, especially in underserved regions.

Various optimization algorithms for efficient placement and sizing of photovoltaic distributed generations in different networks

Recent research has concentrated on emphasizing the significance of incorporating renewable distributed generations (RDGs), like photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbines (WTs), into the distribution system to address issues related to distributed generation (DG) allocation. The key implications of integrating RDGs include the improvement of voltage profiles and the minimization of power losses. Various optimization techniques, namely Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA), Marine Predictor Algorithm (MPA), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO), and Seagull Optimization Algorithm (SOA), have been applied to achieve optimal allocation and sizing of RDGs in radial distributed systems (RDS). The present paper is structured in two phases. In the initial phase, the Loss Sensitivity Factor (LSF) is employed to identify the most suitable nodes for integrating RDGs. In the second phase, within the selected candidate nodes from the first phase, the optimal location and capacity of RDGs are determined. Additionally, a comprehensive comparison of the proposed optimization methods is conducted to select the most effective solutions for the allocation of units of RDGs. The efficacy of the utilized techniques is validated through testing on two distinct networks, namely the IEEE 33 and 69 buses RDS in MATLAB, with attainments compared against other techniques. Moreover, a larger RDS system of 118- bus IEEE system has been considered in order to enhance its power quality indices. Moreover, a real case of study from Egypt of 15 bus has been considered and evaluated with considering the applied techniques. The results show the enhancement of the voltage profile and decreasing the power losses of the tested system with the DG systems with the superiority of the MPA and SSA algorithms.

Molecular characterization of the effects of heat shock on the infection cycle progression and productivity of the baculovirus expression vector system

Baculoviruses are widely utilized in biotechnology for various purposes, including recombinant protein expression, antigen presentation, vaccine production, as biopesticides, and as gene therapy vectors. The productivity of the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is significantly affected by the condition of the host cell. However, the impact of host cell stress on the complex baculovirus infection cycle remains not fully understood. This study examines the effects of three gradual heat shock treatments on the production of recombinant protein and viral titers in Sf9 cells (Spodoptera frugiperda) infected with a recombinant baculovirus AcMNPV with fluorescent reporters under late (vp39) and very late (polh) promoters. The heat shock regimens applied before infection were 30°C for 2.5 hours, 37°C for 2.5 hours, and constant 30°C, combined with prostaglandin A1 (PGA1) to enhance the cellular stress response. Significant differences in viral progeny and baculovirus genome replication were observed. Notably, a constant 30°C heat shock increased early viral titers but decreased late-stage yields. Using flow cytometry, we monitored the signal from the two fluorescent reporters and found that some heat shock conditions differentially accelerated or increased their timing or expression levels, with different patterns for each reporter. Additionally we identified, cloned, and sequenced two inducible HSP70 genes from S. frugiperda to track their expression throughout infection, providing insights into the cell’s stress response and the effect of PGA1. These findings suggest that modulating the host heat-shock response can improve baculovirus production and offer insights into the host-virus relationship for new elements or strategies to improve BEVS productivity.

Large scale and regional demographic responses to climatic changes in Europe during the Final Palaeolithic

The European Final Palaeolithic witnessed marked changes in almost all societal domains. Despite a rich body of evidence, our knowledge of human palaeodemographic processes and regional population dynamics still needs to be improved. In this study, we present regionally differentiated population estimates for the Greenland Interstadial 1d-a (GI-1d-a; 14-12.7 ka cal BP) and the Greenland Stadial 1 (GS-1; 12.7-11.6 ka cal BP) for Southern, Western, Northern and Central Europe. The data were obtained by applying the Cologne Protocol, a geostatistical approach for estimating prehistoric population size and density, to a newly compiled dataset of Final Palaeolithic sites. On a large spatio-temporal scale and compared to preceding Upper Palaeolithic phases, areas north of the Alps become the dominant demographic growth area for the first time since the dispersal of anatomically modern humans into Europe. At smaller scales, we observe divergent regional trends, with a conspicuous lack of archaeological evidence appearing in previously occupied areas of central France and Germany. Our study also shows that during the Final Palaeolithic, the climatic cooling of GS-1 coincides with a pronounced population decline in most parts of the study area. An apparent increase in population density occurs only in north-eastern Central Europe and north-eastern Italy. Our estimates suggest that the total population was reduced by half. Similar results, with a relationship between decreasing temperatures and decreasing populations, have already been observed for the late phase of the Gravettian, when populations were reduced to only one third of those estimated for the early phase. Yet, in contrast to the collapse of local populations during the late Gravettian, the increase in population densities in Central Europe during GS-1 indicates population movements eastwards, possibly in response to deteriorating climatic conditions, particularly in western regions during the Younger Dryas.

Soundscape and fish passive acoustic monitoring around a North Sea gas-production platform in the Dogger Bank

This study provides temporo-spatial characterisation of the underwater soundscape in proximity of a relatively newly installed offshore gas-production platform in the North Sea’s Dogger Bank Special Area of Conservation, recorded by Static Acoustic Monitoring at different distances from the wellhead (70 m, 5 Km and 10 km). Long-Term Spectrogram Analysis and percentile Power Spectral Densities demonstrated strong acoustic similarity between sites; no biophonic acoustic-mass phenomena were present. All locations were characterized by Underwater Radiated Noise, concentrated < 2 kHz, which dominated the soundscape. Fish acoustic community analysis was performed to explore occurrence, richness, abundance, diel, and seasonal patterns of putative fish sounds. Principal Component Analysis was used to infer potential sound-emitting species, and was performed on North Sea fish sounds downloaded from the Global Inventory of known fish sounds (https://fishsounds.net/), analyzed for the same acoustic features used to characterize fish sounds recorded during this study. The fish acoustic community was characterized by low levels of diversity (acoustic richness ranging from 1 to 2) and abundance (never above 2 sounds min-1). The fish sound type ‘Pulse Series’ (PS), emitted at the 70 m and at the 5 km station in low abundance in September from ca. 19:00 to 23:00, was characterized by acoustic features with the closest linear combination to those typifying sounds emitted by Eutrigla gurnardus. The fish sound type ‘Low-frequency Down-Sweep’ (LF-DS) was recorded at all stations and was characterized by acoustic features with the closest linear combination to those typifying grunts emitted by Gadus morhua. This study represents the first application of fish acoustic community analysis in the context of environmental management of an operational offshore gas production platform.

Clinical presentation and outcome of tuberculosis in chronic kidney disease stage 4 & 5 from a high TB burden country

Background Diagnosis and management of Tuberculosis (TB) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is challenging. Our aim is to study clinical presentation and outcome in patients with stage 4 & 5 CKD from a high TB burden country. Methods All patients registered in Provincial TB Centre in tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from May 2016 to June 2020 were included. TB cases tested rifampicin resistant (RR) in GeneXpert were excluded from the study. Patients with CKD stage 4 & 5 were studied for demographics, TB history, clinical feature, diagnoses, treatment success and mortality. CKD stage 4 & 5 were compared with other patients registered at the TB treatment center. Results Out of 828, 259 (31%) had CKD stage 4 & 5. Out of 259, 156 (60%) had extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB). Microbiological diagnosis done in 118 (45.51%), 25% in EPTB and 72.9% in pulmonary TB (PTB). TB culture was positive in 46 (17.8%), Isoniazid resistance 21.7%. Treatment success was 80.7%. PTB was significantly associated with mortality (p = 0.031). In CKD stage 4 & 5 treatment success was significantly lower with high mortality (p = 0.033). Conclusion In CKD stage 4 & 5, EPTB is the most common presentation. Microbiological diagnosis could be achieved in one fourth of EPTB. There is high INH resistance. The treatment success is low with high mortality and PTB is a significant risk factor for mortality.

Tracing the evolution of key traits in dorid nudibranchs

Reconstructing trait evolution is critically important for elucidating the processes generating biodiversity. However, this work is in its infancy in non-model clades for which we lack a basic understanding of their ecology and biology. Here, we compile information about prey preference, chemical acquisition and colour pattern in dorid nudibranchs (Nudibranchia: Doridoidei) and reconstruct their ancestral states using a multi-gene phylogeny to investigate the evolution of these key traits. Our analyses show that the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of Doridoidei preferred sponge prey from which they sequestered metabolites, and subsequent shifts to different prey types and de novo synthesis of defensive compounds occurred multiple times independently across the phylogeny. Additionally, the MRCA likely exhibited complex colour patterns, including spots or stripes, with uniform morphotypes evolving in most families. Despite the fact that many dorid nudibranchs derive both metabolites and pigments from their prey, we found no evidence of correlated evolution amongst these traits. As part of this work, we present a multi-gene phylogeny for Doridoidei with representatives from 88 genera and 18 families, but there remain issues with poor support across the tree. Nonetheless, for the first time, we explore the evolution of key traits that contributed to the diversification of dorid nudibranchs, highlighting the need for more refined trait data and greater phylogenetic resolution for future work.

Intact sensorimotor rhythm abilities but altered audiovisual integration in cochlear implant users

Perception of rhythm significantly impacts various aspects of daily life, including engaging with music, discerning speech prosody nuances, and coordinating physical activities like walking and sports. Numerous studies in cognitive sciences have highlighted that human rhythmic synchronization is more precise when responding to auditory rhythmic stimuli than to visual ones when the timing cues are identical. However, deaf individuals were shown to display a heightened proficiency in synchronizing their movements with visual timing cues, outperforming hearing controls (HC). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that cochlear implant (CI) users can synchronize their movements with the rhythm of unpitched drum tones. These findings raise an important question: do CI users possess a visual synchronization advantage from their pre-implant deafness, while maintaining auditory synchronization skills comparable to those of HC? Alternatively, does the neural reorganization post-implantation negate the visual synchronization advantage acquired before the implant? This study aims to answer these questions by using a sensorimotor synchronization task to probe multisensory processing abilities in CI users. Specifically, we assessed unimodal and multimodal auditory and visual abilities in CI users compared to HC using a finger tapping synchrony task with four isochronous stimulus conditions: an auditory metronome, a visual metronome, a synchronous presentation of both the auditory and visual metronomes at the same tempo, and an asynchronous presentation of the auditory and visual stimuli at differing tempos. Synchronization to auditory stimuli surpassed synchronization to visual stimuli in both groups. CI users and HC demonstrated similar unisensory synchronization consistency within the visual and auditory conditions. While HC enhanced their consistency in the audio-visual synchronous condition compared to the unisensory visual condition, CI users did not display the same improvement. Furthermore, the interference from incongruent auditory information in the asynchronous condition was comparable in HC and CI users. This study highlights that, although pitch processing is known to be impaired in CI users, our findings suggest that rhythm processing remains relatively spared. As anticipated, CI users demonstrate similar auditory rhythmic synchronization skills to those of HC, in line with existing research. Moreover, we find that, unlike deaf individuals, CI users do not exhibit an advantage in visual rhythmic synchronization, which may be due to the relatively few CI users in the study who had early prolonged pre-implantation deafness. The observed shift in audio-visual integration among CI users suggests that post-deafness or post-implantation reorganization of their auditory cortex may impede the effective integration of temporal auditory stimulation from the implant and visual information.

Correction: Layout optimization of irregular storage areas under class storage strategy based on clustering and multi-bin size packing problem

Selective toxicity of ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide on human tenon cells without harming scleral cells in vitro: A possible alternative to non-selective mitomycin C?

Background Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, is often driven by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which damages the optic nerve. Transscleral filtration surgery reduces IOP but is frequently complicated by excessive wound healing from Tenon fibroblasts (TFs), impeding aqueous humor absorption. Mitomycin C (MMC), used for over 30 years in ophthalmic surgeries, inhibits TF proliferation but carries significant side effects, including hypotony, blebitis, and endophthalmitis, due to its non-selective cytotoxicity. MMC’s inability to entirely prevent fibrosis increases surgical failure risk, often necessitating further interventions like bleb needling. This study investigates whether ascorbic acid (AA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can selectively target TFs without damaging scleral fibroblasts (SFs) in vitro, using MMC as a benchmark. Methods Primary human TFs and SFs were cultured from patient trabeculectomy tissues. Cells were treated with various concentrations of MMC, AA, or H2O2. Cytotoxic effects were analyzed via live-cell imaging. Immunocytochemistry and Western Blot assessed catalase expression in both cell types and recombinant catalase was used to validate its protective effect against AA- and H2O2-induced cell death. Results Short-term exposure (5 min) to 0.02%–0.04% MMC or long-term exposure to 0.00025%–0.001% MMC caused cytotoxicity in TFs and SFs, with SFs dying significantly earlier. In contrast, AA (6–8 mM) selectively induced cell death in TFs without harming SFs. H2O2 also showed selective cytotoxicity towards TFs. Lower catalase expression in TFs compared to SFs was determined via Western blot and immunocytochemistry, highlighting a mechanism for this selective effect. Recombinant catalase neutralized the cytotoxic effects of AA and H2O2 on TFs. Conclusions Unlike MMC, Ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards Tenon fibroblasts, which may provide a safer, more targeted approach for preventing fibrosis in glaucoma surgery. Additional in vivo studies are needed to explore the clinical applicability of these findings.

Trait preferences and lentil varietal adoption in central Ethiopia: A multistakeholder approach

Agricultural technologies, including modern/improved crop varieties, are a critical measure for improving productivity, meeting food security needs, and bridging inequalities. This notwithstanding, adoption of some improved crop varieties in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) tends to be low, with factors such as limited information, poor access to inputs, and risk averseness cited as reasons for low adoption. Few studies in SSA, and Ethiopia particularly, examine the influence of lentil trait preferences on adoption, and the ones that do only look at farmers’ perspectives who are often treated as a homogenous group. This is despite the importance of lentils as a subsistence and growing market crop, and the fact that diverse factors may determine adoption among farmers. To address these knowledge gaps, this study used a mixed methods approach involving multiple stakeholders (n = 808) to understand gendered patterns in lentil varietal adoption and trait preferences, using an intersectional lens. The findings revealed low adoption rates for improved varieties for women and men alike due to poor disease resistance, and insufficient attention from the breeding programs to preferred processing and consumer traits, as well as the differentiated needs of farmers. Paying attention to these trait needs serves to inform gender-intentional breeding and improve the income generation potential of lentil varieties for diverse farmer groups. As such, we recommend sex-disaggregated data collection from socially differentiated groups and market representatives in order to inform breeding priorities along with the development of multiple varieties that suit different needs.

Potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for DM2 and periodontitis based on bioinformatics analysis

Background Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2) is thought to have a bidirectional relationship with Periodontitis (PD). However, the complex molecular interactions between DM2 and PD remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the shared genes and common signatures of DM2 and PD via bioinformatic analysis. Methods Firstly, using bioinformatic methods to investigate common genes. The series matrix files of GSE6751 for DM and GSE15932 for PD were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The data was normalized using the R package, and the limma package was utilized to identify the Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed using the “clusterProfiler” package in the R software. The protein-protein network was constructed to analyze the potential relationship among the proteins. CytoHubba, a plugin for the Cytoscape software, was used to identify the hub genes. The validation datasets selected for DM2 and PD were GSE10334 and GSE7014, respectively. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to obtain the area under the ROC curve. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) +  high glucose-induced DM-related PD was simulated to verify the three hub genes through quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB). Results In total, 44 common DEGs were identified. ITGAM, H2BC21, S100A9 was identified as he hub genes of DM2 and PD, with all of them were up-regulated. In addition, the area under the curve of all three hub genes was more than 0.65. In-vitro experiments revealed that the relative expression of S100A9 was increased after the treatment with LPS +  high glucose. Besides, TLR4 and p-NF-κB levels were also improved in model group. Conclusion S100A9 was identified as the hub gene of DM2 and PD. S100A9 could trigger TLR4 signaling way to promote disease development, which can be the potential targets for diagnosis and treatment.

Short-term persistence of foliar insecticides and fungicides in pumpkin plants and their pollinators

To minimize the risk to bees and other beneficial insects, plant protection chemicals are typically applied to pollinator-dependent crop plants when flowers are absent or unopened. However, this approach does not entirely remove the risk of pollinator exposure. Much research has focused on negative effects of systemic insecticides (e.g., seed treatments) on pollinators, but less is known about the level of hazard posed by translocation of non-systemic foliar-applied pesticides to pollen and nectar that bees consume. In this study we assess the frequency and persistence of six foliar-applied pesticides in pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo ) tissues and in their bee visitors. We analyzed residues of three insecticides (carbaryl, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin) and three fungicides (chlorothalonil, quinoxyfen, triflumizole) in pumpkin leaves, pollen, and nectar collected from five farms in the north-central USA, one day before a spray event, and one, three, and seven days after. Bees foraging on pumpkin flowers were collected one day before and one day after spray and screened for the same pesticides. Overall, insecticides were present in 56% of leaf samples. Compared to leaves, fewer pollen (insecticide detected in 16%, fungicide in 16%) and nectar samples (14%, 0%) contained pesticides. We detected one insecticide (carbaryl) in two out of 69 samples of foraging bees, and only in male squash bees (not in bumble or honey bees), which have life history traits that bring them into prolonged close contact with the sprayed crop plants. The persistence of some agrochemicals in leaves, pollen, and nectar up to a week following application merits consideration when managing pollinator-dependent crops. Even pesticides that are traditionally considered contact-based and applied when flowers are unopened can reach pollen and nectar and produce measurable risk to bees.

Covalent inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 NiRAN domain via an active-site cysteine

Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial to Enhance Executive Function via Brief Mindfulness Training in Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder

Background Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is characterized by uncontrolled gaming behavior, leading to emotional distress, neglect of academic or life responsibilities, and damage to interpersonal relationships, all of which have serious negative impacts on individuals and society. IGD has been associated with neuropsychological impairments, especially executive function deficits, and emotional difficulties. Mindfulness interventions have been indicated to improve executive functions to varying degrees in individuals with IGD. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the three subcomponents of executive function (i.e., inhibition, updating, and shifting) are impaired in individuals with internet gaming disorder, as well as to examine the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness intervention on executive function. Methods A total of 82 individuals diagnosed with IGD and 40 non-addicted gamers will be recruited for this study. These participants will be evenly divided into an intervention group and a control group at a ratio of 1:1. The intervention group will undergo a 7-day mindfulness training program focusing on breathing meditation, while the control group will receive progressive muscle relaxation training. Both groups’ outcomes will be assessed at seven different time points. Primary outcome measures will include electroencephalography (EEG) data (band power, functional connectivity, source localization, and N2/P3 amplitudes), behavioral metrics (response times and accuracy from psychological experimental paradigms), physiological indices (specifically heart rate variability), self-reported measures (game craving and mindfulness levels, executive function performance, and impulsivity emphasizing inhibitory control). Secondary outcome measures will encompass anxiety, stress, positive and negative affect, sleep quality, and other indicators such as demographic information, physical and mental health status, and the Big Five personality traits. Discussion This study aims to explore the efficacy of a brief mindfulness intervention on executive function impairments in IGD individuals and to elucidate its underlying neural mechanisms. It is anticipated that the findings will contribute to more targeted intervention strategies for executive function research, offering novel insights into the treatment of IGD and related cognitive dysfunctions. This study is expected to explore the effectiveness of brief mindfulness intervention on IGD and its underlying brain functional mechanisms, particularly providing more targeted intervention strategies for improving executive functions in this population. Trial registration Trial registration number: ChiCTR2400081509, registered on March 4th 2024. Protocol Version1.0.