- Google Engineers Responsibly Report PS Portal Exploit, Ending Potential PSP Emulation Push Square
- Programmers got PSP games running on the PlayStation Portal, then “responsibly reported” the exploit so it could be patched TechRadar
- Sony Fixed Exploit That Let PlayStation Portal Run Emulated PSP Games After Hackers ‘Responsibly Reported Issues to PlayStation’ IGN
- PlayStation Portal Update Leads to Major Visuals Upgrade ComicBook.com
- PlayStation Portal 2.0.6 Firmware Update Reportedly Brings Performance, Image Quality Improvements Wccftech
Tag Archives: PSP
Inflammatory Trigger a New Clue in Alzheimer’s and PSP
Summary: An inflammatory trigger like one present during viral infections is elevated in those with Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
Source: UT San Antonio
Scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) today reported that an inflammatory trigger like one present during viral infections is elevated in Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder.
“We have identified a new trigger of brain inflammation in these disorders,” said Elizabeth Ochoa, study author from UT Health San Antonio.
The finding published in Science Advances is novel for this reason, she said.
Ochoa, a recent doctoral graduate, and her mentor, Bess Frost, Ph.D., study senior author, are investigators with the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, and the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy at UT Health San Antonio. Frost is the Bartell Zachry Distinguished Professor for Research in Neurodegenerative Disorders.
Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy are marked by toxic deposits of a protein called tau. Their research found that tau-induced “jumping genes”—which can relocate or copy themselves to other locations in the genome—form double-stranded RNA. This abnormal RNA mimics the inflammatory trigger that is also present in viral infections.
“Transposable elements—the so-called jumping genes—are a new area of interest in understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Our study provides new insights into how they can drive the disease process in addition to their ability to jump,” Ochoa said. “These double-stranded RNAs look like a virus to the immune system even though the jumping genes are a part of our normal genome.”
The researchers detected accumulation of double-stranded RNA in postmortem brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy and in brains of mouse and fruit fly models of tauopathy.
“We found substantial deposits of double-stranded RNA in astrocytes, which are cells that provide metabolic support for neurons, regulate neurotransmitters and maintain blood-brain barrier integrity,” Frost said. “In aging and disease, astrocytes respond to injury and disruption of the neuronal environment. Our findings open new doors for understanding astrocyte biology and their role in transposable element control.”
Loss of neurons, which are cells of the central nervous system, is progressive in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The researchers conducted experiments in fruit flies to quickly test their questions about double-stranded RNA and inflammation in the brain. “To ensure that what we found in our fruit fly experiments is relevant to mammalian disease, we also studied brain tissue from mouse models and from postmortem human brains affected by tauopathy,” Ochoa said.
“As we are currently targeting jumping gene activation in a local Phase II clinical trial for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to understand the full repertoire of toxic molecules, including double-stranded RNAs, that jumping genes produce,” Frost said.
Ochoa recently earned her Ph.D. from the Cell Biology, Genetics and Molecular Medicine Discipline of the Integrated Biomedical Sciences program at UT Health San Antonio. She earned her undergraduate degree from Seattle University.
Frost, associate professor of cell systems and anatomy in the Barshop and Biggs institutes at UT Health San Antonio, received the highly competitive Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine in 2020 from TAMEST, the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology. She was also a Gold Medalist in 2022 for the prestigious Oskar Fischer Prize.
About this Alzheimer’s disease and PSP research news
Author: Press Office
Source: UT San Antonio
Contact: Press Office – UT San Antonio
Image: The image is in the public domain
See also
Original Research: Open access.
“Pathogenic tau–induced transposable element–derived dsRNA drives neuroinflammation” by Elizabeth Ochoa et al. Science Advances
Abstract
Pathogenic tau–induced transposable element–derived dsRNA drives neuroinflammation
Deposition of tau protein aggregates in the brain of affected individuals is a defining feature of “tauopathies,” including Alzheimer’s disease. Studies of human brain tissue and various model systems of tauopathy report that toxic forms of tau negatively affect nuclear and genomic architecture, identifying pathogenic tau–induced heterochromatin decondensation and consequent retrotransposon activation as a causal mediator of neurodegeneration.
On the basis of their similarity to retroviruses, retrotransposons drive neuroinflammation via toxic intermediates, including double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We find that dsRNA and dsRNA sensing machinery are elevated in astrocytes of postmortem brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy and in brains of tau transgenic mice.
Using a Drosophila model of tauopathy, we identify specific tau-induced retrotransposons that form dsRNA and find that pathogenic tau and heterochromatin decondensation causally drive dsRNA-mediated neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.
Our study suggests that pathogenic tau–induced heterochromatin decondensation and retrotransposon activation cause elevation of inflammatory, transposable element–derived dsRNA in the adult brain.
PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog to add Star Wars Battlefront II for PSP
A PlayStation Store page for the PSP version of Star Wars Battlefront II has appeared.
The game is listed as as PSP emulation title, meaning that it will appear as part of the Classics Catalog for PlayStation [41,558 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/playstation”>PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.
A release date is not listed.
Here is an overview of the game, via PlayStation Store:
Experience [206 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/experience”>Experience Star Wars Battlefront II (Classic, 2005) originally released on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.
Fight on the front lines where every weapon and vehicle is yours. And now for the first time, STAR WARS Battlefront II lets you…
- Fight as a Jedi – Earn the ability to wield a lightsaber and use Force powers like Yoda, and many other heroes and villains.
- Battle in Space – Dogfight in classic starships, or land on a Star Destroyer and fight on foot aboard enemy ships.
- Play 13 New Locations – Battle across STAR WARS: Episode Ill environments such as Mustafar and the Wookiee home of Kashyyyk.
- Plus Three Exclusive Challenges – Fight as a Rebel Raider, Imperial Enforcer or Rogue Assassin in tours of duty made just for this version.
This title has been converted from the PSP (PlayStation Portable) version to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles and provides newly added features. Consequently, there may be times where the title plays differently from the PSP (PlayStation Portable) version, or where some features may cause the title to not function properly. This version does not support the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system’s peripherals, therefore some functionality may not be available.
And here are the screenshots featured in the listing:
PS1 and PSP games get new emulation features on PlayStation 5
While still a month away in the Americas, the new PlayStation Plus will go live in some Asian regions on May 24. With just a few days to go, some games have started appearing on the Malaysian PlayStation Store, giving players around the world a hint of what to expect when the update comes to their region — especially regarding original PlayStation and PSP emulation. While some classic games will be included in the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription tier, players who aren’t subscribed to the service will also be able purchase and play classic titles on an individual basis.
These emulated titles aren’t just the same-old versions of the games you remember, now on your expensive, hard-to-find PlayStation 5. They come with some of the unique emulation features you might expect, like rewinds and save states. YouTuber Mystic tested out Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey — the only game out at the time of this writing — to see how it played on PlayStation 5.
In Mystic’s video, he shows off settings for video filter presets and aspect ratios, rewind to get out of tough spots or reverse failed jumps, and save states to rectify some early PlayStation frustrations — most of these games are from an era where players had to find save spots in order to save their progress. There are also graphics settings, which allow fans to experience the game as they remember, with retro classic scanlines, or a more “modern” look with less exposure.
The prices on the Malaysian store also seem relatively fair for older games. Abe’s Odyssey, when converted from Malaysian to U.S. currency, will run players about $4.56. Worms Armageddon comes in at a bit more, and will cost American audiences about $8.89. (It’s highly likely PlayStation will round these prices up or down in their native markets.) Players who’ve already purchased any of these games on a PlayStation 3 or Vita won’t need to buy them again.
Some of these games will have trophies, but they seemingly aren’t guaranteed or required — Abe’s Odyssey does not offer trophies, but Bend Studios has revealed that Syphon Filter will.
Sony has already revealed a list of classic games coming to its Premium and Deluxe PS Plus plans. However, the list is clearly incomplete as the Malaysian store is already offering Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, which isn’t on the list. There is also artwork to suggest that PSP’s Ridge Racer 2 will appear on the platform, although Sony hasn’t made any official announcement yet.
Here’s the complete list of announced PS1 and PSP classics:
- Ape Escape
- Hot Shots Golf
- I.Q. Intelligent Qube
- Jumping Flash!
- Mr. Driller
- Syphon Filter
- Super Stardust Portable
- Tekken 2
- Worms World Party
- Worms Armageddon
This new PlayStation Plus tier system will launch in North and South America on June 13.
More PS1, PSP Games Launching on PS Plus Premium Revealed
PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium are less than 48 hours away from launch in select Asian territories, and even more PS1 and PSP games are beginning to hit the PS Store ahead of the rollout. We now know PSP title Ridge Racer 2 and PS1 game Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee will be included in the top tier. Both of them have been updated with “up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters”.
In the case of Oddworld, pricing outside of PS Plus Premium works out at roughly $4 to buy the game standalone. Some images of the new user interface that lets you select various visual modes have also appeared online, which you can check out through here. It includes the previously announced rewind feature, some visual presets, further video options, and selectable aspect ratios. According to users, Oddworld does not have Trophies.
“This title has been converted from the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) version to the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 consoles and provides newly added features. Consequently, there may be times where the title plays differently from the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) version, or where some features may cause the title to not function properly,” the Ridge Racer 2 PS Store listing reads.
The two new titles join the likes of Ape Escape, Hot Shots Golf, and Intelligent Qube in the launch lineup of classic games on PS Plus Premium. For a complete list of All PS Plus Games, click the link. We’ll update this article should any other games hitting the service pop up on the PS Store. Are you happy to see these two games join the service? Let us know in the comments below.
Rumour: PS Plus Premium’s PS1, PS2, PSP Games Have Started to Leak
Update: Assets for PS1 title Mr. Driller have now been discovered as well. That means we’ve got three Namco titles on our hands here, which probably isn’t a coincidence. Can we have Tekken 3 next, please?
We’ll continue to update this article as more games are leaked, which seems an inevitability at this point.
Original Story: With the upcoming PlayStation Plus Premium, subscribers will get access to a large catalogue of PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 games, all of which will be playable on PS5 and PS4. The only problem is that, at the time of writing, we don’t actually know which games will be included. Sony has said that the selection will be made up of “classics”, but outside of that, your guess is as good as ours.
Here’s the thing, though: it looks like PS Plus Premium games are starting to leak through the PS Store. As pointed out on Reddit, assets for two games have popped up on Sony’s storefront: Tekken 2 (PS1) and Ridge Racer 2 (PSP). Wow, two whole games out of a promised 340 — but you’ve got to imagine that this is just the start.
We could be on course for a major leak here, which would highlight just how slow Sony has been in announcing its plans for the overhauled subscription service, which is set to launch in just under a couple of months.
What PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 games do you want to see on Premium? Feel free to make a massive list in the comments section below.
Prepping for PlayStation’s digital store shutdown is a total slog, so start sooner than later
From login woes to slow downloads to missing buttons, it can be a pain to get your PSP, Vita, and PS3 libraries situated
After hearing the PSP, Vita, and PS3 store shutdown news last week, I was disappointed, but I wasn’t as fired up as some. More like all-around bummed and tired. We’re really doing this, Sony? Welp, okay.
With the recent clarification that we’ll still be able to download our purchases after the store closures (for the time being, anyway), I had planned to procrastinate on getting my libraries in order. July 2 – the PS3 and PSP store shutdown date – felt far enough away that I didn’t need to spring into action.
With that “I’ll get around to it later” mentality, on Friday, I began poking around various forums and communities to refresh myself on which digital-only games and cost-effective buys are worth looking into before it’s too late. Tomba costs how much on disc nowadays? Okay, sure, another PS1 Classic for the list. Next thing I knew, I was in the researching groove and I couldn’t help myself. I went a bit nuts.
On the PSP and Vita front, I have a PlayStation Portable, but it no longer has a functional battery (the bulge got me). And while I never owned a PlayStation Vita proper, I did get a PlayStation TV back when they were super cheap – I just never bothered to do much with the little box after a cursory glance.
My PS3 is of the non-PS2-disc-playing variety, and I got it late in the cycle, so I never ended up getting many titles for it. Funny enough, most of my PS3 games are just cool, quirky, chill PlayStation Network indies – the exact kind of stuff that folks are now rushing to nab before the stores close in 2021.
You don’t need to know my whole personal PlayStation history, of course, but I’m briefly mentioning it just as a jumping-off point. After setting up my systems again, I found some games I wasn’t expecting – when the heck did I buy Ring of Red? – and I also realized I didn’t own everything I thought I did.
Whether you’ve sworn off Sony or you’re still open to the idea of buying digital copies of older PlayStation games while you’re allowed to, either way, I’d urge you to make a decision sooner than later. With the inability to check your “legacy” console libraries in a web browser, the bookkeeping process is a huge pain. I say that as someone who, again, doesn’t even own all that much digital stuff.
My first wake-up call was when I tried to log into these systems. I started with the PlayStation TV first, and while my account info was still there, my password gave me an error. As it turns out, I needed to authenticate my PS TV and PS3 login using a semi-obscure Sony page to generate a password.
(If you have 2-Step and you’re struggling like I was: go to the PlayStation Store, click on your avatar up top, then Account Settings, then Security, and finally Device Setup Password. This will help you sign in.)
Once I was logged in, I took stock of my PSP, Vita, and PS3 games and cross-referenced that with this very very helpful collection of game recommendation lists on ResetEra. Another good one: this list of games you can play on your Vita but only if you purchase them on a PS3 and then transfer them over.
If there’s a theme to this article, it’s that everything involved with preparing for PlayStation’s store shutdown is more time-consuming and finicky than it needs to be – by like an order of magnitude.
Case in point, the “add to cart” button (and, as a result, pricing info) is invisible for me on the PS3 store.
I had heard complaints about this recently, but seeing it for myself was wild. As a workaround for the missing button, every time I landed on a game I wanted to buy (a process in and of itself), I had to go down and highlight the “Overview” button, and then press up once and hit X to confirm. I’ve also read about purchases failing to go through, but I haven’t encountered any of those errors. Fingers crossed.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to fill in gaps in your PS1 and PS2 Classics collections on PS3 and Vita. It’s less than ideal, but in a lot of cases, it’s better to manually search for games than rely on the PlayStation Store’s incomplete lists. For the former, search “PSOne”; for the latter, “PS2.” That should bring up an alphabetical list of Classics for you to peruse. I’d also take notes as needed so you know which of your games are already installed – the Download List isn’t helpful. It’s still a clunker in 2021.
At the risk of rambling more than I need to, there’s also the matter of navigating the PlayStation Store and downloading, installing, and patching games in general on these platforms. It’s all much slower than I remember, and I didn’t have particularly fond memories in the first place. Come into this process expecting to babysit everything – even in the best circumstances, it’s going to feel like a project.
I ended up with a dozen more PS1 Classics including Mega Man Legends, Suikoden, and The Legend of Dragoon, as well as the Resident Evils (I’ll laugh if Capcom does modern ports later this year for the series’ 25th anniversary) and can’t-miss titles like Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. When will I ever get around to playing any of this? That’s a topic for another day – but I’m gonna try, honest!
I’ve only done the bare minimum, which is to say I got the games I wanted (and some I probably didn’t need), but I haven’t backed up anything or put in any additional time to future-proof my digital purchases. Those conversations are happening online, though. If you’re invested in your digital library for PSP, Vita, and PS3, I wouldn’t necessarily encourage you to start buying a bunch of old games you may or may not need before Sony pulls the plug on new purchases, but I would start figuring out a plan.
To anyone moving away from the PlayStation ecosystem in light of these shutdowns – or at least reconsidering their stance on digital purchases under Sony – I feel you. The brand took a big hit.
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PlayStation Store Shut Down Dates for PS3, PS Vita, and PSP Officially Announced
Sony has confirmed that it will be shutting down the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3 and PSP on July 2, 2021, and the PSN Store for the Vita on August 27, 2021. This is according to an email sent out to PlayStation customers, including IGN staffers.According to a PlayStation Support blog, customers will still be able to re-download and play previously purchased games and video, and still redeem games and PlayStation Plus vouchers.
However, new PS3, Vita, and PSP purchases will cease, and players can no longer make in-game purchases or redeem PSN wallet funds on PS3, Vita, or PSP once the stores close.
In an email sent to PlayStation customers, the company says it’s closing the respective PlayStation stores “in an effort to focus our resources for PlayStation Store on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, which will enable us to enhance the customer experience even further. We thank you for your support on these platforms throughout the years.”
Owned content will be accessible through the Download List on respective devices; but given the new deadlines, if anyone wants a game for the PS3, Vita, or PSP that they do not currently own then players will need to purchase those titles before the July and August shutdown dates.
News of Sony’s impending store closures for PS3, Vita, and PSP were reported earlier this month by TheGamer, but Sony has remained tight-lipped on the situation. The news was met with dismay from video game preservation advocates after knowing many legacy games from the PS1 and PSP era will no longer be available after a certain date.
There are many digital-only PlayStation games that now effectively have an expiration date. So if anyone wants to play some PlayStation 1 Classics, now’s the time to get them on some legacy PlayStation consoles.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s News Editor.