Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Is There an App for That? Suitability Assessment of Apps for Children and Young People With ADHD

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex highly comorbid disorder, which can have a huge impact on those with ADHD, their family, and the community around them. ADHD is currently managed using pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. However, with advances in technology and an increase in the use of mobile apps, managing ADHD can be augmented using apps specifically designed for this population. However, little is known regarding the suitability and usability of currently available apps. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of the top 10 listed apps for children and young people with ADHD and clinicians who work with them. It is hypothesized that mobile apps designed for this population could be more suitably designed for this population. Methods: The top 10 listed apps that are specifically targeted toward children and young people with ADHD in the United Kingdom were identified via the Google Play (n=5) and iTunes store (n=5). Interviews were then undertaken with 5 clinicians who specialize in treating this population and 5 children and young people with ADHD themselves, to explore their opinions of the 10 apps identified and what they believe the key components are for apps to be suitable for this population. Results: Five themes emerged from clinician and young people interviews: the accessibility of the technology, the importance of relating to apps, addressing ADHD symptoms and related difficulties, age appropriateness, and app interaction. Three additional themes emerged from the clinician interviews alone: monitoring symptoms, side effects and app effect on relationships, and the impact of common comorbid conditions. The characteristics of the apps did not appear to match well with the views of our sample. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the apps may not be suitable in meeting the complex needs associated with this condition. Further research is required to explore the value of apps for children and young people with ADHD and their families and, in particular, any positive role for apps in the management of ADHD in this age group. A systematic review on how technology can be used to engage this population and how it can be used to help them would be a useful way forward. This could be the platform to begin exploring the use of apps further

A study examining the effects of changed rules of wrestling competitions on the muscular damage levels of the elite wrestlers

This study aims to examine the effects of changing rules of wrestling competitions on the elite wrestlers’ muscular damage levels. Twenty male wrestlers from the wrestling team established by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, which competes in the 1st Wrestling League, volunteered to take part in the research. The age average of the wrestlers was 20.4±2.8 years, their average age of sports 7.45±4.29 years, their height average 173,8 ±4,97 cm, and weight average 77.4 ±16.22 kg. Some blood samples of 5 cc each were taken from each wrestler’s forearm vein by means of the vacutainer (a closed blood taking system) for the two competitions separately before and after the competitions; and on 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours following the competitions in the research. For looking at the levels of Creatine Kinase (CK), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), serums were obtained by centrifuging the blood samples those taken to determine the levels of the skeletal muscle damages of the wrestlers at 1000 RPM for 20 minutes. The enzyme levels of the blood samples (the serum of which was decomposed) were determined by the SIEMENS ADVIA biochemistry auto-analyzer using the SIEMENS kit. While the repetitive measurements were assessed via one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Bonferroni testing was applied in order to determine from which measurement times the differences were originated. The Paired Samples-t testing, meanwhile, was performed in order to compare the blood samples collected from the athletes at same times for the both completed competitions having different rules. No significant difference was observed between AST and ALT values on the aminotransferase of the wrestlers according to two different rules (p˃0.05). Whereas significant differences were confirmed between the values of 48 hours after and 72 hours after the competition for the LDH values (p<0.05), no significant difference, on the other hand, were detected between other values (p˃0.05). Although significant differences were observed between the results obtained following competition and 72 hours after the competition for the CK values (p<0.05), there was no significant difference between other values (p˃0.05). Consequently, it was observed that when the wrestlers took part in two-day wrestling competitions, the basal values were reached 72nd hour after the competition, and no muscle damage remained, whereas when they took part in half-day wrestling competitions it was confirmed at the end of the 72nd hour that the LDH and CK levels of the wrestlers couldn’t come close to the basal and the muscle damage was present (p<0.05).This study aims to examine the effects of changing rules of wrestling competitions on the elite wrestlers’ muscular damage levels. Twenty male wrestlers from the wrestling team established by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, which competes in the 1st Wrestling League, volunteered to take part in the research. The age average of the wrestlers was 20.4±2.8 years, their average age of sports 7.45±4.29 years, their height average 173,8 ±4,97 cm, and weight average 77.4 ±16.22 kg. Some blood samples of 5 cc each were taken from each wrestler’s forearm vein by means of the vacutainer (a closed blood taking system) for the two competitions separately before and after the competitions; and on 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours following the competitions in the research. For looking at the levels of Creatine Kinase (CK), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), serums were obtained by centrifuging the blood samples those taken to determine the levels of the skeletal muscle damages of the wrestlers at 1000 RPM for 20 minutes. The enzyme levels of the blood samples (the serum of which was decomposed) were determined by the SIEMENS ADVIA biochemistry auto-analyzer using the SIEMENS kit. While the repetitive measurements were assessed via one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Bonferroni testing was applied in order to determine from which measurement times the differences were originated. The Paired Samples-t testing, meanwhile, was performed in order to compare the blood samples collected from the athletes at same times for the both completed competitions having different rules. No significant difference was observed between AST and ALT values on the aminotransferase of the wrestlers according to two different rules (p˃0.05). Whereas significant differences were confirmed between the values of 48 hours after and 72 hours after the competition for the LDH values (p<0.05), no significant difference, on the other hand, were detected between other values (p˃0.05). Although significant differences were observed between the results obtained following competition and 72 hours after the competition for the CK values (p<0.05), there was no significant difference between other values (p˃0.05). Consequently, it was observed that when the wrestlers took part in two-day wrestling competitions, the basal values were reached 72nd hour after the competition, and no muscle damage remained, whereas when they took part in half-day wrestling competitions it was confirmed at the end of the 72nd hour that the LDH and CK levels of the wrestlers couldn’t come close to the basal and the muscle damage was present (p<0.05)

Mutational Analysis of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 Cortex-Lytic Enzymes ▿ †

Molecular-genetic and muropeptide analysis techniques have been applied to examine the function in vivo of the Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 SleB and SleL proteins. In common with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus anthracis, the presence of anhydromuropeptides in B. megaterium germination exudates, which is indicative of lytic transglycosylase activity, is associated with an intact sleB structural gene. B. megaterium sleB cwlJ double mutant strains complemented with engineered SleB variants in which the predicted N- or C-terminal domain has been deleted (SleB-ΔN or SleB-ΔC) efficiently initiate and hydrolyze the cortex, generating anhydromuropeptides in the process. Additionally, sleB cwlJ strains complemented with SleB-ΔN or SleB-ΔC, in which glutamate and aspartate residues have individually been changed to alanine, all retain the ability to hydrolyze the cortex to various degrees during germination, with concomitant release of anhydromuropeptides to the surrounding medium. These data indicate that while the presence of either the N- or C-terminal domain of B. megaterium SleB is sufficient for initiation of cortex hydrolysis and the generation of anhydromuropeptides, the perceived lytic transglycosylase activity may be derived from an enzyme(s), perhaps exclusively or in addition to SleB, which has yet to be identified. B. megaterium SleL appears to be associated with the epimerase-type activity observed previously in B. subtilis, differing from the glucosaminidase function that is apparent in B. cereus/B. anthracis

Changes of Platelet Indices in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in Acute Phase and After Two Months Treatment

Background Various indices have been raised as predictors of activity and severity of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the changes of platelet indices in acute phase and two months after treatment in these patients. Patients and Methods In a cohort study, platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT) were evaluated in children referred to children’s medical center, Tehran due to juvenile idiopathic arthritis from March 2013 to March 2014 during the acute phase and two months after standard treatment. The statistical data were analyzed by SPSS 19 software, and the significance level was set as P < 0.05. Results In this study, 55 children (24 boys and 31 girls) with mean ± SD age of 7.50 ± 3.35 years were studied. The mean ± SD value of platelet count was 441872.7 ± 151836.9 in the acute phase and reached 395418.2 ± 119601.6 two months after treatment (P = 0.01). The mean ± SD PCT in the acute phase of various subtypes of the disease was 0.32 ± 0.11, which reached 0.29 ± 0.10 after treatment (P = 0.09). However, the PDW range in different subtypes of the disease reached 13.4 ± 8.0 from 13.9 ± 2.9 and MPV reached 8.7 ± 0.9 from 8.8 ± 1.1 after treatment, but they were not significantly different from the results in the acute phase (P = 0.5). Conclusions Platelet count is one of the most remarkable indices in JIA. Evaluation of PCT can also help determine the severity of the inflammatory process in the follow-up and treatment process