133 research outputs found
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
Solution generating in scalar-tensor theories with a massless scalar field and stiff perfect fluid as a source
We present a method for generating solutions in some scalar-tensor theories
with a minimally coupled massless scalar field or irrotational stiff perfect
fluid as a source. The method is based on the group of symmetries of the
dilaton-matter sector in the Einstein frame. In the case of Barker's theory the
dilaton-matter sector possesses SU(2) group of symmetries. In the case of
Brans-Dicke and the theory with "conformal coupling", the dilaton- matter
sector has as a group of symmetries. We describe an explicit
algorithm for generating exact scalar-tensor solutions from solutions of
Einstein-minimally-coupled-scalar-field equations by employing the nonlinear
action of the symmetry group of the dilaton-matter sector. In the general case,
when the Einstein frame dilaton-matter sector may not possess nontrivial
symmetries we also present a solution generating technique which allows us to
construct exact scalar-tensor solutions starting with the solutions of
Einstein-minimally-coupled-scalar-field equations. As an illustration of the
general techniques, examples of explicit exact solutions are constructed. In
particular, we construct inhomogeneous cosmological scalar-tensor solutions
whose curvature invariants are everywhere regular in space-time. A
generalization of the method for scalar-tensor-Maxwell gravity is outlined.Comment: 10 pages,Revtex; v2 extended version, new parts added and some parts
rewritten, results presented more concisely, some simple examples of
homogeneous solutions replaced with new regular inhomogeneous solutions,
typos corrected, references and acknowledgements added, accepted for
publication in Phys.Rev.
G1 Cosmologies with Gravitational and Scalar Waves
I present here a new algorithm to generate families of inhomogeneous massless
scalar field cosmologies. New spacetimes, having a single isometry, are
generated by breaking the homogeneity of massless scalar field models
along one direction. As an illustration of the technique I construct
cosmological models which in their late time limit represent perturbations in
the form of gravitational and scalar waves propagating on a non-static
inhomogeneous background. Several features of the obtained metrics are
discussed, such as their early and late time limits, structure of singularities
and physical interpretation.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figure
Initial Conditions in String Cosmology
We take a critical look at a recent conjecture concerning the past attractor
in the pre-big-bang scenario. We argue that the Milne universe is unlikely to
be a general past attractor for such models and support this with a number of
examples.Comment: 10 pages standard Latex format, no figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
T-Duality and Penrose limits of spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous cosmologies
Penrose limits of inhomogeneous cosmologies admitting two abelian Killing
vectors and their abelian T-duals are found in general. The wave profiles of
the resulting plane waves are given for particular solutions. Abelian and
non-abelian T-duality are used as solution generating techniques. Furthermore,
it is found that unlike in the case of abelian T-duality, non-abelian T-duality
and taking the Penrose limit are not commutative procedures.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures. Discussion on non-abelian T-duality expande
Acceleration of the universe, vacuum metamorphosis, and the large-time asymptotic form of the heat kernel
We investigate the possibility that the late acceleration observed in the
rate of expansion of the universe is due to vacuum quantum effects arising in
curved spacetime. The theoretical basis of the vacuum cold dark matter (VCDM),
or vacuum metamorphosis, cosmological model of Parker and Raval is revisited
and improved. We show, by means of a manifestly nonperturbative approach, how
the infrared behavior of the propagator (related to the large-time asymptotic
form of the heat kernel) of a free scalar field in curved spacetime causes the
vacuum expectation value of its energy-momentum tensor to exhibit a resonance
effect when the scalar curvature R of the spacetime reaches a particular value
related to the mass of the field. we show that the back reaction caused by this
resonance drives the universe through a transition to an accelerating expansion
phase, very much in the same way as originally proposed by Parker and Raval.
Our analysis includes higher derivatives that were neglected in the earlier
analysis, and takes into account the possible runaway solutions that can follow
from these higher-derivative terms. We find that the runaway solutions do not
occur if the universe was described by the usual classical FRW solution prior
to the growth of vacuum energy-density and negative pressure (i.e., vacuum
metamorphosis) that causes the transition to an accelerating expansion of the
universe in this theory.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Physical Review D15 (Dec 23, 2003).
v2: 1 reference added. No other change
Quantization of Midisuperspace Models
We give a comprehensive review of the quantization of midisuperspace models.
Though the main focus of the paper is on quantum aspects, we also provide an
introduction to several classical points related to the definition of these
models. We cover some important issues, in particular, the use of the principle
of symmetric criticality as a very useful tool to obtain the required
Hamiltonian formulations. Two main types of reductions are discussed: those
involving metrics with two Killing vector fields and spherically symmetric
models. We also review the more general models obtained by coupling matter
fields to these systems. Throughout the paper we give separate discussions for
standard quantizations using geometrodynamical variables and those relying on
loop quantum gravity inspired methods.Comment: To appear in Living Review in Relativit
The treatment-related experiences of parents, children and young people with regular prescribed medication
Background Taking regular medication has been shown to have an impact on the daily lives of patients and their families. Objective To explore the medication-related experiences of patients and their families when a child or young person is prescribed regular medication. Setting A specialist U.K. paediatric hospital. Method Semi-structured face-to-face interviews of 24 parents/carers, children or young people, who had been taking two or more medications for 6 weeks or longer. The themes explored included the medication regimen, formulation, supplies, social aspects and adverse effects. The data was analysed using NVIVO version 11. Main outcome measure The experiences of patients, and their parents/carers, when a child/young person takes regular medication. Results Participants described a range of experiences associated with taking regular medication. Medication-related challenges were experienced around the timing of administration which was managed over 24 h rather than waking hours. Updating medication doses for administration at school was often delayed. Unintended nonadherence was cited as the biggest challenge with a range of strategies employed to manage this. The internet was commonly used as a source of additional information accessed for reassurance and adverse effects but there were varying experiences of using patient forums/help groups. Other challenges included the adequacy of information, travelling with medication, formulation issues, arranging supplies and adverse effects. Conclusion Patients and parents experience many challenges with children’s medication. Individualised treatment options should be considered. Further research is required to determine how these experiences may be managed including the role of paediatric medication review
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