“Hey, look at me” An {auto}ethnographic account of experiencing ADHD symptoms within sport.

This auto-ethnography presents a reflective analysis of my experiences of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in sport. To date, research into ADHD has been largely confined to clinical evaluation and subjective interpretations. This, however, fails to advance cultural understandings and maintains the status quo. Using an autoethnographic approach, we aim to address this in-balance within sport and to give a voice to the voiceless. As an individual diagnosed with ADHD in early childhood, the first author, guided by the second author, shares and explores his experiences as both an athlete and a coach. By endeavouring to reveal the thoughts and feelings attached to key episodes within his sporting experience, the study functions to provide preliminary evidence to showcase how ADHD can impact upon those who participate in sport. Furthermore, the vignettes presented act as a vehicle to signpost the reader in accessing the available academic literature. As a result, it is hoped that this manuscript will bring further meaning to this often misunderstood condition, showcase how ADHD symptoms may present themselves within a sporting environment, and enable coaches to support those who experience similar episodes

Cluster Analysis of Symptoms Among Patients with Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders

Introduction Some musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity are not readily classified. The study objective was to determine if there were symptom patterns in self-identified repetitive strain injury (RSI) patients. Methods Members (n = 700) of the Dutch RSI Patients Association filled out a detailed symptom questionnaire. Factor analysis followed by cluster analysis grouped correlated symptoms. Results Eight clusters, based largely on symptom severity and quality were formulated. All but one cluster showed diffuse symptoms; the exception was characterized by bilateral symptoms of stiffness and aching pain in the shoulder/neck. Conclusions Case definitions which localize upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders to a specific anatomical area may be incomplete. Future clustering studies should rely on both signs and symptoms. Data could be collected from health care providers prospectively to determine the possible prognostic value of the identified clusters with respect to natural history, chronicity, and return to work

Advancing the Selection of Neurodevelopmental Measures in Epidemiological Studies of Environmental Chemical Exposure and Health Effects

With research suggesting increasing incidence of pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders, questions regarding etiology continue to be raised. Neurodevelopmental function tests have been used in epidemiology studies to evaluate relationships between environmental chemical exposures and neurodevelopmental deficits. Limitations of currently used tests and difficulties with their interpretation have been described, but a comprehensive critical examination of tests commonly used in studies of environmental chemicals and pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders has not been conducted. We provide here a listing and critical evaluation of commonly used neurodevelopmental tests in studies exploring effects from chemical exposures and recommend measures that are not often used, but should be considered. We also discuss important considerations in selecting appropriate tests and provide a case study by reviewing the literature on polychlorinated biphenyls

Non-invasive beam profile monitor for medical accelerators

A beam profile monitor based on a supersonic gas-curtain is currently under development for transverse profile diagnostics of electron and proton beams in the High Luminosity LHC. This monitor uses a thin supersonic gas curtain that crosses the primary beam to be characterized under an angle of 45 degrees. The fluorescence caused by the interaction between the beam and gas-curtain is detected using a specially designed imaging system to determine the 2D transverse profile of the primary beam. Another prototype monitor based on beam induced ionization is installed at The Cockcroft Institute. This paper presents the design features of both the monitors, the gas-jet curtain formation and various experimental tests, including profile measurements of an electron beam, using helium, nitrogen and neon as gases. Such a non-invasive online beam profile monitor would be highly desirable also for medical LINAC’s and storage rings as it can characterize the beam without stopping machine operation. The paper discusses opportunities for simplifying the monitor design for integration into a medical accelerator and expected monitor performance

EPIMHC: a curated database of MHC-binding peptides for customized computational vaccinology

EPIMHC is a relational database of MHC-binding peptides and T cell epitopes that are observed in real proteins. Currently, the database contains 4867 distinct peptide sequences from various sources, including 84 tumor-associated antigens. The EPIMHC database is accessible through a web server that has been designed to facilitate research in computational vaccinology. Importantly, peptides resulting from a query can be selected to derive specific motif-matrices. Subsequently, these motif-matrices can be used in combination with a dynamic algorithm for predicting MHC-binding peptides from user-provided protein queries. AVAILABILITY: The EPIMHC database server is hosted by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at the site http://immunax.dfci.harvard.edu/bioinformatics/epimhc

Impact of changing foot progression angle on foot pressure measurement in children with neuromuscular diseases

To analyze the effect of lower-limb rotation on foot pressure distribution, 16 patients (23 feet) with neuromuscular diseases who received derotation osteotomy of lower limbs without concomitant foot-ankle procedures were included in this retrospective study. The cross-correlation analysis showed that the interval change of the foot progression angle was correlated with the interval change of the medial-lateral foot pressure impulse distribution. The externally rotated foot progression angle tends to introduce higher loading on the medial foot, and the internally rotated foot progression angle shifts the loading to lateral side of the foot. This study provides evidence that the rotational profile of the lower limb has a substantial impact on foot pressure distribution. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved