Testing the relation between ADHD and hyperfocus experiences

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with hyperfocus, a transient experience of enhanced attentional focus and diminished awareness of time and the environment. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the association between the frequency, duration and pervasiveness of hyperfocus across different situations in adults with and without ADHD. METHOD AND PROCEDURES: Within a healthy sample (n = 1124), we analysed correlations between scores on the ADHD Rating Scale and self-reports of frequency, duration and pervasiveness of hyperfocus. An ADHD patient group (n = 78) was compared to matched healthy participants on all hyperfocus variables. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: In healthy adults, the frequency of hyperfocus was positively correlated with ADHD traits; older age and higher education were correlated with fewer hyperfocus occurrences in a smaller number of situations. ADHD patients and matched controls did not differ in the occurrence, frequency, duration and pervasiveness of hyperfocus, but hyperfocus was less likely to occur in educational and social situations in ADHD patients. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Hyperfocus experiences are not specific of ADHD patients. The divergent findings might reflect multiple hyperfocus dimensions (situational and motivational) assessed in different studies which need to be addressed in future research

Study of the time and space distribution of beta+ emitters from 80 MeV/u carbon ion beam irradiation on PMMA

Proton and carbon ion therapy is an emerging technique used for the treatment of solid cancers. The monitoring of the dose delivered during such treatments and the on-line knowledge of the Bragg peak position is still a matter of research. A possible technique exploits the collinear 511\ \kilo\electronvolt photons produced by positrons annihilation from $\beta^+$ emitters created by the beam. This paper reports rate measurements of the 511\ \kilo\electronvolt photons emitted after the interactions of a 80\ \mega\electronvolt / u fully stripped carbon ion beam at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) of INFN, with a Poly-methyl methacrylate target. The time evolution of the $\beta^+$ rate was parametrized and the dominance of $^{11}C$ emitters over the other species ($^{13}N$, $^{15}O$, $^{14}O$) was observed, measuring the fraction of carbon ions activating $\beta^+$ emitters $A_0=(10.3\pm0.7)\cdot10^{-3}$. The average depth in the PMMA of the positron annihilation from $\beta^+$ emitters was also measured, D_{\beta^+}=5.3\pm1.1\ \milli\meter, to be compared to the expected Bragg peak depth D_{Bragg}=11.0\pm 0.5\ \milli\meter obtained from simulations

A farm typology for adoption of innovations in potato production in southwestern Uganda

In Uganda, low productivity of potato might be associated with poor and diverse adoption of innovative crop management practices. This paper aims to identify the potato farm typologies in southwestern Uganda, i.e., collections of farms that are homogeneous in uptake of innovations (use of fertilizer, organic input, fungicides, pesticides, seed selection methods, seed refreshment by using quality declared seed, and sole cropping), and to analyse these typologies based on socio-economic characteristics, access to agricultural extension services, memberships of farmers\u27 groups, yield levels of potato and return rates. A farm household survey (n = 270) was carried out and principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify types of farms differing in adoption of innovations. Four farm types were identified that demonstrated significant differences in uptake of innovation practices; despite the small differences in yield among farm types, differences in uptake were associated with significant differences in the yield and further in land ownership, availability of laborers and cash, economical return, and access to knowledge. The farm type with relatively high frequencies of using organic input, fungicide input, pesticide input, seed plot technology or positive selection, quality declared seed, and sole cropping achieved highest potato productivity; the farm type with relatively frequent use of fungicide input and no use of pesticides was associated with the lowest potato yield. The findings emphasize associations between innovation uptake and farm characteristics. Opportunities for improvement through extension services and shared knowledge can achieve wider adoption, enhance potato productivity and increase income for smallholder farmers

In-beam PET measurement of 7Li3+^{7}Li^{3+} irradiation induced \beta^+}-activity

At present positron emission tomography (PET) is the only feasible method of an in situ and non-invasive monitoring of patient irradiation with ions. At the experimental carbon ion treatment facility of the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) Darmstadt an in-beam PET scanner has been integrated into the treatment site and lead to a considerable quality improvement of the therapy. Since ions other than carbon are expected to come into operation in future patient treatment facilities, it is highly desirable to extend in-beam PET also to other therapeutic relevant ions, e.g. 7Li. Therefore, by means of the in-beam PET scanner at GSI the β+-activity induced by 7Li3+ ions has been investigated for the first time. Targets of PMMA, water, graphite and polyethylene were irradiated with monoenergetic, pencil-like beams of 7Li3+ with energies between 129.1 A MeV and 205.3 A MeV and intensities ranging from 3.0 × 107 to 1.9 × 108 ions s−1. This paper presents the measured β+-activity profiles as well as depth dependent thick target yields which have been deduced from the experimental data. The β+-activity induced by 7Li ions was found to be a factor of 1.76 higher than the one induced by 12C ions at the same physical dose and particle range

Untersuchung supraglottischer Vibrationsmuster im Pop-/Rockgesang mittels Hochgeschwindigkeitsendoskopie und Elektroglottographie sowie abhängiger resonatorischer Eigenschaften der Vokaltraktkonfiguration

Hintergrund: Supraglottische Vibrationen treten im stimmmedizinischen Kontext im Rahmen von Stimmstörungen auf oder werden bewusst zum Ersatz der Stimmlippenvibration trainiert. Im künstlerischen Kontext werden supraglottische Vibrationen häufig in der Pop-/ Rockmusik eingesetzt und als gutturale Stimmqualitäten bezeichnet. Die Steuerungsmechanismen supraglottischer Vibrationen sind weitgehend unverstandenMaterial und Methoden: Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es Kombinationen an glottalen und supraglottischen Vibrationsmustern bei einem professionell trainierten Rock-Sänger mittels transnasaler Hochgeschwindigkeitsendoskopie (20k Bilder/s.) sowie simultaner Elektroglottographie zu analysieren. Beim Glissando über das typische Range 10 unterschiedlicher gutturaler Qualitäten wurden sowohl der Übergang in die gutturale Technik, als auch ein Abschnitt stabiler Phonation aus der Start- und Endfrequenz analysiert. Resonatorische Eigenschaften des Vokaltraktes wurden aus 3D Magnetresonanztomographie-Aufnahmen bestimmt.Ergebnisse: Grundsätzlich konnten 3 Typen von gutturalen Stimmqualitäten differenziert werden: 1) glottale Vibrationen mit reduzierter Periodizität, 2) gleichzeitige Vibrationen der Stimmlippen und der supgraglottischen Strukturen in verschiedener Ausprägung (Teilvibration vs. Vollschluss der Taschenfalten) sowie unterschiedlichen Verhältnissen zueinander (z.B. gleiche Frequenz von Stimmlippen und Taschenfalten, Änderung Stimmlippenfrequenz bei gleichbleibender Taschenfaltenfrequenz, konstantes Verhältnis von Stimmlippen zu Taschenfaltenfrequenz von 2:1, Abnahme der Taschenfaltenfrequenz bei gleichzeitiger Zunahme der Stimmlippenfrequenz), 3) primär supraglottische Vibrationen (z.B. Vibration der Epiglottis, der Aryknorpel). Dabei unterschieden sich die Qualitäten auch in der Vokaltraktkonfiguration und -Länge sowie in ihren resonatorischen Eigenschaften.Diskussion: Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass die Steuerung supraglottischer Vibrationen in unterschiedlichen Relationen zur Stimmlippenschwingung, aber auch unabhängig davon, möglich ist mit hoher Reproduzierbarkeit trainiert werden kann.Fazit: Ein besseres Verständnis dieser Mechanismen könnte neue Anwendungsbereiche im stimmtherapeutischen Kontext ermöglichen

Choosing an Adequate Test to Determine Fitness for Air Travel in Obese Individuals

BACKGROUND: Air travel is physically demanding and, because obesity is rising, physicians increasingly need to assess whether such patients can fly safely. Our aim was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of two routinely used exercise tests, 50-m walk test and 6-min walk test, and hypoxic challenge testing (HCT) in obese individuals. We further explored the diagnostic potential of perceived dyspnea as measured with the Borg scale because this is often recorded subsequent to walking tests. METHODS: In this prospective study, we examined 21 obese participants (10 women, age 51 +/- 15 [mean +/- SD], BMI 36 +/- 5 kg/m(2)). The most prevalent comorbidity was COPD (n = 11). The reference standard for in-flight hypoxia, defined as oxygen saturation below 90%, was established in an altitude chamber. Diagnostic accuracy of each index test was estimated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: Of the 21 participants, 13 (9 with COPD) were identified with in-flight hypoxia. HCT was the only test separating the reference groups significantly with AUC 0.87 (95% CI, 0.62-0.96). Neither of the walking tests predicted noticeably above chance level: 50 m walk test had an AUC of 0.63 (0.36-0.84) and 6MWT had an AUC of 0.64 (0.35-0.86). We further observed good prognostic ability of subjective dyspnea assessment when recorded after 6MWT with an AUC of 0.80 (0.55-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: In-flight hypoxia in obese individuals can be predicted by HCT but not by simple walking tests

Measurement of prompt gamma profiles in inhomogeneous targets with a knife-edge slit camera during proton irradiation

Proton and ion beam therapies become increasingly relevant in radiation therapy. To fully exploit the potential of this irradiation technique and to achieve maximum target volume conformality, the verification of particle ranges is highly desirable. Many research activities focus on the measurement of the spatial distributions of prompt gamma rays emitted during irradiation. A passively collimating knife-edge slit camera is a promising option to perform such measurements. In former publications, the feasibility of accurate detection of proton range shifts in homogeneous targets could be shown with such a camera. We present slit camera measurements of prompt gamma depth profiles in inhomogeneous targets. From real treatment plans and their underlying CTs, representative beam paths are selected and assembled as one-dimensional inhomogeneous targets built from tissue equivalent materials. These phantoms have been irradiated with monoenergetic proton pencil beams. The accuracy of range deviation estimation as well as the detectability of range shifts is investigated in different scenarios. In most cases, range deviations can be detected within less than 2 mm. In close vicinity to low-density regions, range detection is challenging. In particular, a minimum beam penetration depth of 7 mm beyond a cavity is required for reliable detection of a cavity filling with the present setup. Dedicated data post-processing methods may be capable of overcoming this limitation