Challenging 'normalcy': possibilities and pitfalls of Paralympic bodies

The Paralympic Games is celebrated in the mainstream media in line with the vision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) 'To enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world.' In this paper we explore the degree to which the flagship of parasport has acted as a catalyst for an enhanced social and cultural understanding of disabled embodiments. Drawing upon a Foucauldian conceptualisation of biopower in connection with Harraway's articulation of the cyborg, we highlight how hybrid bodies inevitably fail to promote embodied difference because they constitute, in and of themselves, a product of "normalizing" technology. In light of critiques such as that of the sporting supercrip, we argue that the heroic glorification of Paralympic cyborgs further amplifies the inadequacy of non- cyborg disabled bodies, whose impairments cannot be "compensated for" by movement technologies. Ultimately, this paper is a call to reflect upon how parasport culture can enhance its ability to deliver the empowerment ideal encapsulated within its vision

The fiddle of using the Paralympic Games as a vehicle for expanding [dis]ability sport participation

In this paper we highlight the need to explore the excessive significance given to the Paralympic Games as a vehicle for the encouragement of participation of people with a disability within sport. The media spectacle around the games that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has worked tirelessly to develop has become, for policy makers and the public alike, a sufficient outlet for disability sport provision. We argue that the honourable goals of the IPC articulated through the ethos of Paralympism have been assumed to be valid for all people with a disability, yet in terms of widening participation, their utility is limited, as the Paralympics themselves are exclusionary. This paper first illuminates the relationship between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IPC before we turn our attention to the ethos of Paralympism. Highlighting the necessity for 'sport for all' we show how a human rights lens, aided by a capabilities approach can facilitate better ways to educate the public about the need for equality of access to sporting participation opportunities

A Foucauldian Interpretation of Paralympic Sport in the United Arab Emirates: An Exploration Through a Virtual Lens

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. In this paper, we explore the interface between the construction of disability and the culture of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a focus on the implications that these have on the provision for Paralympic sport. Despite the previous literature that has investigated the relationship between sport and the Arab world, there is a significant void at the intersection between disability and sport within the Arab community. This paper uses a Foucauldian lens to unpack the relationship between the concepts of disability and Arab culture and how these are linked to Paralympic ethos. To achieve this aim, this paper uses virtual ethnographic methods. The internet is a flexible tool often understood as a cultural artefact which is socially constructed and a technology that was produced by particular people which contextually situated priorities. It is also a technology which is shaped by the ways in which it is marketed, taught and used. We believe the internet integrates with traditional cultures therefore providing a greater understanding and continual observation of Paralympic sport in the UAE

The social empowerment of difference: the potential influence of Para sport

In this paper, we explore the significance of parasport in highlighting an emancipatory understanding of difference and enhancing social empowerment. By illuminating the influence of ableist ideology upon people with impairments we draw upon the field of disability studies. We ultimately argue that rather than being supressed, difference should be recognised and valued in parasport practices and ideologies, leading to a pluralist culture, in which further and wider social emancipation can be grounded. Acceptance of difference is an absolute and essential pre-condition for parasport cultures to promote positive social change for people with disabilities

The effect of pregabalin or duloxetine on arthritis pain: a clinical and mechanistic study in people with hand osteoarthritis (vol 10, pg 2437, 2017)

Sofat N, Harrison A, Russell MD, et al. J Pain Res. 2017;10:2437–2449.On page 2443, Table 3, Placebo column, NRS section, the difference was reported as: –0.9 (–0.2 to 0.2). This is incorrect, and it should read as follows: –0.9 (–2.0 to 0.2).Read the original articl

The effect of pregabalin or duloxetine on arthritis pain: a clinical and mechanistic study in people with hand osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent arthritis worldwide and is characterized by chronic pain and impaired physical function. We hypothesized that heightened pain in hand OA could be reduced with duloxetine or pregabalin. In this prospective, randomized clinical study, we recruited 65 participants, aged 40–75 years, with a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain of at least 5. Participants were randomized to one of the following three groups: duloxetine, pregabalin, and placebo. The primary endpoint was the NRS pain score, and the secondary endpoints included the Australian and Canadian Hand Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) pain, stiffness, and function scores and quantitative sensory testing by pain pressure algometry. After 13 weeks, compared to placebo, ANOVA found significant differences between the three groups (P=0.0078). In the intention-to-treat analysis, the pregabalin group showed improvement for NRS pain (P=0.023), AUSCAN pain (P=0.008), and AUSCAN function (P=0.009), but no difference between duloxetine and placebo (P>0.05) was observed. In the per protocol analysis, NRS pain was reduced for pregabalin (P<0.0001) and duloxetine (P=0.029) compared to placebo. We conclude that centrally acting analgesics improve pain outcomes in people with hand arthritis, offering new treatment paradigms for OA pain

Cultural influences on physical activity and exercise beliefs in patients with chronic kidney disease: The Culture-CKD Study'-a qualitative study

Data availability statement: Data are available upon reasonable request. The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.Ethics approval: Ethical approval was granted from the North West Haydock Research Ethics Committee on 3 April 2018 (18/NW/02/37). This study has been registered on ClinicalTrials. gov with the identifier: NCT03709212.Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer- reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Objectives This study used a mixed-method approach to explore cultural and ethnic influences on the perception of, and decision to engage with or not to engage with, physical activity and exercise therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design Qualitative research was conducted through the use of semistructured interviews and focus groups. Self-reported physical activity levels were measured using the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ), and self-efficacy for exercise with Bandura's Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale. Setting This study was conducted in a non-clinical setting of a single National Health Service Hospital Trust between April 2018 and July 2019. Participants Participants >18 years of age with a diagnosis of CKD, from black African, black Caribbean, South Asian or white ethnicity were eligible for the study. 84 patients with a diagnosis of CKD (stages 2-5), aged 25-79 (mean age 57) were recruited. Semistructured interviews (n=20) and six single-sex, ethnic-specific focus group discussions were undertaken (n=36). Outcomes Primary outcome was to explore the perceptions, attitudes and values about exercise and physical activity in different ethnic groups through qualitative interviews, analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Questionnaires were analysed using Pearson correlation to determine if there was a significant relationship between the self-efficacy and GPPAQ levels. Results Qualitative analysis provided four primary themes: I am who I am, Change of identity, Influences to physical activity and exercise and Support and education. Quantitative analysis using Pearson correlation revealed a significant correlation between GPPAQ levels of activity and self-efficacy to regulate exercise behaviour (r=-0.40, p=0.001). Conclusion Understanding the cultural, attitudes and beliefs of individuals with CKD from a variety of ethnic backgrounds is complex. Understanding of patients' experiences, thoughts and beliefs may be of relevance to clinicians when designing CKD exercise services. Trial registration number NCT03709212; Pre-results.Kidney Care UK & BRS Joint Grants Programme 2017; Kidney Research UK through the KRUK AHP PhD fellowship (AHPF_001_20171122); NIHR HEE/NIHR ICA Pre- doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship (NIHR301893)

Cultural influences on physical activity and exercise beliefs in patients with chronic kidney disease : ‘The Culture-CKD Study’—a qualitative study

Objectives: This study used a mixed-method approach to explore cultural and ethnic influences on the perception of, and decision to engage with or not to engage with, physical activity and exercise therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design: Qualitative research was conducted through the use of semistructured interviews and focus groups. Self-reported physical activity levels were measured using the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ), and self-efficacy for exercise with Bandura’s Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale. Setting: This study was conducted in a non-clinical setting of a single National Health Service Hospital Trust between April 2018 and July 2019. Participants: Participants >18 years of age with a diagnosis of CKD, from black African, black Caribbean, South Asian or white ethnicity were eligible for the study. 84 patients with a diagnosis of CKD (stages 2–5), aged 25–79 (mean age 57) were recruited. Semistructured interviews (n=20) and six single-sex, ethnic-specific focus group discussions were undertaken (n=36). Outcomes: Primary outcome was to explore the perceptions, attitudes and values about exercise and physical activity in different ethnic groups through qualitative interviews, analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Questionnaires were analysed using Pearson correlation to determine if there was a significant relationship between the self-efficacy and GPPAQ levels. Results: Qualitative analysis provided four primary themes: I am who I am, Change of identity, Influences to physical activity and exercise and Support and education. Quantitative analysis using Pearson correlation revealed a significant correlation between GPPAQ levels of activity and self-efficacy to regulate exercise behaviour (r=−0.40, p=0.001). Conclusion: Understanding the cultural, attitudes and beliefs of individuals with CKD from a variety of ethnic backgrounds is complex. Understanding of patients’ experiences, thoughts and beliefs may be of relevance to clinicians when designing CKD exercise services. Trial registration number: NCT03709212; Pre-results

Improving Interpretation of Cardiac Phenotypes and Enhancing Discovery With Expanded Knowledge in the Gene Ontology

This work was funded through grants from the British Heart Foundation (BHF, SP/07/007/23671, RG/13/5/30112) and the National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre; The Zebrafish Model Organism Database: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI, HG002659, HG004838, HG004834); The Rat Genome Database: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on behalf of the NIH (HL64541); The Mouse Genome Database: NGHRI (HG003300); FlyBase: UK Medical Research Council (G1000968); and Gene Ontology Consortium: NIH NHGRI (U41 HG002273) to Drs Blake, Cherry, Lewis, Sternberg, and Thomas. Professor Riley received BHF personal chair award (CH/11/1/28798). Professors Lambiase and Tinker received support from BHF and UK Medical Research Council. Professor Tinker received National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Barts and BHF grant (RG/15/15/31742). Dr Roncaglia received EMBL-EBI Core funds