Anxiety, depression and perceived sporting performance among professional cricket players.

BACKGROUND: Mental health in sport is a hard-hitting topic that is frequently the subject of news coverage and increasingly a theme for avid research. Some suggest that cricketers, participating in a game unique in its statistical analysis of individual performance, prolonged periods of play away from home and extended solitary game time to reflect on errors, may be especially prone to developing depression. This hypothesis is supported by a higher rate of suicide among male Test cricketers when compared with the UK male general population.1 METHODS: This study ascertained rates of anxiety and depression by screening professional cricket players using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). It also investigate whether professional cricket players perceive stress and anxiety to be beneficial to their sporting performance. 21 male professional cricketers were included in this anonymous questionnaire based study. RESULTS: Six players had a positive depression screen, five scoring mild and one scoring moderate. Additionally, six players had a positive anxiety screen, four scoring mild and two ?players within the moderate range. Fifteen players thought pre-match stress and anxiety was beneficial to their sporting performance. Of these, nine thought slight, five thought fair and one thought considerable levels were optimal. CONCLUSIONS: Undiagnosed anxiety and depression may exist in professional cricket teams and as such better screening is required. The majority of players feel some level of stress and tension are beneficial for their performance, with a slight amount being the most common perceived optimum.

Penetrating ocular injuries in the home.

BACKGROUND: We studied the prevalence and aetiology of penetrating ocular injuries, in particular ones that were sustained whilst undertaking Do It Yourself (DIY) or gardening in the domestic environment. We also examined the extent of eye safety promotion in DIY stores and garden centres and on their websites. METHODS: We conducted a case note review of patients who underwent surgery for penetrating ocular trauma between January 2000 and June 2004. Eight DIY stores and garden centres and 10 websites were visited and evaluated using standardized questions. RESULTS: Of the 85 patients identified, 35 (41.2%) patients had injuries that occurred in the home with 10 patients having visual acuities of <6/60 at final follow up. Accidents from DIY or gardening were the cause in 17 of 33 (51.5%) patients, with a failure to wear eye protection in all cases. Overall, DIY stores and garden centres were poor at promoting eye safety both in their stores and on their websites. CONCLUSION: The home is a frequent place for severe penetrating ocular injury, with highly popular pastimes such as DIY and gardening as common causes. As many of these injuries are preventable, additional safety information is essential to educate the public on the potential dangers of these pastimes.

A novel Fab-based antivenom for the treatment of mass bee attacks.

The frequency of mass bee attacks has dramatically increased in the Americas following the introduction and spread of the aggressive Africanized 'killer' bee (Apis mellifera scutellata). As yet no specific therapy is available, which led us to develop an ovine Fab-based antivenom as a potential new treatment. Sera from sheep immunized against the venom contained high levels of specific antibodies, as demonstrated by ELISA and by small-scale affinity chromatography, against both whole (A. m. mellifera) venom and purified melittin. A nerve muscle preparation was used to show the myotoxic effects of the venom and neutralization by the antivenom. Antivenom neutralizing ability was also demonstrated using assays for venom phospholipase A2 and in vivo activities. Venom from both European and Africanized bees appeared identical when analyzed by acid-urea gel electrophoresis. This antivenom may therefore provide the first specific therapy for the treatment of mass envenomation by either European or Africanized 'killer' bees.

A retrospective analysis of tissue-fixed immunoreactants from skin biopsies maintained in Michel's medium.

656 skin biopsies with positive direct immunofluorescence from the UK and overseas were studied over a 2-year period. The length of time biopsies had remained in Michel's medium at pH 7.0 in various diseases (pemphigoid, pemphigus, linear IgA disease, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, amyloid, lichen planus and dermatitis herpetiformis) was analysed. We concluded that direct immunofluorescence remained positive at 6 months and that Michel's medium is a reliable long-term maintenance medium for skin biopsies.