An evaluation of two clinically-derived treatments for technophobia

Technology is ubiquitous in our occupational, educational and leisure lives. A fear of interacting with technology can therefore have a major impact on the quality of an individual’s life. This is particularly salient within education as an inability to maximise the benefits of technology may limit academic achievement and subsequent opportunities in life. The severity of the anxiety induced by technology has lead to a plethora of research into the prevalence of ‘technophobia’. This term may have clinical relevance and has been found to be comparable in severity to more traditional phobias [Thorpe, S. J. &; Brosnan, M. (in press). Does computer anxiety reach levels which conform to DSM IV criteria for specific phobia? Computers in Human Behavior]. This paper presents two studies examining the effect of clinically-derived treatments upon levels of anxiety induced by technology. Study 1 was a 10-week selective desensitisation programme with 16 participants (eight computer anxious, eight non-anxious). Over this period computer anxiety and coping cognitions were significantly improved in the computer anxious group and become comparable to those of the matched non-anxious controls. Study 2 was a single treatment session for anxiety. Thirty individuals identified as anxious were assigned to either a one-session treatment (n = 9) or non-treatment (n = 21) group. Initially, both groups were significantly more anxious than the non-anxious control group (n = 59). Subsequent testing established that over the period of an academic year the reduction in anxiety was three times greater in the treated group than the non-treated group such that by the end of the year the treated group no longer differed from the control group, whereas the non-treated group remained significantly more anxious. The implications and limitations of the studies are discussed.     

Mechanism of triazolo-benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine action in anxiety and depression: behavioral studies with concomitant in vivo CA1 hippocampal norepinephrine and serotonin release detection in the behaving animal

1. Real time, in vivo microvoltammetric studies were performed, using miniature carbon-based sensors, to concurrently detect norepinephrine (NE) release and serotonin (5-HT) release, in 2 separate electrochemical signals, within CA1 region of hippocampus in the freely moving and behaving, male, Sprague Dawley laboratory rat. 2. Concurrently, four parameters of open-field behavior, i.e. Ambulations, Rearing, Fine Movements and Central Ambulatory behavior (a measure of anxiety reduction behavior), were assayed by infrared photobeam detection. 3. Time course studies showed that the mechanism of action of the triazolobenzodiazepine (TBZD), adinazolam, (Deracyn) is dramatically different from that of the classical benzodiazepine (BZD), diazepam (Valium, i.e., adinazolam increased, whereas diazepam decreased, 5-HT release within CA1 region of hippocampus in the freely moving and behaving rat. 4. Adinazolam initially increased NE release and then decreased NE release in CA1 region of hippocampus in the freely moving and behaving rat whereas diazepam only decreased the electrochemical signal for NE; the decrease in NE produced by adinazolam was greater than the decrease in NE release produced by diazepam. 5. The Behavioral Activity Patterns, derived from same animal controls, simultaneously with detection of in vivo microvoltammetric signals for NE release and 5-HT release, showed that the BZD, diazepam, exhibited more potent sedative properties than did the TBZD adinazolam. 6. Hippocampal 5-HT and NE release effects of the TBZD, adinazolam, concomitant with behavioral effects lends explanation to the dual anxiolytic/antidepressant properties of the TBZDs.     

Modelling the effects of aeration on the persistence of chemical pesticides applied to stored bulk grain

The rates of degradation of common chemical pesticides applied to stored grains are known to be strongly dependent on grain moisture content and temperature. A finite difference mathematical model of the processes of heat and moisture transfer and pesticide decay in aerated grain is presented and its validity is supported by experimental evidence. Aeration is shown to reduce the rate of degradation of pesticides applied to stored grain, and render the rate of decay relatively insensitive to initial grain conditions. In the temperate and sub-tropical wheat growing regions of Australia, aeration can reduce usage of the pesticide methacrifos (0-2-methoxy carbonylprop-1-enyl 0,0-dimethyl phosphorothioate) by factors of 7 and 4 respectively. The effects of initial grain moisture content, initial grain temperature, fan operation, air flow rates and geographic location are modelled. Aeration of pesticide treated grain may reduce uncertainty within the grain handling industry, thus enabling more efficient planning and resource utilization.     

Moisture diffusion through bulk grain

Pixton and Griffiths (1971) describe the diffusion of moisture through bulk grain by means of a diffusion coefficient which is an empirically determined function of grain moisture content and temperature. This paper presents a general analysis of the diffusion mechanism based on the interstitial partial pressure of water vapour derived from hygrothermal data as the driving force, and the properties of porous beds of granular materials are invoked to calculate the resistance to diffusion. An obstructive coefficient, ψ, is determined to be 0.53 which compares excellently with literature values for randomly packed porous media, and is in accord with contention of van Brakel and Heertjes (1974) that the nature of the packing is not an important influence on the value of the obstructive coefficient.     

A new method for defining and managing process alarms and for correcting process operation when an alarm occurs

A new mathematical treatment of alarms that considers them as multi-variable interactions between process variables has provided the first-ever method to calculate values for alarm limits. This has resulted in substantial reductions in false alarms and hence in alarm annunciation rates in field trials. It has also unified alarm management, process control and product quality control into a single mathematical framework so that operations improvement and hence economic benefits are obtained at the same time as increased process safety. Additionally, an algorithm has been developed that advises what changes should be made to Manipulable process variables to clear an alarm. The multi-variable Best Operating Zone at the heart of the method is derived from existing historical data using equation-free methods. It does not require a first-principles process model or an expensive series of process identification experiments. Integral with the method is a new format Process Operator Display that uses only existing variables to fully describe the multi-variable operating space. This combination of features makes it an affordable and maintainable solution for small plants and single items of equipment as well as for the largest plants. In many cases, it also provides the justification for the investments about to be made or already made in process historian systems. Field Trials have been and are being conducted at IneosChlor and Mallinckrodt Chemicals, both in the UK, of the new geometric process control (GPC) method for improving the quality of both process operations and product by providing Process Alarms and Alerts of much high quality than ever before. The paper describes the methods used, including a simple visual method for Alarm Rationalisation that quickly delivers large sets of Consistent Alarm Limits, and the extension to full Alert Management with highlights from the Field Trials to indicate the overall effectiveness of the method in practice.     

Global warming and thermohaline circulation stability

The Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) plays an important role in global climate. Theoretical and palaeoclimatic evidence points to the possibility of rapid changes in the strength of the THC, including a possible quasi-permanent shutdown. The climatic impacts of such a shutdown would be severe, including a cooling throughout the Northern Hemisphere, which in some regions is greater in magnitude than the changes expected from global warming in the next 50 years. Other climatic impacts would likely include a severe alteration of rainfall patterns in the tropics, the Indian subcontinent and Europe. Modelling the future behaviour of the THC focuses on two key questions. (i) Is a gradual weakening of the THC likely in response to global warming, and if so by how much? (ii) Are there thresholds beyond which rapid or irreversible changes in the THC are likely? Most projections of the response of the THC to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases suggest a gradual weakening over the twenty-first century. However, there is a wide variation between different models over the size of the weakening. Rapid or irreversible THC shutdown is considered a low-probability (but high-impact) outcome; however, some climate models of intermediate complexity do show the possibility of such events. The question of the future of the THC is beset with conceptual, modelling and observational uncertainties, but some current and planned projects show promise to make substantial progress in tackling these uncertainties in future.     

Isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the determination of methionine sulfoxide in protein

We have developed a new technique for quantifying methionine sulfoxide (MetSO) in protein to assess levels of oxidative stress in physiological systems. In this procedure, samples are hydrolyzed with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) in order to avoid the conversion of MetSO to methionine (Met) that occurs during hydrolysis of protein in HCl. The hydrolysate is fractionated on a cation exchange column to remove the nonvolatile MSA from amino acids, and the amino acids are then derivatized as their trimethylsilyl esters for analysis by selected ion monitoring-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The limit of detection of the assay is 200 pmol of MetSO per analysis, and the interassay coefficient of variation is 5.8%. Compared to current methods, the SIM-GC/MS assay avoids the potential for conversion of Met to MetSO during sample preparation, requires less sample preparation time, has lower variability, and uses mass spectrometry for sensitive and specific analyte detection.     

Evaluating drought response of Southern Cape Indigenous Forests,South Africa,using MODIS data

Indigenous forests in South Africa cover less than 0.5% of the total land area but are a valued resource under threat from fragmentation, fires, exploitation, and climate change. The largest indigenous forest complex is located along the southern coast of the Western Cape Province. This complex is made up of sub-forests distinguished by different structural and edaphoclimatic attributes. It has been hypothesized that these sub-forests exhibit different resistance to stressors, such as drought. A time series of MODIS 250 m enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data were used to characterize the foliage condition of the three distinctive sub-forests before, during, and after a severe drought in 2009. The goal was to determine how these sub-forests responded to this disturbance. EVI anomalies for the drought and post-drought periods were calculated using annual median EVI values, since removal of outliers based on quality control flags that accompany the MODIS products or noise-filtering techniques proved to be ineffective. Results of the study indicated that pre-drought foliage density EVI was not controlled by differences in water availability, but may have been due to other edaphoclimatic or structural attributes. Maximum foliage loss occurred one year after the driest year, indicating the cumulative effects of drought stress on forest production and retention of foliage. The hypothesized stress resistance capacity of the three sub-forests was found to correspond to their rate of post-drought recovery. There is a need to tie these satellite observations of forest drought response to ground observations of forest condition, growth, and specific site attributes.