Effect of Therapeutic Alliance of Clients on Methadone Maintenance Treatment Outcomes

Opioid abuse costs affect the majority of the adult population in our society directly or indirectly. The current prevailing medical treatment for opioid addiction is methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). MMT reduces infectious disease spread, illicit drug use, criminal activity, and overdose potential. MMT is only as effective as the length of time a client remains active and compliant with the program. In previous studies, therapeutic alliance (TA) has been shown to positively influence the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment. However, a gap exists in research in regards to the impact of TA on the effectiveness of MMT outcomes. The theoretical framework of this study is based on therapeutic alliance, which guided an examination on whether therapeutic alliance (as measured by the Session Rating Scale) influenced MMT retention and compliance (drug screens and session attendance). Archival data from 264 clients receiving MMT for opioid dependence were reviewed from a nonprofit community-based agency in Arizona. Logistic regression results revealed that TA did not significantly affect retention or compliance. However, issues were noted such as how the SRS was administered, a lack of understanding by clients regarding scoring the SRS, and unique social desirability demands when clients are in MMT. The finding that TA alone did not significantly affect retention and compliance does not decrease the need to find effective means to improve MMT outcomes. Rather, the findings suggest a critical need to identify and utilize measures more appropriate for clients receiving MMT. In doing so, positive social change may be achieved by assisting clinical staff in developing a strong therapeutic alliance with MMT clients as they focus on problem solving as a joint venture when challenges in the recovery process arise

Mentoring for Inclusion: The Impact of Mentoring on Undergraduate Researchers in the Sciences

Increasing inclusion of underrepresented minority and first-generation students in mentored research experiences both increases diversity in the life sciences research community and prepares students for successful careers in these fields. However, analyses of the impact of mentoring approaches on specific student gains are limited. This study addresses the impact of mentoring strategies within research experiences on broadening access to the life sciences by examining both how these experiences impacted student success and how the quality of mentorship affected the development of research and academic skills for a diverse population of students at a public, minority-serving institution. Institutional data on student grades and graduation rates (n = 348) along with postresearch experience surveys (n = 138) found that students mentored in research had significantly higher cumulative grade point averages and similar graduation rates as a matched set of peers. Examination of the relationships between student-reported gains and mentoring strategies demonstrated that socioemotional and culturally relevant mentoring impacted student development during mentored research experiences. Additionally, extended engagement in research yielded significantly higher development of research-related skills and level of independence in research. Recommendations are provided for using mentoring to support traditionally underrepresented students in the sciences

Radionuclides, Heavy Metals, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Soils Collected Around the Perimeter of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Area G during 2006

Twenty-one soil surface samples were collected in March around the perimeter of Area G, the primary disposal facility for low-level radioactive solid waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Three more samples were collected in October around the northwest corner after elevated tritium levels were detected on an AIRNET station located north of pit 38 in May. Also, four soil samples were collected along a transect at various distances (48, 154, 244, and 282 m) from Area G, starting from the northeast corner and extending to the Pueblo de San Ildefonso fence line in a northeasterly direction (this is the main wind direction). Most samples were analyzed for radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 241}Am, {sup 234}U, {sup 235}U, and {sup 238}U), inorganic elements (Al, Ba, Be, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, K, Na, V, Hg, Zn, Sb, As, Cd, Pb, Se, Ag, and Tl) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations. As in previous years, the highest levels of {sup 3}H in soils (690 pCi/mL) were detected along the south portion of Area G near the {sup 3}H shafts; whereas, the highest concentrations of {sup 241}Am (1.2 pCi/g dry) and the Pu isotopes (1.9 pCi/g dry for {sup 238}Pu and 5 pCi/g dry for {sup 239,240}Pu) were detected along the northeastern portions near the transuranic waste pads. Concentrations of {sup 3}H in three soil samples and {sup 241}Am and Pu isotopes in one soil sample collected around the northwest corner in October increased over concentrations found in soils collected at the same locations earlier in the year. Almost all of the heavy metals, with the exception of Zn and Sb in one sample each, in soils around the perimeter of Area G were below regional statistical reference levels (mean plus three standard deviations) (RSRLs). Similarly, only one soil sample collected on the west side contained PCB concentrations--67 {micro}g/kg dry of aroclor-1254 and 94 {micro}g/kg dry of aroclor-1260. Radionuclide and inorganic element concentrations in soils collected along a transect from Area G to the Pueblo de San Ildefonso fence line show that most contained concentrations of {sup 241}Am, {sup 238}Pu, and {sup 239,240}Pu above the RSRLs. Overall, all concentrations of radionuclides, heavy metals, and PCBs that were detected above background levels in soils collected around the perimeter of Area G and towards the Pueblo de San Ildefonso boundary were still very low and far below LANL screening levels and regulatory standards

Baseline tritium concentrations in soils and vegetation: The Tshirege woodland site at TA-54

In compliance with Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1, a preoperational environmental survey was conducted for the Tshirege woodland site--an experimental area managed by the Earth and Environmental Science Group (EES-15)--where radioactive tritium ({sup 3}H) will be injected ten cm deep in and around the base of pinyon (Pinus edulis) and one-seeded juniper (Juniperus monosperma) trees during the summer of 1990. The site is located at the lower end of Canada del Buey close to the intersection of Pajarito and State Road 4. Baseline values of {sup 3}H were measured in soil and plant samples from five locations immediately surrounding the study area. Mean values of {sup 3}H in soils collected from the 0--5 and 25--30 cm depths were 1.24 ({+-}0.22) and 1.08 ({+-}0.41) pCi mL{sup {minus}1}, respectively. Pinyon needles averaged 1.68 ({+-}0.18) pCi mL{sup {minus}1} and blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) averaged 1.16 ({+-}0.95) pCi mL{sup {minus}1}

The Characterization of Biotic and Abiotic Media Upgradient and Downgradient of the Los Alamos Canyon Weir

As per the Mitigation Action Plan for the Special Environmental Analysis of the actions taken in response to the Cerro Grande Fire, sediments, vegetation, and small mammals were collected directly up- and downgradient of the Los Alamos Canyon weir, a low-head sediment control structure located on the northeastern boundary of Los Alamos National Laboratory, to determine contaminant impacts, if any. All radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 241}Am, {sup 234}U, {sup 235}U and {sup 238}U) and trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Tl) in these media were low and most were below regional upper level background concentrations (mean plus three sigma). The very few constituents that were above regional background concentrations were far below screening levels (set from State and Federal standards) for the protection of the human food chain and the terrestrial environment

Series and parallel arc-fault circuit interrupter tests.

While the 2011 National Electrical Code%C2%AE (NEC) only requires series arc-fault protection, some arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) manufacturers are designing products to detect and mitigate both series and parallel arc-faults. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has extensively investigated the electrical differences of series and parallel arc-faults and has offered possible classification and mitigation solutions. As part of this effort, Sandia National Laboratories has collaborated with MidNite Solar to create and test a 24-string combiner box with an AFCI which detects, differentiates, and de-energizes series and parallel arc-faults. In the case of the MidNite AFCI prototype, series arc-faults are mitigated by opening the PV strings, whereas parallel arc-faults are mitigated by shorting the array. A range of different experimental series and parallel arc-fault tests with the MidNite combiner box were performed at the Distributed Energy Technologies Laboratory (DETL) at SNL in Albuquerque, NM. In all the tests, the prototype de-energized the arc-faults in the time period required by the arc-fault circuit interrupt testing standard, UL 1699B. The experimental tests confirm series and parallel arc-faults can be successfully mitigated with a combiner box-integrated solution

Beryllium in Surface Soils Collected within and around Los Alamos National Laboratory: 1992–2006

This report describes Beryllium in Surface Soils Collected within and around Los Alamos National Laboratory

Redefining manufacturing quality control in the electronics industry

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000.Also available online at the MIT Theses Online homepage .Includes bibliographical references (p. 103).The most time consuming and capital intensive portion in the assembly of power electronic devices is the test system. A comprehensive test system including functional and stress screening technologies can significantly increase assembly times and more than double the capital investment required in a new assembly line. The primary purpose of the test system is to screen components for early life failures and to verify proper assembly. Determination of key performance characteristics and the resultant test system are developed during the product design phase and are seldom revised after the product has been released to manufacturing. This thesis explores best practices in testing methods and develops new methods to analyze test system performance. Both efforts were conducted in an effort to optimize existing test regimes. Upon completion of the above analyses the existing test sequence was reduced by 50%. This was primarily due to a discovery in the Burn In test cycle which indicated that failures correlated strongly with the on/off cycles inherent in the test sequence. A new test cycle was proposed to accommodate this finding and test results verified the initial hypothesis. Additionally, the summary of best practices identified new forms of product testing including Highly Accelerated Stress Testing (HAST), moving additional product testing into the development phase consequently reducing testing requirements during assembly.by Maureen Fresquez Simington.S.M

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Predator and Bottom-Feeding Fish from Abiquiu and Cochiti Reservoirs in North-Central New Mexico

Concern has existed for years that the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a complex of nuclear weapons research and support facilities, has released polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to the environment that may have reached adjacent bodies of water through canyons that connect them. In 1997, we began measuring PCBs in fish in the Rio Grande upstream and downstream of ephemeral streams that cross LANL and later began sampling fish in Abiquiu and Cochiti reservoirs, which are situated on the Rio Chama and Rio Grande upstream and downstream of LANL, respectively. In 2005, six species of fish from Abiquiu and Cochiti reservoirs were collected and the edible portion (fillets) was analyzed for 209 possible PCB congeners. Fish from the reservoirs were last sampled in 2001. Mean total PCB concentrations in fish from Abiquiu Reservoir ({mu} = 2.4 ng/g) were statistically similar ({alpha} = 0.01; P (T{le}t) [range = 0.23-0.71]) to mean total PCB concentrations in fish from Cochiti Reservoir ({mu} = 2.7 ng/g), implying that LANL is not the source of PCBs in fish in Cochiti Reservoir. The levels of PCBs in fish from Cochiti Reservoir generally appear to be declining, at least since 2001, which is when PCB levels might have peaked resulting from storm water runoff after the Cerro Grande Fire. Although a PCB ''fingerprinting'' method can be used to relate PCB ''signatures'' in one area to signatures in another area, this method of implicating the source of PCBs cannot be effectively used for biota because they alter the PCB signature through metabolic processes. Regardless of the source of the PCBs, certain species of fish (catfish and carpsuckers) at both Abiquiu and Cochiti reservoirs continue to harbor levels of PCBs that could be harmful to human health if they are consistently eaten over a long period of time. Bottom-feeding fish (carpsucker and catfish) from Cochiti Reservoir contained statistically higher levels of total PCBs ({mu} = 4.25 ng/g-fillet-wet) than predator fish (walleye, northern pike, bass) ({mu} = 1.67 ng/g) and the bottom-feeding fish had levels of PCBs that fall into a restricted consumption category in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) charts. Similarly, bottom-feeding fish from Abiquiu Reservoir also contained statistically higher levels of total PCBs ({mu} = 4.25 ng/g-wet) than predator fish (walleye, bass) ({mu} = 0.68 ng/g-wet) and only the bottom-feeding fish had levels of PCBs that fall into a restricted consumption category in the EPA charts

COVID-19-Anxiety and Using Substances to Cope: Differences Across Race and Gender in a New York State College Student Sample

College students, a high risk group for substance use and problems (White & Kingston, 2013), have reported heightened mental health concerns over the past few years (Oswalt et al, 2020). Prior research examining substance misuse and mental health concerns indicate the two tend to co-occur (Cranford et al., 2009). One of the greatest risk factors for future substance use disorder is using substances to cope with negative affect (Patrick et al., 2011). Research on the effect of the pandemic on college student’s mental health has documented increased levels of stress and anxiety, with women reporting worse well-being compared to men (Hoyt et al., 2020). Given the increased psychological distress during the coronavirus pandemic (Martinez & Nguyen, 2020), it is important to examine the relationship between substance use and anxiety surrounding COVID-19 among this population. Research on coronavirus infection and mortality has demonstrated a disparity in health outcomes across racial identities (Gross et al., 2020). It is critical to examine discrepancies in substance use behaviors and the impact of the pandemic on mental health across college student men and women identifying as racial and ethnic minorities. The purpose of this study was to examine prevalence rates of alcohol use, marijuana use, and reports of using substances to cope. Further, we examined whether COVID-anxiety, defined as anxiety specific to the pandemic, and alcohol- and marijuana-coping motives, differed as a function of race and gender after controlling for general psychological distress. Participants were 1,492 students at a large public university in the Northeast. Participants completed measures on alcohol and marijuana use, alcohol and marijuana coping motives, psychological distress and COVID-anxiety. White students reported the highest frequencies of alcohol use, whereas Hispanic/Latinx students reported the highest rates of risky alcohol use. About 25% of Biracial and Hispanic/Latinx students reported past month marijuana use, which was the highest among the racial groups. Biracial students reported the highest rates of psychological distress, COVID-anxiety, and increased substance use due to COVID-related stress. Asian/Asian American students reported the lowest rates of substance use across all indices. About 20% of cis-women and cis-men reported past month marijuana use. Cis-women reported higher frequencies of past month alcohol use, risky alcohol use, psychological distress, COVID-anxiety and increased substance use due to COVID-related stress. Two MANCOVAs examined differences in race and gender in COVID-anxiety, and substance-related coping motives while controlling for psychological distress. The interaction between race and gender on COVID-anxiety and alcohol coping motives was significant, (F8, 1398= 1.93, p =.05;Wilks’Λ = .978). The main effects for race (p=.008) and gender (p=.000) were significant, with slightly larger effect sizes for gender in comparison to race. The model examining COVID-anxiety and marijuana coping motives failed to demonstrate a significant race by gender interaction (p=.585), however main effects for race (p=.002) and gender (p=.017) were significant, with larger effect sizes for race in comparison to gender. Findings support race and gender identity as important determinants of COVID-anxiety and substance-related coping motives. Implications for research, targeted prevention initiatives, and clinical work will be discussed