Exploring emotions and cognitions in hoarding: a Q-methodology analysis

Background: The cognitions and emotions of people prone to hoarding are key components of the dominant cognitive behavioural model of hoarding disorder. Aims: This study sought to use Q-methodology to explore the thoughts and feelings of people that are prone to hoarding, to identify whether distinct clusters of participants could be found. Method: A 49-statement Q-set was generated following thematic analysis of initial interviews (n = 2) and a review of relevant measures and literature. Forty-one participants with problematic hoarding met various study inclusion criteria and completed the Q-sort (either online or offline). A by-person factor analysis was conducted and subsequent participant clusters compared on psychometric measures of mood, anxiety, hoarding and time taken on the online task as proxy for impulsivity. Results: Four distinct participant clusters were found constituting 34/41 (82.92%) of the participants, as the Q-sorts of n = 7 participants failed to cluster. The four clusters found were ‘overwhelmed’ (n = 11 participants); ‘aware of consequences’ (n = 13 participants); ‘object complexity’ (n = 6 participants) and ‘object–affect fusion’ (n = 4 participants). The clusters did not markedly differ with regard to hoarding severity, anxiety, depression or impulsivity. Conclusions: Whilst the participant clusters reflect extant research evidence, they also reveal significant heterogeneity and so prompt the need for further research investigating emotional and cognitive differences between people prone to hoarding

Adaptive Tuning of Drop-Tail Buffers for Reducing Queueing Delays.

Internet router buffers are used to accommodate packets that arrive in bursts and to maintain high utilization of the egress link. Such buffers can lead to large queueing delays. We propose a simple algorithm, Active Drop-Tail (ADT), which regulates the queue size, based on prevailing traffic conditions, to a minimum size that still allows for a desired (high) level of utilization. Packet level ns2 simulations are provided to show that Adaptive Drop-Tail achieves significantly smaller queues than current approaches at the expense of 1-2% of the link utilization

On AIMD Congestion Control in Multiple Bottleneck Networks.

We consider a linear algebraic model of the Additive-Increase Multiplicative-Decrease congestion control algorithm and present results on average fairness and convergence for multiple bottleneck networks. Results are presented for networks of both long-lived and short-lived flows

“The most brutal immigration regime in the developed world”: International Media Responses to Australia’s Asylum-Seeker Policy

Despite intense media coverage of Australia’s asylum-seeker policy, there is minimal attention to structures and processes that influence international media perspectives. This article explores international media responses to Australia’s policy using a mixed-method approach. Our research focused on twenty-five articles from international media outlets surrounding the 2014 “riots” at Manus Island Regional Processing Centre. Three major themes (political relationships, domestic policy and practice, and treatment of asylum-seekers) highlight some key trends in international media representations of this event as an example. We discuss the implications of such findings for the production, representation, and reception of international media stories.Malgré une couverture médiatique intense de la politique australienne concernant les chercheurs d’asile, il y a très peu d’attention portée aux structures et processus qui influencent les perspectives médiatiques internationales. Cet article étudie les réactions de la part des médias internationaux concernant la politique australienne en utilisant une approche à méthodologie mixte. Nos recherches se sont portées sur 25 articles émanant de diffuseurs de médias internationaux autour des «émeutes» de 2014 au Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (centre de traitement régional pour l’immigration de l’île de Manus). Trois thèmes principaux (Relations politiques, Politique interne et pratiques, et Traitement des chercheurs d’asile) mettent en valeur des tendances clés dans la représentation de la part des médias internationaux de cet évènement particulier en tant qu’exemple. Nous abordons une discussion des implications de ces recherches pour la production, la représentation et la réception des actualités médiatiques internationales

A non-invasive method for link upgrade planning using coarse-grained measurements

A basic problem faced by network operators concerns the provisioning of bandwidth to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements. In the network core, the preferred solution is simply to overprovision link bandwidth. We propose a new approach to making link upgrade decisions based only on readily available coarse SNMP measurements

Primary cutaneous malignancies in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa: A retrospective histopathological review

Background. Excessive sun exposure and a high prevalence of HIV increase skin cancer risk in South Africa (SA).Objective. To describe the nature and extent of skin cancers presenting in the public and private health sectors of the Northern Cape Province of SA.Methods. A retrospective analysis of histologically confirmed new primary cutaneous malignancies from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012 was conducted using public and private health sector databases. Types, quantity and distribution of common invasive malignancies by population group, age, gender, anatomical site and health sector were explored. One-year cumulative incidence was calculated and logistic regression models were used to analyse incidence and melanoma thickness trends.Results. A total of 4 270 biopsies (13 cutaneous malignancies) were identified. The commonest was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), followed by basal cell carcinoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) and basosquamous carcinoma, in descending order. The odds of a white male developing SCC increased by 8% each year (odds ratio (OR) 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 - 1.15; p=0.022), while the odds of a black male developing SCC and KS decreased by 9% (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84 - 0.99; p=0.033) and 18% (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70 - 0.97; p=0.022), respectively, each year. SCC and CMM were diagnosed at more advanced stages in the public than in the private healthcare sector. CMM is being detected earlier, as indicated by low-stage depth increasing by 72% annually (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.04 - 3.01; p=0.042).Conclusions. Results suggest that reported skin cancer patterns are changing. There is a need for further research and equitable appropriation of financial resources and effort towards developing primary skin cancer prevention initiatives in SA

The Effect of L-Theanine Incorporated in a Functional Food Product (Mango Sorbet) on Physiological Responses in Healthy Males: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Consumption of L-Theanine (L-THE) has been associated with a sensation of relaxation, as well as a reduction of stress. However, these physiological responses have yet to be elucidated in humans where L-THE is compared alongside food or as a functional ingredient within the food matrix. The aim of this study was to determine the physiological responses of a single intake of a potential functional food product (mango sorbet) containing L-THE (ms-L-THE; 200 mgw/w) in comparison to a flavour and colour-matched placebo (ms). Eighteen healthy male participants were recruited in this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The participants were required to consume ms-L-THE or placebo and their blood pressure (BP) (systolic and diastolic), heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) were monitored continuously over 90 minutes. Eleven males (age 27.7 ± 10.8 years) completed the study. Changes in area under the curve for systolic and diastolic blood pressure and HRV over the 90 minute observation period indicated no differences between the three conditions (all p > 0.05) or within individual groups (all p > 0.05). The values for heart rate were also not different in the placebo group (p = 0.996) and treatment group (p = 0.066), while there was a difference seen at the baseline (p = 0.003). Based on the findings of this study, L-THE incorporated in a food matrix (mango sorbet) demonstrated no reduction in BP or HR and showed no significant parasympathetic interaction as determined by HRV high-frequency band and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio. Further studies should be focussed towards the comparison of pure L-THE and incorporation within the food matrix to warrant recommendations of L-THE alongside food consumption