Addiction in Extreme Sports: An Exploration of Withdrawal States in Rock Climbers

Background and aims Extreme sports athletes are often labeled “adrenaline junkies” by the media, implying they are addicted to their sport. Research suggests during abstinence these athletes may experience withdrawal states characteristic of individuals with an addiction (Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993; Franken, Zijlstra, & Muris, 2006; Willig, 2008). Despite this notion, no research has directly explored withdrawal experiences of extreme sports athletes. Methods Using semi-structured interviews, we explored withdrawal experiences of high (n = 4) and average-ability (n = 4) male rock climbers during periods of abstinence. We investigated the psychological and behavioral aspects of withdrawal, including craving, anhedonia, and negative affect; and differences in the frequency and intensity of these states between groups. Results Deductive content analysis indicated support for each of the three categories of anhedonia, craving, and negative affect. Consistent with existing substance addiction literature, high-ability climbers recalled more frequent and intense craving states and negative affect during abstinence compared with average-ability climbers. No differences in anhedonic symptoms between high and average-ability participants were found. Conclusions Rock climbing athletes appear to experience withdrawal symptoms when abstinent from their sport comparable to individuals with substance and behavioral addictions. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed

STUDIES ON THE REACTION OF HIGH-DOSE HYDROXOCOBALAMIN AND ASCORBIC ACID WITH CARBON MONOXIDE: IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Based upon experimental evidence from the 1970’s we proposed that a reduced form of hydroxocobalamin should be capable of producing carbon dioxide (CO2) from carbon monoxide (CO) in blood, and that this conversion should be detectable. Using resonance raman spectroscopy we demonstrated that a mixture of hydroxocobalamin and ascorbic acid could create the reduced form of hydroxocobalamin. We used a closed-loop circulation system with a hollow-fiber membrane oxygenator to produce carboxyhemoglobin. Using sensitive gas monitoring equipment to the gas-out port of the oxygenator we analyzed the CO and CO2 concentrations coming from the oxygenator. The mixture of hydroxocobalamin and ascorbic acid caused a 5-fold increase in the CO2 concentration of the gas-out flow, in comparison to baseline and negative controls. These findings offer initial support for the potential use of a mixture of hydroxocobalamin and ascorbic acid as an injectable antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning

Alien Registration- Roderique, Blanche (Brunswick, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/31659/thumbnail.jp

Response to “Nature fix: Addiction to outdoor activities” R. C. Buckley’s commentary on Heirene, R. M., Shearer, D., Roderique-Davies, G., & Mellalieu, S. D. (2016). Addiction in extreme sports: An exploration of withdrawal states in rock climbers. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5, 332–341.

Buckley’s commentary on our study of rock climber’s withdrawal experiences raises a number of important questions surrounding the concept of extreme or adventure sports addiction. Drawing on the few available investigations of this topic, we respond to Buckley’s questions here, though emphasize the need for further studies of extreme sports addiction in order to provide more empirically informed answers

Aspirations of Objectivity: Systemic Illusions of Justice in the Biased Courtroom

Given the ever-growing body of evidence surrounding implicit bias in and beyond the institution of the law, there is an equally growing need for the law to respond to the accurate science of prejudice in its aspiration to objective practice and just decision-making. Examined herein are the existing legal conceptualizations of implicit bias as utilized in the courtroom; implicit bias as peripheral to law and implicit bias as effectual in law, but not without active resolution. These views and the interventional methods, materials, and procedures they inspire are widely employed to appreciably “un-bias” legal actors and civic participants; however, without an accurate conceptualization of the science of prejudice in law, these interventions are likely doing more harm than good. On the basis that these interventional techniques are unscientific in their methodology, reliant upon a misleading theory of transparency of mind, deny the inherently emotional and biased origin of the court, and are disseminated largely technocratically, they fail to serve their intended purpose. In actuality, they reinforce systemic intergroup biases and are seen to produce a lesser objective justice. This project reiterates, as with so many aspects of justice, that there must be the same care taken in the address of those structural and institutional contributions to implicit bias that the enterprise of law perpetuates in and of itself as have been taken in the address of our individual cognitive predispositions toward discrimination

Development and initial validation of a rock climbing craving questionnaire (RCCQ)

Conceptual similarities have been identified between experiences of extreme sports athletes and those with drug and behavioural addictions. Evidence suggests rock climbers experience craving and other withdrawal-like states when abstinent from their sport. However, no studies have attempted to quantitatively measure the craving experienced by participants of any extreme sports. Such a measure could allow a greater understanding of the craving experienced by extreme sports athletes and a comparison of these across sports (e.g., surfing) and activities (e.g., drug-use). Therefore, using validated craving measures as a template, the aim of the two studies outlined here was to design and preliminarily validate a subjective multidimensional inventory that could be used to measure craving in the sports of rock-climbing and mountaineering (“RCCQ”). The aim of the first study was to investigate the factor structure of a preliminary measure of craving. Climbers (n = 407) completed the RCCQ. A 3-factor model explained 53.65% of the total variance in item scores. All 3 factors comprised 5 items each, which were conceptually labelled as “urge to climb” “negative reinforcement” and “positive reinforcement”. The aim of the second study was to validate the 15-item 3-factor RCCQ resulting from study one using confirmatory factor analysis. Climbers (n = 254) completed the questionnaire under a climbing-related cue condition or a cue-neutral condition. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a good model fit and that all individual parameter estimates were significant and standard errors were within reasonable limits once item 13 was removed from Factor 1. Study one supports the multi-dimensional nature of rock climbing craving and shows parallels with substance-related craving in reflecting intention and positive (desire) and negative (withdrawal) reinforcement. Study two confirms this factor structure and gives initial validation to the measure with evidence that these factors are sensitive to cue exposure. Given the preliminary nature of the data, any practical implications are tentative. However, if as shown here, craving for climbing (and potentially other extreme sports) is similar to that experienced by drug-users and addicts, there is the potential that climbing and other extreme sports could be used as a replacement therapy for drug users

Alien Registration- Roderique, Ernestine C. (Augusta, Kennebec County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/18778/thumbnail.jp

PIN1 TREATMENT OF HEPATITIS C INFECTION FOR CURRENT OR FORMER SUBSTANCE ABUSERS IN A COMMUNITY SETTING

We report the use of PbS nanocrystals within a hybrid device that emits 1.2 mu m electroluminescence with an external quantum efficiency of 1.15% corresponding to an internal quantum efficiency of similar to 5%-12% thus demonstrating a viable, low-cost, highly efficient near infrared organic electroluminescent device. Direct generation of the excited state on the nanocrystal result in eliminating competing processes that have previously led to the low reported efficiencies in near-infrared light emitting devices. Furthermore, the emission wavelength can be tuned to cover a wide range of wavelengths including the 1.3-1.5 mu m region without significant change of the efficiency. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics

IMPROVING THE CONSERVATION OF A CRYPTIC ENDANGERED FRESHWATER MUSSEL (PARVASPINA COLLINA) THROUGH THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DNA AND SPECIES DISTRIBUTION MODELING

Conservation efforts that involve habitat protection, population augmentation, and species reintroductions require knowledge of the habitat requirements, distribution, and abundance of a species—information that can be challenging to acquire, especially for rare organisms with patchy distributions. In this thesis, I develop a protocol for the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) and create a Species Distribution Model for the endangered James spinymussel, Parvaspina collina (Unionidae). The results of this work show that eDNA is a robust tool for identifying species presence but not for estimating the relative abundance of populations. This study found that P. collina’s distribution is influenced by abiotic habitat characteristics related to sedimentation and runoff rather than by the distribution of its host fishes. The predicted habitat suitability was used to identify locations of priority conservation concern and these results can be used to direct future sampling efforts, identify potential dispersal routes, and inform conservation decisions