Quantifying groundwater flow variability in a poorly cemented fractured sandstone aquifer to inform in situ remediation.

This study applies innovative methods to characterize and quantify the magnitude of groundwater flow in a fractured and variably cemented sandstone aquifer to inform an in-situ remediation strategy for trichloroethene (TCE) contamination. A modified active-distributed temperature sensing (A-DTS) approach in which fiber optic cables were permanently grouted in the borehole was used to quantify groundwater flow rates. Two additional tracer tests were conducted: 1) fluorescein tracer injection followed by rock coring and sampling for visual mapping and porewater analysis, and 2) deployment of passive flux meters in conventional monitoring wells to evaluate groundwater velocity and mass flux distributions. Forced gradient injection of fluorescein tracer suggests a dual porosity flow system wherein higher rates of groundwater flow occur within discrete features including highly permeable bedding planes and fractures, with slower flow occurring within the rock matrix. Tracer was observed and detected in the unfractured matrix porewater >1.5 m away from the injection well. Beyond this distance, >6 m radially away from the injection hole, tracer was primarily detected within and adjacent to high transmissivity fractures serving as preferential flow paths. The Darcy flux calculated using active distributed temperature sensing (A-DTS) shows depth-discrete values ranging from 7 to 60 cm/day, with average and median values of 23 and 17 cm/day, respectively. Passive Flux Meters (PFMs) deployed in three conventional monitoring wells with slotted screens and sand filter packs showed groundwater flux values ranging from 2 to 11 cm/day, with an overall average of 4 cm/day and are likely biased low due to spreading in the sand pack. The study results were used to inform an in-situ remediation system design including the proposed injection well spacing and the amendment delivery approach. In addition, the results were used to build confidence in the viability of delivering an oxidant to the rock matrix via advective processes. This is important because 1) the matrix is where the majority of the TCE mass occurs, and 2) it provides insights on processes that directly affect remedial performance expectations given advective delivery to preferential pathways and the matrix overcomes diffusion only conditions.

Internal Battles: Examining How Anger/Hostility Moderate the Association Between Negative Urgency and Suicidal Desire Variables in Military and Civilian Samples.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is consistently within the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. The suicide rate of National Guard personnel is elevated relative to the general population; however, research suggests that many of the suicide risk factors for military personnel are similar to the suicide risk factors for civilians. We examined whether negative urgency moderated the relationships between anger/hostility and perceived burdensomeness/thwarted belongingness in both a military and civilian samples. METHOD: There were two samples in the current study: (1) military personnel (majority national guard) and (2) community members oversampled for suicide attempt history. RESULTS: Our hypotheses were partially supported with the interaction of hostility and negative urgency predicting perceived burdensomeness in the military sample. Within civilians, anger interacted with negative urgency to predict perceived burdensomeness. There were nonsignificant findings for analyses predicting thwarted belongingness. Exploratory analyses indicated that in both samples, anger and hostility interacted with negative urgency to predict suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that aggressive attributes may contribute to individuals feeling as though they are a burden on others when moderate to high levels of negative urgency are present. Additionally, this study provides foundational support for the differences between suicidal desire and ideation.

The Relationship between Post-Battle Experiences and Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness in Three United States Military Samples.

Suicide rates within the military are elevated relative to the general population; however, research suggests that many of the suicide risk factors for military personnel are similar to the suicide risk factors for civilians. Given that many military specific experiences (e.g., number of deployments) are not considered robust predictors of either suicidal ideation or behavior, it has been posited that deployment specific experiences (e.g., post-battle experiences) may be better able to explain the increased rates of suicide among military personnel. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the relationship between post-battle experiences and perceived burdensomeness (PB), thwarted belongingness (TB), and suicidal ideation within 3 different military samples: a non-clinical sample of Army National Guard personnel, a non-clinical sample of active duty U.S. Air Force Security Forces personnel, and a clinical sample of U.S. Army personnel receiving outpatient treatment. Post-battle experiences were found to be significantly associated with TB in both non-clinical samples; however, the association between post-battle experiences and TB was non-significant within the clinical sample. Furthermore, results indicated that post-battle experiences were not significantly associated with either PB or suicidal ideation in any of the samples. These findings suggest that in non-clinical samples, post-battle experiences impact a soldier's ability to feel connected to others. Within clinical samples, results indicate that post-battle experiences may not be a direct contributor to either PB or TB. These results indicate a need for universal intervention promoting interpersonal support of military personnel and their families prior to development of further need for psychological interventions. This upstream approach may decrease further development of TB and potentially prevent suicidal desire.

Detecting Potential Underreporting of Suicide Ideation Among U.S. Military Personnel.

Using a military sample comprised largely of National Guard personnel, zero-inflation negative binomial regression was applied to estimate the effects of indirect, nonface valid indicators of suicide ideation [Thwarted Belongingness (TB), Perceived Burdensomeness (PB), and Hopelessness], in predicting suicide ideation. Data from a sample of 497 military personnel (82.1% male; mage  = 27.24; range = 18-59) were analyzed. TB and the interaction of TB with Hopelessness were significant predictors in the logistic regression, and in the negative binomial regression, the main effects of TB and hopelessness, and the interactions of TB with hopelessness and PB with hopelessness were significant. The findings further indicated that approximately 10% of those not reporting ideation would be predicted to be ideators. Clinically, these results indicate that, in samples reluctant to report ideation, the assessment of suicide risk may improve through the use of relevant measures that do not explicitly reference suicide thoughts.

Psychopathic Personality Traits in the Military: An Examination of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scales in a Novel Sample.

The Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale is a short, self-report measure initially developed to assess psychopathic traits in noninstitutionalized samples. The present study aimed to explore factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a large U.S. military sample (90.7% Army National Guard). Factor analytic data, regression, and correlational analyses point to the superiority of Brinkley, Diamond, Magaletta, and Heigel's three-factor model in this sample. Implications for theory and the study of psychopathic personality traits in a military sample are discussed.

How Distress Tolerance Mediates the Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide Constructs in a U.S. Military Sample.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the general suicide rate within the military being comparable to the general population when comparing peers, there are certain branches of the military that have elevated risk. Specifically, the U.S. National Guard has suicide rates that are constantly higher than other military branches and civilian peers. The National Guard are a unique military population in which they frequently transition between military and civilian life. With these unique experiences and heightened risk, military suicide prevention efforts may benefit from further research within this population. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another concern amongst military personnel and has been linked to suicidal behavior. METHODS: The current study examined the indirect effects that distress tolerance, a protective factor against suicide, has on the relationship between PTSD and constructs within a well-validated theory for suicide (the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory for suicidal behaviors) in a sample of U.S. Army National Guard personnel. RESULTS: Results indicated that distress tolerance had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between PTSD and thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and capability for suicide. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous literature examining the relationship between distress tolerance and our outcome variables. These results could have important clinical implications, mainly that intervention strategies targeting distress tolerance could have significant impacts on suicide-relate thoughts.

Military personnel compared to multiple suicide attempters: Interpersonal theory of suicide constructs.

The current study aimed to address the discrepancy between suicide rates in the military and general population by comparing facets of the interpersonal theory of suicide between civilians with multiple suicide attempts and U.S. military personnel. Military personnel exhibited higher levels of capability for suicide but lower levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness than civilian multiple attempters. When comparing only personnel endorsing ideation and civilian multiple attempters, the significant difference for capability remained, but the differences for perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness became nonsignificant. Results suggest the emergence of ideation places personnel at a greater risk for suicide than many civilian multiple attempters.

Dark traits and suicide: Associations between psychopathy, narcissism, and components of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide.

Studies have identified independent relationships between psychopathy, narcissism, and suicidality. The current study expands upon the extant literature by exploring psychopathic and narcissistic personality traits and components of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, utilizing a 3-factor model of psychopathy and 2-factor model of pathological narcissism in community, undergraduate, and military individuals. We hypothesized that the impulsive-antisocial facets of psychopathy would be related to suicidal desire, whereas all facets of psychopathy would relate to the capability for suicide. We anticipated an association between pathological narcissism, thwarted belongingness, and capability for suicide, but not perceived burdensomeness. We further hypothesized a relationship between physical pain tolerance and persistence and the affective (i.e., callousness) facet of psychopathy. Results partially supported these hypotheses and underscore the need for further examination of these associations utilizing contemporary models of psychopathy and narcissism. (PsycINFO Database Record

The association between specific combat experiences and aspects of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide.

BACKGROUND: Studies examining the relationship between combat exposure and suicide risk typically focus on combat exposure overall, combining numerous different combat experiences. Our study expands upon prior research by examining the association between specific combat experiences and components of both suicidal desire and the capability for suicide. METHOD: We hypothesized that most combat experiences would be associated with capability for suicide. Furthermore, we hypothesized that experiences that involved direct exposure to death and injury (e.g. personally witnessing the death or injury of other soldiers) would be associated with higher levels of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation. Participants were 400 service members drawn largely from the Army National Guard who had been deployed at least once and endorsed having experienced combat. RESULTS: Consistent with hypotheses, combat experiences involving direct exposure to injury or death exhibited a more pronounced pattern of associations with suicide risk factors than did other experiences. However, only a minority of combat experiences were associated with the capability for suicide. DISCUSSION: These results, while preliminary, indicate that different combat experiences are associated with different outcomes and that, in this sense, not all combat experiences are created equal with respect to suicide risk.

The Associations Between Army National Guard Versus Active Duty Soldier Status and Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness, and Acquired Capability.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine if levels of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability significantly differed between guardsmen and active duty soldiers. METHOD: Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to test for differences between active duty Army (n = 1,393) and Army National Guard (n = 623) groups, before and after controlling for the effects of age, gender, race, marital status, level of education, and deployment history. RESULTS: Guardsmen reported significantly higher mean levels of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness than did active duty soldiers, even after adjusting for demographic differences. Guardsmen also reported slightly lower levels of acquired capability, though this effect was accounted for by demographic differences. CONCLUSION: These findings support the notion that National Guard and active duty soldiers differ on perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Additional research investigating sources of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness among guardsmen is needed.

Agitation as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Insomnia and Current Suicidal Ideation in the Military.

Research has established a link between agitation and insomnia, both of which are considered to be risk factors for suicide. The present study aimed to investigate the moderating role of agitation within the relationship between insomnia and current suicidal ideation in a sample of U.S. military personnel. Consistent with hypotheses, the relationship between insomnia and current suicidal ideation was significant only at high levels of agitation. Results support previous findings indicating that both insomnia and agitation are suicide risk factors. These findings clarify the role of known risk factors in the pathway to suicide and may contribute to the advancement of suicide detection and prevention, as these factors may be more easily identified in individuals unwilling to admit thoughts of death and suicide, such as many military personnel.

Isolating effects of moral injury and low post-deployment support within the U.S. military.

Suicide rates within U.S. military components, particularly the National Guard, are significantly higher than the general population suicide rate. To better understand and prevent suicide within this population, we must identify mechanisms of risk contributing to these discrepancies. One risk factor relevant to military service is moral injury, a term for experiences that violate one's moral beliefs. Using a series of hierarchical multiple regressions, the current study examined the moderating role of post-deployment social support on the association between moral injury (self-transgressions, other-transgressions, and betrayal) and thwarted belongingness among military personnel. The current sample was comprised of 552 military personnel with at least one previous deployment. Partially consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that other-transgressions and betrayal were significantly associated with thwarted belongingness at low, but not mean or high levels of post-deployment support. In contrast, the interaction of self-transgressions and post-deployment support was not significantly associated with thwarted belongingness, nor was there a significant main effect of self-transgressions on thwarted belongingness. This suggests that experiencing other-perpetrated morally injurious events (i.e., watching a fellow soldier die, being betrayed by a comrade) can be compounded by low post-deployment social support, increasing risk for thwarted belongingness. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Clusters and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide in a Large Military Sample.

Prior studies examining posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters and the components of the interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS) have yielded mixed results, likely stemming in part from the use of divergent samples and measurement techniques. This study aimed to expand on these findings by utilizing a large military sample, gold standard ITS measures, and multiple PTSD factor structures. Utilizing a sample of 935 military personnel, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test the association between PTSD symptom clusters and the ITS variables. Additionally, we tested for indirect effects of PTSD symptom clusters on suicidal ideation through thwarted belongingness, conditional on levels of perceived burdensomeness. Results indicated that numbing symptoms are positively associated with both perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness and hyperarousal symptoms (dysphoric arousal in the 5-factor model) are positively associated with thwarted belongingness. Results also indicated that hyperarousal symptoms (anxious arousal in the 5-factor model) were positively associated with fearlessness about death. The positive association between PTSD symptom clusters and suicidal ideation was inconsistent and modest, with mixed support for the ITS model. Overall, these results provide further clarity regarding the association between specific PTSD symptom clusters and suicide risk factors.

Measuring Moral Injury: Psychometric Properties of the Moral Injury Events Scale in Two Military Samples.

As the construct of moral injury has gained increased conceptual and empirical attention among military personnel and veterans, preliminary attempts to operationalize and measure the construct have emerged. One such measure is the Moral Injury Event Scale (MIES). The aim of the current study was to further evaluate the MIES's psychometric properties in two military samples: a clinical sample of Air Force personnel and a nonclinical sample of Army National Guard personnel. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses across both samples supported a three-factor solution: transgressions by others, transgressions by self, and betrayal. Transgressions-Others was most strongly associated with posttraumatic stress; Transgressions-Self was most strongly associated with hopelessness, pessimism, and anger; and Betrayal was most strongly associated with posttraumatic stress and anger. Results support the construct validity of the MIES, although areas for improvement are indicated and discussed.

Homosexuality as a Discrete Class.

Previous research on the latent structure of sexual orientation has returned conflicting results, with some studies finding a dimensional structure (i.e., ranging quantitatively along a spectrum) and others a taxonic structure (i.e., categories of individuals with distinct orientations). The current study used a sample (N = 33,525) from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). A series of taxometric analyses were conducted using three indicators of sexual orientation: identity, behavior, and attraction. These analyses, performed separately for women and men, revealed low-base-rate same-sex-oriented taxa for men (base rate = 3.0%) and women (base rate = 2.7%). Generally, taxon membership conferred an increased risk for psychiatric and substance-use disorders. Although taxa were present for men and women, women demonstrated greater sexual fluidity, such that any level of same-sex sexuality conferred taxon membership for men but not for women.

The Impact of Varying Levels of Confidentiality on Disclosure of Suicidal Thoughts in a Sample of United States National Guard Personnel.

OBJECTIVES: Increasing rates of suicide in the military indicate current assessment approaches are not yielding accurate determinations of risk. Concern that endorsement of suicidal ideation may result in obstacles to career advancement may be resulting in nondisclosure. METHOD: To test this, we recruited a sample of US National Guard personnel (n = 789; 81.7% male; 63.2% white) and administered two measures of current thoughts of suicide. One measure was integrated into our risk assessment protocol and soldiers were thus aware that answers could result in referral to on site military mental health professionals. The other measure was not integrated into the risk assessment protocol and soldiers were thus aware that results would not be reported to on site military mental health professionals. RESULTS: As hypothesized, a higher proportion of individuals reported current thoughts of suicide on the measure not integrated into the risk protocol (9.4%) than on the measure that was (6.0%). Also as hypothesized, a higher proportion of those willing to endorse current thoughts of suicide on the measure not integrated into the risk protocol denied current thoughts of suicide on the one that was (61.5%) than vice versa (39.0%). Limitations include cross-sectional self-report data and a lack of counter-balancing of measures. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that increasing the confidentiality of risk assessments within the National Guard increases the likelihood of reporting of current thoughts of suicide.

Testing the main hypotheses of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior in a large diverse sample of United States military personnel.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary data indicate the suicide rate in the United States military decreased in 2013, but the National Guard saw a continued increase. METHOD: We examined the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS) in a sample of US military personnel drawn largely from the National Guard (n=934; 77.7% male; 59.5% white). RESULTS: Results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness predicted suicidal ideation and resolved plans and preparations for suicide. In each case, risk was greatest at higher levels of both predictors. Furthermore, results indicated the interaction of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability for suicide predicted prior suicide attempts. In this interaction term, the relationship between suicidal desire (thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) and suicide attempts was significant and positive only at high levels of acquired capability. All analyses were cross-sectional. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate the IPTS may be useful for conceptualizing suicide risk in the National Guard.

Examining the relationship between coping strategies and suicidal desire in a sample of United States military personnel.

Suicidal desire in the military has been previously examined through the lens of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS). However, no research has examined the impact of specific coping strategies on perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation in a large population of individuals serving in the US military. Furthermore, the factor structure of previously utilized coping clusters did not apply to our sample of military personnel. Therefore, we found a three-factor solution to be tested in this sample. We hypothesized that specific types of coping behavior clusters (Adaptive and Maladaptive) would predict both IPTS constructs and suicidal ideation. Results indicated that Adaptive and Maladaptive coping clusters predicted the IPTS constructs in the hypothesized directions. However, only the Maladaptive cluster predicted suicidal ideation. These findings implicate the need for further research and suicide prevention efforts focusing on coping strategies, specifically those that are maladaptive in nature, in relation to suicidal ideation in military members.

Clinical relevance of the proposed sexual addiction diagnostic criteria: relation to the Sexual Addiction Screening Test-Revised.

The present article examines and compares the various diagnostic rubrics proposed to codify symptoms of sexual addiction, and then briefly summarizes the ongoing controversy on whether sexual addiction is a valid construct. Using the diagnostic criteria proposed by , the prevalence rate of each criterion is examined in terms of scores on the Sexual Addiction Screening Test-Revised scales (). Differences in diagnostic criteria endorsement associated with sex, sexual orientation, and setting were also explored. Results from a clinical sample of men and women seeking treatment for sexual addiction demonstrated clinical relevance of the criteria, in that all but 3 criteria are endorsed at more than 50% of participants screening positive for sexual addiction on the Sexual Addiction Screening Test-Revised. Sex differences were also noted for endorsement rates of several of the criteria. Finally, several proposed criteria may pose a higher clinical threshold and thus be utilized by clinicians to identify patients with increased pathology. Results are discussed in the context of existing diagnostic frameworks across etiological perspectives.

Comparison of plasma free metanephrines between healthy dogs and 3 dogs with pheochromocytoma.

BACKGROUND: Adrenomegaly and hypertension are common clinical entities in canine medicine for which testing for pheochromocytoma is recommended. Yet, a validated biochemical test for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in dogs does not exist. In human medicine, plasma free metanephrine testing is the diagnostic standard for the biochemical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of measurement of plasma free metanephrines in dogs for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. METHODS: Plasma free metanephrines were measured in 11 healthy dogs and in 3 dogs confirmed to have a pheochromocytoma. The metanephrine assays were performed at a reference laboratory using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. RESULTS: The plasma free metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations in 11 healthy dogs were normally distributed and were used to create tentative reference intervals. All 3 dogs with histologically confirmed pheochromocytoma clearly had higher concentrations of plasma free metanephrines. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrates the potential utility of plasma free metanephrines levels for the biochemical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in dogs.