RESUMO
Blaine Creek is a fifth-order stream located in eastern Kentucky that has been subject to contamination by oil brines, surface mining, and a coal fly ash settling pond discharge. Toxicity tests, effluent and receiving water chemical monitoring, and Blaine Creek benthic sampling were used to evaluate the effect of the ash pond effluent on the creek. Reproductive impairment of Ceriodaphnia was demonstrated at effluent concentrations ranging from 30 to 100%, but no instream impact on benthic invertebrates could be found at effluent flows that provided up to 65% of the creek's discharge. Correlation and regression analysis of physicochemical versus benthic monitoring data indicated that upstream oil brine contamination and scouring of the creek's predominately shifting sand substrate during rainfall events were the primary factors affecting the benthic fauna, and appeared to override potential effects from other sources. These results demonstrated the value of integrated field/laboratory investigations for effluent impact assessments.
RESUMO
Current theoretical speculation and research evidence suggest that elevated anxiety levels and poor anxiety coping skills may be important aspects of the schizophrenic process. Despite the success of various behaviorally oriented stress management techniques with nonpsychotic individuals, research on the effects of these programs as applied to schizophrenics has been scarce. The present study examined the effects of two such techniques, Anxiety Management Training (AMT) and Applied Relaxation Training (R), on schizophrenic outpatients. After 6 weeks of training, both the AMT and R Ss (N = 27) reported significantly lower levels of generalized anxiety on a standard measure, as contrasted to non-treated Wait-List (WL) group Ss (N = 12). In addition, significant positive changes were reported by the Ss' regular outpatient therapists on a number of related, non-targeted behaviors. The results of this study support the idea that short-term anxiety management interventions may be useful in the treatment of schizophrenic patients.
