Expansion of the rare Eucalyptus risdonii under climate change through hybridization with a closely related species despite hybrid inferiority.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hybridization is increasingly recognized as an integral part of the dynamics of species range expansion and contraction. Thus, it is important to understand the reproductive barriers between co-occurring species. Extending previous studies that argued that the rare Eucalyptus risdonii was expanding into the range of the surrounding E. amygdalina by both seed and pollen dispersal, we here investigate the long-term fitness of both species and their hybrids and whether expansion is continuing. METHODS: We assessed the survival of phenotypes representing a continuum between the two pure species in a natural hybrid swarm after 29 years, along with seedling recruitment. The performance of pure species as well as of artificial and natural hybrids was also assessed over 28 years in a common garden trial. KEY RESULTS: In the hybrid zone, E. amygdalina adults showed greater mortality than E. risdonii, and the current seedling cohort is still dominated by E. risdonii phenotypes. Morphologically intermediate individuals appeared to be the least fit. Similar results were observed after growing artificial first-generation and natural hybrids alongside pure species families in a common garden trial. Here, the survival, reproduction, health and growth of the intermediate hybrids were significantly less than those of either pure species, consistent with hybrid inferiority, although this did not manifest until later reproductive ages. Among the variable progeny of natural intermediate hybrids, the most E. risdonii-like phenotypes were the most fit. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the increasing number of reports of hybrid inferiority in Eucalyptus, suggesting that post-zygotic barriers contribute to the maintenance of species integrity even between closely related species. However, with fitness rapidly recovered following backcrossing, it is argued that hybridization can still be an important evolutionary process, in the present case appearing to contribute to the range expansion of the rare E. risdonii in response to climate change.

Lifestyle, habitat and farmers' risk of exposure to tick bites in an endemic area of tick-borne diseases in Hungary.

Controlling tick bites on farmers is important to the management of tick-borne diseases and occupational health risks in agriculture. Based on an extensive household survey conducted between June and August 2015 with 219 farmers from western Hungary where tick-borne diseases are endemic, we analysed the pattern of farmers' self-reported contacts with ticks and investigated the potential interactions between farmers, landscape and the risk of exposure to tick bites. We developed a lifestyle typology based on farmers' socioeconomic profiles, farming objectives and time use patterns, and a habitat typology describing different configurations of tick habitats and agricultural areas in place of farming. We found no relationship between tick exposure risk and self-prevention. The lifestyle typology could be used to classify the risk of tick bites and the adoption of prevention measures into different levels, the difference between which could further be modified by the habitat typology. Our results suggest that (i) farmers who are frequently engaged in outdoor recreations and (ii) part-time and inexperienced farmers who have lower rate of preventive actions are likely to experience greater exposure to tick bites either in less cultivated, semi-natural habitats or in agricultural landscape with highly diverse land uses. Future disease prevention practices should take into consideration the interaction of lifestyle and habitat and the need to associate different farmer groups with different landscape configurations.

Exploring climate change vulnerability across sectors and scenarios using indicators of impacts and coping capacity.

Addressing climate change vulnerability requires an understanding of both the level of climate impacts and the capacity of the exposed population to cope. This study developed a methodology for allowing users to explore vulnerability to changes in ecosystem services as a result of climatic and socio-economic changes. It focuses on the vulnerability of Europe across multiple sectors by combining the outputs of a regional integrated assessment (IA) model, the CLIMSAVE IA Platform, with maps of coping capacity based on the five capitals approach. The presented methodology enables stakeholder-derived socio-economic futures to be represented within a quantitative integrated modelling framework in a way that changes spatially and temporally with the socio-economic storyline. Vulnerability was mapped for six key ecosystem services in 40 combined climate and socio-economic scenarios. The analysis shows that, whilst the north and west of Europe are generally better placed to cope with climate impacts than the south and east, coping could be improved in all areas. Furthermore, whilst the lack of coping capacity in dystopian scenarios often leads to greater vulnerability, there are complex interactions between sectors that lead to patterns of vulnerability that vary spatially, with scenario and by sector even within the more utopian futures.

The Adolescent Health Review: a brief, multidimensional screening instrument.

PURPOSE: To develop a brief, multidimensional screening instrument for adolescents that addresses psychosocial domains critical to adolescent preventive health care services. METHODS: Secondary analyses were conducted on survey data obtained in 1995 from a school sample of 76,159 students in grades 9 and 12, as well as 893 adolescents from juvenile correctional facilities, 500 adolescents from chemical dependency treatment programs, and 575 adolescents from residential behavioral treatment programs. A comprehensive set of 300 survey items was used in a series of discriminant analyses to determine which items best distinguished males and females in each clinical sample from their counterparts in the school sample. RESULTS: The item selection for the Adolescent Health Review was guided both by empirical analyses and clinical judgment. The final screen is comprised of 33 demographic and clinical items that address a variety of psychosocial domains. The computerized, self-administered screen can be completed in about 3 minutes. The screen is scored automatically and produces an easy-to-read risk-assessment profile. Because screening items were drawn from a large epidemiologic survey, normative profiles are available for each age and gender subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: A brief, empirically derived screening instrument, designed to address a range of adolescent risks, offers an opportunity for information gathering that otherwise might not be incorporated into routine clinic visits.

The Community Readiness Survey. Development and initial validation.

This article reports on the development and evaluation of a mail survey measuring population attitudes toward substance use of potential receptivity of communities to different prevention efforts. The Community Readiness Survey was designed through a series of prevention practitioner and consultant meetings and focus groups. Psychometric evaluation revealed five distinct domains: perception of alcohol, tobacco, or other drug problem; support for prevention; permissive attitudes toward teen substance use; perception of adolescent access; and perception of community commitment. Evidence of construct validity was demonstrated by the small but significant relationships between selected scale scores and community readiness as evaluated by prevention planners.

Outcomes monitoring in Minnesota: treatment implications, practical limitations.

Minnesota developed its treatment outcomes monitoring system to evaluate its service delivery system and to identify specific ways to enhance treatment outcomes. Standardized patient and treatment data were collected for all outpatient and inpatient admissions, and an assessment interview and weekly treatment services records were completed for 4953 adults and 387 adolescents who consented to participate in the outcomes study. Six-month follow-up interviews were completed for 64.4% of these adults and 83.5% of these adolescents. The study identified predictors of treatment completion and outcome for adults and adolescents, and predictors of outcome by setting for adults. The study also examined results for programs designed especially for adolescents, women, and culturally specific populations, as well as the relationships to outcomes of ancillary services and continuing care activities. Anticipated policy and program design changes resulting from the findings are discussed, along with the practical limitations of conducting a state outcomes monitoring system.

The relative importance of social versus commercial sources in youth access to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.

BACKGROUND: Youth substance use began to increase in 1992 following a decade-long decline, leading to increased interest in controlling access to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. METHODS: The anonymous and voluntary Minnesota Student Survey was administered to 133,794 public school students in grades 6, 9, and 12. Questions addressed current frequency of use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs and how students obtained these substances. Data were analyzed to determine the relationship between grade level, gender, race/ethnicity, use frequency, and access to substances through social and commercial sources. (Tobacco analyses were limited to students under age 18 years.) RESULTS: Social sources (especially friends) predominate across all age groups and substances. Students are much more likely to obtain tobacco than alcohol from commercial sources but few rely exclusively on commercial sources for either. Females and infrequent users are more likely to depend on social sources exclusively while males and frequent users are more likely to use commercial sources. CONCLUSIONS: Because substances are easily accessible through social sources, prevention policies directed at retail outlets may not have the desired effect on reducing teen smoking and drinking. Greater attention to reducing access to all substances from social sources is needed.

Elevated CO2 enhances resprouting of a tropical savanna tree.

The savannas (cerrado) of south-central Brazil are currently subjected to frequent anthropogenic burning, causing widespread reduction in tree density. Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 could reduce the impact of such frequent burning by increasing the availability of nonstructural carbohydrate, which is necessary for resprouting. We tested the hypotheses that elevated CO2 stimulates resprouting and accelerates replenishment of carbohydrate reserves. Using a factorial experiment, seedlings of a common Brazilian savanna tree, Keilmeyera coriacea, were grown at 350 ppm and 700 ppm CO2 and at two nutrient levels. To simulate burning, the plants were either clipped at 15 weeks or were left unclipped. Among unclipped plants, CO2 and nutrients both stimulated growth, with no significant interaction between nutrient and CO2 effects. Among clipped plants, both CO2 and nutrients stimulated resprouting. However, there was a strong interaction between CO2 and nutrient effects, with CO2 having a significant effect only in the presence of high nutrient availability. Under elevated CO2, carbohydrate reserves remained at higher levels following clipping. Root total nonstructural carbohydrate remained above 36% in all treatments, so carbohydrate reserves did not limit regrowth. These results indicate that under elevated CO2 this species may be better able to endure the high frequency of anthropogenic burning in the Brazilian savannas.

Rural/urban differences in chemical dependency treatment. Results from the Minnesota Adult Household Survey.

Research at the national level suggests fairly similar rates of substance abuse in rural and urban areas, with data for 1996 showing a slightly higher rate of drug use in urban areas but no difference in the rates of heavy alcohol use. The current study assesses differences between rural and urban areas in substance abuse and dependence, service utilization, and perceived barriers to services in Minnesota. Analysis of responses of a random sample of 7,508 adults stratified by residence reveals few differences between rural and urban settings. While urban residents have a slightly higher (marginally significant) rate of dependence on drugs and rural residents have a significantly greater tendency to talk to clergy about their problem, the subsamples exhibit remarkably similar patterns of abuse, need for treatment, propensity to seek treatment, service utilization, and perceived barriers to treatment.

DSM-IV substance abuse and dependence: are there really two dimensions of substance use disorders in adolescents?

AIM: To examine the distinctness of the DSM-IV substance abuse and dependence constructs in a large, general adolescent population. DESIGN: Data were collected using the 1995 Minnesota Student Survey. Survey items were designed to correspond to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for substance abuse and dependence. SETTINGS: Public schools, alternative schools and area learning centers. PARTICIPANTS: Of the 78,800 students between the ages of 14 and 18 years who completed the survey, 18,803 reported substance use and at least one substance use disorder diagnostic criterion during the previous 12 months and were used for the analyses. The sample was divided randomly into two groups in order to conduct data analyses on one group (n = 9490) and confirm the findings in the other group (n = 9313). MEASUREMENTS: Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test three competing factor structure models consisting of a single factor model, a two-factor model of distinct dimensions and a two-factor model with interrelated dimensions. FINDINGS: The single factor and correlated two-factor models had similar parameter estimates and fit the data better than the competing two-factor model with distinct dimensions. Findings were confirmed in a second sample. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings indicate that DSM-IV substance abuse and dependence criteria may be more optimally structured as a unidimensional construct rather than as bidimensional constructs for adolescents.

Comparison of substance abuse treatment outcomes for inpatients and outpatients.

This study was conducted to determine whether inpatient substance abuse treatment was associated with higher posttreatment abstinence rates than outpatient treatment. The follow-up sample of 2,476 adults represented 183 Minnesota treatment programs. Composite measures were constructed based on psychometric analyses of a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index and additional variables. A series of analyses was conducted, including hierarchical logistic regression and a contingency table analysis addressing multiple problem severity. For the total sample, setting was not significantly associated with abstinence once other outcome predictors and differences between inpatients and outpatients were controlled for. However, when the logistic regression analysis was extended to include all possible two-way interactions of setting with clinically related severity variables, recent suicidal behavior was found to be a moderator of the association between setting and outcome. Inpatient treatment significantly predicted a higher posttreatment abstinence rate than outpatient treatment for the small subset of patients (16% of the sample) who reported recent suicidal ideation or attempt.

A quantitative histochemical procedure for measurement of starch in apple fruits.

Measurements of starch (e.g. amyloplasts in stomatal guard cells, sieve elements, root tips or the starch sheath) is often very difficult using most analytical methods. An evaluation was made of interactive computer image analysis of starch measurements in apple fruits. The results obtained indicate that quantitative histochemistry can be an appropriate method to quantify starch. Correlations for starch values between the image analysis system and a colorimetric system were quantified. The thickness of plastic-embedded slices had no influence on the accuracy of the area occupied by image-quantified starch (starch/slice) or on its variance. The magnification of the objective also had no effect on measured starch-occupied areas (starch/slice), but there were big differences in variance. The number of replications required to establish statistically significant differences were calculated.

DSM-IV substance use disorder criteria for adolescents: a critical examination based on a statewide school survey.

OBJECTIVE: The DSM-IV criteria for substance use disorders were incorporated into the 1995 Minnesota Student Survey in order to estimate the need for alcohol/drug treatment among adolescents in the state. This study used data from the survey to examine the utility of individual diagnostic criterion items, diagnostic categories, and diagnostic thresholds in a general adolescent population. METHOD: The survey was administered to ninth- and 12th-grade public school students. Participation was voluntary, and survey questionnaires were anonymous. The survey included questions about the use of substances during the past year and the presence of DSM-IV criterion symptoms for substance abuse and dependence. This study was based on responses from 74,008 students who answered these questions. RESULTS: Of the students who reported any substance use in the past 12 months, 13.8% of the ninth graders and 22.7% of the 12th graders met the criteria for a substance abuse diagnosis, and 8.2% of the ninth graders and 10.5% of the 12th graders met the criteria for dependence. The presence of multiple criterion symptoms was strongly associated with the use of multiple drugs. Analyses of positive and negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity did not support the diagnostic distinction between dependence criteria and abuse criteria. CONCLUSIONS: A combined set of criteria, with empirically derived diagnostic threshold categories based on total number of symptoms, may be more suitable for estimates of substance use disorders and need for treatment among adolescents.

Multiple substance use among adolescent physical and sexual abuse victims.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between substance use patterns among adolescents and their histories of physical and/or sexual abuse. METHOD: The Minnesota Student Survey was administered in 1995 to 122,824 public school students in Grades 6, 9, and 12. Substance user groups were created based on frequency of use and the number of substances used. Use of individual substances, use of multiple substances, age of first use, and reasons for use were examined with respect to histories of physical and/or sexual abuse. RESULTS: Physical and sexual abuse were associated with an increased likelihood of the use of alcohol, marijuana, and almost all other drugs for both males and females in the three grades surveyed. Use of multiple substances was highly elevated among victims of abuse, with the highest rates seen among students who reported both physical and sexual abuse. Abuse victims also reported initiating substance use earlier than their nonabused peers and gave more reasons for using, including use to cope with painful emotions and to escape from problems. CONCLUSION: Because of their increased vulnerability, young victims of physical and sexual abuse need improved prevention, early intervention, and treatment services related to substance use.

The development of patient profiles for Minnesota's treatment outcomes monitoring system.

Minnesota's treatment outcomes monitoring system is a cooperative effort between the State alcohol and drug abuse agency and 366 licensed treatment providers. A minimum dataset is required on all treatment admissions to provide a state-wide system profile. In addition, data are being collected on a sample of 30 patients from each program to measure patient characteristics and severity of problems, patient perceptions of needed assistance, actual nature and amount of services received, patient satisfaction and patient functioning 6 months following discharge from treatment. The dimensions measured include alcohol and other drug use, physical health, psychological well-being, employment and financial status, family and social relationships and criminality. The aggregated data will be analysed to determine what types of services are associated with more favorable outcomes for different types of patients. The findings will be used to develop standards for treatment placement and service delivery based on individual patient profiles. This report provides an overview of the plan and an illustration of how patient profiles can be developed for purposes of treatment service matching and outcomes monitoring.

Comparisons of alcohol and other drug problems among Minnesota adolescents in 1989 and 1992.

OBJECTIVES: To measure alcohol and other drug use patterns, adverse consequences of substance use, other high-risk behaviors, and their personal and environmental correlates. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The survey was administered in 1989 and 1992 to Minnesota public school students in grades 6, 9, and 12. A comparison sample of school districts that participated in both years consisted of 81% of the state's school districts. District samples were weighted to reflect the proportion of actual enrollment by grade among participating districts. RESULTS: Although alcohol and other drug use declined markedly during the 3-year period studied, the proportion of students who reported at least three adverse consequences of their use was identical in 1989 and 1992: 1% of sixth graders, 7% of ninth graders, and 16% of 12th graders. Alcohol was the primary substance of abuse among students, regardless of age or level of substance involvement. The students with three or more adverse consequences of substance use were defined as "problem users" and compared with other students their age. The most commonly reported consequences of use were tolerance, blackouts, violence, and school or job absenteeism. The problem users were approximately two to seven times more likely to report parental alcohol or other drug problems, physical abuse, and sexual abuse than were students their age with fewer consequences or no history of use. They were also two to 15 times more likely than other students to report such correlates as low self-esteem, emotional distress, antisocial behavior, and suicide attempts. The greatest differences were seen among the youngest students. CONCLUSION: Primary health care workers, social service providers, educators, and other front-line personnel who have contact with youths outside the home need to recognize and respond to behavioral and emotional indicators of risk among adolescents.

Women in treatment: changing over time.

The early 1970s marked the transition of experimentation with illicit drugs from a deviant behavior to a normative behavior among adolescents in the United States as well as the resurgence of the feminist movement in this country. A sample of 572 women from 21 treatment centers in 11 states was divided into two groups--age 35 and over, and under 35--to roughly correspond to whether they had reached adulthood before or after these cultural shifts. Younger and older women exhibit significant differences with respect to substance use patterns and prevalence of eating disorders, childhood antisocial behaviors, suicide attempts, and abuse by boyfriends and spouses.

Differential drug use patterns among sexually abused adolescent girls in treatment for chemical dependency.

A sample of 444 girls admitted to adolescent chemical dependency treatment was divided into four groups based on sexual abuse experiences. Girls who reported intrafamilial abuse, extrafamilial abuse, or both, were compared with nonvictims in terms of alcohol and drug use histories. Prevalence and frequency of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine did not differ significantly among the groups. However, all sexual abuse victims were significantly more likely to regularly use stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, and hallucinogens. Sexual abuse victims also reported earlier onset of alcohol and drug use, more self-medication, and more use to escape family problems.

Pragmatic procedures for detecting and documenting alcoholism in medical patients.

Although alcoholics are known to utilize a disproportionate amount of medical care, hospital patients are not routinely screened for alcoholism. A sample of 310 randomly selected patients from two hospitals were administered a structured diagnostic interview. More than one-third (35%) of the men and 14% of the women met DSM-III criteria for a current alcohol use disorder and an additional 27% of the men and 9% of the women met criteria for an alcohol use disorder in remission. The practicality and efficiency of structured interviews is discussed along with the potential of a small subset of items to serve as a screen for alcoholism.

Psychological correlates of sexual abuse in adolescent girls in chemical dependency treatment.

A study involving 597 adolescent girls in treatment for substance abuse between 1984 and 1986 at nine inpatient facilities in five states reveals a strikingly high prevalence of sexual abuse victimization. Over one-third (35.2%) of the girls acknowledged such a history. In an additional 9.7% of the cases, the primary counselor reported such a history for the patient, although she had denied it, at least at intake. Within this multiproblem, highly stressed population, the sexual abuse victim appears to show slightly different and often more serious psychopathology: a greater incidence of suicidal ideation and attempts, symptoms of agitation, and a sense of shame.