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Multidimensional trait frameworks are increasingly used to understand plant strategies for growth and survival. However, it is unclear if frameworks developed at a global level can be applied in local communities and how well these frameworks—based largely on plant morphological traits—align with plant physiology and response to stress.We tested the ability of an integrated framework of plant form and function to characterise seedling trait variation and drought response among 22 grasses and forbs common in a semi‐arid grassland. We measured above‐ground and below‐ground traits, and survival to explore how drought response is linked to three trait dimensions (resource conservation, microbial collaboration, and plant size) associated with the framework as well as non‐morphological dimensions (e.g. physiological traits) that are under‐represented in global trait frameworks.We found support for three globally‐recognised axes representing trade‐offs in strategies associated with tissue investment (leaf nitrogen, leaf mass per area, root tissue density), below‐ground resource uptake (root diameter, specific root length), and size (shoot mass). However, in contrast to global patterns, above‐ground and below‐ground resource conservation gradients were oppositely aligned: root tissue density was positively correlated with leaf N rather than leaf mass per area. This likely reflects different investment strategies of annual and perennial herbaceous species, as fast‐growing annual species invested in lower density roots and less nitrogen‐rich leaves to maximise plant‐level carbon assimilation. Species with longer drought survival minimised water loss through small above‐ground size and low leaf‐level transpiration rates, and drought survival was best predicted by a principal component axis representing plant size.Contrary to our expectations, drought survival in seedlings did not align with the conservation or collaboration axes suggesting that seedlings with different functional strategies can achieve similar drought survival, as long as they minimise water loss. Our results also show that within local communities, expected trait relationships could be decoupled as some plant groups achieve similar performance through different trait combinations. The effectiveness of species mean trait values in predicting drought response highlights the value of trait‐based methods as a versatile tool for understanding ecological processes locally across various ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As larger tracts of land experience degradation, seed‐based restoration (SBR) will be a primary tool to reestablish vegetation and ecosystem function. SBR has advanced in terms of technical and technological approaches, yet plant recruitment remains a major barrier in some systems, notably drylands. There is an unmet opportunity to test science‐based approaches to seed mix design and application, based not only on diversity or local provenance, but on the unique recruitment strategies of species. We lay out a framework that uses a quantitative representation of species' recruitment niches to match them to targeted goals (e.g. drought or invasion resistance) and methods (e.g. precision tools and technologies) in SBR. We first describe how to quantify the recruitment niche with seed and seedling traits tied to observed recruitment responses to environmental factors. We then show how a quantified recruitment niche framework can serve as the foundation to address three major restoration challenges: (1) designing forward‐looking seed mixes that increase resilience to future climate and disturbance, (2) accounting for natural recovery in SBR planning, and (3) applying precision seeding practices to maximize restoration success. Finally, we demonstrate these ideas with existing data and discuss key challenges to adoption in SBR practice. While the ideas in this framework are based in ecological theory, they will require substantial testing and refinement by scientists engaged in SBR efforts. If this framework is integrated into research agendas, we believe it has the potential to unify and advance diverse elements of seed‐based restoration ecology and improve restoration outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A goal in trait‐based ecology is to understand and predict plant community responses to environmental change; however, diversity stored within seed banks that may expand or limit these responses is typically overlooked. If seed banks store attributes that are more advantageous or vulnerable under future conditions, they could impact community adaptability to change and disturbance. We explored compositional differences between seed banks and vegetation (i.e., seed bank bias) across a 12‐site gradient of increasingly higher and older soil terraces, asking: How do seed banks contribute to taxonomic and functional composition, and what do shifts in seed bank biases along the gradient (i.e., tracking) reveal about the processes driving seed bank variation and its implications for community adaptability? Across the gradient, seed banks stored distinct pools of species that added to species richness but not functional dispersion. Seed banks were generally biased toward short‐life histories and "fast" species with small seeds, thinner and more acquisitive roots, and lower root biomass allocation; however, trait means in the seed bank and vegetation sometimes shifted along the gradient, amplifying or reversing these biases. For example, species with higher specific leaf area (tied to rapid resource acquisition) tended to dominate vegetation on lower soil terraces, but were more common in the seed bank on higher terraces—at least when patterns were weighted by species' relative abundances. Although seed banks were generally characterized by "fast" attributes, observed shifts in seed bank biases across the gradient—particularly in leaf traits—demonstrate that environment can impact stored diversity and, consequently, our expectations for future vegetative turnover. The seed bank bias patterns that we characterized could be the result of many potential processes, including environment‐ or trait‐driven variation in seed bank inputs (seed production, dispersal) or losses (seed desiccation, germination), and may have important implications for a system's adaptive capacity. Only by integrating seed banks into the functional ecology agenda will we be able to unpack these processes and use seed banks more effectively in both prediction and ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is ongoing debate on whether adults' narratives of trauma memories are similarly or less coherent than those of non‐trauma memories. For child maltreatment, relevant studies have focused on child/adolescent narratives rather than adult narratives of sexual abuse and found that these narratives were less coherent than non‐abuse narratives. This study examined and compared the coherence level of maltreatment versus positive event narratives in 204 adults (Mage = 25.52, SD = 8.50, 77.9% identified as female, and 66.7% identified as Caucasian). Results showed that adults' narratives of their child maltreatment were similarly or more coherent than that of non‐trauma, positive events (Cohen's d =.16–.50). The length of narratives was related to coherence level. This study added to the literature by contrasting the coherence level of child maltreatment versus non‐trauma narratives in adults, an area of limited study. Results suggested a resilient sample who can narrate their maltreatment events coherently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heuristic model of emotion socialization (Eisenberg et al., 1998; Eisenberg, 2020) identifies predictors of emotion-related parenting practices, such as children's temperament, parent personality and emotion-related beliefs, and cultural factors. Though relations between the temperaments of mothers and their children have been studied, little is known about the interaction of child and parent temperaments and how this relates to children's emotional development (Lewis, 2014). We examined how patterns of mother-child temperament were related to mothers' emotion-related socialization (e.g., coaching, rejecting). We hypothesized that the relation between these mother-child temperament patterns and children's emotion regulation would be mediated by maternal emotion-related socialization. Participants included an ethnically diverse sample of mothers (N = 168) living with young children (4-7 years old; 86 boys, 82 girls). Through a cluster analysis, dyadic mother-child temperament patterns were identified. Maternal emotion coaching and emotion rejecting were assessed using a self-report questionnaire of emotion-related socialization. Although maternal emotion coaching was not a significant mediator in models predicting emotion regulation, there was an indirect effect of temperament pattern on children's emotion regulation through mothers' emotion rejecting. Mother-child temperament patterns low in negative affectivity predicted lower emotion rejecting, and lower emotion rejecting predicted greater emotion regulation in children, even after accounting for covariates. In addition, mother-child temperament patterns had a direct effect on children's emotion regulation. This study highlights associations between maternal emotion-related socialization, mother-child temperament patterns, and children's emotion regulation. Highlights: Mother-child temperament patterns were interactional and data-driven, derived from a cluster analysis. When mother-child dyads were higher in negative affectivity, mothers were more likely to report rejecting their children's emotions. Lower emotion rejecting in mothers predicted greater emotion regulation in children. By taking a person-centered approach that examines dyadic temperament patterns, this paper adds to the growing literature on the importance of looking at the whole person in context and in relation to interaction with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recruitment of new individuals from seed is a critical component of plant community assembly and reassembly, especially in the context of ecosystem disturbance and recovery. While frameworks typically aim to predict how communities will be filtered on the basis of traits influencing established plant responses to the environment, assembly from seed is more complex: the responses of seeds (affected by dormancy and germination function) and establishing plants (affected by root and leaf function) can both influence outcomes within a single growing season. This creates a potential role for a more diverse set seed and seedling traits, and for environmental variability on shorter timescales (e.g. seasonal versus annual dynamics), than are typically considered. We followed thousands of individual seeds comprising eleven herbaceous grassland species through the first growing season, seeking to uncover critical environmental (precipitation amount and timing) and trait‐based filters on seedling emergence and survival in assembling communities. We saw the biggest recruitment limitation when seeds failed to emerge, driven independently by a dry spring and interspecific variation in seed mass (positive effect) and seed dormancy (negative effect). Seedling survival rates were higher than emergence, with weaker predictive roles for traits like seedling root mass allocation (positive effect) and seed mass (positive under spring drought), and lesser impacts of summer rainfall on soil moisture and survival. Interestingly, most trait relationships were not conditional on rainfall, suggesting water‐independent mechanisms of their respective advantages. Although recruitment is a complex process, our findings suggest that trait‐based assembly frameworks can be a useful way to anticipate outcomes, particularly if dynamic early‐stage conditions (e.g. spring rainfall) and attributes (e.g. seed dormancy) receive greater attention. Given the importance of recruitment for community turnover in the context of global change and land management efforts, this is an area ripe for continued expansion in trait‐based and applied ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central principle in trait‐based ecology is that trait variation has an adaptive value. However, uncertainty over which plant traits influence individual performance across environmental gradients may limit our ability to use traits to infer ecological processes at larger scales. To better understand which traits are linked to performance under different precipitation regimes, we measured above‐ and belowground traits, growth, and reproductive allocation for four annual and four perennial species from a coastal sage scrub community in California under conditions of 50%, 100%, and 150% ambient precipitation. Across water treatments, annual species displayed morphological trait values consistent with high rates of resource acquisition (e.g., low leaf mass per area, low root tissue density, high specific root length), and aboveground measures of resource acquisition (including photosynthetic rate and leaf N concentration) were positively associated with plant performance (reproductive allocation). Results from a structural equation model demonstrated that leaf traits explained 38% of the variation in reproductive allocation across the water gradient in annual species, while root traits accounted for only 6%. Although roots play a critical role in water uptake, more work is needed to understand the mechanisms by which root trait variation can influence performance in water‐limited environments. Perennial species showed lower trait plasticity than annuals across the water gradient and were more variable as a group in terms of trait–performance relationships, indicating that species rely on different functional strategies to respond to drought. Our finding that species identity drives much of the variation in trait values and trait–performance relationships across a water gradient may simplify efforts to model ecological processes, such as productivity, that are potentially influenced by environmentally induced shifts in trait values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Leaf functional traits are strongly tied to growth strategies and ecological processes across species, but few efforts have linked intraspecific trait variation to performance across ontogenetic and environmental gradients. Plants are believed to shift towards more resource-conservative traits in stressful environments and as they age. However, uncertainty as to how intraspecific trait variation aligns with plant age and performance in the context of environmental variation may limit our ability to use traits to infer ecological processes at larger scales. Methods We measured leaf physiological and morphological traits, canopy volume and flowering effort for Artemisia californica (California sagebrush), a dominant shrub species in the coastal sage scrub community, under conditions of 50, 100 and 150 % ambient precipitation for 3 years. Key Results Plant age was a stronger driver of variation in traits and performance than water availability. Older plants demonstrated trait values consistent with a more conservative resource-use strategy, and trait values were less sensitive to drought. Several trait correlations were consistent across years and treatments; for example, plants with high photosynthetic rates tended to have high stomatal conductance, leaf nitrogen concentration and light-use efficiency. However, the trade-off between leaf construction and leaf nitrogen evident in older plants was absent for first-year plants. While few traits correlated with plant growth and flowering effort, we observed a positive correlation between leaf mass per area and performance in some groups of older plants. Conclusions Overall, our results suggest that trait sensitivity to the environment is most visible during earlier stages of development, after which intraspecific trait variation and relationships may stabilize. While plant age plays a major role in intraspecific trait variation and sensitivity (and thus trait-based inferences), the direct influence of environment on growth and fecundity is just as critical to predicting plant performance in a changing environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We commonly use trait variation to characterize plant function within and among species and understand how vegetation responds to the environment. Seedling emergence is an especially vulnerable window affecting population and community dynamics, yet trait‐based frameworks often bypass this earliest stage of plant life. Here we assess whether traits vary in ecologically meaningful ways when seedlings are just days old. How do shared evolutionary history and environmental conditions shape trait expression, and can traits explain which seedlings endure drought?We measured seedling traits in the first 4 days of life for 16 annual plant species under two water treatments, exploring trait trade‐offs, species‐level plasticity and the ability of traits to predict duration of survival under drought.Nearly half of traits showed the imprint of evolutionary history (i.e. significant phylogenetic signal), often reflecting differences between grasses and forbs, two groups separated by a deep evolutionary split. Water availability altered trait expression in most cases, though species‐level plastic responses also reflected evolutionary history.On average, new seedlings exhibited substantial trait variation structured as multiple trade‐offs like those found in mature plants. Some species invested in thick roots and shoots, whereas others invested in more efficient tissues. Separately, some invested in tougher roots and others in deeper roots. We also observed trade‐offs related to growth rates (fast or slow) and biomass allocation (above‐ or below‐ground). Drought survival time was correlated most strongly with seed mass, root construction and allocation traits, and phylogeny (grasses vs. forbs).Synthesis. Our results show that seed and seedling trait variation among annual species is substantial, and that a few attributes could capture major dimensions of ecological strategies during emergence. With seedling survival times ranging twofold among annuals (from 7.5 to 14.5 days), these strategies could mitigate recruitment responses to more frequent or longer dry spells. Multivariate trait and plasticity strategies should be further explored in studies designed to assess trait‐fitness linkages during recruitment. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Mediterranean-type climate ecosystems experience significant variability in precipitation within and across years and may be characterized by periods of extreme drought followed by a brief, high-intensity precipitation pulse. Rapid root growth could be a key factor in effective utilization of precipitation pulses, leading to higher rates of seedling establishment. Changes in root growth rate are rarely studied, however, and patterns in seedling root traits are not well explored. We investigated the influence of an extreme postdrought precipitation event on seedlings that occur in southern California coastal sage scrub. METHODS: We measured root elongation rate, root tip appearance rate, new leaf appearance rate, and canopy growth rate on 18 mediterranean species from three growth forms. KEY RESULTS: Root elongation rate responded more strongly to the precipitation pulse than did root tip appearance rate and either metric of aboveground growth. The majority of species exhibited a significant change in root growth rate within 1 week of the pulse. Responses varied in rapidity and magnitude across species, however, and were not generally predictable based on growth form. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of species exhibited shifts in belowground growth following the pulse, the direction and magnitude of these morphological responses were highly variable within growth form. Understanding the implications of these different response strategies for plant fitness is a crucial next step to forecasting community dynamics within ecosystems characterized by resource pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Mediterranean-type climate ecosystems experience significant variability in precipitation within and across years and may be characterized by periods of extreme drought followed by a brief, high-intensity precipitation pulse. Rapid root growth could be a key factor in effective utilization of precipitation pulses, leading to higher rates of seedling establishment. Changes in root growth rate are rarely studied, however, and patterns in seedling root traits are not well explored. We investigated the influence of an extreme postdrought precipitation event on seedlings that occur in southern California coastal sage scrub. METHODS: We measured root elongation rate, root tip appearance rate, new leaf appearance rate, and canopy growth rate on 18 mediterranean species from three growth forms. KEY RESULTS: Root elongation rate responded more strongly to the precipitation pulse than did root tip appearance rate and either metric of aboveground growth. The majority of species exhibited a significant change in root growth rate within 1 week of the pulse. Responses varied in rapidity and magnitude across species, however, and were not generally predictable based on growth form. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of species exhibited shifts in belowground growth following the pulse, the direction and magnitude of these morphological responses were highly variable within growth form. Understanding the implications of these different response strategies for plant fitness is a crucial next step to forecasting community dynamics within ecosystems characterized by resource pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT One of ecology's grand challenges is developing general rules to explain and predict highly complex systems. Understanding and predicting ecological processes from species' traits has been considered a ' Holy Grail' in ecology. Plant functional traits are increasingly being used to develop mechanistic models that can predict how ecological communities will respond to abiotic and biotic perturbations and how species will affect ecosystem function and services in a rapidly changing world; however, significant challenges remain. In this review, we highlight recent work and outstanding questions in three areas: ( i) selecting relevant traits; ( ii) describing intraspecific trait variation and incorporating this variation into models; and ( iii) scaling trait data to community- and ecosystem-level processes. Over the past decade, there have been significant advances in the characterization of plant strategies based on traits and trait relationships, and the integration of traits into multivariate indices and models of community and ecosystem function. However, the utility of trait-based approaches in ecology will benefit from efforts that demonstrate how these traits and indices influence organismal, community, and ecosystem processes across vegetation types, which may be achieved through meta-analysis and enhancement of trait databases. Additionally, intraspecific trait variation and species interactions need to be incorporated into predictive models using tools such as Bayesian hierarchical modelling. Finally, existing models linking traits to community and ecosystem processes need to be empirically tested for their applicability to be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the disproportionate influence that propagule production, dispersal, seed-to-seedling recruitment and vegetative reproduction can have on plant population and community dynamics, progress has been slow in the directed collection of regeneration traits to inform community assembly outcomes., While seed mass is globally available and linked to growth and reproductive output, there are limits to its explanatory ability. In this essay, we call for expanded efforts to integrate a more diverse set of regeneration traits into community assembly models., First, we extend an existing community assembly framework to conceptualize regeneration as a series of transitional processes whose outcomes are influenced by abiotic filters, biotic interactions and species traits. We then briefly review the literature, highlighting filters and traits of demonstrated or theorized importance for each transition. Finally, we place regeneration in the context of existing and emerging modelling approaches in trait-based community assembly, summarizing key areas of progress needed to integrate regeneration traits into these efforts., Synthesis. By incorporating influential regeneration traits into empirical studies and global data bases, we can begin to disentangle regenerative mechanisms underlying community assembly outcomes and enhance rapidly developing models of species' abundances, distributions and responses to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seedling recruitment is a critical driver of population dynamics and community assembly, yet we know little about functional traits that define different recruitment strategies. For the first time, we examined whether trait relatedness across germination and seedling stages allows the identification of general recruitment strategies which share core functional attributes and also correspond to recruitment outcomes in applied settings. We measured six seed and eight seedling traits (lab- and field-collected, respectively) for 47 varieties of dryland grasses and used principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis to identify major dimensions of trait variation and to isolate trait-based recruitment groups, respectively. PCA highlighted some links between seed and seedling traits, suggesting that relative growth rate and root elongation rate are simultaneously but independently associated with seed mass and initial root mass (first axis), and with leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, coleoptile tissue density and germination rate (second axis). Third and fourth axes captured separate tradeoffs between hydrothermal time and base water potential for germination, and between specific root length and root mass ratio, respectively. Cluster analysis separated six recruitment types along dimensions of germination and growth rates, but classifications did not correspond to patterns of germination, emergence or recruitment in the field under either of two watering treatments. Thus, while we have begun to identify major threads of functional variation across seed and seedling stages, our understanding of how this variation influences demographic processes-particularly germination and emergence-remains a key gap in functional ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root trait variation and plasticity could be key factors differentiating plant performance under drought. However, water manipulation and root measurements are rarely coupled empirically across growth forms to identify whether belowground strategies are generalizable across species., We measured seedling root traits across three moisture levels in 18 Mediterranean forbs, grasses, and woody species., Drought increased the root mass fraction ( RMF) and decreased the relative proportion of thin roots (indicated by increased root diameters and decreased specific root length ( SRL)), rates of root elongation and growth, plant nitrogen uptake, and plant growth. Although responses varied across species, plasticity was not associated with growth form. Woody species differed from forbs and grasses in many traits, but herbaceous groups were similar. Across water treatments, trait correlations suggested a single spectrum of belowground trade-offs related to resource acquisition and plant growth. While effects of SRL and RMF on plant growth shifted with drought, root elongation rate consistently represented this spectrum., We demonstrate that general patterns of root morphology and plasticity are identifiable across diverse species. Root trait measurements should enhance our understanding of belowground strategy and performance across growth forms, but it will be critical to incorporate plasticity and additional aspects of root function into these efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to clarify the mental health needs of Iraqi immigrants who arrived in the United States in the 1990s after the Persian Gulf War. The records of 375 clients were examined at a clinic that serves Arab Americans. More posttraumatic stress disorder and health problems were found in Iraqi refugees than in other clients. Results suggest the need for further research on immigrants with traumatic histories to facilitate effective treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeding native plants is a key management practice to counter land degradation across the globe, yet the majority of seeding efforts fail, limiting our ability to accelerate ecosystem recovery., Recruitment requires transitions through several seed and seedling stages, some of which may have overriding influences on restoration outcomes. We lack, however, a general framework to understand and predict differences in these critical demographic processes across species. Functional traits influence fitness, and consequently, trait variation could provide the basis for a framework to explain and predict variation in life stage transition probabilities., We used seed and seedling traits, and field probabilities of germination, emergence, seedling establishment, and survival for 47 varieties of drylands grasses under two watering treatments to identify critical life stage transitions and quantify the effect of traits on cumulative survival through the first growing season., Variation in germination and emergence probabilities explained over 90% of the variation in cumulative survival regardless of seedling survival probabilities or watering treatment, with emergence probability being the strongest predictor of cumulative survival., Coleoptile tissue density and seed mass had significant effects on emergence and germination, respectively, explaining 10-23% of the variation in transition probabilities., Synthesis and applications. While the majority of functional trait work has centred on linking leaf and root traits to resource acquisition and utilization, our study demonstrates that traits associated with germination and emergence may have prevailing influences on restoration outcomes. A portion of these traits have been examined, but there is substantial opportunity to identify other key traits driving these demographic processes. These advancements will underpin our ability to develop trait-based frameworks for overcoming recruitment barriers and facilitating recovery of degraded systems across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or members of other marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+) face serious disparities compared to their non‐LGBTQ+ peers. Restoration science presents additional risks for LGBTQ+ researchers, including extensive time in the field—sometimes in locations that are hostile to LGBTQ+ people or create discomfort around gender expression and sexual orientation. At the same time, restoration science is uniquely positioned to create change: the same principles that shape ecosystem restoration also provide a blueprint for cultivating inclusion in science. We present 10 recommendations for LGBTQ+ inclusion based on four guiding restoration principles: (1) Context is key; (2) Healthy environments require support; (3) Success needs to be defined; and (4) A diverse future is worth striving for. We provide concrete actions that individuals and institutions can take and emphasize the positive outcomes that LGBTQ+ inclusion can generate for a healthier restoration community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to a wide range of neurodevelopmental impairments in children and adults including behavioral and neuropsychiatric disorders. In rhesus monkeys, we examined whether moderate-level prenatal alcohol exposure would alter acoustic startle responses and prepulse inhibition ( PPI) of the acoustic startle. PPI is a highly quantifiable measure of inhibitory neural processes or sensorimotor gating associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Methods Acoustic startle and PPI of the acoustic startle were tested in 37 adult rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta) from 4 experimental conditions: (i) moderate-level prenatal alcohol-exposed, (ii) prenatally stressed, (iii) moderate-level prenatal alcohol-exposed + prenatally stressed, and (iv) sucrose controls. Results Prenatal alcohol-exposed monkeys showed a higher magnitude of acoustic startle response and disrupted PPI compared with monkeys not exposed to alcohol prenatally. Monkeys in all conditions showed higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical ( HPA) axis responses after undergoing the startle procedure, but HPA responses were unrelated to startle response magnitude, latency, or PPI. Conclusions Finding altered PPI in monkeys prenatally exposed to a moderate dose of alcohol suggests that reduced sensorimotor gating is 1 effect of prenatal alcohol exposure. Because reduced sensorimotor gating is observed in many neuropsychiatric disorders, sensorimotor gating deficits could be an aspect of the comorbidity between fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and mental health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results from 98 Arab youth in Canada showed that having a positive Arab culture orientation was related to greater family life satisfaction with family social support as a mediator. A positive European Canadian orientation was related to greater school life satisfaction, but this relation was not mediated by friend social support. Implications for the processes of enculturation and acculturation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last century has seen an increase in the population of Americans of Arab and Chaldean descent. In recent decades, clinicians have articulated the goal of enhancing their knowledge of cultural diversity for the purpose of improving their appreciation for diversity and the quality of their mental health interventions with diverse populations. However, there is currently little systematic empirical research regarding the counseling of Arab and Chaldean Americans, although awareness of the need for such research among mental health professionals has started to emerge. The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review of the values and socio-cultural forces that are relevant to the counseling of this population in North America, and to provide some culturally sensitive recommendations for working with American families of Arab and Chaldean ethnicity. In particular, we propose that effective interventions with clients of Arab and Chaldean ethnic backgrounds will need to be informed by an understanding of the everyday sociopolitical contextual background of target clients and the impact of values and acculturation processes on the family network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gulf War in 1991 resulted in an influx of refugees from Iraq to the United States and to other regions of the world. The purpose of this study was to describe the self-reported medical complaints of Iraqi American refugees who were seeking mental health services in southeastern Michigan. We anticipated that the frequency and pattern of medical symptoms would differ from that reported in the literature on United States Gulf War veterans or other Arab Americans who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s. Potential reasons for such differences include indirect effects, such as neglect of general health prior to and during the war, or direct effects, such as the impact of environmental changes from the war itself. As part of a larger study on the health of refugees from Iraq, self-reported medical conditions and symptoms were analyzed in a sample of 116 adult Iraqi immigrants (46 male, 70 female) who were seeking or already receiving outpatient mental health services ( n = 87) or treatment in a partial hospitalization program ( n = 29). Measures were translated into Arabic and administered in an interview format by one of two bilingual mental health workers. The results were consistent with other studies on refugees in which the number of medical complaints reported was relatively high. Discussion centers on the importance of addressing the specific medical needs of refugees in general, and of the Iraqi refugees in particular, and on how they may be better served within our primary health care systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In keeping with our pluralistic society, counselors have begun the task of attempting to understand issues of multicultural diversity The purpose of this article is to describe a focus group interview conducted with a group of therapists in a large-scale, comprehensive family service agency in an Arab American community Participants represented various countries of origin, helping disciplines, and years of U.S. residence. The interview format was semistructured, and the results confirmed what little was already known about the population and supplemented that body of knowledge with updated information. Implications for counseling and further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accompanying the climate crisis is the more enigmatic biodiversity crisis. Rapid reorganization of biodiversity due to global environmental change has defied prediction and tested the basic tenets of conservation and restoration. Conceptual and practical innovation is needed to support decision making in the face of these unprecedented shifts. Critical questions include: How can we generalize biodiversity change at the community level? When are systems able to reorganize and maintain integrity, and when does abiotic change result in collapse or restructuring? How does this understanding provide a template to guide when and how to intervene in conservation and restoration? To this end, we frame changes in community organization as the modulation of external abiotic drivers on the internal topology of species interactions, using plant–plant interactions in terrestrial communities as a starting point. We then explore how this framing can help translate available data on species abundance and trait distributions to corresponding decisions in management. Given the expectation that community response and reorganization are highly complex, the external‐driver internal‐topology (EDIT) framework offers a way to capture general patterns of biodiversity that can help guide resilience and adaptation in changing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the block scheduling implemented at Washington High School and Maquoketa Middle School in the United States. Concept of block scheduling; Advantages of block scheduling; Impact of block scheduling; Recommendations in adopting block scheduling.

Presents a study which looks at whether a group self-esteem enhancement program can be implemented in a community metal health atmosphere. Aim of the program; Effects of the program on self-esteem; Detailed information on the methodology used to conduct the study; Discussion based on the results of the study.

In the present study, we employed a multi-method approach to study the process by which mothers of preschool-aged children actively socialize complex emotions. Within the context of a dynamic systems framework, we examined the associations between maternal meta-emotion philosophies, via an interview-based assessment (the Meta-Emotion Interview, MEI), and the use of emotion words mapped onto a state-space grid during a narrative storytelling task. Mothers were asked to read an emotionally evocative, wordless picture-story book in a comfortable setting in their homes to their preschool-aged child. All interactions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and categories of negative and positive emotion words, and their behavioural expressions were coded from a rubric by independent raters with a 96% agreement rate. We found that higher levels of maternal awareness of emotion and emotion coaching strategies on the MEI were correlated with a wide array of positive and negative emotion word usage and behavioral expressions of emotion during the storytelling task, as well as with more flexible, fluid, and diverse state-space grid profiles. These results are consistent with meta-emotion theory and suggest that meta-emotion philosophies have an implicit influence on the ways in which caregivers socialize emotions in natural settings. We argue that an SSG methodology adds an innovative dimension to the study of meta-emotion and emotion socialization. Highlights: Examined emotion socialization with the use of a state space grid (SSG) methodology. Emotion awareness and coaching strategies correlated with more diverse SSGs. These results were most pronounced when exploring negative emotions. SSGs add a novel approach for integrating meta-emotion and emotion socialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: data synthesis; database; germination; open science; plant reproduction; repository; seed; trait EN data synthesis database germination open science plant reproduction repository seed trait 466 470 5 09/25/23 20231015 NES 231015 Data availability The data and code used to produce this article are available at https://github.com/efernandezpascual/seedarcms. The need for a global archive of primary seed germination data The seed ecology community has recently recognized the need to synthesize knowledge, setting the research agenda for functional seed ecology (Saatkamp I et al i ., [34]). I SeedArc i compiles primary seed germination data to synthesize the seed germination spectrum at a global scale. The theory underlying the seed germination spectrum has been laid out by decades of work on seed ecology (Baskin & Baskin, [1]), but empirical studies testing major ecological hypotheses at both global and local scales remain elusive without a standardized seed germination database. [Extracted from the article]

The authors examined discrimination history, backlash fear, and ethnic identity of Arab Americans nationally at 3 times, beginning shortly after September 11, 2001. Relations between variables were moderate, and discrimination history and backlash fear were statistically significant predictors of ethnic identity. Implications for acculturation and ethnic identity are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugees suffer from a higher rate of mental health symptoms than the general population since they have experienced extreme suffering and the accumulated effects of trauma. Because of the diversity of regions from which refugees originate, there is a need to understand some of the unique experiences that are specific to each sub-groups of immigrants. The purpose of the present study was to explore mental health symptoms in Iraqi refugee clients who immigrated to the United States after the Gulf War of the early 1990's. As part of a larger study, 116 adult Iraqi immigrants to the United States (46 male, 70 females) who were seeking mental health services completed measures of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. As expected, the majority of refugees reported intense anxiety and depression, and many met the DSM IV criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Like refugees from other countries-of-origin, Iraqi refugees are in need of culturally sensitive assessment and mental health treatment. The results are discussed in light of the treatment needs of Iraqi refugee clients, their resilience and motivation for a better life, and the ways that health professionals can assist in optimizing their adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Trait‐based approaches have improved our understanding of plant evolution, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. A major challenge for the upcoming decades is to understand the functions and evolution of early life‐history traits, across levels of organization and ecological strategies. Although a variety of seed traits are critical for dispersal, persistence, germination timing and seedling establishment, only seed mass has been considered systematically. Here we suggest broadening the range of morphological, physiological and biochemical seed traits to add new understanding on plant niches, population dynamics and community assembly. The diversity of seed traits and functions provides an important challenge that will require international collaboration in three areas of research. First, we present a conceptual framework for a seed ecological spectrum that builds upon current understanding of plant niches. We then lay the foundation for a seed‐trait functional network, the establishment of which will underpin and facilitate trait‐based inferences. Finally, we anticipate novel insights and challenges associated with incorporating diverse seed traits into predictive evolutionary ecology, community ecology and applied ecology. If the community invests in standardized seed‐trait collection and the implementation of rigorous databases, major strides can be made at this exciting frontier of functional ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case Diagnosis: Plain radiograph of the abdomen demonstrated an interposition of the colon between the liver and the right hemidiaphragm secondary to a weak suspensory colon ligament near the hepatic flexure consistent with Chilaiditi Sign. Case Description: A 73-year-old gentleman sustained a roll-over all terrain vehicle accident, resulting in a C5 ASIA D spinal cord injury. He was admitted to an acute care hospital where he underwent C4-6 laminectomy, C4-T1 posterior fusion along with a tracheostomy for ventilation. Given persistent difficulties with ventilator weaning, an AP chest x-ray was obtained which was noted for a benign mildly elevated right hemidiaphragm. Lateral view showed a dilated colonic loop in between the right hemidiaphram and the liver, consistent with Chilaiditi's sign (figure 1). In order to assess for phrenic nerve impairment, bilateral phrenic nerve electrophysiologic studies were performed. Since these test were inconclusive, a sniff test was performed to assess for diaphragmatic paralysis. It showed low lung volumes, symmetric excursion of the diaphragms with normal respiration and no evidence of diaphragmatic paralysis. After multiple unsuccessful attempts of ventilator weaning, further evaluation was undertaken to assess for an additional underlining etiology. He underwent extensive electrophysiologic testing that support the diagnosis of motor neuron disease in addition to his cervical spinal cord injury. Discussions: Chilaiditi's sign is a condition associated with the interposition of the colon between the liver and the right hemidiaphragm secondary to a weak suspensory colon ligament near the hepatic flexure. Less than 0.25% of cases are found incidentally on routine radiographs. Only few geriatric cases have been documented. Normally, patients with this condition are asymptomatic. However, when patients present with moderate to severe gastrointestinal or respiratory distress it is called Chilaiditi syndrome. Presentation of this condition can be sporadic or chronic in nature. Treatment is based primarily on the degree of symptoms, which can range from conservative management to surgical decompression of the colon. To the best of the authors_ knowledge, this is the first case of Chilaiditi sign reported in a spinal cord injured patient. Conclusions: Conservative measures including manual massage therapy and physical therapy were attempted. Disposition of the colon later spontaneously resolved without the need of surgical intervention. Diagnostic challenge remains, as one must correlate clinical improvement with plain radiograph imaging or fluoroscopy. Due to the transient nature and likelihood of overlooking the condition on routine exam, the goal of this article is to increase awareness of the Chilaiditi Sign in the setting of respiratory distress in spinal cord injury patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal sensory processing (tactile and vestibular function) was tested in 78 rhesus macaques from two experiments. At ages 4-5 years, striatal dopamine D2 receptor binding was examined using positron emission tomography. At ages 5-7 years, adult sensory processing was assessed. Findings were: (a) prenatal stress exposure yielded less optimal neonatal sensory processing; (b) animals carrying the short rh5-HTTLPR allele had less optimal neonatal sensory scores than monkeys homozygous for the long allele; (c) neonatal sensory processing was significantly related to striatal D2 receptor binding for carriers of the short allele, but not for animals homozygous for the long allele; and (d) there was moderate developmental continuity in sensory processing from the neonatal period to adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and/or prenatal stress exposure on (D1R) binding in a non human primate model. The dopamine D1R is involved in executive function, and it may play a role in cognitive behavioral deficits associated with prenatal alcohol and/or stress exposure. Little is known, however, about the effects of prenatal alcohol and/or stress exposure on the D1R. We expected that prenatal insults would lead to alterations in D1R binding in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum in adulthood. Methods Rhesus macaque females were randomly assigned to moderate alcohol exposure and/or mild prenatal stress as well as a control condition during pregnancy. Thirty-eight offspring were raised identically and studied as adults by noninvasive in vivo neuroimaging using positron emission tomography with the D1 antagonist radiotracer [11C]SCH 23390. Radiotracer binding in PFC and striatum was evaluated by 2 (alcohol) × 2 (stress) × 2 (sex) analysis of variance. Results In PFC, a significant alcohol × sex interaction was observed with prenatal alcohol exposure leading to increased [11C]SCH 23390 binding in male monkeys. No main effect of prenatal alcohol or prenatal stress exposure was observed. Conclusions These results suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure results in long-term increases in prefrontal dopamine D1R binding in males. This may help explain gender differences in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders consequent to prenatal alcohol exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies have found interrelationships between the serotonin system and alcohol self-administration. The goal of this work was to directly observe in vivo effects of chronic ethanol self-administration on serotonin 5-HT 1A receptor binding with [ 18 F]mefway PET neuroimaging in rhesus monkeys. Subjects were first imaged alcohol-naïve and again during chronic ethanol self-administration to quantify changes in 5-HT 1A receptor binding. Methods Fourteen rhesus monkey subjects (10.7–12.8 years) underwent baseline [ 18 F]mefway PET scans prior to alcohol exposure. Subjects then drank gradually increasing ethanol doses over four months as an induction period, immediately followed by at least nine months ad libidum ethanol access. A post [ 18 F]mefway PET scan was acquired during the final three months of ad libidum ethanol self-administration. 5-HT 1A receptor binding was assayed with binding potential ( BP ND ) using the cerebellum as a reference region. Changes in 5-HT 1A binding during chronic ethanol self-administration were examined. Relationships of binding metrics with daily ethanol self-administration were also assessed. Results Widespread increases in 5-HT 1A binding were observed during chronic ethanol self-administration, independent of the amount of ethanol consumed. A positive correlation between 5-HT 1A binding in the raphe nuclei and average daily ethanol self-administration was also observed, indicating that baseline 5-HT 1A binding in this region predicted drinking levels. Conclusions The increase in 5-HT 1A binding levels during chronic ethanol self-administration demonstrates an important modulation of the serotonin system due to chronic alcohol exposure. Furthermore, the correlation between 5-HT 1A binding in the raphe nuclei and daily ethanol self-administration indicates a relationship between the serotonin system and alcohol self-administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The precise nature of modifications to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) system in response to chronic ethanol exposure is poorly understood. The present work used PET imaging to assay α4β2* nAChR binding levels of eight rhesus monkeys before and during controlled chronic ethanol intake.Methods: [(18)F]Nifene PET scans were conducted prior to alcohol exposure, and then again after at least 8 months controlled ethanol exposure, including 6 months at 1.5 g/kg/day following a dose escalation period. Receptor binding levels were quantified with binding potentials (BPND) using the cerebellum as a reference region. Alcohol self-administration was assessed as average daily alcohol intake during a 2 month free drinking period immediately following controlled alcohol.Results: Significant decreases in α4β2* nAChR binding were observed in both frontal and insular cortex in response to chronic ethanol exposure. During chronic alcohol exposure, BPND in the lateral geniculate region correlated positively with the amount of alcohol consumed during free drinking.Conclusions: The observed decreases in nAChR availability following chronic alcohol consumption suggest alterations to this receptor system in response to repeated alcohol administration, making this an important target for further study in alcohol abuse and alcohol and nicotine codependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The precise nature of modifications to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) system in response to chronic ethanol exposure is poorly understood. The present work used PET imaging to assay α4β2* nAChR binding levels of eight rhesus monkeys before and during controlled chronic ethanol intake. Methods: [18F]Nifene PET scans were conducted prior to alcohol exposure, and then again after at least 8 months controlled ethanol exposure, including 6 months at 1.5g/kg/day following a dose escalation period. Receptor binding levels were quantified with binding potentials (BPND) using the cerebellum as a reference region. Alcohol self-administration was assessed as average daily alcohol intake during a 2 month free drinking period immediately following controlled alcohol. Results: Significant decreases in α4β2* nAChR binding were observed in both frontal and insular cortex in response to chronic ethanol exposure. During chronic alcohol exposure, BPND in the lateral geniculate region correlated positively with the amount of alcohol consumed during free drinking. Conclusions: The observed decreases in nAChR availability following chronic alcohol consumption suggest alterations to this receptor system in response to repeated alcohol administration, making this an important target for further study in alcohol abuse and alcohol and nicotine codependence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: To determine the effects in adult offspring of maternal exposure to stress and alcohol during pregnancy, we imaged striatal and midbrain dopamine transporter (DAT) binding by positron emission tomography in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). We also evaluated the relationship between DAT binding and behavioral responses previously found to relate to dopamine D2 receptor density (responsivity to tactile stimuli, performance on a learning task, and behavior during a learning task). Methods: Subjects were adult offspring derived from a 2 × 2 experiment in which pregnant monkeys were randomly assigned to control, daily mild stress exposure (acoustic startle), voluntary consumption of moderate-level alcohol, or both daily stress and alcohol. Adult offspring (n = 38) were imaged by positron emission tomography with the DAT ligand [18F]2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-chlorophenyl)-8-(2-fluoroethyl)-nortropane ([18F]FECNT). Results: Results showed that prenatal stress yielded an overall increase of 15% in [18F]FECNT binding in the striatum (p = .016), 17% greater binding in the putamen (p = .012), and 13% greater binding in the head of the caudate (p = .028) relative to animals not exposed to prenatal stress. Striatal [18F]FECNT binding correlated negatively with habituation to repeated tactile stimulation and positively with tactile responsivity. There were no significant effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on [18F]FECNT binding. Conclusions: Maternal exposure to mild daily stress during pregnancy yielded increases in striatal DAT availability that were apparent in adult offspring and were associated with behavioral characteristics reflecting tactile hyperresponsivity, a condition associated with problem behaviors in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to neurodevelopmental impairments and disrupt several neurotransmitter systems. We examined the timing of moderate level alcohol exposure, serotonin transporter gene polymorphic region variation (rh5-HTTLPR), and levels of primary serotonin and dopamine (DA) metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in rhesus monkeys. Thirty-two 30-month old rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta) from 4 groups of females were assessed: (i) early alcohol-exposed group ( n = 9), in which mothers voluntarily consumed 0.6 g/kg/d alcohol solution on gestational days 0 to 50; (ii) middle-to-late gestation alcohol-exposed group ( n = 6), mothers consumed 0.6 g/kg/d alcohol solution on gestational days 50 to 135; (iii) a continuous-exposure group ( n = 8), mothers consumed 0.6 g/kg/d alcohol solution on gestational days 0 to 135; and (iv) controls ( n = 9), mothers consumed an isocaloric control solution on gestational days 0 to 50, 50 to 135, or 0 to 135. Serotonin transporter promoter region allelic variants (homozygous s/s or heterozygous s/l vs. homozygous l/l) were determined. We examined CSF concentrations of the 5-HT and DA metabolites, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), respectively, at baseline and 50 hours after separation from cage-mates, when the monkeys were 30 months old. Early- and middle-to-late gestation-alcohol exposed monkeys carrying the short allele had lower concentrations of 5-HIAA in CSF relative to other groups. Concentrations of 5-HIAA in CSF were lower for s allele carriers and increased from baseline relative to pre-separation values, whereas 5-HIAA levels in l/l allele carriers were not affected by separation. Monkeys carrying the short allele had lower basal concentrations of HVA in CSF compared with monkeys homozygous for the long allele. Carrying the s allele of the 5-HT transporter increased the probability of reduced 5-HIAA in early- and middle-to-late gestation alcohol-exposed monkeys and reduced HVA at baseline. These findings that prenatal alcohol exposure altered central 5-HT activity in genetically sensitive monkeys raise questions about whether abnormal serotonin biological pathways could underlie some of the psychiatric disorders reported in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tactile defensiveness in children is associated with difficult social relations, emotional dysregulation, and inattention. However, there are no studies of lead exposure and tactile defensiveness in children or animals in spite of the fact that lead exposure is also associated with inattention and emotional dysregulation. OBJECTIVES: In this study we tested whether lead exposure induces tactile defensiveness in rhesus monkeys. METHODS: We tested 61 monkeys from a 3 (no lead, 1-year lead, 2-year lead) x 2 (succimer chelation or not) factorial experiment for tactile defensiveness at 4 years of age. Lead-treated monkeys had been orally administered lead in a daily milk solution from 8 days of life to either 1 or 2 years of age to produce blood lead levels of 35--40 mg/dL. Succimer chelation therapy or placebo was administered at 1 year of age. We measured tactile defensiveness using six repeated trials of each of three textures as a swipe to the cheek and neck. RESULTS: Lead-exposed monkeys showed higher negative responses to repeated tactile stimulation compared with controls. Blood lead during the first 3 months of life was positively correlated with the negative response on the tactile defensiveness test. There was an interaction of lead exposure x succimer chelation x trials, but it is not clear that succimer chelation was beneficial with respect to tactile defensiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to implicate lead as a potential cause of tactile defensiveness. Research should examine whether lead exposure is associated with tactile defensiveness in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disrupted sensory processing, characterized by over- or underresponsiveness to environmental stimuli, has been reported in children with a variety of developmental disabilities. This study examined the effects of prenatal stress and moderate-level prenatal alcohol exposure on tactile sensitivity and its relationship to striatal dopamine system function in thirty-eight 5- to 7-year-old rhesus monkeys. The monkeys were from four experimental conditions: (a) prenatal alcohol exposed, (b) prenatal stress, (c) prenatal alcohol exposed + prenatal stress, and (d) sucrose controls. Increased D2 receptor binding in the striatum, evaluated using positron emission tomography neuroimaging, was related to increased withdrawal (aversion) responses to repetitive tactile stimuli and reduced habituation across trials. Moreover, prenatal stress significantly increased overall withdrawal responses to repetitive tactile stimulation compared to no prenatal stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional neurochemical imaging can indicate neurotransmitter release by detecting changes in receptor occupancy. A dual tracer positron emission tomography (PET) technique is presented here to extend such studies by simultaneously measuring changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). This would permit correlations of task or drug induced changes in rCBF and neurochemical function. In this proposed method, the rapidly varying signal from a blood flow tracer is distinguished from the slowly changing signal due to a long-lived neurochemical tracer. As a proof of principle, baseline studies were carried out in rhesus monkeys. Two monkeys were anesthetized with isoflurane, and [18F]fallypride (t1/2=110 min), a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, was injected. Starting 99–137 min after injection, PET images were acquired every 10 s while the blood flow tracer [17F]fluoromethane (t1/2=65 s) was administered by inhalation in a repeating pattern of 45 s on/45 s off. The observed time–activity curves for 2 ml brain regions were fit with a three compartment lung–body–brain model of fluoromethane kinetics with whole brain perfusion fixed. Comparing consecutive 6 min scans, reproducibility of relative rCBF and striatal [18F]fallypride concentration were 9 and 8%, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]