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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]

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]

Ecologists have worked to ascribe function to the variation found in plant populations, communities and ecosystems across environments for at least the past century. The vast body of research in functional ecology has drastically improved understanding of how individuals respond to their environment, communities are assembled and ecosystems function. However, with limited exceptions, few studies have quantified differences in plant function during the earliest stages of the plant life cycle, and fewer have tested how this early variability shapes populations, communities and ecosystems.Drawing from the literature and our collective experience, we describe the current state of knowledge in seedling functional ecology and provide examples of how this subdiscipline can enrich our fundamental understanding of plant function across levels of organisation. To inspire progressive work in this area, we also outline key considerations involved in seedling functional research (who, what, when, where and how to measure seedling traits) and identify remaining challenges and gaps in understanding around methodological approaches.Within this conceptual synthesis, we highlight three critical areas in seedling ecology for future research to target. First, given wide variation in the definition of a 'seedling', we provide a standard definition based on seed reserve dependence while emphasising the need to measure ontogenetic variation more clearly both within and following the seedling stage. Second, studies demonstrate that seedlings can be studied in multiple media (e.g. soil, agar, filter paper) and conditions (e.g. field, greenhouse, laboratory). We recommend that researchers select methods based on explicit goals, yet follow standard guidelines to reduce methodological noise across studies. Third, research is critically needed to assess the implications of different methodologies on trait measurement and compatibility across studies.By highlighting the importance of seedling functional ecology and suggesting pathways to address key challenges, we aim to inspire future research that generates useful and comparable data on seedling functional ecology. This work is critical to explain variation within and among populations, communities and ecosystems and integrate this most vulnerable stage of plant life into ecological frameworks. [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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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 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]

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]

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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]

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]

Background: We examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and/or prenatal stress exposure on (D1 R) binding in a non human primate model. The dopamine D1 R 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 D1 R. We expected that prenatal insults would lead to alterations in D1 R 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 [(11) C]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 [(11) C]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 D1 R binding in males. This may help explain gender differences in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders consequent to prenatal alcohol exposure., (Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Background: Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure can cause impairments even in the absence of gross morphological defects associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. The basal ganglia, which include the dopamine-rich striatum, are sensitive to fetal alcohol-induced injury. In this study, we manipulated the timing of moderate-level alcohol exposure and compared the risk of adverse effects on striatal dopamine (DA) system function in rhesus monkeys., Methods: Thirty-five young adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) from four groups of females were assessed: (1) an early alcohol-exposed group (n=9), in which mothers voluntarily consumed 0.6 g/kg alcohol solution on gestational days 0 through 50; (2) a middle-to-late gestation alcohol-exposed group (n=7), in which mothers voluntarily consumed 0.6 g/kg alcohol solution on gestational days 50 through 135; (3) a continuous-exposure group (n=9), in which mothers voluntarily consumed 0.6 g/kg alcohol solution on days 0 through 135; and (4) controls (n=10), in which mothers voluntarily consumed an isocaloric control solution on gestational days 0 through 50, 50 through 135, or 0 through 135. We studied striatal DA system function by positron emission tomography in separate scans for trapping of [(18)F]fallypride and 6-[(18)F]fluoro-m-tyrosine to assess striatal DA D2 receptor (D2R) binding and DA synthesis, respectively, via dopadecarboxylase activity., Results: Moderate-level alcohol exposure during early gestation and continuous exposure throughout gestation (early + middle-to-late exposure) reduced the striatal D2R binding to DA synthesis ratio, whereas middle-to-late alcohol gestation exposure increased the striatal D2R binding to DA synthesis ratio. The continuous-exposure group showed the largest effect. Moreover, the D2R binding/DA synthesis ratio was related to neonatal neurobehavior measures in control monkeys, but these relationships were disrupted in the fetal alcohol-exposed monkeys., Conclusion: These results suggest that the vulnerability of the DA system to the effects of moderate doses of alcohol during gestation depend on the timing of the alcohol exposure. Early-gestation moderate alcohol exposure resulted in a reduction or blunting of dopaminergic function in adulthood, whereas middle to late exposure (without early exposure) either induced the opposite pattern or heightened dopaminergic function. Continuously exposed monkeys showed the largest effect, suggesting that the sooner women stop drinking, the better it is for the fetus.