Sample records for young robinia pseudoacacia

  1. Interaction between Ailanthus altissima and Native Robinia pseudoacacia in Early Succession: Implications for Forest Management

    Treesearch

    Erik Nilsen; Cynthia Huebner; David Carr; Zhe Bao

    2018-01-01

    The goal of this study was to discover the nature and intensity of the interaction between an exotic invader Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and its coexisting native Robinia pseudoacacia L. and consider management implications. The study occurred in the Mid-Appalachian region of the eastern United States. ...

  2. Proteomic analysis of etiolated juvenile tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia branches during different cutting periods.

    PubMed

    Lu, Nan; Xu, Zhaohe; Meng, Bingnan; Sun, Yuhan; Zhang, Jiangtao; Wang, Shaoming; Li, Yun

    2014-04-21

    The propagation of hard-branch cuttings of tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) is restricted by the low rooting rate; however, etiolated juvenile tetraploid black locust branches result in a significantly higher rooting rate of cuttings compared with non-etiolated juvenile tetraploid branches. To identify proteins that influence the juvenile tetraploid branch rooting process, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectra (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) were used to analyze proteomic differences in the phloem of tetraploid R. pseudoacacia etiolated and non-etiolated juvenile branches during different cutting periods. A total of 58 protein spots differed in expression level, and 16 protein spots were only expressed in etiolated branches or non-etiolated ones. A total of 40 highly expressed protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry, 14 of which were accurately retrieved. They include nucleoglucoprotein metabolic proteins, signaling proteins, lignin synthesis proteins and phyllochlorin. These results help to reveal the mechanism of juvenile tetraploid R. pseudoacacia etiolated branch rooting and provide a valuable reference for the improvement of tetraploid R. pseudoacacia cutting techniques.

  3. Examination of correlation between histidine and nickel absorption by Morus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Populus nigra L. using HPLC-MS and ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Ozen, Sukran Akkus; Yaman, Mehmet

    2016-08-02

    In this study, HPLC-MS and ICP-MS methods were used for the determination of histidine and nickel in Morus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., and Populus nigra L. leaves taken from industrial areas including Gaziantep and Bursa cities. In the determination of histidine by HPLC-MS, all of the system parameters such as flow rate of mobile phase, fragmentor potential, injection volume and column temperature were optimized and found to be 0.2 mL min(-1), 70 V, 15 µL, and 20°C, respectively. Under the optimum conditions, histidine was extracted from plant sample by distilled water at 90°C for 30 min. Concentrations of histidine as mg kg(-1) were found to be between 2-9 for Morus L., 6-13 for Robinia pseudoacacia L., and 2-10 for Populus nigra L. Concentrations of nickel were in the ranges of 5-10 mg kg(-1) for Morus L., 3-10 mg kg(-1) for Robinia pseudoacacia L., and 0.6-4 mg kg(-1) for Populus nigra L. A significant linear correlation (r = 0.78) between histidine and Ni was observed for Populus nigra L., whereas insignificant linear correlation for Robinia pseudoacacia L. (r = 0.22) were seen. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) were found to be 0.025 mg Ni L(-1) and 0.075 mg Ni L(-1), respectively.

  4. Spectroscopic analysis of the role of extractives on heat-induced discoloration of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

    Treesearch

    Yao Chen; Yongming Fan; Jianmin Gao; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Nicole M. Stark

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the role of extractives on heat-induced discoloration of wood, samples of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) wood flour were extracted with various solvents prior to heat-treatment. Analysis of their color parameters and chromophoric structures showed that the chroma value of the unextracted sample decreased while that of the...

  5. [Photosynthetic physiological adaptabilities of Pinus tabulaeformis and Robinia pseudoacacia in the Loess Plateau].

    PubMed

    Zheng, Shu-xia; Shangguan, Zhou-ping

    2007-01-01

    With Yangling, Yongshou, Fuxian, Ansai, Mizhi and Shenmu, the s ix counties from the south to the north in the Loess Plateau as study sites, this paper studied thoe photosynthetic charac teristics and leaf traits of Pinus tabulaeformis and Robinia pseudoacacia. The results showed that among the six sites, there were significant differences in the photosynthetic rate (Pn), photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), water use efficiency (WUE), leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen content (Nmass), and chlorophyll content (Chl) of P. tabulaeformis and R. pseudoacacia, suggesting that the photosynthetic capacity and leaf traits of the two species differed with sites. From the south to the north, the Pn, PNUE and WUE of P. tabulaeformis increased slightly while those of R. pseudoacacia decreased significantly, indicating that in drought habitat, P. tabulaef6rmis could still maintain high photosynthetic capacity, hut the photosynthetic capacity of R. pseudoacacia was greatly restrained. Also from the south to the north, the LMA of P. tabulaeformis and R. pseudoacacia had a slight increasing trend, while Nmass and Chl decreased slightly. The variation ranges of the three parameters were greater for R. pseudoacacia than for P. tabulaeformis, indicating that P. tabulaeformis had stronger drought-tolerant capability than R. pseudoacacia, which was not only exhibited in physiological metabolism, but also in leaf morphological acclimation. The correlation analysis between photosynthetic parameters and leaf traits of P. tabulaeformis and R. pseudoacacia in the six sites showed that there was a significant negative correlation between LMA and Nmass. The Pn and PNUE of both test species had no correlations with LMA and Nmass, but had significant positive correlation with Chl. The WUE of the species was negatively correlated with LMA, but positively correlated with Nmass.

  6. [Effects of alien species Robinia pseudoacacia on plant community functional structure in hilly-gully region of Loess Plateau, China.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Duo Ju; Wen, Zhong Ming; Zhang, Jing; Tao, Yu; Zeng, Hong Wen; Tang, Yang

    2018-02-01

    To investigate the effects of the introduction of Robinia pseudoacacia on the functional structure of plant communities, we selected paired-plots of R. pseudoacacia communities and native plant communities across different vegetation zones, i.e., steppe zone, forest-steppe zone, forest zone in hilly-gully region of Loess Plateau, China. We measured several functional characteristics and then compared the functional structures of R. pseudoacacia and native plant communities in different vegetation zones. The results showed that the variation of the functional traits across different vegetation zones were consistent in R. pseudoacacia community and native plant community, including leaf carbon concentration, leaf nitrogen concentration, leaf phosphorus concentration, specific leaf area, and leaf tissue density. The leaf carbon concentration, leaf nitrogen concentration, and specific leaf area of the R. pseudoacacia community were significantly higher than those of the native plant community. The trend of change that the functional diversity indices, i.e., FR ic , FE ve , FD iv , FD is , Rao of the R. pseudoacacia community and the native plant community with vegetation zones were different. The introduction of R. pseudoacacia enhanced the plant community functional diversity in the forest zone but reduced community functional diversity in the steppe zone.

  7. Biophysical controls on canopy transpiration in a black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia ) plantation on the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China

    Treesearch

    Lei Jiao; Nan Lu; Ge Sun; Eric J. Ward; Bojie Fu

    2015-01-01

    In the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) was widely planted for soil conservation and afforestation purposes during the past three decades. Investigating biophysical controls on canopy transpiration (Ec) of the plantations is essential to understanding the effects of afforestation on watershed hydrology and regional water resources....

  8. Symbiosis of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Robinia pseudoacacia L. Improves Root Tensile Strength and Soil Aggregate Stability.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Haoqiang; Liu, Zhenkun; Chen, Hui; Tang, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) is a widely planted tree species on Loess Plateau for revegetation. Due to its symbiosis forming capability with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, we explored the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant biomass, root morphology, root tensile strength and soil aggregate stability in a pot experiment. We inoculated R. pseudoacacia with/without AM fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis or Glomus versiforme), and measured root colonization, plant growth, root morphological characters, root tensile force and tensile strength, and parameters for soil aggregate stability at twelve weeks after inoculation. AM fungi colonized more than 70% plant root, significantly improved plant growth. Meanwhile, AM fungi elevated root morphological parameters, root tensile force, root tensile strength, Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) content in soil, and parameters for soil aggregate stability such as water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD). Root length was highly correlated with WSA, MWD and GMD, while hyphae length was highly correlated with GRSP content. The improved R. pseudoacacia growth, root tensile strength and soil aggregate stability indicated that AM fungi could accelerate soil fixation and stabilization with R. pseudoacacia, and its function in revegetation on Loess Plateau deserves more attention.

  9. Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) as day-roosts of male Myotis septentrionalis (northern Bats) on the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia

    Treesearch

    W. Mark Ford; Sheldon F. Owen; John W. Edwards; Jane L. Rodrigue

    2006-01-01

    During the summer of 2003, we captured and radiotagged ten male Myotis septentrionalis (northern bats) on the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia to investigate day-roost selection. Of 16 roosts that were located, 13 were in Robinia pseudoacacia (black locusts), five in snags and eight in...

  10. The Effect of Heat Treatment on the chemical and color change of Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia) wood flour

    Treesearch

    Yao Chen; Yongming Fan; Jianmin Gao; Nicole M. Stark

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oxygen and moisture content (MC) on the chemical and color changes of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) wood during heat treatment. The wood flour was conditioned to different initial MCs and heated for 24 h at a constant temperature of 120°C in either oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere. The pH values and...

  11. Seasonal Fluctuations of Lectins in Barks of Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) 1

    PubMed Central

    Nsimba-Lubaki, Makuta; Peumans, Willy J.

    1986-01-01

    Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) agglutinins, which are abundantly present in the bark of both species, display seasonal fluctuations with regard to their content in this tissue. These seasonal changes result apparently from a circa-annual rhythm of lectin accumulation and depletion during autumn and spring, respectively. Because the bark of trees can be considered as a type of vegetative storage tissue, the results suggest that bark lectins behave as typical storage proteins. Images Fig. 4 PMID:16664696

  12. Enzymatic activities for lignin monomer intermediates highlight the biosynthetic pathway of syringyl monomers in Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Shigeto, Jun; Ueda, Yukie; Sasaki, Shinya; Fujita, Koki; Tsutsumi, Yuji

    2017-01-01

    Most of the known 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase (4CL) isoforms lack CoA-ligation activity for sinapic acid. Therefore, there is some doubt as to whether sinapic acid contributes to sinapyl alcohol biosynthesis. In this study, we characterized the enzyme activity of a protein mixture extracted from the developing xylem of Robinia pseudoacacia. The crude protein mixture contained at least two 4CLs with sinapic acid 4-CoA ligation activity. The crude enzyme preparation displayed negligible sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, but showed ferulic acid 5-hydroxylation activity and 5-hydroxyferulic acid O-methyltransferase activity; these activities were retained in the presence of competitive substrates (coniferaldehyde and 5-hydroxyconiferaldehyde, respectively). 5-Hydroxyferulic acid and sinapic acid accumulated in the developing xylem of R. pseudoacacia, suggesting, in part at least, sinapic acid is a sinapyl alcohol precursor in this species.

  13. Symbiosis of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Robinia pseudoacacia L. Improves Root Tensile Strength and Soil Aggregate Stability

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Haoqiang; Liu, Zhenkun; Chen, Hui; Tang, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) is a widely planted tree species on Loess Plateau for revegetation. Due to its symbiosis forming capability with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, we explored the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant biomass, root morphology, root tensile strength and soil aggregate stability in a pot experiment. We inoculated R. pseudoacacia with/without AM fungus (Rhizophagus irregularis or Glomus versiforme), and measured root colonization, plant growth, root morphological characters, root tensile force and tensile strength, and parameters for soil aggregate stability at twelve weeks after inoculation. AM fungi colonized more than 70% plant root, significantly improved plant growth. Meanwhile, AM fungi elevated root morphological parameters, root tensile force, root tensile strength, Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) content in soil, and parameters for soil aggregate stability such as water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD). Root length was highly correlated with WSA, MWD and GMD, while hyphae length was highly correlated with GRSP content. The improved R. pseudoacacia growth, root tensile strength and soil aggregate stability indicated that AM fungi could accelerate soil fixation and stabilization with R. pseudoacacia, and its function in revegetation on Loess Plateau deserves more attention. PMID:27064570

  14. Time-dependent phosphate dynamics in reclaimed lignite-mine soils under Robinia pseudoacacia L.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freese, Dirk; Slazak, Anna

    2017-04-01

    As a consequence of the opencast lignite mining activities in Lusatia/Germany, the cultivation of Short Rotation Coppice plantations (SRC) has been considered as a viable option for reclamation purposes. In this region an area of about 1000 km2 has been degraded. Owing to the unfavourable biotic and abiotic properties of the overburden mining substrate, the biogeochemical processes associated with the soil ecosystem development are in the initial phase. The substrate contains very low amount of nutrients, mainly very low total Phosphate (P) content nearly equal to zero. The lack of P is one of the main issues in reclamation of this marginal site. Therefore, the cultivation of perennial SRC with Robinia pseudoacacia L. is considered as a supporting measurement for effective soil reclamation. In this context, it is important to understand the dynamics of P in this "initial substrate" to describe the P availability and P sorption/desorption.. Iron/aluminium oxides and organic matter are the soil constituents most strongly affecting the reactions and rate of P sorption and desorption, also in post-mining soils. Therefore the interaction of these oxides and organic matter with P is essential with regard to developing effective nutrient management strategies for marginal sites. The study focused on P sorption and desorption with regard to different development stages of R. pseudoacacia L. established in a short rotation coppices on the post mining soils. to describe the P availability (Pav) in relation to total P mobility. The hypothesis is that SRC would cause significant changes in soil P dynamics over time in post lignite mining soils. The trees has been planted in between 1995 and 2007, which means that R. pseudoacacia L. was in a range of 2 to 20 years old at different sampling times. Soil was sampled in 2008 and 2015 at three depths of: 0-3cm, 3-10 cm and 10-30 cm. To characterize the P dynamics different P forms and P sorption/desorption kinetics were analysed

  15. Contrasting dynamics of leaf potential and gas exchange during progressive drought cycles and recovery in Amorpha fruticosa and Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Yan, Weiming; Zheng, Shuxia; Zhong, Yangquanwei; Shangguan, Zhouping

    2017-06-30

    Leaf gas exchange is closely associated with water relations; however, less attention has been given to this relationship over successive drought events. Dynamic changes in gas exchange and water potential in the seedlings of two woody species, Amorpha fruticosa and Robinia pseudoacacia, were monitored during recurrent drought. The pre-dawn leaf water potential declined in parallel with gas exchange in both species, and sharp declines in gas exchange occurred with decreasing water potential. A significant correlation between pre-dawn water potential and gas exchange was observed in both species and showed a right shift in R. pseudoacacia in the second drought. The results suggested that stomatal closure in early drought was mediated mainly by elevated foliar abscisic acid (ABA) in R. pseudoacacia, while a shift from ABA-regulated to leaf-water-potential-driven stomatal closure was observed in A. fruticosa. After re-watering, the pre-dawn water potential recovered quickly, whereas stomatal conductance did not fully recover from drought in R. pseudoacacia, which affected the ability to tightly control transpiration post-drought. The dynamics of recovery from drought suggest that stomatal behavior post-drought may be restricted mainly by hydraulic factors, but non-hydraulic factors may also be involved in R. pseudoacacia.

  16. Factors controlling plasticity of leaf morphology in Robinia pseudoacacia: III. biophysical constraints on leaf expansion under long-term water stress

    Treesearch

    Yanxiang ​Zhang; Maria Alejandra Equiza; Quanshui Zheng; Melvin T. Tyree

    2011-01-01

    In this article, we measured the relative growth rate (RGR) of leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings under well-watered and water-stressed conditions (mid-day Ψw = leaf water potential estimated with a pressure bomb of −0.48 and −0.98 MPa, respectively). Pressure–volume (PV) curves were done on growing leaves at 25, 50 and 95% of the mature size...

  17. Herbaspirillum robiniae sp. nov., isolated from root nodules of Robinia pseudoacacia in a lead-zinc mine.

    PubMed

    Fan, Miao-Chun; Guo, Yan-Qing; Zhang, Li-Ping; Zhu, Ya-Min; Chen, Wei-Min; Lin, Yan-Bing; Wei, Ge-Hong

    2018-04-01

    A novel endophytic bacterium, designated strain HZ10 T , was isolated from root nodules of Robinia pseudoacacia growing in a lead-zinc mine in Mianxian County, Shaanxi Province, China. The bacterium was Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, slightly curved- and rod-shaped, methyl red-negative, catalase-positive, and did not produce H2S. Strain HZ10 T grew at 4-45 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C), pH 5-9 (optimum, pH 7-8) and 0-1 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids were identified as C16 : 0, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), and the quinone type was Q-8. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.9 mol% based on the whole genome sequence. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the closest phylogenetic relative to strain HZ10 T is Herbaspirillum chlorophenolicum CPW301 T (98.72 % sequence identity). Genome relatedness of the type strains H. chlorophenolicum CPW301 T , Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67 T and Herbaspirillum aquaticum IEH 4430 T , was quantified by using the average nucleotide identity (86.9-88.0 %) and a genome-to-genome distance analysis (26.6 %-29.3 %), with both strongly supporting the notion that strain HZ10 T belongs to the genus Herbaspirillum as a novel species. Based on the results from phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological analyses, strain HZ10 T represents a novel Herbaspirillum species, for which the name Herbaspirillum robiniae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HZ10 T (=JCM 31754 T =CCTCC AB 2014352 T ).

  18. Subcellular Compartmentalization and Chemical Forms of Lead Participate in Lead Tolerance of Robinia pseudoacacia L. with Funneliformis mosseae

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Li; Zhang, Haoqiang; Song, Yingying; Yang, Yurong; Chen, Hui; Tang, Ming

    2017-01-01

    The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on the subcellular compartmentalization and chemical forms of lead (Pb) in Pb tolerance plants was assessed in a pot experiment in greenhouse conditions. We measured root colonization, plant growth, photosynthesis, subcellular compartmentalization and chemical forms of Pb in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seedlings inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae isolate (BGC XJ01A) under a range of Pb treatments (0, 90, 900, and 3000 mg Pb kg-1 soil). The majority of Pb was retained in the roots of R. pseudoacacia under Pb stress, with a significantly higher retention in the inoculated seedlings. F. mosseae inoculation significantly increased the proportion of Pb in the cell wall and soluble fractions and decreased the proportion of Pb in the organelle fraction of roots, stems, and leaves, with the largest proportion of Pb segregated in the cell wall fraction. F. mosseae inoculation increased the proportion of inactive Pb (especially pectate- and protein-integrated Pb and Pb phosphate) and reduced the proportion of water-soluble Pb in the roots, stems, and leaves. The subcellular compartmentalization of Pb in different chemical forms was highly correlated with improved plant biomass, height, and photosynthesis in the inoculated seedlings. This study indicates that F. mosseae could improve Pb tolerance in R. pseudoacacia seedlings growing in Pb polluted soils. PMID:28443111

  19. Root-soil air gap and resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface of Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Liu, X P; Zhang, W J; Wang, X Y; Cai, Y J; Chang, J G

    2015-12-01

    During periods of water deficit, growing roots may shrink, retaining only partial contact with the soil. In this study, known mathematical models were used to calculate the root-soil air gap and water flow resistance at the soil-root interface, respectively, of Robinia pseudoacacia L. under different water conditions. Using a digital camera, the root-soil air gap of R. pseudoacacia was investigated in a root growth chamber; this root-soil air gap and the model-inferred water flow resistance at the soil-root interface were compared with predictions based on a separate outdoor experiment. The results indicated progressively greater root shrinkage and loss of root-soil contact with decreasing soil water potential. The average widths of the root-soil air gap for R. pseudoacacia in open fields and in the root growth chamber were 0.24 and 0.39 mm, respectively. The resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface in both environments increased with decreasing soil water potential. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that soil water potential and soil temperature were the best predictors of variation in the root-soil air gap. A combination of soil water potential, soil temperature, root-air water potential difference and soil-root water potential difference best predicted the resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Influence of Robinia pseudoacacia short rotation coppice on soil physical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xavier, Morvan; Isabelle, Bertrand; Gwenaelle, Gibaud

    2015-04-01

    Human activities can lead to the degradation of soil physical properties. For instance, machinery traffic across the land can induce the development of compacted areas at the wheel tracks. It leads to a decrease in porosity which results in a decrease of the hydraulic conductivity, and therefore, prevents water infiltration and promotes surface runoff. Land use, soil management and soil cover also have a significant influence on soil physical properties (Kodesova et al., 2011). In the arable land, surface runoff and soil erosion are enhanced by the absence of soil cover for part of the year and by the decrease of aggregate stability due to a decline of soil organic matter. In that context, few studies focused on the effects of a Robinia pseudoacacia short rotation coppice (SRC) on soil physical properties. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of the conversion of a grassland in a SRC on soil physical properties. These properties have also been compared to those of arable land and natural forest. For that, in several plots of the experimental farm of Grignon (30 km west of Paris, France), different measurements were performed: i) soil water retention on a pressure plate apparatus for 7 water potential between 0 and 1500 kPa, ii) bulk density using the method for gravelly and rocky soil recommended by the USDA, iii) aggregate stability using the method described in Le Bissonnais (1996), and iv) soil hydraulic conductivity using a Guelph permeameter. All these measurements were performed on the same soil type and on different land uses: arable land (AL), grassland (GL), natural forest (NF) and short rotation coppice (SRC) of Robinia pseudoacacia planted 5 years ago. Soil water retention measurements are still under progress and will be presented in congress. Bulk density measurements of the AL, GL and SRC are not significantly different. They ranged from 1.32 to 1.42. Only the NF measurements are significantly lower than the other (0.97). Aggregate

  1. Selection occurs within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction in Robinia pseudoacacia

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Pollen donor compositions differ during the early stages of reproduction due to various selection mechanisms. In addition, ovules linearly ordered within a fruit have different probabilities of reaching maturity. Few attempts, however, have been made to directly examine the magnitude and timing of selection, as well as the mechanisms during early life stages and within fruit. Robinia pseudoacacia, which contains linear fruit and non-random ovule maturation and abortion patterns, has been used to study the viability of selection within fruit and during the early stages of reproduction. To examine changes in the pollen donor composition during the early stages of reproduction and of progeny originating from different positions within fruit, paternity analyses were performed for three early life stages (aborted seeds, mature seeds and seedlings) in the insect-pollinated tree R. pseudoacacia. Results Selection resulted in an overall decrease in the level of surviving selfed progeny at each life stage. The greatest change was observed between the aborted seed stage and mature seed stage, indicative of inbreeding depression (the reduced fitness of a given population that occurs when related individual breeding was responsible for early selection). A selective advantage was detected among paternal trees. Within fruits, the distal ends showed higher outcrossing rates than the basal ends, indicative of selection based on the order of seeds within the fruit. Conclusions Our results suggest that selection exists both within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction, and that this selection can affect male reproductive success during the early life stages. This indicates that tree species with mixed-mating systems may have evolved pollen selection mechanisms to increase the fitness of progeny and adjust the population genetic composition. The early selection that we detected suggests that inbreeding depression caused the high abortion rate and low

  2. Selection occurs within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction in Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Cun-Quan; Sun, Yu-Han; Li, Yun-Fei; Zhao, Ke-Qi; Hu, Rui-Yang; Li, Yun

    2014-03-21

    Pollen donor compositions differ during the early stages of reproduction due to various selection mechanisms. In addition, ovules linearly ordered within a fruit have different probabilities of reaching maturity. Few attempts, however, have been made to directly examine the magnitude and timing of selection, as well as the mechanisms during early life stages and within fruit. Robinia pseudoacacia, which contains linear fruit and non-random ovule maturation and abortion patterns, has been used to study the viability of selection within fruit and during the early stages of reproduction. To examine changes in the pollen donor composition during the early stages of reproduction and of progeny originating from different positions within fruit, paternity analyses were performed for three early life stages (aborted seeds, mature seeds and seedlings) in the insect-pollinated tree R. pseudoacacia. Selection resulted in an overall decrease in the level of surviving selfed progeny at each life stage. The greatest change was observed between the aborted seed stage and mature seed stage, indicative of inbreeding depression (the reduced fitness of a given population that occurs when related individual breeding was responsible for early selection). A selective advantage was detected among paternal trees. Within fruits, the distal ends showed higher outcrossing rates than the basal ends, indicative of selection based on the order of seeds within the fruit. Our results suggest that selection exists both within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction, and that this selection can affect male reproductive success during the early life stages. This indicates that tree species with mixed-mating systems may have evolved pollen selection mechanisms to increase the fitness of progeny and adjust the population genetic composition. The early selection that we detected suggests that inbreeding depression caused the high abortion rate and low seed set in R. pseudoacacia.

  3. Self-organizing feature map (neural networks) as a tool to select the best indicator of road traffic pollution (soil, leaves or bark of Robinia pseudoacacia L.).

    PubMed

    Samecka-Cymerman, A; Stankiewicz, A; Kolon, K; Kempers, A J

    2009-07-01

    Concentrations of the elements Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the leaves and bark of Robinia pseudoacacia and the soil in which it grew, in the town of Oleśnica (SW Poland) and at a control site. We selected this town because emission from motor vehicles is practically the only source of air pollution, and it seemed interesting to evaluate its influence on soil and plants. The self-organizing feature map (SOFM) yielded distinct groups of soils and R. pseudoacacia leaves and bark, depending on traffic intensity. Only the map classifying bark samples identified an additional group of highly polluted sites along the main highway from Wrocław to Warszawa. The bark of R. pseudoacacia seems to be a better bioindicator of long-term cumulative traffic pollution in the investigated area, while leaves are good indicators of short-term seasonal accumulation trends.

  4. The bark of Robinia pseudoacacia contains a complex mixture of lectins.Characterization of the proteins and the cDNA clones.

    PubMed Central

    Van Damme, E J; Barre, A; Smeets, K; Torrekens, S; Van Leuven, F; Rougé, P; Peumans, W J

    1995-01-01

    Two lectins were isolated from the inner bark of Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). The first (and major) lectin (called RPbAI) is composed of five isolectins that originate from the association of 31.5- and 29-kD polypeptides into tetramers. In contrast, the second (minor) lectin (called RPbAII) is a hometetramer composed of 26-kD subunits. The cDNA clones encoding the polypeptides of RPbAI and RPbAII were isolated and their sequences determined. Apparently all three polypeptides are translated from mRNAs of approximately 1.2 kb. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences of the different clones indicates that the 31.5- and 29-kD RPbAI polypeptides show approximately 80% sequence identity and are homologous to the previously reported legume seed lectins, whereas the 26-kD RPbAII polypeptide shows only 33% sequence identity to the previously described legume lectins. Modeling the 31.5-kD subunit of RPbAI predicts that its three-dimensional structure is strongly related to the three-dimensional models that have been determined thus far for a few legume lectins. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA isolated from Robinia has revealed that the Robinia bark lectins are the result of the expression of a small family of lectin genes. PMID:7716244

  5. Elevated CO2 affects secondary metabolites in Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings in Cd- and Pb-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Jia, Xia; Zhao, Yonghua; Liu, Tuo; Huang, Shuping

    2016-10-01

    Secondary metabolites play important roles in plant interactions with the environment. The co-occurrence of heavy metal contamination of soils and rising atmospheric CO2 has important effects on plant. It is important to explore the ways in which production of plant secondary metabolites is affected by heavy metals under elevated atmospheric CO2. We examined the effects of elevated CO2 on secondary metabolite contents in Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings grown in Cd- and lead (Pb)-contaminated soils. The increase in secondary metabolites was greater under Cd + Pb exposure than under exposure to individual metals regardless of elevated CO2 with the exception of condensed tannins in leaves and total alkaloids in stems. Except for phenolic compounds and condensed tannins, elevated CO2 was associated with increased secondary metabolite contents in leaves and stems of plants exposed to Cd, Pb, and Cd + Pb compared to plants exposed to ambient CO2 + metals. Changes in saponins in leaves and alkaloids in stems were greater than changes in the other secondary metabolites. Significant interactive effects of CO2, Cd, and Pb on secondary metabolites were observed. Saponins in leaves and alkaloids in stems were more sensitive than other secondary metabolites to elevated CO2 + Cd + Pb. Elevated CO2 could modulate plant protection and defense mechanisms in R. pseudoacacia seedlings exposed to heavy metals by altering the production of secondary metabolites. The increased Cd and Pb uptake under elevated CO2 suggested that R. pseudoacacia may be used in the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils under global environmental scenarios. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals by the leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia as a bioindicator tree in industrial zones.

    PubMed

    Tzvetkova, Nikolina; Petkova, Krassimira

    2015-01-01

    The study is a part of research project on using short rotation plantations in biomass production. The aim of this investigation was to determine the accumulation characteristics of Robinia pseudoacacia leaves as a biomonitor of heavy-metal pollution in the industrial regions in Bulgaria. The study was carried out in 25-year-old plantations located in close vicinity of industrial area Devnia, Eastern Bulgaria. Devnia is a zone, highly contaminated by cement factories, nitrogen fertilizers and polyvinylchloride factories. Controls were similarly aged plantations on a background area 15 km away from the emission sources. The concentration of nutrients and heavy metals in the leaves of damaged and control plants were investigated. Decreased levels of total nitrogen (6%), total phosphorous (11%), potassium (36%) and magnesium (3%) were detected in September for polluted trees as compared to control trees. Lead content (30.7 mg kg(-1)) was 1.38 times higher as compared to control, whereas accumulation of zinc (19.0 mg kg2) about 1.37 times more than control. An excessive accumulation of copper in the leaves collected from the polluted area (17.2 mg kg(-1)) was 2.15 times higher than control. The concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu in the contaminated soil under black locust plantation were 38.2, 77.4 and 101.3 mg kg(-1), respectively. Our results showed that the leaves of R. pseudoacacia accumulated Pb, Zn and Cu in parallelity with their increase in the contaminated soil. R. pseudoacacia may be considered as a good biomonitor of soil pollution especially with Cu, and at lower extent for Pb and Zn in the industrial region of Devnia.

  7. The effects of lead stress on photosynthetic function and chloroplast ultrastructure of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jian; Jiang, Zeping; Ma, Jie; Yang, Lifeng; Wei, Yuan

    2017-04-01

    In this experiment, the effects of different lead (Pb) concentrations (0, 200, 600, 1000, 1400 mg kg -1 ) on photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence in Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings were examined. As Pb concentration increased, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance (g s ), and mesophyll intercellular carbon dioxide concentration were gradually reduced. Maximal photochemical efficiency, photochemical quenching, and quantum yield also decreased. However, the initial fluorescence and nonphotochemical quenching gradually increased. Chloroplasts swelled owing to local plasmolysis and lost most of their starch content, and their thylakoid lamellae gradually became disordered and loosely packed. When the chloroplast envelope was lost under high Pb stress (≥1000 mg kg -1 ), lipid globules were released into the surrounding mesophyll cell. Multiple regression analysis showed that g s and inactivity of the PSII reaction center had the greatest effect on photosynthetic function, whereas inhibition of electron transport had minimal effects on black locust seedlings under Pb stress.

  8. Assessment of Robinia pseudoacacia cultivations as a restoration strategy for reclaimed mine spoil heaps.

    PubMed

    Vlachodimos, Kostas; Papatheodorou, Efimia M; Diamantopoulos, John; Monokrousos, Nikolaos

    2013-08-01

    Reforestation with black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is considered a successful technique that is often used for the reclamation of open-cast mine areas. An alternative reclamation technique could be the natural regeneration of vegetation with spontaneous grass species. In this study, we compared the concentrations of chemical and biochemical variables in soil samples taken under black locust canopy to those from sites covered by spontaneous grass vegetation (control samples) in a time sequence of spoil deposition (0-10 years), in order to assess which of the two reclamation techniques yields higher soil quality. Soil quality refers here to the ability of soils to function ecologically. This has a special interest since the main question for the restored soils is their capacity to perform a range of ecological functions under stress or disturbance. Furthermore, we aimed at identifying the effect of vegetation type on soil ecological succession. The effect of vegetation type on primary succession becomes apparent after 2 years of reclamation. R. pseudoacacia as a nitrogen-fixing plant enriched soil with organic and inorganic nitrogen and organic matter to a greater extent than the natural grasses. It also increased the amount of soil microbial biomass and the activity of alkaline phosphatase. However, the fact that black locust failed to enhance dehydrogenase activity and actually decreased the activity of urease, activities that represent specialized niche functions and therefore, are more vulnerable to stress or disturbance, suggests that the development of an indigenous grass community in combination with organic supplements might often be more appropriate for the reclamation of similar kinds of mine areas.

  9. Optimisation of biomass productivity of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) on marginal lands - a case study in Lower Lusatia, NE Germany

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seserman, Diana-Maria; Veste, Maik; Freese, Dirk

    2017-04-01

    The profitability of reclaiming post-mining areas depends on the tree biomass productivity and the restoration of ecosystem functions, such as improving soil and water quality. Agroforestry systems, regarded as combined land-use systems of trees and crops, have the ability to facilitate soil development while reducing wind speed, soil erosion and evaporation. Achieving the maximum biomass productivity of the tree stands depends on the corresponding soil conditions and water availability, but is also influenced by stand structure and the competition between individual trees. For this purpose, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) trees were planted in a Nelder design in 2010, on a reclaimed post-mining site of the open-cast lignite mining in Welzow Süd (Brandenburg, Germany). Black locust is regarded as a drought-adapted tree species and commonly used for the reclamation of former lignite mining sites in Lower Lusatia, Germany. The Nelder design encompasses angles of arc of equal measure and with the same origin traversed by successive circumferences set at a predefined radial distance. Accordingly, a total of 1071 trees were planted in Welzow Süd at the intersection between 63 spokes and 17 circumferences and at densities ranging from 0.4 to 8.0 m2, with the aim of examining the influence of stand density on the tree growth in a timeframe of six years. In order to evaluate the biomass production of the trees and to determine an optimal planting density on a marginal land, various scenarios were assessed with the help of the Yield-SAFE model, a parameter-sparse process-based agroforestry model. The study revealed the consequences of choosing different tree densities on the tree biomass productivity and water use of trees in relation to the competition for light and water. References Keesman KJ, van der Werf W, van Keulen H, 2007. Production ecology of agroforestry systems: A minimal mechanistic model and analytical derivation of the land equivalent ratio

  10. Bactericidal effect of extracts and metabolites of Robinia pseudoacacia L. on Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis causing dental plaque and periodontal inflammatory diseases.

    PubMed

    Patra, Jayanta Kumar; Kim, Eun Sil; Oh, Kyounghee; Kim, Hyeon-Jeong; Dhakal, Radhika; Kim, Yangseon; Baek, Kwang-Hyun

    2015-04-08

    The mouth cavity hosts many types of anaerobic bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, which cause periodontal inflammatory diseases and dental caries. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial potential of extracts of Robinia pseudoacacia and its different fractions, as well as some of its natural compounds against oral pathogens and a nonpathogenic reference bacteria, Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activity of the crude extract and the solvent fractions (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol) of R. pseudoacacia were evaluated against S. mutans, P. gingivalis and E. coli DH5α by standard micro-assay procedure using conventional sterile polystyrene microplates. The results showed that the crude extract was more active against P. gingivalis (100% growth inhibition) than against S. mutans (73% growth inhibition) at 1.8 mg/mL. The chloroform and hexane fractions were active against P. gingivalis, with 91 and 97% growth inhibition, respectively, at 0.2 mg/mL. None of seven natural compounds found in R. pseudoacacia exerted an antibacterial effect on P. gingivalis; however, fisetin and myricetin at 8 µg/mL inhibited the growth of S. mutans by 81% and 86%, respectively. The crude extract of R. pseudoacacia possesses bioactive compounds that could completely control the growth of P. gingivalis. The antibiotic activities of the hexane and chloroform fractions suggest that the active compounds are hydrophobic in nature. The results indicate the effectiveness of the plant in clinical applications for the treatment of dental plaque and periodontal inflammatory diseases and its potential use as disinfectant for various surgical and orthodontic appliances.

  11. Phytohormone and assimilate profiles in emasculated flowers of the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) during development.

    PubMed

    Sun, Peng; Yuan, Cunquan; Dai, Li; Xi, Yang; Li, Yunfei; Hu, Ruiyang; Sun, Yuhan; Xu, Zhaohe; Li, Yun

    2013-09-01

    Emasculation and bagging of flowers, which are widely used in the controlled pollination of monoclinous plants, may induce premature senescence, flower abscission and low fruit set. To determine the mechanism responsible for these phenomena, levels of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ethylene, soluble sugars, reducing sugars and free amino acids in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) flowers subjected to different treatments were quantified at different developmental stages. The phytohormones and assimilates were also quantified in untreated flowers to investigate the presence of discernible patterns. The levels of ethylene and ABA in emasculated and bagged (EB) flowers increased prematurely compared with those of untreated flowers, whereas the content of reducing sugars in EB flowers decreased compared with that of untreated flowers. These results indicated that the premature increase in ethylene and ABA synthesis, and the decrease in reducing sugars content, in EB flowers may cause flower abscission and result in low fruit set, which may be relevant for assimilate applications and future research on the regulation of controlled pollinations with exogenous phytohormones.

  12. Immune enhancement of Taishan Robinia pseudoacacia polysaccharide on recombinant Proteus mirabilis OmpA in chickens.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yongbing; Yang, Shifa; Zhao, Xue; Yang, Ya; Li, Bing; Zhu, Fujie; Zhu, Ruiliang

    2014-09-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Taishan Robinia pseudoacacia polysaccharide (TRPPS) on immune responses of chickens immunized with Proteus mirabilis outer membrane protein A (OmpA) recombinant protein vaccine. OmpA was expressed in Pichia pastoris and mixed with TRPPS. 360 chickens were randomly divided into six groups. Groups I to IV were treated with OmpA which contained TRPPS of three different dosages, Freund's adjuvant, respectively. Groups V and VI were treated with pure OmpA and physiological saline, respectively. The data showed that the antibody titers against OmpA, the concentration of IL-2, CD4 +, and CD8 +, T lymphocyte proliferation rate in Group II were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in the other groups, little difference in SIgA content was observed among groups I to VI. These results indicated that TRPPS strengthened humoral and cellular immune responses against recombinant OmpA vaccine. Moreover, 200 mg/mL TRPPS showed significance (P < 0.05) compared with Freund's adjuvant. Therefore, TRPPS can be developed into an adjuvant for recombinant subunit vaccine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Mapping Robinia pseudoacacia forest health in the Yellow River delta by using high-resolution IKONOS imagery and object-based image analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hong; Lu, Kaiyu; Pu, Ruiliang

    2016-10-01

    The Robinia pseudoacacia forest in the Yellow River delta of China has been planted since the 1970s, and a large area of dieback of the forest has occurred since the 1990s. To assess the condition of the R. pseudoacacia forest in three forest areas (i.e., Gudao, Machang, and Abandoned Yellow River) in the delta, we combined an estimation of scale parameters tool and geometry/topology assessment criteria to determine the optimal scale parameters, selected optimal predictive variables determined by stepwise discriminant analysis, and compared object-based image analysis (OBIA) and pixel-based approaches using IKONOS data. The experimental results showed that the optimal segmentation scale is 5 for both the Gudao and Machang forest areas, and 12 for the Abandoned Yellow River forest area. The results produced by the OBIA method were much better than those created by the pixel-based method. The overall accuracy of the OBIA method was 93.7% (versus 85.4% by the pixel-based) for Gudao, 89.0% (versus 72.7%) for Abandoned Yellow River, and 91.7% (versus 84.4%) for Machang. Our analysis results demonstrated that the OBIA method was an effective tool for rapidly mapping and assessing the health levels of forest.

  14. Gas exchange by the mesic-origin, arid land plantation species Robinia pseudoacacia under annual summer reduction in plant hydraulic conductance.

    PubMed

    Miyazawa, Yoshiyuki; Du, Sheng; Taniguchi, Takeshi; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Kumagai, Tomo'omi

    2018-03-28

    The mesic-origin plantation species Robinia pseudoacacia L. has been successfully grown in many arid land plantations around the world but often exhibits dieback and reduced growth due to drought. Therefore, to explore the behavior of this species under changing environmental conditions, we examined the relationship between ecophysiological traits, gas exchange and plant hydraulics over a 3-year period in trees that experienced reduced plant hydraulic conductance (Gp) in summer. We found that the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance (Gs) and minimum leaf water potential (Ψlmin) decreased in early summer in response to a decrease in Gp, and that Gp did not recover until the expansion of new leaves in spring. However, we did not observe any changes in the leaf area index or other ecophysiological traits at the leaf level in response to this reduction in Gp. Furthermore, model simulations based on measured data revealed that the canopy-scale photosynthetic rate (Ac) was 15-25% higher than the simulated Ac when it was assumed that Ψlmin remained constant after spring but almost the same as the simulated Ac when it was assumed that Gp remained high even after spring. These findings indicate that R. pseudoacacia was frequently exposed to a reduced Gp at the study site but offset its effects on Ac by plastically lowering Ψlmin to avoid experiencing any further reduction in Gp or Gs.

  15. Canopy transpiration of two black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plantations with different ages in semi-arid Loess Plateau, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiao, L.

    2015-12-01

    Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) was widely planted to control soil erosion and restore degraded ecosystem in Loess Plateau. The water use of the plantations was concerned due to its potential effects on hydrological cycle and regional water resource. Although some studies estimated canopy transpiration (Ec) of the mature black locust plantation, variation in Ec in plantations with different ages was not clear. In this study, we selected two plantations with different ages (12 years and 27 years, denoted as young stand and mature stand, respectively) in similar topographical conditions in Yangjuangou catchment in the central of Loess Plateau. Sap flux density (Fd) and tree biometrics were measured in each stand during the growing season in 2014. Soil water content (SWC) in each plot and meteorological variables in the catchment were simultaneously monitored. Tree transpiration (Et) was derived from Fd and tree sapwood area (As). Canopy transpiration (Ec) was estimated by a product of mean stand sap flux density (Js) and stand total sapwood area (AST). The mean Fd of mature trees was 2-fold larger than that of young trees.However, tree-to-tree variation in Fd among sampled trees within mature stand was evident compared to that within young stand. Mean Et in mature stand was higher than that in young stand. Ec in mature stand was significant higher than that in young stand,with cumulative value of 54 mm and 27 mm respectively. This is attributed to higher Js in mature stand although AST in young is slightly higher than that in mature stand. The patterns of daily Ec during the growing season were similar in both stands during the study period. A exponential saturation model can explain the responses of Ec to vapor deficit pressure (VPD) and solar radiation (Rs) in both stands.The relationship between Ec and SWC was not detected. Our finding suggested that stand age should be taken into consideration when estimated vegetation water use in this region. Further

  16. The Combined Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Lead (Pb) Stress on Pb Accumulation, Plant Growth Parameters, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Robinia pseudoacacia L.

    DOE PAGES

    Yang, Yurong; Han, Xiaozhen; Liang, Yan; ...

    2015-12-23

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered as a potential biotechnological tool for improving phytostabilization efficiency and plant tolerance to heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, the mechanisms through which AMF help to alleviate metal toxicity in plants are still poorly understood. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of two AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices) on the growth, Pb accumulation, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activities of a leguminous tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) at Pb addition levels of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg -1 soil. AMF symbiosis decreased Pb concentrations in the leaves and promoted the accumulationmore » of biomass as well as photosynthetic pigment contents. Mycorrhizal plants had higher gas exchange capacity, non-photochemistry efficiency, and photochemistry efficiency compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidases (APX) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were enhanced, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were reduced in mycorrhizal plants. These findings suggested that AMF symbiosis could protect plants by alleviating cellular oxidative damage in response to Pb stress. Furthermore, mycorrhizal dependency on plants increased with increasing Pb stress levels, indicating that AMF inoculation likely played a more important role in plant Pb tolerance in heavily contaminated soils. Overall, both F. mosseae and R. intraradices were able to maintain efficient symbiosis with R. pseudoacacia in Pb polluted soils. AMF symbiosis can improve photosynthesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capabilities and decrease Pb concentrations in leaves to alleviate Pb toxicity in R. pseudoacacia. In conclusion, our results suggest that the application of the two AMF species associated with R. pseudoacacia could be a promising strategy for enhancing the phytostabilization

  17. The Combined Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Lead (Pb) Stress on Pb Accumulation, Plant Growth Parameters, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Robinia pseudoacacia L.

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Yan; Ghosh, Amit; Chen, Jie; Tang, Ming

    2015-01-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered as a potential biotechnological tool for improving phytostabilization efficiency and plant tolerance to heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, the mechanisms through which AMF help to alleviate metal toxicity in plants are still poorly understood. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of two AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices) on the growth, Pb accumulation, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activities of a leguminous tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) at Pb addition levels of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg-1 soil. AMF symbiosis decreased Pb concentrations in the leaves and promoted the accumulation of biomass as well as photosynthetic pigment contents. Mycorrhizal plants had higher gas exchange capacity, non-photochemistry efficiency, and photochemistry efficiency compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidases (APX) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were enhanced, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were reduced in mycorrhizal plants. These findings suggested that AMF symbiosis could protect plants by alleviating cellular oxidative damage in response to Pb stress. Furthermore, mycorrhizal dependency on plants increased with increasing Pb stress levels, indicating that AMF inoculation likely played a more important role in plant Pb tolerance in heavily contaminated soils. Overall, both F. mosseae and R. intraradices were able to maintain efficient symbiosis with R. pseudoacacia in Pb polluted soils. AMF symbiosis can improve photosynthesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capabilities and decrease Pb concentrations in leaves to alleviate Pb toxicity in R. pseudoacacia. Our results suggest that the application of the two AMF species associated with R. pseudoacacia could be a promising strategy for enhancing the phytostabilization efficiency of Pb contaminated

  18. The Combined Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Lead (Pb) Stress on Pb Accumulation, Plant Growth Parameters, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Robinia pseudoacacia L.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, Yurong; Han, Xiaozhen; Liang, Yan

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered as a potential biotechnological tool for improving phytostabilization efficiency and plant tolerance to heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, the mechanisms through which AMF help to alleviate metal toxicity in plants are still poorly understood. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of two AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices) on the growth, Pb accumulation, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activities of a leguminous tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) at Pb addition levels of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg -1 soil. AMF symbiosis decreased Pb concentrations in the leaves and promoted the accumulationmore » of biomass as well as photosynthetic pigment contents. Mycorrhizal plants had higher gas exchange capacity, non-photochemistry efficiency, and photochemistry efficiency compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidases (APX) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were enhanced, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were reduced in mycorrhizal plants. These findings suggested that AMF symbiosis could protect plants by alleviating cellular oxidative damage in response to Pb stress. Furthermore, mycorrhizal dependency on plants increased with increasing Pb stress levels, indicating that AMF inoculation likely played a more important role in plant Pb tolerance in heavily contaminated soils. Overall, both F. mosseae and R. intraradices were able to maintain efficient symbiosis with R. pseudoacacia in Pb polluted soils. AMF symbiosis can improve photosynthesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capabilities and decrease Pb concentrations in leaves to alleviate Pb toxicity in R. pseudoacacia. In conclusion, our results suggest that the application of the two AMF species associated with R. pseudoacacia could be a promising strategy for enhancing the phytostabilization

  19. Activities of some enzymes of lignin formation in reaction wood of Thuja orientalis, Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Kutsuki, H; Higuchi, T

    1981-07-01

    The activities of the following five enzymes which are involved in the formation of lignin have been compared in reaction wood and in opposite wood: phenylalanine ammonia lyase (EC 4.3.1.5), caffeate 3-O-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.-), p-hydroxycinnamate: CoA ligase (EC 6.2.1.12), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.-) and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7). The activities of the four first-named enzymes in the compression wood of Thuja orientalis L. and Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng were 2.8±1.4-fold and 2.6±1.5-fold higher than those in opposite wood, respectively, whereas peroxidase had the same level of activity in either type of wood. On the other hand, no differences were observed in the activities of the five enzymes between tension and opposite woods of Robinia pseudoacacia L. These findings are well in accord with the chemical structure of lignin in the compression and tension woods of the three species studied: high content of lignin rich in condensed units in compression wood, and little difference in lignin between tension and opposite woods.

  20. Water entry for the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seeds observed by dedicated micro-magnetic resonance imaging.

    PubMed

    Koizumi, Mika; Kano, Hiromi

    2016-07-01

    Water entry at germination for black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seeds which are known as hard seeds with impermeable seed coat to water, was examined using micro-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI apparatus equipped with a low-field (1 T; Tesla) permanent magnet was used, which is open access, easy maintenance, operable and transportable. The excellent point of the apparatus is that T 1-enhancement of water signals absorbed in dry seeds against steeping free water is stronger than the apparatuses with high-field superconducting magnets, which enabled clear detection of water entry. Water hardly penetrated into the seeds for more than 8 h but approximately 60 % of seeds germinated by incubating on wet filter papers for several days. Hot water treatments above 75 °C for 3 min effectively induced water gap; scarification was 70 % at 100 °C and 75 °C, declined to 15 % at 50 °C and decreased further at room temperature. Water entered into the scarified seeds exclusively through the lens, spread along the dorsal side of the seeds and reached the hypocotyl, whereas water migrated slowly through hilum side to radicle within 3 h.

  1. Heat-induced chemical and color changes of extractive-free Black Locust (Rosinia Pseudoacacia) wood

    Treesearch

    Yao Chen; Jianmin Gao; Yongming Fan; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Nicole M. Stark

    2012-01-01

    To investigate chemical and color changes of the polymeric constituents of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) wood during heat treatment, extractive-free wood flour was conditioned to 30% initial moisture content (MC) and heated for 24 h at 120 °C in either an oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere. The color change was measured using the CIELAB color system. Chemical changes...

  2. The Geographical Distribution Of The Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia L.) In Poland And Its Role On Non-Forest Land

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wojda, Tomasz; Klisz, Marcin; Jastrzębowski, Szymon; Mionskowski, Marcin; Szyp-Borowska, Iwona; Szczygieł, Krystyna

    2015-01-01

    The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) has been present in Poland for more than 200 years now, its range coming to encompass the entire country, albeit with a particular concentration of occurrence in the west. Overall, it is present in 3.4% of the stands making up Poland's "State Forests National Forest Holding" (Państwowe Gospodarstwo Leśne Lasy Państwowe), and is the dominant species in 0.1% of stands. Thanks to its producing durable wood of favourable energetic properties, this species is used in medium-rotation (≤ 40-year) plantations as well as in biomass energy plantations (where there is a 5-7-year rotation). In terms of its nectar production, the black locust is second only to lime as the Polish tree best serving the production of honey. While the species shows marked expansiveness in Poland, it has not thus far been placed on the list of aliens capable of threatening native species or natural habitats. Breeding of the species has been engaged in - if to only a limited extent - in Poland for some 20 years now, and 2 selected seed stands have been registered, as well as 34 plus trees and 2 seed orchards.

  3. Physiological and proteomic responses to salt stress in chloroplasts of diploid and tetraploid black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)

    PubMed Central

    Meng, Fanjuan; Luo, Qiuxiang; Wang, Qiuyu; Zhang, Xiuli; Qi, Zhenhua; Xu, Fuling; Lei, Xue; Cao, Yuan; Chow, Wah Soon; Sun, Guangyu

    2016-01-01

    Salinity is an important abiotic stressor that negatively affects plant growth. In this study, we investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying moderate and high salt tolerance in diploid (2×) and tetraploid (4×) Robinia pseudoacacia L. Our results showed greater H2O2 accumulation and higher levels of important antioxidative enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants in 4× plants compared with 2× plants under salt stress. In addition, 4× leaves maintained a relatively intact structure compared to 2× leaves under a corresponding condition. NaCl treatment didn’t significantly affect the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance or leaf intercellular CO2 concentrations in 4× leaves. Moreover, proteins from control and salt treated 2× and 4× leaf chloroplast samples were extracted and separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A total of 61 spots in 2× (24) and 4× (27) leaves exhibited reproducible and significant changes under salt stress. In addition, 10 proteins overlapped between 2× and 4× plants under salt stress. These identified proteins were grouped into the following 7 functional categories: photosynthetic Calvin-Benson Cycle (26), photosynthetic electron transfer (7), regulation/defense (5), chaperone (3), energy and metabolism (12), redox homeostasis (1) and unknown function (8). This study provides important information of use in the improvement of salt tolerance in plants. PMID:26975701

  4. Experimental evidence for negative turgor pressure in small leaf cells of Robinia pseudoacacia L versus large cells of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et W.C.Cheng. 1. Evidence from pressure-volume curve analysis of dead tissue.

    PubMed

    Yang, Dongmei; Pan, Shaoan; Ding, Yiting; Tyree, Melvin T

    2017-03-01

    This paper provides a mini-review of evidence for negative turgor pressure in leaf cells starting with experimental evidence in the late 1950s and ending with biomechanical models published in 2014. In the present study, biomechanical models were used to predict how negative turgor pressure might be manifested in dead tissue, and experiments were conducted to test the predictions. The main findings were as follows: (i) Tissues killed by heating to 60 or 80 °C or by freezing in liquid nitrogen all became equally leaky to cell sap solutes and all seemed to pass freely through the cell walls. (ii) Once cell sap solutes could freely pass the cell walls, the shape of pressure-volume curves was dramatically altered between living and dead cells. (iii) Pressure-volume curves of dead tissue seem to measure negative turgor defined as negative when inside minus outside pressure is negative. (iv) Robinia pseudoacacia leaves with small palisade cells had more negative turgor than Metasequoia glyptostroboides with large cells. (v) The absolute difference in negative turgor between R. pseudoacacia and M. glyptostroboides approached as much as 1.0 MPa in some cases. The differences in the manifestation of negative turgor in living versus dead tissue are discussed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Ovule positions within linear fruit are correlated with nonrandom mating in Robinia pseudoacacia

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Cunquan; Sun, Yuhan; Sun, Peng; Li, Yunfei; Hu, Ruiyang; Zhao, Keqi; Wang, Jinxing; Li, Yun

    2016-01-01

    Post-pollination processes can lead to nonrandom mating among compatible pollen donors. Moreover, morphological patterns of ovule development within linear fruits are reportedly nonrandom and depend on ovule position. However, little is known about the relationship between nonrandom mating and ovule position within linear fruit. Here, we combined controlled pollen competition experiments and paternity analyses on R. pseudoacacia to better understand nonrandom mating and its connection with ovule position. Molecular determination of siring success showed a significant departure from the expected ratio based on each kind of pollen mixture, suggesting a nonrandom mating. Outcrossed pollen grains, which were strongly favored, produced significantly more progeny than other pollen grains. Paternity analyses further revealed that the distribution of offspring produced by one specific pollen source was also nonrandom within linear fruit. The stylar end, which has a higher probability of maturation, produced a significantly higher number of outcrossed offspring than other offspring, suggesting a correlation between pollen source and ovule position. Our results suggested that a superior ovule position exists within the linear fruit in R. pseudoacacia, and the pollen that was strongly favored often preferentially occupies the ovules that were situated in a superior position, which ensured siring success and facilitated nonrandom mating. PMID:27819357

  6. Microbial community structure and diversity in the soil spatial profile of 5-year-old Robinia pseudoacacia 'Idaho,' determined by 454 sequencing of the 16S RNA gene.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yanping; Bu, Xiangpan; Niu, Weibo; Xiu, Yu; Wang, Huafang

    2013-01-01

    Relatively little information is available regarding the variability of microbial communities inhabiting deeper soil layers. We investigated the distribution of soil microbial communities down to 1.2 m in 5-year-old Robinia pseudoacacia 'Idaho' soil by 454 sequencing of the 16S RNA gene. The average number of sequences per sample was 12,802. The Shannon and Chao 1 indices revealed various relative microbial abundances and even distribution of microbial diversity for all evaluated sample depths. The predicted diversity in the topsoil exceeded that of the corresponding subsoil. The changes in the relative abundance of the major soil bacterial phyla showed decreasing, increasing, or no consistent trends with respect to sampling depth. Despite their novelty, members of the new candidate phyla OD1 and TM7 were widespread. Environmental variables affecting the bacterial community within the environment appeared to differ from those reported previously, especially the lack of detectable effect from pH. Overall, we found that the overall relative abundance fluctuated with the physical and chemical properties of the soil, root system, and sampling depth. Such information may facilitate forest soil management.

  7. From flower to honey bouquet: possible markers for the botanical origin of Robinia honey.

    PubMed

    Aronne, Giovanna; Giovanetti, Manuela; Sacchi, Raffaele; De Micco, Veronica

    2014-01-01

    Flowers are complex structures devoted to pollinator attraction, through visual as well as chemical signals. As bees collect nectar on flowers to produce honey, some aspects of floral chemistry are transferred to honey, making chemical markers an important technique to identify the botanical and geographical origins of honey. We applied a new approach that considers the simultaneous analysis of different floral parts (petals, stamens + pistils, calyxes + nectarines, and nectar) and the corresponding unifloral honey. We collected fresh flowers of Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust), selected five samples of Robinia honey from different geographical origins, applied SPME-GC/MS for volatile analyses, and defined the chemical contribution added by different floral parts to the honey final bouquet. Our results show that honey blends products from nectar as well as other flower parts. Comparing honey and flower profiles, we detected compounds coming directly from flower parts but not present in the nectar, such as hotrienol and β-pinene. These may turn out to be of special interest when selecting floral markers for the botanical origin of honey.

  8. How ecosystems change following invasion by Robinia pseudoacacia: Insights from soil chemical properties and soil microbial, nematode, microarthropod and plant communities.

    PubMed

    Lazzaro, Lorenzo; Mazza, Giuseppe; d'Errico, Giada; Fabiani, Arturo; Giuliani, Claudia; Inghilesi, Alberto F; Lagomarsino, Alessandra; Landi, Silvia; Lastrucci, Lorenzo; Pastorelli, Roberta; Roversi, Pio Federico; Torrini, Giulia; Tricarico, Elena; Foggi, Bruno

    2018-05-01

    Biological invasions are a global threat to biodiversity. Since the spread of invasive alien plants may have many impacts, an integrated approach, assessing effects across various ecosystem components, is needed for a correct understanding of the invasion process and its consequences. The nitrogen-fixing tree Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) is a major invasive species worldwide and is used in forestry production. While its effects on plant communities and soils are well known, there have been few studies on soil fauna and microbes. We investigated the impacts of the tree on several ecosystem components, using a multi-trophic approach to combine evidence of soil chemical properties and soil microbial, nematode, microarthropod and plant communities. We sampled soil and vegetation in managed forests, comparing those dominated by black locust with native deciduous oak stands. We found qualitative and quantitative changes in all components analysed, such as the well-known soil nitrification and acidification in stands invaded by black locust. Bacterial richness was the only component favoured by the invasion. On the contrary, abundance and richness of microarthropods, richness of nematodes, and richness and diversity of plant communities decreased significantly in invaded stands. The invasion process caused a compositional shift in all studied biotic communities and in relationships between the different ecosystem components. We obtained clear insights into the effects of invasion of managed native forests by black locust. Our data confirms that the alien species transforms several ecosystem components, modifying the plant-soil community and affecting biodiversity at different levels. Correct management of this aggressive invader in temperate forests is urgently required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Elevated CO2 increases glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) in the rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings in Pb- and Cd-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Jia, Xia; Zhao, Yonghua; Liu, Tuo; Huang, Shuping; Chang, Yafei

    2016-11-01

    Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), which contains glycoproteins produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), as well as non-mycorrhizal-related heat-stable proteins, lipids, and humic materials, is generally categorized into two fractions: easily extractable GRSP (EE-GRSP) and total GRSP (T-GRSP). GRSP plays an important role in soil carbon (C) sequestration and can stabilize heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and manganese (Mn). Soil contamination by heavy metals is occurring in conjunction with rising atmospheric CO 2 in natural ecosystems due to human activities. However, the response of GRSP to elevated CO 2 combined with heavy metal contamination has not been widely reported. Here, we investigated the response of GRSP to elevated CO 2 in the rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings in Pb- and Cd-contaminated soils. Elevated CO 2 (700 μmol mol -1 ) significantly increased T- and EE- GRSP concentrations in soils contaminated with Cd, Pb or Cd + Pb. GRSP contributed more carbon to the rhizosphere soil organic carbon pool under elevated CO 2  + heavy metals than under ambient CO 2 . The amount of Cd and Pb bound to GRSP was significantly higher under elevated (compared to ambient) CO 2 ; and elevated CO 2 increased the ratio of GRSP-bound Cd and Pb to total Cd and Pb. However, available Cd and Pb in rhizosphere soil under increased elevated CO 2 compared to ambient CO 2 . The combination of both metals and elevated CO 2 led to a significant increase in available Pb in rhizosphere soil compared to the Pb treatment alone. In conclusion, increased GRSP produced under elevated CO 2 could contribute to sequestration of soil pollutants by adsorption of Cd and Pb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The influence of liming on soil chemical properties and on the alleviation of manganese and copper toxicity in Juglans regia, Robinia pseudoacacia, Eucalyptus sp. and Populus sp. plantations.

    PubMed

    Chatzistathis, T; Alifragis, D; Papaioannou, A

    2015-03-01

    Juglans regia, Robinia pseudoacacia, Eucalyptus sp. and Populus sp. plantations, suffering from Mn and Cu toxicity, were limed in order to reduce Cu and Mn solubility in soil. The purposes of the present work were: i) to study the changes in soil chemical properties after the addition of CaCO3, ii) to investigate the influence of liming on the reduction of Mn and Cu toxicity. After the addition of CaCO3 (three applications, during three successive years), pH and CaCO3 content were significantly increased, while organic C and N were significantly reduced. Exchangeable Ca concentrations have been slightly, or significantly, increased, while those of Mg have been decreased; in addition, ratios Ca/Mg and C/N have been significantly increased after liming. Impressive reductions of DTPA extractable Cu and Mn concentrations (more than 10 times in most cases) were recorded. It was also found that trees without Mn and Cu toxicity symptoms (healthy tress) before liming did not have, in many cases, significantly greater leaf Mn, Cu and Fe concentrations, than trees after soil liming (all the trees were healthy). This probably happened because excess Mn and Cu quantities had been accumulated into their root system. Finally, leaf Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations of trees suffering from toxicity were significantly decreased after soil liming, while leaf Fe concentrations, in all the plant species studied, were increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. [Comparison of soil fertility among open-pit mine reclaimed lands in Antaibao regenerated with different vegetation types].

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiang; Li, Jin-chuan; Yue, Jian-ying; Zhou, Xiao-mei; Guo, Chun-yan; Lu, Ning; Wang, Yu-hong; Yang, Sheng-quan

    2013-09-01

    Re-vegetation is mainly applied into regeneration in opencast mine to improve the soil quality. It is very important to choose feasible vegetation types for soil restoration. In this study, three typical forest restoration types were studied at Antaibao mine, namely, Medicago sativa, mixed forests Pinus taebelaefolius-Robinia pseudoacacia-Caragana korshinskii and Elaeagnus angustifolia-Robinia pseudoacacia-Caragana korshinskii-Hipophae rhamnoides, to determine the nutrient contents and enzyme activities in different soil layers. The results showed that re-vegetation markedly increased soil nutrient contents and the enzyme activities during the restoration process. The nutrient content of soil in the P. taebelaefolius-R. pseudoacacia-C. korshinskii mixed forest field was significantly higher than those in other plots. It was found that the soil of the P. taebelaefolius-R. pseudoacacia-C. korshinskii mixed forest had the highest integrated fertility index values. In conclusion, the restoration effects of the P. zaebelaefolius-R. pseudoacacia-C. Korshinskii mixed forest was better than that of E. angustifolia-R. pseudoacacia-C. korshinskii-H. rhamnoides, while M. sativa grassland had the least effect.

  12. Distribution of ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi in soil along a vegetational change from Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) to black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia).

    PubMed

    Taniguchi, Takeshi; Kataoka, Ryota; Tamai, Shigenobu; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Futai, Kazuyoshi

    2009-04-01

    The nitrogen-fixing tree black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seems to affect ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization and disease severity of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) seedlings. We examined the effect of black locust on the distribution of ECM and pathogenic fungi in soil. DNA was extracted from soil at depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm, collected from the border between a Japanese black pine- and a black locust-dominated forest, and the distribution of these fungi was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The effect of soil nutrition and pH on fungal distribution was also examined. Tomentella sp. 1 and Tomentella sp. 2 were not detected from some subplots in the Japanese black pine-dominated forest. Ectomycorrhizas formed by Tomentella spp. were dominant in black locust-dominated subplots and very little in the Japanese black pine-dominated forest. Therefore, the distribution may be influenced by the distribution of inoculum potential, although we could not detect significant relationships between the distribution of Tomentella spp. on pine seedlings and in soils. The other ECM fungi were detected in soils in subplots where the ECM fungi was not detected on pine seedlings, and there was no significant correlation between the distribution of the ECM fungi on pine seedlings and in soils. Therefore, inoculum potential seemed to not always influence the ECM community on roots. The distribution of Lactarius quieticolor and Tomentella sp. 2 in soil at a depth of 0-5 cm positively correlated with soil phosphate (soil P) and that of Tomentella sp. 2 also positively correlated with soil nitrogen (soil N). These results suggest the possibility that the distribution of inoculum potential of the ECM fungi was affected by soil N and soil P. Although the mortality of the pine seedlings was higher in the black locust-dominated area than in the Japanese black pine-dominated area, a pathogenic fungus of pine seedlings, Cylindrocladium pacificum, was

  13. Deep Phenotyping of Coarse Root Architecture in R. pseudoacacia Reveals That Tree Root System Plasticity Is Confined within Its Architectural Model

    PubMed Central

    Danjon, Frédéric; Khuder, Hayfa; Stokes, Alexia

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at assessing the influence of slope angle and multi-directional flexing and their interaction on the root architecture of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings, with a particular focus on architectural model and trait plasticity. 36 trees were grown from seed in containers inclined at 0° (control) or 45° (slope) in a glasshouse. The shoots of half the plants were gently flexed for 5 minutes a day. After 6 months, root systems were excavated and digitized in 3D, and biomass measured. Over 100 root architectural traits were determined. Both slope and flexing increased significantly plant size. Non-flexed trees on 45° slopes developed shallow roots which were largely aligned perpendicular to the slope. Compared to the controls, flexed trees on 0° slopes possessed a shorter and thicker taproot held in place by regularly distributed long and thin lateral roots. Flexed trees on the 45° slope also developed a thick vertically aligned taproot, with more volume allocated to upslope surface lateral roots, due to the greater soil volume uphill. We show that there is an inherent root system architectural model, but that a certain number of traits are highly plastic. This plasticity will permit root architectural design to be modified depending on external mechanical signals perceived by young trees. PMID:24386227

  14. Elevated CO2 benefits the soil microenvironment in the rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings in Cd- and Pb-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shuping; Jia, Xia; Zhao, Yonghua; Bai, Bo; Chang, Yafei

    2017-02-01

    Soil contamination by heavy metals in combination with elevated atmospheric CO 2 has important effects on the rhizosphere microenvironment by influencing plant growth. Here, we investigated the response of the R. pseudoacacia rhizosphere microenvironment to elevated CO 2 in combination with cadmium (Cd)- and lead (Pb)-contamination. Organic compounds (total soluble sugars, soluble phenolic acids, free amino acids, and organic acids), microbial abundance and activity, and enzyme activity (urease, dehydrogenase, invertase, and β-glucosidase) in rhizosphere soils increased significantly (p < 0.05) under elevated CO 2 relative to ambient CO 2 ; however, l-asparaginase activity decreased. Addionally, elevated CO 2 alone affected soil microbial community in the rhizosphere. Heavy metals alone resulted in an increase in total soluble sugars, free amino acids, and organic acids, a decrease in phenolic acids, microbial populations and biomass, and enzyme activity, and a change in microbial community in rhizosphere soils. Elevated CO 2 led to an increase in organic compounds, microbial populations, biomass, and activity, and enzyme activity (except for l-asparaginase), and changes in microbial community under Cd, Pb, or Cd + Pb treatments relative to ambient CO 2 . In addition, elevated CO 2 significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the removal ratio of Cd and Pb in rhizosphere soils. Overall, elevated CO 2 benefited the rhizosphere microenvironment of R. pseudoacacia seedlings under heavy metal stress, which suggests that increased atmospheric CO 2 concentrations could have positive effects on soil fertility and rhizosphere microenvironment under heavy metals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Factors controlling plasticity of leaf morphology in Robinia pseudoacacia L. II: the impact of water stress on leaf morphology of seedlings grown in a controlled environment chamber

    Treesearch

    M.T. Tyree

    2012-01-01

    Context. The cause of morphological plasticity of leaves within the crowns of tall trees still debated. Whether it is driven by irradiance or hydraulic constraints is inconclusive. In a previous study, we hypothesized that water stress caused between-site and within-tree morphological variability in mature Robinia trees.

  16. Increasing the biomass production of short rotation coppice forests. Progress report. [Sycamore, sweet gum, alder, and locust

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Steinbeck, K.; Brown, C. L.

    1979-03-01

    Two biomass plantations, one in the Coastal Plain, the other in the Piedmont province of Georgia, have been established. Platanus occidentalis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Flnus glutinosa and Robinia pseudoacacia were planted in pure and mixed plots. Differences in the growth at the end of the first growing season were attributed mostly to weed competition in the Coastal Plain. Robinia grew remarkably well in the Piedmont, averaging more than 2.2 m tall in irrigated plots. A fungus tentatively identified as belonging to the genus Botryosphaeria is causing heavy Alnus mortality in the Coastal Plain. Progress in the genetic improvement phase of themore » project included a collection of Platanus seedlots from throughout Georgia to identify promising provenances and the production of Liquidambar and Robinia plantlets in tissue culture. Differences in the calorific content of young sprout material from nine hardwood species (unit oven dry weight basis) were found to be small. Other studies dealt with the effects of different harvesting cycles on the size and carbohydrate contents of sycamore rootstocks.« less

  17. The denitrification properties of soils under three different shelterbelts and in adjoining cultivated fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szajdak, L.; Augustin, J.; Gaca, W.; Meysner, T.; Styla, K.

    2009-04-01

    The investigations were carried out in Agroecological Landscape Park in Turew (40 km South-West of Poznań). Intensively agricultural is observed in this region. Characteristic features of this landscape are shelterbelts created in the XIX century by general Dezydery Chlapowski. All shelterbelts and adjoining cultivated fields were introduced on Hapludalfs soils. Three shelterbelts and adjoining cultivated fields were selected for this experiment. Two of them were created approximately 200 years ago. The first shelterbelt consists mainly of Robinia pseudoacacia and small admixture Quercus robur and Quercus petraea. The second one consists of Crataegus monogyna. The third one - a young shelterbelt was created in 1993 and consists of several species of plants such as: Quercus petraea and Quercus robur, Larix deciduas, Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus intermedia, Tilia cordata and some other tree species. On soils were determinated: activity of nitrate reductase, activity of peroxidase, activity of urease and activity of xantine oxidase, total iron, Fe+3, Fe+2, total nitrogen, N-NH4+, N-NO3-, total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), current N2O, N2 and CH4 flux rates, and pH (in 1M KCl). The contents of total organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, total nitrogen, N-NO3- and N-NH4+ were higher in the soil under old shelterbelts (Robinia pseudoacacia and Crataegus monogyna) than under young one. It points out the highest accumulation of organic matter in soils under two old shelterbelts. The same also applied to the current N2O and N2 fluxes. Unlike this CH4exchange was just low everywhere. Nitrate reductase, urease, xantine oxidase and peroxidase activities participates in the cycle of nitrogen and are sensitive on redox potential in soil. The highest activity of nitrate reductase and xantine oxidase activity were observed in young shelterbelt. Activity of urease and activity of peroxidase were higher under two old shelterbelts Robinia

  18. Laboratory Evaluations of Durability of Southern Pine Pressure Treated With Extractives From Durable Wood Species

    Treesearch

    Grant T. Kirker; Amy Blodgett; Patricia Lebow

    2015-01-01

    Extracts from sawdust of four naturally durable wood species [Alaskan yellow cedar, AYC, Cupressus nootkanansis D. Don 1824; eastern red cedar, ERC, Juniperus virginiana L.; honey mesquite, HM, Prosopis glandulosa Torr.; and black locust, BL, Robinia pseudoacacia L.] were used to treat...

  19. Development of a Southern Appalachian Hardwood Stand After Clearcutting

    Treesearch

    Donald E. Beck; Ralph M. Hooper

    1986-01-01

    A mixed hardwood stand composed of 53% oak (Quercus spp.), 33% yellow-poplar(Liriodendron tulipifera L.), and 14% other species, was clearcut in 1963. Twenty years later a developing, even-aged stand of predominantly sprout origin is dominated by yellow-poplar, black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia L.), redmaple (...

  20. In-vitro Antioxidant Activities of the Ethanolic Extracts of Some Contained-Allantoin Plants

    PubMed Central

    Selamoglu, Zeliha; Dusgun, Cihan; Akgul, Hasan; Gulhan, Mehmet Fuat

    2017-01-01

    It has been investigated the in-vitro antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts of the contained-allantoin plants in this study. Contained-allantoined plant samples Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, Robinia pseudoacacia, Platanus orientalis and Aesculus hippocastanum were tested at different concentrations. The antioxidant activities of plant samples were analysed by 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), reducing power assay and β-carotene bleaching method. Plantago major plant showed the highest antioxidant capacity compared to other plant extracts in results of the in-vitro assays including 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method with 90.25 %, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) with 1.789 %, reducing power assay (FRAP) with 1.321 % and β-carotene bleaching method with 78.01 % in 1 mg/mL. The lowest antioxidant activity was determined in Robinia pseudoacacia plant. In conclusion, allantoin shows antioxidant properties and it has the positive effect on total antioxidant capacity.

  1. An assessment of black locust in northern U.S. forests

    Treesearch

    Cassandra M. Kurtz; Mark H. Hansen

    2017-01-01

    Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), a tree of the legume family (Fabaceae), is native to the southern Appalachian Mountains (Pennsylvania to Alabama), Ozark Plateau, and mid-south (Fig. 1). Black locust wood is utilized for firewood, fence posts, and building due to its strength and durability. The prolific pealike blossoms are aesthetically...

  2. [Variation of forest vegetation carbon storage and carbon sequestration rate in Liaoning Province, Northeast China].

    PubMed

    Zhen, Wei; Huang, Mei; Zhai, Yin-Li; Chen, Ke; Gong, Ya-Zhen

    2014-05-01

    The forest vegetation carbon stock and carbon sequestration rate in Liaoning Province, Northeast China, were predicted by using Canadian carbon balance model (CBM-CFS3) combining with the forest resource data. The future spatio-temporal distribution and trends of vegetation carbon storage, carbon density and carbon sequestration rate were projected, based on the two scenarios, i. e. with or without afforestation. The result suggested that the total forest vegetation carbon storage and carbon density in Liaoning Province in 2005 were 133.94 Tg and 25.08 t x hm(-2), respectively. The vegetation carbon storage in Quercus was the biggest, while in Robinia pseudoacacia was the least. Both Larix olgensis and broad-leaved forests had higher vegetation carbon densities than others, and the vegetation carbon densities of Pinus tabuliformis, Quercus and Robinia pseudoacacia were close to each other. The spatial distribution of forest vegetation carbon density in Liaoning Province showed a decrease trend from east to west. In the eastern forest area, the future increase of vegetation carbon density would be smaller than those in the northern forest area, because most of the forests in the former part were matured or over matured, while most of the forests in the later part were young. Under the scenario of no afforestation, the future increment of total forest vegetation carbon stock in Liaoning Province would increase gradually, and the total carbon sequestration rate would decrease, while they would both increase significantly under the afforestation scenario. Therefore, afforestation plays an important role in increasing vegetation carbon storage, carbon density and carbon sequestration rate.

  3. Biotic agents that damage black locust in Hungary

    Treesearch

    Jozsef Toth

    2003-01-01

    Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plays an important role in Hungarian forestry and represents 21.6% of the total forested area (370 thousand hectares); approximately 19.2% of the area in Hungary is forested. Black locust forests have increased by more than one percent over the last 5 years demonstrating that it is a preferred tree species...

  4. Credit BG. View looks southwest (236°) across concrete foundations towards ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Credit BG. View looks southwest (236°) across concrete foundations towards Building 4402 (Hangar No. 2). Building 4412 (Liquid Oxygen Repair Facility) and Building 4444 (Communications Building) appear in center background. Trees in view are locusts (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, Old Firehouse T-41, South end of A Street, Boron, Kern County, CA

  5. Wood specific gravity variation among five important hardwood species of Kashmir Himalaya.

    PubMed

    Wani, Bilal Ahmad; Bodha, R H; Khan, Amina

    2014-02-01

    Wood Specific Gravity (SG) is a measure of the amount of structural material a tree species allocates to support and strength. In the present study, specific gravity varied among the five different woods at three different sites from 0.40 in Populus nigra at site III (Shopian) to 0.80 in Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana at site II (Surasyar). Among the three different sites, specific gravity varied from 0.73 to 0.80 in Parroptiosis jacquemontiana; in Robinia pseudoacacia it varied from 0.71 to 0.79; in Salix alba, it varied from 0.42 to 0.48; In Populus nigra it varied from 0.40 to 0.48 and in Juglans regia it varied from 0.59 to 0.66. On the basis of the specific gravity variation patterns these woods were categorized as light (Salix alba, Populus nigra) moderately heavy (Juglans regia) and moderately heavy to heavy (Robinia pseudoacacia, Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana) which predicts their properties like strength, dimensional stability with moisture content change, ability to retain paint, fiber yield per unit volume, suitability for making particleboard and related wood composite materials and suitability as a raw material for making paper.

  6. Monitoring chronic and acute PAH atmospheric pollution using transplants of the moss Hypnum cupressiforme and Robinia pseudacacia leaves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Capozzi, F.; Di Palma, A.; Adamo, P.; Spagnuolo, V.; Giordano, S.

    2017-02-01

    Few studies are focused on correlations between the concentrations of PAHs in mosses and other bioindicator plant species. This study was carried out to investigate the potential of the joint use of devitalized H. cupressiforme transplants and R. pseudoacacia leaves as cost effective biomonitors for the assessment of PAHs in the air. The test was performed in a land historically devoted to agriculture, where recurrent waste burnings randomly occur, especially in the season we chose for the investigation. The presence of 20 PAHs was assessed following EPA 3550 C 2007 and EPA 8270 D 2014 protocols. R. pseudoacacia was able to accumulate both LMW and HMW PAHs, while moss prevalently collected the latter. It is suggested that R. pseudoacacia combined chronic pyrogenic and petrogenic PAH inputs, while moss transplants reflected PAH depositions from recent pyrogenic events. Our approach revealed long and short-term pollution footprints, with R. pseudoacacia recording the chronic input of PAH compounds loaded along its vegetative growth, and moss bags reflecting acute pollution inputs occurred during the exposure duration.

  7. Tolerance or avoidance: drought frequency determines the response of an N 2 -fixing tree

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey M. Minucci; Chelcy Ford Miniat; Robert O. Teskey; Nina Wurzburger

    2017-01-01

    • Climate change is increasing drought frequency, which may affect symbiotic N2 fixation (SNF), a process that facilitates ecosystem recovery from disturbance. Here, we assessed the effect of drought frequency on the ecophysiology and SNF rate of a common N2-fixing tree in eastern US forests.•We grew Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings under the same mean soil...

  8. Slope Root biomechanical properties and their contribution to soil reinforcement in the Landslide-prone region, the Bailong River Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, X.; Hong, M.; Huang, Z.; Zhao, Y.; Zhang, Y.

    2016-12-01

    The presence of vegetation increases soil burden stability along slopes and therefore reduces soil erosion. The contribution of the vegetation is due to the root's mechanical (reinforcing soil shear resistance) controls on superficial landslide. The study focused on the biotechnical characteristics of the root system of commonly grown shrub species in the Bailong River Basin, one of the most serious geo-hazards regions in China. The aim of this paper is to increase the understanding on slope root biomechanical properties of different shrubs species and their contribution to soil reinforcement. Field investigations were carried out to estimate the root density distribution with depth (root area ratio). Laboratory tests were conducted to measure the root tensile breaking force and the root tensile strength. Root tensile strength measurements were carried out on single root specimens and root area ratio was estimated analyzing the whole root system. The direct shear tests were used to quantify the soil mechanical reinforcement. The improvement of soil mechanical properties obtained by the presence of shrubs was estimated using two different models(the Fibrt Bundle Model and the Finite Element Model). The results indicates that the soil-root system shear strength of Robinia pseudoacacia Linn (L.), Populus simonii (L.), Olea europaea (L.), and Zanthoxylum bungeanum (L.) increment ranged from 62.4 to 26.3 kPa and its effect on the slope stability was significantly different. Robinia pseudoacacia Linn (L.) roots presented the highest tensile strength and soil reinforcement values. Similarly at each considered depth Robinia pseudoacacia Linn (L.) showed that the highest soil reinforcement effect (1461N) while Olea europaea (L.) presented the lowest soil reinforcement effect (1329N). The finite element model shows that the FoS of Zanthoxylum bungeanum (L.) is the largest of these plants when considering root additional cohesion. This research can provide a basic theory of

  9. Cultural Resources Survey and Testing Along Ditch 19 and Extensive Testing of 23DU289, Dunklin and Stoddard Counties, Missouri.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-06-30

    Carya illinoensis ) 1 1 Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) T 2 2 Pl.um (Prunus sp.) T Red Haw (Crataegus sp.) T 1 11 Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) T...2 Cherry (Prunus sp.) T Cottonwood (Populus sp.) 1 3 Dogwood (Cornus sp.) 1 Hackberry (Celtus occidentalis) 12 9 Hickory, ( Carya sp.) 5 4 Shellhark... Carya laciniosa) T Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) 2 Kentucky Coffee Tree( Gymnoeladus dioica)T Locust, T Black (Robinia pseudo-acacia) T Honey

  10. Implications of soil heterogeneity on growth performance of fast-growing trees under marginal site conditions - an ecophysiological perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veste, Maik; Halke, Christian; Schmitt, Dieter; Mantovani, Dario; Zimmermann, Reiner; Küppers, Manfred; Freese, Dirk

    2017-04-01

    The integration of fast-growing trees and hedgerows has been proposed in order to improve the environmental performance of agricultural systems and to provide woody biomass for bioenergy. Due to the current increase of bioenergy, strong interests are emerging to use marginal lands for short-rotation forestry. Especially in Lower Lusatia (Brandenburg, Germany) large areas of reclaimed post-mining sites are available for the cultivation of short-rotation coppies and agroforesty systems. The dumped overburden material has little or no recent soil organic matter, low nutrient content and low water holding capacity. Our study aim was to evaluate the effects of small-scale spatial and temporal variations of edaphic conditions on plant water relations, photosynthesis and biomass production of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and poplar (Populus spp.) on marginal lands. Particularly, on dumped soils in the post-mining area, due to the adverse edaphic conditions, the stem growth was drastically reduced during summer drought below the critical pre-dawn water potential value of -0.5 MPa. But also on agricultural fields soil depth and soil water availability are the key factors determining the biomass production of poplar and black locust. A reduction of soil N availability as a result of low soil nitrogen content or drought induce nodulation and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in Robinia in order to sustain the required nitrogen amounts for plant growth. In our experiment the nodule biomass increased in combination with a decrease of the δ15N values of the leaves under extreme drought stress. Under field conditions the percentage of nitrogen derived from the atmosphere in black locust varies 63% - 83% and emphasized the importance of nitrogen fixations for tree growth on marginal lands. Our investigation under different edaphic conditions and soil water availabilities showed clearly the ecophysiological and morphological plasticity of the investigated tree species and

  11. (Z)-9-Pentacosene - contact sex pheromone of the locust borer, Megacyllene robiniae

    Treesearch

    Matthew D. Ginzel; Jocelyn G. Miller; Lawrence M. Hanks

    2003-01-01

    Male locust borers, Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), responded to females only after contacting them with their antennae, indicating that mate recognition was mediated by a contact sex pheromone. GC-MS analyses of whole-body extracts of males and females determined that the profiles of compounds in the extracts were qualitatively similar, but differed...

  12. Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Republic of Macedonia using a plant assay.

    PubMed

    Gjorgieva, Darinka; Kadifkova-Panovska, Tatjana; Bačeva, Katerina; Stafilov, Trajče

    2011-02-01

    Different plant organs (leaves, flowers, stems, or roots) from four plant species-Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae), Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabaceae), Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), and Matricaria recutita (Asteraceae)-were evaluated as possible bioindicators of heavy-metal pollution in Republic of Macedonia. Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd, Mn, Ni, and Zn were determined in unwashed plant parts collected from areas with different degrees of metal pollution by ICP-AES. All these elements were found to be at high levels in samples collected from an industrial area. Maximum Pb concentration was 174.52 ± 1.04 mg kg⁻¹ in R. pseudoacacia flowers sampled from the Veles area, where lead and zinc metallurgical activities were present. In all control samples, the Cd concentrations were found to be under the limit of detection (LOD <0.1 mg kg⁻¹) except for R. pseudoacacia flowers and T. officinale roots. The maximum Cd concentration was 7.97 ± 0.15 mg kg⁻¹ in R. pseudoacacia flowers from the Veles area. Nickel concentrations were in the range from 1.90 ± 0.04 to 5.74 ± 0.03 mg kg⁻¹. For U. dioica leaves and R. pseudoacacia flowers sampled near a lead-smelting plant, concentrations of 465.0 ± 0.55 and 403.56 ± 0.34 mg kg⁻¹ Zn were detected, respectively. In all control samples, results for Zn were low, ranging from 10.2 ± 0.05 to 38.70 ± 0.18 mg kg⁻¹. In this study, it was found that the flower of R. pseudoacacia was a better bioindicator of heavy-metal pollution than other plant parts. Summarizing the results, it can be concluded that T. officinale, U. dioica, and R. pseudoacacia were better metal accumulators and M. recutita was a metal avoider.

  13. Effects of a Major Tree Invader on Urban Woodland Arthropods.

    PubMed

    Buchholz, Sascha; Tietze, Hedwig; Kowarik, Ingo; Schirmel, Jens

    2015-01-01

    Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity; however, the degree of impact can vary depending on the ecosystem and taxa. Here, we test whether a top invader at a global scale, the tree Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust or false acacia), which is known to profoundly change site conditions, significantly affects urban animal diversity. As a first multi-taxon study of this kind, we analyzed the effects of Robinia dominance on 18 arthropod taxa by pairwise comparisons of woodlands in Berlin, Germany, that were dominated by R. pseudoacacia or the native pioneer tree Betula pendula. As a negative effect, abundances of five arthropod taxa decreased (Chilopoda, Formicidae, Diptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera); 13 others were not affected. Woodland type affected species composition of carabids and functional groups in spiders, but surprisingly did not decrease alpha and beta diversity of carabid and spider assemblages or the number of endangered species. Tree invasion thus did not induce biotic homogenization at the habitat scale. We detected no positive effects of alien dominance. Our results illustrate that invasions by a major tree invader can induce species turnover in ground-dwelling arthropods, but do not necessarily reduce arthropod species abundances or diversity and might thus contribute to the conservation of epigeal invertebrates in urban settings. Considering the context of invasion impacts thus helps to set priorities in managing biological invasions and can illustrate the potential of novel ecosystems to maintain urban biodiversity.

  14. Effects of a Major Tree Invader on Urban Woodland Arthropods

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity; however, the degree of impact can vary depending on the ecosystem and taxa. Here, we test whether a top invader at a global scale, the tree Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust or false acacia), which is known to profoundly change site conditions, significantly affects urban animal diversity. As a first multi-taxon study of this kind, we analyzed the effects of Robinia dominance on 18 arthropod taxa by pairwise comparisons of woodlands in Berlin, Germany, that were dominated by R. pseudoacacia or the native pioneer tree Betula pendula. As a negative effect, abundances of five arthropod taxa decreased (Chilopoda, Formicidae, Diptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera); 13 others were not affected. Woodland type affected species composition of carabids and functional groups in spiders, but surprisingly did not decrease alpha and beta diversity of carabid and spider assemblages or the number of endangered species. Tree invasion thus did not induce biotic homogenization at the habitat scale. We detected no positive effects of alien dominance. Our results illustrate that invasions by a major tree invader can induce species turnover in ground-dwelling arthropods, but do not necessarily reduce arthropod species abundances or diversity and might thus contribute to the conservation of epigeal invertebrates in urban settings. Considering the context of invasion impacts thus helps to set priorities in managing biological invasions and can illustrate the potential of novel ecosystems to maintain urban biodiversity. PMID:26359665

  15. The transformation of nitrogen in soil under Robinia Pseudacacia shelterbelt and in adjoining cultivated field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szajdak, L.; Gaca, W.

    2009-04-01

    The shelterbelts perform more than twenty different functions favorable to the environment, human economy, health and culture. The most important for agricultural landscape is increase of water retention, purification of ground waters and prevent of pollution spread in the landscape, restriction of wind and water erosion effects, isolation of polluting elements in the landscape, preservation of biological diversity in agricultural areas and mitigation of effects of unfavorable climatic phenomena. Denitrification is defined as the reduction of nitrate or nitrite coupled to electron transport phosphorylation resulting in gaseous N either as molecular N2 or as an oxide of N. High content of moisture, low oxygen, neutral and basic pH favour the denitrification. Nitrate reductase is an important enzyme involved in the process of denitrification. The reduction of nitrate to nitrite is catalyzed by nitrate reductase. Nitrite reductase is catalyzed reduction nitrite to nitrous oxide. The conversion of N2O to N2 is catalyzed by nitrous oxide reductase. This process leads to the lost of nitrogen in soil mainly in the form of N2 and N2O. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas which cause significant depletion of the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer. The investigations were carried out in Dezydery Chlapowski Agroecological Landscape Park in Turew (40 km South-West of Poznań, West Polish Lowland). Our investigations were focused on the soils under Robinia pseudacacia shelterbelt and in adjoining cultivated field. The afforestation was created 200 years ago and it is consist of mainly Robinia pseudacacia with admixture of Quercus petraea and Quercus robur. This shelterbelt and adjoining cultivated field are located on grey-brown podzolic soil. The aim of this study is to present information on the changes of nitrate reductase activity in soil with admixture urea (organic form of nitrogen) in two different concentrations 0,25% N and 0,5% N. Our results have shown that this process

  16. Experimental evidence for negative turgor pressure in small leaf cells of Robinia pseudoacacia L versus large cells of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et W.C. Cheng. 2. Höfler diagrams below the volume of zero turgor and the theoretical implication for pressure-volume curves of living cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Dongmei; Li, Junhui; Ding, Yiting; Tyree, Melvin T

    2017-03-01

    The physiological advantages of negative turgor pressure, P t , in leaf cells are water saving and homeostasis of reactants. This paper advances methods for detecting the occurrence of negative P t in leaves. Biomechanical models of pressure-volume (PV) curves predict that negative P t does not change the linearity of PV curve plots of inverse balance pressure, P B , versus relative water loss, but it does predict changes in either the y-intercept or the x-intercept of the plots depending on where cell collapse occurs in the P B domain because of negative P t . PV curve analysis of Robinia leaves revealed a shift in the x-intercept (x-axis is relative water loss) of PV curves, caused by negative P t of palisade cells. The low x-intercept of the PV curve was explained by the non-collapse of palisade cells in Robinia in the P B domain. Non-collapse means that P t smoothly falls from positive to negative values with decreasing cell volume without a dramatic change in slope. The magnitude of negative turgor in non-collapsing living cells was as low as -1.3 MPa and the relative volume of the non-collapsing cell equaled 58% of the total leaf cell volume. This study adds to the growing evidence for negative P t . © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Air pollution tolerance index and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected plant species from urban biotopes.

    PubMed

    Nadgórska-Socha, Aleksandra; Kandziora-Ciupa, Marta; Trzęsicki, Michał; Barczyk, Gabriela

    2017-09-01

    This research was carried out on plants Taraxacum officinale, Plantago lanceolata, Betula pendula and Robinia pseudoacacia growing in urban biotopes with different levels of heavy metal contamination in the city of Dąbrowa Górnicza (southern Poland). Based on the pollution index, the highest heavy metal contamination was determined in the site 4 (connected with industry emitters) and 6 (high traffic). The metal accumulation index (MAI) values ranged within the biotopes in Dąbrowa Górnicza between 7.3 and 20.6 for R. pseudoacacia, 4.71-23.1 for P. lanceolata, 4.68-28.1 for T. officinale and 10.5-27.2 for B. pendula. Increasing tendency in proline content in biotopes connected with high traffic was found in the leaves of investigated plants (except R. pseudoacacia). Similar tendency was observed for ascorbic acid content in the foliage of the plants as well as in T. officinalle in stands connected industrial emission. Non-protein thiols content increased especially in the leaves of R. pseudoacacia in biotopes with high traffic emissions as well as in T. officinale in stands connected with industry. The mean values of APTI (Air Pollution Tolerance Index) within the city of Dąbrowa Górnicza for investigated plants were found in the following ascending order P. lanceolata < R. pseudoacacia < B. pendula < T. officinale. Among the investigated plants B. pendula and T. officinale may be postulated as appropriate plants in urban areas with considerable soil and air contamination, especially with heavy metals. The results indicate that species deemed tolerant according to APTI are suitable plants in barriers areas to combat atmospheric pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Assessment of fly ash-aided phytostabilisation of highly contaminated soils after an 8-year field trial Part 2. Influence on plants.

    PubMed

    Pourrut, Bertrand; Lopareva-Pohu, Alena; Pruvot, Christelle; Garçon, Guillaume; Verdin, Anthony; Waterlot, Christophe; Bidar, Géraldine; Shirali, Pirouz; Douay, Francis

    2011-10-01

    Aided phytostabilisation is a cost-efficient technique to manage metal-contaminated areas, particularly in the presence of extensive pollution. Plant establishment and survival in highly metal-contaminated soils are crucial for phytostabilisation success, as metal toxicity for plants is widely reported. A relevant phytostabilisation solution must limit metal transfer through the food chain. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the long-term efficiency of aided phytostabilisation on former agricultural soils highly contaminated by cadmium, lead, and zinc. The influence of afforestation and fly ash amendments on reducing metal phytoavailability was investigated as were their effects on plant development. Before being planted with a tree mix, the site was divided into three plots: a reference plot with no amendment, a plot amended with silico-aluminous fly ash and one with sulfo-calcic fly ash. Unlike Salix alba and Quercus robur, Alnus glutinosa, Acer pseudoplatanus and Robinia pseudoacacia grew well on the site and accumulated, overall, quite low concentrations of metals in their leaves and young twigs. This suggests that these three species have an excluder phenotype for Cd, Zn and Pb. After 8 years, metal availability to A. glutinosa, A. pseudoplatanus and R. pseudoacacia, and translocation to their above-ground parts, strongly decreased in fly ash-amended soils. Such decreases fit well together with the depletion of CaCl(2)-extractable metals in amended soils. Although both fly ashes were effective to decrease Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations in above-ground parts of trees, the sulfo-calcic ash was more efficient. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [Photosynthetic characteristics of five arbor species in Shenyang urban area].

    PubMed

    Li, Hai-Me; He, Xing-Yuan; Wang, Kui-Ling; Chen, Wei

    2007-08-01

    By using LI-6400 infrared gas analyzer, this paper studied the diurnal and seasonal variations of the photosynthetic rate of main arbor species (Populus alba x P. berolinensis, Salix matsudana, Ulmus pumila, Robinia pseudoacacia and Prunus davidiana) in Shenyang urban area. The correlations between net photosynthetic rate and environmental factors (photosynthetic active radiation, temperature, and stomatal conductance) were assessed by multivariate regression analysis, and related equations were constructed. The results showed that for test arbor species, the diurnal variation of photosynthetic rate mainly presented a single peak curve, and the seasonal variation was in the order of summer > autumn > spring. The major factors affecting the photosynthetic rate were photosynthetic active radiation, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 concentration.

  20. [Effects of Different Reclaimed Scenarios on Soil Microbe and Enzyme Activities in Mining Areas].

    PubMed

    Li, Jun-jian; Liu, Feng; Zhou, Xiao-mei

    2015-05-01

    Abstract: Ecological degradation in the mining areas is greatly aggravated in recent several decades, and ecological restoration has become the primary measure for the sustainable development. Soil microbe and enzyme activity are sensitive indices to evaluate soil quality. Ecological reconstruction was initiated in Antaibao mining area, and we tested soil physicochemical properties, microbial populations of azotobacteria, nitrifying-bacteria and denitrifying-bacteria, and enzyme activities (including sucrose, polyphenol oxidase, dehydrogenase and urease) under different regeneration scenarios. Regeneration scenarios had significant effects on soil physicochemical properties, microbial population and enzyme activities. Total nitrogen was strongly correlated with azotobacteria and nitrifying-bacteria, however, total nitrogen was not correlated with denitrifying-bacteria. Phenol oxidase activity was negatively correlated with soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, but other enzyme activities were positively correlated with soil organic carbon and total nitrogen. Principal Component Analysis ( PCA) was applied to analyze the integrated fertility index (IFI). The highest and lowest IFIs were in Robinia pseudoacacia-Pinus tabuliformis mixed forests and un-reclaimed area, respectively. R. pseudoacacia-P. tabuliformis mixed forests were feasible for reclaimed mining areas in semi-arid region Northwest Shanxi.

  1. Comparing the Sexual Reproductive Success of Two Exotic Trees Invading Spanish Riparian Forests vs. a Native Reference.

    PubMed

    Cabra-Rivas, Isabel; Castro-Díez, Pilar

    2016-01-01

    A widely accepted hypothesis in invasion ecology is that invasive species have higher survival through the early stages of establishment than do non-invasive species. In this study we explore the hypothesis that the sexual reproductive success of the invasive trees Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and Robinia pseudoacacia L. is higher than that of the native Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl., all three species coexisting within the riparian forests of Central Spain. We compared different stages of the early life cycle, namely seed rain, seed infestation by insects, seed removal by local fauna, seed germination under optimal conditions and seedling abundance between the two invasive trees and the native, in order to assess their sexual reproductive success. The exotic species did not differ from the native reference (all three species displaying high seed rain and undergoing seed losses up to 50% due to seed removal by the local fauna). Even if the exotic R. pseudoacacia showed a high percentage of empty and insect-parasited seeds along with a low seedling emergence and the exotic A. altissima was the species with more viable seeds and of higher germinability, no differences were found regarding these variables when comparing them with the native F. angustifolia. Unsuitable conditions might have hampered either seedling emergence and survival, as seedling abundance in the field was lower than expected in all species -especially in R. pseudoacacia-. Our results rather suggest that the sexual reproductive success was not higher in the exotic trees than in the native reference, but studies focusing on long-term recruitment would help to shed light on this issue.

  2. On the occurrence of nuclei in mature sieve elements.

    PubMed

    Event, R F; Davis, J D; Tucker, C M; Alfieri, F J

    1970-12-01

    The secondary phloem of 3 species of the Taxodiaceae and 13 species of woody dicotyledons was examined for the occurrence of nuclei in mature sieve elements. Nuclei were found in all mature sieve cells of Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Sequoia sempervirens and Taxodium distichum, and in some mature sieve-tube members in 12 of the 13 species of woody dicotyledons. Except for nuclei of sieve cells undergoing cessation of function, the nuclei in mature sieve cells of M. glyptostroboides, S. sempervirens and T. distichum were normal in appearance. The occurrence and morphology of nuclei in mature sieve-tube members of the woody dicotyledons were quite variable. Only 3 species, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus americana and Vitis riparia, contained some mature sieve elements with apparently normal nuclei.

  3. Comparing the Sexual Reproductive Success of Two Exotic Trees Invading Spanish Riparian Forests vs. a Native Reference

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    A widely accepted hypothesis in invasion ecology is that invasive species have higher survival through the early stages of establishment than do non-invasive species. In this study we explore the hypothesis that the sexual reproductive success of the invasive trees Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and Robinia pseudoacacia L. is higher than that of the native Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl., all three species coexisting within the riparian forests of Central Spain. We compared different stages of the early life cycle, namely seed rain, seed infestation by insects, seed removal by local fauna, seed germination under optimal conditions and seedling abundance between the two invasive trees and the native, in order to assess their sexual reproductive success. The exotic species did not differ from the native reference (all three species displaying high seed rain and undergoing seed losses up to 50% due to seed removal by the local fauna). Even if the exotic R. pseudoacacia showed a high percentage of empty and insect-parasited seeds along with a low seedling emergence and the exotic A. altissima was the species with more viable seeds and of higher germinability, no differences were found regarding these variables when comparing them with the native F. angustifolia. Unsuitable conditions might have hampered either seedling emergence and survival, as seedling abundance in the field was lower than expected in all species -especially in R. pseudoacacia-. Our results rather suggest that the sexual reproductive success was not higher in the exotic trees than in the native reference, but studies focusing on long-term recruitment would help to shed light on this issue. PMID:27529695

  4. Two new species of Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) egg parasitoids of Agrilus spp. (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) from the USA, including a key and taxonomic notes on other congeneric Nearctic taxa

    PubMed Central

    Triapitsyn, Serguei V.; Petrice, Toby R.; Gates, Michael W.; Bauer, Leah S.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Oobius Trjapitzin (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) species are egg parasitoids that are important for the biological control of some Buprestidae and Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Two species, Oobius agrili Zhang & Huang and Oobius longoi (Siscaro), were introduced into North America for classical biocontrol and have successfully established. Two new native North American species that parasitize eggs of Agrilus spp. (Buprestidae) are described and illustrated from the USA: Oobius minusculus Triapitsyn & Petrice, sp. n. (Michigan), an egg parasitoid of both Agrilus subcinctus Gory on ash (Fraxinus spp.) and Agrilus egenus Gory on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) trees, and Oobius whiteorum Triapitsyn, sp. n. (Pennsylvania), an egg parasitoid of Agrilus anxius Gory on European white birch (Betula pendula Roth). A taxonomic key and notes on the Nearctic native and introduced Oobius species are also included. PMID:25931963

  5. Tolerance or avoidance: drought frequency determines the response of an N2 -fixing tree.

    PubMed

    Minucci, Jeffrey M; Miniat, Chelcy Ford; Teskey, Robert O; Wurzburger, Nina

    2017-07-01

    Climate change is increasing drought frequency, which may affect symbiotic N 2 fixation (SNF), a process that facilitates ecosystem recovery from disturbance. Here, we assessed the effect of drought frequency on the ecophysiology and SNF rate of a common N 2 -fixing tree in eastern US forests. We grew Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings under the same mean soil moisture, but with different drought frequency caused by wet-dry cycles of varying periodicity. We found no effect of drought frequency on final biomass or mean SNF rate. However, seedlings responded differently to wet and dry phases depending on drought frequency. Under low-frequency droughts, plants fixed carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at similar rates during wet and dry phases. Conversely, under high-frequency droughts, plants fixed C and N at low rates during dry phases and at high rates during wet phases. Our findings suggest that R. pseudoacacia growth is resistant to increased drought frequency because it employs two strategies - drought tolerance or drought avoidance, followed by compensation. SNF may play a role in both by supplying N to leaf tissues for acclimation and by facilitating compensatory growth following drought. Our findings point to SNF as a mechanism for plants and ecosystems to cope with drought. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  6. Direct seeding woody species for restoration of bottomlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Twedt, D.J.; Connor, Kristina F

    2006-01-01

    I direct seeded (broadcast) seeds of 39 species of trees and shrubs using an ATV-mounted rotary spreader to initiate restoration of bottomland forest on retired agricultural sites. Four sites were planted during February, 2000, and 13 additional sites were planted during April and May, 2001. After two growing seasons, stem density of direct-seeded species varied greatly among study plots (range = 0 to 888 stems/ha) but averaged only 110 stems/ha. I recommend that future efforts at direct seeding focus on seven shrub species (Amorpha fruticosa L., Cephalanthus occidentalis L., Cornus spp., Crataegus spp., Ilex decidua Walt., Morus rubra L., and Prunus spp.) and seven tree species (Celtis laevigata Willd., Diospyros virginiana L., Fraxinus spp., Gleditsia triacanthos L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich, and Ulmus spp.) that successfully established in these trials.

  7. Canopy tree species determine herb layer biomass and species composition on a reclaimed mine spoil heap.

    PubMed

    Rawlik, Mateusz; Kasprowicz, Marek; Jagodziński, Andrzej M; Kaźmierowski, Cezary; Łukowiak, Remigiusz; Grzebisz, Witold

    2018-09-01

    According facilitative models of succession, trees are great forest ecosystem engineers. The strength of tree stand influences on habitat were tested in rather homogenous conditions where heterogeneity of site condition was not an important influence. We hypothesized that canopy composition affects total aboveground vascular herb layer biomass (THB) and species composition of herb layer plant biomass (SCHB) more significantly than primary soil fertility or slope exposure. The study was conducted in 227 randomly selected research plots in seven types of forest stands: pure with Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus petraea and Robinia pseudoacacia, and mixed with dominance of Acer pseudoplatanus or Betula pendula located on hilltop and northern, eastern, western, and southern slopes on a reclaimed, afforested post-mining spoil heap of the Bełchatów Brown Coal Mine (Poland). Generalized linear models (GLZ) showed that tree stand species were the best predictors of THB. Non-parametric variance tests showed significantly higher (nearly four times) THB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia, B. pendula and Q. petraea, compared to the lowest THB found under canopies of P. sylvestris and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) showed that SCHB was significantly differentiated along gradients of light-nutrient herb layer species requirements. RDA and non-parametric variance tests showed that SCHB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus had large shares of nitrophilous ruderal species (32%, 31% and 11%, respectively), whereas SCHB under B. pendula, Q. petraea, mixed with B. pendula and P. sylvestris were dominated by light-demanding meadow (49%, 51%, 51% and 36%, respectively) and Poaceae species. The results indicated the dominant role of tree stand composition in habitat-forming processes, and although primary site properties had minor importance, they were also modified by tree stand

  8. Chalk Point cooling tower project native vegetation study. Final report 1979

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Patterson, G.W.; Galloway, R.A.; Francis, B.A.

    1979-06-01

    The Potomac Electric Power Company generating station at Chalk Point, MD, utilizes brackish water in its natural draft cooling tower and, consequently, releases saline aerosol into the atmosphere. A research and monitoring project was established in 1974 to evaluate the effects of this drift on native perennial vegetation. Leaf samples have been collected form dogwood, Cornys florida, Virginia pine, Pinus virginiana, black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, and sassafras, Sassafras albidum, located at 12 different sites in the vicinity of the power plant. Sampling was begun prior to the operation of the cooling tower, 1974, and continued through 1978. Complete results frommore » monthly monitoring of foliar chloride in the four native tree species is documented for May through September 1978. Results from salt spray experiments indicate chloride and sodium concentrations in the wood of dogwood trees increases with increased spraying levels.« less

  9. [Effects of grazing disturbance on soil active organic carbon in mountain forest-arid valley ecotone in the upper reaches of Minjiang River].

    PubMed

    Liu, Shan-Shan; Zhang, Xing-Hua; Gong, Yuan-Bo; Li, Yuan; Wang, Yan; Yin, Yan-Jie; Ma, Jin-Song; Guo, Ting

    2014-02-01

    Effects of grazing disturbance on the soil carbon contents and active components in the four vegetations, i.e., artificial Robinia pseudoacacia plantation, artificial poplar plantation, Berberis aggregate shrubland and grassland, were studied in the mountain forest-arid valley ecotone in the upper Minjiang River. Soil organic carbon and active component contents in 0-10 cm soil layer were greater than in 10-20 cm soil layer at each level of grazing disturbance. With increasing the grazing intensity, the total organic carbon (TOC), light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and easily oxidized carbon (LOC) contents in 0-10 cm soil layer decreased gradually in the artificial R. pseudoacacia plantation. The LFOC content decreased, the POC content increased, and the TOC and LOC contents decreased initially and then increased with increasing the grazing intensity in the artificial poplar plantation. The POC content decreased, and the TOC, LFOC and LOC contents decreased initially and then increased with increasing the grazing intensity in the B. aggregate shrubland. The POC and TOC contents decreased, and the LFOC and LOC contents decreased initially and then increased with increasing the grazing intensity in the grassland. The decreasing ranges of LOC, LFOC and POC contents were 0.1-7.9 times more than that of TOC content. There were significant positive relationships between TOC and LOC, LFOC and POC, suggesting that the active organic carbon components could reflect the change of soil total carbon content.

  10. Role of genetic improvement in the Short Rotation Woody Crops Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Layton, P.A.; Wright, L.L.

    1986-01-01

    A major effort in the Short Rotation Woody Crops Program (SRWCP) is species screening and genetic improvement of selected species. Of the 125 species initially evaluated for SRIC, 20 are being seriously considered with most of emphasis on 16 hardwood species. Range-wide seed collections of 12 species were provenance tested; these include Platanus occidentalis (sycamore), Alnus glutinosa (European black alder), and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). Based on the results of these tests, highly productive, site-specific seed sources are being chosen for several geographic regions. Three of these species re currently being bred for increased productivity in SRIC systems. Genetic improvementmore » is viewed as a tool for increasing productivity, having anticipated gains of 40 to 50%. The techniques of somaclonal screening and genetic engineering are being evaluated for their usefulness in the SRIC improvement program. Currently, salt-tolerant Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush) and herbicide-resistant Populus spp. are being sought via somaclonal screening. 35 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.« less

  11. Accumulation of sulfur and heavy metals in soil and tree leaves sampled from the surroundings of Tuncbilek Thermal Power Plant.

    PubMed

    Cicek, A; Koparal, A S

    2004-11-01

    In this study, the quantities of sulfur and heavy metals, resulting from the Tuncbilek Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in Turkey, have been assessed in tree leaves and soil samples within a 10 km radius of the plant. Leaves of Salix alba L., Populus tremula L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Quercus infectoria L., Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. pallasiana (Lamb) Holmboe. trees have been used with the aim of determining how far the gas and particles emitted from the TPP are carried, and for assessment of environmental impact. The results obtained from locations chosen at various distances to the TPP, indicate that the contaminating agents are very dense and effective; particularly in the prevailing wind direction and within 10 km of the plant. They gradually lose their density and effect beyond this distance. The sulfur and heavy metal analyses made in soils taken from these locations indicate a similarity with the data obtained from the leaves.

  12. Stand characteristics and productivity potential of Indiana surface mines reclaimed under SMCRA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Groninger, J.W.; Fillmore, S.D.; Rathfon, R.A.

    The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) addresses a wide range of environmental concerns. However, its impacts on forest stand development and productive potential have only recently been investigated. We surveyed the vegetation and forest productivity on 22 surface mine sites throughout the coal-bearing region of Indiana that were reclaimed to forest cover under the provisions of SMCRA 7-14 years prior to sampling. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) were the most widely occurring tree species. Tall fescue and goldenrod were the most widely occurring nonarborescent species. Median site index (base age 50 formore » black oak) was 30 ft. Although satisfying forest cover stocking requirements for bond release, these reclaimed surface mines almost always displayed a level of productivity far below those of native forests typical of this region. Reclamation techniques differing from those used on these study sites are needed to restore forest productivity to surface-mined lands while still complying with SMCRA.« less

  13. [Distribution of fine root biomass of main planting tree species in Loess Plateau, China].

    PubMed

    Jian, Sheng-Qi; Zhao, Chuan-Yan; Fang, Shu-Min; Yu, Kai

    2014-07-01

    The distribution of fine roots of Pinus tabuliformis, Populus tomentosa, Prunus armeniaca, Robinia pseudoacacia, Hippophae rhamnoides, and Caragana korshinskii was investigated by using soil core method and the fine root was defined as root with diameter less than 2 mm. The soil moisture and soil properties were measured. The results showed that in the horizontal direction, the distribution of fine root biomass of P. tabuliformis presented a conic curve, and the fine root biomass of the other species expressed logarithm correlation. Radial roots developed, the fine root biomass were concentrated within the scope of the 2-3 times crown, indicating that trees extended their roots laterally to seek water farther from the tree. In the vertical direction, the fine root biomass decreased with the increasing soil depth. Fine root biomass had significant negative correlation with soil water content and bulk density, while significant positive correlation with organic matter and total N contents.

  14. [Fine root biomass and production of four vegetation types in Loess Plateau, China].

    PubMed

    Deng, Qiang; Li, Ting; Yuan, Zhi-You; Jiao, Feng

    2014-11-01

    Fine roots (≤ 2 mm) play a major role in biogeochemical cycling in ecosystems. By the methods of soil cores and ingrowth soil cores, we studied the biomass and annual production of fine roots in 0-40 cm soil layers of four main vegetation types, i. e. , Robinia pseudoacacia plantation, deciduous shrubs, abandoned grassland, and Artemisia desertorum community in Loess Plateau, China. The spatial patterns of fine root biomass and production were negatively associated with latitudes. The fine root biomass in the 0-40 cm soil layer was in the order of deciduous shrubs (220 g · m(-2)), R. pseudoacacia plantation (163 g · m(-2)), abandoned grassland (162 g · m(-2)) and A. desertorum community (79 g · m(-2)). The proportion of ≤ 1 mm fine root biomass (74.1%) in the 0-40 cm soil layer of abandoned grassland was significantly higher than those in the other three vegetation types. The fine root biomass of the four vegetation types was mainly distributed in the 0-10 cm soil layer and decreased with soil depth. The proportion of fine root biomass (44.1%) in the 0-10 cm soil layer of abandoned grassland was significantly higher than those in other three vegetation types. The fine root productions of four vegetation types were in the order of abandoned grassland (315 g · m(-2) · a(-1)) > deciduous shrubs (249 g · m(-2) a(-1)) > R. pseudoacacia plantation (219 g · m(-2) · a(-1)) > A. desertorum community (115 g · m(-2) · a(-1)), and mainly concentrated in the 0-10 cm top soil layer and decreased with the soil depth. The proportion of the annual production (40.4%) in the 0-10 cm soil layer was the highest in abandoned grassland. Fine roots of abandoned grassland turned over faster than those from the other three vegetation types.

  15. [Species, functional, structural diversity of typical plant communities and their responses to environmental factors in Miao Archipelago, China.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Li Ting; Su, Tian; Liu, Xiang Yu; Yin, Fang; Guo, Chao; Tuo, Bin; Yan, En Rong

    2018-02-01

    Island vegetation plays an important role in biodiversity research across the world. The study of plant diversity in island is helpful for understanding the mechanism of plant diversity maintenance under land-sea interaction. Here, four typical plant communities (Quercus acutissima community, Robinia pseudoacacia community, Pinus thunbergii community and Vitex negundo community) in Miao Archipelago were selected to examine the species, functional and structural diversities and their responses to environmental factors at the community scale by using species diversity indices, functional diversity indices, as well as structural diversity indices. The results showed that the species richness and Rao index of P. thunbergii community was higher than that of Q. acutissima community and R. pseudoacacia community, but the structural diversity was lower. The species diversity and structural diversity of V. Negundo shrub were lower than that of forest community, but the functional diversity was higher than some forest communities. The relationship between the diversity of typical plant communities in island area illustrated a significant positive correlation between species richness with Rao index and tree height diversity, however the correlation with functional evenness was significantly negative. The structural diversity and functional evenness were determined by slope with negative and positive relationships, respectively. Functional heterogeneity, functional divergence and species diversity were affected largely by soil physical and chemical properties, displaying the positive relationship with soil bulk density and soil total carbon content, and a negative relationship with soil water content. In conclusion, diversity pattern of plant community in Miao Archipelago reflected not only the characteristics in mainland vegetation but also the special nature of the sea island.

  16. Factors controlling plasticity of leave morphology in Robinia pseudoacacia L. I: height-associated variation in leaf structure

    Treesearch

    Yanxiang Zhang; Quanshui Zheng; Melvin T. Tyree

    2012-01-01

    Physiological ecologists have been fascinated by height- or position-linked differences of leaf morphology within tall trees >25 m, but the exact cause is still debated, i.e., is it due to light or height-induced water stress? The aim of this study was to demonstrate that relatively small trees (

  17. Response pattern of amino compounds in phloem and xylem of trees to soil drought depends on drought intensity and root symbiosis.

    PubMed

    Liu, X-P; Gong, C-M; Fan, Y-Y; Eiblmeier, M; Zhao, Z; Han, G; Rennenberg, H

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to identify drought-mediated differences in amino nitrogen (N) composition and content of xylem and phloem in trees having different symbiotic N(2)-fixing bacteria. Under controlled water availability, 1-year-old seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia (nodules with Rhizobium), Hippophae rhamnoides (symbiosis with Frankia) and Buddleja alternifolia (no such root symbiosis) were exposed to control, medium drought and severe drought, corresponding soil water content of 70-75%, 45-50% and 30-35% of field capacity, respectively. Composition and content of amino compounds in xylem sap and phloem exudates were analysed as a measure of N nutrition. Drought strongly reduced biomass accumulation in all species, but amino N content in xylem and phloem remained unaffected only in R. pseudoacacia. In H. rhamnoides and B. alternifolia, amino N in phloem remained constant, but increased in xylem of both species in response to drought. There were differences in composition of amino compounds in xylem and phloem of the three species in response to drought. Proline concentrations in long-distance transport pathways of all three species were very low, below the limit of detection in phloem of H. rhamnoides and in phloem and xylem of B. alternifolia. Apparently, drought-mediated changes in N composition were much more connected with species-specific changes in C:N ratios. Irrespective of soil water content, the two species with root symbioses did not show similar features for the different types of symbiosis, neither in N composition nor in N content. There was no immediate correlation between symbiotic N fixation and drought-mediated changes in amino N in the transport pathways. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  18. Potential tree species for use in the restoration of unsanitary landfills.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kee Dae; Lee, Eun Ju

    2005-07-01

    Given that they represent the most economical option for disposing of refuse, waste landfills are widespread in urban areas. However, landfills generate air and water pollution and require restoration for landscape development. A number of unsanitary waste landfills have caused severe environmental problems in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the colonization status of different tree species on waste landfills to assess their potential for restoring unsanitary landfills in South Korea. Plot surveys were conducted using 10 x 10-m quadrats at seven waste landfill sites: Bunsuri, Dugiri, Hasanundong, Gomaeri, Kyongseodong, Mojeonri, and Shindaedong. We determined the height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and number of tree species in the plots, and enumerated all saplings < or =1 m high. Because black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, was the dominant tree species in the waste landfills, we measured the distance from the presumed mother plant (i.e., the tallest black locust in a patch), height, and DBH of all individuals in black locust patches to determine patch structure. Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix koreensis, and Populus sieboldii formed canopy layers in the waste landfills. The basal area of black locust was 1.51 m(2)/ha, and this species had the highest number of saplings among all tree species. The diameter of the black locust patches ranged from 3.71 to 11.29 m. As the patch diameter increased, the number of regenerated saplings also tended to increase, albeit not significantly. Black locust invaded via bud banks and spread clonally in a concentric pattern across the landfills. This species grew well in the dry habitat of the landfills, and its growth rate was very high. Furthermore, black locust has the ability to fix nitrogen symbiotically; it is therefore considered a well-adapted species for waste landfills. Eleven woody species were selected for screening: Acer palmatum, Albizzia julibrissin, Buxus microphylla var. koreana, Ginkgo

  19. Nature of fly ash amendments differently influences oxidative stress alleviation in four forest tree species and metal trace element phytostabilization in aged contaminated soil: A long-term field experiment.

    PubMed

    Labidi, Sonia; Firmin, Stéphane; Verdin, Anthony; Bidar, Géraldine; Laruelle, Frédéric; Douay, Francis; Shirali, Pirouz; Fontaine, Joël; Lounès-Hadj Sahraoui, Anissa

    2017-04-01

    Aided phytostabilization using coal fly ashes (CFAs) is an interesting technique to clean-up polluted soils and valorizing industrial wastes. In this context, our work aims to study the effect of two CFAs: silico-aluminous (CFA1) and sulfo-calcic (CFA2) ones, 10 years after their addition, on the phytostabilization of a highly Cd (cadmium), Pb (lead) and Zn (zinc) contaminated agricultural soil, with four forest tree species: Robinia pseudoacacia, Alnus glutinosa, Acer pseudoplatanus and Salix alba. To assess the effect of CFAs on trees, leaf fatty acid composition, malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized and reduced glutathione contents ratio (GSSG: GSH), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), Peroxidase (PO) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were examined. Our results showed that CFA amendments decreased the CaCl 2- extractable fraction of Cd and Zn from the soil. However, no significant effect was observed on metal trace element (MTE) concentrations in leaves. Fatty acid percentages were only affected by the addition of sulfo-calcic CFA. The most affected species were A. glutinosa and R. pseudoacacia in which C16:0, C18:0 and C18:2 percentages increased significantly whereas the C18:3 decreased. The addition of sulfo-calcic CFA induced the antioxidant systems response in tree leaves. An increase of SOD and POD activities in leaves of trees planted on the CFA2-amended plot was recorded. Conversely, silico-aluminous CFA generated a reduction of lipid and DNA oxidation associated with the absence or low induction of anti-oxidative processes. Our study evidenced oxidative stress alleviation in tree leaves due to CFA amendments. MTE mobility in contaminated soil and their accumulation in leaves differed with the nature of CFA amendments and the selected tree species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. [Effects of mixed decomposition of Populus simonii and other tree species leaf litters on soil properties in Loess Plateau].

    PubMed

    Li, Qian; Liu, Zeng-Wen; Du, Liang-Zhen

    2012-03-01

    In this study, the leaf litters of Populus simonii and other 11 tree species were put into soil separately or in mixture after grinding, and incubated in laboratory to analyze the effects of their decomposition on soil properties and the interactions between the litters decomposition. The decomposition of each kind of the leaf litters in soil increased the soil urease, dehydrogenase, and phosphatase activities and the soil organic matter and available N contents markedly, but had greater differences in the effects on the soil available P content and CEC. The decomposition of the leaf litters of Caragana microphylla and of Amorpha fruticosa showed obvious effects in improving soil properties. The decomposition of the mixed leaf litters of P. simonii and Pinus tabulaeformis, Platycladus orientalis, Robinia pseudoacacia, or Ulmus pumila showed interactive promotion effects on the abundance of soil microbes, and that of the mixed leaf litters of P. simonii and P. orientalis or C. microphylla showed interactive promotion effects on the soil organic matter, available P, and available K contents and soil CEC but interactive inhibition effects on the activities of most of the soil enzymes tested. The decomposition of the mixed leaf litters of P. simonii and Larix principis-rupprechtii showed interactive promotion effects on the activities of most of the soil enzymes and soil nutrient contents, while that of the mixed leaf litters of P. simonii and P. sylvestris var. mongolica showed interactive inhibition effects. Overall, the decomposition of the mixed leaf litters of P. simo- nii and U. pumila, P. tabulaeformis, L. principis-rupprechtii, or R. pseudoacacia could improve soil quality, but the mixed leaf litters of P. simonii and P. orientalis, C. microphylla, P. sylvestris var. mongolica, Hippophae rhamnoides, or A. fruticosa showed an interactive inhibition effect during their decomposition.

  1. Response of transpiration to rain pulses for two tree species in a semiarid plantation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lixin; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Zeppel, Melanie; Liu, Caifeng; Guo, Junting; Zhu, Jinzhao; Zhang, Xuepei; Zhang, Jianjun; Zha, Tonggang

    2014-09-01

    Responses of transpiration ( E c) to rain pulses are presented for two semiarid tree species in a stand of Pinus tabulaeformis and Robinia pseudoacacia. Our objectives are to investigate (1) the environmental control over the stand transpiration after rainfall by analyzing the effect of vapor pressure deficit (VPD), soil water condition, and rainfall on the post-rainfall E c development and recovery rate, and (2) the species responses to rain pulses and implications on vegetation coverage under a changing rainfall regime. Results showed that the sensitivity of canopy conductance ( G c) to VPD varied under different incident radiation and soil water conditions, and the two species exhibited the same hydraulic control (-d G c/dlnVPD to G cref ratio) over transpiration. Strengthened physiological control and low sapwood area of the stand contributed to low E c. VPD after rainfall significantly influenced the magnitude and time series of post-rainfall stand E c. The fluctuation of post-rainfall VPD in comparison with the pre-rainfall influenced the E c recovery. Further, the stand E c was significantly related to monthly rainfall, but the recovery was independent of the rainfall event size. E c enhanced with cumulative soil moisture change (ΔVWC) within each dry-wet cycle, yet still was limited in large rainfall months. The two species had different response patterns of post-rainfall E c recovery. E c recovery of P. tabulaeformis was influenced by the pre- and post-rainfall VPD differences and the duration of rainless interval. R. pseudoacacia showed a larger immediate post-rainfall E c increase than P. tabulaeformis did. We, therefore, concluded that concentrated rainfall events do not trigger significant increase of transpiration unless large events penetrate the deep soil and the species differences of E c in response to pulses of rain may shape the composition of semiarid woodlands under future rainfall regimes.

  2. Response of transpiration to rain pulses for two tree species in a semiarid plantation.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lixin; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Zeppel, Melanie; Liu, Caifeng; Guo, Junting; Zhu, Jinzhao; Zhang, Xuepei; Zhang, Jianjun; Zha, Tonggang

    2014-09-01

    Responses of transpiration (Ec) to rain pulses are presented for two semiarid tree species in a stand of Pinus tabulaeformis and Robinia pseudoacacia. Our objectives are to investigate (1) the environmental control over the stand transpiration after rainfall by analyzing the effect of vapor pressure deficit (VPD), soil water condition, and rainfall on the post-rainfall Ec development and recovery rate, and (2) the species responses to rain pulses and implications on vegetation coverage under a changing rainfall regime. Results showed that the sensitivity of canopy conductance (Gc) to VPD varied under different incident radiation and soil water conditions, and the two species exhibited the same hydraulic control (-dG c/dlnVPD to Gcref ratio) over transpiration. Strengthened physiological control and low sapwood area of the stand contributed to low Ec. VPD after rainfall significantly influenced the magnitude and time series of post-rainfall stand Ec. The fluctuation of post-rainfall VPD in comparison with the pre-rainfall influenced the Ec recovery. Further, the stand Ec was significantly related to monthly rainfall, but the recovery was independent of the rainfall event size. Ec enhanced with cumulative soil moisture change (ΔVWC) within each dry-wet cycle, yet still was limited in large rainfall months. The two species had different response patterns of post-rainfall Ec recovery. Ec recovery of P. tabulaeformis was influenced by the pre- and post-rainfall VPD differences and the duration of rainless interval. R. pseudoacacia showed a larger immediate post-rainfall Ec increase than P. tabulaeformis did. We, therefore, concluded that concentrated rainfall events do not trigger significant increase of transpiration unless large events penetrate the deep soil and the species differences of Ec in response to pulses of rain may shape the composition of semiarid woodlands under future rainfall regimes.

  3. Volatiles from a rare Acer spp. honey sample from Croatia.

    PubMed

    Jerković, Igor; Marijanović, Zvonimir; Malenica-Staver, Mladenka; Lusić, Drazen

    2010-06-24

    A rare sample of maple (Acer spp.) honey from Croatia was analysed. Ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) using: 1) pentane, 2) diethyl ether, 3) a mixture of pentane and diethyl ether (1:2 v/v) and 4) dichloromethane as solvents was applied. All the extracts were analysed by GC and GC/MS. The most representative extracts were 3) and 4). Syringaldehyde was the most striking compound, being dominant in the extracts 2), 3) and 4) with percentages 34.5%, 33.1% and 35.9%, respectively. In comparison to USE results of other single Croatian tree honey samples (Robinia pseudoacacia L. nectar honey, Salix spp. nectar and honeydew honeys, Quercus frainetto Ten. honeydew as well as Abies alba Mill. and Picea abies L. honeydew) and literature data the presence of syringaldehyde, previously identified in maple sap and syrup, can be pointed out as a distinct characteristic of the Acer spp. honey sample. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with GC and GC/MS identified benzaldehyde (16.5%), trans-linalool oxide (20.5%) and 2-phenylethanol (14.9%) as the major compounds that are common in different honey headspace compositions.

  4. Flowering phenological changes in relation to climate change in Hungary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szabó, Barbara; Vincze, Enikő; Czúcz, Bálint

    2016-09-01

    The importance of long-term plant phenological time series is growing in monitoring of climate change impacts worldwide. To detect trends and assess possible influences of climate in Hungary, we studied flowering phenological records for six species ( Convallaria majalis, Taraxacum officinale, Syringa vulgaris, Sambucus nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia cordata) based on phenological observations from the Hungarian Meteorological Service recorded between 1952 and 2000. Altogether, four from the six examined plant species showed significant advancement in flowering onset with an average rate of 1.9-4.4 days per decade. We found that it was the mean temperature of the 2-3 months immediately preceding the mean flowering date, which most prominently influenced its timing. In addition, several species were affected by the late winter (January-March) values of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. We also detected sporadic long-term effects for all species, where climatic variables from earlier months exerted influence with varying sign and little recognizable pattern: the temperature/NAO of the previous autumn (August-December) seems to influence Convallaria, and the temperature/precipitation of the previous spring (February-April) has some effect on Tilia flowering.

  5. Flowering phenological changes in relation to climate change in Hungary.

    PubMed

    Szabó, Barbara; Vincze, Enikő; Czúcz, Bálint

    2016-09-01

    The importance of long-term plant phenological time series is growing in monitoring of climate change impacts worldwide. To detect trends and assess possible influences of climate in Hungary, we studied flowering phenological records for six species (Convallaria majalis, Taraxacum officinale, Syringa vulgaris, Sambucus nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia cordata) based on phenological observations from the Hungarian Meteorological Service recorded between 1952 and 2000. Altogether, four from the six examined plant species showed significant advancement in flowering onset with an average rate of 1.9-4.4 days per decade. We found that it was the mean temperature of the 2-3 months immediately preceding the mean flowering date, which most prominently influenced its timing. In addition, several species were affected by the late winter (January-March) values of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. We also detected sporadic long-term effects for all species, where climatic variables from earlier months exerted influence with varying sign and little recognizable pattern: the temperature/NAO of the previous autumn (August-December) seems to influence Convallaria, and the temperature/precipitation of the previous spring (February-April) has some effect on Tilia flowering.

  6. Molecular-Assisted Pollen Grain Analysis Reveals Spatiotemporal Origin of Long-Distance Migrants of a Noctuid Moth

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Hong; Guo, Jianglong; Fu, Xiaowei; Liu, Yongqiang; Wyckhuys, Kris A. G.; Hou, Youming

    2018-01-01

    Pollen grains are regularly used as markers to determine an insect’s movement patterns or host (plant) feeding behavior, yet conventional morphology-based pollen grain analysis (or palynology) encounters a number of important limitations. In the present study, we combine conventional analytical approaches with DNA meta-barcoding to identify pollen grains attached to migrating adults of the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Northeast China. More specifically, pollen grains were dislodged from 2566 A. segetum long-distance migrants captured on Beihuang Island (Bohai Sea) and identified to many (plant) species level. Pollen belonged to 26 families of plants, including Fagaceae, Oleaceae, Leguminosae, Asteraceae, Pinaceae and Rosaceae, including common species such as Citrus sinensis, Olea europaea, Ligustrum lucidum, Robinia pseudoacacia, Castanopsis echinocarpa, Melia azedarach and Castanea henryi. As the above plants are indigenous to southern climes, we deduce that A. segetum forage on plants in those locales prior to engaging in northward spring migration. Our work validates the use of DNA-assisted approaches in lepidopteran pollination ecology research and provides unique and valuable information on the adult feeding range and geographical origin of A. segetum. Our findings also enable targeted (area-wide) pest management interventions or guide the future isolation of volatile attractants. PMID:29438348

  7. The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

    DOE PAGES

    Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen; ...

    2016-02-04

    Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. Here, our study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizalmore » legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation.« less

  8. The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen; Chiu, Tsan-Yu; Ghosh, Amit; Chen, Hui; Tang, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizal legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation. PMID:26842958

  9. Rational approach to solvent system selection for liquid-liquid extraction-assisted sample pretreatment in counter-current chromatography.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jiajia; Gu, Dongyu; Wang, Miao; Guo, Xinfeng; Li, Haoquan; Dong, Yue; Guo, Hong; Wang, Yi; Fan, Mengqi; Yang, Yi

    2017-05-15

    A rational liquid-liquid extraction approach was established to pre-treat samples for high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). n-Hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (4:5:4:5, v/v) and (1:5:1:5, v/v) were selected as solvent systems for liquid-liquid extraction by systematically screening K of target compounds to remove low- and high-polarity impurities in the sample, respectively. After liquid-liquid extraction was performed, 1.4g of crude sample II was obtained from 18.5g of crude sample I which was extracted from the flowers of Robinia pseudoacacia L., and then separated with HSCCC by using a solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:2:1:2, v/v). As a result, 31mg of robinin and 37mg of kaempferol 7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside were isolated from 200mg of crude sample II in a single run of HSCCC. A scale-up separation was also performed, and 160mg of robinin with 95% purity and 188mg of kaempferol 7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside with 97% purity were produced from 1.2g of crude sample II. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Environmental studies in two communes of Santiago de Chile by the analysis of magnetic properties of particulate matter deposited on leaves of roadside trees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muñoz, David; Aguilar, Bertha; Fuentealba, Raúl; Préndez, Margarita

    2017-03-01

    Emissions from motor vehicles are considered to be one of the main sources of airborne particulate matter in Santiago. International researchers have shown that particulate matter contains metal oxides and magnetic particles, both of which are emitted mainly from vehicles exhaust pipes. On the other hand, trees are effective in reducing such contamination, so that they act as passive collectors of particulate matter. This work presents the results obtained from the first magnetic study of the particulate matter collected in two areas of the city of Santiago de Chile. Magnetic susceptibility and Saturation Isothermic Remanent Magnetization (SIRM) were determined in leaves from abundant urban trees and from urban dust samples. Results indicate that most of the samples contain ferromagnetic minerals with magnetite (Fe3O4) as the main carrier. Values of magnetic susceptibility (SI ×10-6 m3/kg) in the range 0.04-0.24 for leaves and in the range 10-45 for urban dust were determinated. In one of the city areas studied, significant correlation between the particulate matter deposited on leaves of Platanus orientalis and measured traffic flows was obtained. In addition, it was possible to estimate that the species Platanus orientalis and Acer negundo have a better ability to capture particulate matter than the species Robinia pseudoacacia.

  11. Specialist nectar-yeasts decline with urbanization in Berlin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wehner, Jeannine; Mittelbach, Moritz; Rillig, Matthias C.; Verbruggen, Erik

    2017-03-01

    Nectar yeasts are common inhabitants of insect-pollinated flowers but factors determining their distribution are not well understood. We studied the influence of host identity, environmental factors related to pollution/urbanization, and the distance to a target beehive on local distribution of nectar yeasts within Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in Berlin, Germany. Nectar samples of six individuals per species were collected at seven sites in a 2 km radius from each target beehive and plated on YM-Agar to visualise the different morphotypes, which were then identified by sequencing a section of the 26S rDNA gene. Multivariate linear models were used to analyze the effects of all investigated factors on yeast occurrence per tree. Yeast distribution was mainly driven by host identity. The influence of the environmental factors (NO2, height of construction, soil sealing) strongly depended on the radius around the tree, similar to the distance of the sampled beehive. Incidence of specialist nectar-borne yeast species decreased with increasing pollution/urbanization index. Given that specialist yeast species gave way to generalist yeasts that have a reduced dependency on pollinators for between-flower dispersal, our results indicate that increased urbanization may restrict the movement of nectar-specialized yeasts, via limitations of pollinator foraging behavior.

  12. Pollen analysis of natural honeys from the central region of Shanxi, North China.

    PubMed

    Song, Xiao-Yan; Yao, Yi-Feng; Yang, Wu-De

    2012-01-01

    Based on qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analyses, 19 Chinese honeys were classified by botanical origin to determine their floral sources. The honey samples were collected during 2010-2011 from the central region of Shanxi Province, North China. A diverse spectrum of 61 pollen types from 37 families was identified. Fourteen samples were classified as unifloral, whereas the remaining samples were multifloral. Bee-favoured families (occurring in more than 50% of the samples) included Caprifoliaceae (found in 10 samples), Laminaceae (10), Brassicaceae (12), Rosaceae (12), Moraceae (13), Rhamnaceae (15), Asteraceae (17), and Fabaceae (19). In the unifloral honeys, the predominant pollen types were Ziziphus jujuba (in 5 samples), Robinia pseudoacacia (3), Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (2), Sophora japonica (1), Ailanthus altissima (1), Asteraceae type (1), and Fabaceae type (1). The absolute pollen count (i.e., the number of pollen grains per 10 g honey sample) suggested that 13 samples belonged to Group I (<20,000 pollen grains), 4 to Group II (20,000-100,000), and 2 to Group III (100,000-500,000). The dominance of unifloral honeys without toxic pollen grains and the low value of the HDE/P ratio (i.e., honey dew elements/pollen grains from nectariferous plants) indicated that the honey samples are of good quality and suitable for human consumption.

  13. Characterization of Croatian Rape (Brassica sp.) Honey by Pollen Spectrum, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Multielement analysis by ICP-OES.

    PubMed

    Rajs, Blanka Bilić; Flanjak, Ivana; Mutić, Jelena; Vukojević, Vesna; Đurđić, Slađana; Primorac, Ljiljana

    2017-07-01

    Rape (Brassica sp.) unifloral honey from Croatia was characterized by certain physicochemical parameters, micro- and macroelement content, and pollen spectrum, as determined in 21 honey samples. The Brassica sp. pollen type was predominant in the analyzed samples and ranged between 60 and 98%, with Trifolium spp., Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosaceae, Helianthus annuus, Salix spp., and Taraxacum officinale as the main accompanying pollen types. The electrical conductivity mean value was 0.22 ± 0.05 mS/cm and the glucose/fructose ratio mean value was 1.1 ± 0.07, whereas sucrose was absent in the samples. The most abundant macroelement was potassium (K) (268.49 mg/kg), followed by phosphorus (P) (60.23 mg/kg), calcium (Ca) (54.02 mg/kg), sodium (Na) (22.52 mg/kg), sulfur (S) (15.79 mg/kg), and magnesium (Mg) (12.58 mg/kg). Toxic elements were mainly bellow the LODs; only arsenic (As) concentration was detectable in higher amount (0.233 mg/kg), which may be related to the high arsenic concentration in the soil and groundwater of eastern Croatia. The differences between the two harvesting seasons observed in a large number of elements could be related to climatic and soil conditions and different nectar yields originating from the associated plant species.

  14. Evaluation of natural succession of reclaimed coal mine land in western Kentucky

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williamson, D.L.; Gray, R.B.

    1996-12-31

    In 1989 Peabody Coal Company began a comprehensive inventory program on roughly 2000 acres of reclaimed land in various stages of reforestation. Although the information gathered was intended for in-house use, accurate maps and records were created. Since the inception of public law 95-87, reclamation managers have discussed their observations that compaction and ground cover requirements make the establishment of tree seedlings extremely difficult and the role that this has played in natural regeneration. To examine this situation more closely an isolated area that had been seeded in 1987 to a tree compatible grass/legume ground cover was selected. The areamore » was tree planted in the spring of 1988 and again in the spring of 1989. The area is approximately 250 acres and is surrounded by unmined remnants of upland forest and cast overburden areas planted to trees in the late 1950`s. Trees observed in the unmined area included Red oak (Quercus rubra), white ash (Fraxinus americans) and Sugar maple (Acersaccharum). Trees observed on the previously mined area include Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), White pine (Pinus strobus), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and various other reclamation type species planted in the late 1950`s.« less

  15. Responsiveness of soil nitrogen fractions and bacterial communities to afforestation in the Loess Hilly Region (LHR) of China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Chengjie; Sun, Pingsheng; Kang, Di; Zhao, Fazhu; Feng, Yongzhong; Ren, Guangxin; Han, Xinhui; Yang, Gaihe

    2016-06-01

    In the present paper, we investigated the effects of afforestation on nitrogen fractions and microbial communities. A total of 24 soil samples were collected from farmland (FL) and three afforested lands, namely Robinia pseudoacacia L (RP), Caragana korshinskii Kom (CK), and abandoned land (AL), which have been arable for the past 40 years. Quantitative PCR and Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes were used to analyze soil bacterial abundance, diversity, and composition. Additionally, soil nitrogen (N) stocks and fractions were estimated. The results showed that soil N stock, N fractions, and bacterial abundance and diversity increased following afforestation. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla of soil bacterial compositions. Overall, soil bacterial compositions generally changed from Actinobacteria (Acidobacteria)-dominant to Proteobacteria-dominant following afforestation. Soil N fractions, especially for dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), were significantly correlated with most bacterial groups and bacterial diversity, while potential competitive interactions between Proteobacteria (order Rhizobiales) and Cyanobacteria were suggested. In contrast, nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) influenced soil bacterial compositions less than other N fractions. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that bacterial diversity and specific species respond to farmland-to-forest conversion and hence have the potential to affect N dynamic processes in the Loess Plateau.

  16. The roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in phytoremediation and tree-herb interactions in Pb contaminated soil

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, Yurong; Liang, Yan; Han, Xiaozhen

    Understanding the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant interaction is essential for optimizing plant distribution to restore degraded ecosystems. Here, our study investigated the effects of AMF and the presence of legume or grass herbs on phytoremediation with a legume tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, in Pb polluted soil. In monoculture, mycorrhizal dependency of legumes was higher than that of grass, and AMF benefited the plant biomass of legumes but had no effect on grass. Mycorrhizal colonization of plant was enhanced by legume neighbors but inhibited by grass neighbor in co-culture system. N, P, S and Mg concentrations of mycorrhizalmore » legumes were larger than these of non-mycorrhizal legumes. Legume herbs decreased soil pH and thereby increased the Pb concentrations of plants. The neighbor effects of legumes shifted from negative to positive with increasing Pb stress levels, whereas grass provided a negative effect on the growth of legume tree. AMF enhanced the competition but equalized growth of legume-legume under unpolluted and Pb stress conditions, respectively. In conclusion, (1) AMF mediate plant interaction through directly influencing plant biomass, and/or indirectly influencing plant photosynthesis, macronutrient acquisition, (2) legume tree inoculated with AMF and co-planted with legume herbs provides an effective way for Pb phytoremediation.« less

  17. Relationships between waste physicochemical properties, microbial activity and vegetation at coal ash and sludge disposal sites.

    PubMed

    Woch, Marcin W; Radwańska, Magdalena; Stanek, Małgorzata; Łopata, Barbara; Stefanowicz, Anna M

    2018-06-11

    The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between vegetation, physicochemical and microbial properties of substrate at coal ash and sludge disposal sites. The study was performed on 32 plots classified into 7 categories: dried ash sedimentation ponds, dominated by a grass Calamagrostis epigejos (AH-Ce), with the admixture of Pinus sylvestris (AH-CePs) or Robinia pseudoacacia (AH-CeRp), dry ash landfill dominated by Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris (AD-BpPs) or Salix viminalis (AD-Sv) and coal sludge pond with drier parts dominated by Tussilago farfara (CS-Tf) and the wetter ones by Cyperus flavescens (CS-Cf). Ash sites were covered with soil layer imported as a part of technical reclamation. Ash had relatively high concentrations of some alkali and alkaline earth metals, Mn and pH, while coal sludge had high water and C, S, P and K contents. Concentrations of heavy metals were lower than allowable limits in all substrate types. Microbial biomass and, particularly, enzymatic activity in ash and sludge were generally low. The only exception were CS-Tf plots characterized by the highest microbial biomass, presumably due to large deposits of organic matter that became available for aerobic microbial biomass when water level fell. The properties of ash and sludge adversely affected microbial biomass and enzymatic activity as indicated by significant negative correlations between the content of alkali/alkaline earth metals, heavy metals, and macronutrients with enzymatic activity and/or microbial biomass, as well as positive correlations of these parameters with metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ). Plant species richness and cover were relatively high, which may be partly associated with alleviating influence of soil covering the ash. The effect of the admixture of R. pseudoacacia or P. sylvestris to stands dominated by C. epigejos was smaller than expected. The former species increased NNH 4 , NNO 3 and arylsulfatase activity, while the latter reduced activity of

  18. Characteristics of labile organic carbon fractions in reclaimed mine soils: Evidence from three reclaimed forests in the Pingshuo opencast coal mine, China.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Ye; Zhao, Zhongqiu; Li, Xuezhen; Wang, Yangyang; Bai, Zhongke

    2018-02-01

    The reclamation of discarded spoils has the potential to stimulate carbon (C) sequestration in reclaimed mine soils (RMSs). Nevertheless, to date the temporal dynamics of labile organic C fractions have not been sufficiently elucidated in RMSs. In this study, soil organic carbon (SOC) and labile organic C fractions, including microbial biomass organic C (MBC), easily oxidizable organic C (EOC) and dissolved organic C (DOC), were determined in Robinia pseudoacacia monoculture forests (reclamation periods of 0, 8, 10, 13, 15, 18 and 30years), Pinus tabuliformis forests (reclamation periods of 0, 10, 19, 23 and 25years) and Ulmus pumila forests (reclamation periods of 0, 18, 20 and 22years) situated on RMSs in the Pingshuo opencast coal mine, China. Changes in labile organic C fractions within the soil profiles (0-100cm) were also identified at the 18- or 19-year plots under the three monoculture forests. Our results showed that, SOC and labile organic C fractions, together with soil microbial quotient (SMQ) and C management index (CMI), increased with time since reclamation, indicating that the quality of RMSs improved over time after initial reclamation under the three forest types. R. pseudoacacia significantly increased the accretion of SOC and EOC in the early stage of reclamation while P. tabuliformis accelerated the accumulation of the MBC fraction. Results for U. pumila indicated that this species had a better ability to store C in RMSs 10years or more after reclamation. SOC and labile organic C fractions both had S-shaped distributions within the soil profiles (0-100cm), with the 0-20cm layer recording the highest values (P<0.05). Labile organic C fractions were closely associated and correlated with soil physicochemical properties; our results also showed that nitrogen played an important role in the development of labile organic C fractions. Overall, reclamation accelerated the accretion of both SOC and labile organic C fractions, results of which varied

  19. An approach for detecting five typical vegetation types on the Chinese Loess Plateau using Landsat TM data.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhi-Jie; Jiao, Ju-Ying; Lei, Bo; Su, Yuan

    2015-09-01

    Remote sensing can provide large-scale spatial data for the detection of vegetation types. In this study, two shortwave infrared spectral bands (TM5 and TM7) and one visible spectral band (TM3) of Landsat 5 TM data were used to detect five typical vegetation types (communities dominated by Bothriochloa ischaemum, Artemisia gmelinii, Hippophae rhamnoides, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Quercus liaotungensis) using 270 field survey data in the Yanhe watershed on the Loess Plateau. The relationships between 200 field data points and their corresponding radiance reflectance were analyzed, and the equation termed the vegetation type index (VTI) was generated. The VTI values of five vegetation types were calculated, and the accuracy was tested using the remaining 70 field data points. The applicability of VTI was also tested by the distribution of vegetation type of two small watersheds in the Yanhe watershed and field sample data collected from other regions (Ziwuling Region, Huangling County, and Luochuan County) on the Loess Plateau. The results showed that the VTI can effectively detect the five vegetation types with an average accuracy exceeding 80 % and a representativeness above 85 %. As a new approach for monitoring vegetation types using remote sensing at a larger regional scale, VTI can play an important role in the assessment of vegetation restoration and in the investigation of the spatial distribution and community diversity of vegetation on the Loess Plateau.

  20. Physicochemical properties of honey from Marche, Central Italy: classification of unifloral and multifloral honeys by multivariate analysis.

    PubMed

    Truzzi, Cristina; Illuminati, Silvia; Annibaldia, Anna; Finale, Carolina; Rossetti, Monica; Scarponi, Giuseppe

    2014-11-01

    The purpose of this study was the physicochemical characterization and classification of Italian honey from Marche Region with a chemometric approach. A total of 135 honeys of different botanical origins [acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), chestnut (Castanea sativa), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), lime (Tilia spp.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), Metcalfa honeydew and multifloral honey] were considered. The average results of electrical conductivity (0.14-1.45 mS cm(-1)), pH (3.89-5.42), free acidity (10.9-39.0 meq(NaOH) kg(-1)), lactones (2.4-4.5 meq(NaOH) kg(-1)), total acidity (14.5-40.9 meq(NaOH) kg(-1)), proline (229-665 mg kg(-1)) and 5-(hydroxy-methyl)-2-furaldehyde (0.6-3.9 mg kg(-1)) content show wide variability among the analysed honey types, with statistically significant differences between the different honey types. Pattern recognition methods such as principal component analysis and discriminant analysis were performed in order to find a relationship between variables and types of honey and to classify honey on the basis of its physicochemical properties. The variables of electrical conductivity, acidity (free, lactones), pH and proline content exhibited higher discriminant power and provided enough information for the classification and distinction of unifloral honey types, but not for the classification of multifloral honey (100% and 85% of samples correctly classified, respectively).

  1. Assessment of the Soil Organic Carbon Sink in a Project for the Conversion of Farmland to Forestland: A Case Study in Zichang County, Shaanxi, China

    PubMed Central

    Mu, Lan; Liang, Yinli; Han, Ruilian

    2014-01-01

    The conversion of farmland to forestland not only changes the ecological environment but also enriches the soil with organic matter and affects the global carbon cycle. This paper reviews the influence of land use changes on the soil organic carbon sink to determine whether the Chinese “Grain-for-Green” (conversion of farmland to forestland) project increased the rate of SOC content during its implementation between 1999 and 2010 in the hilly and gully areas of the Loess Plateau in north-central China. The carbon sink was quantified, and the effects of the main species were assessed. The carbon sink increased from 2.26×106 kg in 1999 to 8.32×106 kg in 2010 with the sustainable growth of the converted areas. The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) soil increased SOC content in the top soil (0–100 cm) in the initial 7-yr period, while the sequestration occurred later (>7 yr) in the 100–120 cm layer after the “Grain-for-Green” project was implemented. The carbon sink function measured for the afforested land provides evidence that the Grain-for-Green project has successfully excavated the carbon sink potential of the Shaanxi province and served as an important milestone for establishing an effective organic carbon management program. PMID:24736591

  2. Soil CO2 flux in alley-cropping systems composed of black locust and poplar trees, Germany

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Medinski, Tetiana; Freese, Dirk; Boehm, Christian

    2013-04-01

    The understanding of soil carbon dynamics after establishment of alley-cropping systems is crucial for mitigation of greenhouse CO2 gas. This study investigates soil CO2 fluxes in alley-cropping systems composed of strips of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and poplar (Max 1) trees and adjacent to them crop strips (Lupinus). Soil CO2 flux was measured monthly over a period from March to November 2012, using a LI-COR LI-8100A automated device. Concurrently with CO2 flux measurements, soil and air temperature and soil moisture were recorded within 10 cm of each collar. Soil samples were collected nearby each soil collar for microbial C and hot water-extractable C analyses. At each study plot, root biomass was measured to a depth of 15 cm. In all vegetation types, soil CO2 flux increased from May to August, showing a significant positive correlation with air and soil temperature, which can be a reflection of increase in photosynthesis over the warm summer months. CO2 flux was the highest in poplar followed by black locust and lupines. The relationships between CO2 flux, microbial biomass and hot water-extractable carbon were not straightforward. Among the measured parameters, root density was found to be the main factor to explain the higher CO2 flux in tree strips.

  3. Pollen Analysis of Natural Honeys from the Central Region of Shanxi, North China

    PubMed Central

    Song, Xiao-Yan; Yao, Yi-Feng; Yang, Wu-De

    2012-01-01

    Based on qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analyses, 19 Chinese honeys were classified by botanical origin to determine their floral sources. The honey samples were collected during 2010–2011 from the central region of Shanxi Province, North China. A diverse spectrum of 61 pollen types from 37 families was identified. Fourteen samples were classified as unifloral, whereas the remaining samples were multifloral. Bee-favoured families (occurring in more than 50% of the samples) included Caprifoliaceae (found in 10 samples), Laminaceae (10), Brassicaceae (12), Rosaceae (12), Moraceae (13), Rhamnaceae (15), Asteraceae (17), and Fabaceae (19). In the unifloral honeys, the predominant pollen types were Ziziphus jujuba (in 5 samples), Robinia pseudoacacia (3), Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (2), Sophora japonica (1), Ailanthus altissima (1), Asteraceae type (1), and Fabaceae type (1). The absolute pollen count (i.e., the number of pollen grains per 10 g honey sample) suggested that 13 samples belonged to Group I (<20,000 pollen grains), 4 to Group II (20,000–100,000), and 2 to Group III (100,000–500,000). The dominance of unifloral honeys without toxic pollen grains and the low value of the HDE/P ratio (i.e., honey dew elements/pollen grains from nectariferous plants) indicated that the honey samples are of good quality and suitable for human consumption. PMID:23185358

  4. How much does climate change threaten European forest tree species distributions?

    PubMed

    Dyderski, Marcin K; Paź, Sonia; Frelich, Lee E; Jagodziński, Andrzej M

    2018-03-01

    Although numerous species distribution models have been developed, most were based on insufficient distribution data or used older climate change scenarios. We aimed to quantify changes in projected ranges and threat level by the years 2061-2080, for 12 European forest tree species under three climate change scenarios. We combined tree distribution data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, EUFORGEN, and forest inventories, and we developed species distribution models using MaxEnt and 19 bioclimatic variables. Models were developed for three climate change scenarios-optimistic (RCP2.6), moderate (RCP4.5), and pessimistic (RPC8.5)-using three General Circulation Models, for the period 2061-2080. Our study revealed different responses of tree species to projected climate change. The species may be divided into three groups: "winners"-mostly late-successional species: Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea; "losers"-mostly pioneer species: Betula pendula, Larix decidua, Picea abies, and Pinus sylvestris; and alien species-Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus rubra, and Robinia pseudoacacia, which may be also considered as "winners." Assuming limited migration, most of the species studied would face a significant decrease in suitable habitat area. The threat level was highest for species that currently have the northernmost distribution centers. Ecological consequences of the projected range contractions would be serious for both forest management and nature conservation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Foliar damage beyond species distributions is partly explained by distance dependent interactions with natural enemies.

    PubMed

    Katz, Daniel S W; Ibáñez, Inés

    2016-09-01

    Plant distributions are expected to shift in response to climate change, and range expansion dynamics will be shaped by the performance of individuals at the colonizing front. These plants will encounter new biotic communities beyond their range edges, and the net outcome of these encounters could profoundly affect colonization success. However, little is known about how biotic interactions vary across range edges and this has hindered efforts to predict changes in species distributions in response to climate change. In contrast, a rich literature documents how biotic interactions within species ranges vary according to distance to and density of conspecific individuals. Here, we test whether this framework can be extended to explain how biotic interactions differ beyond range edges, where conspecific adults are basically absent. To do so, we planted seven species of trees along a 450-km latitudinal gradient that crossed the current distributional range of five of these species and monitored foliar disease and invertebrate herbivory over 5 yr. Foliar disease and herbivory were analyzed as a function of distance to and density of conspecific and congeneric trees at several spatial scales. We found that within species ranges foliar disease was lower for seedlings that were farther from conspecific adults for Acer rubrum, Carya glabra, Quercus alba, and Robinia pseudoacacia. Beyond range edges, there was even less foliar disease for C. glabra, Q. alba, and R. pseudoacacia (A. rubrum was not planted outside its range). Liriodendron tulipifera did not experience reduced disease within or beyond its range. In contrast, Quercus velutina displayed significant but idiosyncratic patterns in disease at varying distances from conspecifics. Patterns of distance dependent herbivory across spatial scales was generally weak and in some cases negative (i.e., seedlings farther from conspecific adults had more herbivory). Overall, we conclude that differences in biotic

  6. [Effects of revegetation approach and terrain on plant species diversity as a result of converting croplands to forests in the Loess region of western Shanxi Province, China].

    PubMed

    Wu, Wen Juan; Zha, Tong Gang; Zhang, Zhi Qiang

    2017-04-18

    The plant species diversity of stands converted from croplands as affected by revegetation approaches and terrains was studied using the transect line plot sampling. The goal of the study was to provide reference for evaluation reforestation effects and forest management in the Loess region of western Shanxi Province. The results showed that revegetation approach had a great influence on plant species diversity in stands. The number of species in the natural restoration forest (NF) was 1.6 times of that of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation (RP), the Shannon index of NF was higher, and the Pielou index of NF was lower. Slope position had significant effect on the species diversity, and the three species diversity indices were all in order of bottom of loess gully > middle slope of loess gully > slope of loess hill > top of loess hill. The species diversity indices on the shady slope were higher than those on the sunny slope, while the difference was not significant. Integrated effects of terrain and revegetation approach had significant influences on species diversity. The species diversity was highest at the bottom of shady slope of NF, and the species evenness was highest at the bottom of shady slope of RP. For improving the species diversity, the afforestation design in the Loess area must consider terrain position and the natural forest recovery process following the principle of 'selecting suitable tree species for the right site'.

  7. Unified phenology model with Bayesian calibration for several European species in Belgium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Y. S. H.; Demarée, G.; Hamdi, R.; Deckmyn, A.; Deckmyn, G.; Janssens, I. A.

    2009-04-01

    Plant phenology is a good bio-indicator for climate change, and this has brought a significant increase of interest. Many kinds of phenology models have been developed to analyze and predict the phenological response to climate change, and those models have been summarized into one kind of unified model, which could be applied to different species and environments. In our study, we selected seven European woody plant species (Betula verrucosa, Quercus robur pedunculata, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Symphoricarpus racemosus, Aesculus hippocastanum, Robinia pseudoacacia) occurring in five sites distributed across Belgium. For those sites and tree species, phenological observations such as bud burst were available for the period 1956 - 2002. We also obtained regional downscaled climatic data for each of these sites, and combined both data sets to test the unified model. We used a Bayesian approach to generate distributions of model parameters from the observation data. In this poster presentation, we compare parameter distributions between different species and between different sites for individual species. The results of the unified model show a good agreement with the observations, except for Fagus sylvatica. The failure to reproduce the bud burst data for Fagus sylvatica suggest that the other factors not included in the unified model affect the phenology of this species. The parameter series show differences among species as we expected. However, they also differed strongly for the same species among sites.Further work should elucidate the mechanism that explains why model parameters differ among species and sites.

  8. Possibilities of cultivating ornamental trees and shrubs under conditions of air pollution with oxides of sulfur

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bialobok, S.; Bartkowiak, S.; Rachwal, L.

    1974-01-01

    The field work conducted has shown that high concentrations of SO/sub 2/ in the air can be withstood by the following trees and shrubs. Trees: Acer campestris, A. platanoides, Ailanthus altissima, Aesculus hippocastanum, Morus alba, Platanus acerifolia, Pinus strobur, P. nigra, Populus Berolinensis, P. candicans, P. Hybr. 27, P. Marilandica, P. simonii, P. Serotina, Quercus robus, Robinia pseudoacacia. Shrubs: Caragana arborescens, Crataegus oxyacantha, C. monogyna, Cerasus mehaleb, Forsythia/most of the species and varieties/, Ligustrum vulgare, Philadelphus coronaria, Ptelea trifoliata, Sambucus nigra, Salix caprea, Sorbaria sorbifolia, Sorbus aucuparia, Taxus baccata. For the selection of trees and shrubs in the laboratory, highmore » concentrations of SO/sub 2/ were used (60-150 ppm for a period of 10 minutes). Experiments were conducted on cut shrubs kept in the gas chambers. In order to estimate the degree of their injury, they were transferred to a shaded greenhouse. A concentration of 65 ppm of SO/sub 2/ could be withstood by the following Forsythias: Forsythia intermedia Primulina, F. Densiflora, F. Spectabilis, F. giraldina, F. suspensa, F. koreana, F. ovata, F. japonica and Hippophae rhamnoides. A concentration of 130 ppm could be withstood only by F. intermedia Vitelina. A similarly high concentration of SO/sub 2/ could be withstood by shoots and leaves of Ailanthus girladii Duclouxii and by Platanus acerifolia. From among the lilacs Syringa pekinensis and S. amurensis proved resistant to high concentrations of SO/sub 2/.« less

  9. The effect of predation risk on spermatophore deposition rate of the eriophyoid mite, Aculops allotrichus.

    PubMed

    Michalska, Katarzyna

    2016-02-01

    Eriophyoids are minute herbivores in which males deposit spermatophores on a substrate while females, independent of the presence of males, pick up sperm (sex dissociation). Their most dangerous enemies are phytoseiid mites. Eriophyoids can successfully avoid the predation by, e.g., forming galls in which they live, by inhabiting narrow spaces on plants, or by climbing up leaf trichomes for the time of quiescence. All these behaviours, however, are fixed and independent of the actual risk of predation. The aim of this study was to examine whether eriophyoids can respond to the cues of predation risk and how this could affect their spermatophore deposition rate. Aculops allotrichus is a vagrant eriophyoid which inhabits leaves of the black locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia. On leaf arenas with injured conspecifics (pierced with a fine needle which simulated the attack of phytoseiids), single males of Ac. allotrichus deposited a similar number of spermatophores as on control, 'clean' leaves. They did not respond to the cues left by the non-enemy, yeast-fed acarid mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae either. However, they deposited significantly fewer spermatophores on leaf arenas previously exposed to the presence of the eriophyoid-fed phytoseiid mite Amblyseius swirskii. This is a first report indicating that eriophyoids can respond to the cues left by predators and change their reproductive activity accordingly. The ultimate and proximate factors that may influence the behaviour of Ac. allotrichus males are discussed.

  10. Behavioral activities of male Cerulean Warblers in relation to habitat characteristics

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wood, Petra Bohall; Perkins, Kelly A.

    2012-01-01

    Activities of 29 male Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) were quantified on two sites in West Virginia during May–June 2005. Singing and foraging were the most common of 11 observed behavioral activities (81.6%), while maintenance and mating behaviors were uncommonly observed. Male activity differed among vegetative strata (P  =  0.02) with lower- and mid-canopy strata used most often (70% of observations), especially for foraging, perching, and preening. The upper-canopy was used primarily for singing, particularly within core areas of territories and in association with canopy gaps. Foraging occurred more than expected outside of core areas. Males were associated with canopy gaps during 30% of observations, but the distribution of behavioral activities was not significantly related (P  =  0.06) to gap presence. Males used 23 different tree species for a variety of activities with oaks (Quercus spp.) used most often on the xeric site and black cherry (Prunus serotina) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) on the mesic site. Tree species used for singing differed between core and non-core areas (P < 0.0001) but distribution of singing and foraging activity did not differ among tree species (P  =  0.13). Cerulean Warblers appear to be flexible in use of tree species. Their use of different canopy strata for different behavioral activities provides an explanation for the affinity this species exhibits for a vertically stratified forest canopy.

  11. Survey of Italian honeys for the presence of foreign matter using the filth test.

    PubMed

    Canale, Angelo; Canovai, Roberto; Cosci, Francesca; Giannotti, Paolo; Benelli, Giovanni

    2014-01-01

    Honey is an ancient food that has always been considered a natural and healthy product, free of contaminants. However, it can contain toxic substances, such as antibiotics, pesticides and heavy metals, as well as foreign matter (e.g. arthropod body parts and microbial contaminants), working as allergens and vectors of human pathogens. In this study we used the filth test to evaluate the abundance of foreign matter in 70 Italian honeys, including Castanea sativa, Robinia pseudoacacia and multi-floral honeys, the latter both from small beekeeping farms and industrial producers. The abundance of different foreign matter varied in honeys, with a higher number of carbon particles and other inorganic fragments, followed by fragments of animal origin. This latter included insects (Diptera Brachycera larvae and Strepsiptera), their cuticular fragments (mainly Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera), mites (mainly Glycyphagidae, Acaridae and Tarsonemidae) and mammal hairs. No differences were recorded in the abundance of foreign matter among different kinds of honey, as well as between honeys from small and large-sized producers. Foreign matter found in honey provided functional information to evaluate honey quality standards in apiary, honey extraction and packaging phases. Overall, the filth test method applied to honey quality control can be considered an excellent tool, also for small beekeeping farms, since it allows rapid and frequent quality checking of the production process. This method is cheap, requires minimal instrumental equipment and results can be interpreted quickly.

  12. [Phosphorus transfer between mixed poplar and black locust seedlings].

    PubMed

    He, Wei; Jia, Liming; Hao, Baogang; Wen, Xuejun; Zhai, Mingpu

    2003-04-01

    In this paper, the 32P radio-tracer technique was applied to study the ways of phosphorus transfer between poplar (Populus euramericana cv. 'I-214') and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). A five compartment root box (18 cm x 18 cm x 26 cm) was used for testing the existence of the hyphal links between the roots of two tree species when inoculated with vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus mosseae). Populus I-214 (donor) and Robinia pseudoacacia (receiver) were grown in two terminal compartments, separated by a 2 cm root-free soil layer. The root compartments were lined with bags of nylon mesh (38 microns) that allowed the passage of hyphae but not roots. The top soil of a mixed stand of poplar and black locust, autoclaved at 121 degrees C for one hour, was used for growing seedlings for testing. In 5 compartment root box, mycorrhizal root colonization of poplar was 34%, in which VA mycorrhizal fungus was inoculated, whereas 26% mycorrhizal root colonization was observed in black locust, the other terminal compartment, 20 weeks after planting. No root colonization was observed in non-inoculated plant pairs. This indicated that the mycorrhizal root colonization of black locust was caused by hyphal spreading from the poplar. Test of tracer isotope of 32P showed that the radioactivity of the treatment significantly higher than that of the control (P < 0.05), 14 days from the tracer applied, to 27 days after, when VA mycorrhizal fungus was inoculated in poplar root. Furthermore, mycorrhizal interconnections between the roots of poplar and black locust seedlings was observed in situ by binocular in root box. All these experiments showed that the hyphal links was formed between the roots of two species of trees inoculated by VA mycorrhizal fungus. Four treatments were designed according to if there were two nets (mesh 38 microns), 2 cm apart, between the poplar and black locust, and if the soil in root box was pasteurized. Most significant differences of

  13. Water availability as dominant control of heat stress responses in two contrasting tree species.

    PubMed

    Ruehr, Nadine K; Gast, Andreas; Weber, Christina; Daub, Baerbel; Arneth, Almut

    2016-02-01

    Heat waves that trigger severe droughts are predicted to increase globally; however, we lack an understanding of how trees respond to the combined change of extreme temperatures and water availability. Here, we studied the impacts of two consecutive heat waves as well as post-stress recovery in young Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (Douglas-fir) and Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) growing under controlled conditions. Responses were compared under water supply close to the long-term average and under reduced irrigation to represent drought. Exposure to high temperatures (+10 °C above ambient) and vapour pressure deficit strongly affected the trees in terms of water relations, photosynthesis and growth. Douglas-fir used water resources conservatively, and transpiration decreased in response to mild soil water limitation. In black locust, heat stress led to pronounced tree water deficits (stem diameter shrinkage), accompanied by leaf shedding to alleviate stress on the hydraulic system. The importance of water availability during the heat waves became further apparent by a concurrent decline in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance with increasing leaf temperatures in both species, reaching the lowest rates in the heat-drought treatments. Stress severity determined both the speed and the amount of recovery. Upon release of stress, photosynthesis recovered rapidly in drought-treated black locust, while it remained below control rates in heat (t = -2.4, P < 0.05) and heat-drought stressed trees (t = 2.96, P < 0.05). In Douglas-fir, photosynthesis recovered quickly, while water-use efficiency increased in heat-drought trees because stomatal conductance remained reduced (t = -2.92, P < 0.05). Moreover, Douglas-fir was able to compensate for stem-growth reductions following heat (-40%) and heat-drought stress (-68%), but most likely at the expense of storage and other growth processes. Our results highlight the importance of studying heat waves alongside

  14. Response of Vegetation in Northern China to Global Warming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cui, H.; Huang, R.

    2009-05-01

    (Sophora japonica), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), yellow locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), and gingko (Ginkgo biloba) have also been pushing northward to Huhhot, (41 degree N)Chifeng (42 degree N) and Tongliao (43 degree N), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Alpine timberline has also been moved to higher altitude in Wutai Mt., Shanxi Province and Changbaishan Mt., Jilin Province. Although global warming seems to benefit agriculture in some cases, considering the decrease of wetness, the perspective is still uncertain. Drought and frost hazard are stress factors for the vegetation introduced to the northern areas. Chinese scholars are carefully watching the trend.

  15. Do David and Goliath Play the Same Game? Explanation of the Abundance of Rare and Frequent Invasive Alien Plants in Urban Woodlands in Warsaw, Poland.

    PubMed

    Obidziński, Artur; Mędrzycki, Piotr; Kołaczkowska, Ewa; Ciurzycki, Wojciech; Marciszewska, Katarzyna

    2016-01-01

    Invasive Alien Plants occur in numbers differing by orders of magnitude at subsequent invasion stages. Effective sampling and quantifying niches of rare invasive plants are quite problematic. The aim of this paper is an estimation of the influence of invasive plants frequency on the explanation of their local abundance. We attempted to achieve it through: (1) assessment of occurrence of self-regenerating invasive plants in urban woodlands, (2) comparison of Random Forest modelling results for frequent and rare species. We hypothesized that the abundance of frequent species would be explained better than that of rare ones and that both rare and frequent species share a common hierarchy of the most important determinants. We found 15 taxa in almost two thirds of 1040 plots with a total number of 1068 occurrences. There were recorded 6 taxa of high frequency-Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Acer negundo, Robinia pseudoacacia, Impatiens parviflora and Solidago spp.-and 9 taxa of low frequency: Acer saccharinum, Amelanchier spicata, Cornus spp., Fraxinus spp., Parthenocissus spp., Syringa vulgaris, Echinocystis lobata, Helianthus tuberosus, Reynoutria spp. Random Forest's models' quality grows with the number of occurrences of frequent taxa but not of the rare ones. Both frequent and rare taxa share a similar hierarchy of predictors' importance: Land use > Tree stand > Seed source and, for frequent taxa, Forest properties as well. We conclude that there is an 'explanation jump' at higher species frequencies, but rare species are surprisingly similar to frequent ones in their determinant's hierarchy, with differences conforming with their respective stages of invasion.

  16. Do David and Goliath Play the Same Game? Explanation of the Abundance of Rare and Frequent Invasive Alien Plants in Urban Woodlands in Warsaw, Poland

    PubMed Central

    Mędrzycki, Piotr; Kołaczkowska, Ewa; Ciurzycki, Wojciech; Marciszewska, Katarzyna

    2016-01-01

    Invasive Alien Plants occur in numbers differing by orders of magnitude at subsequent invasion stages. Effective sampling and quantifying niches of rare invasive plants are quite problematic. The aim of this paper is an estimation of the influence of invasive plants frequency on the explanation of their local abundance. We attempted to achieve it through: (1) assessment of occurrence of self-regenerating invasive plants in urban woodlands, (2) comparison of Random Forest modelling results for frequent and rare species. We hypothesized that the abundance of frequent species would be explained better than that of rare ones and that both rare and frequent species share a common hierarchy of the most important determinants. We found 15 taxa in almost two thirds of 1040 plots with a total number of 1068 occurrences. There were recorded 6 taxa of high frequency–Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Acer negundo, Robinia pseudoacacia, Impatiens parviflora and Solidago spp.–and 9 taxa of low frequency: Acer saccharinum, Amelanchier spicata, Cornus spp., Fraxinus spp., Parthenocissus spp., Syringa vulgaris, Echinocystis lobata, Helianthus tuberosus, Reynoutria spp. Random Forest’s models’ quality grows with the number of occurrences of frequent taxa but not of the rare ones. Both frequent and rare taxa share a similar hierarchy of predictors’ importance: Land use > Tree stand > Seed source and, for frequent taxa, Forest properties as well. We conclude that there is an ‘explanation jump’ at higher species frequencies, but rare species are surprisingly similar to frequent ones in their determinant’s hierarchy, with differences conforming with their respective stages of invasion. PMID:27992516

  17. Establishment Success of Coexisting Native and Exotic Trees Under an Experimental Gradient of Irradiance and Soil Moisture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    González-Muñoz, Noelia; Castro-Díez, Pilar; Fierro-Brunnenmeister, Natalia

    2011-10-01

    The exotic trees Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo and Elaeagnus angustifolia coexist with the native trees Fraxinus angustifolia and Ulmus minor in river banks of central Spain. Similarly, the exotic trees Acacia dealbata and Eucalyptus globulus co-occur with the natives Quercus pyrenaica and Pinus pinaster in Northwest Spain. We aimed to identify the environmental conditions that favour or hamper the establishment success of these species. In spring 2008, seeds of the studied species were sown under an experimental gradient of light (100, 65, 35, 7% of full sunlight) combined with three levels of soil moisture (mean soil water potential = -0.97, -1.52 and -1.77 MPa.). During the first growing season we monitored seed emergence and seedling survival. We found that the effect of light on the establishment success was stronger than the effect of soil moisture. Both exotic and native species of central Spain showed a good performance under high light, A. negundo being the most shade tolerant . Water shortage diminished E. angustifolia and A. altissima success. Among NW Spain species, A. dealbata and P. pinaster were found to be potential competitors for colonizing high-irradiance scenarios, while Q. pyrenaica and E. globulus were more successful under moderate shade. High soil moisture favoured E. globulus but not A. dealbata establishment. These results contribute to understand some of the factors controlling for spatial segregation between coexisting native and exotic tree species, and can help to take decisions orientated to the control and management of these exotic species.

  18. The importance of considering rainfall partitioning in afforestation initiatives in semiarid climates: A comparison of common planted tree species in Tehran, Iran.

    PubMed

    Sadeghi, Seyed Mohammad Moein; Attarod, Pedram; Van Stan, John Toland; Pypker, Thomas Grant

    2016-10-15

    As plantations become increasingly important sources of wood and fiber in arid/semiarid places, they have also become increasingly criticized for their hydrological impacts. An examination and comparison of gross rainfall (GR) partitioning across commonly-planted tree species (Pinus eldarica, Cupressus arizonica, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Fraxinus rotundifolia) in semiarid regions has great value for watershed and forest managers interested in managing canopy hydrological processes for societal benefit. Therefore, we performed a field study examining GR partitioning into throughfall (TF), stemflow (SF), and rainfall interception (I) for these species in the semiarid Chitgar Forest Park, Tehran, Iran. An advantage to our study is that we explore the effects of forest structural differences in plantation forests experiencing similar climatic factors and storm conditions. As such, variability in GR partitioning due to different meteorological conditions is minimized, allowing comparison of structural attributes across plantations. Our results show that commonly-selected afforestation species experiencing the same climate produced differing stand structures that differentially partition GR into TF, SF, and I. P. eldarica might be the best of the four species to plant if the primary goal of afforestation is to limit erosion and stormwater runoff as it intercepted more rainfall than other species. However, the high SF generation from F. rotundifolia, and low GR necessary to initiate SF, could maximize retention of water in the soils since SF has been shown to infiltrate along root pathways and access groundwater. A consideration of GR partitioning should be considered when selecting a species for afforestation/reforestation in water-limited ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Phytoremediation potential of wild plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals.

    PubMed

    Čudić, Vladica; Stojiljković, Dragoslava; Jovović, Aleksandar

    2016-09-01

    Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants to cleanup contaminated environments, including metal-polluted soils. Because it produces a biomass rich in extracted toxic metals, further treatment of this biomass is necessary. The aim of our study was to assess the five-year potential of the following native wild plants to produce biomass and remove heavy metals from a polluted site: poplar (Populus ssp.), ailanthus (Ailanthus glandulosa L.), false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), ragweed (Artemisia artemisiifolia L.), and mullein (Verbascum thapsus L). Average soil contamination with Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the root zone was 22,948.6 mg kg-1, 865.4 mg kg-1, 85,301.7 mg kg-1, 3,193.3 mg kg-1, 50.7 mg kg-1, 41.7 mg kg-1,and 617.9 mg kg-1, respectively. We measured moisture and ash content, concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and As in the above-ground parts of the plants and in ash produced by combustion of the plants, plus gross calorific values. The plants' phytoextraction and phytostabilisation potential was evaluated based on their bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). Mullein was identified as a hyperaccumulator for Cd. It also showed a higher gross calorific value (19,735 kJ kg-1) than ragweed (16,469 kJ kg-1).The results of this study suggest that mullein has a great potential for phytoextraction and for biomass generation, and that ragweed could be an effective tool of phytostabilisation.

  20. Revegetation in abandoned quarries with landfill stabilized waste and gravels: water dynamics and plant growth - a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Cheng-liang; Feng, Jing-jing; Rong, Li-ming; Zhao, Ting-ning

    2017-11-01

    Large amounts of quarry wastes are produced during quarrying. Though quarry wastes are commonly used in pavement construction and concrete production, in situ utilization during ecological restoration of abandoned quarries has the advantage of simplicity. In this paper, rock fragments 2-3 cm in size were mixed with landfill stabilized waste (LSW) in different proportions (LSW : gravel, RL), which was called LGM. The water content, runoff and plant growth under natural precipitation were monitored for 2 years using a runoff plot experiment. LGM with a low fraction of LSW was compacted to different degrees to achieve an appropriate porosity; water dynamics and plant growth of compacted LGM were studied in a field experiment. The results showed the following: (1) LGM can be used during restoration in abandoned quarries as growing material for plants. (2) RL had a significant effect on the infiltration and water-holding capacity of LGM and thus influenced the retention of precipitation, water condition and plant growth. LGM with RL ranging from 8:1 to 3:7 was suitable for plant growth, and the target species grew best when RL was 5:5. (3) Compaction significantly enhanced water content of LGM with a low RL of 2:8, but leaf water content of plants was lower or unchanged in the more compacted plots. Moderate compaction was beneficial to the survival and growth of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and Medicago sativa L. were not significantly affected by compaction, and they grew better under a high degree of compaction, which was disadvantageous for the uppermost layer of vegetation.

  1. Establishment success of coexisting native and exotic trees under an experimental gradient of irradiance and soil moisture.

    PubMed

    González-Muñoz, Noelia; Castro-Díez, Pilar; Fierro-Brunnenmeister, Natalia

    2011-10-01

    The exotic trees Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo and Elaeagnus angustifolia coexist with the native trees Fraxinus angustifolia and Ulmus minor in river banks of central Spain. Similarly, the exotic trees Acacia dealbata and Eucalyptus globulus co-occur with the natives Quercus pyrenaica and Pinus pinaster in Northwest Spain. We aimed to identify the environmental conditions that favour or hamper the establishment success of these species. In spring 2008, seeds of the studied species were sown under an experimental gradient of light (100, 65, 35, 7% of full sunlight) combined with three levels of soil moisture (mean soil water potential = -0.97, -1.52 and -1.77 MPa.). During the first growing season we monitored seed emergence and seedling survival. We found that the effect of light on the establishment success was stronger than the effect of soil moisture. Both exotic and native species of central Spain showed a good performance under high light, A. negundo being the most shade tolerant. Water shortage diminished E. angustifolia and A. altissima success. Among NW Spain species, A. dealbata and P. pinaster were found to be potential competitors for colonizing high-irradiance scenarios, while Q. pyrenaica and E. globulus were more successful under moderate shade. High soil moisture favoured E. globulus but not A. dealbata establishment. These results contribute to understand some of the factors controlling for spatial segregation between coexisting native and exotic tree species, and can help to take decisions orientated to the control and management of these exotic species.

  2. Antioxidative enzymes and expression of rbcL gene as tools to monitor heavy metal-related stress in plants.

    PubMed

    Jaskulak, Marta; Rorat, Agnieszka; Grobelak, Anna; Kacprzak, Małgorzata

    2018-04-14

    The aim of the study was to evaluate sensitivity and potential applications of selected biomarkers in phytoremediation under complex heavy metal contamination in Sinapis alba L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Lupinus luteus L as a potential tools in effective phytoremediation management. The toxicity assessment was conducted using selected measurement endpoints, both classical and advanced, i.e., germination index, roots length, guaiacol peroxidase activity (GPX), chlorophyll and protein content, the amount of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and level of expression of one of the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase genes (rbcL). Moreover, the influence of organic additives: cattle, horse manure, and vermicompost on lowering plant abiotic stress caused by complex heavy metal contamination was studied to assess the possible applications of selected stress markers in large scale phytoremediation planning. The results demonstrated the beneficial effects of selected soil additives on plant development. The 5% difference in the quantity of applied amendment caused statistically significant differences in GPX, TPC, chlorophyll content and expression level of rbcL. Among all endpoints, GPX activity, chlorophyll, and phenolic compounds content, as well as the expression of rbcL, turned out to be the most reliable assays for determination of the type and dosage of selected soil amendments (fertilizers) in the assisted phytoremediation process. Selected markers can be used to achieve the desired level of plant abiotic stress and consequently photosynthesis efficiency and CO 2 sequestration. The results showed, that presented assays can be used in different taxonomical groups such as Fabaceae for planning effective phytoremediation process. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Bacterial community structure and diversity responses to the direct revegetation of an artisanal zinc smelting slag after 5 years.

    PubMed

    Luo, Youfa; Wu, Yonggui; Wang, Hu; Xing, Rongrong; Zheng, Zhilin; Qiu, Jing; Yang, Lian

    2018-05-01

    This comparative field study examined the responses of bacterial community structure and diversity to the revegetation of zinc (Zn) smelting waste slag with eight plant species after 5 years. The microbial community structure of waste slag with and without vegetation was evaluated using high-throughput sequencing. The physiochemical properties of Zn smelting slag after revegetation with eight plant rhizospheres for 5 years were improved compared to those of bulk slag. Revegetation significantly increased the microbial community diversity in plant rhizospheres, and at the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were notably more abundant in rhizosphere slags than those in bulk waste slag. Additionally, revegetation increased the relative abundance of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria such as Flavobacterium, Streptomyces, and Arthrobacter as well as symbiotic N 2 fixers such as Bradyrhizobium. Three dominant native plant species (Arundo donax, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Robinia pseudoacacia) greatly increased the quality of the rhizosphere slags. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the differences in bacterial community structure between the bulk and rhizosphere slags were explained by slag properties, i.e., pH, available copper (Cu) and lead (Pb), moisture, available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), and organic matter (OM); however, available Zn and cadmium (Cd) contents were the slag parameters that best explained the differences between the rhizosphere communities of the eight plant species. The results suggested that revegetation plays an important role in enhancing bacterial community abundance and diversity in rhizosphere slags and that revegetation may also regulate microbiological properties and diversity mainly through changes in heavy metal bioavailability and physiochemical slag characteristics.

  4. Actinospica robiniae gen. nov., sp. nov. and Actinospica acidiphila sp. nov.: proposal for Actinospicaceae fam. nov. and Catenulisporinae subord. nov. in the order Actinomycetales.

    PubMed

    Cavaletti, Linda; Monciardini, Paolo; Schumann, Peter; Rohde, Manfred; Bamonte, Ruggiero; Busti, Elena; Sosio, Margherita; Donadio, Stefano

    2006-08-01

    Two novel Gram-positive, acidophilic bacterial strains were isolated from forest soil. According to their 16S rRNA gene sequences, these strains are related closely to each other and form a distinct cluster within the order Actinomycetales. They show the typical features of filamentous actinomycetes, with branched vegetative hyphae and production of aerial hyphae. The distinct phylogenetic positions and the combination of chemotaxonomic characteristics of these strains justify the proposal of Actinospica gen. nov. Both strains display 3-hydroxydiaminopimelic acid plus traces of meso-diaminopimelic acid, the phospholipids diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, methylphosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol, the predominant cellular fatty acids i-C(15 : 0), i-C(16 : 0) and ai-C(15 : 0) and the whole-cell sugars mannose and rhamnose. They differ in the fatty acid profiles, in the quantitative ratios of the major menaquinones MK-9(H(4)), MK-9(H(6)) and MK-9(H(8)) and in the occurrence of additional whole-cell sugars (arabinose and xylose in strain GE134766(T) and galactose in strain GE134769(T)). Differences in the phenotypic characteristics and in the 16S rRNA gene sequences suggest the description of two species, Actinospica robiniae gen. nov., sp. nov. (the type species) and Actinospica acidiphila sp. nov., with the type strains GE134769(T) (=DSM 44927(T)=NRRL B-24432(T)) and GE134766(T) (=DSM 44926(T)=NRRL B-24431(T)), respectively. The DNA G+C contents of strains GE134769(T) and GE134766(T) are 70.8 and 69.2 mol%, respectively. Due to the large phylogenetic distance from known actinomycete genera, it is proposed to accommodate Actinospica gen. nov. in Actinospicaceae fam. nov. In addition, Catenulisporineae subord. nov. is proposed to harbour Actinospicaceae fam. nov. and the newly proposed family Catenulisporaceae, described in the accompanying paper.

  5. Regeneration of a coastal pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) forest 11 years after thinning, Niigata, Japan.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Jiaojun; Gonda, Yutaka; Yu, Lizhong; Li, Fengqin; Yan, Qiaoling; Sun, Yirong

    2012-01-01

    To examine the effects of thinning intensity on wind vulnerability and regeneration in a coastal pine (Pinus thunbergii) forest, thinning with intensities of 20%, 30% and 50% was conducted in December 1997; there was an unthinned treatment as the control (total 8 stands). We re-measured the permanent sites to assess the regeneration characteristics 11 years after thinning. In the 50% thinned stand, seedlings aged from 2 to 10 years exhibited the highest pine seedling density and growth. The age composition ranged from 1-3 years with densities of 9.9 and 5.1 seedlings m(-2) in 30% and 20% thinned stands; only 1-year-old seedlings with a density of 6.1 seedlings m(-2) in the unthinned stand. Similar trends were found for the regeneration of broadleaved species such as Robinia pseudoacacia and Prunus serrulata. We speculate that the canopy openness and moss coverage contributed to the regeneration success in the 50% thinned stand, while the higher litter depth and lack of soil moisture induced the regeneration failure in the unthinned stand. The stands thinned at 20% or 30% were less favourable for pine regeneration than the stands thinned at 50%. Therefore, thinning with less than 30% canopy openness (20% and 30% thinned stands) should be avoided, and thinning at higher than 30% canopy openness (50% thinned stand, approximately 1500 stems ha(-1) at ages 40-50 years) is suggested for increasing regeneration in the coastal pine forest. The implications of thinning-based silviculture in the coastal pine forest management are also discussed. The ongoing development of the broadleaved seedlings calls for further observations.

  6. Metal concentrations in the soils and native plants surrounding the old flotation tailings pond of the copper mining and smelting complex Bor (Serbia).

    PubMed

    Antonijević, M M; Dimitrijević, M D; Milić, S M; Nujkić, M M

    2012-03-01

    In this study concentrations of metals in the native plants and soils surrounding the old flotation tailings pond of the copper mine were determined. It has been established that the soil is heavily contaminated with copper, iron and arsenic, the mean concentrations being 1585.6, 29,462.5 and 171.7 mg kg(-1) respectively. All the plants, except manganese, accumulated metallic elements in concentrations which were either in the range of critical and phytotoxic values (Pb and As) or higher (Zn), and even much higher (Cu and Fe) than these values. Otherwise, the accumulation of Mn, Pb and As was considerably lower than that of Cu, Fe and Zn. In most plants the accumulation of target metals was highest in the root. Several plant species showed high bioaccumulation and translocation factor values, which classify them into species for potential use in phytoextraction. The BCF and TF values determined in Prunus persica were 1.20 and 3.95 for Cu, 1.5 and 6.0 for Zn and 1.96 and 5.44 for Pb. In Saponaria officinalis these values were 2.53 and 1.27 for Zn, and in Juglans regia L. they were 8.76 and 17.75 for Zn. The translocation factor in most plants, for most metals, was higher than one, whereas the highest value was determined in Populus nigra for Zn, amounting to 17.8. Among several tolerant species, the most suitable ones for phytostabilization proved to be Robinia pseudoacacia L. for Zn and Verbascum phlomoides L., Saponaria officinalis and Centaurea jacea L. for Mn, Pb and As. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

  7. Hard traits of three Bromus species in their source area explain their current invasive success

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fenesi, Annamária; Rédei, Tamás; Botta-Dukát, Zoltán

    2011-09-01

    We address two highly essential question using three Eurasian Bromus species with different invasion success in North America as model organisms: (1) why some species become invasive and others do not, and (2) which traits can confer pre-adaptation for species to become invasive elsewhere. While the morphology and phenology of the chosen bromes ( Bromus tectorum, Bromus sterilis and Bromus squarrosus) are highly similar, we measured complex traits often associated with invasive success: phenotypic plasticity, competitive ability and generalist-specialist character. We performed common-garden experiments, community- and landscape-level surveys in areas of co-occurrence in Central Europe (Hungary) that could have served as donor region for American introductions. According to our results, the three bromes are unequally equipped with trait that could enhance invasiveness. B. tectorum possesses several traits that may be especially relevant: it has uniquely high phenotypic plasticity, as demonstrated in a nitrogen addition experiment, and it is a habitat generalist, thriving in a wide range of habitats, from semi-natural to degraded ones, and having the widest co-occurrence based niche-breadth. The strength of B. sterilis lies in its ability to use resources unexploited by other species. It can become dominant, but only in one non-natural habitat type, namely the understorey of the highly allelopathic stands of the invasive Robinia pseudoacacia. B. squarrosus is a habitat specialist with low competitive ability, always occurring with low coverage. This ranking of the species' abilities can explain the current spreading success of the three bromes on the North American continent, and highlight the high potential of prehistoric invaders (European archaeophytes) to become invasive elsewhere.

  8. Spatial Distribution of the Relationship Between Soil Moisture and Soil Particle Size in Typical Plots on Loess Plateau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, X.; Zhao, W.; Liu, Y.; Fang, X.

    2017-12-01

    Soil water overconsumption is threatening the sustainability of regional vegetation rehabilitation in the Loess Plateau of China. The use of fractal geometry theory in describing soil quality improves the accuracy of the relevant research. Typical grasslands, shrublands, forests, cropland and orchards under different precipitation regimes were selected, and in this study, the spatial distribution of the relationship between soil moisture and soil particle size in typical slopes on Loess Plateau were investigated to provide support for the predict of soil moisture by using soil physical characteristics in the Loess Plateau. During the sampling year, the mean annual precipitation gradients were divided at an interval of 70 mm from 370mm to 650mm. Grasslands with Medicago sativa L. or Stipa bungeana Trin., shrublands with Caragana Korshinskii Kom. or Hippophae rhamnoides L., forests with Robinia pseudoacacia Linn., orchards with apple trees and croplands with corn or potatoes were chosen to represent the natural grassland. A soil auger with a diameter of 5 cm was used to obtain soil samples at depths of 0-5 m at intervals of 20 cm.The Van Genuchten model, fractal theory and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to estimate and analyze the soil water characteristic curve, soil particle size distribution, and fractal dimension and the correlations between the relevant parameters. The results showed that (1) the change of the singular fractal dimension is positively correlated with soil water content, while D0 (capacity dimension) is negatively correlated with soil water content as the depth increases; (2) the relationship between soil moisture and soil particle size shows differences under different plants and precipitation gradient.

  9. Forage and tree seedling growth in a soil with an encased swine sludge layer.

    PubMed

    Penn, Chad J; Will, Rodney; Fultz, Lisa; Hamilton, Doug

    2013-10-15

    The closure of swine farms requires decommissioning of lagoons that contain large amounts of swine solids (sludge). Sludge is typically transported and land applied to soils. However, in some cases this process could be economically prohibitive and/or unpractical. An alternative idea is to encase sludge with lagoon soil berms after removing overlying effluent, followed by establishment of forages or short-rotation woody crops on the encased sludge. The objective of this study was to investigate growth potential for several forages and tree species into a pure layer of swine sludge. Alfalfa (Meticago sativa), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) were established in 40 cm deep pots consisting of a lagoon berm soil overlaying a sludge layer for 12 w followed by analysis of aboveground and belowground biomass production. "New" and "old" sludge was collected from an active 10 year old lagoon and decommissioned 50 year old lagoon, respectively. A control (soil only) was used. Encased sludge treatments increased forage biomass production. Sycamore and green ash were sensitive to new sludge but not old sludge as these species had less biomass production in new sludge than control and showed tissue trace nutrient deficiencies. While both sludge materials contained adequate nutrients, the new sludge had a salt concentration 1.8 times higher than old sludge as indicated by electrical conductivity (12.4 mS). Thus, the forage crops and black locust were able to thrive in new sludge due to their salt tolerance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Forest floor leachate fluxes under six different tree species on a metal contaminated site.

    PubMed

    Van Nevel, Lotte; Mertens, Jan; De Schrijver, An; Baeten, Lander; De Neve, Stefaan; Tack, Filip M G; Meers, Erik; Verheyen, Kris

    2013-03-01

    Trees play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of metals, although the influence of different tree species on the mobilization of metals is not yet clear. This study examined effects of six tree species on fluxes of Cd, Zn, DOC, H(+) and base cations in forest floor leachates on a metal polluted site in Belgium. Forest floor leachates were sampled with zero-tension lysimeters in a 12-year-old post-agricultural forest on a sandy soil. The tree species included were silver birch (Betula pendula), oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), aspen (Populus tremula), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). We show that total Cd fluxes in forest floor leachate under aspen were slightly higher than those in the other species' leachates, yet the relative differences between the species were considerably smaller when looking at dissolved Cd fluxes. The latter was probably caused by extremely low H(+) amounts leaching from aspen's forest floor. No tree species effect was found for Zn leachate fluxes. We expected higher metal leachate fluxes under aspen as its leaf litter was significantly contaminated with Cd and Zn. We propose that the low amounts of Cd and Zn leaching under aspen's forest floor were possibly caused by high activity of soil biota, for example burrowing earthworms. Furthermore, our results reveal that Scots pine and oak were characterized by high H(+) and DOC fluxes as well as low base cation fluxes in their forest floor leachates, implying that those species might enhance metal mobilization in the soil profile and thus bear a potential risk for belowground metal dispersion. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Chemical and physical properties of two-year short-rotation deciduous species. [Olea sp. , Populus deltoides, Platanus sp. , Alnus glutinosa, Paulownia tomentosa, Robina pseudoacacia, Acer saccharinum

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, C.S

    1982-01-01

    The following seven broadleaved species were tested: autumn olive (Olea sp.) eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), sycamore (Platanus species), black alder (Alnus glutinosa), royal paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa), black locust (Robina pseudoacacia) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum). The species and portions both significantly affected the chemical and the physical findings of the juvenile wood. The ages, which were tested in factorial combination with the species, also showed a significant effect on both the chemical and the physical properties of wood. All of the results indicated that both chemical and physical properties did vary with species, among the portions of the wood, andmore » according to the ages of the wood. From the portion standpoint, the bark had higher gross heat content, sulphur content, ash content and lignin content, and it was also higher in all three kinds of extractives contents. The wood portion was found to be rich in holocellulose, alpha-cellulose and pentosan. In considering the chemical and physical properties of juvenile wood among the species, eastern cottonwood was found to have the highest value for ash content and all of the three kinds of extractives content. Paulownia had the highest value for sulphur content. Black locust had highest gross heat content, holocellulose and alpha-cellulose contents. Silver maple had highest lignin content. Results from this study showed that these seven juvenile hardwood species can produce high biomass yields of fibre and energy when grown under intensive care in central and southern Illinois sites. The best species of these seven tested woods seem to be black locust, which could also serve as a raw material for the pulp and paper industry, as well as for a fuel for energy generation. However, further economic and energy efficiency analyses are needed before judging the feasibility of these short-rotation juvenile hardwood species.« less

  12. One-year response of American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) to granular fertilizer applications on a reclaimed surface mine in eastern Kentucky

    Treesearch

    Josh Brinks; John Lhotka; Chris. Barton

    2011-01-01

    The establishment of intensively managed woody energy crops on reclaimed surface mine lands provides an opportunity to diversify domestic biomass sources, while increasing the productivity and economic value of underutilized land. Our objective is to test the effect of fertilization on the growth and biomass accumulation of American sycamore (Platanus...

  13. Young Children's Explorations: Young Children's Research?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Jane

    2012-01-01

    "Exploration" is recognised as research behaviour; anecdotally, as an early years' teacher, I witnessed many young children exploring. However, young children's self-initiated explorations are rarely regarded as research by adult researchers and policy-makers. The exclusion of young children's autonomous explorations from recognition as…

  14. The spatial pattern of leaf phenology and its response to climate change in China.

    PubMed

    Dai, Junhu; Wang, Huanjiong; Ge, Quansheng

    2014-05-01

    Leaf phenology has been shown to be one of the most important indicators of the effects of climate change on biological systems. Few such studies have, however, been published detailing the relationship between phenology and climate change in Asian contexts. With the aim of quantifying species' phenological responsiveness to temperature and deepening understandings of spatial patterns of phenological and climate change in China, this study analyzes the first leaf date (FLD) and the leaf coloring date (LCD) from datasets of four woody plant species, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus pumila, Salix babylonica, and Melia azedarach, collected from 1963 to 2009 at 47 Chinese Phenological Observation Network (CPON) stations spread across China (from 21° to 50° N). The results of this study show that changes in temperatures in the range of 39-43 days preceding the date of FLD of these plants affected annual variations in FLD, while annual variations in temperature in the range of 71-85 days preceding LCD of these plants affected the date of LCD. Average temperature sensitivity of FLD and LCD for these plants was -3.93 to 3.30 days °C(-1) and 2.11 to 4.43 days °C⁻¹, respectively. Temperature sensitivity of FLD was found to be stronger at lower latitudes or altitude as well as in more continental climates, while the response of LCD showed no consistent pattern. Within the context of significant warming across China during the study period, FLD was found to have advanced by 5.44 days from 1960 to 2009; over the same period, LCD was found to have been delayed by 4.56 days. These findings indicate that the length of the growing season of the four plant species studied was extended by a total of 10.00 days from 1960 to 2009. They also indicate that phenological response to climate is highly heterogeneous spatially.

  15. Influence of Soil Moisture on Litter Respiration in the Semiarid Loess Plateau

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yanjun; Guo, Shengli; Liu, Qingfang; Jiang, Jishao

    2014-01-01

    Understanding the response mechanisms of litter respiration to soil moisture in water-limited semi-arid regions is of vital importance to better understanding the interplay between ecological processes and the local carbon cycle. In situ soil respiration was monitored during 2010–2012 under various conditions (normal litter, no litter, and double litter treatments) in a 30-year-old artificial black locust plantation (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) on the Loess Plateau. Litter respiration with normal and double litter treatments exhibited similar seasonal variation, with the maximum value obtained in summer (0.57 and 1.51 μmol m−2 s−1 under normal and double litter conditions, respectively) and the minimum in spring (0.27 and 0.69 μmol m−2 s−1 under normal and double litter conditions, respectively). On average, annual cumulative litter respiration was 115 and 300 g C m−2 y−1 under normal and double litter conditions, respectively. Using a soil temperature of 17°C as the critical point, the relationship between litter respiration and soil moisture was found to follow quadratic functions well, whereas the determination coefficient was much greater at high soil temperature than at low soil temperature (33–35% vs. 22–24%). Litter respiration was significantly higher in 2010 and 2012 than in 2011 under both normal litter (132–165 g C m−2 y−1 vs. 48 g C m−2 y−1) and double litter (389–418 g C m−2 y−1 vs. 93 g C m−2 y−1) conditions. Such significant interannual variations were largely ascribed to the differences in summer rainfall. Our study demonstrates that, apart from soil temperature, moisture also has significant influence on litter respiration in semi-arid regions. PMID:25474633

  16. How to help woody plants to overcome drought stress?-a control study of four tree species in Northwest China.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiaozhen; Zhang, Shuoxin

    2010-05-01

    Water is essential for plants and involves most physical and chemical processes within their lifecycles. Drought stress is a crucial limiting factor for plant growth and production. 48% of the land in China is arid and semi-arid, and non-irrigated land occupies approximately 51.9% of the total cultivated areas. Therefore, studies on plant drought resistant mechanisms have great significance for improving water use efficiency and thus increasing productivity of economical plants. Prior research has shown that the application of nitrogenous fertilizer affects the drought-resistant characteristics of plants. This study aimed to reveal the effect of nitrogenous fertilizer on physiological aspects and its impact on the drought resistance of four tree species (Robinia pseudoacacia L., Ligustrum lucidum Ait., Acer truncatum Bge. and Ulmus pumila L. ) in northwest China. Three levels of nitrogen fertilization (46% N based of urea adjusted to: 5g/15g soil, 15g/15g soil and 25g/15g soil) and an additional control study were applied to 2-year-old well-grown seedlings under drought conditions (30% field moisture capacity). Stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and net photosynthetic rate were measured by a LI-6400 photosynthesis system, while water use efficiency was calculated from net photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate. The results revealed that as the amount of urea applied was raised, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and net photosynthetic rate decreased significantly, and thus water use efficiency significantly increased. It is therefore concluded that the application of nitrogenous fertilizer regulated physiological parameters by reducing stomata conductance to improve water use efficiency. In addition, among the four tree species, U. pumila had the maximum value of water use efficiency under the same drought condition. The outcome of this study provides a guided option for forest management in arid and semi-arid areas of northwest China.

  17. Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Changes following Afforestation of Marginal Cropland across a Precipitation Gradient in Loess Plateau of China

    PubMed Central

    Lü, Yihe; Liu, Guohua; Fu, Bojie

    2014-01-01

    Cropland afforestation has been widely found to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN); however, the magnitudes of SOC and STN accumulation and regulating factors are less studied in dry, marginal lands, and therein the interaction between soil carbon and nitrogen is not well understood. We examined the changes in SOC and STN in younger (5–9-year-old) and older (25–30-year-old) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L., an N-fixing species) plantations that were established on former cropland along a precipitation gradient (380 to 650 mm) in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China. The SOC and STN stocks of cropland and plantations increased linearly with precipitation increase, respectively, accompanying an increase in the plantation net primary productivity and the soil clay content along the increasing precipitation gradient. The SOC stock of cropland decreased in younger plantations and increased in older plantations after afforestation, and the amount of the initial loss of SOC during the younger plantations’ establishment increased with precipitation increasing. By contrast, the STN stock of cropland showed no decrease in the initial afforestation while tending to increase with plantation age, and the changes in STN were not related to precipitation. The changes in STN and SOC showed correlated and were precipitation-dependent following afforestation, displaying a higher relative gain of SOC to STN as precipitation decreased. Our results suggest that the afforestation of marginal cropland in Loess Plateau can have a significant effect on the accumulation of SOC and STN, and that precipitation has a significant effect on SOC accumulation but little effect on STN retention. The limitation effect of soil nitrogen on soil carbon accumulation is more limited in the drier area rather than in the wetter sites. PMID:24416408

  18. Soil carbon and nitrogen changes following afforestation of marginal cropland across a precipitation gradient in Loess Plateau of China.

    PubMed

    Chang, Ruiying; Jin, Tiantian; Lü, Yihe; Liu, Guohua; Fu, Bojie

    2014-01-01

    Cropland afforestation has been widely found to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN); however, the magnitudes of SOC and STN accumulation and regulating factors are less studied in dry, marginal lands, and therein the interaction between soil carbon and nitrogen is not well understood. We examined the changes in SOC and STN in younger (5-9-year-old) and older (25-30-year-old) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L., an N-fixing species) plantations that were established on former cropland along a precipitation gradient (380 to 650 mm) in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China. The SOC and STN stocks of cropland and plantations increased linearly with precipitation increase, respectively, accompanying an increase in the plantation net primary productivity and the soil clay content along the increasing precipitation gradient. The SOC stock of cropland decreased in younger plantations and increased in older plantations after afforestation, and the amount of the initial loss of SOC during the younger plantations' establishment increased with precipitation increasing. By contrast, the STN stock of cropland showed no decrease in the initial afforestation while tending to increase with plantation age, and the changes in STN were not related to precipitation. The changes in STN and SOC showed correlated and were precipitation-dependent following afforestation, displaying a higher relative gain of SOC to STN as precipitation decreased. Our results suggest that the afforestation of marginal cropland in Loess Plateau can have a significant effect on the accumulation of SOC and STN, and that precipitation has a significant effect on SOC accumulation but little effect on STN retention. The limitation effect of soil nitrogen on soil carbon accumulation is more limited in the drier area rather than in the wetter sites.

  19. Linking xylem water storage with anatomical parameters in five temperate tree species.

    PubMed

    Jupa, Radek; Plavcová, Lenka; Gloser, Vít; Jansen, Steven

    2016-06-01

    The release of water from storage compartments to the transpiration stream is an important functional mechanism that provides the buffering of sudden fluctuations in water potential. The ability of tissues to release water per change in water potential, referred to as hydraulic capacitance, is assumed to be associated with the anatomy of storage tissues. However, information about how specific anatomical parameters determine capacitance is limited. In this study, we measured sapwood capacitance (C) in terminal branches and roots of five temperate tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies L., Quercus robur L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Tilia cordata Mill.). Capacitance was calculated separately for water released mainly from capillary (CI; open vessels, tracheids, fibres, intercellular spaces and cracks) and elastic storage compartments (CII; living parenchyma cells), corresponding to two distinct phases of the moisture release curve. We found that C was generally higher in roots than branches, with CI being 3-11 times higher than CII Sapwood density and the ratio of dead to living xylem cells were most closely correlated with C In addition, the magnitude of CI was strongly correlated with fibre/tracheid lumen area, whereas CII was highly dependent on the thickness of axial parenchyma cell walls. Our results indicate that water released from capillary compartments predominates over water released from elastic storage in both branches and roots, suggesting the limited importance of parenchyma cells for water storage in juvenile xylem of temperate tree species. Contrary to intact organs, water released from open conduits in our small wood samples significantly increased CI at relatively high water potentials. Linking anatomical parameters with the hydraulic capacitance of a tissue contributes to a better understanding of water release mechanisms and their implications for plant hydraulics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights

  20. Constructing "Normal Childhoods": Young People Talk about Young Carers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dell, L.; Crafter, S.; de Abreu, G.; Cline, T.

    2010-01-01

    There has been a great deal of attention paid to young carers in recent research, social policy and service provision. In this paper we report on a survey and interview study of 46 young people aged 15 to 18, nine of whom had experience as young carers, to explore the ways in which young people construct the young carer and their disabled parent.…

  1. Estimation of biological nitrogen fixation by black locust in short-rotation forests using natural 15N abundance method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veste, M.; Böhm, C.; Quinckenstein, A.; Freese, D.

    2012-04-01

    The importance of short rotation forests and agroforestry systems for woody biomass production for bioenergy will increase in Central Europe within the next decades. In this context, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) has a high growth potential especially at marginal, drought-susceptible sites such as occur in Brandenburg State (Eastern Germany). As a pioneer tree species black locust grows under a wide range of site conditions. The native range of black locust in Northern America is classified by a humid to sub-humid climate with a mean annual precipitation of 1020 to 1830 mm. In Central and Eastern Europe, this species is cultivated in a more continental climate with an annual precipitation often below 600 mm. Therefore, black locust is known to be relatively drought tolerant compared to other temperate, deciduous tree species. Because of its N2-fixation ability black locust plays generally an important role for the improvement of soil fertility. This effect is of particular interest at marginal sites in the post-mining landscapes. In order to estimate the N2-fixation potential of black locust at marginal sites leaf samples were taken from black locust trees in short rotation plantations planted between 1995 and 2007 in post-mining sites south of Cottbus (Brandenburg, NE Germany). The variation of the natural 15N abundance was measured to evaluate the biological nitrogen fixation. The nitrogen derived from the atmosphere can be calculated using a two-pool model from the quotient of the natural 15N abundances of the N2-fixing plant and the plant available soil N. Because representatively determining the plant available soil N is difficult, a non-N2-fixing reference plant growing at the same site with a similar root system and temporal N uptake pattern to the N2-fixing plant is often used. In our case we used red oak (Quercus rubra) as a reference. The average nitrogen content in the leaves of black locust ranged from 3.1% (C/N 14.8) in 15 years old trees to 3

  2. Don Young | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Don Young Don Young Professional IV-ESH Don.Young@nrel.gov | 303-384-7144 Don Young is an EHS Professional at the NWTC. He received his B.S. from Colorado State University in Biological Science before

  3. James L. Young | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    L. Young James Young Postdoctoral Researcher-Chemistry James.Young@nrel.gov | 303-275-4456 Orcid ID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7291-0079 Dr. James L. Young is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National -splitting photocathode," Nature Energy (2017). View all NREL publications for James L. Young.

  4. [The future of the European nephrology belongs to the young: the Young Nephrologists' Platform].

    PubMed

    Bolignano, Davide

    2014-01-01

    Young people are the future of research, especially in nephrology. The prevalence of young nephrologists within the main scientific European societies varies from the 12% to 34% and the 20% of the ERA-EDTA members are less than 40 years old in 2013. Recently, the ERA-EDTA has launched a new platform, the Young Nephrologists Platform (YNP), which the aim is to become the first modern network of young nephrologists from Europe and beyond. YNP aims at promoting the aggregation of young people through modern communication channels such as social networks, blogs and through the construction of a database collecting information on attitudes and personal experiences of each young nephrologist. A mentorship program, focused and young-oriented clinical courses on hot topics and the direct involvement of young nephrologists in working groups and scientific studies are some of the other interesting initiatives driven by YNP. The future of nephrology belongs to the young and YNP could represent a good springboard for the professional growth of young nephrologists.

  5. Polyphenolic profile as a useful tool to identify the wood used in wine aging.

    PubMed

    Sanz, Miriam; Fernández de Simón, Brígida; Cadahía, Estrella; Esteruelas, Enrique; Muñoz, Angel Ma; Hernández, Ma Teresa; Estrella, Isabel

    2012-06-30

    Although oak wood is the main material used in cooperage, other species are being considered as possible sources of wood for the production of wines and their derived products. In this work we have compared the phenolic composition of acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), chestnut (Castanea sativa), cherry (Prunus avium) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior and F. americana) heartwoods, by using HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS/MS (some of these data have been showed in previous paper), as well as the changes that toasting intensity at cooperage produce in each polyphenolic profile. Before toasting, each wood shows a different and specific polyphenolic profile, with both qualitative and quantitative differences among them. Toasting notably changed these profiles, in general, proportionally to toasting intensity and led to a minor differentiation among species in toasted woods, although we also found phenolic markers in toasted woods. Thus, methyl syringate, benzoic acid, methyl vanillate, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4,5-trimethylphenol and p-coumaric acid, condensed tannins of the procyanidin type, and the flavonoids naringenin, aromadendrin, isosakuranetin and taxifolin will be a good tool to identify cherry wood. In acacia wood the chemical markers will be the aldehydes gallic and β-resorcylic and two not fully identified hydroxycinnamic compounds, condensed tannins of the prorobinetin type, and when using untoasted wood, dihydrorobinetin, and in toasted acacia wood, robinetin. In untoasted ash wood, the presence of secoiridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, or di and oligolignols will be a good tool, especially oleuropein, ligstroside and olivil, together verbascoside and isoverbascoside in F. excelsior, and oleoside in F. americana. In toasted ash wood, tyrosol, syringaresinol, cyclolovil, verbascoside and olivil, could be used to identify the botanical origin. In addition, in ash wood, seasoned and toasted, neither hydrolysable nor condensed tannins were detected. Lastly, in chestnut wood, gallic

  6. Northern long-eared bat day-roosting and prescribed fire in the central Appalachians

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ford, W. Mark; Silvis, Alexander; Johnson, Joshua B.; Edwards, John W.; Karp, Milu

    2016-01-01

    The northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis Trovessart) is a cavity-roosting species that forages in cluttered upland and riparian forests throughout the oak-dominated Appalachian and Central Hardwoods regions. Common prior to white-nose syndrome, the population of this bat species has declined to functional extirpation in some regions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including portions of the central Appalachians. Our long-term research in the central Appalachians has shown that maternity colonies of this species form non-random assorting networks in patches of suitable trees that result from long- and short-term forest disturbance processes, and that roost loss can occur with these disturbances. Following two consecutive prescribed burns on the Fernow Experimental Forest in the central Appalachians, West Virginia, USA, in 2007 to 2008, post-fire counts of suitable black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.; the most selected species for roosting) slightly decreased by 2012. Conversely, post-fire numbers of suitable maple (Acer spp. L.), primarily red maple (Acer rubrum L.), increased by a factor of three, thereby ameliorating black locust reduction. Maternity colony network metrics such as roost degree (use) and network density for two networks in the burned compartment were similar to the single network observed in unburned forest. However, roost clustering and degree of roost centralization was greater for the networks in the burned forest area. Accordingly, the short-term effects of prescribed fire are slightly or moderately positive in impact to day-roost habitat for the northern long-eared bat in the central Appalachians from a social dynamic perspective. Listing of northern long-eared bats as federally threatened will bring increased scrutiny of immediate fire impacts from direct take as well as indirect impacts from long-term changes to roosting and foraging habitat in stands being returned to historic fire-return conditions. Unfortunately, definitive

  7. Spatial variation in the storages and age-related dynamics of forest carbon sequestration in different climate zones-evidence from black locust plantations on the Loess Plateau of China.

    PubMed

    Li, Taijun; Ren, Bowen; Wang, Dahui; Liu, Guobin

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge about the long-term influences of climate change on the amount of potential carbon (C) sequestration in forest ecosystems, including age-related dynamics, remains unclear. This study used two similar age-sequences of black locust forests (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in the semi-arid and semi-humid zones of China's Loess Plateau to assess the variation in C stocks and age-related dynamics. Our results demonstrated that black locust forests of the semi-humid zone stored significantly more C than did forests in the semi-arid zone, across the chronosequence (p < 0.001). The C carrying capacity of the plantations was measured at 166.4 Mg C ha-1 (1 Mg = 106 g) in the semi-humid zone, while the semi-arid zone had a capacity of only 79.4 Mg C ha-1. Soil organic C (SOC) increased continuously with stand age in the semi-arid zone (R2 = 0.84, p = 0.010). However, in the semi-humid zone, SOC declined sharply by 47.8% after the initial stage (5 to 10 y). The C stock in trees increased continuously with stand age in the semi-humid zone (R2 = 0.83, p = 0.011), yet in the semi-arid zone, it decreased dramatically from 43.0 Mg C ha-1 to 28.4 Mg C ha-1 during the old forest stage (38 to 56 y). The shift from being a net C sink to a net C source occurred at the initial stage in the semi-humid zone versus at the old forest stage in the semi-arid zone after reforestation. Surprisingly, with the exception of the initial and later stages (55 y), the patterns of C allocation among trees, soils, understory and litter were not statistically different between the two climate zones. Our results suggest that climate factors can alter the potential amount and age-related dynamics of forest C sequestration.

  8. Ecosystem service trade-offs and their influencing factors: A case study in the Loess Plateau of China.

    PubMed

    Feng, Qiang; Zhao, Wenwu; Fu, Bojie; Ding, Jingyi; Wang, Shuai

    2017-12-31

    Soil erosion control (SEC), carbon sequestration (CAS), and soil moisture (SMO) strongly interact in the semi-arid Loess Plateau. Since SMO has supportive effects on SEC and CAS, it can be considered as ecosystem service (ES), and there is an immediate need to coordinate the relationships among these ecosystem services (ESs) to promote the sustainability of vegetation recovery. In this study, we quantified the ESs, ES trade-offs, and the environmental factors in 151 sample plots in the Ansai watershed, and we used a redundancy analysis (RDA) to clarify the effects of environmental factors on these ESs and their trade-offs. The results were as follows: (1) the general trend in the SEC of vegetation types was Robinia pseudoacacia (CH)>native grass (NG)>small arbor (ST)>Hippophae rhamnoides (SJ)>artificial grass (AG)>Caragana korshinskii (NT)>apple orchard (GY)>crop (CP); the CAS trend was CH>SJ>NT>AG>CP>ST>GY>NG; and the SMO trend was CP>NG>GY>AG>SJ>ST>CH>NT. (2) For SEC-SMO trade-offs, the influence of vegetation type, altitude, silt and sand composition was dominant. The arrangement of NG, AG, and SJ could decrease the extent of the trade-offs. (3) For CAS-SMO trade-offs, vegetation coverage and types were the dominant factors, but the effects were not complex. The extent of these trade-offs was lowest for NT, and that for SJ was the second lowest. (4) Considering the relationships among the three ESs, SJ was the most appropriate afforestation plant. Combing the vegetation types, slope position, slope gradient, and soil properties could regulate these ES relationships. The dominant factors influencing ES trade-offs varied among the different soil layers, so we must consider the corresponding influencing factors to regulate ESs. Moreover, manual management measures were also important for coordinating the ES relationships. Our research provides a better understanding of the mechanisms influencing the relationships among ESs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All

  9. Assessing soil quality and potential productivity - a basic approach to define and assess the marginality of land

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Repmann, Frank; Gerwin, Werner; Freese, Dirk

    2017-04-01

    An ever growing demand for energy and the widely proposed switch from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources puts the cultivation and use of bioenergy plants into focus. However, bioenergy production on regular and fertile agricultural soils might conflict with the worldwide growing demand for food. To mitigate or omit this potential conflict, the use of low quality or marginal land for cultivation of bioenergy plants becomes favorable. Against this background the definition and assessment of land marginality and, respectively, the evaluation whether and to which extent specific areas are marginal and thus convenient for sustainable bioenergy production, becomes highly relevant. Within the framework of the EU funded Horizon 2020 project SEEMLA, we attempted to asses land marginality of designated test sites in the Ukraine, Greece and Germany by direct field survey. For that purpose, soil and site properties were investigated and evaluated by applying the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) method, developed at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF). The method deploys a comprehensive set of biogeophysical and chemical indicators to describe and finally evaluate the quality of the soil and site by a score ranging from 1 to 100 points. Field survey data were supported by additional laboratory tests on a representative set of soil samples. Practical field work and analysis of field and lab data from the investigated sites proved the applicability of the SQR method within the SEEMLA context. The SQR indices calculated from the field and lab data ranged from 2 to < 40 and clearly demonstrated the marginality of the investigated sites in the Ukraine, Greece and Germany, which differed considerably in respect to their characteristics. Correlating the site quality index to yield data reflecting yield estimations for common bioenergy plants such as willow (Salix sp.), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and poplar (Populus sp.) cultivated

  10. Differences in hydrological responses for different vegetation types on a steep slope on the Loess Plateau, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, Liangxia; Huang, Mingbin; Zhang, Luodan

    2016-06-01

    Extensive vegetation restoration practices have been implemented to control soil erosion on the Loess Plateau, China. However, no strict guidelines are available to determine the most suitable plant species for vegetation restoration within a given area. The objective of this study was to quantify the changes of each component (soil water storage, surface runoff, and actual evapotranspiration) of a water balance model and soil loss over time under eight different vegetation types, and to further determine the optimal vegetation type for soil and water conservation and sustainable ecological restoration on the steep slopes (>25°) on the Loess Plateau. The results indicated that vegetation type substantially affected soil water storage and that the greatest soil water storage in both the shallow (0-2 m) and the deep soil layers (2-5 m) occurred under Bothriochloa ischaemum L. (BOI). Vegetation type also affected surface runoff and soil losses. The most effective vegetation types for reducing soil erosion were BOI and Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), while Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) and Chinese pine + Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were the most ineffective types. Soil water dynamics and evapotranspiration varied considerably among the different vegetation types. A soil water surplus was only found under BOI, while insufficient water replenishment existed under the other seven vegetation types. The higher water consumption rates of the seven vegetation types could result in soil desiccation, which could lead to severe water stresses that would adversely affect plant growth. This study suggested that both vegetation type and its effect on controlling soil erosion should be considered when implementing vegetation restoration and that BOI should be highly recommended for vegetation restoration on the steep slopes of the Loess Plateau. A similar approach to the one used in this study could be applied to other regions of the world confronted

  11. Impact of shelterbelts of different age on the content of nitrates and phosphates in ground water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaskulska, Renata; Wojciech Szajdak, Lech

    2010-05-01

    The investigations were carried out in the Agroecological Landscape Park situated 40 km South-West of Poznań in the upper Obra River watershed, Poland. The arable land constitutes 70%, shelterbelts and small afforestations about 14% and meadows and pastures about 12%. Shelterbelts belong to very efficient biogeochemical barriers. They decrease the migration of chemical compounds between ecosystems. The direction of ground water flow was from the adjoining cultivated field towards shelterbelts. Two shelterbelts of different humus guantity in surface layer soils were investigated. The age and species composition of plant was taken under consideration. The first one is 160-year-old shelterbelt, where predominant species is Robinia pseudoacacia, Quercus rober and Alnus glutinosa and is characterized by a well-developed humus level. The other one is 14-year-old shelterbelt. It includes 13 species of trees (Quercus petrea, Larix deciduas, Pinus silvestri, Populus nigra, Sorbus aucuparia) and reveals a small amount of humus. The soils are minerals, grey-brown podzolic in surface layer soils compound from light loamy sands and weakly loamy sands. The contents of N-NO3-, P-PO4-3, were investigated in the ground water under shelterbelts and adjoining cultivated fields. In addition, cationic sorptive capacity, specific surface areas, TOC were determined in soils. The smallest concentrations of nitrates (3.35 mg×l-1) and phosphates (0.02 mg×l-1) were observed in ground water under the 160-year-old shelterbelt. The physicochemical properties of soils under 160-year-old shelterbelt: specific surface areas (20.3 m2×g-1), cationic sorptive capacity (24.8 cmol(+)×kg-1), TOC (4.3%) was higher than in 14-year-old shelterbelt and in adjoining cultivated fields. The results revealed, that the 160-year-old shelterbelt characterizing developed humus more effectively than 14-year-old shelterbelt decreases the amounts of chemical compounds in ground water and sufficiently fulfils the

  12. Spatial Variation in the Storages and Age-Related Dynamics of Forest Carbon Sequestration in Different Climate Zones—Evidence from Black Locust Plantations on the Loess Plateau of China

    PubMed Central

    Li, Taijun; Ren, Bowen; Wang, Dahui; Liu, Guobin

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge about the long-term influences of climate change on the amount of potential carbon (C) sequestration in forest ecosystems, including age-related dynamics, remains unclear. This study used two similar age-sequences of black locust forests (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in the semi-arid and semi-humid zones of China’s Loess Plateau to assess the variation in C stocks and age-related dynamics. Our results demonstrated that black locust forests of the semi-humid zone stored significantly more C than did forests in the semi-arid zone, across the chronosequence (p < 0.001). The C carrying capacity of the plantations was measured at 166.4 Mg C ha−1 (1 Mg = 106 g) in the semi-humid zone, while the semi-arid zone had a capacity of only 79.4 Mg C ha−1. Soil organic C (SOC) increased continuously with stand age in the semi-arid zone (R2 = 0.84, p = 0.010). However, in the semi-humid zone, SOC declined sharply by 47.8% after the initial stage (5 to 10 y). The C stock in trees increased continuously with stand age in the semi-humid zone (R2 = 0.83, p = 0.011), yet in the semi-arid zone, it decreased dramatically from 43.0 Mg C ha−1 to 28.4 Mg C ha−1 during the old forest stage (38 to 56 y). The shift from being a net C sink to a net C source occurred at the initial stage in the semi-humid zone versus at the old forest stage in the semi-arid zone after reforestation. Surprisingly, with the exception of the initial and later stages (55 y), the patterns of C allocation among trees, soils, understory and litter were not statistically different between the two climate zones. Our results suggest that climate factors can alter the potential amount and age-related dynamics of forest C sequestration. PMID:25799100

  13. Soil organic carbon dynamics of black locust plantations in the middle Loess Plateau area of China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, N.; Liski, J.; Chang, R. Y.; Akujärvi, A.; Wu, X.; Jin, T. T.; Wang, Y. F.; Fu, B. J.

    2013-11-01

    Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest terrestrial carbon pool and sensitive to land use and cover change; its dynamics are critical for carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. In this study, we combined a modeling approach and field measurements to examine the temporal dynamics of SOC following afforestation (Robinia pseudoacacia) of former arable land at six sites under different climatic conditions in the Loess Plateau during 1980-2010, where the annual mean precipitation ranging from 450 mm to 600 mm. The results showed that the measured mean SOC increased to levels higher than before afforestation when taking the last measurements (i.e., at age 25 to 30 yr) at all the sites, although it decreased at the wetter sites in the first few years. The accumulation rates of SOC were 1.58 to 6.22% yr-1 in the upper 20 cm and 1.62 to 5.15% yr-1in the upper 40 cm of soil. The simulations reproduced the basic characteristics of measured SOC dynamics, suggesting that litter input and climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) were the major causes for SOC dynamics and the differences among the sites. They explained 88-96, 48-86 and 57-74% of the variations in annual SOC changes at the soil depths of 0-20, 0-40, and 0-100 cm, respectively. Notably, the simulated SOC decreased during the first few years at all the sites, although the magnitudes of decreases were smaller at the drier sites. This suggested that the modeling may be advantageous in capturing SOC changes at finer timescale. The discrepancy between the simulation and measurement was a result of uncertainties in model structure, data input, and sampling design. Our findings indicated that afforestation promoted soil carbon sequestration at the study sites during 1980-2010. Afforestation activities should decrease soil disturbances to reduce carbon release in the early stage. The long-term strategy for carbon fixation capability of the plantations should also consider the climate and site

  14. Development of population structure and spatial distribution patterns of a restored forest during 17-year succession (1993-2010) in Pingshuo opencast mine spoil, China.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Zhongqiu; Wang, Lianhua; Bai, Zhongke; Pan, Ziguan; Wang, Yun

    2015-07-01

    Afforestation of native tree species is often recommended for ecological restoration in mining areas, but the understanding of the ecological processes of restored vegetation is quite limited. In order to provide insight of the ecological processes of restored vegetation, in this study, we investigate the development of the population structure and spatial distribution patterns of restored Robinia pseudoacacia (ROPS) and Pinus tabuliformis (PITA) mixed forests during the 17 years of the mine spoil period of the Pingshuo opencast mine, Shanxi Province, China. After a 17-year succession, apart from the two planted species, Ulmus pumila (ULPU), as an invasive species, settled in the plot along with a large number of small diameter at breast height (DBH) size. In total, there are 10,062 living individual plants, much more than that at the plantation (5105), and ROPS had become the dominant species with a section area with a breast height of 9.40 m(2) hm(-2) and a mean DBH of 6.72 cm, much higher than both PITA and ULPU. The DBH size classes of all the total species showed inverted J-shaped distributions, which may have been a result of the large number of small regenerated ULPU trees. The DBH size classes of both ROPS and PITA showed peak-type structures with individuals mainly gathering in the moderate DBH size class, indicating a relatively healthy DBH size class structure. Meanwhile, invasive ULPU were distributed in a clear L shape, concentrating on the small DBH size class, indicating a relatively low survival rate for adult trees. Both ROPS and PITA species survival in the plantation showed uniform and aggregated distribution at small scales and random with scales increasing. ULPU showed a strong aggregation at small scales as well as random with scales increasing. Both the population structure and spatial distribution indicated that ROPS dominates and will continue to dominate the community in the future succession, which should be continuously monitored.

  15. Nutrition for Young Men

    MedlinePlus

    ... Health Wellness Healthy Aging Nutrition for Young Men Nutrition for Young Men Reviewed by Taylor Wolfram, MS, ... 2017 XiXinXing/iStock/Thinkstock For many young men, nutrition isn't always a focus. There are many ...

  16. Suicide in young men.

    PubMed

    Pitman, Alexandra; Krysinska, Karolina; Osborn, David; King, Michael

    2012-06-23

    Suicide is second to only accidental death as the leading cause of mortality in young men across the world. Although suicide rates for young men have fallen in some high-income and middle-income countries since the 1990s, wider mortality measures indicate that rates remain high in specific regions, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic groups within those nations where rates have fallen, and that young men account for a substantial proportion of the economic cost of suicide. High-lethality methods of suicide are preferred by young men: hanging and firearms in high-income countries, pesticide poisoning in the Indian subcontinent, and charcoal-burning in east Asia. Risk factors for young men include psychiatric illness, substance misuse, lower socioeconomic status, rural residence, and single marital status. Population-level factors include unemployment, social deprivation, and media reporting of suicide. Few interventions to reduce suicides in young men have been assessed. Efforts to change help-seeking behaviour and to restrict access to frequently used methods hold the most promise. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 78 FR 31999 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Young Turkey/Young America Evaluation (YTYA...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8336] 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Young Turkey/ Young America Evaluation (YTYA) Survey ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title of Information Collection: Young Turkey/Young America Evaluation (YTYA) Survey...

  18. 78 FR 9448 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Young Turkey/Young America Evaluation (YTYA...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8181] 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Young Turkey/ Young America Evaluation (YTYA) Survey ACTION: Notice of request for public comment. SUMMARY: The...: Title of Information Collection: Young Turkey/Young America Evaluation (YTYA) Survey. OMB Control Number...

  19. Young Migrants and Discourses on Young Migrants in the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerritsen, Debby; Maier, Robert

    2012-01-01

    This article compares the perspectives of young migrants in the Netherlands with the dominant discourse on "migrants" at present. The integration of young "migrants" have been studied in the European research projects TRESEGY and PROFACITY with the help of a number of ethnographic studies and a questionnaire in the Netherlands.…

  20. [Vulvovaginitis in young girls].

    PubMed

    Olejek, Anita; Kellas-Sleczka, Sylwia; Kozak-Darmas, Iwona; Bilska, Anna; Zamłyński, Jacek; Horak, Stanisław; Nowak, Leszek

    2009-12-01

    Vulvovaginitis is the most common cause of gynecological complaints in young girls. Factors which cause vulvovaginitis include, among other things, low level of sexual hormones (hypoestrogenism), the anatomical proximity of the rectum and delicate vulvar skin and vaginal mucosa. Usually vulvovaginitis in young girls is caused by non-specific factors. The aim of the study was to present the most frequent causes of vulvovaginitis in young girls.

  1. Young Stars with SALT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Riedel, Adric R.; Alam, Munazza K.; Rice, Emily L.

    We present a spectroscopic and kinematic analysis of 79 nearby M dwarfs in 77 systems. All of these dwarfs are low-proper-motion southern hemisphere objects and were identified in a nearby star survey with a demonstrated sensitivity to young stars. Using low-resolution optical spectroscopy from the Red Side Spectrograph on the South African Large Telescope, we have determined radial velocities, H-alpha, lithium 6708 Å, and potassium 7699 Å equivalent widths linked to age and activity, and spectral types for all of our targets. Combined with astrometric information from literature sources, we identify 44 young stars. Eighteen are previously known members ofmore » moving groups within 100 pc of the Sun. Twelve are new members, including one member of the TW Hydra moving group, one member of the 32 Orionis moving group, 9 members of Tucana-Horologium, one member of Argus, and two new members of AB Doradus. We also find 14 young star systems that are not members of any known groups. The remaining 33 star systems do not appear to be young. This appears to be evidence of a new population of nearby young stars not related to the known nearby young moving groups.« less

  2. New Plays from A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory. Volume II. Young Actors Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slaight, Craig, Ed.

    This collection of new plays for young actors comes from the repertoire of the Young Conservatory, a professional theater training program for young people ages 8 to 18 at the American Conservatory Theater. Each of the five plays in the collection was developed in this way: an outstanding professional playwright is invited to create a new play…

  3. Age and sex differences in the taste sensitivity of young adult, young-old and old-old Japanese.

    PubMed

    Yoshinaka, Masaki; Ikebe, Kazunori; Uota, Masahiro; Ogawa, Taiji; Okada, Tadashi; Inomata, Chisato; Takeshita, Hajime; Mihara, Yusuke; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Masui, Yukie; Kamide, Kei; Arai, Yasumichi; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Maeda, Yoshinobu

    2016-12-01

    The present study examined sex and age differences in taste sensitivity among young adult, young-old and old-old Japanese. Participants were divided into three groups comprising 477 men and 519 women in the young-old group (aged 69-71 years), 449 men and 500 women in the old-old group (aged 79-81 years), and 35 men and 35 women in the young adult group (aged 24-32 years). Recognition thresholds for the four basic tastes were measured using the 1-mL whole mouth gustatory test, in which taste solutions of the four basic tastes were tested in five concentrations. Young adults showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than the young-old group, and the young-old group showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than the old-old group. Among the young-old and old-old groups, women showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than males for sour, salty and bitter tastes, but there was no sex difference in the sweet taste threshold between the two groups. The present study confirmed that there are age and sex differences in taste sensitivity for the four basic tastes among young adult, young-old, and old-old Japanese, and that the sensitivity of sweet taste is more robust than the other tastes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1281-1288. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  4. On studying the young.

    PubMed

    Cottle, T J

    1972-03-01

    The process of studying youth culture is examined in terms of the consequence of the social and imaginative worlds of young people and those who study them. The impressions of the young, thus found, ultimately reveal to us insights into our own past, the relationship of generations, and the meaning of maturation. The ambivalence demonstrated by so many young people is discussed along with the difficulties this produces for observations of youth. Finally, mention is made of the importance of recognizing that studies of youth accentuate the tentativeness with which the results of social psychological studies must be held, and of resisting the temptation either to dehumanize young people through social scientific inquiries, or to overromanticize them to the extent that they themselves begin to question their own worth.

  5. Contact Pheromones as Mate Recognition Cues of Four Species of Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

    Treesearch

    Matthew D. Ginzel; Lawrence M. Hanks

    2003-01-01

    We tested the hypothesis that contact phermones mediate mate recognition for four species of longhorned beetles, Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.), Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), and Plectrodera scalator (F.). All tested males of all four species attempted to...

  6. Seminar on young child nutrition: improving nutrition and health status of young children in indonesia.

    PubMed

    Isabelle, Mia; Chan, Pauline

    2011-01-01

    The Seminar on Young Child Nutrition: Improving Nutrition and Health Status of Young Children in Indonesia held in Jakarta on November 2009 reviewed the current nutritional and health status of young children in Indonesia and identified key nutrient deficiencies affecting their optimal growth. The continuation of child growth from fetal stage is of paramount importance; and maternal and child health should be a central consideration in policy and strategy development. Clinical management of nutrient deficiency and malnutrition, as well as strategies and education to improve feeding practices of young Indonesian children were discussed in the seminar. Relevant experiences, approaches and strategies from France, New Zealand and Malaysia were also shared and followed with discussion on how regulatory systems can support the development of health policy for young children. This report highlights important information presented at the seminar.

  7. Young carer awareness, identification and referral.

    PubMed

    Sprung, Sally; Laing, Michelle

    2017-08-02

    Young carers often provide care because they have always done so for the people they care about, and because they believe that the care recipient could not manage without them. For many young carers, looking after their own health, combining caring with schoolwork, getting access to training or having time off from carer duties can be a major challenge ( Department of Health [DH], 2008 ). This paper presents evidence from a literature review that builds a substantial body of knowledge to suggest that community nursing teams must develop supportive approaches towards increasing an awareness of young carers' needs. Identification of young carers by community nurses will encourage referral to appropriate services and agencies. The aim of this study was to appraise, for the Queen's Nursing Institute, the published evidence base to explore young carers' needs and how community nurses could support young carers' needs in England. Databases were systematically searched. Title and abstract reviews found 606 potential studies (see Figure 1 ), which were identified around topics corresponding to the headings of three distinct categories: mental health and wellbeing; education needs and resilience; and development of coping strategies. Full-text review resulted in 26 publications that met the study's inclusion criteria. The results of this work show that there is a scarcity of publications around the community nursing needs of young carers. However, studies consistently report young carers are hidden from view and have a significant requirement for support and information. Therefore, effective ways of delivering community nursing support and information to young carers needs to be developed by service providers as a matter of priority, and implemented to give the support that young carers need.

  8. Someone to talk to: young mothers' experiences of participating in a young parents support programme.

    PubMed

    Mills, Annie; Schmied, Virginia; Taylor, Christine; Dahlen, Hannah; Shuiringa, Wies; Hudson, Margaret E

    2013-09-01

    To identify young parents' perceptions and experiences of a parenting support programme, run by a non-government organisation, which provided both community group-based, and one-on-one home visiting, support. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas of Sydney, NSW; this is also an area with one of the highest percentage of births among young parents. Young parents were eligible to participate whether they attended one of the parenting groups and/or received professional home visiting through the young parents programme. Eighteen young women were interviewed, and a further ten participated in a focus group. Thematic analysis of the focus groups and interviews was undertaken. Four themes were identified in the analysis: 'someone I know and trust', 'we just talk about anything and everything', 'doing the personal' and 'getting out and relaxing'. These themes were linked through the common thread of relationships; the relationships between themselves and other young mothers, and with the workers on the programme. The characteristics of the person with whom they had a relationship, the type of relationship, the content of their interactions and the benefits of these relationships were all important. This study is limited by the small sample size and the 'low risk' status of the young parents who engaged in the programme. This study demonstrated not only the importance for young parents of all forms of interaction, whether it is one-on-one, in a group or social networking; but most importantly, the benefits of having someone to talk to. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  9. Self-rated quality of life among the young unemployed and the young in work in northern Sweden.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Barbro; Hemlin, Sven

    2008-01-01

    This study analysed self-assessed quality of life (QoL), using a QoL questionnaire (Hörnquist's QLcs) covering life spheres, somatic health, mental well-being, cognitive ability, social and family life, activity, financial situation, meaning in life and a global score "entire life", for young people aged 18-24 in a population-based cross-sectional study in northern Sweden. Of these, 651 were unemployed and 2802 were in work (employed, students and in military service). Results showed that the young unemployed exhibited poorer QoL than the young in work and the greatest difference was found regarding their financial situation. Young men rated somatic health and mental well-being higher than young women. However, QoL in other essential domains was rated higher by young women in work. Close friends and money reserve were important for all participants, no matter whether they were employed or not. The risk of being young and unemployed was greater if the person had a worse financial situation, shorter education, and fewer leisure activities with other people. Finally, it was concluded that while QoL is poorer when in unemployment - both for the young and those who are older (aged 25-64) - psychological well-being, in contrast to several previous studies, is even poorer for young people than for those who are older. This is worrying in a public health perspective and could have implications for unemployment policies for younger and less well-educated age groups.

  10. Caring for Young People Who Self-Harm: A Review of Perspectives from Families and Young People

    PubMed Central

    Curtis, Sophie; Thorn, Pinar; McRoberts, Alison; Hetrick, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    Self-harm among young people remains largely stigmatised and misunderstood. Parents have been identified as key facilitators in the help-seeking process, yet they typically report feeling ill-equipped to support the young person in their care. The aim of this review was to examine the perspectives of both young people (aged 12–28) and parents and to develop the conceptual framework for a future qualitative study. A systematic search of MEDLINE and PsycINFO was performed to identify articles that focused on the experiences of family members and young people related to managing the discovery of self-harm. Fourteen articles were included for review. Four addressed the perspectives of young people and 10 reported on the impact of adolescent self-harm on parents. The impact of self-harm is substantial and there exists a discrepancy between the most common parental responses and the preferences of young people. In addition, parents are often reluctant to seek help for themselves due to feelings of shame and guilt. This highlights the need for accessible resources that seek to alleviate parents’ distress, influence the strategies implemented to manage the young person’s self-harm behaviour, reduce self-blame of family members, and increase the likelihood of parental help seeking. PMID:29747476

  11. Caring for Young People Who Self-Harm: A Review of Perspectives from Families and Young People.

    PubMed

    Curtis, Sophie; Thorn, Pinar; McRoberts, Alison; Hetrick, Sarah; Rice, Simon; Robinson, Jo

    2018-05-10

    Self-harm among young people remains largely stigmatised and misunderstood. Parents have been identified as key facilitators in the help-seeking process, yet they typically report feeling ill-equipped to support the young person in their care. The aim of this review was to examine the perspectives of both young people (aged 12⁻28) and parents and to develop the conceptual framework for a future qualitative study. A systematic search of MEDLINE and PsycINFO was performed to identify articles that focused on the experiences of family members and young people related to managing the discovery of self-harm. Fourteen articles were included for review. Four addressed the perspectives of young people and 10 reported on the impact of adolescent self-harm on parents. The impact of self-harm is substantial and there exists a discrepancy between the most common parental responses and the preferences of young people. In addition, parents are often reluctant to seek help for themselves due to feelings of shame and guilt. This highlights the need for accessible resources that seek to alleviate parents’ distress, influence the strategies implemented to manage the young person’s self-harm behaviour, reduce self-blame of family members, and increase the likelihood of parental help seeking.

  12. [Sensitization to Castanea sativa pollen and pollinosis in northern Extremadura (Spain)].

    PubMed

    Cosmes Martín, P M; Moreno Ancillo, A; Domínguez Noche, C; Gutiérrez Vivas, A; Belmonte Soler, J; Roure Nolla, J M

    2005-01-01

    Castanea sativa pollen allergy has generally been considered to be uncommon and clinically insignificant. In our geographical area (Plasencia, Cáceres, Spain) Castanea sativa pollen is a major pollen. To determine the atmospheric fluctuations and prevalence of patients sensitized to Castanea pollen in our region and to compare this sensitization with sensitizations to other pollens. Patients with respiratory symptoms attending our outpatient clinic for the first time in 2003 were studied. The patients underwent skin prick tests with commercial extracts of a battery of inhalants including Castanea sativa pollen. Serologic specific IgE to Castanea sativa pollen was determined using the CAP system (Pharmacia and Upjohn, Uppsala, Sweden). Airborne pollen counts in our city were obtained using Cour collection apparatus over a 4-year period (2000 to 2003). The most predominant pollens detected were (mean of the maximal weekly concentrations over 4 years in pollen grains/m3): Quercus 968, Poacea 660, Olea 325, Platanus 229, Pinus 126, Cupresaceae 117, Plantago 109, Alnus 41, Populus 40, Castanea 32. We studied 346 patients (mean age: 24.1 years). In 210 patients with a diagnosis of pollinosis, the percentages of sensitization were: Dactylis glomerata 80.4%, Olea europea 71.9%, Fraxinus excelsior 68%, Plantago lanceolata 62.8%, Chenopodium album 60.9%, Robinia pseudoacacia 49%, Artemisia vulgaris 43.8%, Platanus acerifolia 36.6%, Parietaria judaica 36.1%, Populus nigra 32.3%, Betula alba 27.6%, Quercus ilex 21.4%, Alnus glutinosa 20.9%, Cupressus arizonica 7.6% and Castanea sativa 7.1%. Fifteen patients were sensitized to Castanea sativa and 14 had seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma. Ten patients had serum specific IgE to Castanea pollen (maximum value: 17.4 Ku/l). Castanea pollen is present in our area in large amounts from the 23rd to the 28th weeks of the year, with a peak pollen count in the 25th week. The most important allergenic pollens in northern Extremadura

  13. Tracing the source of sedimentary organic carbon in the Loess Plateau of China: An integrated elemental ratio, stable carbon signatures, and radioactive isotopes approach.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chun; Dong, Yuting; Li, Zhongwu; Chang, Xiaofeng; Nie, Xiaodong; Liu, Lin; Xiao, Haibing; Bashir, Hassan

    2017-02-01

    Soil erosion, which will induce the redistribution of soil and associated soil organic carbon (SOC) on the Earth's surface, is of critically importance for biogeochemical cycling of essential elements and terrestrial carbon sequestration. Despite the importance of soil erosion, surprisingly few studies have evaluated the sources of eroded carbon (C). This study used natural abundance levels of the stable isotope signature ( 13 C) and radioactive isotopes ( 137 Cs and 210 Pb ex ), along with elements ratio (C/N) based on a two end member mixing model to qualitatively and quantitatively identify the sources of sedimentary OC retained by check dam in the Qiaozigou small watershed in the Loess Plateau, China. Sediment profiles (0-200 cm) captured at natural depositional area of the basin was compared to possible source materials, which included: superficial Loess mineral soils (0-20 cm) from three land use types [i.e., grassland (Medicago sativa), forestland (Robinia pseudoacacia.), shrubland (Prunus sibirica), and gully land (Loess parent material.)]. The results demonstrated that SOC in sediments showed significantly negative correlation with pH (P < 0.01), and positive correlation with soil water content (SWC) (P < 0.05). The sedimentary OC was not derived from grasslands or gullies. Forestland and shrubland were two main sources of eroded organic carbon within the surface sediment (0-60 cm deep), except for that in the 20-40 cm soil layer. Radionuclides analyses also implied that the surface sediments retained by check-dams mainly originated from soils of forestland and shrubland. Results of the two end-member mixing model demonstrated that more than 50% SOC (mean probability estimate (MPE) 50.13% via 13 C and 60.53% via C/N) in surface sediment (0-20 cm deep) derived from forestland, whereas subsurface sedimentary SOC (20-200 cm) mainly resulted from shrubland (MPE > 50%). Although uncertainties on the sources of SOC in deep soils exist, the soil

  14. [Effects of re-vegetation on soil microbial functional diversity in purple soils at different re-vegetation stages on sloping-land in Hengyang, Hunan Province, China.

    PubMed

    Wen, Dong Xin; Yang, Ning; Yang, Man Yuan

    2016-08-01

    The aim of the study was to explore the effects of re-vegetation on soil microbial functio-nal diversity in purple soils at different re-vegetation stages on sloping-land in Hengyang, Hunan Province, China. By using the spatial series to replace time series, four typical sampling plots, grass (Setaria viridi, GS), frutex and grass (Lagerstroemia indica-Setaria viridi, FG), frutex (Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia+Robinia pseudoacacia, FX), as well as arbor and frutex (Liquidamdar formosana+Melia azedarach-Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia, AF) community were selected to study the soil microbial functional diversity by using the Biolog-ECO micro-plate technique. The four communities in purple soils on sloping-land were similar and denoted four different re-vegetation stages. The results showed that the soil microbial metabolic activity increased after re-vegetation significantly, and the average well color development (AWCD) which represented soil microbial activity and functional diversity followed the order of AF community>FX community>FG community>GS community at different re-vegetation stages, and followed the order of 0-10 cm >10-20 cm in different soil layers. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified that FG and FX community had similar C sources utilization mode and metabolic function, and GS and AF community were diffe-rent. The carbohydrates, amino acids, intermediate metabolites, and secondary metabolites were the main carbon sources separating the two principal component factors. The Shannon species richness index (H), Shannon evenness index (E), Simpson dominance index (D), McIntosh index (U) at four re-vegetation stages were the highest in AF community, the second in FG and FX community, and the lowest in GS community. The results of correlation analysis indicated that the content of soil water content (SWC), soil total organic carbon (STOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phospho-rus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP) had important influence on

  15. Heavy metals accumulation in wood tissues of the forest-forming species growed in the Steppe technogenic landscapes in Ukraine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lovinska, Viktoriia; Wiche, Oliver

    2016-04-01

    Territory of Steppe in Ukraine is affected by significant anthropogenic impact caused with mining, metallurgical, chemicalplants and heat power stations. The priority pollutants of the region emissions of these enterprises are presented such heavy metals as Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn. The regional forest ecosystems can be considered as potential concentrators of pollutants borned with different technogenic impact. It is necessary to study an ability of forests wood to accumulate heavy metals because accumulated toxins are eliminated from biogeochemical cycle in forest ecosystem for a long time. This study goal is to determine the accumulation properties of forest-forming species - Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) difference age group in relation to heavy metals. It was considerable also to assess the heavy metal distribution in the wood tissue of referred species.Heavy metals content were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometer using. Scots pine and black locust are the main forest-forming species of natural and artificial forests within Northern Steppe.They can be seen as transformers of the heavy metals cycle and selective concentrators of toxic elements, under the conditions of their excessive concentrations in the environment.It was established that wood tissue of Scots pine and black locust accumulated cadmium in high concentrations according to the age in both species. Indexes of zinc accumulation in the wood of Scots pine exceeded the maximal value in the wood tissue of black locust. The results of our research demonstrated antagonistic interaction of cadmium and zinc. The highest copper concentrations was found for the trees at the age of 45 years. Lead has been identified in wood sample of all ages. Accumulation maximum was fixed in the oldest samples. The trend of concentration increasing of metal didn't find for both species. As for nickel there was established the opposite tendention for both studied species

  16. Deposition pattern and throughfall fluxes in secondary cool temperate forest, South Korea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar Gautam, Mukesh; Lee, Kwang-Sik; Song, Byeong-Yeol

    2017-07-01

    Chemistry and deposition fluxes in the rainfall and throughfall of red pine (Pinus densiflora), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and chestnut (Castanea crenata) monocultures, and mixed red pine-black locust-chestnut stands were examined in a nutrient-limited cool temperate forest of central South Korea. Throughfall was enriched in both basic and acidic constituents relative to rainfall, suggesting that both dry deposition and canopy leaching are important sources of throughfall constituents. Net throughfall fluxes (NTFs) of cations and anions significantly differed among four different stands as well as seasonally. Red pine exhibited highest fluxes (TF and NTF) for Ca2+, black locust for K+, mixed stands for Mg2+, and chestnut for Na+. In contrast, NTF of SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+was highest in the red pine, intermediate in the chestnut and mixed stands, and lowest in the black locust. In general, canopy uptake of H+ and NH4+ for all stands was higher in summer than in winter. Dry deposition appears to play a major role in atmospheric deposition to this cool temperate forest, especially in summer. Dry deposition for both cations and anions displayed high spatial variability, even though stands were adjacent to one another and experienced identical atmospheric deposition loads. Canopy leaching of K+ (95-78% of NTF), Mg2+ (92-23% of NTF), and Ca2+ (91-12% of NTF) was highest for the black locust, lowest for chestnut, and intermediate for the red pine and mixed stands. The present study documented significant changes in throughfall chemistry and NTF among different forest stands, which presumably be related with the differences in the canopy characteristics and differences in their scavenging capacity for dry deposition and canopy exchange. Difference in the canopy retention of H+ and base cation leaching suggests that canopy exchange was mainly driven by weak acid excretion and lesser by H+ exchange reaction. Our results indicate that despite a high base cation

  17. Timing of Reflexive Visuospatial Orienting in Young, Young-Old, and Old-Old Adults

    PubMed Central

    Langley, Linda K.; Friesen, Chris Kelland; Saville, Alyson L.; Ciernia, Annie T.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined adult age differences in reflexive orienting to two types of uninformative spatial cues: central arrows and peripheral onsets. In two experiments using a Posner cuing task, young adults (ages 18 – 28 yrs), young-old adults (ages 60 – 74 yrs), and old-old adults (ages 75 – 92 yrs) responded to targets that were preceded 100–1,000 ms earlier by a central arrow or a peripheral abrupt onset. In Experiment 1, the cue remained present upon target onset. Facilitation effects at early cue-target stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) were prolonged in duration for the two older groups relative to the young adults. At later cue-target SOAs, inhibition of return (IOR) that was initiated by peripheral onset cues was observed in the performance of young adults but not in that of the two older groups. In Experiment 2, the cue was presented briefly and removed prior to target onset. The change in cue duration minimized age differences (particularly for young-old adults) in facilitation effects and led to IOR for all three age groups. The findings are consistent with the idea that attentional control settings change with age, with higher settings for older adults leading to delayed disengagement from spatial cues. PMID:21394555

  18. Chlamydia trachomatis screening in young women.

    PubMed

    Baraitser, Paula; Alexander, Sarah; Sheringham, Jessica

    2011-10-01

    As the number of chlamydia screening programmes implemented worldwide increases, we summarize current understanding of the epidemiology, natural history, and management of chlamydia, focusing on screening in young women. Chlamydia diagnoses continue to rise, with young women at high risk. Recently published trials show that the risk of serious reproductive health outcomes is lower than previously thought. They illustrate that significant barriers - both practical and cultural - remain to engaging young people and health professionals in routine testing for sexually transmitted infections. Chlamydia control efforts have driven innovative approaches to testing including new approaches to engaging young people in discussions of sexual health and screening accessed via the Internet. Chlamydia is highly prevalent among young women and may cause serious reproductive sequelae. Gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, natural history and immunology of this organism continue to hamper efforts to control it. Sexual health promotion and screening of young people remain the mainstay of population control, although there is as yet no strong evidence of health screening benefits. Control efforts will require new strategies to engage young people and health professionals to normalize sexual health testing. (C) 2011 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

  19. Spine problems in young athletes.

    PubMed

    Sucato, Daniel J; Micheli, Lyle J; Estes, A Reed; Tolo, Vernon T

    2012-01-01

    As the number of young people involved in sports activities increases, acute and chronic back pain has become more common. With a careful medical history and physical examination, along with the judicious use of imaging modalities, the causes of back pain can be correctly diagnosed and treated so that young athletes can quickly return to sports participation. Although most back pain in these young patients is muscular in origin, findings that should trigger increased concern include night pain, marked hamstring tightness, pain with lumbar spine hyperextension, or any neurologic finding. When recently developed vague back pain is present, a delay in radiographic imaging is warranted. With new back pain after trauma, AP and lateral radiographs of the symptomatic spinal area are indicated. CT, bone scans, and MRI should be reserved for special circumstances. Spondylolysis is the most common bony cause of back pain in young athletes. Spondylolysis can be treated with activity limitation, a specific exercise program, a thoracolumbar orthosis, and/or surgery. Treatment should be based on the amount of pain as well as the desire of the young athlete to continue in the sports activity that caused the pain. Other significant causes of back pain that require more extensive treatment in these young athletes include spondylolisthesis, lumbar disk disorders, and sacral stress fractures. It is anticipated that nearly all young athletes can return to sports activity after successful treatment. Even if surgical treatment is needed, return to all sports is expected, with the occasional exception of collision sports.

  20. Nutrition and Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frank, Mary, Ed.; And Others

    1978-01-01

    The special issue of the journal contains 12 articles on nutrition and young children. The following titles and authors are included: "Overview--Nutritional Needs of Young Children" (M. Scialabba); "Nurturance--Mutually Created--Mother and Child" (M. McFarland); "Feeding the Special Needs Child" (E. Croup); "Maternal and Neonatal Nutrition--Long…

  1. Selected Films for Young Adults, 1984.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Top of the News, 1984

    1984-01-01

    This 22-item filmography of 16mm films recommended for use in programs planned for young adults was compiled by the Selected Films for Young Adults Committee, Young Adult Services Division, American Library Association. Producers, directors, distributors, length, price, and brief annotations are provided. Addresses for 12 distributors are…

  2. Physical activity in young and elderly subjects.

    PubMed

    Krems, C; Lhrmann, P M; Neuhuser-Berthold, M

    2004-03-01

    In the current recommendations for energy intake of different countries as well as in the international WHO recommendations for energy intake it is assumed that the elderly are less physically active than young adults. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare physical activity patterns and physical activity level (PAL) of young and elderly subjects. In 178 female (age 67.8+/-5.7 y, BMI 26.4+/-3.7 kg/m(2)) and 107 male (age 66.9+/-5.1 y, BMI 26.3+/-3.1 kg/m(2)) participants of the longitudinal study on nutrition and health status in an aging population of Giessen, Germany as well as in a young age group consisting of 154 women (age 24.8+/-3.0 y, BMI 21.0+/-2.2 kg/m(2)) and 68 men (age 26.8+/-3.4 y, BMI 23.3+/-2.4 kg/m(2)) different activities like occupational work, housework, gardening, walking and sports were assessed by a questionnaire. Energy expenditure of the different activities was calculated using multipliers for resting metabolic rate (RMR) according to the WHO. The same multipliers were used for young and elderly subjects. RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry after an overnight fast. PAL of the subjects was calculated as total energy expenditure divided by RMR. Young adults did more occupational work and performed more sports than elderly subjects. In contrast elderly women did more housework in comparison to young women, and elderly men walked more than young men. Both elderly women and men did more gardening than young women and men. In elderly women, PAL was significantly higher in comparison to young women, whereas PAL of young and elderly men did not differ significantly. The results indicate that despite different activity patterns, the young-old do not necessarily show a lower PAL than young subjects.

  3. Supporting Young Artists: The Development of the Visual Arts in Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Epstein, Ann S.; Trimis, Eli

    Based on the view that art should be a vital component of young childrens experiences, this book examines the High/Scope approach to the visual arts for young children in early care and education settings and highlights an in-depth studio approach to developing art. The book is organized in two parts. Chapters in Part 1 present the High/Scope…

  4. Evolution for Young Victorians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lightman, Bernard

    2012-01-01

    Evolution was a difficult topic to tackle when writing books for the young in the wake of the controversies over Darwin's "Origin of Species." Authors who wrote about evolution for the young experimented with different ways of making the complex concepts of evolutionary theory accessible and less controversial. Many authors depicted presented…

  5. Eating behaviours among young women.

    PubMed

    Abraham, S F; Mira, M; Beumont, P J; Sowerbutts, T D; Llewellyn-Jones, D

    1983-09-03

    Disordered eating and weight-control behaviour is becoming increasingly common among adolescent girls. We studied four groups of young women aged between 15 and 27 years (106 school and university students, 50 ballet school students, 22 patients suffering from anorexia nervosa and 44 patients with bulimia). Our results suggest that most young women diet at some time and lose more than three kg in weight; that they may experience episodes of binge eating and "picking" behaviour; and that they wish to be thinner irrespective of their current body weight. Twenty per cent of young women may fulfil the criteria for an eating disorder (bulimia or anorexia nervosa) at some stage, however briefly, and about 7% abuse laxatives or diuretics in order to achieve a fashionably slim figure. We suggest that most young women may pass through a phase of what is currently called disordered eating, and that this is part of normal development and may not necessarily require treatment. The incidence of disordered eating is greater in those young women who are under pressure to maintain a low body weight.

  6. Goat Moths (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) of the Hanford Site and Hanford National Monument, Washington State

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Three species of goat moths are recorded at the Hanford Nuclear Site and Hanford National Monument in south central Washington State. They are: Comadia bertholdi (Grote), 1880, Givira cornelia (Neumoegen & Dyar), 1893, and Prionoxystus robiniae (Peck), 1818. The general habitat of the Hanford area...

  7. Ozone exposure-response curves for tree species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: A re-evaluation of how potential impacts may have changed over the past 25 years

    EPA Science Inventory

    Seedlings of tree species native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park were exposed to ozone in open-top chambers for one or two growing seasons. Species used were red maple (Acer rubrum), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), black locust (Robinia pseudoacadia), winged sumac (Rhus co...

  8. Young Craters on Smooth Plains

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2000-01-15

    This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows young craters superposed on smooth plains. Larger young craters have central peaks, flat floors, terraced walls, and radial ejecta deposits.

  9. Helping Young People Engage with Scientists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leggett, Maggie; Sykes, Kathy

    2014-01-01

    There can be multiple benefits of scientists engaging with young people, including motivation and inspiration for all involved. But there are risks, particularly if scientists do not consider the interests and needs of young people or listen to what they have to say. We argue that "dialogue" between scientists, young people and teachers…

  10. Young Women and Politics: An Oxymoron?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Briggs, Jacqueline Ellen

    2008-01-01

    Building upon the literature that examines young people and politics, this article examines the extent to which young women are interested in politics. The hypothesis is that young women might not necessarily be interested in mainstream party politics but that, when questioned, they are actually interested in political issues. This ties in with…

  11. Determining the Need for Vocational Counselling among Different Target Groups of Young People under 28 Years of Age in the European Community. Young People's Need for Vocational Guidance in Greece. The Young Population in General. Young People Who Leave School without Completing Compulsory Education. Young Women with No Skills Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zanni-Teliopoulou, Kassandra; Stathakopoulou, Penelope

    A study examined the vocational guidance needs of young people in Greece. Available literature on the following topics was reviewed: transitions of young people to economically active life; available vocational guidance services; transitions of youth from education to work; youths who abandon compulsory education; and young women with…

  12. Young People and Risk

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trotman, Dave; Martyn, Madeline; Tucker, Stanley

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative inquiry into risk in the lives of children and young people. Conducted over a 12-month period in Birmingham and the Black Country in the United Kingdom, the study sought to elicit perceptions of risk from the perspective of children and young people in primary and secondary school…

  13. Young Writers and Philanthropists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levinson, Alana

    2007-01-01

    The Curry School of Education's Young Writers Workshop at the University of Virginia transforms young people as it did the author. The program brought the author to poetry and prompted her to attend the University of Virginia, where she completed a book of poetry and a thesis on metaphor's effect on religious conflict. All of these outcomes trace…

  14. Labor Migration by Russian Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Man'shin, R. V.; Timoshenko, O. V.; Pis'mennaia, E. E.

    2009-01-01

    Russia's young people have become active participants in processes of migration. After the fall of the USSR, young people began to travel outside Russia in substantially greater numbers. At the present time, young Russians can be found in all kinds of regions and countries of the world. They are getting an education in foreign universities and…

  15. Postsecondary Employment Experiences Among Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder RH: Employment in Young Adults With Autism

    PubMed Central

    Roux, Anne M.; Shattuck, Paul T.; Cooper, Benjamin P.; Anderson, Kristy A.; Wagner, Mary; Narendorf, Sarah C.

    2013-01-01

    Objective We examined postsecondary employment experiences of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compared these outcomes with those of young adults with different disabilities. Method Data were from Wave 5 of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2), a nationally representative survey of young adults who had received special education services during high school. We examined the prevalence of ever having had—and currently having—a paid job at 21–25 years of age. We analyzed rates of full employment, wages earned, number of jobs held since high school, and job types. Results About half (53.4%) of young adults with an ASD had ever worked for pay outside the home since leaving high school, the lowest rate among disability groups. Young adults with an ASD earned an average of $8.10 per hour, significantly lower than average wages for young adults in the comparison groups, and held jobs that clustered within fewer occupational types. Odds of ever having had a paid job were higher for those who were older, from higher-income households, and with better conversational abilities or functional skills. Conclusions Findings of worse employment outcomes for young adults with an ASD suggest this population is experiencing particular difficulty in successfully transitioning into employment. Research is needed to determine strategies for improving outcomes as these young adults transition into adulthood. PMID:23972695

  16. Young persimmon ingestion suppresses lipid oxidation in rats.

    PubMed

    Fushimi, Saki; Myazawa, Fumiko; Nakagawa, Kiyotaka; Burdeos, Gregor Carpentero; Miyazawa, Teruo

    2015-01-01

    Persimmon is widely eaten in Asia and the nutritional components of young and mature persimmons differ. Although raw young persimmon has a strong bitter taste and is difficult to eat, the beneficial health effects of young persimmon powder have attracted attention in recent years. Young persimmon has been suggested to have hypolipidemic activity as well as other biological effects. However, there has been little investigation of the beneficial effects of young persimmon. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidative effects of persimmon in an animal study and compared the effects of young persimmon and mature persimmon. Six-week-old male F344 rats were divided into three groups and fed a standard diet, young persimmon diet, or mature persimmon diet for 4 wk. The young persimmon and mature persimmon groups were fed a diet containing 5% (w/w) freeze-dried young or mature persimmon. We analyzed phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) levels in the rats as a biomarker of membrane lipid peroxidation. Our study showed that plasma PCOOH levels were significantly lower in the young persimmon group (36.1 ± 28.5 pmol/mL plasma) than in the control group (120 ± 66 pmol/mL plasma). No significant difference was observed between the mature persimmon group (57.3 ± 15.6 pmol/mL plasma) and the control group. It is possible that ascorbic acid and soluble tannin contribute to the difference in the antioxidant effects of young and mature persimmons. These results indicated that intake of young persimmon contributes to the reduction of plasma phospholipid hydroperoxide levels in rats.

  17. Promoting Protective Factors for Young Adolescents: ABCD Parenting Young Adolescents Program Randomized Controlled Trial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Kylie; Brennan, Leah; Cann, Warren

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the efficacy of a program for parents of young adolescents combining behavioral family intervention with acceptance-based strategies. 180 parents were randomly allocated to a 6-session group ABCD Parenting Young Adolescent Program or wait-list condition. Completer analysis indicated parents in the intervention reported…

  18. Susceptibility to distraction during reading in young, young-old, and old-old adults.

    PubMed

    McGinnis, Debra

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Susceptibility to distraction during reading may increase with age, resulting in comprehension errors. Neurological integrity and cognitive reserve are possible covariates of age-related distraction susceptibility. The current study investigated distraction susceptibility in three age groups (young, young-old, and old-old), and examined the covariation patterns of variable sets associated with neurological integrity and cognitive reserve. Participants responded to comprehension questions after reading stories that included semantically related or semantically unrelated distractors. Neurological integrity measures consisted of Mini-Mental State Examination, Selective Reminding, and Category Fluency. Cognitive reserve measures consisted of education and vocabulary. Old-old adults were more likely than young and young-old adults to select distractors when responding to comprehension questions (24.02%, 11.95%, 3.68%, respectively). Age-related distraction variance significantly overlapped neurological variance, and became more transparent after cognitive reserve variance was controlled. This study augments previous age-related distraction research by highlighting (a) the increase in distraction susceptibility in adults over 79, particularly when distractors are semantically related; (b) the influence of age-related neurological integrity on distraction; and (c) the possibility that education and verbal experience may decrease distraction susceptibility, consistent with cognitive reserve frameworks.

  19. Environmental Design for Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frank, Mary, Ed.

    1977-01-01

    The special issue of the journal, Children in Contemporary Society, contains 17 brief articles on environmental design for young handicapped and normal children. Articles have the following titles: "Introduction", "Environmental Design and Architecture", "Why Is Environmental Design Important to Young Children", "Children's Hospital National…

  20. Changes in the use of young bulls

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Availability of genomic information since 2008 has increased accuracy of genetic evaluations for young bulls in Holstein (HO), Jersey (JE), and Brown Swiss (BS). As a result, AI organizations have been aggressively promoting young bulls and producers have been using young bulls more extensively. Num...

  1. Use of a pheromone to cause copulation between two species of cerambycids

    Treesearch

    Jimmy R. Galford

    1980-01-01

    The painted hickory borer, Megacyllene caryae (Gahan) and the locust borer Megacyllene robiniae (Forster) will not attempt to interbreed in the laboratory. However, male locust borers copulated with painted hickory borer females painted with an alcohol extract of female locust borers. No eggs were laid by treated or untreated...

  2. A trap for tree-inhabiting cerambycids

    Treesearch

    Jimmy R. Galford

    1978-01-01

    To determine species and numbers of insects visiting a tree, a paper trap for cerambycids was designed and tested on locust borers, Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), and red oak borers, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman), under plantation and forest conditions. Test results showed that the trap could be used successfully to capture...

  3. Mobile outreach services for young people.

    PubMed

    Edgecombe, Julie; O'Rourke, Barbara

    2002-01-01

    Camden & Islington Healthbus has been providing a mobile advice and information outreach service to young people aged 12-25 years in a deprived area of London since 1996. Advantages of this service include that it is free and confidential, it enables young people to access advice from adult professionals who are not part of their daily lives, and opening hours are flexible and convenient with a friendly and informal setting. The service focuses mainly on sexual health, but will also cover relationships, drugs, growing up, diet and nutrition, and self-esteem. The Healthbus does not offer a comprehensive range of services, but encourages young people to use other providers effectively. Initially, the Healthbus offered emergency and oral contraception and pregnancy testing, but these services have ceased due to limited use and data-protection requirements. The focus has since shifted to health education and risk awareness. Facilities include 1-1 counselling, a touch screen computer, leaflets and condoms. Informal evaluation has shown that young people feel comfortable and confident in using the Healthbus service. A notable success has been that the Healthbus attracts as many young men as young women. A number of practical issues should be taken into consideration when planning and managing a mobile outreach service.

  4. State of Australia's Young People: A Report on the Social, Economic, Health and Family Lives of Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muir, Kristy; Mullan, Killian; Powell, Abigail; Flaxman, Saul; Thompson, Denise; Griffiths, Megan

    2009-01-01

    This report presents a comprehensive picture of how young Australians are faring by bringing together data from a variety of sources and drawing on the comments of young people themselves. Overall the report presents a positive picture, showing how important young people are to this country and why it makes good economic and social sense for…

  5. Attachment of Young People to Their Home District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sinkkonen, Merja

    2013-01-01

    This article focuses on young people's attachment to their home district. The purpose of this study was to establish how attached young people aged 17 were to their home district and what factors were involved in young people's attachment to their home districts. The structure of the young people's lives was studied on the basis of the…

  6. Focus on Young Adult Programming.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Union, Bunni; Williams, Sheila

    1996-01-01

    Presents three library youth service programs which focus on "Pizza and Politicians," a public library pizza party which gave high school students and college-aged young adults a chance to meet and question politicians; a young adult "Reading to Seniors" program; "Making Books," a public library journal-making project…

  7. Raising "Hot Topics" through Young Adult Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Groenke, Susan; Maples, Joellen; Henderson, Jill

    2010-01-01

    While young adult literature increases adolescents' motivation to read, and adolescents choose to read young adult novels over more canonical works when given opportunities to choose, the authors present yet another reason for teaching young adult literature in the middle school classroom: it provides a medium through which adolescents and their…

  8. Young physicians and the Finnish welfare state.

    PubMed

    Saarinen, Arttu

    2009-01-01

    This article aims to focus on how young physicians in general and different subpopulations, in particular, see the role of the welfare state. The author seeks to compare young physicians' opinions with those of older physicians, a similar age group in the general population and all physicians. A random sample was picked from the Finnish Medical Association register (n = 1,092). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results show that young physicians--when compared with an overall population of the same age, with physicians overall, or with older physicians--are more critical of the degree of social security currently offered. Young physicians also want to give more responsibility to the private sector than do older physicians. On the other hand, young physicians are not very critical of healthcare system functionality. All in all, young physicians' opinions about the welfare state are not particularly radical. Results indicate that physicians' opinions about the welfare state will not change dramatically in the near future. Views on social security, healthcare system functionality and the role of the private sector correlate best with political orientation. There are some studies about physicians' attitudes towards the welfare state, but the opinions of young physicians have not been studied in countries with large social security systems. The paper addresses this gap because it is important to study young physicians' opinions because future services will be structured on them.

  9. A cross-sectional study on experiences of young adult carers compared to young adult noncarers: parentification, coping and resilience.

    PubMed

    Boumans, Nicolle P G; Dorant, Elisabeth

    2018-05-15

    Most young carer studies on parentification, resilience and coping concentrated on child carers up to age 18 years, whereas the group of young adult caregivers (18-24 years) has been neglected. In our study, we focused on these young adult caregivers, who are in a life phase in which young people usually are distancing themselves from their families and are striving for autonomy and freedom. To explore young adult carers' perceptions of parentification, resilience and coping compared to young adult noncarers. Cross-sectional. In 2014/2015, data were collected on 297 healthcare students from a school for vocational education and a university in the Netherlands. A fully structured questionnaire was used. Young adult carers were compared with young adult noncarers on parentification, resilience and coping. Fifty-six students identified themselves as a carer: 40 vocational education students and 16 university students. Carers scored significantly higher than noncarers on three out of six parentification dimensions. No differences were found for resilience and problem-focused coping behaviour, whereas results for emotion-focused coping demonstrated a higher score for the carers compared to the noncarers. Although it is important to take care of the needs of all young carers, special attention should be given to those who are at the start of their adult lives, undergoing extensive changes and taking major decisions on study and career issues. Home-care professionals and school counsellors should be able to recognise this group and their needs and activate support from specialised services and significant others. © 2018 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.

  10. Enabling all young Australians to grow up safe, happy, healthy and resilient: a Collaboration for Young People, Technology and Wellbeing.

    PubMed

    2011-07-01

    This paper describes a framework for a multi-disciplinary collaboration to investigate the role of technology for improving young Australians' mental health and wellbeing. The poor mental health of young Australians poses a significant challenge to Australia's future. Half of all Australians will experience a mental health difficulty in their lifetime and 75% of mental illness has its onset before age 25. Cross-sectoral collaboration is critical for meeting this challenge. In order to establish a world-first multi-partner collaboration, leading researchers and institutes, commercial, non-profit and end-user organization and young people were identified and invited to participate. Together we have developed an international research framework that explores the role of technologies in young people's lives, their potential and how this can be harnessed to address challenges facing young people. This research framework will: (i) conduct empirical research that tests the utility of technology across mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment and, (ii) translate existing and new knowledge into products and services that help create a generation of safe, happy, healthy and resilient young people. Research undertaken by the Collaboration will be the most comprehensive investigation of technologies' potential to improve the wellbeing of young people ever conducted, leading to significant benefits for Australian young people and their mental health.

  11. Moving On: Young People and Substance Abuse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daley, Kathryn; Chamberlain, Chris

    2009-01-01

    To help explain why some young people move from recreational drug use to substance abuse, twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with young people who had experienced problematic substance use. The data were supplemented by statistical data on 111 young people. The researchers found a variety of "structural" factors that help explain…

  12. Parents' and Young Adults' Perspectives on Transition Outcomes for Young Adults with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sosnowy, Collette; Silverman, Chloe; Shattuck, Paul

    2018-01-01

    Existing research shows that young adults with autism spectrum disorder have poorer outcomes than their peers with other developmental disabilities in the key areas of independent living, postsecondary education, and employment. However, we understand little about how young adults with autism and their families understand and value outcomes and…

  13. Type 1 Diabetes in Young Adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Monaghan, Maureen; Helgeson, Vicki; Wiebe, Deborah

    2015-01-01

    Type 1 diabetes has traditionally been studied as a chronic illness of childhood. However, young adulthood is a critical time for the development and integration of lifelong diabetes management skills, and research is starting to identify unique challenges faced by youth with diabetes as they age into adulthood. Most young adults experience multiple transitions during this unstable developmental period, including changes in lifestyle (e.g., education, occupation, living situation), changes in health care, and shifting relationships with family members, friends, and intimate others. Young adults with type 1 diabetes must navigate these transitions while also assuming increasing responsibility for their diabetes care and overall health. Despite these critical health and psychosocial concerns, there is a notable lack of evidence-based clinical services and supports for young adults with type 1 diabetes. We review relevant evolving concerns for young adults with type 1 diabetes, including lifestyle considerations, health care transitions, psychosocial needs, and changes in supportive networks, and how type 1 diabetes impacts and is impacted by these key developmental considerations. Specific avenues for intervention and future research are offered. PMID:25901502

  14. Exploring the Influence of a Smartphone App (Young with Diabetes) on Young People’s Self-Management: Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Husted, Gitte Reventlov; Weis, Janne; Teilmann, Grete

    2018-01-01

    Background Adequate self-management is the cornerstone of preventing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) complications. However, T1DM self-management is challenging for young people, who often struggle during the transition from childhood to adulthood. The mobile health (mHealth) app Young with Diabetes (YWD) was developed in collaboration with young people to enhance their T1DM self-management during this transition. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of YWD on young people’s self-management during a 12-month period. Methods A qualitative explorative approach was used, comprising a purposive sample of 20 young people (11 females and 9 males, ages 15 to 23 years, with app use of 3 to 64 days) from 3 pediatric and 3 adult departments. Participants were interviewed individually using a semistructured interview guide. Data were collected from January to March 2017 and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results A total of 5 themes were identified: (1) not feeling alone anymore (“we are in this together”); (2) gaining competence by sharing experiences and practical knowledge (“they know what they are talking about”); (3) feeling safer (“it’s just a click away”); (4) breaking the ice by starting to share thoughts and feelings and asking for help (“it is an outstretched hand”); and (5) lack of motivating factors (“done with the app”). Young people reported that YWD promoted self-management by peer-to-peer social support, exchanging messages with health care providers, and sharing YWD with parents. Participants recommended YWD as a supplement to self-management for newly diagnosed young people with T1DM and suggested improvements in app content and functionality. Conclusions The mHealth app YWD has the potential to support self-management. In particular, peer-to-peer support reduced feelings of loneliness and helped young people to gain knowledge and skills for managing T1DM. A need exists for alternative ways to train

  15. The Young Scientist Club of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics - Promoting geoethics among the young geoscientists community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Charrière, Marie; De Pascale, Francesco; Gomez Cantero, Jonathan; Hassan, Tharwat; Mukosi, Ndivhuwo Cecilia; O'Brien, Craig

    2016-04-01

    The International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) is a multidisciplinary, scientific platform for the debate on problems of Ethics applied to the Geosciences. The Young Scientists Club (YSC) of the IAPG represents the interface between the IAPG and the young geoscientists' community, organizations and groups. Its overall goal is to promote the topic of geoethics and the IAPG among its young colleagues. The YSC is considered to be the outpost of the IAPG and one of its greater strengths. It is believed that young people entering the professional world or evolving in academic settings can identify needs and expectations that geosciences can cover. The YSC seeks to give a status update on pertinent geoscience challenges and how geoethical principles can be integrated in tackling these challenges. They can also report new instances from the society and identify the potential innovative contributions that geosciences can provide as a service to the population. The YSC was initiated in the summer 2015. All IAPG members younger than 35 years old are part of the YSC. Its Executive Board is constituted by enthusiastic young geoscientists from various backgrounds and countries. Their tasks are to organize and coordinate the activities of the YSC: manage young geoscientists blog posts on Geoethics, set-up a forum platform to allow discussions about geoethics between young and senior geoscientists, organize IAPG-YSC sessions at international conferences for example to discuss the new values that allow to do research in geosciences and organize working groups on geoethical topics. The YSC eagerly anticipates meeting the young geoscientist community at the upcoming EGU Assembly and discuss all current geoethical issues. We look forward to garnering further support for this exciting initiative.

  16. E-inclusion: Digital equality - young people with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Hemmingsson, H; Bolic-Baric, V; Lidström, H

    2015-01-01

    The United Nations' position is that digital access is a matter involving equality between groups of people, the securing of democratic rights, and equal opportunities for all citizens. This study investigates digital equality in school and leisure between young people with and without disabilities. A cross-sectional design with group comparisons was applied. Participants were young people (10-18 years of age) with disabilities (n=389) and a reference group in about the same ages. Data were collected by a survey focusing on access to and engagement in ICT activities in school and during leisure time. The results demonstrated young people with disabilities had restricted participation in computer use in educational activities, in comparison to young people in general. During leisure time young people with disabilities had a leading position compared to the reference group with respect to internet use in a variety of activities. Beneficial environmental conditions at home (and the reverse in schools) are discussed as parts of the explanation for the differing engagement levels at home and in school, and among young people with disabilities and young people in general. Schools need to prioritise use of ICT by young people with disabilities.

  17. Young People in Recovery: Building a Movement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimball, Colette

    2012-01-01

    The newly formed national group, Young People in Recovery, is comprised of young people, roughly 17-28 years old, who are in long term recovery. Their goal is to increase awareness amongst social service providers about the needs of youth in recovery, increase services, and facilitate partnerships which support young people in finding and…

  18. Young Australians: Their Health and Wellbeing 2011

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milnes, Annette; Pegrum, Karen; Nebe, Brett; Topfer, Alex; Gaal, Lisa; Zhang, Jessica; Hunter, Nicole

    2011-01-01

    This paper is the fourth in a series of national statistical reports on young people aged 12-24 years produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). This report provides the latest available information on how Australia's young people are faring according to national indicators of health and wellbeing. Many young Australians…

  19. Young Agricultural Workers in California.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arroyo, Michele Gonzalez; Kurre, Laura

    This report examines the extent to which young people work in California agriculture and describes work-related hazards and injuries among young agricultural workers. Data were gathered through a literature review; discussion groups with parents, community groups, and English-as-a-second-language students in the San Joaquin Valley; surveys of 295…

  20. Discovering Nature with Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chalufour, Ingrid; Worth, Karen

    Young children's curiosity about nature and their need to make sense of the world presents an opportunity to incorporate science as a natural and critical part of children's early learning. This guide, part of a preschool science curriculum, uses an inquiry approach to encourage young naturalists to observe life more closely, build an…

  1. Teaching the Young to Love

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frymier, Jack R.

    1969-01-01

    "We often become so obsessed with rationality in the schools that we forget it is necessary to teach young people positive ways to behave toward their fellowman. This can best be accomplished by creating a positive image which will serve as a stimulus "to help young people learn to love. (Author/AP)

  2. Art messaging to engage homeless young adults.

    PubMed

    Nyamathi, Adeline; Slagle, Alexandra; Thomas, Alexandra; Hudson, Angela; Kahilifard, Farinaz; Avila, Glenna; Orser, Julie; Cuchilla, Manuel

    2011-01-01

    Art has been shown to be an empowering and engaging entity with numerous benefits to vulnerable populations, including the homeless persons and young adults. However, little is known how homeless young adults perceive the use of art as messages that can communicate the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use. The purpose of this study was to solicit perspectives of homeless, drug-using young adults as to how art can be used to design messages for their peers about the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use. Qualitative methodology via focus group discussions was utilized to engage 24 homeless young adults enrolled from a drop-in site in Santa Monica, California. The findings revealed support for a myriad of delivery styles, including in-person communication, flyers, music, documentary film, and creative writing. The young adults also provided insight into the importance of the thematic framework of messages. Such themes ranged from empowering and hopeful messages to those designed to scare young homeless adults into not experimenting with drugs. The findings indicate that in addition to messages communicating the need to prevent or reduce drug and alcohol use, homeless young adults respond to messages that remind them of goals and dreams they once had for their future, and to content that is personal, real, and truthful. Our research indicates that messages that reinforce protective factors such as hope for the future and self-esteem may be as important to homeless young adults as information about the risks and consequences of drug use.

  3. Youth and young adult physical activity and body composition of young adult women: findings from the dietary intervention study in children.

    PubMed

    Hodge, Melissa G; Hovinga, Mary; Shepherd, John A; Egleston, Brian; Gabriel, Kelley; Van Horn, Linda; Robson, Alan; Snetselaar, Linda; Stevens, Victor K; Jung, Seungyoun; Dorgan, Joanne

    2015-02-01

    This study prospectively investigates associations between youth moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and body composition in young adult women using data from the Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC) and the DISC06 Follow-Up Study. MVPA was assessed by questionnaire on 5 occasions between the ages 8 and 18 years and at age 25-29 years in 215 DISC female participants. Using whole body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), overall adiposity and body fat distribution were assessed at age 25-29 years by percent body fat (%fat) and android-to-gynoid (A:G) fat ratio, respectively. Linear mixed effects models and generalized linear latent and mixed models were used to assess associations of youth MVPA with both outcomes. Young adult MVPA, adjusted for other young adult characteristics, was significantly inversely associated with young adult %fat (%fat decreased from 37.4% in the lowest MVPA quartile to 32.8% in the highest (p-trend = 0.02)). Adjusted for youth and young adult characteristics including young adult MVPA, youth MVPA also was significantly inversely associated with young adult %fat (β=-0.40 per 10 MET-hrs/wk, p = .02) . No significant associations between MVPA and A:G fat ratio were observed. Results suggest that youth and young adult MVPA are important independent predictors of adiposity in young women.

  4. Leading Work with Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Roger, Ed.; Benjamin, Cathy, Ed.; Curran, Sheila, Ed.; Hunter, Rob, Ed.

    2007-01-01

    "Leading Work with Young People" provides a selection of writing from a complex and dynamic field of work. The editors bring together key readings and newly commissioned material to present a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives on leading and managing work with young people. The book will equip students with the knowledge, skills,…

  5. Effective Communication with Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanahan, Patrick; Elliott, David

    2009-01-01

    The Australian Government established the Office for Youth (the Office) in September 2008 in an effort to engage with the young people of Australia. The Office will work with other government agencies to help young people reach their full potential; make effective transitions to adulthood as they continue to learn, start work, make decisions that…

  6. Key health outcomes for children and young people with neurodisability: qualitative research with young people and parents

    PubMed Central

    Allard, Amanda; Fellowes, Andrew; Shilling, Valerie; Janssens, Astrid; Beresford, Bryony; Morris, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To identify key health outcomes, beyond morbidity and mortality, regarded as important in children and young people with neurodisability, and their parents. Design Qualitative research incorporating a thematic analysis of the data supported by the Framework Approach; the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provided a theoretical foundation. Setting The study was conducted in community settings. Participants Participants were 54 children and young people with neurodisability: 50 participated in focus groups, and 4 in interviews; 53 parents participated: 47 in focus groups and 6 in interviews. Children/young people and parents were recruited through different networks, and were not related. Results Children/young people and parents viewed health outcomes as inter-related. Achievement in some outcomes appeared valued to the extent that it enabled or supported more valued domains of health. Health outcomes prioritised by both young people and parents were: communication, mobility, pain, self-care, temperament, interpersonal relationships and interactions, community and social life, emotional well-being and gaining independence/future aspirations. Parents also highlighted their child's sleep, behaviour and/or safety. Conclusions Those responsible for health services for children/young people with neurodisability should take account of the aspects of health identified by families. The aspects of health identified in this study provide a basis for selecting appropriate health indicators and outcome measures. PMID:24747792

  7. Childhood Origins of Young Adult Environmental Behavior.

    PubMed

    Evans, Gary W; Otto, Siegmar; Kaiser, Florian G

    2018-05-01

    Prospective, longitudinal analyses revealed that over a 12-year period from ages 6 to 18, individuals who grew up with mothers with more proenvironmental attitudes engaged in more proenvironmental behavior as young adults. A similar marginal association was uncovered between mothers' proenvironmental behaviors and the proenvironmental behavior of their young adult offspring. Maternal educational attainment, but not political ideology, was also associated with more proenvironmental behavior as children matured. Moreover, childhood time spent outdoors was positively associated with increased environmentally responsible behavior in young adulthood. Interestingly, one's own childhood proenvironmental behavior and attitude, at least as assessed at age 6, bear little on one's eventual proenvironmental behavior as a young adult. Finally, among this set of childhood factors, maternal education and childhood time spent outdoors were independent predictors of positive changes in environmental behavior from early childhood to young adulthood.

  8. Quantification of biological aging in young adults

    PubMed Central

    Belsky, Daniel W.; Caspi, Avshalom; Houts, Renate; Cohen, Harvey J.; Corcoran, David L.; Danese, Andrea; Harrington, HonaLee; Israel, Salomon; Levine, Morgan E.; Schaefer, Jonathan D.; Sugden, Karen; Williams, Ben; Yashin, Anatoli I.; Poulton, Richie; Moffitt, Terrie E.

    2015-01-01

    Antiaging therapies show promise in model organism research. Translation to humans is needed to address the challenges of an aging global population. Interventions to slow human aging will need to be applied to still-young individuals. However, most human aging research examines older adults, many with chronic disease. As a result, little is known about aging in young humans. We studied aging in 954 young humans, the Dunedin Study birth cohort, tracking multiple biomarkers across three time points spanning their third and fourth decades of life. We developed and validated two methods by which aging can be measured in young adults, one cross-sectional and one longitudinal. Our longitudinal measure allows quantification of the pace of coordinated physiological deterioration across multiple organ systems (e.g., pulmonary, periodontal, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, and immune function). We applied these methods to assess biological aging in young humans who had not yet developed age-related diseases. Young individuals of the same chronological age varied in their “biological aging” (declining integrity of multiple organ systems). Already, before midlife, individuals who were aging more rapidly were less physically able, showed cognitive decline and brain aging, self-reported worse health, and looked older. Measured biological aging in young adults can be used to identify causes of aging and evaluate rejuvenation therapies. PMID:26150497

  9. Young adult smoking behavior: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Ling, Pamela M; Neilands, Torsten B; Glantz, Stanton A

    2009-05-01

    Young adults have the highest smoking rate of any age group in the U.S., and new strategies to decrease young adult smoking are needed. The objective of the current study was to identify psychographic and demographic factors associated with current smoking and quitting behaviors among young adults. Attitudes, social groups, and self-descriptors, including supporting action against the tobacco industry, advertising receptivity, depression, alcohol use, and other factors associated with smoking were tested for associations with smoking behaviors in a 2005 cross-sectional survey of 1528 young adults (aged 18-25 years) from a web-enabled panel. Analyses were conducted in 2007. Being older was associated with current smoking, whereas having some higher education and being African American or Hispanic were negatively associated with smoking. Supporting action against the tobacco industry was negatively associated with smoking (AOR=0.34 [95% CI=0.22, 0.52]). Perceived usefulness of smoking, exposure to smokers, increased perceived smoking prevalence, receptivity to tobacco advertising, binge drinking, and exposure to tobacco advertising in bars and clubs were associated with smoking. Supporting action against the tobacco industry was associated with intentions to quit smoking (AOR=4.43 [95% CI=2.18, 8.60]). Young adults are vulnerable to tobacco-industry advertising. Media campaigns that denormalize the tobacco industry and appeal to young adults appear to be a powerful intervention to decrease young adult smoking.

  10. Psychological characteristics of elite young athletes.

    PubMed

    Feltz, D L; Ewing, M E

    1987-10-01

    The psychological aspects of youth sports participation is one area of research that has been identified as important by parents, coaches, and sport psychology researchers. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted on this topic with elite young athletes. This paper briefly reviews the psychological research on children in sport in the areas of participation motivation and psychological stress and then focuses on the psychological research with elite young athletes. The last section of the paper discusses issues and recommendations for studying the elite young athlete.

  11. Young Driver Attitude Scale: The Development and Field-Testing of an Instrument To Measure Young Driver Risk-Taking Attitudes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malfetti, James L.; And Others

    It has been postulated that young people are open to driving accidents because of age, lack of experience and risk-taking attitudes. The Young Driver Attitude Scale (YDAS) was developed to measure attitudes likely to influence driving practices. Over 200 items relating to the risk-taking attitudes of young people were shown to a small group of…

  12. Where Do Young People Work?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maguire, Sue; Huddleston, Prue

    2009-01-01

    The current policy intention, that all young people remain in some form of accredited education or training to the age of 18 by 2015, poses significant challenges. The jobs without training (JWT) group includes young people who are in full-time work and not in receipt of training leading to National Vocational Qualification level 2 (or above);…

  13. Young Children's Understanding of Denial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Austin, Keith; Theakston, Anna; Lieven, Elena; Tomasello, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Although a fair amount is known about young children's production of negation, little is known about their comprehension. Here, we focus on arguably the most complex basic form, denial, and how young children understand denial, when it is expressed in response to a question with gesture, single word, or sentence. One hundred twenty-six children in…

  14. Young adults as users of adult healthcare: experiences of young adults with complex or life-limiting conditions.

    PubMed

    Beresford, B; Stuttard, L

    2014-08-01

    Awareness is growing that young adults may have distinctive experiences of adult healthcare and that their needs may differ from those of other adult users. In addition, the role of adult health teams in supporting positive transitions from paediatrics is increasingly under discussion. This paper contributes to these debates. It reports a qualitative study of the experiences of young adults - all with complex chronic health conditions - as users of adult health services. Key findings from the study are reported, including an exploration of factors that help to explain interviewees' experiences. Study findings are discussed in the context of existing evidence from young adults in adult healthcare settings and theories of 'young adulthood'. Implications for training and practice are considered, and priorities for future research are identified. © 2014 Royal College of Physicians.

  15. What do young people think about their school-based sex and relationship education? A qualitative synthesis of young people's views and experiences

    PubMed Central

    Pound, Pandora; Langford, Rebecca; Campbell, Rona

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Although sex and relationship education (SRE) represents a key strand in policies to safeguard young people and improve their sexual health, it currently lacks statutory status, government guidance is outdated and a third of UK schools has poor-quality SRE. We aimed to investigate whether current provision meets young people's needs. Design Synthesis of qualitative studies of young people's views of their school-based SRE. Setting Eligible studies originated from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Iran, Brazil and Sweden. Participants Studies of students aged 4–19 in full-time education, young adults ≤19 (not necessarily in full-time education) or adults ≤25 if recalling their experiences of school-based SRE. Results –69 publications were identified, with 55 remaining after quality appraisal (representing 48 studies). The synthesis found that although sex is a potent and potentially embarrassing topic, schools appear reluctant to acknowledge this and attempt to teach SRE in the same way as other subjects. Young people report feeling vulnerable in SRE, with young men anxious to conceal sexual ignorance and young women risking sexual harassment if they participate. Schools appear to have difficulty accepting that some young people are sexually active, leading to SRE that is out of touch with many young people's lives. Young people report that SRE can be negative, gendered and heterosexist. They expressed dislike of their own teachers delivering SRE due to blurred boundaries, lack of anonymity, embarrassment and poor training. Conclusions SRE should be ‘sex-positive’ and delivered by experts who maintain clear boundaries with students. Schools should acknowledge that sex is a special subject with unique challenges, as well as the fact and range of young people's sexual activity, otherwise young people will continue to disengage from SRE and opportunities for safeguarding and improving their sexual health will be

  16. Hacking the hospital environment: young adults designing youth-friendly hospital rooms together with young people with cancer experiences.

    PubMed

    Boisen, Kirsten A; Boisen, Anne; Thomsen, Stine Legarth; Matthiesen, Simon Meggers; Hjerming, Maiken; Hertz, Pernille Grarup

    2015-12-09

    There is a need for youth-friendly hospital environments as the ward environment may affect both patient satisfaction and health outcomes. To involve young people in designing youth-friendly ward environment. We arranged a design competition lasting 42 h (Hackathon). Students in architecture, design, engineering, communication and anthropology participated (27 young adults) - forming eight groups. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with current or former cancer experience participated as sparring partners. We provided workspace and food during the weekend. The groups presented their products to a jury and relevant stakeholders. The groups created eight unique design concepts. The young designers were extremely flexible listening to ideas and experiences from the young patients, which led to common features including individual and flexible design, privacy in two-bed wardrooms and social contact with other hospitalized AYA. The winning project included an integrated concept for both wardrooms and the AYA day room, including logos and names for the rooms and an 'energy wall' in the day room. A hackathon event was an effective mode of youth participation. The design concepts and ideas were in line with current evidence regarding pleasing hospital environment and youth-friendly inpatient facilities and may be applicable to other young patients.

  17. Study of young patients with myocardial infarction: Design and rationale of the YOUNG-MI Registry.

    PubMed

    Singh, Avinainder; Collins, Bradley; Qamar, Arman; Gupta, Ankur; Fatima, Amber; Divakaran, Sanjay; Klein, Josh; Hainer, Jon; Jarolim, Petr; Shah, Ravi V; Nasir, Khurram; Di Carli, Marcelo F; Bhatt, Deepak L; Blankstein, Ron

    2017-11-01

    The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective study examining a cohort of young adults age ≤ 50 years with a first-time myocardial infarction. The study will use the robust electronic health records of 2 large academic medical centers, as well as detailed chart review of all patients, to generate high-quality longitudinal data regarding the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients who experience a myocardial infarction at a young age. Our findings will provide important insights regarding prevention, risk stratification, treatment, and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in this understudied population, as well as identify disparities which, if addressed, can lead to further improvement in patient outcomes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Factors Associated with Young Adults’ Pregnancy Likelihood

    PubMed Central

    Kitsantas, Panagiota; Lindley, Lisa L.; Wu, Huichuan

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES While progress has been made to reduce adolescent pregnancies in the United States, rates of unplanned pregnancy among young adults (18–29 years) remain high. In this study, we assessed factors associated with perceived likelihood of pregnancy (likelihood of getting pregnant/getting partner pregnant in the next year) among sexually experienced young adults who were not trying to get pregnant and had ever used contraceptives. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of 660 young adults, 18–29 years old in the United States, from the cross-sectional National Survey of Reproductive and Contraceptive Knowledge. Logistic regression and classification tree analyses were conducted to generate profiles of young adults most likely to report anticipating a pregnancy in the next year. RESULTS Nearly one-third (32%) of young adults indicated they believed they had at least some likelihood of becoming pregnant in the next year. Young adults who believed that avoiding pregnancy was not very important were most likely to report pregnancy likelihood (odds ratio [OR], 5.21; 95% CI, 2.80–9.69), as were young adults for whom avoiding a pregnancy was important but not satisfied with their current contraceptive method (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.67–9.24), attended religious services frequently (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.52–5.94), were uninsured (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.31–5.26), and were likely to have unprotected sex in the next three months (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.04–3.01). DISCUSSION These results may help guide future research and the development of pregnancy prevention interventions targeting sexually experienced young adults. PMID:25782849

  19. Involving children and young people in clinical research through the forum of a European Young Persons' Advisory Group: needs and challenges.

    PubMed

    Gaillard, Segolene; Malik, Salma; Preston, Jenny; Escalera, Begonya Nafria; Dicks, Pamela; Touil, Nathalie; Mardirossian, Sandrine; Claverol-Torres, Joana; Kassaï, Behrouz

    2018-02-19

    Children and young people are seen as fundamental to the design and delivery of clinical research as active and reflective participants. In Europe, involvement of children and young people in clinical research is promoted extensively in order to engage young people in research as partners and to give them a voice to raise their own issues or opinions and for their involvement in planning and decision making in addition to learning research skills. Children and young people can be trained in clinical research through participation in young person advisory groups (YPAGs). Members of YPAGs assist other children and young people to learn about clinical research and share their experience and point of view with researchers, thereby possibly influencing all phases of research including the development and prioritization of research questions, design and methods, recruitment plans, and strategies for results dissemination. In the long term, the expansion of YPAGs in Europe will serve as a driving force for refining pediatric clinical research. It will help in a better definition of research projects according to the patients' needs. Furthermore, direct engagement of children and young people in research will be favorable to both researchers and young people. © 2018 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  20. MARRIAGE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUNG ADULTS

    PubMed Central

    Uecker, Jeremy E.

    2012-01-01

    Marriage is widely thought to confer mental health benefits, but little is known about how this relationship may vary across the life course. Early marriage—which is non-normative—could have no, or even negative, mental health consequences for young adults. Using survey data from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 11,743), I find that married young adults exhibit similar levels of psychological distress as young adults who are in any kind of romantic relationship. Married and engaged young adults report lower rates of drunkenness than others. Married young adults—especially those who first married at age 22–26—report higher life satisfaction than those in other types of relationships or no relationship at all, as well as those who married at younger ages. Explanations for these findings are examined, and their implications are discussed. PMID:22328171

  1. Young Male Prisoners in a Young Offenders' Institution: Their Contact with Suicidal Behaviour by Others

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hales, H.; Davison, S.; Misch, P.; Taylor, P. J.

    2003-01-01

    Prison suicide rates are increasing. The impact of witnessing a suicide or how many people do so is unknown. The aim of this study was to find how many young people detained in a Young Offenders' Institution (YOI) have had contact with another's suicide attempt and to test for association between this and own self-harming behaviour. A…

  2. Alcohol industry and governmental revenue from young Australians.

    PubMed

    Li, Ian W; Si, Jiawei

    2016-11-01

    Objective The aim of the present study was to estimate the revenues collected by government and industry from alcohol consumption by young Australians in 2010. Methods Statistical analyses were performed on data from the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2010 and alcohol data collected from an online retailer to calculate the proportion, frequency, quantity and revenues from alcohol consumption by young Australians. Results One-third of adolescents (12-17 years old) and 85% of young adults (18-25 years old) consume alcohol. More than half the adolescents' alcohol consumption is from ready-to-drink spirits. Revenue generated from alcohol consumption by 12-25 year olds is estimated at $4.8 billion in 2010 (2014 Australian dollars): $2.8 billion to industry (sales) and $2.0 billion to government (taxes). Conclusions Alcohol consumption by young Australians is prevalent, and young Australian drinkers consume alcohol in substantial amounts. The industry and taxation revenue from young drinkers is also considerable. It would be in the public interest to divert some of this revenue towards health initiatives to reduce drinking by young people, especially given the high societal costs of alcohol consumption. What is known about the topic? Australian adolescents aged 12-17 years consume substantial amounts of alcohol, and substantial amounts of revenue are generated from alcohol sales to them. What does this paper add? This paper provides recent estimates of alcohol consumption and revenue generated by Australian adolescents, and extends estimates to young adults aged 18-25 years. What are the implications for practitioners? A substantial proportion of Australian young people consume alcohol. The sales and taxation revenue generated from young people's drinking is substantial at A$4.8 billion in 2010 and is higher in real terms than estimates from previous studies. Some of the alcohol taxation revenue could be diverted to health promotion and education for

  3. Young Children and Job Satisfaction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Sandra L.; Sloane, Douglas M.

    1992-01-01

    Used data from General Social Surveys to examine effect of young children on job satisfaction of men and women. Findings suggest that young children have no effect on job satisfaction of male or female workers regardless of time period, work status, or marital status. This was true for women working in labor market as well as in home. (Author/NB)

  4. Sport nutrition for young athletes

    PubMed Central

    Purcell, Laura K

    2013-01-01

    Nutrition is an important part of sport performance for young athletes, in addition to allowing for optimal growth and development. Macronutrients, micronutrients and fluids in the proper amounts are essential to provide energy for growth and activity. To optimize performance, young athletes need to learn what, when and how to eat and drink before, during and after activity. PMID:24421690

  5. Enabling participation for disabled young people: study protocol.

    PubMed

    Carroll, Penelope; Witten, Karen; Calder-Dawe, Octavia; Smith, Melody; Kearns, Robin; Asiasiga, Lanuola; Lin, Judy; Kayes, Nicola; Mavoa, Suzanne

    2018-06-08

    Participation in community life is vital for health and wellbeing, promoting a sense of belonging, networks of social support and opportunities for physical activity. Disabled young people have lower levels of mobility and participation in recreational activities (physical, social and cultural), education and employment, than their peers without disabilities. This has implications for their health and wellbeing and life course opportunities. Previous research on the participation levels of disabled young people has primarily relied on parent/caregiver reports and been oriented to home and school environments. This study investigates how physical and social environmental factors cohere to support or restrict the everyday mobility and participation of disabled young people. The study is located in Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ). Participants comprise 35 young people aged 12-25 years with mobility, vision or hearing impairments. A mixed-methods research design combines objective (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems) and self-report measures (travel diaries, and questionnaires) to assess young people's mobility and levels of participation in leisure/educational and employment activities with in-depth interviews exploring their everyday experiences of inclusion/exclusion, and factors enabling or constraining community participation. Parents/caregivers and disability sector key informant viewpoints on the community participation of disabled young people have also been gathered through in-depth interviews. Follow-up workshops with young people and parents/caregivers will identify pathways to increase participation and challenge current disabling practices. This study looks beyond barriers in the physical environment to the interplay of personal, social and physical factors that enable or constrain the community participation of disabled young people. In keeping with the study's overarching goal of increasing opportunities for

  6. Reforestation Efforts in Indiana Following the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977

    Treesearch

    Stephen D. Fillmore; John W. Groninger

    2004-01-01

    During the summer of 2002, data were collected from 22 post-Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act sites in southwestern Indiana. Tree growth across these sites was generally poor, with site index values typically less than 40 feet (base age 50) for upland oaks. Robinina pseudoacacia (black locust) was observed to be the primary overstory tree...

  7. Young Women and the Co-Construction of Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNae, Rachel

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Young women's leadership is an area frequently overlooked in educational leadership development. This paper aims to bring young women's voices into educational leadership conversations and illustrate an alternative approach to young women's leadership development. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative action research study was…

  8. MEASURING DIETARY EXPOSURE OF YOUNG CHILDREN

    EPA Science Inventory

    Young children do not consume foods in a structured manner. Their foods contact surfaces (hands, floors, eating surfaces, etc.) that may be contaminated while they are eating them. Thus, dietary exposures of young children are difficult to accurately assess or measure. A recen...

  9. Life history strategy and young adult substance use.

    PubMed

    Richardson, George B; Chen, Ching-Chen; Dai, Chia-Liang; Swoboda, Christopher M

    2014-11-03

    This study tested whether life history strategy (LHS) and its intergenerational transmission could explain young adult use of common psychoactive substances. We tested a sequential structural equation model using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. During young adulthood, fast LHS explained 61% of the variance in overall liability for substance use. Faster parent LHS predicted poorer health and lesser alcohol use, greater neuroticism and cigarette smoking, but did not predict fast LHS or overall liability for substance use among young adults. Young adult neuroticism was independent of substance use controlling for fast LHS. The surprising finding of independence between parent and child LHS casts some uncertainty upon the identity of the parent and child LHS variables. Fast LHS may be the primary driver of young adult use of common psychoactive substances. However, it is possible that the young adult fast LHS variable is better defined as young adult mating competition. We discuss our findings in depth, chart out some intriguing new directions for life history research that may clarify the dimensionality of LHS and its mediation of the intergenerational transmission of substance use, and discuss implications for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  10. Young persons with visual impairment: challenges of participation.

    PubMed

    Salminen, Anna-Liisa; Karhula, Maarit E

    2014-07-01

    To describe the challenges to activity and participation faced by young people with visual impairment within the framework of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). 14 young persons (aged 16-22 years) with visual impairment and their parents (n = 22) participated in the study. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was used to describe challenges of participation as perceived by the young persons themselves. Individual interviews with the young persons and their parents were used to investigate in more depth the challenges the young persons face with regard to participation. Young persons with visual impairment face challenges to participation most frequently with regard to mobility, domestic life, interpersonal interaction and relationships, major life areas, and leisure activities. The environment in which they live has a central role as a barrier or facilitator of participation. The challenges related to activities and participation that young persons with visual impairment face are diverse. It is important that these challenges are assessed individually and with the help of subjective measures. Serving as a broad framework for classifying the data, the ICF proved to be a useful tool, but used strictly at category level it may limit the coding of data and narrow interpretation.

  11. Do juveniles bully more than young offenders?

    PubMed

    Ireland, Jane L

    2002-04-01

    This study compares bullying behaviour among juvenile and young offenders and incorporates two different methods to measure bullying. Ninety-five male juvenile and 196 male young offenders completed two questionnaires, one that measured bullying directly and one that measured behaviours indicative of "being bullied" or of "bullying others". Juveniles perceived a higher extent of bullying than young offenders. Juveniles reported significantly more physical, psychological or verbal and overall direct forms of bullying behaviour than young offenders. A number of differences were found between juveniles and young offenders with regard to the types of prisoners likely to become victims, who they would advise a victim to speak to and how bullying could be prevented. The results are discussed in relation to developmental theories of aggression and how bullying behaviour can be defined and measured among prisoners. Copyright 2002 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Young Peoples' Representations of "Atypical" Work in English Society

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crafter, Sarah; O'Dell, Lindsay; de Abreu, Guida; Cline, Tony

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we explore young peoples' normative representations of work. In particular, we are interested in the ways young people view work roles which could be considered "atypical" such as young caring or language brokering. Interviewed were 46 young people (15-18 years) some who did, and some who did not engage in the…

  13. 115-year-old society knows how to reach young scientists: ASM Young Ambassador Program.

    PubMed

    Karczewska-Golec, Joanna

    2015-12-25

    With around 40,000 members in more than 150 countries, American Society for Microbiology (ASM) faces the challenge of meeting very diverse needs of its increasingly international members base. The newly launched ASM Young Ambassador Program seeks to aid the Society in this effort. Equipped with ASM conceptual support and financing, Young Ambassadors (YAs) design and pursue country-tailored approaches to strengthen the Society's ties with local microbiological communities. In a trans-national setting, the active presence of YAs at important scientific events, such as 16th European Congress on Biotechnology, forges new interactions between ASM and sister societies. The paper presents an overview of the Young Ambassadors-driven initiatives at both global and country levels, and explores the topic of how early-career scientists can contribute to science diplomacy and international relations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Mental health trajectories from childhood to young adulthood affect the educational and employment status of young adults: results from the TRAILS study.

    PubMed

    Veldman, Karin; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Ortiz, Josue Almansa; Verhulst, Frank C; Bültmann, Ute

    2015-06-01

    Young adults at work without basic educational level (BEL), and young adults in Neither Employment, Education nor Training (NEET) are at high risk of adverse employment outcomes. Evidence lacks on the impact of mental health problems during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood on employment outcomes of young adults. Therefore, the aims of this study were to (1) identify trajectories of mental health problems from childhood to young adulthood and (2) investigate the relation between these trajectories and the educational or employment status of young adults. Data were used from the Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch prospective cohort study with 9-year follow-up. Trajectories of mental health problems measured at ages 11, 13.5, 16 and 19 years were identified in 1711 young adults with latent class growth models. Young adults with high-stable trajectories of total problems, from childhood to young adulthood, were more likely to work without BEL or be in NEET at age 19, than to be at school or to work with BEL (28.0% vs 16.0%, p=0.01). The same was found for externalising problems (35.3% vs 23.2%, p=0.02). For internalising and attention problems, no statistically significant differences were found. Young adults with high-stable trajectories of mental health problems from age 11 to 19, were at risk of adverse employment outcomes. Interventions reducing mental health problems in childhood may improve the educational or employment status of young adults and their chances for successfully entering the labour market. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  15. 28 CFR 50.22 - Young American Medals Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... the Attorney General. (2) The Young American Medals Committee will officially designate two adults... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Young American Medals Program. 50.22 Section 50.22 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) STATEMENTS OF POLICY § 50.22 Young...

  16. What do young people think about their school-based sex and relationship education? A qualitative synthesis of young people's views and experiences.

    PubMed

    Pound, Pandora; Langford, Rebecca; Campbell, Rona

    2016-09-13

    Although sex and relationship education (SRE) represents a key strand in policies to safeguard young people and improve their sexual health, it currently lacks statutory status, government guidance is outdated and a third of UK schools has poor-quality SRE. We aimed to investigate whether current provision meets young people's needs. Synthesis of qualitative studies of young people's views of their school-based SRE. Eligible studies originated from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Iran, Brazil and Sweden. Studies of students aged 4-19 in full-time education, young adults ≤19 (not necessarily in full-time education) or adults ≤25 if recalling their experiences of school-based SRE. -69 publications were identified, with 55 remaining after quality appraisal (representing 48 studies). The synthesis found that although sex is a potent and potentially embarrassing topic, schools appear reluctant to acknowledge this and attempt to teach SRE in the same way as other subjects. Young people report feeling vulnerable in SRE, with young men anxious to conceal sexual ignorance and young women risking sexual harassment if they participate. Schools appear to have difficulty accepting that some young people are sexually active, leading to SRE that is out of touch with many young people's lives. Young people report that SRE can be negative, gendered and heterosexist. They expressed dislike of their own teachers delivering SRE due to blurred boundaries, lack of anonymity, embarrassment and poor training. SRE should be 'sex-positive' and delivered by experts who maintain clear boundaries with students. Schools should acknowledge that sex is a special subject with unique challenges, as well as the fact and range of young people's sexual activity, otherwise young people will continue to disengage from SRE and opportunities for safeguarding and improving their sexual health will be reduced. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission

  17. Accretion Models for Young Neutron Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alpar, M. A.

    2003-07-01

    Interaction with possible fallback material, along with the magnetic fields and rotation rates at birth should determine the fates and categories of young neutron stars. This paper addresses some issues related to pure or hybrid accretion models for explaining the properties of young neutron stars.

  18. Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barr, Andrew; Gillard, Julia; Firth, Verity; Scrymgour, Marion; Welford, Rod; Lomax-Smith, Jane; Bartlett, David; Pike, Bronwyn; Constable, Elizabeth

    2008-01-01

    Improving educational outcomes for all young Australians is central to the nation's social and economic prosperity and will position young people to live fulfilling, productive and responsible lives. Young Australians are therefore placed at the centre of the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals. These goals are: (1) Australian schooling…

  19. Parental Attitudes and Young People's Online Sexual Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorbring, Emma; Hallberg, Jonas; Bohlin, Margareta; Skoog, Therése

    2015-01-01

    Parental attitudes towards young people's sexuality in traditional (i.e. non-online media) settings have been associated with young people's sexual activities. In this study, we explored the association between key parent and youth characteristics and parental attitudes towards young people's online sexual activities. We also examined the…

  20. Quantum chemical determination of young?s modulus of lignin. Calculations on ß-O-4' model compound

    Treesearch

    Thomas Elder

    2007-01-01

    The calculation of Young?s modulus of lignin has been examined by subjecting a dimeric model compound to strain, coupled with the determination of energy and stress. The computational results, derived from quantum chemical calculations, are in agreement with available experimental results. Changes in geometry indicate that modifications in dihedral angles occur in...

  1. Prospective very young asteroid pairs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galád, A.; Vokrouhlický, D.; Zizka, J.

    2014-07-01

    Several tens of asteroid pairs can be discerned from the background main-belt asteroids. The majority of them are thought to have formed within only the last few 10^6 yr. The youngest recognized pairs have formed more than ≈ 10 kyr ago. As some details of pair formation are still not understood well, the study of young pairs is of great importance. It is mainly because the conditions at the time of the pair formation could be deduced much more reliably for young pairs. For example, space weathering on the surfaces of the components, or changes in their rotational properties (in spin rates, tumbling, coordinates of rotational pole) could be negligible since the formation of young pairs. Also, possible strong perturbations by main-belt bodies on pair formation can be reliably studied only for extremely young pairs. Some pairs can quickly blend in with the background asteroids, so even the frequency of asteroid pair formation could be determined more reliably based on young pairs (though only after a statistically significant sample is at disposal). In our regular search for young pairs in the growing asteroid database, only multiopposition asteroids with very similar orbital and proper elements are investigated. Every pair component is represented by a number of clones within orbital uncertainties and drifting in semimajor axis due to the Yarkovsky effect. We found that, if the previously unrecognized pairs (87887) 2000 SS_{286} - 2002 AT_{49} and (355258) 2007 LY_{4} - 2013AF_{40} formed at the recent very close approach of their components, they could become the youngest known pairs. In both cases, the relative encounter velocities of the components were only ˜ 0.1 m s^{-1}. However, the minimum distances between some clones are too large and a few clones of the latter pair did not encounter recently (within ≈ 10 kyr). The age of some prospective young pairs cannot be determined reliably without improved orbital properties (e.g., the second component of a pair

  2. [Prosocial Development of Very Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pawl, Jeree, Ed.

    1992-01-01

    This newsletter presents five articles focusing on the social development of infants and very young children. The first article, "Sympathetic Behavior in Very Young Children," by Lois Barclay Murphy, gives examples of early sympathetic behavior, traces the development of sympathy, identifies individual patterns of sympathetic response,…

  3. Young Children's Exposure to Community Violence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vig, Susan

    1996-01-01

    Explores the impact of community violence on the development of young children, especially those with developmental disabilities. Characteristics of young children's responses to stress and trauma are reviewed and child, family, and community factors which contribute to resilience are identified. Intervention approaches are suggested. (Author/DB)

  4. Oral Language Competence, Young Speakers, and the Law

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snow, Pamela C.; Powell, Martine B.; Sanger, Dixie D.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This paper highlights the forensic implications of language impairment in 2 key (and overlapping) groups of young people: identified victims of maltreatment (abuse and/or neglect) and young offenders. Method: Two lines of research pertaining to oral language competence and young people's interface with the law are considered: 1 regarding…

  5. Defining Success in Young Adults with Emotional Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carrescia, Susanne G.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop a definition of success by constructing a portrait of successful young adults with emotional disabilities. Nine young adults with emotional disabilities were interviewed individually after graduating from high school. The research questions that guided the study centered on the young adults'…

  6. NEW YOUNG STAR CANDIDATES IN CG4 AND Sa101

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rebull, L. M.; Laine, S.; Laher, R.

    2011-07-15

    The CG4 and Sa101 regions together cover a region of {approx}0.5 deg{sup 2} in the vicinity of a 'cometary globule' that is part of the Gum Nebula. There are seven previously identified young stars in this region; we have searched for new young stars using mid- and far-infrared data (3.6-70 {mu}m) from the Spitzer Space Telescope, combined with ground-based optical data and near-infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey. We find infrared excesses in all six of the previously identified young stars in our maps and identify 16 more candidate young stars based on apparent infrared excesses. Mostmore » (73%) of the new young stars are Class II objects. There is a tighter grouping of young stars and young star candidates in the Sa101 region, in contrast to the CG4 region, where there are fewer young stars and young star candidates, and they are more dispersed. Few likely young objects are found in the 'fingers' of the dust being disturbed by the ionization front from the heart of the Gum Nebula.« less

  7. Does Vocational Training Matter for Young Adults in the Labour Market?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Asa; Skarlind, Anders

    2005-01-01

    The impact of vocational training on employment and income is investigated for young adults. Young adults without further education and training are compared to young adults with two-years and young adults with three-years of vocational training. The sample consists of 41 000 Swedish young adults born in 1974. The employment of these young adults…

  8. Mobile phone use on a young person's unit.

    PubMed

    Bell, Jacquelyn; Finlay, Fiona; Baverstock, Anna

    2009-09-01

    To ascertain information about the use of mobile phones on a young person's hospital unit and to obtain the views of nursing staff and young people about the benefits of their use. A qualitative study using a pre-piloted questionnaire was given to 50 young people admitted consecutively to the young person's unit of district general hospital in a four-week period. A separate questionnaire was given to nine members of the nursing team over the same time period. Most young people had access to a mobile phone while on the ward. A total of 30 per cent were told they could use their phone, 75 per cent of those had made calls or sent texts while on the ward, 80 per cent had received calls or texts, and 20 per cent had used the ward phone at the nursing station. All staff agreed that it was helpful for young people to use their phones on the ward to keep in contact with friends and family, to avoid isolation and ease boredom. Young people have different social needs to younger children and appreciate the opportunity to use mobile phones. A more flexible approach should be adopted. The advantages of phone use clearly outweigh the risks.

  9. Online Games for Young Learners' Foreign Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Yuko Goto; Someya, Yuumi; Fukuhara, Eiji

    2014-01-01

    Young learners' use of instructional games in foreign language learning is not yet well understood. Using games that were part of the learning tools for an online assessment, Jido-Eiken, a standardized English proficiency test for young learners in Japan, we examined young learners' game-playing behaviours and the relationship of these behaviours…

  10. Connecting the Canon to Current Young Adult Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rybakova, Katie; Roccanti, Rikki

    2016-01-01

    In this article we discuss the respective roles of young adult literature and literary texts in the secondary level English Language Arts classroom and explore the connections that can be made between popular young adult books and the traditional canon. We provide examples showing how young adult literature bestsellers such as "The Book…

  11. Young Children Surfing: Gender Differences in Computer Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirmani, Mubina Hassanali; Davis, Marcia H.; Kalyanpur, Maya

    2009-01-01

    Computers have become an important part of young children's lives, both as a source of entertainment and education. The National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) position statement on Technology and Young Children (2006) supports the need for equal access to technology for all children with attention to eliminating gender…

  12. The Novice Researcher: Interviewing Young Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danby, Susan; Ewing, Lynette; Thorpe, Karen

    2011-01-01

    Being a novice researcher undertaking research interviews with young children requires understandings of the interview process. By investigating the interaction between a novice researcher undertaking her first interview and a child participant, the authors attend to theoretical principles, such as the competence of young children as informants,…

  13. Film and the Young Adult Novel.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Harold M.

    1994-01-01

    Discusses films based on young adult novels and why they are often considered failures. Describes various films about young adults and their problems that have proven to be artistic successes. Gives close attention to film versions of S. E. Hinton's novels and of Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War." (HB)

  14. Input Devices for Young Handicapped Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Karen

    The versatility of the computer can be expanded considerably for young handicapped children by using input devices other than the typewriter-style keyboard. Input devices appropriate for young children can be classified into four categories: alternative keyboards, contact switches, speech input devices, and cursor control devices. Described are…

  15. Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Comparisons of Young People and Parent Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eklund, Hanna; Findon, James; Cadman, Tim; Hayward, Hannah; Murphy, Declan; Asherson, Philip; Glaser, Karen; Xenitidis, Kiriakos

    2018-01-01

    This study used the Camberwell Assessment of Need for adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (CANDID) to examine the social, physical health and mental health needs of 168 young people (aged 14-24 years) with neurodevelopmental disorders and compared young person and parent ratings of need. Agreement was poor in 21 out of 25…

  16. [Sleep and academic performance in young elite athletes].

    PubMed

    Poussel, M; Laure, P; Genest, J; Fronzaroli, E; Renaud, P; Favre, A; Chenuel, B

    2014-07-01

    In French law (Code du Sport), the status of elite athlete is allowed for young athletes beginning at the age of 12 years. For these young athletes, the aim is to reach the highest level of performance in their sport without compromising academic performance. Training time is therefore often substantial and sleep patterns appear to play a key role in performance recovery. The aim of this study was to assess sleep patterns and their effects on academic performance in young elite athletes. Sleep patterns were assessed using questionnaires completed during a specific information-based intervention on sports medicine topics. The academic performance of young elite athletes was assessed by collecting their grades (transmitted by their teachers). Sleep patterns were assessed for 137 young elite athletes (64 females, 73 males; mean age, 15.7 years) and academic performance for 109 of them. Daily sleep duration during school periods (8h22 ± 38 min) were shorter compared to holidays and week-ends (10h02 ± 1h16, P<0.0001). Fifty-six athletes (41 %) subjectively estimated their sleep quality as poor or just sufficient. Poor sleep quality was correlated with poor academic performance in this specific athlete population. Sleep is the most important period for recovery from daily activity, but little information is available regarding the specific population of young elite athletes. The results reported herein suggest insufficiency (quantitatively and qualitatively) of sleep patterns in some of the young athletes, possibly leading to detrimental effects on athletic performance. Moreover, disturbed sleep patterns may also impact academic performance in young elite athletes. Teachers, athletic trainers, physicians, and any other professionals working with young elite athletes should pay particular attention to this specific population regarding the possible negative repercussions of poor sleep patterns on academic and athletic performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS

  17. Young children's harmonic perception.

    PubMed

    Costa-Giomi, Eugenia

    2003-11-01

    Harmony and tonality are two of the most difficult elements for young children to perceive and manipulate and are seldom taught in the schools until the end of early childhood. Children's gradual harmonic and tonal development has been attributed to their cumulative exposure to Western tonal music and their increasing experiential knowledge of its rules and principles. Two questions that are relevant to this problem are: (1) Can focused and systematic teaching accelerate the learning of the harmonic/tonal principles that seem to occur in an implicit way throughout childhood? (2) Are there cognitive constraints that make it difficult for young children to perceive and/or manipulate certain harmonic and tonal principles? A series of studies specifically addressed the first question and suggested some possible answers to the second one. Results showed that harmonic instruction has limited effects on children's perception of harmony and indicated that the drastic improvement in the perception of implied harmony noted approximately at age 9 is due to development rather than instruction. I propose that young children's difficulty in perceiving implied harmony stems from their attention behaviors. Older children have less memory constraints and more strategies to direct their attention to the relevant cues of the stimulus. Younger children focus their attention on the melody, if present in the stimulus, and specifically on its concrete elements such as rhythm, pitch, and contour rather than its abstract elements such as harmony and key. The inference of the abstract harmonic organization of a melody required in the perception of implied harmony is thus an elusive task for the young child.

  18. Young Women Online: Collaboratively Constructing Identities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paechter, Carrie

    2013-01-01

    In this paper I examine how young women construct their identities with others in online communities. I argue that the proliferation of social networking and its popularity among young people means that performed identities are increasingly collaboratively constructed, with the individual having less control over their public image than was…

  19. Traffic safety facts 1999 : young drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    There were 187.2 million licensed drivers in the United States in 1999. Young drivers, between 15 and 20 years old, accounted for 6.8% (12.7 million) of the total, a 1.2% decrease from the 12.8 million young drivers in 1989. In 1999, 8,175 15- to 20-...

  20. Defining Young in the Context of Prostate Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Lowe, Anthony; Hyde, Melissa K.; Zajdlewicz, Leah; Gardiner, Robert A.; Sandoe, David; Dunn, Jeff

    2015-01-01

    The experience of prostate cancer is for most men a major life stress with the psychological burden of this disease falling more heavily on those who are younger. Despite this, being young as it applies to prostate cancer is not yet clearly defined with varied chronological approaches applied. However, men’s responses to health crises are closely bound to life course and masculinities from which social roles emerge. This paper applied qualitative methodology (structured focus groups and semistructured interviews with expert informants) using interpretative phenomenological analysis to define what it means to be young and have prostate cancer. Structured focus groups were held with 26 consumer advisors (men diagnosed with prostate cancer who provide support to other men with prostate cancer or raise community awareness) and health professionals. As well, 15 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and in their 40s, 50s, or 60s participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants discussed the attributes that describe a young man with prostate cancer and the experience of being young and diagnosed with prostate cancer. Chronological definitions of a young man were absent or inconsistent. Masculine constructions of what it means to be a young man and life course characteristics appear more relevant to defining young as it applies to prostate cancer compared with chronological age. These findings have implications for better understanding the morbidities associated with this illness, and in designing interventions that are oriented to life course and helping young men reconstruct their identities after prostate cancer. PMID:24780936

  1. Young Child.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeVoogd, Glenn, Ed.

    This document contains the following papers focusing on contexts and activities in which teachers can use technology to promote learning with young children: (1) "Read, Write and Click: Using Digital Camera Technology in a Language Arts and Literacy K-5 Classroom" (Judith F. Robbins and Jacqueline Bedell); (2) "Technology for the…

  2. Young Murderers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garbarino, James

    1999-01-01

    Reflects on the moral world of children who have committed acts of lethal violence. Young killers do not see any positive alternatives at the moment of violence. When they kill, they are seeking justice--as they see it. Emphasizes the importance of adults stimulating the development of empathy and spirituality. (SLD)

  3. Thomas Young's investigations in gradient-index optics.

    PubMed

    Atchison, David A; Charman, W Neil

    2011-05-01

    James Clerk Maxwell is usually recognized as being the first, in 1854, to consider using inhomogeneous media in optical systems. However, some 50 years earlier, Thomas Young, stimulated by his interest in the optics of the eye and accommodation, had already modeled some applications of gradient-index optics. These applications included using an axial gradient to provide spherical aberration-free optics and a spherical gradient to describe the optics of the atmosphere and the eye lens. We evaluated Young's contributions. We attempted to derive Young's equations for axial and spherical refractive index gradients. Raytracing was used to confirm accuracy of formula. We did not confirm Young's equation for the axial gradient to provide aberration-free optics but derived a slightly different equation. We confirmed the correctness of his equations for deviation of rays in a spherical gradient index and for the focal length of a lens with a nucleus of fixed index surrounded by a cortex of reducing index toward the edge. Young claimed that the equation for focal length applied to a lens with part of the constant index nucleus of the sphere removed, such that the loss of focal length was a quarter of the thickness removed, but this is not strictly correct. Young's theoretical work in gradient-index optics received no acknowledgment from either his contemporaries or later authors. Although his model of the eye lens is not an accurate physiological description of the human lens, with the index reducing least quickly at the edge, it represented a bold attempt to approximate the characteristics of the lens. Thomas Young's work deserves wider recognition.

  4. Young People's Representations of Language Brokering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cline, Tony; Crafter, Sarah; O'Dell, Lindsay; de Abreu, Guida

    2011-01-01

    In recently arrived immigrant families, children and young people often act as language brokers for their parents and other adults. In public and academic debate, this activity is sometimes portrayed negatively as imposing excessive burdens of responsibility on the young people. This paper reports an analysis of qualitative data from a broader…

  5. The Very Young Hearing-Impaired Child.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    World Federation of the Deaf, Rome (Italy).

    Five conference papers are presented on deaf preschool children and infants. "The Very Young Hearing-Impaired Child" by G.M. Harris of Canada; "The Organisation and Methods of Educational Work for Deaf Children at the Preschool Age" by K. Lundstrom of Sweden; "Speech Formation in the Young Deaf Child" by B.…

  6. Young Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Allison B.; Squires, Jane

    2014-01-01

    The increasing prevalence of homelessness among young children and families in the United States is described, as is the developmental impact on young children and cost to society. Although services are mandated for this population under the McKinney­-Vento Act, Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program, and the Individuals With…

  7. The Musical Taste of Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mozgot, V. G.

    2014-01-01

    Data from a longitudinal survey of the musical tastes of young people distinguish five basic vectors of its development: an orientation toward the Western paradigm; young people's unlimited amount of time spent in the consumption of music; the indiscriminate nature of their music interests; the influence that a person's membership in a particular…

  8. Letters to a Young Education Reformer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hess, Frederick M.

    2017-01-01

    In "Letters to a Young Education Reformer," Frederick M. Hess distills knowledge from twenty-five years of working in and around school reform. Inspired by his conversations with young, would-be reformers who are passionate about transforming education, the book offers a window into Hess's thinking about what education reform is and…

  9. Alcohol use assessment in young adult cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Breitenbach, Katherine; Epstein-Reeves, Marc; Hacker, Eileen; Corte, Colleen; Piano, Mariann R

    2014-09-01

    To determine whether oncology practitioners assess for alcohol consumption rates and usage patterns among young adult cancer survivors, and to determine drinking patterns and frequency of alcoholic beverage consumption among young adult cancer survivors. Retrospective chart review. Two outpatient cancer clinics. 77 young adult survivors of childhood cancer aged 18-30 years. Charts were selected from June to December 2009 and data were extracted using a structured questionnaire. Oncology practitioner assessment of alcohol use and alcohol consumption of young adult cancer survivors. Alcohol screening was conducted for 48 participants. No significant differences were noted in most variables between those not screened for alcohol use and those screened for alcohol use. Of the 48 screened for alcohol use, 30 reported "no use." For the 18 who reported alcohol use, the terms used to describe the frequency varied and were vague. The key finding of the study was that screening and documentation of alcohol consumption was poorly and inconsistently performed in the authors' sample of young adult cancer survivors. Similar to healthy young adults aged 18-30 years, young adult cancer survivors are at a developmental age where it is likely they will engage in unhealthy drinking; therefore, they should be screened for alcohol use and binge drinking. Practitioners can incorporate simple, short questions into health assessment visits that allow them to screen for unhealthy alcohol use.

  10. YoungStar in Wisconsin: Analysis of Data as of July 2014. YoungStar Progress Report #5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, 2014

    2014-01-01

    YoungStar is a program of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) designed to improve the quality of child care for Wisconsin children. YoungStar is designed to: (1) evaluate and rate the quality of care given by child care providers; (2) help parents choose the best child care for their kids; (3) support providers with tools and training to…

  11. Don't Explain so Much at Once, and Other Lessons From the Young Reviewers of Frontiers for Young Minds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baker, A. M.

    2015-12-01

    Most public communication about cutting-edge science happens through a series of filters - press teams, science journalists, news outlets, or even bloggers. Unfortunately, these filters can sometimes lead to research being presented in a way that demotivates the researchers from wanting to translate their science for a broader audience in the future. Frontiers for Young Minds was developed to bridge this gap by publishing plain-language research articles that are written by scientists about their own research and "peer reviewed" by kids ages 8-15 for their own young peers. Though Frontiers for Young Minds authors know that they are creating a high-quality science resource that will be freely available online, many are surprised by the lessons they stand to learn by having direct access to their target audience for feedback. The young reviewers can be refreshingly blunt, questioning everything from why money was spent on such a project to why researchers would make something that should be exciting "too boring to even finish reading." Frontiers for Young Minds is compiling this feedback to create guides for researchers who want to translate their research for young readers, including: using your structure as part of the communication process, the dangers of explaining too much at once, reading to learn, limitations in vocabulary for different age groups, outreach figures - vs - research figures, defining your communication goals, communicating motivation and context, and sharing your excitement. We are working to share our experiences and create resources that will not only be useful for people participating in Frontiers for Young Minds, but for anyone who wants to become a better science communicator.

  12. No Limits--READ! Young Adult Reading Club and Programming Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Youngblood, Lisa

    This manual provides strategies for developing young adult collections, outlines a reading club designed specifically for young adults, suggests promotional ideas for the young adult reading club and young adult programming in general, and provides age-appropriate ideas for both formal and passive programming. Specific topics covered in the…

  13. Understanding Young Exoplanet Analogs with WISE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rice, Emily

    We propose to tackle outstanding questions about the fundamental properties of young brown dwarfs, which are atmospheric analogs to massive gas giant exoplanets, using public archive data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) combined with our extensive dataset of optical and near-infrared observations, including spectra, proper motions, and parallaxes. Using WISE data we will construct color-color diagrams, color- magnitude diagrams, and spectral energy distributions for our sample of candidate young brown dwarfs. We will fully characterize the spectral properties of the candidates and evaluate their membership in nearby young moving groups in order to obtain independent age estimates. The practical outcomes of this project will allow the research community to use observed colors and spectra to reliably constrain the properties - including effective temperature, gravity, and dust/cloud properties - of both brown dwarfs and gas giant exoplanets. We will also search for new young brown dwarfs in the WISE archive using colors and proper motions. The expanded sample of young brown dwarfs will be used to create a self-contained feedback loop to identify and address the shortcomings of cool atmosphere models and low-mass evolutionary tracks, both of which are already being used to infer the properties of massive exoplanets. Disentangling the effects of physical parameters on the observed properties of young brown dwarfs is directly relevant to studies of exoplanets. Direct observations of exoplanets are currently very limited, and young brown dwarfs are the laboratories in which we can solve existing problems before the onslaught of new observations from instruments capable of directly imaging exoplanets, including the Gemini Planet Imager, Project 1640 at the Palomar Observatory, SPHERE on the VLT, and the James Webb Space Telescope. This project addresses the goal of the NASA Science Mission Directorate to discover how the universe works; in particular

  14. Reproductive Health-Care Utilization of Young Adults Insured as Dependents.

    PubMed

    Andrasfay, Theresa

    2018-05-01

    The common practice of sending an explanation of benefits to policyholders may inadvertently disclose sensitive services to the parents of dependents, making confidentiality a potential barrier to reproductive health care. This study compares the reproductive health-care utilization of young adult dependents and young adult policyholders using nationally representative data collected after full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Data from 2,108 young adults aged 18-25 years in the 2015 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Logistic regressions predicted utilization of two preventive services (general doctor visit and flu vaccination) and four reproductive health services (HIV testing, obstetrician/gynecologist visit, hormonal contraceptive use, and Pap testing) from the insurance type of the young adult (dependent, privately insured policyholder, or Medicaid). In unadjusted analyses, young adult dependents had lower utilization of HIV tests than their peers who were privately insured or Medicaid policyholders. Young women dependents had lower utilization of Pap tests than young women on Medicaid. Once controls were included, young adult dependents did not have significantly lower odds of obtaining reproductive health care than privately insured policyholders. Dependent young men still had marginally lower odds of ever having an HIV test (adjusted odds ratio = .65, p = .08) and dependent young women still had marginally lower odds of ever having a Pap test (adjusted odds ratio = .58, p = .06) than comparable Medicaid policyholders. Despite confidentiality concerns, young adults insured as dependents have utilization of several reproductive health services similar to that of comparable young adult policyholders. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Increasing access to sexual health care for rural and regional young people: Similarities and differences in the views of young people and service providers.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Karen; Harvey, Caroline; Matich, Paula; Page, Priscilla; Jukka, Clare; Hollins, Jane; Larkins, Sarah

    2015-10-01

    This study aims to describe the views of sexual health service providers on access issues for young people and consider them together with the views of young people themselves. A cross-sectional mixed-methods study design involving semi-structured interviews with health service providers and an electronic survey with young people. Four towns in rural and regional Queensland, Australia. A total of 32 service providers: 9 sexual health nurses, 8 general practitioners, 6 school-based youth health nurses, 5 sexual health educators, 2 Australian Aboriginal health workers and 2 youth workers. There were 391 young people who participated in the Young People's Survey. Themes generated from interviews with service providers and quantitative data from young people addressing access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for rural and regional young people. Service providers frequently identified structural barriers, confidentiality and lack of awareness of SRH services as barriers for young people seeking SRH care. Young people also reported that structural factors such as transport, cost and service operating hours were important; however, they placed greater value on personal attributes of service providers, particularly welcoming and non-judgemental attitudes. Health service policy and training focused on attitudinal qualities of individual service providers may improve access to SRH services for young people. Selective staff recruitment and professional development are important to increase sensitivity to youth issues. Promotion of non-judgemental and confidential care may also improve access for youth. © 2015 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

  16. The health status of young adults in the United States.

    PubMed

    Park, M Jane; Paul Mulye, Tina; Adams, Sally H; Brindis, Claire D; Irwin, Charles E

    2006-09-01

    The health issues of young adulthood have received relatively little attention compared with those of adolescence, although the critical issues in young adulthood parallel those of adolescence. Young adults often fare worse than adolescents on health indicators, with many measures of negative outcomes--including rates of injury, homicide, and substance use--peaking during the young adult years. The contextual factors shaping health status and access to care in young adulthood differ significantly from the context of adolescence. This article synthesizes national data to present a health profile of young adults, reviewing social indicators that describe the context of young adulthood and presenting measures of health status. We examine mortality, morbidity, risky behaviors, and health care access and utilization, identifying the most significant gender and racial/ethnic disparities. The article also identifies limitations of existing data and offers suggestions for future research and health monitoring in this area. We conclude with a discussion of current efforts to address the health and well-being of young adults and argue for creating a national health agenda for young adults that includes research, programs and policies to address health issues during this period of the lifespan.

  17. The Relevance of Young Adult Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stallworth, B. Joyce

    2006-01-01

    Although young adult literature is often recommended as a reading bridge to the classics, Stallworth insists that the genre deserves a prominent place in the middle school canon in its own right. She describes several examples from middle school classrooms of how young adult novels can enhance tweens' "life literacy" by both helping them develop…

  18. Multicultural Monologues for Young Actors. The Young Actors Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slaight, Craig, Ed.; Sharrar, Jack, Ed.

    This book presents 62 monologue selections from diverse cultures for young actors to perform. The book's selections offer "quality literature by significant writers." Some of the writers represented in the book are George C. Wolfe, Miguel Pinero, Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), John M. Synge, Yukio Mishima, Reynolds…

  19. Continuity and Discontinuity of Depressed Mood from Late Adolescence to Young Adulthood: The Mediating and Stabilizing Roles of Young Adults' Socioeconomic Attainment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wickrama, K. A. S.; Conger, Rand D.; Lorenz, Federick O.; Martin, Monica

    2012-01-01

    Using prospective, longitudinal data from 467 youth over a 13-year period (late adolescence and young adulthood), the present study investigates three research questions: (1) to what extent do elevations in depressed mood continue (homotypic continuity) from adolescence to young adulthood, (2) to what extent do young adults' socioeconomic…

  20. Smoking in young adulthood among African Americans: Interconnected effects of supportive parenting in early adolescence, proinflammatory epitype, and young adult stress.

    PubMed

    Beach, Steven R H; Lei, Man Kit; Brody, Gene H; Miller, Gregory E; Chen, Edith; Mandara, Jelani; Philibert, Robert A

    2017-08-01

    We examined two potentially interacting, connected pathways by which parental supportiveness during early adolescence (ages 1-13) may come to be associated with later African American young adult smoking. The first pathway is between parental supportiveness and young adult stress (age 19), with stress, in turn, predicting increased smoking at age 20. The second pathway is between supportive parenting and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene methylation (i.e., TNFm), a proinflammatory epitype, with low levels indicating greater inflammatory potential and forecasting increased risk for smoking in response to young adult stress. In a sample of 382 African American youth residing in rural Georgia, followed from early adolescence (age 10-11) to young adulthood (age 20), supportive parenting indirectly predicted smoking via associations with young adult stress, IE = -0.071, 95% confidence interval [-0.132, -0.010]. In addition, supportive parenting was associated with TNFm measured at age 20 (r = .177, p = .001). Further, lower TNFm was associated with a significantly steeper slope (b = 0.583, p = .003) of increased smoking in response to young adult stress compared to those with higher TNFm (b = 0.155, p = .291), indicating an indirect, amplifying role for supportive parenting via TNFm. The results suggest that supportive parenting in early adolescence may play a role in understanding the emergence of smoking in young adulthood.

  1. Cue Reactivity in Young Marijuana Smokers

    PubMed Central

    Gray, Kevin M.; LaRowe, Steven D.; Upadhyaya, Himanshu P.

    2008-01-01

    Objective To develop and evaluate the feasibility of a cue reactivity paradigm for young marijuana smokers. Method A laboratory procedure was developed involving neutral- and marijuana-related imagery, video, and in vivo cues. Fifteen adolescents and young adults with cannabis use disorders completed the procedure. Continuous Skin Conductance (SC) and Heart Rate (HR) were measured throughout the procedure. Participants completed questionnaires regarding marijuana craving before, during and after cue presentations. Results Higher levels of craving and SC were observed during marijuana cue presentations. Conclusions The procedure appears to elicit cue reactivity among adolescents and young adults with cannabis use disorders and should be further evaluated and refined with a larger sample. Implications for future studies are discussed. PMID:19071985

  2. Young Men, Masculinities and Sex Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limmer, Mark

    2010-01-01

    This paper draws on focus group and interview data from 45 young men from the north of England to explore the barriers to effective sex and relationships education (SRE). Recent policy debates in relation to establishing statutory SRE in schools provide an opportunity to revisit how it is currently delivered to, and received by, young men. The…

  3. Young Librarians, Talkin' 'bout Their Generation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlson, Scott

    2007-01-01

    Last summer the "New York Times" declared young librarians hip--and, in the minds of some librarians, actually reinforced the other stereotype: that older members of their profession are reclusive bookworms and cranky old ladies. But whether young librarians are hip or dowdy doesn't matter. What matters is what they think about the future of the…

  4. Astronaut John Young Remembrance, Wreath Laying Ceremony

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-01-11

    NASA is remembering the accomplishments and legacy of astronaut John Young, who died Jan. 5 at the age of 87. The U.S. Navy fighter pilot joined the space program in 1962 and went on to fly six missions spanning three generations of NASA spacecraft. NASA, the Astronaut Memorial Foundation and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex hosted a wreath laying ceremony at the Heroes and Legends exhibit at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex Jan. 11 in honor of Young. Young flew aboard Gemini 3 in 1965 and commanded Gemini 10 the following year. In May 1969, he served as command module pilot on Apollo 10 and returned to the Moon as commander of Apollo 16. In April 1981, he commanded the ultimate test flight: STS-1, the first flight of the space shuttle. He was joined aboard shuttle Columbia by pilot Bob Crippen. Young flew his final mission, STS-9, in 1983, but he continued to work in NASA’s astronaut office until his retirement in 2004. Kennedy’s Firing Room 1 was named the Young-Crippen Firing Room in April 2006, the 25th anniversary of Columbia’s maiden voyage.

  5. Remarkable heterogeneity in myosin heavy-chain composition of the human young masseter compared with young biceps brachii.

    PubMed

    Osterlund, Catharina; Lindström, Mona; Thornell, Lars-Eric; Eriksson, Per-Olof

    2012-10-01

    Adult human jaw muscles differ from limb and trunk muscles in enzyme-histochemical fibre type composition. Recently, we showed that the human masseter and biceps differ in fibre type pattern already at childhood. The present study explored the myosin heavy-chain (MyHC) expression in the young masseter and biceps muscles by means of gel electrophoresis (GE) and immuno-histochemical (IHC) techniques. Plasticity in MyHC expression during life was evaluated by comparing the results with the previously reported data for adult muscles. In young masseter, GE identified MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa MyHC-IIx and small proportions of MyHC-fetal and MyHC-α cardiac. Western blots confirmed the presence of MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa and MyHC-IIx. IHC revealed in the masseter six isomyosins, MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa, MyHC-IIx, MyHC-fetal, MyHC α-cardiac and a previously not reported isoform, termed MyHC-IIx'. The majority of the masseter fibres co-expressed two to four isoforms. In the young biceps, both GE and IHC identified MyHC-I, MyHC-IIa and MyHC-IIx. MyHC-I predominated in both muscles. Young masseter showed more slow and less-fast and fetal MyHC than the adult and elderly masseter. These results provide evidence that the young masseter muscle is unique in MyHC composition, expressing MyHC-α cardiac and MyHC-fetal isoforms as well as hitherto unrecognized potential spliced isoforms of MyHC-fetal and MyHC-IIx. Differences in masseter MyHC expression between young adult and elderly suggest a shift from childhood to adulthood towards more fast contractile properties. Differences between masseter and biceps are proposed to reflect diverse evolutionary and developmental origins and confirm that the masseter and biceps present separate allotypes of muscle.

  6. Health Update: Foot Problems of Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aronson, Susan S.

    1987-01-01

    Discusses common foot problems of young children and ways parents, child caregivers, and physicians should deal with them. Particular attention is given to care and medical treatment for flat feet, peeling feet, and "w"-sitting in young children. (Author/BB)

  7. Suicide Risk at Young Adulthood: Continuities and Discontinuities from Adolescence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hooven, Carole; Snedker, Karen A.; Thompson, Elaine Adams

    2012-01-01

    Young adult suicide is an important social problem, yet little is known about how risk for young adult suicide develops from earlier life stages. In this study the authors report on 759 young adults who were potential high school dropouts as youth. At both adolescence and young adulthood, measures of suicide risk status and related suicide risk…

  8. Short communication: Viability of culture organisms in honey-enriched acidophilus-bifidus-thermophilus (ABT)-type fermented camel milk.

    PubMed

    Varga, L; Süle, J; Nagy, P

    2014-11-01

    The aim of this research was to monitor the survival during refrigerated storage of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 (A), Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 (B), and Streptococcus thermophilus CHCC 742/2130 (T) in cultured dairy foods made from camel and, for comparison, cow milks supplemented with black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) honey and fermented by an acidophilus-bifidus-thermophilus (ABT)-type culture. Two liters of dromedary camel milk and 2 L of cow milk were heated to 90 °C and held for 10 min, then cooled to 40 °C. One half of both types of milk was fortified with black locust honey at the rate of 5.0% (wt/vol), whereas the other half was devoid of honey and served as a control. The camel and cow milks with and without honey were subsequently inoculated with ABT-5 culture and were fermented at 37 °C until a pH value of 4.6 was reached. Thereafter, the probiotic fermented milks were cooled to 15 °C in ice water and were each separated into 18 fractions that were transferred in sterile, tightly capped centrifuge tubes. After 24 h of cooling at 8 °C (d 0), the samples were stored at refrigeration temperature (4 °C). Three tubes of all 4 products (i.e., fermented camel and cow milks with and without honey) were taken at each sampling time (i.e., following 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 d of storage), and the counts of characteristic microorganisms and those of certain spoilage microbes (yeasts, molds, coliforms, Escherichia coli) were enumerated. The entire experimental program was repeated twice. The results showed that addition of black locust honey at 5% to heat-treated camel and cow milks did not influence the growth and survival of starter streptococci during production and subsequent refrigerated storage of fermented ABT milks. In contrast, honey improved retention of viability of B. animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 in the camel milk-based product during storage at 4 °C up to 5 wk. No spoilage organisms were detected in any of the samples tested

  9. Hydrologic feasibility of artificial forestation in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, T. T.; Fu, B. J.; Liu, G. H.; Wang, Z.

    2011-08-01

    Hydrologic viability, in terms of moisture availability, is fundamental to ecosystem sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, we examine the spatial distribution and after-planting variations of soil moisture content (SMC) in black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) plantings in the Loess Plateau of China at a regional scale. Thirty sites (5 to 45 yr old) were selected, spanning an area of 300 km by 190 km in the northern region of the Shaanxi Province. The SMC was measured to a depth of 100 cm at intervals of 10 cm. Geographical, topographic and vegetation information was recorded, and soil organic matter was evaluated. The results show that, at the regional scale, SMC spatial variability was most highly correlated with rainfall. The negative relationship between the SMC at a depth of 20-50 cm and the stand age was stronger than at other depths, although this relationship was not significant at a 5 % level. Watershed analysis shows that the after-planting SMC variation differed depending upon precipitation. The SMC of plantings in areas receiving sufficient precipitation (e.g., mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 617 mm) may increase with stand age due to improvements in soil water-holding capacity and water-retention abilities after planting. For areas experiencing water shortages (e.g., MAP = 509 mm), evapotranspiration may cause planting soils to dry within the first 20 yr of growth. It is expected that, as arid and semi-arid plantings age, evapotranspiration will decrease, and the soil profile may gradually recover. In extremely dry areas (e.g., MAP = 352 mm), the variation in after-planting SMC with stand age was found to be negligible. The MAP can be used as an index to divide the study area into different ecological regions. Afforestation may sequentially exert positive, negative and negligible effects on SMCs with a decrease in the MAP. Therefore, future restoration measures should correspond to the local climate conditions, and the

  10. Young people first.

    PubMed

    Dick, B

    1994-01-01

    More than 50% of the world's population is less than 25 years old, with one in three people aged 10-24. In many countries, more than 50% of the population has unprotected penetrative sex before the age of 16. Under these circumstances, more than 50% of people infected with HIV are under age 25, with young women far more likely to be HIV-infected than men. Pubescent and post-pubescent youths undergo a host of normal physiological and psychological changes which cause them to desire sexual intercourse and take risks. Some have even more to cope with due to their being in poverty, homeless, unemployed, discriminated against for their homosexuality, and/or subject to violence. With limited access to information about sex and sexual development, and no access to counseling or sympathetic family planning services and sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, adolescents produce many unwanted pregnancies and contract myriad STDs. An urgent need therefore exists to enable young people to protect themselves against HIV, other STDs, and unwanted pregnancy, and experience safe and healthy sexual development. Appropriate interventions include providing sex education in schools, working with youths in religious organizations, sports or youth clubs, using the media, and making family planning services more accessible. Whichever approach is taken, however, it is imperative that young people be understood, accommodated, and involved; that they be conferred the necessary skills, attitudes, and information; that they have access to services and sympathetic and knowledgeable adults; and that supportive environments be fostered.

  11. David Young | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    (HVPE) growth of III-V materials for high-efficiency 1-sun to low-concentration solar cell applications growth, 2011. Timothy, J.C., D.L. Young, and T.A. Gessert, Modeling, Characterization, and Properties of

  12. Suicide Risk at Young Adulthood: Continuities and Discontinuities From Adolescence

    PubMed Central

    Hooven, Carole; Snedker, Karen A.; Thompson, Elaine Adams

    2011-01-01

    Young adult suicide is an important social problem, yet little is known about how risk for young adult suicide develops from earlier life stages. In this study the authors report on 759 young adults who were potential high school dropouts as youth. At both adolescence and young adulthood, measures of suicide risk status and related suicide risk factors are collected. With a two-by-two classification on the basis of suicide risk status at both adolescence and young adulthood, the authors distinguish four mutually exclusive groups reflecting suicide risk at two life stages. Using ANOVA and logistic regression, both adolescent and young adult suicide risk factors are identified, with evidence of similarity between risk factors at adolescence and at young adulthood, for both individual-level and social-context factors. There is also support for both continuity and discontinuity of adolescent suicide risk. Implications for social policy are discussed. PMID:23129876

  13. Level of Young People Sexual and Reproductive Health Service Utilization and Its Associated Factors among Young People in Awabel District, Northwest Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Ayehu, Atitegeb; Kassaw, Teketo; Hailu, Getachew

    2016-01-01

    Currently in Ethiopia, young people's sexual and reproductive health services are limited and there is a growing issue of confidentiality and affordability of these health services. Moreover, the available services provided are not sensitive to the special needs of young people. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess young people's sexual and reproductive health service utilization and its associated factors in Awabel district, Northwest Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 781 randomly selected young people using a pre-tested structured questionnaires in Awabel district, Northwest Ethiopia. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 software. The mean age of respondents were 17.80 (+ 2.65) years. About 41% of young people had utilized sexual and reproductive health services. Young people from families of higher family expenditure, lived with mothers, participated in peer education and lived near to a Health Center were more likely to utilize sexual and reproductive health services. Furthermore, those who had a parental discussion on sexual and reproductive health (AOR (95% C.I): 2.23 (1.43, 3.46)) and ever had sexual intercourse (AOR (95% C.I): 1.88 (1.30, 2.71)) were more likely to utilize the service than their counterparts. On the other hand, those young people lived with their father and had a primary level of educational attainment was less likely to utilize the service. Utilization of sexual and reproductive health services is low which needs a great attention where; if not intervened, young people might engage in risky sexual activities. Therefore, it needs a concerted effort from all the concerned bodies to improve their service utilization and thereby reduce the burden of young people's disease and disabilities associated with sexual and reproductive health.

  14. Treatment of Young Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

    PubMed

    Kansagra, Ankit; Litzow, Mark

    2017-06-01

    Young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are a distinctive category of patients, with substantial difference in disease biology and response to therapy; hence, they pose unique challenges and issues beyond those faced by children and older adults. Despite inferior survival compared to children, there is growing evidence to suggest that young adults have improved outcomes when treated with pediatric-based approaches. With better supportive care and toxicity management and multidisciplinary team and approach, we have made great improvement in outcomes of young adults with ALL. However, despite significant progress, patients with persistence of minimal residual disease have a poor prognosis. This review discusses current controversies in the management of young adults with ALL, outcomes following pediatric and adult protocols, and the role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We also explore recent advances in disease monitoring and highlight our approach to incorporation of novel therapies in the management of young adults with ALL.

  15. The Voices of Young Black Males

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sparrow, Tracey; Sparrow, Abby

    2012-01-01

    What do young black males say about what stands in the way of their academic success? Rather than rely on scholarly researchers to answer this question, the authors talked with a number of black males between ages 13 and 22 in Washington D.C., and Milwaukee, Wis., to learn what they had to say. These young men rarely talked about schools or…

  16. Meeting the needs of young adults.

    PubMed

    McCauley, A P; Salter, C; Kiragu, K; Senderowitz, J

    1995-10-01

    As they mature and become sexually active, more young people face serious health risks. Most face these risks with too little factual information, too little guidance about sexual responsibility, and too little access to health care. Meeting young adults' diverse needs challenges parents, communities, health care providers, and educators. Despite urgent needs, program efforts have been slight and slowed by controversy.

  17. Sudden cardiac death in the young

    PubMed Central

    Ackerman, Michael; Atkins, Dianne L; Triedman, John K

    2016-01-01

    Although the occurrence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a young person is a rare event, it is traumatic and often widely publicized. In recent years, SCD in this population has been increasingly seen as a public health and safety issue. This review presents current knowledge relevant to the epidemiology of SCD and to strategies for prevention, resuscitation and identification of those at greatest risk. Areas of active research and controversy include the development of best practices in screening, risk stratification approaches and post-mortem evaluation, and identification of modifiable barriers to providing better outcomes after resuscitation of young SCD victims. Institution of a national registry of SCD in the young will provide data that will help to answer these questions. PMID:26951821

  18. What Do Young Adult Novels Say about HIV/AIDS?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gross, Melissa

    1998-01-01

    Using a content analysis approach, this investigation systematically studies messages about HIV/AIDS contained in young adult novels and considers the effects of these messages as an information source for the reader. Young adults and young adult fiction are defined, and coding sheets and bibliographies are appended. (Author/LRW)

  19. Debt, cohabitation, and marriage in young adulthood.

    PubMed

    Addo, Fenaba R

    2014-10-01

    Despite growing evidence that debt influences pivotal life events in early and young adulthood, the role of debt in the familial lives of young adults has received relatively little attention. Using data from the NLSY 1997 cohort (N = 6,749) and a discrete-time competing risks hazard model framework, I test whether the transition to first union is influenced by a young adult's credit card and education loan debt above and beyond traditional educational and labor market characteristics. I find that credit card debt is positively associated with cohabitation for men and women, and that women with education loan debt are more likely than women without such debt to delay marriage and transition into cohabitation. Single life may be difficult to afford, but marital life is un-affordable as well. Cohabitation presents an alternative to single life, but not necessarily a marital substitute for these young adults.

  20. NREL Taps Young to Oversee Geothermal Energy Program | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Taps Young to Oversee Geothermal Energy Program News Release: NREL Taps Young to Oversee Geothermal (NREL) promoted Katherine Young to laboratory program manager for geothermal energy. Young has been with NREL since 2008, working as a senior geothermal analyst and engineer in the Strategic Energy Analysis

  1. Priorities for children and young people - opportunities and challenges for children and young people's nurses.

    PubMed

    Smith, Fiona

    2016-05-09

    Across Europe children's nurses today face many challenges, including rising childhood obesity, the soaring incidence of issues with the mental health of children and young people, the effects of social media, child maltreatment and the impact of poverty, war and conflict on children and families. There are opportunities for children's nurses to undertake new roles and to influence both policy and practice to improve the health outcomes of children and young people, and thereby the future health of the population.

  2. Health-related quality of life in young men with testicular cancer: validation of the Cancer Assessment for Young Adults (CAYA).

    PubMed

    Hoyt, Michael A; Cano, Stefan J; Saigal, Christopher S; Stanton, Annette L

    2013-12-01

    Patient-reported outcome instruments are needed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in young adults with cancer. The purpose of this project was to establish a conceptual model and measurement instrument for assessment of HRQOL in young men with testicular cancer. Patient interviews and a literature review were used to develop a conceptual framework of biopsychosocial domains of cancer-related quality of life and an initial pool of questionnaire items. Items were piloted and refined. Revised items were administered to a sample (N = 171) of young (ages 18-29) men with testicular cancer and repeated 4 weeks later. Rasch measurement methods guided item reduction and scale construction. Traditional psychometric analyses were also performed to allow for comparison with existing measures. The conceptual framework included seven biopsychosocial domains: physical, sexual, intrapersonal, cognitive-emotional, social-relational, educational-vocational-avocational, and spiritual to form independent scales of the resulting questionnaire, the Cancer Assessment for Young Adults-Testicular (CAYA-T). Each scale fulfilled Rasch and traditional psychometric criteria (i.e., person separation index, 0.34-0.82; Cronbach's alpha, 0.70-0.91; and an expected pattern of convergent and discriminant validity correlations). The CAYA-T can be used to assess HRQOL across a comprehensive set of domains as identified by young men with cancer. It passes strict psychometric criteria and has potential as a useful research and clinical tool. The CAYA-T has potential research and clinical value for addressing inter-related aspects of HRQOL in young adult men with cancer. The measure may assist with assessing and monitoring HRQOL across a range of domains and contributing to more comprehensive assessment of biopsychosocial needs of young adults.

  3. Young adults, technology, and weight loss: a focus group study.

    PubMed

    Stephens, Janna; Moscou-Jackson, Gyasi; Allen, Jerilyn K

    2015-01-01

    Overweight and obesity are a major concern in young adults. Technology has been integrated into many weight loss interventions; however little is known about the use of this technology in young adults. The purpose of this study was to explore through focus group sessions the opinions of young adults on the use of technology for weight loss. A total of 17 young adults, between 18 and 25 years of age, participated in three focus group sessions. Major results indicated that young adults have very little knowledge on the use of Smartphone technology for weight loss but would like to use this type of technology to help them lose weight. Results also indicated that young adults struggle to make healthy food choices and have priorities that outweigh exercise and they need support and guidance to make better decisions. In conclusion, young adults would be open to using Smartphone technology for weight loss but also need feedback and guidance to help make healthy decisions.

  4. Young Adults, Technology, and Weight Loss: A Focus Group Study

    PubMed Central

    Moscou-Jackson, Gyasi; Allen, Jerilyn K.

    2015-01-01

    Overweight and obesity are a major concern in young adults. Technology has been integrated into many weight loss interventions; however little is known about the use of this technology in young adults. The purpose of this study was to explore through focus group sessions the opinions of young adults on the use of technology for weight loss. A total of 17 young adults, between 18 and 25 years of age, participated in three focus group sessions. Major results indicated that young adults have very little knowledge on the use of Smartphone technology for weight loss but would like to use this type of technology to help them lose weight. Results also indicated that young adults struggle to make healthy food choices and have priorities that outweigh exercise and they need support and guidance to make better decisions. In conclusion, young adults would be open to using Smartphone technology for weight loss but also need feedback and guidance to help make healthy decisions. PMID:25789170

  5. Weight comments by family and significant others in young adulthood.

    PubMed

    Eisenberg, Marla E; Berge, Jerica M; Fulkerson, Jayne A; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2011-01-01

    Weight teasing is common among adolescents, but less is known about the continuation of this experience during young adulthood. The present study uses survey data from a diverse sample of 2287 young adults, who participated in a 10-year longitudinal study of weight-related issues to examine hurtful weight comments by family members or a significant other. Among young adults, 35.9% of females and 22.8% of males reported receiving hurtful weight-related comments by family members, and 21.2% of females and 23.8% of males with a significant other had received hurtful weight-related comments from this source. Hispanic and Asian young adults and overweight/obese young adults were more likely to report receiving comments than those in other groups. Weight teasing during adolescence predicted hurtful weight-related comments in young adulthood, with some differences by gender. Findings suggest that hurtful weight talk continues into young adulthood and is predicted by earlier weight teasing experiences. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Young People's Wellbeing: Contradictions in Managing the Healthy Self

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wyn, Johanna

    2009-01-01

    This article explores the contradictions and complexities of young people's management of their health and wellbeing. It argues that it is important to understand how young people actively produce health outcomes, drawing substantially on themes developed in my recent book on young people and wellbeing (Wyn, 2009). The background to this…

  7. Resisting Participation: Critiquing Participatory Research Methodologies with Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Rachael

    2013-01-01

    Participatory methodologies are increasingly employed in research with young people. These practices stem from a desire to reduce problematic distributions of power in research and to construct knowledge with young people rather than for them. This paper examines research conducted with a small group of young people experiencing exclusion from…

  8. Young Adults Deserve the Best: YALSA's Competencies in Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flowers, Sarah

    2010-01-01

    As high school enrollment continues to rise, the need for effective librarianship serving young adults is greater than ever before. "Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth," developed by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is a document outlining areas of focus for providing quality library service…

  9. Prayer practices among young adults.

    PubMed

    Nance, Jennifer G; Quinn Griffin, Mary T; McNulty, Sister Rita; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

    2010-01-01

    Prayer is the most common complementary and alternative intervention used by most Americans. Yet, little is known about the prayer practices of young adults. In this exploratory study, 4 types of prayer practices of 62 young adults (21-30 years old) are described. The 4 different categories of prayer were: contemplative-meditative, ritualistic, petitionary, and colloquial. Participants most often used colloquial prayer practice, that is, asking God to provide guidance or talking to God in their own words. Recommendations for future research are included.

  10. Young adult's attachment style as a partial mediator between maternal functioning and young adult offsprings' functioning.

    PubMed

    Ruiz, Sarah K; Harris, Susan J; Martinez, Pedro; Gold, Philip M; Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie

    2018-05-01

    The quality of our early attachment relationships with primary caregivers is carried forward to new developmental domains, including interpersonal contexts in adulthood. One of the factors that can disrupt early attachment is maternal depression, which may be associated with less responsive care and may impede the development of a secure attachment. Moreover, this disruption in secure attachment may act as a mechanism by which offspring of depressed mothers are more likely to experience their own psychopathology. In this study we predicted that attachment anxiety and avoidance would mediate the relationship between maternal depression diagnosis and functional impairment predicting young adult offspring's functional impairment. This study utilized longitudinal data from 98 families with clinically diagnosed depressed and well mothers, and two of their young adult children, an older and younger sibling (N = 123, Female = 75, Mage = 22.09, SD = 2.57). Mother's and young adult children's functioning was based on clinical ratings on the Global Assessment Scale. Attachment was based on the young adult's self-report on the Experiences in Close Relationships. Results indicate that maternal diagnosis and functional impairment predicted offspring's functional impairment. This relationship was partially mediated through offspring's attachment anxiety, but not attachment avoidance. The mediator and outcome variable were measured concurrently, thus causal implications are limited. Our study provides critical evidence that early experiences with depressed mothers may have influence into young adulthood in typical and atypical domains of development. This work extends our understanding of the impact of early experiences in long-term development, and may have treatment implications for intervening on both maternal and romantic relationships to improve attachment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Are hearing losses among young Maori different to those found in the young NZ European population?

    PubMed

    Digby, Janet E; Purdy, Suzanne C; Kelly, Andrea S; Welch, David; Thorne, Peter R

    2014-07-18

    This study was undertaken to determine if young Maori have more permanent bilateral hearing loss, or less severe and profound hearing loss than New Zealand (NZ) Europeans. Data include hearing-impaired children from birth to 19 years of age from the New Zealand Deafness Notification Database (DND) and covering the periods 1982-2005 and 2009-2013. These were retrospectively analysed, as was information on children and young people with cochlear implants. Young Maori are more likely to be diagnosed with permanent hearing loss greater than 26 dB HL, averaged across speech frequencies, with 39-43% of hearing loss notifications listed as Maori. Maori have a lower prevalence of severe/profound losses (n=1571, chi squared=22.08, p=0.01) but significantly more bilateral losses than their NZ European peers (n=595, Chi-squared=9.05, p=0.01). The difference in severity profile is supported by cochlear implant data showing Maori are less likely to receive a cochlear implant. There are significant differences in the proportion of bilateral (compared to unilateral) losses and in the rates and severity profile of hearing loss among young Maori when compared with their NZ European peers. This has implications for screening and other hearing services in NZ.

  12. Young people's time use and maternal employment in the UK.

    PubMed

    Mullan, Killian

    2009-12-01

    This paper analyses the relationship between young people's time use and maternal employment in the United Kingdom (UK). Two dimensions of young people's time use are important for understanding the impact of maternal employment. The first of these is family context. This concerns the time young people are near their parents or not. The second relates to young people's activity patterns. Combining information from both dimensions is necessary to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of maternal employment on young people's time use. The paper demonstrates that young people's time use is associated with maternal employment both in terms of activity patterns and family context. Young people with employed mothers spend more time alone with a father, and more time with neither parent. More specifically, young people with mothers employed full time (FT) spend significantly more time watching TV than those whose mothers are not employed, especially when they are not near any parents. There is a negative association between FT maternal employment and the time young people spend in achievement-related activities, concentrated in time when alone with a mother. Unlike time in leisure activities or time watching TV, time in achievement-related activities when in the presence of a father does not increase to compensate for the loss in time spent in achievement-related activities when alone with a mother.

  13. Breast cancer in young women.

    PubMed

    Radecka, Barbara; Litwiniuk, Maria

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer (BC) in young women is rare, affecting only 4-6% of women under the age of 40. Regardless, BC remains the most common malignancy among younger patients. Recently, a significant increase in BC rates has been observed among pre-menopausal subjects. Breast cancer in young women requires special attention due to its specific morphologic and prognostic characteristics and unique aspects, including fertility preservation and psychosocial issues (e.g. its impact on family life and career). Young women are more likely to have tumors with higher incidence of negative clinicopathologic features (higher histological grade, more lymph node positivity, lower estrogen receptor (ER) positivity, higher rates of Her2/neu overexpression). Also, they tend to be diagnosed at more advanced stages of the disease. That, in turn, contributes to less favorable prognosis as compared to older women. Young women are generally treated similarly to older patients. Surgical management includes mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery, followed by radiation therapy (younger women have higher local recurrence rates than older women, especially after breast-conserving therapy). Although the basics of chemotherapy are the same for patients of all ages, younger women have some special considerations. It is important to consider options for fertility preservation before starting systemic treatment. Patients should have access to genetic testing as their results may affect the choice of therapy. Younger women and their families should receive adequate psychological support and counselling.

  14. Young adult cancer survivors and work: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Stone, Dawn S; Ganz, Patricia A; Pavlish, Carol; Robbins, Wendie A

    2017-12-01

    Sixty-three percent of cancer survivors continue to work, or return to work after treatment. Among this population, work ability and challenges encountered in the workplace by young adult cancer survivors have not been well established. The purposes of the study are to describe what is currently known about work-related issues for young adult cancer survivors diagnosed between ages 15 and 39, to identify gaps in the research literature, and to suggest interventions or improvements in work processes and occupational settings. A narrative review of articles using PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo was conducted without date limitations. Search phrases included young adult cancer survivors, long-term cancer survivors, young adults affected by cancer, further combined with key terms employment, work, and occupationally active. Inclusion criteria for publications were young adult cancer survivors initially diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 39, data about work or employment was presented, and articles written in English. Twenty-three publications met the inclusion criteria. Work-related issues included the potential for reduced work productivity from cancer-changed physical and cognitive functional ability that affected income, and resulted in distress. Coping style, support systems, and changing perspectives about work and life in general were also influential on career decisions among young adult cancer survivors. More research is needed to study interventions to better manage health changes in young adult cancer survivors within the context of the workplace. Since financial hardship has been shown to be especially high among young cancer survivors, employment is essential to ensure payment of cancer-associated costs and continued medical care. While young adult cancer survivors may initially grapple with cancer-related physical and psychosocial changes that impact work productivity or influence choice of occupation, employment appears to enhance overall quality of life.

  15. Dental care among young adults with intellectual disability

    PubMed Central

    Kancherla, Vijaya; Van Naarden Braun, Kim; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn

    2015-01-01

    Dental care among young adults with intellectual disability (ID) is poorly documented and largely unmet. By using population-based data from the Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Follow-Up Study, we assessed factors associated with at least one or two dental visits per year among young adults with and without ID. Significantly fewer young adults with ID (45%) visited a dentist at least once per year, compared with those without ID (58%). ID severity and the presence of co-occurring developmental disabilities predicted dental care use. Sociodemographics, daily functioning, societal participation, dental services, and dental health factors were examined as predictors of dental care frequency. Our findings can help focus efforts toward improving the frequency of dental care visits among young adults with ID. PMID:23501584

  16. Developing a "Productive" Account of Young People's Transition Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vaughan, Karen; Roberts, Josie

    2007-01-01

    This article draws on the first two years of a longitudinal study of young people's pathway and career-related experiences and perspectives. It argues for a richer conceptualisation of young people's transition to study, training and employment than what simple school-to-labour market models allow. We present four clusters of young people's…

  17. 2009 YALSA Fabulous Films & Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Library Journal, 2009

    2009-01-01

    The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2009 annual lists of Fabulous Films for Young Adults and Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults ages 12 to 18. This article presents the titles that were released in January 2009 during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Denver,…

  18. Fatherhood, marriage and HIV risk among young men in rural Uganda.

    PubMed

    Mathur, Sanyukta; Higgins, Jenny A; Thummalachetty, Nityanjali; Rasmussen, Mariko; Kelley, Laura; Nakyanjo, Neema; Nalugoda, Fred; Santelli, John S

    2016-01-01

    Compared to a large body of work on how gender may affect young women's vulnerability to HIV, we know little about how masculine ideals and practices relating to marriage and fertility desires shape young men's HIV risk. Using life-history interview data with 30 HIV-positive and HIV-negative young men aged 15-24 years, this analysis offers an in-depth perspective on young men's transition through adolescence, the desire for fatherhood and experience of sexual partnerships in rural Uganda. Young men consistently reported the desire for fatherhood as a cornerstone of masculinity and transition to adulthood. Ideally young men wanted children within socially sanctioned unions. Yet, most young men were unable to realise their marital intentions. Gendered expectations to be economic providers combined with structural constraints, such as limited access to educational and income-generating opportunities, led some young men to engage in a variety of HIV-risk behaviours. Multiple partnerships and limited condom use were at times an attempt by some young men to attain some part of their aspirations related to fatherhood and marriage. Our findings suggest that young men possess relationship and parenthood aspirations that - in an environment of economic scarcity - may influence HIV-related risk.

  19. Fatherhood, marriage, and HIV risk among young men in rural Uganda

    PubMed Central

    Mathur, Sanyukta; Higgins, Jenny; Thummalachetty, Nityanjali; Rasmussen, Mariko; Kelley, Laura; Nakyanjo, Neema; Nalugoda, Fred; Santelli, John S.

    2016-01-01

    Compared to a large body of work on how gender may affect young women’s vulnerability to HIV, we know little about how masculine ideals and practices relating to marriage and fertility desires shape young men’s HIV risk. Using life-history interview data with 30 HIV-positive and HIV-negative young men ages 15-24 years, this analysis offers an in-depth perspective on young men’s transition through adolescence, desire for fatherhood, and experience of sexual partnerships in rural Uganda. Young men consistently reported the desire for fatherhood as a cornerstone of masculinity and transition to adulthood. Ideally young men wanted children within socially sanctioned unions. Yet, most young men were unable to realise their marital intentions. Gendered expectations to be economic providers combined with structural constraints, such as limited access to educational and income-generating opportunities, led some young men to engage in a variety of HIV risk behaviours. Multiple partnerships and limited condom use were at times an attempt by some young men to attain some part of their aspirations related to fatherhood and marriage. Our findings suggest that young men possess relationship and parenthood aspirations that – in an environment of economic scarcity – may influence HIV-related risk. PMID:26540470

  20. Learning Curves: Body Image and Female Sexuality in Young Adult Literature. Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature #35

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Younger, Beth

    2009-01-01

    Adolescence is a time of growth, change, and confusion for young women. During this transition from childhood to adulthood, sex and gender roles become more important. Meanwhile, depictions of females--from the hyper-sexualized girls of music videos to the chaste repression of Purity Balls--send mixed messages to young women about their bodies…

  1. YoungStar: We're Turning Five! Five Year Analysis as of July 2015. YoungStar Progress Report 6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, 2015

    2015-01-01

    This report is the sixth in a series of Wisconsin Council on Children & Families (WCCF) reports tracking the progress of Wisconsin's YoungStar program, a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) launched in 2010 to improve the quality of Wisconsin child care programs. YoungStar focuses on children of low-income working families receiving…

  2. Noticing Young Children's Mathematical Strengths and Agency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dockett, Sue; Goff, Wendy

    2013-01-01

    This paper promotes the importance of noticing young children's mathematical strengths. It draws on the philosophical positions of children's rights and competence to propose a shift in the ways in which all involved might notice the mathematical engagement, understandings, experiences and practices of young children. Noticing children's…

  3. 32 CFR 199.26 - TRICARE Young Adult.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...) MISCELLANEOUS CIVILIAN HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROGRAM OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES (CHAMPUS) § 199.26 TRICARE Young Adult. (a) Establishment. The TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program offers the medical benefits provided... sponsors who do not otherwise have eligibility for medical coverage under a TRICARE Program at age 21 (23...

  4. 32 CFR 199.26 - TRICARE Young Adult.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...) MISCELLANEOUS CIVILIAN HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROGRAM OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES (CHAMPUS) § 199.26 TRICARE Young Adult. (a) Establishment. The TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program offers the medical benefits provided... sponsors who do not otherwise have eligibility for medical coverage under a TRICARE Program at age 21 (23...

  5. The Young Child's Playful World of Sound.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pond, Donald

    1980-01-01

    Described is the Pillsbury Foundation School, designed to discover how creative music activity was provoked and generated in children, ages three to six, and how natural musicality could be developed in these young children. The author warns against repressing the deeply rooted natural musicality that young children inherit. (KC)

  6. Young Children and the Arts: Nurturing Imagination and Creativity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korn-Bursztyn, Carol, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    Young Children and the Arts: Nurturing Imagination and Creativity examines the place of the arts in the experiences of young and very young children at home and in out-of-home settings at school and in the community. There is great need for development of resources in the arts specifically designed to introduce babies and toddlers to participatory…

  7. Value Preferences Predicting Narcissistic Personality Traits in Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gungor, Ibrahim Halil; Eksi, Halil; Aricak, Osman Tolga

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed at showing how the value preferences of young adults could predict the narcissistic characteristics of young adults according to structural equation modeling. 133 female (59.6%) and 90 male (40.4%), total 223 young adults participated the study (average age: 25.66, ranging from 20 to 38). Ratio group sampling method was used while…

  8. Mother-child interactions in young children with excessive physical aggression and in typically developing young children.

    PubMed

    Urbain-Gauthier, Nadine; Wendland, Jaqueline

    2017-07-01

    Among the multiple risk factors, the emergence of conduct problems in young children may be linked to harsh parenting and child's temperamental difficulties, leading to a reciprocal early discordant relationship. Little is known about the characteristics of early parent-child interactions in young children with physical aggression. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the characteristics of mother-child interactions in dyads referred for excessive physical aggression in young children under 5 years of age compared to mother-child interactions in typically developing young children. Mother-child interactions were assessed during a free-play session in both a clinical sample ( N = 70, child mean age  = 3.5 years) and a nonclinical sample ( N = 80, child mean age  = 3.5 years) by using the Rating Scale of Interaction Style (Clark and Seifer, adapted by Molitor and Mayes). Significant differences were found between several interactive features in clinical and nonclinical dyads. In clinical dyads, mothers' behaviors were often characterized by intrusiveness and criticism toward children, and poor facilitative positioning. Children with excessive aggressive behavior often displayed poor communication, initiation of bids, and poor responsiveness toward the mother. They displayed fewer sustained bouts of play than typically developing children did. In clinical dyads, strong positive correlations were found between child responsiveness and maternal interest in engagement ( r = .41, p < .001), while the child displaying sustained bouts of play was negatively correlated with the mother's attempts to intrude on the child's activity ( r = .64, p < .05). These data show that children with excessive aggressive behavior develop disrupted mother-infant interactions from a very young age. Several negative interactive features and correlations between child behavior and maternal behavior were found in clinical samples. The effects of

  9. Diagnosing vocal cord dysfunction in young athletes.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Rea Kae

    2008-12-01

    To provide an overview of the pathophysiology, steps in making a diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment methods for vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) in young athletes. Review of published literature about VCD and exercise-induced asthma (EIA) and a case study. The clinical presentation of VCD is often confusing. A young athlete who is having difficulty "catching his breath" may have more than EIA. Young athletes who have been previously diagnosed with EIA may actually have VCD. The ability to correctly differentiate VCD from other causes of respiratory distress can lead to accurate interventions, save precious time in an acute situation, and promote long-term control of this condition.

  10. Determinants of infant-feeding choice among young women in Hilo, Hawaii.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Lynn; Reza, Angela; Cardines, Ka'imiala; Foutch-Chew, Kristel; Severance, Craig

    2008-09-01

    Our multicultural island community is unique in that many young mothers live in multigenerational households. In this qualitative study, we examined the factors that influenced young mothers' infant-feeding practices in Hilo, a small rural town in the Hawaiian Islands. The study participants consisted of young mothers, health care professionals, and educators. Our findings suggest that both the young mother's mother and her partner are very influential in the infant-feeding decision. Many young women in our study bottle fed to obtain assistance in caretaking, and to facilitate public breastfeeding. Additionally, we explored young mother's views of sexuality and breastfeeding, and their health promotion implications.

  11. Young Children and Trauma: Intervention and Treatment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osofsky, Joy D., Ed.

    2004-01-01

    Recent years have seen significant advances in knowledge about the effects of exposure to psychological trauma on young children from birth to age 5. This volume brings together leading experts to address practical considerations in working with traumatized young children and their caregivers. State-of-the-art assessment and treatment approaches…

  12. Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bista, Krishna

    2012-01-01

    In the selection of multicultural literature for children and young adults, educators and researchers focus on two main controversial issues--authority and authenticity--that the authors portray in their writing. What type of author can accurately portray realistic pictures of minority cultures in multicultural literature for young adults? Must it…

  13. Motivational Traits of Elite Young Soccer Players

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Craig; Meyers, Michael C.

    2004-01-01

    Among the most overlooked aspects in the development of elite young soccer players is that of specific psychological traits. Of those traits, motivation has important implications for programs whose objectives are identification and cultivation of young, skilled performers. The growth in popularity of soccer by youth and the successes experienced…

  14. Outdoor Experiences for Young Children. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivkin, Mary S.

    This digest examines the value of outdoor experience for young children, reasons for its decline, ways to enhance school play spaces, and aspects of developmentally appropriate outdoor environments. Young children appear to benefit from being outdoors and especially need the broad experiential base provided by being outdoors. The richness and…

  15. Revisiting the Early Use of Technology: A Critical Shift from "How Young Is Too Young?" to "How Much Is 'Just Right'?"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lentz, C. Lorelle; Seo, Kay Kyeong-Ju; Gruner, Bridget

    2014-01-01

    The conversation about young children and their use of technology has dramatically changed over the past ten years in the early childhood education community and in the general public. It appears the debate has moved forward from the question posed by Vail (2001) in her article titled, "How Young Is Too Young? When It Comes to Computer Use,…

  16. Perceived Stress, Parent-Adolescent/Young Adult Communication, and Family Resilience Among Adolescents/Young Adults Who Have a Parent With Cancer in Taiwan: A Longitudinal Study.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chin-Mi; Du, Bao-Feng; Ho, Ching-Liang; Ou, Wei-Jen; Chang, Yue-Cune; Chen, Wei-Ching

    Family resilience helps family members successfully overcome adversity, for example, chronic disease or unpleasant situations. However, few studies have identified correlates of family resilience among adolescents/young adults having a parent with cancer. This longitudinal study explored (1) relationships among family resilience, adolescents' perceived stress, and parent-adolescent/young adult communication; (2) trends in family resilience with data collection time; and (3) differences in parent-adolescent/young adult communication by parent gender (ie, father or mother). Participants were teenagers and young adults (12-25 years) with a parent who had cancer. Data were collected using structured questionnaires at 3 times for 4 to 5 months, with 2 months between each collection. Of 96 adolescent/young adult participants enrolled at T1, only 32 completed all measurements at T3. We found that (1) family resilience was negatively associated with adolescents' perceived stress (B = -0.35) and positively associated with adolescent/young adult communication with both the father (B = 0.58) and the mother (B = 0.36), (2) the degree of family resilience at T3 was significantly lower than at T1 (B = -4.79), and (3) at all 3 data collection times, the degree of adolescent/young adult communication was higher with mothers than with fathers, whether the mother had cancer or did not have cancer. Family resilience was positively associated with parent-adolescent/young adult communication and negatively related to perceived stress. Family resilience tended to decline with longer parental survival since cancer diagnosis. We suggest nursing interventions to reduce adolescent/young adult stress and develop optimal parent-adolescent/young adult communication to enhance family resilience.

  17. Prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in young Greek males.

    PubMed

    Tzilalis, Vassilios; Panagiotopoulos, Nikolaos; Papatheodorou, George; Rallis, Efstathios; Kassimos, Dimitrios

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to study the prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in young males. Young males were examined prospectively in a district hospital, and laboratory tests were performed on the basis of the clinical history. Young males (3.912), age 18-28 years old, were examined. Raynaud's phenomenon was present in seven men (1,79 per 1.000, 95% CI 0.72-3.68). Three of them had at least one member in their family diagnosed with Raynaud's phenomenon. Three were smokers. All had negative immunological test. Five patients reported having severe attacks and two had only mild ischemic attacks. The treatment was conservative for all patients, two of them necessitated vasodilators. Very low prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon was observed in this young male group compared with the previous studies.

  18. Young Hispanic Men and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Choices.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Tami L; Stephens, Dionne P; Johnson-Mallard, Versie; Higgins, Melinda

    2016-03-01

    This exploratory descriptive study examined perceived vulnerabilities to human papillomavirus (HPV) and the correlation to factors influencing vaccine beliefs and vaccine decision making in young Hispanic males attending a large public urban university. Only 24% of participants believed that the HPV vaccine could prevent future problems, and 53% said they would not be vaccinated. The best predictors of HPV vaccination in young Hispanic men were agreement with doctor recommendations and belief in the vaccine's efficacy. Machismo cultural norms influence young Hispanic men's HPV-related decision making, their perceptions of the vaccine, and how they attitudinally act on what little HPV information they have access to. This study provides culturally relevant information for the development of targeted health education strategies aimed at increasing HPV vaccination in young Hispanic men. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Young Hispanic Men and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Choices

    PubMed Central

    Stephens, Dionne P.; Johnson-Mallard, Versie; Higgins, Melinda

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory descriptive study examined perceived vulnerabilities to HPV and the correlation to factors influencing vaccine beliefs and vaccine decision-making in young Hispanics males attending a large public urban university. Only 24% of participants believed the HPV vaccine could prevent future problems, and 53% said they would not be vaccinated. The best predictors of HPV vaccination in young Hispanic men were agreement with doctor recommendations and belief in the vaccine’s efficacy. Machismo cultural norms influence young Hispanic men’s HPV-related decision making, their perceptions of the vaccine, and how they attitudinally act upon what little HPV information they have access to. This study provides culturally relevant information for the development of targeted health education strategies aimed at increasing HPV vaccination in young Hispanic men. PMID:24841473

  20. The Young Solar Analogs Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lambert, Ryan; Gray, Richard, , Dr.

    2014-03-01

    The ultimate goal of the Young Solar Analogs Project is to give insight into the conditions in the early solar system when life was first forming on the earth and to assess the challenges the young, active sun presented to that early life. To achieve this, we have been monitoring since 2007 the stellar activity of 31 young solar-type stars with ages between 0.3 and 1.5 Gyrs. Many of these stars exhibit star spot cycles like the sun, but in a few cases we are seeing evidence for a previously unknown type of star spot cycle. Some vary chaotically. We have detected the presence of differential rotation in several stars. We have also detected a number of powerful flares both photometrically and spectroscopically. Optical irradiance changes in these stars can be as high as 10% in a single year; such solar variability would have led to catastropic climate change on the early earth. We would like to thank NSF for their generous donations to this project.

  1. The young SMC cluster NGC 330

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carney, B. W.; Janes, K. A.; Flower, P. J.

    1985-01-01

    A color-magnitude diagram has been obtained for the young SMC cluster NGC 330. The diagram shows a well-defined main sequence, a group of blue supergiants, a group of red supergiants between B-V = 1.2 m and 1.6 m about one magnitude fainter, and an empty Hertzsprung gap. The surrounding field is a composite of a very gold population resembling galactic globular clusters and a very young population. DDO and infrared photometry strongly suggest that the cluster is metal-poor, but a definitive measure could not be made because of calibration difficulties. The cluster's age is estimated at 12 million years, with the surrounding field about 50 percent older. The cluster will prove very useful in testing stellar evolution models for young, metal-poor stars if the cluster's metallicity can be established via high-resolution spectroscopy.

  2. Language Flowering, Language Empowering for Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Honig, Alice Sterling

    Based upon the view that parents, home visitors, and teachers in early childhood settings need tools for empowering young children to develop language, this paper examines what adults need to know to guide young children's language development and presents 20 suggestions for enhancing language growth. The paper maintains that adults need to know…

  3. Evaluating Youth Work with Vulnerable Young People.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Furlong, Andy; Cartmel, Fred; Powney, Janet; Hall, Stuart

    This report presents the results of an 18-month research project that studied the effectiveness of youth work with vulnerable young people. The research, representing six distinct geographical areas of Scotland characterized by disadvantage, focused on young people aged 13 to 16. In each neighborhood, the project examined the experiences of young…

  4. Young and Older Adults' Reading of Distracters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kemper, Susan; Mcdowd, Joan; Metcalf, Kim; Liu, Chiung-Ju

    2008-01-01

    Eye-tracking technology was employed to examine young and older adults' performance in the reading with distraction paradigm. Distracters of 1, 2, and 4 words that formed meaningful phrases were used. There were marked age differences in fixation patterns. Young adults' fixations to the distracters and targets increased with distracter length.…

  5. Counseling Preferences of Young Adults with Cancer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Jessica Z.; Kashubeck-West, Susan

    2017-01-01

    This study examined preferences for counseling topics to discuss in individual, group, and family counseling among young adults with cancer, as well as their ranked preferences for attending individual, group, and family counseling. A sample of 320 young adults with cancer (18-39 years old) completed an online survey containing items relevant to…

  6. Sexual Assemblages: Mobile Phones/Young People/School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Louisa

    2015-01-01

    This paper asks, what more can we think in relation to debates around young people's use of mobile phones at school? Rather than attempting to answer the question of whether mobile phones are "good" or "bad" for young people, this paper recasts the debate's ontological underpinnings. To do this feminist appropriations of the…

  7. Teaching the Young Child: Goals for Illinois.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Lilian G.

    This paper, outlining the present goals, purposes and future role of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (ILLAEYC), discusses what is involved in providing high quality programs for young children everywhere, not only in Illinois. Among ILLAEYC's objectives: (1) to provide a channel of information for people working with…

  8. Patterns of Antipsychotic Prescribing by Physicians to Young Children.

    PubMed

    Huskamp, Haiden A; Horvitz-Lennon, Marcela; Berndt, Ernst R; Normand, Sharon-Lise T; Donohue, Julie M

    2016-12-01

    Antipsychotic use among young children has grown rapidly despite a lack of approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for broad use in this age group. Characteristics of physicians who prescribed antipsychotics to young children were identified, and prescribing patterns involving young children and adults were compared. Physician-level prescribing data from IMS Health's Xponent database were linked with American Medical Association Masterfile data and analyzed. The sample included all U.S. psychiatrists and a random sample of 5% of family medicine physicians who wrote at least ten antipsychotic prescriptions per year from 2008 to 2011 (N=31,713). Logistic and hierarchical binomial regression models were estimated to examine physician prescribing for children ages zero to nine, and the types and numbers of ingredients used for children versus adults ages 20 to 64 were compared. Among antipsychotic prescribers, 42.2% had written at least one antipsychotic prescription for young children. Such prescribing was more likely among physicians age ≤39 versus ≥60 (odds ratio [OR]=1.70) and physicians in rural versus nonrural areas (OR=1.11) and was less likely among males (OR=.93) and graduates of a top-25 versus a lower-ranked U.S. medical school (OR=.87). Among physicians who prescribed antipsychotics to young children and adults, 75.0% of prescriptions for children and 35.7% of those for adults were for drugs with an FDA-approved indication for that age. Fewer antipsychotic agents were prescribed for young children (median=2) versus adults (median=7). Prescribing antipsychotics for young children was relatively common, but prescribing patterns differed between young children and adults.

  9. Quality of life in young adults with cerebral palsy.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Benran; Walstab, Janet; Reid, Susan M; Davis, Elise; Reddihough, Dinah

    2016-10-01

    Little is known about the quality of life (QOL) of young adults with cerebral palsy. This cross-sectional analysis compares the QOL of a cohort of young Australian adults with CP with a cohort of able-bodied peers to explore the relationship between QOL and impairments, functioning, and social participation. Young adults identified from the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register were invited to complete a survey about QOL, gross motor function, independence in self-care, and social participation. QOL was assessed with the Quality of Life Instrument for Young Adults (YAQOL). A general population sample of young North American adults, who had completed the YAQOL was selected for comparison. Surveys and consent forms were completed by 335 young adults or their proxies, an overall participation rate of 63% of those located. The mean age of the study participants was 24.7 [s.d = 2.8] years; 51% were male and 49% female. Two hundred and seven (62%) of the 335 participants self-reported their QOL. When compared with the general population sample, self-reporting participants had similar QOL scores for the social relationship and environmental context domains (p > 0.05), while QOL scores were lower for the physical health, psychological well-being, and role function domains (p < 0.001). There was no association between psychological well-being and variables related to body structure and gross motor function in young adults with CP. Contrary to the assumption that young adults with severe CP have low psychosocial well-being, it is apparent that these individuals can have good psychosocial well-being regardless of their disability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Thomas Young's contributions to geometrical optics.

    PubMed

    Atchison, David A; Charman, W Neil

    2011-07-01

    In addition to his work on physical optics, Thomas Young (1773-1829) made several contributions to geometrical optics, most of which received little recognition in his time or since. We describe and assess some of these contributions: Young's construction (the basis for much of his geometric work), paraxial refraction equations, oblique astigmatism and field curvature, and gradient-index optics. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2011 Optometrists Association Australia.

  11. Resistance of young wolf pups to inclement weather

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mech, L. David

    1992-01-01

    Based on information about young dog (Canis familiaris) pups, it was thought that wolf (Canis lupus) pups 0-2 weeks of age do not thermoregulate well. This problem, plus the relative immobility of young pups, was thought to explain why pups generally remain inside dens until about 3 weeks of age, and pups younger than 3-weeks-old were thought to be highly vulnerable to loss from exposure. this report details more information about the tolerance of young wolf pups to exposure.

  12. Isolated Systolic Hypertension in Young and Middle-Aged Adults.

    PubMed

    Yano, Yuichiro; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

    2016-11-01

    Young and middle-aged adults (ages ≤50 years) are increasingly prone to stroke, kidney disease, and worsening cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. An alarming increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) may underlie the adverse trend. However, there is often uncertainty in BP management for young and middle-aged adults. Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is one such example. Whether ISH in young and middle-aged adults represents "pseudo" or "spurious" hypertension is still being debated. ISH in young and middle-aged adults is a heterogeneous entity; some individuals appear to have increased stroke volume, whereas others have stiffened aortae, or both. One size does not seem to fit all in the clinical management of ISH in young and middle-aged adults. Rather than treating ISH as a monolithic condition, detailed phenotyping of ISH based on (patho)physiology and in the context of individual global cardiovascular risks would seem to be most useful to assess an individual expected net benefit from therapy. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of ISH in young and middle-aged adults, including the prevalence, pathophysiology, and treatment.

  13. Dying to get out: young drivers, safety and social inequity.

    PubMed

    Audrey, S; Langford, R

    2014-02-01

    Deaths and serious injuries among young drivers are an important public health concern. Road safety researchers and policy makers tend to focus on strategies to restrict the driving activities of young people. Other social research suggests the disadvantages experienced by young people in socially deprived groups are exacerbated by not having a driving licence or owning a car. In this qualitative study, we consider the views of young people from less affluent backgrounds in the south-west of England who took part in a brief intervention to encourage them to delay gaining a driving licence and car ownership. Between September 2011 and January 2012, a researcher observed four training sessions involving 173 young people. Postintervention, digitally recorded focus groups were conducted at three venues involving 23 randomly selected young people. Data from the focus group transcripts were sorted into charts in relation to key research questions and scrutinised using constant comparison. These young people believed the ability to drive, and car ownership, could increase their independence, improve access to further education, widen their employment opportunities, and enable them to contribute to family or household responsibilities. We argue there is a potential conflict between some strategies seeking to promote young driver safety and the impact this may have on equity and social disadvantage. Interdisciplinary work is required between professionals and researchers in transport, road safety, public health and social equity. Government policies should include low-cost, safe, reliable and attractive transport alternatives for young people in more deprived communities.

  14. The relationship between maternal attitudes and young people's attitudes toward children's rights.

    PubMed

    Day, David M; Peterson-Badali, Michele; Ruck, Martin D

    2006-04-01

    Relations between maternal socio-political attitudes and parenting style and young people's and mothers' attitudes toward young people's nurturance and self-determination rights were examined. Both young people (n = 121) and mothers (n = 67) were more supportive of nurturance than self-determination rights, although young people were more supportive than their mothers of self-determination rights and mothers were more supportive than young people of nurturance rights. Maternal conservatism was unrelated to young people's support for rights and negatively related to mothers' support for both types of rights. Last, young people who perceived their mother to be either authoritarian or uninvolved showed stronger endorsement of self-determination rights than young people who perceived their mother to be authoritative. The implications of these findings for the development of young people's attitudes toward rights within the context of various family factors are discussed. In particular, it is suggested that a balance needs to be achieved between assertion of rights and a respect for the rights of others.

  15. Prescription Drug Misuse Among Club Drug-Using Young Adults

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, Brian C.; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

    2009-01-01

    Nonmedical prescription (Rx) drug use has recently increased, particularly among young adults. Using time-space sampling to generate a probability-based sample of club-going young adults (18–29), 400 subjects provided data on Rx drug misuse. Club-going young adults misuse Rx drugs at high rates. An overwhelming majority of the sample indicated lifetime use of pain killers, sedatives, and stimulants. A majority indicated recent pain killer use. Variations by gender and sexuality exist in this population. Young lesbian/bisexual women emerged as the group most likely to abuse Rx drugs. Research into the contexts influencing these patterns is imperative. PMID:17994483

  16. From Listening to Understanding: Interpreting Young Children's Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colliver, Yeshe

    2017-01-01

    As young children's perspectives are increasingly "taken seriously" across disciplines, the pursuit of authentic and ethical research with young children has become the subject of recent discussion. Much of this relates to listening "authentically" to (or understanding) young children, focusing on research design, ethics,…

  17. Spanish normative studies in young adults (NEURONORMA young adults project): norms for verbal fluency tests.

    PubMed

    Casals-Coll, M; Sánchez-Benavides, G; Quintana, M; Manero, R M; Rognoni, T; Calvo, L; Palomo, R; Aranciva, F; Tamayo, F; Peña-Casanova, J

    2013-01-01

    Lexical fluency tests are frequently used in clinical practice to assess language and executive function. As part of the Spanish normative studies project in young adults (NEURONORMA young adults project), we provide age- and education-adjusted normative data for 3 semantic fluency tasks (animals, fruits and vegetables, and kitchen tools), three formal lexical fluency tasks (words beginning with P, M and R), three excluded-letter fluency tasks (words excluding A, E and S) and a verb fluency task. The sample consisted of 179 participants who are cognitively normal and range in age from 18 to 49 years. Tables are provided to convert raw scores to scaled scores. Age- and education-adjusted scores are provided by applying linear regression techniques. The results show that education impacted most of the verbal fluency test scores, with no effects related to age and only minimal effects related to sex. The norms obtained will be extremely useful in the clinical evaluation of young Spanish adults. Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  18. Social spaces for young children in hospital.

    PubMed

    Lambert, V; Coad, J; Hicks, P; Glacken, M

    2014-03-01

    In the last number of years heightened interest has been attributed to the impact of hospital environments on children's psychosocial well-being. With policy largely built around adult assumptions, knowledge about what constitutes a child-friendly hospital environment from young children's perspectives has been lacking. If hospital environments are to aspire to being child friendly then the views of younger aged children must be taken into account. The current study investigated young children's perspectives of hospital social spaces to inform the design of the built environment of a new children's hospital. An exploratory qualitative participatory design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (one-to-one and group workshops) which incorporated art-based activities to actively engage young children. Fifty-five young children aged 5 to 8 years with various acute and chronic illnesses were recruited from inpatient, outpatient and emergency departments of three children's hospitals. Young children want a diversity of readily available, independently accessible, age, gender and developmentally appropriate leisure and entertainment facilities seamlessly integrated throughout the hospital environment. Such activities were invaluable for creating a positive hospital experience for children by combating boredom, enriching choice and control and reducing a sense of isolation through enhanced socialization. When in hospital, young children want to feel socially connected to the internal hospital community as well as to the outside world. Technology can assist to broaden the spectrum of children's social connectivity when in hospital - to home, school and the wider outside world. While technology offers many opportunities to support children's psychosocial well-being when in confined healthcare spaces, the implementation and operation of such services and systems require much further research in the areas of ethics, facilitation, organizational

  19. Philosophy for Young Children: A Practical Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaut, Berys; Gaut, Morag

    2011-01-01

    Co-written by a professor of philosophy and a practising primary school teacher, "Philosophy for Young Children" is a concise, practical guide for teachers. It contains detailed session plans for 36 philosophical enquiries--enough for a year's work--that have all been successfully tried, tested and enjoyed with young children from the age of three…

  20. Group Theory, Computational Thinking, and Young Mathematicians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gadanidis, George; Clements, Erin; Yiu, Chris

    2018-01-01

    In this article, we investigate the artistic puzzle of designing mathematics experiences (MEs) to engage young children with ideas of group theory, using a combination of hands-on and computational thinking (CT) tools. We elaborate on: (1) group theory and why we chose it as a context for young mathematicians' experiences with symmetry and…

  1. The State of Young Children in Israel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosher, Hanita, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    This document, based on the statistical yearbook, "Children in Israel 2014," presents data on the population of young children in Israel. The document presents a current picture of the well-being of young children in Israel intended to assist policy-makers and practitioners to understand the situation of this group of children and to…

  2. Does Adolescent Gambling Co-occur with Young Fatherhood?

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Grace P.; Storr, Carla L.; Ialongo, Nicholas S.; Martins, Silvia S.

    2013-01-01

    Background Young fatherhood is associated with various adverse outcomes. This study aims to describe the relationship of adolescent gambling with young fatherhood (by age 20) while adjusting for several young fatherhood antecedents. Methods Data were from 294 males who have been followed for 16 years since entering first grade in nine inner city public schools (86% African Americans, 81% of the original male cohort). Self-reports of impregnation (including age) and gambling were collected during late adolescence. Nelson-Aalen curves and Cox regression models assessed the hazard of young fatherhood among adolescent nongamblers, social gamblers, and problem gamblers. Results More Young Fathers than Nonfathers reported adolescent social (49.2% vs 42.5%) and problem gambling (28.3% vs 13.2%, p<.001). Problem gamblers were the most likely to impregnate someone by age 20, followed by Social Gamblers, then Nongamblers. Problem gambling (aHR=3.16, 95% CI=1.75, 5.72, p<.001) had the highest increased hazards of young fatherhood, followed by social gambling (aHR=1.95, 95% CI=1.30, 2.94, p=.001), high school drop out (aHR=1.75, 95% CI=1.14, 2.70, p=.01), and subsidized lunch status (aHR=1.69, 95% CI=1.01, 2.38, p=.04). Conclusion Adolescent male gamblers, particularly problem gamblers, were more likely than their nongambling peers to become fathers by the age of 20. Such a result shows that there is a subpopulation of males who are at high risk for adverse outcomes such as young parenthood and problem behaviors. Only through further studies could the needs of this subpopulation be better assessed so that appropriate assistance could be delivered to better the lives of such individuals. PMID:23795883

  3. Health promotion and young prisoners: a European perspective.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, Morag; Rabiee, Fatemeh; Weilandt, Caren

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to assess the health promotion needs of vulnerable young prisoners and the existing health promotion activities in custodial settings in seven European Union (EU) Member States. The research comprised two components: the first involved identifying existing health promotion practices. The second involved mapping out young offenders' health promotion needs by carrying out a needs assessment. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted. The quantitative element comprised surveys among young prisoners and prison staff and focused on the availability and perceived importance of health promotion activities in prison. The qualitative element comprised focus groups with young offenders and individual interviews with prison staff, field experts and NGO members. The findings from the research have identified a number of similar, but also some diverse areas of unmet need for health promotion activities in prison settings across these diverse seven EU countries. There is no consistency of approach within and between countries regarding health promotion policy, guidance, resources and programmes for young prisoners. In order to improve the health of young prisoners and to establish and increase sustainability of existing health promotion programmes, there is a need for the establishment of National and EU standards. Providing health promotion activities for young prisoners while in custodial settings is key to addressing their unmet health and well-being needs and to facilitate their reintegration back into the community. Despite the barriers identified by this research, health promotion is to some extent being delivered in the partner countries and provides a foundation upon which further implementation of health promotion activities can be built especially when the benefits of health promotion activities, like dealing with the common problems of alcohol and drug addiction, mental health and communicable diseases are linked to successful

  4. Social Media: Support for Survivors and Young Adults With Cancer.

    PubMed

    Walton, AnnMarie L; Albrecht, Tara A; Lux, Lauren; Judge Santacroce, Sheila

    2017-10-01

    Social media use is ubiquitous among young adults. Young adults with cancer must make important decisions about where, what, and how to share information on social media. Oncology nurses are in a unique position to start conversations about the risks and benefits of social media use. This column aims to review a variety of social media platforms that may be used by young adults with cancer and provide guidance to nurses on initiating open dialogue with young adults about social media usage. 
.

  5. Parent-Child Relations and Offending During Young Adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Wendi L.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Manning, Wendy D.; Longmore, Monica A.

    2011-01-01

    There is a long tradition of studying parent-child relationships and adolescent delinquency. However, the association between parent-child relationships and criminal offending during young adulthood is less well understood. Although the developmental tasks of young adulthood tend to focus on intimate relationships, employment, and family formation, the parent-child bond persists over the life course and likely continues to inform and shape behavior beyond adolescence. Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), the influence of parental involvement on patterns of offending among respondents interviewed first as adolescents and later as young adults is examined. The TARS sample used for our study (N=1,007) is demographically diverse (49.5% female; 25.3% Black; 7.2% Hispanic) and includes youth beyond those enrolled in college. The influences of both early and later parenting factors such as support, monitoring and conflict on young adults’ criminal behavior are examined. Results show that early monitoring and ongoing parental support are associated with lower offending in young adulthood. These effects persist net of peer influence and adolescent delinquency. This suggests the importance of examining multiple ways in which parental resources and support influence early adult behavior and well-being. PMID:20865307

  6. "The little squealer" or "the virtual guardian angel"? Young drivers' and their parents' perspective on using a driver monitoring technology and its implications for parent-young driver communication.

    PubMed

    Guttman, Nurit; Gesser-Edelsburg, Anat

    2011-02-01

    In-vehicle driving monitoring technologies have the potential to enable young drivers to learn from self-assessment. However, their use is largely dependent on parental involvement. A total of 79 interviews were conducted with young drivers and parents regarding this technology and its use. Most had the experience of having an in-vehicle data recorder installed in the vehicle driven by the young drivers. Parents and the young drivers expressed both appreciation as well as reservations about its potential as a means to enhance the driving safety of young drivers. A surprising finding was that some parents did not check the feedback and said they relied on the young driver to do so. Main concerns related to privacy, parent-young driver relationship, self-esteem and confidence, constructive use of the feedback data, and the limitations of the documentation that can be done by the technology. Providing parents and young drivers with a support system and tools to discuss and utilize the feedback are underscored. Challenges include addressing the invasion of young drivers' privacy and gender differences, and using the monitoring-capacity of the technology to enhance safe driving practices. Implications for programs to enhance communication and a dialogical approach between parents and young drivers are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The Health Consequences of Obesity in Young Adulthood.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Hoi Lun; Medlow, Sharon; Steinbeck, Katharine

    2016-03-01

    Young adults are gaining weight faster than any age group. This weight gain and the appearance of obesity-related comorbidities often commence in adolescence. Psychosocial distress and mental health issues are common and debilitating, and treatment approaches are likely to be similar to those for adolescents. At the same time, young adults may have physical morbidities which will continue and worsen throughout adulthood, such as hypertension, diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Health consequences of obesity are challenging to manage in young adults as their symptoms may be minimal, they are less likely to engage with healthcare due to other life priorities and their neurocognitive developmental stage makes therapy adherence difficult. Clinicians who manage young adults with obesity need to be aware of these age-specific challenges, as well as the sexual and reproductive health concerns that are present in this age group.

  8. Mothers' Perceptions of Young Children, Parenting, and Young Children's Behavior Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renk, Kimberly

    2011-01-01

    Historically, research demonstrates that mothers' attitudes and characteristics of their parenting are intertwined. More recently, mothers' perceptions of their children are becoming a new focus of interest. To further understand the relationships among mothers' perceptions of their young children, their parenting behaviors, and their ratings of…

  9. Gender Differences in Extrafamilial Sexual Abuse Experiences among Young Teens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edinburgh, Laurel; Saewyc, Elizabeth; Levitt, Carolyn

    2006-01-01

    Extrafamilial sexual abuse experiences of young adolescents (ages 10-14), particularly young teen boys, are not well studied. This retrospective chart review study compared psychosocial correlates and victimization experiences between young adolescent girls (n = 226) and boys (n = 64) referred to a hospital child advocacy center. Several…

  10. Receptivity to Tobacco Advertising and Promotions Among Young Adolescents as a Predictor of Established Smoking in Young Adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Gilpin, Elizabeth A.; White, Martha M.; Messer, Karen; Pierce, John P.

    2007-01-01

    Objectives. We investigated whether receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions during young adolescence predicts young adult smoking 6 years later. Methods. Two longitudinal cohorts of adolescents drawn from the 1993 and 1996 versions of the California Tobacco Surveys were followed 3 and 6 years later. At baseline, adolescents were aged 12 to 15 years and were not established smokers. The outcome measure was established smoking at final follow-up. Receptivity to cigarette advertising and promotions was included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis along with demographic and other variables. Results. The rate of established smoking at follow-up was significantly greater among members of the 1993 through 1999 cohort (21.0%) than among members of the 1996 through 2002 cohort (15.6%). However, in both cohorts, having a favorite cigarette advertisement and owning or being willing to use a tobacco promotional item showed nearly identical adjusted odds of future adult smoking (1.46 and 1.84, respectively). Conclusions. Despite the success of tobacco control efforts in reducing youth smoking, tobacco marketing remains a potent influence on whether young adolescents become established smokers in young adulthood (18–21 years of age). PMID:17600271

  11. Marriage Matters But How Much? Marital Centrality Among Young Adults.

    PubMed

    Willoughby, Brian J; Hall, Scott S; Goff, Saige

    2015-01-01

    Marriage, once a gateway to adulthood, is no longer as widely considered a requirement for achieving adult status. With declining marriage rates and delayed marital transitions, some have wondered whether current young adults have rejected the traditional notion of marriage. Utilizing a sample of 571 young adults, the present study explored how marital centrality (the expected importance to be placed on the marital role relative to other adult roles) functioned as a unique and previously unexplored marital belief among young adults. Results suggested that marriage remains an important role for many young adults. On average, young adults expected that marriage would be more important to their life than parenting, careers, or leisure activities. Marital centrality profiles were found to significantly differ based on both gender and religiosity. Marital centrality was also associated with various outcomes including binge-drinking and sexual activity. Specifically, the more central marriage was expected to be, the less young adults engaged in risk-taking or sexual behaviors.

  12. Embodied Subjectivities: Nine Young Women Talking Dance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Flynn, Gabrielle; Pryor, Zoe; Gray, Tonia

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to examine nine Australian young women's embodied experiences of dance. The young women were all amateur dancers involved in weekly jazz, tap, and ballet dance classes at the same dance studio. In this paper, embodiment is defined as multidimensional (Burkitt 1999). The authors explore the ways the corporeal and the…

  13. Literature for Today's Young Adults. Fourth Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nilsen, Alleen Pace; Donelson, Kenneth L.

    Designed to help teachers open young minds to literature, this book presents criteria for evaluating books in all genres and their suggested classroom uses, an examination of hotly debated topics, and an overview of the significance of young adult literature. The fourth edition of the book features 30 boxed inserts containing essays by some of the…

  14. Healing Art: Young Children Coping With Stress.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hale, Judy Ann

    Helping young children to cope with stress plays a vital role in today's classroom. It is normal for children to experience stress, which comes from pressures such as family, friends, and school. Some of the indicators of stress in young children are behavioral changes (e.g., mood swings, changes in sleep patterns, and incontinence) and physical…

  15. Caring for Young Children in the Home.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birckmayer, Jennifer; And Others

    Group leaders of 10- to 13-year-olds may use this program guide to help the preteens interact with young children through six discussion meetings and five visits with a preschool child at home. Discussion topics concern (1) the family environment of young children, (2) children's play; (3) children's play areas at home, (4) safety at home, (5)…

  16. Seven Myths about Young Children and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plowman, Lydia; McPake, Joanna

    2013-01-01

    Parents and educators tend to have many questions about young children's play with computers and other technologies at home. They can find it difficult to know what is best for children because these toys and products were not around when they were young. Some will say that children have an affinity for technology that will be valuable in their…

  17. Young People's Internet Use: Divided or Diversified?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boonaert, Tom; Vettenburg, Nicole

    2011-01-01

    This article critically analyses research on young people's internet use. Based on a literature analysis, it examines which young people do what on the internet. These results invite a reflection on the dominant discourse on the digital divide. Within this discourse, there is a strong focus on the use of the internet for information purposes only,…

  18. Gender Aspects of Young People's Self-Determination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skutneva, S.V.

    2005-01-01

    This article reports the findings of a study examining the gender differences in perceived self-determination among Russian young adults. The study was participated in by 1,000 young men and women from fourteen to thirty years of age in the city of Toliatti in April and May 2002. Findings of the study reveal the following: (1) An…

  19. Young People and Migration from Contemporary Poland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Anne

    2010-01-01

    Young Polish migrants to the UK are often portrayed as being highly educated and mobile: willing nomads who are privileged to be able to take advantage of new opportunities for travel and work abroad offered by European Union membership. However, there are also less well-educated young people who adopt migration as a livelihood strategy in…

  20. John Young-NASA’s Longest Serving Astronaut

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-01-06

    This music video takes a look back at the NASA career of astronaut John Young, who died Friday night following complications from pneumonia at the age of 87. Young is the only agency astronaut to go into space as part of the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs, and the first to fly into space six times.

  1. Language Impairment and Comorbid Vulnerabilities among Young People in Custody

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Nathan; Chitsabesan, Prathiba; Bryan, Karen; Borschmann, Rohan; Swain, Nathaniel; Lennox, Charlotte; Shaw, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    Background: While the prevalence of language and communication difficulties among young people in custody is well established, holistic understanding of the complexity and co-occurrence of additional vulnerabilities among this population are rare. Methods: Ninety-three young people in a young offenders institution in England were assessed using…

  2. Perceptions of sexual coercion among young women in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Hayer, Manvir Kaur

    2010-01-01

    This paper sets out to explore Ugandan young women's definitions and perceptions of sexual coercion. A qualitative study was conducted with seven young women in rural Uganda. Participants filmed videos, wrote stories, made drawings and participated in transect walks before analysing their data through formal and informal discussions. Forced sex is defined narrowly to mean only rape. Verbal forms of sexual coercion were recognised, but only after some discussion. Verbal coercion is referred to as "abusing" or "convincing". Young women are commonly pressured into consenting to have sex, despite what they really want, owing to the socio-cultural circumstances. Young women in Uganda are significantly tolerant of sexual coercion. This tolerance appears to arise from power differentials between genders, and the socio-cultural environment shaping their lives. The paper improves understanding of young women's definitions and perceptions of sexual coercion, which is essential to provide effective violence prevention programmes. It also suggests that further research is warranted in this field.

  3. Identifying Young, Nearby Stars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Webb, Rich; Song, Inseok; Zuckerman, Ben; Bessell, Mike

    2001-01-01

    Young stars have certain characteristics, e.g., high atmospheric abundance of lithium and chromospheric activity, fast rotation, distinctive space motion and strong X-ray flux compared to that of older main sequence stars. We have selected a list of candidate young (<100Myr) and nearby (<60pc) stars based on their space motion and/or strong X-ray flux. To determine space motion of a star, one needs to know its coordinates (RA, DEC), proper motion, distance, and radial velocity. The Hipparcos and Tycho catalogues provide all this information except radial velocities. We anticipate eventually searching approx. 1000 nearby stars for signs of extreme youth. Future studies of the young stars so identified will help clarify the formation of planetary systems for times between 10 and 100 million years. Certainly, the final output of this study will be a very useful resource, especially for adaptive optics and space based searches for Jupiter-mass planets and dusty proto-planetary disks. We have begun spectroscopic observations in January, 2001 with the 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory (SSO) in New South Wales, Australia. These spectra will be used to determine radial velocities and other youth indicators such as Li 6708A absorption strength and Hydrogen Balmer line intensity. Additional observations of southern hemisphere stars from SSO are scheduled in April and northern hemisphere observations will take place in May and July at the Lick Observatory of the University of California. AT SSO, to date, we have observed about 100 stars with a high resolution spectrometer (echelle) and about 50 stars with a medium spectral resolution spectrometer (the "DBS"). About 20% of these stars turn out to be young stars. Among these, two especially noteworthy stars appear to be the closest T-Tauri stars ever identified. Interestingly, these stars share the same space motions as that of a very famous star with a dusty circumstellar disk--beta Pictoris. This new finding better

  4. Transforming Young Lives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larson, Scott

    2014-01-01

    Discussions of transformational change pervade the field of business but are rare in work with young people at risk--those most in need of deep change. Instead, the nation seems preoccupied with punishing or medicating problem behavior. Some propose the alternative of "rehabilitation," but that term means "to restore to former…

  5. Prioritizing young people's emotional health support needs via participatory research.

    PubMed

    Kendal, S E; Milnes, L; Welsby, H; Pryjmachuk, S

    2017-06-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT?: Young people's mental health is a concern to people around the world. Good emotional health promotes mental health and protects against mental illness, but we need to know more about how to help young people look after their emotional health. We are learning that research is better if the public are involved in it, including children and young people. Therefore, we need to listen carefully to what young people have to say. In this paper, we describe some research that involved young people from start to finish. We were asking what kind of emotional health support would be useful to them. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: We developed a useful way to involve young people in research so their voice can be heard. Young people like to use the Internet to find emotional health support and information, but need to know which web sites they can trust. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Our method of bringing young people together to tell us their views was successful. It is important to explore ways to help young people judge the quality of emotional health web sites. Introduction Youth mental health is a global concern. Emotional health promotes mental health and protects against mental illness. Youth value self-care for emotional health, but we need better understanding of how to help them look after their emotional health. Participatory research is relevant, since meaningful engagement with youth via participatory research enhances the validity and relevance of research findings and supports young people's rights to involvement in decisions that concern them. Aim We aimed to develop a participatory approach for involving youth in research about their emotional health support preferences. Method Our team included a young expert-by-experience. We developed a qualitative, participatory research design. Eleven youth (16-18 years) participated in focus groups, followed immediately by a nominal group exercise in which they

  6. Financial Literacy of Young Adults: The Importance of Parental Socialization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorgensen, Bryce L.; Savla, Jyoti

    2010-01-01

    This article tests a conceptual model of perceived parental influence on the financial literacy of young adults. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether (a) parents were perceived to influence young adults' financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and (b) the degree to which young adults' financial attitudes mediated financial…

  7. From Ambivalence to Activism: Young People's Environmental Views and Actions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Partridge, Emma

    2008-01-01

    Do young people really take a particular interest in environmental issues, or are they apathetic? This paper considers what young people really think about the environment by drawing together and reviewing attitudinal polling and other research into young people's views. It seeks to challenge simplistic assumptions, and instead acknowledges the…

  8. Sixth Sense: The Disabled Children and Young People's Participation Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Rosemary

    2012-01-01

    The Disabled Children and Young Peoples Participation Project (DCYPPP) was established by Barnardos (Northern Ireland) in 2002 to explore ways of involving children and young people with disabilities in decision-making processes within Children's Services Planning of the Health and Social Services Board. Over 200 young people have participated in…

  9. Young parents: the role of housing in understanding social inequality.

    PubMed

    Smith, Debbie; Roberts, Ron

    2011-01-01

    Since publication of the Social Exclusion Report in 1999, the adverse outcomes associated with young pregnancy have been a focus for Government policy. The ensuing Teenage Pregnancy Strategy sought to reduce social exclusion of young parents and their children. In this exploratory study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with young mothers (n=16) and fathers (n = 5) from a variety of socioeconomic environments, to explore their experience of being a young parent and some of the influences on their sexual and reproductive behaviours. They were recruited from two "more deprived" and two "more affluent" areas (Index of Multiple Deprivation classification). Their personal deprivation was measured by their parents' occupation. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts and identified themes were explored. Although housing was not included as a topic in the interview guide, responses indicated that housing is a cause of stress for young parents throughout and beyond pregnancy. Findings suggest that existing policies on supportive housing units adversely affect the relationship between young parents and between young fathers and their children. It is suggested that existing policies on supportive housing units should be reviewed to produce more supportive environments for parents and child. It was noted that the semi-structured interview method was successful in enabling the researchers to more fully understand the world as experienced by these young parents, and the researchers suggest that this research method may be particularly useful for use with vulnerable groups to suggest effective interventions.

  10. Stream Channel Stability. Appendix A. Evaluation of Streambank Erosion Control Demonstration Projects in the Bluff Line Streams of Northwest Mississippi,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-04-01

    streambanks except on very small channels and agricultural waterways. Vegetation is commonly used to stabilize small agricultural storm runoff ...subjected to severe hydrologic and plant growth stresses during 1980. Large storm runoff events, occurring early in the year, produced velocities in...than average for the prevailing conditions. The overall survival rate for the 1979 and 1980 plantings of the shrub type bristly locus (Robinia fertilis

  11. Reducing Underage and Young Adult Drinking

    PubMed Central

    Windle, Michael; Zucker, Robert A.

    2010-01-01

    Forty years ago, when the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) was founded, alcoholism was considered an adult disease driven principally by physiological determinants. As NIAAA expanded its research portfolio, new data and insights were obtained that led to an increased focus on underage and young adult drinking. Fostered by interdisciplinary research, etiologic models were developed that recognized the multiplicity of relevant genetic and environmental influences. This shift in conceptualizing alcohol use disorders also was based on findings from large-scale, national studies indicating that late adolescence and early young adulthood were peak periods for the development of alcohol dependence and that early initiation of alcohol use (i.e., before age 15) was associated with a fourfold increase in the probability of subsequently developing alcohol dependence. In recent years, developmental studies and models of the initiation, escalation, and adverse consequences of underage and early young adult drinking have helped us to understand how alcohol use may influence, and be influenced by, developmental transitions or turning points. Major risk and protective factors are being identified and integrated into screening, prevention, and treatment programs to optimize interventions designed to reduce drinking problems among adolescents and young adults. In addition, regulatory policies, such as the minimum drinking age and zero-tolerance laws, are being implemented and evaluated for their impact on public health. PMID:23579934

  12. Mapping brain development during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Xiaojuan; Jin, Zhen; Chen, Kewei; Peng, Danling; Li, Yao

    2009-02-01

    Using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM), this study systematically investigated the differences and similarities of brain structural changes during the early three developmental periods of human lives: childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. These brain changes were discussed in relationship to the corresponding cognitive function development during these three periods. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data from 158 Chinese healthy children, adolescents and young adults, aged 7.26 to 22.80 years old, were included in this study. Using the customized brain template together with the gray matter/white matter/cerebrospinal fluid prior probability maps, we found that there were more age-related positive changes in the frontal lobe, less in hippocampus and amygdala during childhood, but more in bilateral hippocampus and amygdala and left fusiform gyrus during adolescence and young adulthood. There were more age-related negative changes near to central sulcus during childhood, but these changes extended to the frontal and parietal lobes, mainly in the parietal lobe, during adolescence and young adulthood, and more in the prefrontal lobe during young adulthood. So gray matter volume in the parietal lobe significantly decreased from childhood and continued to decrease till young adulthood. These findings may aid in understanding the age-related differences in cognitive function.

  13. 'Not the swab!' Young men's experiences with STI testing.

    PubMed

    Shoveller, Jean A; Knight, Rod; Johnson, Joy; Oliffe, John L; Goldenberg, Shira

    2010-01-01

    In Canada, STI rates are high and rising, especially amongst young men. Meanwhile, the needs of young men regarding STI testing services are poorly understood, as are the socio-cultural and structural factors that influence young men's sexual health-seeking behaviours. To better understand this phenomenon, we draw on interviews with 45 men (ages 15-25) from British Columbia, Canada. Our research reveals how structural forces (e.g. STI testing procedures) interact with socio-cultural factors (e.g. perceptions of masculinities and feminities) to shape young men's experiences with STI testing. STI testing was characterised as both a potentially sexualised experience (e.g. fears of getting an erection during genital examinations), and as a process where young men experience multiple vulnerabilities associated with exposing the male body in clinical service sites. In response, participants drew on dominant ideals of masculinity to reaffirm their predominately hetero-normative gender identities. Despite growing up in an era where sexual health promotion efforts have been undertaken, participants did not feel they had permission to engage in discussions with other men about sexual health issues. Attending to young men's perspectives on STI testing represents a starting point in reforming our approaches to addressing how socio-cultural and structural factors shape these experiences.

  14. Model Parameterization and P-wave AVA Direct Inversion for Young's Impedance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zong, Zhaoyun; Yin, Xingyao

    2017-05-01

    AVA inversion is an important tool for elastic parameters estimation to guide the lithology prediction and "sweet spot" identification of hydrocarbon reservoirs. The product of the Young's modulus and density (named as Young's impedance in this study) is known as an effective lithology and brittleness indicator of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs. Density is difficult to predict from seismic data, which renders the estimation of the Young's impedance inaccurate in conventional approaches. In this study, a pragmatic seismic AVA inversion approach with only P-wave pre-stack seismic data is proposed to estimate the Young's impedance to avoid the uncertainty brought by density. First, based on the linearized P-wave approximate reflectivity equation in terms of P-wave and S-wave moduli, the P-wave approximate reflectivity equation in terms of the Young's impedance is derived according to the relationship between P-wave modulus, S-wave modulus, Young's modulus and Poisson ratio. This equation is further compared to the exact Zoeppritz equation and the linearized P-wave approximate reflectivity equation in terms of P- and S-wave velocities and density, which illustrates that this equation is accurate enough to be used for AVA inversion when the incident angle is within the critical angle. Parameter sensitivity analysis illustrates that the high correlation between the Young's impedance and density render the estimation of the Young's impedance difficult. Therefore, a de-correlation scheme is used in the pragmatic AVA inversion with Bayesian inference to estimate Young's impedance only with pre-stack P-wave seismic data. Synthetic examples demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to predict the Young's impedance stably even with moderate noise and the field data examples verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach in Young's impedance estimation and "sweet spots" evaluation.

  15. [Comparison of the factors influencing young adolescents' aggression according to family structure].

    PubMed

    Yun, Eun Kyoung; Shin, Sung Hee

    2013-06-01

    This cross-sectional study was done to compare factors influencing young adolescents' aggression according to family structure. Participants were 680 young adolescents aged 11 to 15 years (113 in single father families, 136 in single mother families, 49 in grandparent families, and 382 in both-parent families). All measures were self-administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 program and factors affecting young adolescents' aggression were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. Levels of young adolescents' aggression and all variables were significantly different among the four family structure groups. Factors influencing young adolescents' aggression were also different according to these 4 groups. For single father families, depression-anxiety and family hardiness significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.37, p<.001). For single mother families, depression-anxiety, gender, and friends' support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.58, p<.001). For grandparent families, depression-anxiety and family support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.58, p<.001). For both-parent families, depression-anxiety, family hardiness, and friends' support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.48, p<.001). Nurses working with young adolescents should consider family structure-specific factors influencing aggression in this population.

  16. Increasing Employment Opportunities for Disadvantaged Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hossain, Farhana; Terwelp, Emily

    2015-01-01

    In the past four decades, profound changes in the U.S. economy--including falling wages, widening inequality, and the polarization of jobs at the top and bottom of the education and wage distributions--have had dramatic implications for the labor-market fortunes of young adults. Only about half of young people ages 16 to 24 held jobs in 2014, and…

  17. Providing Rich Art Activities for Young Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulcahey, Christine

    2009-01-01

    Using works of art with young children is a perfect way to bridge the gap between art activities that are too open or too closed. Teachers of young children sometimes try to find a middle ground by allowing free painting time at an easel in addition to recipe-oriented activities such as putting together precut shapes to create a spider or an apple…

  18. Recovery of snow-bent young western larch

    Treesearch

    Wyman C. Schmidt; Jack A. Schmidt

    1979-01-01

    This paper illustrates how much, how long it takes, and the method in which young western larch responds to snow bend. A 13-year-old vigorous larch stand was flattened by a heavy, wet snow in June 1966 in northwestern Montana. We recorded photographically how two different crown classes (dominant and nondominant) of young larch subjected to four levels of snow beud (...

  19. Work-Life Conflict among Young Academics: Antecedents and Gender Effects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorenkamp, Isabelle; Süß, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    Aligning work and private life is a significant challenge for young academics because of demanding working conditions (e.g. high workload, low job security). It is particularly strong for young female academics due to growing family responsibilities. Our study aims to identify the factors influencing the work-life conflict of young academics and…

  20. Engaging Young Early School Leavers in Vocational Training. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dommers, Eric; Myconos, George; Swain, Luke; Yung, Stephanie; Clarke, Kira

    2017-01-01

    With almost one-third of young people unemployed or underemployed, it is important for early school leavers to gain skills that improve their employment opportunities. The role that vocational education and training (VET) plays is critical, particularly for young early school leavers. Through interviews and focus groups with young people and those…

  1. Subjective Well-Being among Young People in Transition to Adulthood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trzcinski, Eileen; Holst, Elke

    2008-01-01

    This study used a nationally representative sample of young people in Germany from the German Socio-Economic Panel to examine how demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the young persons and their parents, personality traits of the young persons, quality and quantity of relationships, the parent's level of life satisfaction, and other…

  2. Young Investigator Research Program (YIP)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, Ellen

    The Air Force YIP supports scientists and engineers who have received Ph.D. or equivalent degrees in the last five years and show exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research. The objective of this program is to foster creative basic research in science and engineering; enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators; and increase opportunities for the young investigator to recognize the Air Force mission and related challenges in science and engineering. Individual awards will be made to U.S. institutions of higher education, industrial laboratories or non-profit research organizations where the principal investigator is a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident; employed on a full-time basis and hold a regular position. Researchers working at the Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and DoD Laboratories will not be considered for the YIP competition. Each award will be funded at the 120K level for three years. Exceptional proposals will be considered individually for higher funding levels and longer duration. http://www.wpafb.af.mil/Welcome/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/842100#anchor2 I will brief Air Force Office Of Scientific Research Young Investigator Research Program.

  3. Using Young Adult Realistic Literature to Help Troubled Teenagers: Something New, Tried and True, and Recommended Nonfiction (Young Adult Literature).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaywell, Joan F.

    1997-01-01

    Describes a seven-step process that uses young adult literature to help teenagers understand and deal with their troubles. Offers brief annotations of five young adult titles in each of nine areas: alienation and identity; divorce; dropouts, delinquency, and gangs; poverty; teenage pregnancy; abused children; alcohol and drugs; homosexuality; and…

  4. Young family together after the Gemini 3 mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1965-01-01

    Gemini-Titan 3 Astronaut John W. Young is shown with his wife and children after his return to Cape Kennedy, March 25, from the recovery ship, U.S.S. Intrepid. Shown (left to right) are Young's daughter, Sandra; his son, John; and his wife Barbara.

  5. Cardiovascular Risk and Statin Eligibility of Young Adults After an MI: Partners YOUNG-MI Registry.

    PubMed

    Singh, Avinainder; Collins, Bradley L; Gupta, Ankur; Fatima, Amber; Qamar, Arman; Biery, David; Baez, Julio; Cawley, Mary; Klein, Josh; Hainer, Jon; Plutzky, Jorge; Cannon, Christopher P; Nasir, Khurram; Di Carli, Marcelo F; Bhatt, Deepak L; Blankstein, Ron

    2018-01-23

    Despite significant progress in primary prevention, the rate of MI has not declined in young adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate statin eligibility based on the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for statin use in primary prevention in a cohort of adults who experienced a first-time myocardial infarction (MI) at a young age. The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective cohort from 2 large academic centers, which includes patients who experienced an MI at age ≤50 years. Diagnosis of type 1 MI was adjudicated by study physicians. Pooled cohort risk equations were used to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score based on data available prior to MI or at the time of presentation. Of 1,685 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 210 (12.5%) were on statin therapy prior to MI and were excluded. Among the remaining 1,475 individuals, the median age was 45 years, there were 294 (20%) women, and 846 (57%) had ST-segment elevation MI. At least 1 cardiovascular risk factor was present in 1,225 (83%) patients. The median 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score of the cohort was 4.8% (interquartile range: 2.8% to 8.0%). Only 724 (49%) and 430 (29%) would have met criteria for statin eligibility per the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, respectively. This finding was even more pronounced in women, in whom 184 (63%) were not eligible for statins by either guideline, compared with 549 (46%) men (p < 0.001). The vast majority of adults who present with an MI at a young age would not have met current guideline-based treatment thresholds for statin therapy prior to their MI. These findings highlight the need for better risk assessment tools among young adults. Copyright © 2018 American College of

  6. Being Young in Rural Settings: Young People's Everyday Community Affiliations and Trepidations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabiansson, Charlotte

    2006-01-01

    Geographical isolation creates a special context of obligations, reciprocal relationships, social network systems, inclusion and exclusion strategies, and a need to focus on maintaining services, employment opportunities and business infrastructures. This research explored Australian young people's role and everyday circumstances within a rural…

  7. Accommodating interruptions: A grounded theory of young people with asthma.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Mary; Savage, Eileen; Andrews, Tom

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an explanatory theory on the lives of young people with asthma, issues affecting them and the impact of asthma on their day-to-day lives. Accommodating Interruptions is a theory that explains young people's concerns about living with asthma. Although national and international asthma management guidelines exist, it is accepted that the symptom control of asthma among the young people population is poor. This study was undertaken using Classic Grounded Theory. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and clinic consultations with young people aged 11-16 years who had asthma for over 1 year. Data were also collected from participant diaries. Constant comparative analysis, theoretical coding and memo writing were used to develop the substantive theory. The theory explains how young people resolve their main concern of being restricted by Accommodating Interruptions in their lives. They do this by assimilating behaviours in balance finding, moderating influence, fitting in and assuming control minimising the effects of asthma on their everyday lives. The theory of Accommodating Interruptions explains young people's asthma management behaviours in a new way. It allows us to understand how and why young people behave the way they do because they want to participate and be included in everyday activities, events and relationships. The theory adds to the body of knowledge on how young people with asthma live their day-to-day lives and it challenges some existing viewpoints in the literature regarding their behaviours. The findings have implications for developing services to support young people in a more meaningful way as they accommodate the interruptions associated with asthma in their lives. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Nonexercise movement in elderly compared with young people.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ann M; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine M; McCrady, Shelly K; Levine, James A

    2007-04-01

    The association between free-living daily activity and aging is unclear because nonexercise movement and its energetic equivalent, nonexercise activity thermogenesis, have not been exhaustively studied in the elderly. We wanted to address the hypothesis that free-living nonexercise movement is lower in older individuals compared with younger controls matched for lean body mass. Ten lean, healthy, sedentary elderly and 10 young subjects matched for lean body mass underwent measurements of nonexercise movement and body posture over 10 days using sensitive, validated technology. In addition, energy expenditure was assessed using doubly labeled water and indirect calorimetry. Total nonexercise movement (acceleration arbitrary units), standing time, and standing acceleration were significantly lower in the elderly subjects; this was specifically because the elderly walked less distance per day despite having a similar number of walking bouts per day compared with the young individuals. The energetic cost of basal metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, total daily energy expenditure, and nonexercise activity thermogenesis were not different between the elderly and young groups. Thus, the energetic cost of walking in the elderly may be greater than in the young. Lean, healthy elderly individuals may have a biological drive to be less active than the young.

  9. Parent--child relations and offending during young adulthood.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Wendi L; Giordano, Peggy C; Manning, Wendy D; Longmore, Monica A

    2011-07-01

    There is a long tradition of studying parent-child relationships and adolescent delinquency. However, the association between parent-child relationships and criminal offending during young adulthood is less well understood. Although the developmental tasks of young adulthood tend to focus on intimate relationships, employment, and family formation, the parent-child bond persists over the life course and likely continues to inform and shape behavior beyond adolescence. Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), the influence of parental involvement on patterns of offending among respondents interviewed first as adolescents (mean age of 15 years), and later as young adults (mean age of 20 years), is examined. The TARS sample used for our study (N = 1,007) is demographically diverse (49.5% female; 25.3% Black; 7.2% Hispanic) and includes youth beyond those enrolled in college. The influences of both early and later parenting factors such as support, monitoring and conflict on young adults' criminal behavior are examined. Results show that early monitoring and ongoing parental support are associated with lower offending in young adulthood. These effects persist net of peer influence and adolescent delinquency. This suggests the importance of examining multiple ways in which parental resources and support influence early adult behavior and well-being.

  10. Out of Harmony: Health Problems and Young Native American Men.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joe, Jennie R.

    2001-01-01

    Examines the health of young Native American males using data from a survey of existing literature, noting that studies of the current health status of healthy young Native American men are rare. The article presents information on accidents, suicide, homicide, cancer, heart disease, and alcohol use and abuse among young Native American males. (SM)

  11. Supportive Housing in Foster Care: The Views of Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sinkkonen, Hanna-Maija; Kyttälä, Minna

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated Finnish young people's experiences of supportive housing. Supportive housing is an after-care programme that should support the transition from foster care to independent adulthood. It is directed mainly at young people who have been taken into foster care by social workers. The sample consisted of 39 young people (23…

  12. Ann Eliza Young: A Nineteenth Century Champion of Women's Rights.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cullen, Jack B.

    Concentrating on the efforts of such nineteenth century women's rights advocates as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, communication researchers have largely overlooked the contributions made to the cause by Ann Eliza Young. The nineteenth wife of Mormon leader Brigham Young, Ann Eliza Young left her husband and took to the speaker's…

  13. Recognition and management of stroke in young adults and adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Biller, José; Elkind, Mitchell S.; Fullerton, Heather J.; Jauch, Edward C.; Kittner, Steven J.; Levine, Deborah A.; Levine, Steven R.

    2013-01-01

    Approximately 15% of all ischemic strokes (IS) occur in young adults and adolescents. To date, only limited prior public health and research efforts have specifically addressed stroke in the young. Early diagnosis remains challenging because of the lack of awareness and the relative infrequency of stroke compared with stroke mimics. Moreover, the causes of IS in the young are heterogeneous and can be relatively uncommon, resulting in uncertainties about diagnostic evaluation and cause-specific management. Emerging data have raised public health concerns about the increasing prevalence of traditional vascular risk factors in young individuals, and their potential role in increasing the risk of IS, stroke recurrence, and poststroke mortality. These issues make it important to formulate and enact strategies to increase both awareness and access to resources for young stroke patients, their caregivers and families, and health care professionals. The American Academy of Neurology recently convened an expert panel to develop a consensus document concerning the recognition, evaluation, and management of IS in young adults and adolescents. The report of the consensus panel is presented herein. PMID:23946297

  14. LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults' health autonomy in resisting cultural stigma.

    PubMed

    Schmitz, Rachel M; Sanchez, Julissa; Lopez, Bianca

    2018-03-20

    Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) young people of colour are exposed to intersecting dynamics of social prejudice and discrimination related to sexuality and gender as well as race/ethnicity. In particular, Latinx-identifying LGBTQ+ young people face unique challenges in their lives, due to cultural stressors that stigmatise expansive gender and sexual identities. While it is crucial to examine the effects of multiple stressors on the well-being of LGBTQ+ young people of colour, this risk-based focus can overshadow the resilient capacities of multiply marginalised groups. Guided by an intersectional minority stress resilience framework, we asked: how do self-identified LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults manage cultural messages of prejudice and discrimination in relation to their health? Findings underscore how LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults established a strong sense of health autonomy to resist cultural stigma related to their intersecting identities. Young people actively educated themselves on health-related concerns, engaged in health-promoting tactics, and practised cultural negativity management to effectively navigate exposure to prejudice and discrimination.

  15. Recognition and management of stroke in young adults and adolescents.

    PubMed

    Singhal, Aneesh B; Biller, José; Elkind, Mitchell S; Fullerton, Heather J; Jauch, Edward C; Kittner, Steven J; Levine, Deborah A; Levine, Steven R

    2013-09-17

    Approximately 15% of all ischemic strokes (IS) occur in young adults and adolescents. To date, only limited prior public health and research efforts have specifically addressed stroke in the young. Early diagnosis remains challenging because of the lack of awareness and the relative infrequency of stroke compared with stroke mimics. Moreover, the causes of IS in the young are heterogeneous and can be relatively uncommon, resulting in uncertainties about diagnostic evaluation and cause-specific management. Emerging data have raised public health concerns about the increasing prevalence of traditional vascular risk factors in young individuals, and their potential role in increasing the risk of IS, stroke recurrence, and poststroke mortality. These issues make it important to formulate and enact strategies to increase both awareness and access to resources for young stroke patients, their caregivers and families, and health care professionals. The American Academy of Neurology recently convened an expert panel to develop a consensus document concerning the recognition, evaluation, and management of IS in young adults and adolescents. The report of the consensus panel is presented herein.

  16. The Relationship between Maternal Attitudes and Young People's Attitudes toward Children's Rights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Day, David M.; Peterson-Badali, Michele; Ruck, Martin D.

    2006-01-01

    Relations between maternal socio-political attitudes and parenting style and young people's and mothers' attitudes toward young people's nurturance and self-determination rights were examined. Both young people (n=121) and mothers (n=67) were more supportive of nurturance than self-determination rights, although young people were more supportive…

  17. Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adult (13 to 21)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adults KidsHealth / For Parents / Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adults What's in this article? ...

  18. Psychological resilience in young and older adults.

    PubMed

    Gooding, P A; Hurst, A; Johnson, J; Tarrier, N

    2012-03-01

    The goal of the current study was to investigate psychological resilience in the older adults (>64 years) compared with that of the young ones (<26 years). Questionnaire measures of depression, hopelessness, general health and resilience were administered to the participants. The resilience measure comprised three sub-scales of social support, emotional regulation and problem solving. The older adults were the more resilient group especially with respect to emotional regulation ability and problem solving. The young ones had more resilience related to social support. Poor perceptions of general health and low energy levels predicted low levels of resilience regardless of age. Low hopelessness scores also predicted greater resilience in both groups. Experiencing higher levels of mental illness and physical dysfunction predicted high resilience scores especially for the social support resilience scale in the older adults. The negative effects of depression on resilience related to emotional regulation were countered by low hopelessness but only in the young adults. These results highlight the importance of maintaining resilience-related coping skills in both young and older adults but indicate that different psychological processes underlie resilience across the lifespan. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Early dynamical evolution of young substructured clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorval, Julien; Boily, Christian

    2017-03-01

    Stellar clusters form with a high level of substructure, inherited from the molecular cloud and the star formation process. Evidence from observations and simulations also indicate the stars in such young clusters form a subvirial system. The subsequent dynamical evolution can cause important mass loss, ejecting a large part of the birth population in the field. It can also imprint the stellar population and still be inferred from observations of evolved clusters. Nbody simulations allow a better understanding of these early twists and turns, given realistic initial conditions. Nowadays, substructured, clumpy young clusters are usually obtained through pseudo-fractal growth and velocity inheritance. We introduce a new way to create clumpy initial conditions through a ''Hubble expansion'' which naturally produces self consistent clumps, velocity-wise. In depth analysis of the resulting clumps shows consistency with hydrodynamical simulations of young star clusters. We use these initial conditions to investigate the dynamical evolution of young subvirial clusters. We find the collapse to be soft, with hierarchical merging leading to a high level of mass segregation. The subsequent evolution is less pronounced than the equilibrium achieved from a cold collapse formation scenario.

  20. Black-White Disparity in Young Adults' Disease Risk: An Investigation of Variation in the Vulnerability of Black Young Adults to Early and Later Adversity.

    PubMed

    Wickrama, Kandauda A S; Bae, Dayoung; O'Neal, Catherine Walker

    2016-08-01

    Socioeconomic adversity in early years and young adulthood are risk factors for poor health in young adulthood. Population differences in exposure to stressful socioeconomic conditions partly explain the higher prevalence of disease among black young adults. Another plausible mechanism is that blacks are differentially vulnerable to socioeconomic adversity (differential vulnerability hypothesis), which has not been adequately investigated in previous research. The present study investigated variation in the vulnerability of black young adults leading to cardiometabolic (CM) disease risk. We used a nationally representative sample of 8,824 adolescents who participated in the Add Health study. Early and later adversity was measured using a cumulative index of social and material adversity in adolescence and young adulthood. CM disease risk was assessed using nine biomarkers. Path analysis within a structural equation modeling framework was used. The findings indicated that both early and later socioeconomic adversity act as stressors with independent additive influences on young adults' CM disease risk, consistent with the differential exposure hypothesis. Moreover, the results showed that black youth are less vulnerable to early socioeconomic adversity than whites, but they are more vulnerable to later adversity. The findings provide support for the unique and additive influences of early and later socioeconomic adversity on CM disease risk contributing to the black-white health disparity in young adulthood. The results also suggest that vulnerability to adversity varies depending on the life stage, which highlights the need for life-stage specific interventions to mitigate the existing black-white disparity in young adults' physical health. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. To be young, Black, and living with breast cancer: a systematic review of health-related quality of life in young Black breast cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Samuel, Cleo A; Pinheiro, Laura C; Reeder-Hayes, Katherine E; Walker, Jennifer S; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Fashaw, Shekinah A; Woods-Giscombe, Cheryl; Wheeler, Stephanie B

    2016-11-01

    Compared with young White women, young Black women are more likely to present with aggressive breast cancer (BC) subtypes that are potentially linked to worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, there is limited consensus regarding HRQOL needs among young Black BC survivors. Employing Ferrell's framework on QOL in BC (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being), we conducted a systematic review on HRQOL among Black BC survivors aged <50 years and proposed recommendations for advancing HRQOL research and care for this population. Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify relevant articles published from 1995 to 2015. Abstracts and full-text articles were screened using predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluated for quality. A total of 2533 articles were identified, but six met eligibility criteria. Most studies examined multiple HRQOL domains, with the psychological domain most represented. Compared with their older, White, and BC-free counterparts, young Black BC survivors reported greater fear of dying, unmet supportive care needs, financial distress, and lower physical/functional well-being. However, spiritual well-being appeared favorable for young Black survivors. Research gaps include the absence of longitudinal studies and under-representation of studies examining physical, social, and particularly, spiritual HRQOL in young Black BC survivors. Young Black BC survivors generally experience suboptimal HRQOL after BC diagnosis. As few studies have reported on HRQOL among this group, future research and oncology care should prioritize young Black women in ways that recognize their unique concerns, in order to ensure better HRQOL outcomes both during and after treatment.

  2. Factors associated with six-year weight change in young and middle-aged adults in the Young Finns Study.

    PubMed

    Kaikkonen, Jari E; Mikkilä, Vera; Juonala, Markus; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Hintsanen, Mirka; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Viikari, Jorma S A; Kähönen, Mika; Lehtimäki, Terho; Telama, Risto; Raitakari, Olli T

    2015-04-01

    To examine factors associated with weight change and obesity risk in young and middle-aged adults. The Young Finns Study with its 923 women and 792 men aged 24-39 years at baseline were followed for six years. Variables associated with the weight change were investigated with regression models. The average weight change was 0.45 kg/year in women and 0.58 kg/year in men. In women, weight change was steady across all ages. In men, weight changes were more pronounced in younger age groups. In women (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 490), medication for anxiety, low occupational status, high baseline BMI (body mass index), high intake of sweet beverages, high childhood BMI, high salt (NaCl and/or KCl) use, low number of children, low childhood family income, high stature and low level of dependence (a temperament subscale) were associated with increased weight gain (in the order of importance). In men (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 455), high stature, high intake of french fries, low intake of sweet cookies, young age, recent divorce, low intake of cereals, high intake of milk, depressive symptoms, rural childhood origin, high baseline BMI and unemployment were associated with more pronounced weight gain. Sedentarity (screen-time) was associated with weight gain only in young men. Physical activity and genetic risk for high BMI (score of 31 known variants) were not consistently associated with weight change. Socio-economic factors, temperamental and physical characteristics, and some dietary factors are related with weight change in young/middle-aged adults. The weight change occurring in adulthood is also determined by childhood factors, such as high BMI and low family income.

  3. Do social characteristics influence smoking uptake and cessation during young adulthood?

    PubMed

    Steinmetz-Wood, Madeleine; Gagné, Thierry; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Frohlich, Katherine

    2018-01-01

    This study uses a Bourdieusian approach to assess young adults' resources and examines their association with smoking initiation and cessation. Data were drawn from 1450 young adults participating in the Interdisciplinary Study of Inequalities in Smoking, a cohort study in Montreal, Canada. We used logistic regression models to examine the association between young adults' income, education, and peer smoking at baseline and smoking onset and cessation. Young adults where most or all of their friends smoked had greater odds of smoking onset. Young adults that had completed pre-university postsecondary education also had higher odds of smoking onset after controlling for social support, employment status, and lacking money to pay for expenses. Income and the sociodemographic variables age and sex were not associated with smoking onset. Young adults where half of their friends smoked or where most to all of their friends smoked had lowers odds of smoking cessation. Men were more likely to cease smoking than women. Education, income and age were not associated with cessation. Interventions focusing on peer smoking may present promising avenues for tobacco prevention in young adults.

  4. Chinese carless young drivers' self-reported driving behavior and simulated driving performance.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qian; Jiang, Zuhua; Zheng, Dongpeng; Man, Dong; Xu, Xunnan

    2013-01-01

    Carless young drivers refers to those drivers aged between 18 and 25 years who have a driver's license but seldom have opportunities to practice their driving skills because they do not have their own cars. Due to China's lower private car ownership, many young drivers become carless young drivers after licensure, and the safety issue associated with them has raised great concern in China. This study aims to provide initial insight into the self-reported driving behaviors and simulated driving performance of Chinese carless young drivers. Thirty-three carless young drivers and 32 young drivers with their own cars (as a comparison group) participated in this study. A modified Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) with a 4-factor structure (errors, violations, attention lapses, and memory lapses) was used to study carless young drivers' self-reported driving behaviors. A simulated driving experiment using a low-cost, fixed-base driving simulator was conducted to measure their simulated driving performance (errors, violations, attention lapses, driving maintenance, reaction time, and accidents). Self-reported DBQ outcomes showed that carless young drivers reported similar errors, more attention lapses, fewer memory lapses, and significantly fewer violation behaviors relative to young drivers with their own cars, whereas simulated driving results revealed that they committed significantly more errors, attention lapses, and violation behaviors than the comparison group. Carless young drivers had a lower ability to maintain the stability of speed and lane position, drove more cautiously approaching and passing through red traffic lights, and committed more accidents during simulated driving. A tendency to speed was not found among carless young drivers; their average speed and speeding frequency were all much lower than that of the comparison group. Lifetime mileage was the only significant predictor of carless young drivers' self-reported violations, simulated violations

  5. Parent-Child Relations and Offending during Young Adulthood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Wendi L.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Manning, Wendy D.; Longmore, Monica A.

    2011-01-01

    There is a long tradition of studying parent-child relationships and adolescent delinquency. However, the association between parent-child relationships and criminal offending during young adulthood is less well understood. Although the developmental tasks of young adulthood tend to focus on intimate relationships, employment, and family…

  6. Young Children Being Rhythmically Playful: Creating "Musike" Together

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alcock, Sophie

    2008-01-01

    This article explores young children's rhythmic, musical, aesthetic and playful creative communication in an early childhood education centre. Young children's communication is musically rhythmic and social. The data, presented as "events", formed part of an ethnographic-inspired study conducted by the researcher as a participant observer.…

  7. A Typology of Young People's Internet Use: Implications for Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eynon, Rebecca; Malmberg, Lars-Erik

    2011-01-01

    Using data from a nationally representative survey of over a 1000 young people in the UK this paper proposes a typology of the ways young people are using the Internet outside formal educational settings; and examines the individual and contextual factors that help to explain why young people are using the Internet in this way. Specifically, this…

  8. Emotional Health and Well-Being in Schools: Involving Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coombes, Lindsey; Appleton, Jane V.; Allen, Debby; Yerrell, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Prevalence studies of emotional health and well-being (EHWB) of young people indicate that that there is cause for concern. Very few studies have examined EHWB from the perspective of young people. This study examined the views of young people about their EHWB in the context of secondary education in the UK. Eight focus groups were conducted in…

  9. Bare Bones Young Adult Services: Tips for Public Library Generalists.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vaillancourt, Renee J.

    This book is a hands-on guide to the philosophy and practice of young adult services in the public libraries. The following chapters are included: (1) "Young Adult Services Philosophy," including reasons to serve teens, why teens are the way they are, who serves young adults, and how to interact with teens; (2) "Youth Participation," including…

  10. 2010 YALSA Fabulous Films and Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Library Journal, 2010

    2010-01-01

    The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2010 annual lists of Fabulous Films for Young Adults and Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults ages 12 to 18. This article presents the list of titles that were released in January 2010 during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Boston,…

  11. Preventing Smoking Progression in Young Adults: the Concept of Prevescalation.

    PubMed

    Villanti, Andrea C; Niaura, Raymond S; Abrams, David B; Mermelstein, Robin

    2018-03-10

    As adolescents cross the threshold to young adulthood, they encounter more opportunities to engage in or accelerate previously discouraged or prohibited behaviors. Young adults, therefore, are more apt to initiate cigarette smoking and, more importantly, to accelerate their use if they tried and experimented as an adolescent. Preventing the escalation and entrenchment of smoking in the young adult years is critically important to reducing tobacco's long-term health toll. However, traditional interventions for youth have focused on preventing smoking initiation, and interventions for adults have focused on smoking cessation; both have failed to address the needs of young adults. We introduce the concept of "prevescalation" to capture the need and opportunity to prevent the escalation of risk behaviors that typically occur during young adulthood, with a focus on the example of cigarette smoking. Prevescalation negates the notion that prevention has failed if tobacco experimentation occurs during adolescence and focuses on understanding and interrupting transitions between experimentation with tobacco products and established tobacco use that largely occur during young adulthood. However, since risk behaviors often co-occur in young people, the core concept of prevescalation may apply to other behaviors that co-occur and become harder to change in later adulthood. We present a new framework for conceptualizing, developing, and evaluating interventions that better fit the unique behavioral, psychosocial, and socio-environmental characteristics of the young adult years. We discuss the need to target this transitional phase, what we know about behavioral pathways and predictors of cigarette smoking, potential intervention considerations, and research challenges.

  12. Young people's attitudes towards illicit drugs: A population-based study.

    PubMed

    Friis, Karina; Østergaard, Jeanette; Reese, Sidsel; Lasgaard, Mathias

    2017-12-01

    Previous studies indicate that young people who have positive attitudes towards illicit drugs are more inclined to experiment with them. The first aim of our study was to identify the sociodemographic and risk behaviour characteristics of young people (16-24 years) with positive attitudes towards illicit drug use. The second aim was to identify the characteristics of young people with positive attitudes towards illicit drugs among those who had never tried drugs, those who had tried cannabis but no other illicit drugs, and those who regularly used cannabis and/or had tried other illicit drugs. The analysis was based on a population-based survey from 2013 ( N = 3812). Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the association between sociodemographic and risk behaviour characteristics and positive attitudes towards illicit drugs. Young men had twice the odds of having positive attitudes towards illicit drug use compared with young women (AOR = 2.1). Also, young age, being single, being employed, smoking tobacco, practising unprotected sex, and experimental cannabis use were associated with positive attitudes towards illicit drug use. Finally, use of cannabis at least 10 times during the previous year and/or use of other illicit drugs had the strongest association with positive attitudes to illicit drug use (AOR = 6.0). Young people who have positive attitudes towards illicit drug use are characterized by a broad range of risky behaviours. These findings may help to identify young people at risk of initiating illicit drug use and thereby support the development and implementation of prevention programmes.

  13. Attitudes of young african american fathers toward early childbearing.

    PubMed

    Davies, Susan L; Dix, Emily S; Rhodes, Scott D; Harrington, Kathleen F; Frison, Sonja; Willis, Leigh

    2004-01-01

    To qualitatively examine the perceptions of young fathers toward issues related to early childbearing. Focus groups were held with male partners of adolescent females who had become pregnant while participating in an HIV-prevention trial. Primary domains that emerged included young male's desire for pregnancy, their attitudes toward father/child involvement, and their perceived social support as young fathers. Findings may help in developing gender-appropriate interventions to delay early childbearing and prevent HIV/STD transmission.

  14. Anxiety and depression symptoms in young people with perinatally acquired HIV and HIV affected young people in England.

    PubMed

    Le Prevost, Marthe; Arenas-Pinto, Alejandro; Melvin, Diane; Parrott, Francesca; Foster, Caroline; Ford, Deborah; Evangeli, Michael; Winston, Alan; Sturgeon, Kate; Rowson, Katie; Gibb, Diana M; Judd, Ali

    2018-08-01

    Adolescents with perinatal HIV (PHIV) may be at higher risk of anxiety and depression than HIV negative young people. We investigated prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in 283 PHIV and 96 HIV-affected (HIV-negative) young people in England recruited into the Adolescents and Adults Living with Perinatal HIV (AALPHI) cohort. We used Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores and linear regression investigated predictors of higher (worse) scores.115 (41%) and 29 (30%) PHIV and HIV-affected young people were male, median age was 16 [interquartile range 15,18] and 16 [14,18] years and 241 (85%) and 71 (74%) were black African, respectively. There were no differences in anxiety and depression scores between PHIV and HIV-affected participants. Predictors of higher anxiety scores were a higher number of carers in childhood, speaking a language other than English at home, lower self-esteem, ever thinking life was not worth living and lower social functioning. Predictors of higher depression scores were male sex, death of one/both parents, school exclusion, lower self-esteem and lower social functioning. In conclusion, HIV status was not associated with anxiety or depression scores, but findings highlight the need to identify and support young people at higher risk of anxiety and depression.

  15. Anxiety and depression symptoms in young people with perinatally acquired HIV and HIV affected young people in England

    PubMed Central

    Le Prevost, Marthe; Arenas-Pinto, Alejandro; Melvin, Diane; Parrott, Francesca; Foster, Caroline; Ford, Deborah; Evangeli, Michael; Winston, Alan; Sturgeon, Kate; Rowson, Katie; Gibb, Diana M.; Judd, Ali

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Adolescents with perinatal HIV (PHIV) may be at higher risk of anxiety and depression than HIV negative young people. We investigated prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in 283 PHIV and 96 HIV-affected (HIV-negative) young people in England recruited into the Adolescents and Adults Living with Perinatal HIV (AALPHI) cohort. We used Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores and linear regression investigated predictors of higher (worse) scores.115 (41%) and 29 (30%) PHIV and HIV-affected young people were male, median age was 16 [interquartile range 15,18] and 16 [14,18] years and 241 (85%) and 71 (74%) were black African, respectively. There were no differences in anxiety and depression scores between PHIV and HIV-affected participants. Predictors of higher anxiety scores were a higher number of carers in childhood, speaking a language other than English at home, lower self-esteem, ever thinking life was not worth living and lower social functioning. Predictors of higher depression scores were male sex, death of one/both parents, school exclusion, lower self-esteem and lower social functioning. In conclusion, HIV status was not associated with anxiety or depression scores, but findings highlight the need to identify and support young people at higher risk of anxiety and depression. PMID:29502430

  16. Young Mother (in the) Hood: Gang Girls’ Negotiation of New Identities

    PubMed Central

    Moloney, Molly; Joe-Laidler, Karen; McKenzie, Kathleen

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the experiences of young women in street gangs who become mothers. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 65 young women in the San Francisco, CA, Bay Area, we examine their narratives about the transition to motherhood. In particular, we focus on the ways these young women negotiate femininities and attempt to reconcile their identities as young mothers and gang girls—both stigmatized identities. For many of the young women, motherhood entails a retreat from the street and a renewed emphasis on time spent in the home. While many receive (financial and childcare) support from their families, this also often means a diminution of the autonomy they experienced while more heavily involved in the gang. Issues of respect and respectability remain important for the young women, but the dimensions on which these are based change. PMID:21116461

  17. Paracetamol pharmacokinetics and metabolism in young women.

    PubMed

    Allegaert, Karel; Peeters, Mariska Y; Beleyn, Bjorn; Smits, Anne; Kulo, Aida; van Calsteren, Kristel; Deprest, Jan; de Hoon, Jan; Knibbe, Catherijne A J

    2015-11-13

    There is relevant between individual variability in paracetamol clearance in young women. In this pooled study, we focused on the population pharmacokinetic profile of intravenous paracetamol metabolism and its covariates in young women. Population PK parameters using non-linear mixed effect modelling were estimated in a pooled dataset of plasma and urine PK studies in 69 young women [47 at delivery, 8/47 again 10-15 weeks after delivery (early postpartum), and 7/8 again 1 year after delivery (late postpartum), 22 healthy female volunteers with or without oral contraceptives]. Population PK parameters were estimated based on 815 plasma samples and 101 urine collections. Compared to healthy female volunteers (reference group) not on oral contraceptives, being at delivery was the most significant covariate for clearance to paracetamol glucuronide (Factor = 2.03), while women in early postpartum had decreased paracetamol glucuronidation clearance (Factor = 0.55). Women on contraceptives showed increased paracetamol glucuronidation clearance (Factor = 1.46). The oestradiol level did not further affect this model. Being at delivery did not prove significant for clearance to paracetamol sulphate, but was higher in pregnant women who delivered preterm (<37 weeks, Factor = 1.34) compared to term delivery and non-pregnant women. Finally, clearance of unchanged paracetamol was dependent on urine flow rate. Compared to healthy female volunteers not on oral contraceptives, urine paracetamol glucuronidation elimination in young women is affected by pregnancy (higher), early postpartum (lower) or exposure to oral contraceptives (higher), resulting in at least a two fold variability in paracetamol clearance in young women.

  18. TeV-detected young pulsar wind nebulae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cillis, Analia; Torres, D. F.; Martin, J.; de Oña, E.

    2014-01-01

    More than 20 young pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) have been detected at very high energies (VHE) by the current Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT). Such sources constitute the largest population of Galactic sources in this energy range. They are associated to very energetic, young pulsars and usually show an extended emission up to a few tens of parsecs. In this work we present spectral characterization for the young PWNe detected at VHE, using a time-dependent model, spanning over 20 decades in frequency. The PWNe that have been studied in this work are: Crab Nebula, G54.1+0.3, G0.9 +0.1, G21.5-0.9, MSH 15-52, G292.2-0.5, Kes 75 , HESS J1356-645 , CTA 1, HESS J1813-178 . Other young PWNe that have been detected at VHE have not been incorporated due to controversies in the association between the PWN and pulsar or lack of observational data at radio and X-ray frequencies. Some of the most robust findings, which are not affected by the uncertainties of the model, is that all detected PWNe in TeV are particle dominated with magnetic fractions that do not exceed a few percent. None of the PWNe detected at high energies and youth is in equipartition. With respect to the spectrum of particle injection, our result suggest that the process of acceleration in the termination shock wave from the pulsar wind, cooling, advection and diffusion of the accelerated particles is common in young PWNe.

  19. Quantitative photoacoustic elastography of Young's modulus in humans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hai, Pengfei; Zhou, Yong; Gong, Lei; Wang, Lihong V.

    2017-03-01

    Elastography can noninvasively map the elasticity distribution of biological tissue, which is often altered in pathological states. In this work, we report quantitative photoacoustic elastography (QPAE), capable of measuring Young's modulus of human tissue in vivo. By combining photoacoustic elastography with a stress sensor having known stress-strain behavior, QPAE can simultaneously measure strain and stress, from which Young's modulus is calculated. We first applied QPAE to quantify the Young's modulus of tissue-mimicking agar phantoms with different concentrations. The measured values fitted well with both the empirical expectations based on the agar concentrations and those measured in independent standard compression tests. We then demonstrated the feasibility of QPAE by measuring the Young's modulus of human skeletal muscle in vivo. The data showed a linear relationship between muscle stiffness and loading. The results proved that QPAE can noninvasively quantify the absolute elasticity of biological tissue, thus enabling longitudinal imaging of tissue elasticity. QPAE can be exploited for both preclinical biomechanics studies and clinical applications.

  20. Management of sport-related concussion in young athletes.

    PubMed

    Patel, Dilip R; Shivdasani, Vandana; Baker, Robert J

    2005-01-01

    Sport-related head injuries are a common clinical problem. Most head injuries in young athletes are mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions. The highest number of sport-related concussions has been reported in American football. In addition to the well described physical and psychosocial growth, there is ongoing neurocognitive development of the brain during childhood and through adolescence. This developmental process has direct implications in the assessment and management of head injuries in young athletes. Research on the management and long-term outcome following brain injuries in young athletes is limited. Traditionally, the assessment of concussion has been based on clinical history and physical and neurological examination. Increasingly, neuropsychological testing, especially computerised testing, is providing objective measures for the initial assessment and follow-up of young athletes following brain injuries. Numerous guidelines have been published for grading and return to play criteria following concussion; however, none of these have been prospectively validated by research and none are specifically applicable to children and adolescents.

  1. Anti-Social Histories in Young Alcoholics.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-12-01

    drug abusers on indicators of maladjustment . In the studies of the drug abusing population, negative family and social history were associ- ated with...7 A-AO84 705 NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER SAN DIEGO CA F/6 5/11 ANTI- SOCIAL HISTORIES IN YOUNG ALCOH LI S. 1W DEC 76 0 KOLB, E K GUNDERSON...NCLASSIFIED NAVHLTMR -CHC76-81 mEEEEEEEEEEIIIE , ,1 ANTI- SOCIAL HISTORIES IN YOUNG ALCOHOLICS%4- E.K.E DRO* ---’" * - --___ REPORT NO. 76-81 DTIC MAY 27 1980

  2. Lumber grades from young-growth Douglas-fir.

    Treesearch

    E.E. Matson

    1952-01-01

    Young Douglas-fir timber is known to produce much No. 1 Common and Better lumber but, little or no clear lumber. The volume of lumber produced from young-growth timber has become a sizable part of the cut from the Douglas-fir region of Oregon and Washington. No exact figures are available, but it is estimated that more than one-fourth of the lumber produced from this...

  3. Young Children in Deep Poverty. Fact Sheet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ekono, Mercedes; Jiang, Yang; Smith, Sheila

    2016-01-01

    A U.S. family of three living in deep poverty survives on an annual income below $9,276, or less than $9.00 a day per family member. The struggle to raise children on such a meager income is not a rare circumstance among U.S. families, especially those with young children. Currently, 11 percent of young children (0-9 years) live in households with…

  4. Emotion awareness and cognitive behavioural therapy in young people with autism spectrum disorder.

    PubMed

    Roberts-Collins, Cara; Mahoney-Davies, Gerwyn; Russell, Ailsa; Booth, Anne; Loades, Maria

    2017-07-01

    Young people with autism spectrum disorder experience high levels of emotional problems, including anxiety and depression. Adapted cognitive behavioural therapy is recommended for such difficulties. However, no evidence suggests whether emotion awareness is important in treatment outcome for young people on the autism spectrum. This study aimed to investigate the potential differences in emotion awareness between (1) young people on the autism spectrum and typically developing youth and (2) young people on the autism spectrum with and without experience of cognitive behavioural therapy. Three groups (aged 11-20 years) participated: (1) typically developing young people ( n = 56); (2) young people on the autism spectrum with no experience of cognitive behavioural therapy ( n = 23); and (3) young people on the autism spectrum who had attended cognitive behavioural therapy ( n = 33). All participants completed the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire-30 item version. Young people on the autism spectrum differed significantly from typically developing young people on the emotional awareness measure. Young people on the autism spectrum who had attended cognitive behavioural therapy scored significantly lower on the Differentiating Emotions subscale, and significantly higher on the Attending to Others' Emotions subscale, compared to young people on the autism spectrum who had not attended cognitive behavioural therapy. This study highlights the importance of psycho-educational components of cognitive behavioural therapy when adapting for young people on the autism spectrum.

  5. Characteristics and trends of self-harming behaviour in young people.

    PubMed

    Cleaver, Karen

    Deliberate self-harm is recognized as a serious public health issue in young people. There is evidence that young people who self-harm are more likely to repeat self-harm, and this in turn increases their risk of completed suicide. Prevalence studies have identified that the rate of self-harm among young people is on the increase, information largely based on data arising from review and analysis of hospital attendances. However, community-based studies indicate that the prevalence is much higher, with those seen in emergency departments representing the 'tip of the iceberg' (Hawton and Rodham, 2006). Young people's motives for self-harm are discussed, as are research findings which indicate that nurses can have negative attitudes towards patients who self-harm. The article considers the implications of this for young people and identifies areas for future research.

  6. Mental Health Service Use by Young People: The Role of Caregiver Characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Gronholm, Petra C.; Ford, Tamsin; Roberts, Ruth E.; Thornicroft, Graham; Laurens, Kristin R.; Evans-Lacko, Sara

    2015-01-01

    Aims Many children and adolescents experiencing mental health problems do not receive appropriate care. Strategies to encourage appropriate access to services might be improved by a more detailed understanding of service use determinants within this group. In view of caregivers’ key role in young people’s pathways to care, this study aimed to advance understanding of caregiver-related characteristics that influence service use among young people. Methods We interviewed 407 primary caregivers of young people aged 9-18 years, recruited from a Greater London (United Kingdom) community sample. Caregivers reported on young people’s service use in health care sector and/or education settings, and caregivers’ intended stigmatising behaviours, help-seeking attitudes, and personal service use. Logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between these caregiver characteristics and young people’s service use, controlling for young people’s clinical and socio-demographic factors. Results Caregivers’ intended stigmatising behaviours in particular exerted a strong influence on young people’s service use within each service setting. The impact of this characteristic interacted with caregivers’ service use in influencing young people’s service use across health care and education settings and health care settings specifically. For young people’s service use within education settings, caregivers’ intended stigmatising behaviours score had a main effect. Conclusions This study highlights the key role caregivers’ attitudes and experiences hold in young people’s service use. The findings indicate that strategies aiming to bridge the gap between young people’s service needs and utilisation might be improved by targeting stigma amongst caregivers. PMID:25811867

  7. Correlates of Lifetime Physical Activity in Young Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace, Lorraine Silver

    2003-01-01

    This study retrospectively examined physical activity patterns across three specific age periods (childhood, teenage, and young adulthood) in a cross sectional sample of young Caucasian undergraduate women (N = 44). All women (mean age = 22.27 plus or minus 3.14 years) completed questionnaire packets assessing transtheoretical model of behavior…

  8. Emotional Responsivity in Young Children with Williams Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fidler, Debbie J.; Hepburn, Susan L.; Most, David E.; Philofsky, Amy; Rogers, Sally J.

    2007-01-01

    The hypothesis that young children with Williams syndrome show higher rates of emotional responsivity relative to other children with developmental disabilities was explored. Performance of 23 young children with Williams syndrome and 30 MA-matched children with developmental disabilities of nonspecific etiologies was compared on an adaptation of…

  9. Risk Perception in Young Women's Collective Alcohol Consumption

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dresler, Emma; Anderson, Margaret

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Heavy episodic drinking in young women has caused concern among many groups including public health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the experiences of young women's alcohol consumption so as to facilitate better health education targeting. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative descriptive study examines…

  10. Factors Affecting Sentence Severity for Young Adult Offenders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenwood, Peter W.; And Others

    This document analyzes the sentencing of young adult defendants in comparison with older adult and younger juvenile offenders, and disputes prior research which held that young adults received more lenient sentencing, perhaps because of the restrictions on disclosing juvenile delinquency histories. The document presents data from samples of young…

  11. Risky driving among young Australian drivers: trends, precursors and correlates.

    PubMed

    Vassallo, Suzanne; Smart, Diana; Sanson, Ann; Harrison, Warren; Harris, Anne; Cockfield, Samantha; McIntyre, Allison

    2007-05-01

    Young drivers are significantly over-represented among those injured or killed in road traffic accidents. Young adults' greater tendency to engage in risky driving behaviours has been implicated in their high crash involvement rate. While considerable research has examined the driving patterns of young adults and situational factors associated with their involvement in crashes, less is known about the characteristics or circumstances in young drivers' earlier lives that may have contributed to their current driving behaviour. This issue was explored using data from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP), a large longitudinal community-based study, which commenced in 1983 with 2443 families and has followed children's psychosocial development from infancy to early adulthood. During the most recent survey wave when participants were aged 19-20 years, information was collected from young adults about their driving experiences and behaviour. A series of analyses indicated that it was possible to distinguish a group of young adults who engaged in high risky driving behaviour (high group) from a group who engaged in low levels of risky driving behaviour (low group) from mid childhood. Young drivers with a tendency towards risky driving differed from others on aspects of temperament style, behaviour problems, social competence, school adjustment and interpersonal relationships. The implications of these findings for initiatives to reduce risky driving behaviour are discussed.

  12. SIBSHIP SIZE AND YOUNG WOMEN'S TRANSITIONS TO ADULTHOOD IN INDIA.

    PubMed

    Santhya, K G; Zavier, A J Francis

    2017-11-01

    In India, a substantial proportion of young people are growing up in smaller families with fewer siblings than earlier generations of young people. Studies exploring the associations between declines in sibship size and young people's life experiences are limited. Drawing on data from a sub-nationally representative study conducted in 2006-08 of over 50,000 youths in India, this paper examines the associations between surviving sibship size and young women's (age 20-24) transitions to adulthood. Young women who reported no or a single surviving sibling were categorized as those with a small surviving sibship size, and those who reported two or more surviving siblings as those with a large surviving sibship size. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to ascertain the relationship between sibship size and outcome indicators. Analysis was also done separately for low- and high-fertility settings. Small sibship size tended to have a positive influence in many ways on young women's chances of making successful transitions to adulthood. Young women with fewer siblings were more likely than others to report secondary school completion, participation in vocational skills training programmes, experience of gender egalitarian socialization practices, adherence to gender egalitarian norms, exercise of pre-marital agency and small family size preferences. These associations were more apparent in low- than high-fertility settings.

  13. Nutrition support programs for young adult athletes.

    PubMed

    Clark, N

    1998-12-01

    After graduating from college and entering the work force, young adult athletes often struggle with the task of fueling themselves optimally for top performance and weight control. The stresses and time constraints of work, family, and social responsibilities often result in eating fast foods on the run. These young adults can benefit from nutrition education programs in the worksite, at health clubs, in the community, and via the media. Dietitians who specialize in sport nutrition have particular appeal to these athletes, who are struggling to each well, exercise well, and stay lean yet put little time or effort into their food program. This article includes two case studies of young adults and the dietary recommendations that taught them how to make wise food choices, fuel themselves well for high energy, and control their weight.

  14. Empowering young girls for health and development.

    PubMed

    Lal, S; Saini, R K; Khanna, P; Malik, J S

    1991-01-01

    Yuvati Vikas Kendra (YVK) model of empowering young girls in the age bracket of 7-19 years could raise the level of awareness and generate self-esteem and self-confidence in over 50% of young girls over a period of six months of operation. The YVK model was utilised by 37-55% of enrolled girls in different age brackets; thus these centres functioned well below their installed capacity. Functional inter-sectoral linkages have to be developed for better impact and better coverage. Data based information from other models of empowerment such as schools, non-formal system of education and Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, is called for to choose different alternatives for our country, as no uniform system can succeed in this vast country. Diversified modes and approaches for empowerment of young girls are needed.

  15. Health Promotion for Young Adults With Serious Mental Illness

    PubMed Central

    Naslund, John A.; Aschbrenner, Kelly A.; Scherer, Emily A.; Pratt, Sarah I.; Bartels, Stephen J.

    2017-01-01

    Objective Young adulthood represents a critical time to address elevated obesity rates and the risk of early mortality, particularly among people with serious mental illness. Few studies have assessed the benefits of lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss among these young adults. This study examined the impact of the 12-month In SHAPE lifestyle intervention on weight loss and fitness among overweight and obese young adults with serious mental illness (ages 21–30) compared with participants over age 30. Methods Data were combined from three trials of the 12-month In SHAPE program delivered through community mental health centers. In SHAPE includes weekly fitness trainer meetings, a gym membership, and nutrition education. Primary outcomes were weight loss and change in fitness at 12 months. Results Participants (N=194) had a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (53%) or a mood disorder (47%). The overall sample achieved significant weight loss and improved fitness; differences between young adults (N=29) and participants over age 30 (N=165) were not significant. An important finding was that 42% of young adults achieved clinically significant reductions in cardiovascular risk, defined as ≥5% weight loss or improved fitness (>50-m increase on the 6-Minute Walk Test), compared with 54% of adults over age 30 (a non-significant difference between age groups). Conclusions Among persons enrolled in a lifestyle intervention, overweight and obese young adults experienced benefits comparable with those of adults over age 30. Young adults with serious mental illness face high risk of gaining weight, but a meaningful proportion of these individuals can achieve clinically significant cardiovascular risk reduction, thus highlighting the need to promote lifestyle intervention participation in this group. PMID:27799016

  16. Health Promotion for Young Adults With Serious Mental Illness.

    PubMed

    Naslund, John A; Aschbrenner, Kelly A; Scherer, Emily A; Pratt, Sarah I; Bartels, Stephen J

    2017-02-01

    Young adulthood represents a critical time to address elevated obesity rates and the risk of early mortality, particularly among people with serious mental illness. Few studies have assessed the benefits of lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss among these young adults. This study examined the impact of the 12-month In SHAPE lifestyle intervention on weight loss and fitness among overweight and obese young adults with serious mental illness (ages 21-30) compared with participants over age 30. Data were combined from three trials of the 12-month In SHAPE program delivered through community mental health centers. In SHAPE includes weekly fitness trainer meetings, a gym membership, and nutrition education. Primary outcomes were weight loss and change in fitness at 12 months. Participants (N=194) had a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (53%) or a mood disorder (47%). The overall sample achieved significant weight loss and improved fitness; differences between young adults (N=29) and participants over age 30 (N=165) were not significant. An important finding was that 42% of young adults achieved clinically significant reductions in cardiovascular risk, defined as ≥5% weight loss or improved fitness (>50-m increase on the 6-Minute Walk Test), compared with 54% of adults over age 30 (a nonsignificant difference between age groups). Among persons enrolled in a lifestyle intervention, overweight and obese young adults experienced benefits comparable with those of adults over age 30. Young adults with serious mental illness face high risk of gaining weight, but a meaningful proportion of these individuals can achieve clinically significant cardiovascular risk reduction, thus highlighting the need to promote lifestyle intervention participation in this group.

  17. Assessment of Young Dong tributary and Imgok Creek impacted by Young Dong coal mine, South Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Byung-Tae; Ranville, James F; Wildeman, Thomas R; Jang, Min; Shim, Yon Sik; Ji, Won Hyun; Park, Hyun Sung; Lee, Hyun Ju

    2012-01-01

    An initial reclamation of the Young Dong coal mine site, located in northeastern South Korea, was completed in 1995. Despite the filling of the adit with limestone, acid rock drainage (ARD) enters Young Dong tributary and is then discharged to Imgok Creek. This ARD carries an average of 500 mg CaCO(3)/l of mineral acidity, primarily as Fe(II) and Al. Before spring runoff, the flow of Imgok Creek is 3.3-4 times greater than that of the tributary and has an alkalinity of 100 mg CaCO(3)/l, which is sufficient to eliminate the mineral acidity and raise the pH to about 6.5. From April through September 2008, there were at least two periods of high surface flow that affects the flow of ARD from the adit. Flow of ARD reaches 2.8 m(3)/min during spring runoff. This raised the concentrations of Fe and Al in the confluence with Imgok Creek. However, by 2 km downstream the pH of the Imgok Creek is 6.5 and only dissolved Fe is above the Korean drinking water criteria (0.30 mg/l). This suggests only a minor impact of Young Dong Creek water on Imgok Creek. Acid digestion of the sediments in Imgok Creek and Young Dong Tributary reveals considerable abundances of heavy metals, which could have a long-term impact on water quality. However, several water-based leaching tests, which better simulate the bioavailable metals pool, released only Al, Fe, Mn, and Zn at concentrations exceeding the criteria for drinking water or aquatic life.

  18. Young people and HIV prevention in Australian schools.

    PubMed

    Jones, Tiffany; Mitchell, Anne

    2014-06-01

    Australia has not seen a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic among young people. However, early research in the Australian context had indicated that the degree of unprotected sexual activity, partner change, and STI infection in this cohort would fuel a young people's epidemic if HIV ever reached a tipping point in the country. The difficulty of reaching young people outside school for HIV prevention has been no more successfully addressed in Australia than elsewhere. Therefore, the investment of Australian HIV prevention funds for youth has had an emphasis on school-based programs. This emphasis on formal schooling has led to a history of engagement with the ad hoc and unreliable nature of sexuality education in Australian schools. It has particularly been the catalyst for a struggle to construct young people as sexually active and as possessing a right to appropriate education, against tides of both secular and religiously-motivated resistance. The eight state and territory education sectors, along with the independent sectors, have had differing and sometimes troubled histories with HIV prevention. This paper discusses the differing HIV education policies and programs that have emerged in Australian schooling historically, and in some cases been abandoned altogether, amid strong public debates. It also considers current approaches, the new national curriculum, and future challenges. Additionally, the particular case of same sex attracted young men, who have a heightened level of vulnerability to HIV, is explored. Australian schools have struggled to address both the imperative for relevant sexuality education for same-sex-attracted young people and the broader issue of combating homophobia, which research has linked directly to this vulnerability.

  19. Gender, social class and illness among young people.

    PubMed

    Rahkonen, O; Lahelma, E

    1992-03-01

    Gender and social class differences in illness among young people have been a neglected area in research on social inequities in health. It has been assumed that the illness differentials among adults persist throughout their lives. Only recently have social class health differentials among young people become a topic for research. The aim of this study is, first, to examine gender and social class differences in self-reported illness among young Finns; secondly, to determine whether the relationship between social class and limiting long-standing illness is similar among young men and women. In addition to the two main aims, we also examined whether several background variables have any impact on the relationship between class and illness or, directly, on illness. The data were derived from a nationwide Finnish 'Level of Living Survey', which was carried out by the Central Statistical Office of Finland in 1986. This interview material represents the noninstitutional Finnish population aged 15 years old or older. The number of respondents were 12,057, and the response rate was 87%. In the present study we only examined those who were 15-24-year-olds (N = 2238); i.e. 1101 men and 1137 women; the response rates were 91% and 92% respectively. Young women reported a limiting long-standing illness more often than young men. The prevalence of limiting long-standing illness increased with age. Cross-tabulation analyses showed virtually no relationship between social class and limiting long-standing illness. This held true irrespective of the various measures of social class that were used. Controlling the impact of several background variables in the logistic regression analyses did not alter this general result.

  20. Life Course Status and Exchanges of Support between Young Adults and Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucx, Freek; van Wel, Frits; Knijn, Trudie

    2012-01-01

    The authors investigated intergenerational support exchanges in relation to young adults' life course status. In a sample of 2,022 young adults (ages 18-34 years) in The Netherlands, single young adults reported receiving more advice from parents than married young adults, and those with children of their own received more practical support.…