Chemical fractionation and solubility of phosphorus in dairy manure-amended soils as a predictor of phosphorus concentration in runoff

Nutrient over-loading in many dairy manure-amended soils in the dairy producing areas of Texas has led to environmental problems as such eutrophication of local surface water bodies. One of the nutrients contributing to eutrophication problems is phosphorus (P). This project focused on fractionation and solubility of selected P forms in an effort to determine a relationship with P found in runoff from dairy manureamend soils. Ten soils (5 calcareous, 5 noncalcareous) were collected from the dairy producing areas of Texas. Triplicate soil samples were analyzed for 0-5 cm and 5-15 cm depths. An acid-base extraction method was used to determine total P (TP), inorganic P, and organic P. Sequential extractions were used to determine the loosely-bound P, iron (Fe) phosphates, aluminum (Al) phosphates, reductant soluble P, occluded apatite P, and calcium (Ca) phosphates for calcareous and noncalcareous samples. The ammonium oxalate method was used to determine extractable Fe, Al, and silicon (Si). Potassium chloride extraction was used to determine soluble Ca, Al, Fe, Mg, and P. A weak NaOH extract was used to determined the amount of bioavalible P. Dissolved P in runoff events and soil pH were collected in a previous study. Calcareous and noncalcareous soils displayed varying concentrations of P indifferent fractions and with separate comparisons, stronger relationships could be achieved. It was also determined that KCl soluble Mg could be used as a predictor for dissolved and total P in runoff for calcareous soils (r2âÂÂs ranging from 0.865 to 0.928 and 0.801 to 0.886, respectively). Ammonium oxalate extractable Al also yielded high correlations in calcareous soils for dissolved and total P in runoff (r2 ranging from 0.798 to 0.991 and 0.766 to 0.973, respectively). In noncalareous soils, pH resulted in a less correlated relationship with dissolved P (r2 = 0.600). This study shows that there are simple and effective ways of predicting dissolved and total P in runoff to improve best management practice recommendations for manure-amended soils

A Screening Tool for Assessing Alcohol Use Risk among Medically Vulnerable Youth

Background: In an effort to reduce barriers to screening for alcohol use in pediatric primary care, the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) developed a two-question Youth Alcohol Screening Tool derived from population-based survey data. It is unknown whether this screening tool, designed for use with general populations, accurately identifies risk among youth with chronic medical conditions (YCMC). This growing population, which comprises nearly one in four youth in the US, faces a unique constellation of drinking-related risks. Method To validate the NIAAA Youth Alcohol Screening Tool in a population of YCMC, we performed a cross-sectional validation study with a sample of 388 youth ages 9–18 years presenting for routine subspecialty care at a large children’s hospital for type 1 diabetes, persistent asthma, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, or juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Participants self-administered the NIAAA Youth Alcohol Screening Tool and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children as a criterion standard measure of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Receiver operating curve analysis was used to determine cut points for identifying youth at moderate and highest risk for an AUD. Results: Nearly one third of participants (n = 118; 30.4%) reported alcohol use in the past year; 86.4% (106) of past year drinkers did not endorse any AUD criteria, 6.8% (n = 8) of drinkers endorsed a single criterion, and 6.8% of drinkers met criteria for an AUD. Using the NIAAA tool, optimal cut points found to identify youth at moderate and highest risk for an AUD were ≥ 6 and ≥12 drinking days in the past year, respectively. Conclusions: The NIAAA Youth Alcohol Screening Tool is highly efficient for detecting alcohol use and discriminating disordered use among YCMC. This brief screen appears feasible for use in specialty care to ascertain alcohol-related risk that may impact adversely on health status and disease management

Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Interactive Medications Among Medically Vulnerable Youth.

Despite their medical vulnerability, youth with chronic medical conditions (YCMCs) drink at levels commensurate with healthy youth. However, information about the prevalence of alcohol use among YCMCs who take alcohol-interactive (AI) medications is scant. To address gaps and inform interventions, we quantified simultaneous exposure to alcohol use and AI medications among YCMCs, hypothesizing that AI exposure would be associated with lower alcohol consumption and mediated by perceptions of alcohol-medication interference. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, moderate persistent asthma, cystic fibrosis, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or inflammatory bowel disease completed an electronic survey. We measured the prevalence of exposure to AI medications and the associations with past-year alcohol use as well as binge drinking and total consumption volume in the past 3 months using multivariate regression to estimate the odds of alcohol use given AI medication exposure and perceptions of interference. Of 396 youth, 86.4% were on AI medications, of whom, 35.4% reported past-year alcohol use (46.3% among those who were not on AI medications). AI medication use was associated with 43% lower odds of past-year alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio: 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.39-0.85) and lower total consumption (β = -.43; SE = 0.11; P < .001). Perceptions of alcohol-medication interference partially mediated the relationship between AI medication exposure and past-year alcohol use (Sobel test P = .05). Many YCMCs reported using alcohol; however, drinking was less likely among those who were taking AI medications. Perceptions about alcohol-medication interference mediated the association between drinking and AI medication exposure, suggesting the potential salience of interventions that emphasize alcohol-related risks

Substance Use Among Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Reasons for Use, Knowledge of Risks, and Provider Messaging/Education.

ObjectiveAdolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for alcohol and marijuana use. This study's objective is to describe adolescents' ADHD-specific reasons for marijuana use, knowledge of ADHD-specific alcohol risks, and reported subspecialty provider messaging/education regarding alcohol use among adolescents with ADHD.MethodsYouths with ADHD aged 12 to 18 years completed a survey about alcohol and marijuana use, ADHD-specific reasons for marijuana use, knowledge of ADHD-specific alcohol risks, and reported provider messaging/education regarding alcohol use. We assessed knowledge toward substance use using descriptive statistics. We used χ and t tests to determine whether knowledge or provider messaging/education differed by sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsOf the 96 participants, 61.5% were male, average age was 15.7 years; 31.3% reported past-year alcohol use and 20.8% reported past-year marijuana use. The majority (65.2%) said "no/don't know" to both "Can alcohol make ADHD symptoms worse?" and "Can alcohol interfere or get in the way of the medications you take?" Older participants were more likely to correctly answer the medication question "yes." Despite most (74%) participants reporting that their provider asked about alcohol use, few youth reported that their providers gave specific messages/education that alcohol could make ADHD symptoms worse (9.4%) or interfere with ADHD medications (14.6%); older participants and past-year alcohol users were more likely to have received these alcohol-specific messages.ConclusionMany youth with ADHD are unaware of the risks of alcohol use in relation to ADHD and providers are not consistently discussing these risks in the context of clinical ADHD care

Screening and Counseling for Alcohol Use in Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions in the Ambulatory Setting.

PurposeWe seek to determine how youth with chronic medical conditions experience alcohol screening and counseling.MethodsAdolescents with type I diabetes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, moderate persistent asthma, cystic fibrosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or inflammatory bowel disease were surveyed. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis quantified rates of asking and counseling about alcohol.ResultsOf 390 participants (75.1% white/non-Hispanic, 51.8% female, average age 16.4 years), 70% reported being asked about their alcohol use by a healthcare provider, and 76% reported receiving at least one message regarding alcohol and health. Of past year drinkers, 54% disclosed use to their provider. Only 2.0% of youth reported receiving the message "I should not drink."ConclusionsMost youth with chronic medical conditions were asked and counseled about alcohol use although few heard unambiguous recommendations to avoid alcohol consumption

Sample Sociodemographic Characteristics by Past Year Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Risk^a.

<p>Sample Sociodemographic Characteristics by Past Year Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Risk<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0156240#t002fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Cut-points in drinking days used to identify AUD risk: Prevalence, Sensitivity, Specificity, and Area Under the ROC Curve.

<p>Cut-points in drinking days used to identify AUD risk: Prevalence, Sensitivity, Specificity, and Area Under the ROC Curve.</p

Comparison of estimated risk levels by age and response using NIAAA Youth Alcohol Screening Tool for all youth and YCMC.

<p>Screening question assessed the number of drinking days in the past year [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0156240#pone.0156240.ref019" target="_blank">19</a>].</p