Weather radar utility in hazard detection and response.

Publicly accessible weather radar data have significant capabilities for meteorological measurements and predictions and, further, have the potential to measure nonmeteorological events that include smoke, ash, and debris plumes as well as explosions. The ability to identify and track nonmeteorological events can be of assistance in emergency response, hazard mitigation, and related activities in locations where radar coverage both exists and is recorded and accessible to the user. In this study, events from multiple locations in the United States that are reported in news outlets are assessed using a manual inspection process of Level 2 weather radar data to identify anthropogenic and nonbiological returns.

Coping skills and treatment outcomes in cognitive-behavioral and interactional group therapy for alcoholism.

In the present study 128 alcohol dependent men and women received 26 weeks of group treatment in one of two modalities: Cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) intended specifically to develop coping skills or interactional therapy intended to examine interpersonal relationships. Coping skills and drinking were assessed prior to and after treatment and up to 18 months after intake. Results indicated that both treatments yielded very good drinking outcomes throughout the follow-up period.

Tailoring cannabis dependence treatment for a diverse population.

Accumulating evidence suggests that psychosocial treatment for cannabis dependence is effective. Earlier investigations were well designed and sought to evaluate efficacy of manual-guided therapies with particular attention to protecting the independent variable. The Marijuana Treatment Project (MTP) represents an effort to build upon previous knowledge about cannabis dependence treatment through an evaluation of an integrative therapy, which was meant to allow for greater therapist latitude in its delivery, and to be more responsive to a potentially more diverse population of clients.

Prospective matching of alcoholic clients to cognitive-behavioral or interactional group therapy.

Objective: In earlier work, client sociopathy and global psychopathology were effective variables for treatment matching: clients low on both sociopathy and severity of psychopathology were likely to benefit from interactional group therapy, whereas those scoring high on either of these dimensions benefited more from a coping skills intervention. The present study assessed whether outcomes improve further when clients are assigned to group treatments prospectively based on a matching strategy derived from the previous findings.

Method: All participants (N = 250, 66% men) met criteria for alcohol dependence or abuse.

Issues in the development of subject recruitment strategies and eligibility criteria in multisite trials of matching.

Decision-making in selecting and recruiting subjects for treatment matching research is a complex process involving conceptual, methodological and practical considerations. In selecting clients, concerns arise about whether the criteria will produce a subject population that is (1) relevant to the dimensions associated with the treatment matching, (2) representative of persons typically seen in alcohol treatment settings and, for practical purposes, (3) able or willing to comply with the requirements of the study protocol. Also, in order to fulfill sampling requirements, it may be necessary to employ a variety of creative outreach methods.