Translational studies in the complex role of neurotransmitter systems in anxiety and anxiety disorders

Discovery of innovative anxiolytics is severely hampering. Existing anxiolytics are developed decades ago and are still the therapeutics of choice. Moreover, lack of new drug targets forecasts a severe jeopardy in the future treatment of the huge population of CNS-diseased patients. We simply lack the knowledge on what is wrong in brains of anxious people (normal and diseased). Translational research, based on interacting clinical and preclinical research, is extremely urgent. In this endeavor, genetic and genomic approaches are part of the spectrum of contributing factors. We focus on three druggable targets: serotonin transporter, 5-HT1A, and GABAA receptors. It is still uncertain whether and how these targets are involved in normal and diseased anxiety processes. For serotonergic anxiolytics, the slow onset of action points to indirect effects leading to plasticity changes in brain systems leading to reduced anxiety. For GABAA benzodiazepine drugs, acute anxiolytic effects are found indicating primary mechanisms directly influencing anxiety processes. Close translational collaboration between fundamental academic and discovery research will lead to badly needed breakthroughs in the search for new anxiolytics.</p

Long-term changes of thermal resources in the vegetative period and the active growth of plants in Poland

W pracy podjęto zagadnienie współczesnych zmian zasobów termicznych w sezonie wegetacyjnym w Polsce. Zasoby termiczne określono na podstawie sum nadwyżek średnich dobowych wartości temperatury powietrza powyżej progu 5°C i 10°C (tzw. sumy efektywne temperatury). Wykorzystano dane codzienne z lat 1951-2006 z 10 stacji synoptycznych IMGW z obszaru Polski nizinnej. Posłużono się także serią uśrednioną obszarowo. Określono zakres zmian oraz wieloletnie trendy i fluktuacje zasobów termicznych. Najmniejsze sumy efektywne temperatury w okresie wegetacyjnym pojawiały się w różnych regionach Polski w różnych latach, natomiast skrajnie duże występowały na przeważającym obszarze Polski i koncentrowały się na przełomie XX i XXI wieku. Wykazano istotny wzrost zasobów termicznych oraz przestrzenne zróżnicowanie tempa tego procesu na obszarze Polski. Sumy temperatury powyżej progu 5°C wzrastały w Polsce w tempie 4,0°C na rok, a powyżej 10°C - 2,6°C na rok.This paper deals with the problem of contemporary changes of thermal resources in the vegetative period in Poland. Thermal resources were specified using the sums of surpluses of mean daily air temperature values above the threshold of 5°C and 10°C (the so called effective sums of temperatures). Daily data from the period 1951-2006 used in the study come from ten synoptic IMGW stations in Polish lowlands. Spatially averaged data series were also used. The range of changes and long-term trends and fluctuations of thermal resources were established. The smallest sums of effective temperatures in the growing season occurred in different regions of Poland and during different periods while extremely high ones appeared in most parts of our country and were concentrated at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. The results show a significant increase in thermal resources and spatial differentiation of the rate of this process in Poland. Temperature sums above the threshold of 5°C increased in Poland at a rate of 4.0°C per year and those above the 10°C threshold - at a rate of 2.6°C per year

Changes of thermal conditions in the Polish Tatra Mountains

The purpose of the report is to determine trends in thermal conditions in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains. The study makes use of the data from the weather stations in Zakopane and on Kasprowy Wierch Mt. from the years 1951–2006, and mainly from 1966–2006. Various thermal characteristics were considered. The increase of the rate of upward trend in temperature in the Tatras at the turn of the 21st century, as well as the change of the seasonal distribution of the warming in comparison with the preceding long-term periods, have been documented. In 1966–2006, significant trends in the changes of the mean, maximum and minimum temperatures have been observed in the Tatras in summer (respectively, 0.04, 0.05 and 0.03–0.04 centigrade per annum). Certain symptoms of increase of the thermal continentality have also been observed (increase of the annual amplitude of temperature). Besides, important features of changes in thermal conditions at the turn of the 21st century include an increase in the number of hot days, and even appearance of the very hot days at the foothills of the Tatras, increase of the number of frost days and decrease of the number of ice days in the high mountain part of the Tatras, as well as increase of accumulated heat of the growing season and an increase of daily amplitude of temperature across the entire profile of the Tatras

Pressure patterns over Europe and the Northern Atlantic in seasons and years with anomalous cloudiness over Poland

Wielkość zachmurzenia nad Polską (poza obszarem gór) opisano średnimi sezonowymi i rocznymi wielkościami zachmurzenia z 48 stacji synoptycznych, obliczając na ich podstawie średnią obszarową wielkość zachmurzenia w kolejnych latach okresu 1951-2000. Określono wielkości anomalne zachmurzenia, stosując podział zbioru oparty na przedziałach kwantylowych. Za anomalne przyjęto te pory roku i lata, w których wielkość zachmurzenia przekraczała kwantyl 90% lub była mniejsza niż określona przez kwantyl 10%. Dokonano analizy pola ciśnienia nad północnym Atlantykiem i Europą na poziomie morza w porach roku i latach o anomalnych wielkościach zachmurzenia nad Polską. Do opisu ciśnienia atmosferycznego użyto średnich sezonowych i rocznych jego wartości, określonych w odniesieniu do punktów węzłowych siatki z obszaru φ 30°-70°N i λ 40°W-60°E. Krok siatki wynosi 5° szerokości i 10° długości geograficznej. Wskazano obszary wystąpienia największych różnic między średnim ciśnieniem w sezonach i latach o anomalnym zachmurzeniu nad Polską i ciśnieniem średnim wieloletnim (1951-2000).The cloudiness over Poland (except the mountains) was described using seasonal and annual average cloudiness level records from 48 synoptic stations. These were used as bases for calculating the spatial average cloudiness for consecutive years 1951-2000. Anomalous magnitude of cloudiness was determined using the division of series based on quantile interval. It was assumed that the anomalous seasons and years were the ones, in which the cloudiness exceeded the 90 % quantile or was below the value defined by the 10 % quantile. The analysis of the pressure pattern at the sea level for the North Atlantic and Europe in seasons and years with anomalous cloudiness over Poland was carried out. To describe air pressure pattern, its seasonal and yearly average values were used. The values were taken from the nod-points of the grid from the area φ 30°-70°N and λ 40°W-60°E. The grid span was 5° latitude and 10° longitude. The areas of biggest differences between mean pressure in seasons and years with anomalous cloudiness and long-term pressure records (1951-2000) were denoted