Influence of Climate, Species Immigration, Fire, and Men on Forest Dynamics In Northern Italy, from 6000 Cal. BP To Today

Pollen records reflect integrated effects of abiotic and biotic processes such as establishment, competition, climatic change, fire history and human impact. To disentangle these processes we compared a pollen record of Lago di Annone (Northern Italy) in the time interval 6000 cal. BP till today with simulations of a forest-dynamic model (DisCForm) under different combinations of climate, species immigration, human impact, and fire scenarios. Circularity was prevented by using input data that were independent of pollen data. While species competition, climatic change, and species immigration seem to produce model outputs with little similarities with the evaluated pollen record, the simulation of lire events and human activities reflect the main patterns of the original pollen record. The scenario for human impact slightly improves the simulation output. Species composition and abundance of Insubric forests of the time investigated seems therefore to be highly determined by fire and human impact. The simulation runs show that introduced species such as Castanea sativa are not able to coexist with indigenous species

Increasing dopamine D2 receptor expression in the adult nucleus accumbens enhances motivation

A decrease in dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) binding in the striatum is one of the most common findings in disorders that involve a dysregulation of motivation, including obesity, addiction and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As disruption of D2R signaling in the ventral striatum−including the nucleus accumbens (NAc)−impairs motivation, we sought to determine whether potentiating postsynaptic D2R-dependent signaling in the NAc would improve motivation. In this study, we used a viral vector strategy to overexpress postsynaptic D2Rs in either the NAc or the dorsal striatum. We investigated the effects of D2R overexpression on instrumental learning, willingness to work, use of reward value representations and modulation of motivation by reward associated cues. Overexpression of postsynaptic D2R in the NAc selectively increased motivation without altering consummatory behavior, the representation of the value of the reinforcer, or the capacity to use reward associated cues in flexible ways. In contrast, D2R overexpression in the dorsal striatum did not alter performance on any of the tasks. Thus, consistent with numerous studies showing that reduced D2R signaling impairs motivated behavior, our data show that postsynaptic D2R overexpression in the NAc specifically increases an animal's willingness to expend effort to obtain a goal. Taken together, these results provide insight into the potential impact of future therapeutic strategies that enhance D2R signaling in the NAc

The work of Josef Váchal in art education at the elementary school

The thesis deals with the art of the modern Czech painter and graphic artist Josef Váchal and follows up its use in creative activities at primary school. The theoretical part is devoted to a detailed analysis of Váchal artistic development and brief psychological study of his personality. It also reflects the creation of other artists, whose artistic expression tends to be close to Váchal works. In fine the thesis follows the possibilities of use of artistic work in art education at the elementary school. The practical part introduce the art education project, inspired by works of Josef Váchal, and documents its complex realization at the elementrary school in Borové Lady with the final reflection