What Constitutes a Natural Fire Regime? Insight from the Ecology and Distribution of Coniferous Forest Birds in North America

Bird species that specialize in the use of burned forest conditions can provide insight into the prehistoric fire regimes associated with the forest types that they have occupied over evolutionary time. The nature of their adaptations reflects the specific post-fire conditions that occurred prior to the unnatural influence of humans after European settlement. Specifically, the post-fire conditions, nest site locations, and social systems of two species (Bachman\u27s sparrow [Aimophila aestivalis] and red-cockaded woodpecker [Picoides borealis]) suggest that, prehistorically, a frequent, low-severity fire regime characterized the southeastern pine system in which they evolved. In contrast, the patterns of distribution and abundance for several other bird species (black-backed woodpecker [Picoides arcticus], buff-breasted flycatcher [Empidonax fulvifrons], Lewis\u27 woodpecker [Melanerpes lewis], northern hawk owl [Surnia ulula], and Kirtland\u27s warbler [Dendroica kirtlandii]) suggest that severe fire has been an important component of the fire regimes with which they evolved. Patterns of habitat use by the latter species indicate that severe fires are important components not only of higher-elevation and high-latitude conifer forest types, which are known to be dominated by such fires, but also of mid-elevation and even low-elevation conifer forest types that are not normally assumed to have had high-severity fire as an integral part of their natural fire regimes. Because plant and animal adaptations can serve as reliable sources of information about what constitutes a natural fire regime, it might be wise to supplement traditional historical methods with careful consideration of information related to plant and animal adaptations when attempting to restore what are thought to be natural fire regimes

Organic pollutants in sea-surface microlayer and aerosol in thecoastal environment of Leghorn—(Tyrrhenian Sea)

The levels of dissolved and particle-associated n-alkanes, alkylbenzenes, phthalates, PAHs, anionic surfactants and surfactant fluorescent organic matter ŽSFOM. were measured in sea-surface microlayer ŽSML. and sub-surface water ŽSSL. samples collected in the Leghorn marine environment in September and October 1999. Nine stations, located in the Leghorn harbour and at increasing distances from the Port, were sampled three times on the same day. At all the stations, SML concentrations of the selected organic compounds were significantly higher than SSL values and the enrichment factors ŽEFsSML concentrationrSSL concentration. were greater in the particulate phase than in the dissolved phase. SML concentrations varied greatly among the sampling sites, the highest levels Žn-alkanes 3674 mgrl, phthalates 177 mgrl, total PAHs 226 mgrl. being found in the particulate phase in the Leghorn harbour. To improve the knowledge on pollutant exchanges between sea-surface waters and atmosphere, the validity of spray drop adsorption model ŽSDAM. was verified for SFOM, surface-active agents, such as phthalates, and compounds which can interact with SFOM, such as n-alkanes and PAHs. q2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Ligand-Dependent Conformations and Dynamics of the Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor Determine Its Activation and Membrane-Driven Oligomerization Properties

From computational simulations of a serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) model complexed with pharmacologically and structurally diverse ligands we identify different conformational states and dynamics adopted by the receptor bound to the full agonist 5-HT, the partial agonist LSD, and the inverse agonist Ketanserin. The results from the unbiased all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the three ligands affect differently the known GPCR activation elements including the toggle switch at W6.48, the changes in the ionic lock between E6.30 and R3.50 of the DRY motif in TM3, and the dynamics of the NPxxY motif in TM7. The computational results uncover a sequence of steps connecting these experimentally-identified elements of GPCR activation. The differences among the properties of the receptor molecule interacting with the ligands correlate with their distinct pharmacological properties. Combining these results with quantitative analysis of membrane deformation obtained with our new method (Mondal et al, Biophysical Journal 2011), we show that distinct conformational rearrangements produced by the three ligands also elicit different responses in the surrounding membrane. The differential reorganization of the receptor environment is reflected in (i)-the involvement of cholesterol in the activation of the 5-HT2AR, and (ii)-different extents and patterns of membrane deformations. These findings are discussed in the context of their likely functional consequences and a predicted mechanism of ligand-specific GPCR oligomerization

Effectiveness and tolerability of aripiprazole in a real-world outpatient population of youth

Amaç: Ayaktan tedavi edilen ergen hastalarda aripipra- zolün endikasyon dışı kullanım özelliklerini belirlemek ve geniş bir yelpazede ruhsal belirti ve bozukluk gösteren ergenlerin tedavisinde aripiprazolün etkinliğini ve tolerabi- litesini saptamaktır. Yöntem: Hasta dosyaları geriye dönük kayıt taraması yöntemiyle değerlendirilmiştir. Klinik Global izlenim (KGİ) ölçekleri, Kısa Semptom Envanteri (KSE) ve Extrapyramidal Belirtileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Otuz bir hastanın verisine ulaşıldı. Örneklemin çoğu kız hastadan oluşmaktadır (%87.1). Ortalama yaş 16.38±1.14’dir ve 15-19 yaş arasındadır. Hastaların %67,8’inin en az bir komorbid bozukluğu vardır. En sık komorbid bozukluk, major depresif bozukluktur. Aripiprazolün ortala- ma başlangıç dozu 4.83±3.59 mg’dır (ranj:2,5-20 mg/ gün) ve son vizitteki ortalama doz 8.62±3.46 mg’dır. (ranj:2,5-15 mg/ gün). Ortalama aripiprazol tedavi süresi 19.56±1.23 aydır (ranj:4-48 ay). Son vizit KGİ şiddet puanları, başlangıç puanlarına göre anlamlı derecede daha düşüktür (p<0.001). Benzer şekilde, KSE depresyon (z: -3.232; p:0.001), KSE ank- siyete (z: -3.004; p:0.003), KSE hostilite (z:-3.207; p:0.001), KSE psikotisizm (z: -1.973; p:0.049), and KSE paranoid düşünceler (z:2.733; p:0.006) alt ölçek puanları istatiksel açıdan anlamlı farklılık göstermiştir. KSE Global Rahatsızlık Ölçek puanları arasında da, istatiksel açıdan anlamlı fark- lılık bulunmuştur (Rahatsızlık ciddiyeti indeksi: z: -2.987; p:0.003, Semptom rahatsızlık indeksi: z:-3.435; p:0.001 ve Belirti toplamı: z: -3.023; p:0.003). Altı hasta ilaç tedavisini kesmiştir. En sık istenmeyen etkiler yorgunluk (%50.0), uyuşukluk hali (%42.9) ve sersemliktir (%39.30). En şid- detli ekstrapiramidal belirtiler yavaşlık ve zafiyet olduğu izlenimi, günlük işleri yapmada güçlük (%11.5) ve bacakta, sırtta veya boyunda kramp ya da ağrı (%11.5)’dır. Olguların hiçbirinde bedende veya uzuvlarda anormal istem dışı hareketler saptanmamıştır. Sonuç: Aripiprazol, hastalar tarafından klinik pratiğimiz- de oldukça iyi tolere edilmiştir ve ayaktan tedavi edilen ergenlerde güvenli ve etkili bir seçenek olarak görünmek- tedir. Ancak, ileriye dönük randomize kontrollü çalışmaların yapılması gereklidir.Objectives: To identify the pattern of initiation for off- label use of aripiprazole among adolescent outpatients; determine whether or not aripiprazole is effective and tolerable for the treatment of adolescents with a wide range of psychiatric symptoms and disorders or not. Methods: Medical charts were retrospectively reviewed for the effectiveness and tolerability of aripiprazole. The Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale were used. Results: The data were available on 31 patients. The sample consisted of mostly females (87.1%). The mean age was 16.38&plusmn;1.14 years, and the ages range was 15-19 years. Twenty-one patients (67.8%) had at least one comorbid disorder. The most common comorbid disorder was major depressive disorder. The mean initial dosage of aripiprazole was 4.83&plusmn;3.59 mg (2.50 mg - 20.00 mg), and the mean endpoint dosage was 8.62&plusmn;3.46 mg (2.50 mg - 15.00 mg). The mean duration of aripiprazole medication was 19.56&plusmn;1.23 months (range: 4-48 months). Endpoint CGI-S scores were significantly lower compared with baseline CGI-S score (p&lt;0.001). Similarly, the difference between depression severity (z=-3.232; p=0.001), anxiety severity (z=-3.004; p=0.003), hostility severity (z=-3.207; p=0.001), psychoticism severity (z=-1.973; p=0.049), and paranoid ideation severity (z=2.733; p=0.006) scores were statistically significant. The difference between the baseline and endpoint BSI Global Indices of distress scores were found to be statistically significant (The Global Severity Index: z=-2.987; p=0.003, the Positive Symptom Distress Index: z=-3.435; p=0.001, and the Positive Symptom Total: z=-3.023; p=0.003). Six cases (20.0%) discontinued the treatment. The most frequent adverse effects were asthenia (50.0%), somnolence (42.9%), and dizziness (39.30%). The most severe extrapyramidal symptoms were: impression of slowness or weakness, difficulty in carrying out routine tasks (11.5%), and tonic muscular contractions localized to one or several muscle groups, particularly in the throat, neck or back (11.5%). None of the cases had abnormal involuntary movements (dyskinesia) of the extremities or trunk. Conclusion: Aripiprazole was well tolerated and effective in our clinical practice and appears to be a safe and efficacious alternative in adolescents. However, a prospective clinical trial with a randomized controlled design is warranted