Changes in plant community composition and functional plant traits over a four-year period on an extensive green roof.

Constructed ecosystems like green roofs are increasingly deployed in cities to mitigate issues associated with urbanization. To minimize the cost of green roof infrastructure, shallow growing media (substrate) for plants is often employed. Spatial heterogeneity in substrate depth has also been hypothesized to allow greater plant species diversity without adding to the weight. Stress and competition can change green roof plant communities after initial planting, but little is known about the long-term effects of spatial heterogeneity on vegetation composition and functional characteristics. Our goal was to determine how green roof plant communities and, in turn, functional plant traits, change over time in response to environmental stress and substrate heterogeneity. This four-year experiment used four substrate depth treatments: three with homogenous substrate depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm, and one treatment with a heterogenous substrate depth that varied between 5 cm and 15 cm (5/15 cm). The volume of the substrate in the 10 cm treatment and 5/15 cm treatment was equal. By the end of this four-year experiment, variation occurred between treatments for community composition and functional diversity, with the greatest species richness observed in the least stressful treatment (15 cm) and the greatest functional diversity and evenness observed in the most stressful treatment (5 cm). Additionally, each treatment had lower functional diversity after four years compared to the initially planted community. When the heterogenous 5/15 cm treatment was compared to the homogenous 10 cm treatment, there were no differences in the number of plant species, but the treatments contained two distinct plant communities. Furthermore, the 5/15 cm treatment supported taller species, a trait value associated with reduced stormwater runoff and substrate temperature. This finding indicates that creating green roofs with a heterogenous substrate depth could improve overall green roof function without increasing roof weight. Substrate depth can be manipulated by green roof designers to alter vegetation characteristics, but species and functional diversity showed opposite trends along the depth gradient.

First-in-Human Dose-Escalation Study of the Novel Oral Depsipeptide Class I-Targeting HDAC Inhibitor Bocodepsin (OKI-179) in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors.

(1) Background: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a critical role in epigenetic signaling in cancer; however, available HDAC inhibitors have limited therapeutic windows and suboptimal pharmacokinetics (PK). This first-in-human phase I dose escalation study evaluated the safety, PK, pharmacodynamics (PDx), and efficacy of the oral Class I-targeting HDAC inhibitor bocodepsin (OKI-179). (2) Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 34) with advanced solid tumors were treated with OKI-179 orally once daily in three schedules: 4 days on 3 days off (4:3), 5 days on 2 days off (5:2), or continuous in 21-day cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Single-patient escalation cohorts followed a standard 3 + 3 design. (3) Results: The mean duration of treatment was 81.2 (range 11-447) days. The most frequent adverse events in all patients were nausea (70.6%), fatigue (47.1%), and thrombocytopenia (41.2%). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of OKI-179 was 450 mg with 4:3 and 200 mg with continuous dosing. Dose-limiting toxicities included decreased platelet count and nausea. Prolonged disease control was observed, including two patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Systemic exposure to the active metabolite exceeded the preclinical efficacy threshold at doses lower than the MTD and was temporally associated with increased histone acetylation in circulating T cells. (4) Conclusions: OKI-179 has a manageable safety profile at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of 300 mg daily on a 4:3 schedule with prophylactic oral antiemetics. OKI-179 is currently being investigated with the MEK inhibitor binimetinib in patients with NRAS-mutated melanoma in the phase 2 Nautilus trial.

Functional trait database for Nova Scotian coastal barren, green roof, and ruderal flora.

This is the first plant functional trait database for Nova Scotia, Canada. The data contained here were collected between 2016 and 2019 from locations around Halifax, Nova Scotia. The species selected for trait collection were chosen based on species inventories taken across Nova Scotian coastal barrens and from green roofs at Saint Mary's University. The purpose of the coastal barren trait data was to understand community assembly in this understudied ecosystem. The green roof inventory was included as coastal barren species are known to succeed on green roofs in Nova Scotia. The green roof trait data was used to answer questions surrounding coexistence and trait divergence, and community assembly and spatial heterogeneity. In total, this database contains 14,341 trait values from 203 species comprising 130 genera and 53 families. The majority of species are commonly found on coastal barrens (84 species), disturbed sites (48 species), and forests (27 species). Additionally, this database contains trait data for 30 species that have been successfully established (survival for >1 year) on green roofs in Nova Scotia and ruderal species that commonly colonize both green roofs and coastal barrens. This database contains 12 plant functional traits: leaf thickness (203 species), leaf area (203 species), specific leaf area (203 species), leaf dry matter content (203 species), plant height (203 species), canopy width (203 species), seed mass (79 species), seed shape (61 species), root radius (22 species), leaf phosphorus content (3 species), leaf nitrogen content (30 species), and leaf carbon content (30 species). The species in this database can be subdivided into 10 growth forms, with the majority of species characterized as forbs (75 species), shrubs (56 species), or graminoids (33 species). This data set is freely available for scientific use; when used in published analyses, this paper should be referred to as the data source.

Stressful, isolated, yet diverse: Green roofs have rich microbiomes that are not dominated by oligotrophic taxa.

Green roofs are unique ecosystems combining two major community assembly filters, namely stress and spatial isolation. As such, they represent an interesting model ecosystem in community ecology. In this study, we characterized the microbiome structure on 19 green roofs and 5 urban parks as a benchmark comparison (i.e. non-isolated, non-stressful habitats). Green roofs were not species depauperate, showing similar α-diversity compared to surrounding parks. We also did not find an overrepresentation of bacterial phyla typically recognized as oligotrophs, which calls into question the notion of green roofs as highly stressful habitats for bacteria, and/or the conservatism of nutritional ecophysiology at the phylum level. The geographical position of a roof, or its degree of spatial isolation (assessed through its height and area) were not important predictors of microbiome diversity and structure, suggesting that dispersal limitations impose little constraints on green roof microbiome assembly. Finally, key microbial groups (e.g. archaeal nitrifiers, Actinobacteria) were much less frequent and/or abundant on green roofs, which may have important implications for nutrient cycling and urban biogeochemistry. More work will be required to phenotype the microorganisms overrepresented on green roofs and specifically measure key soil processes in these unique urban ecosystems.

Spatial environmental heterogeneity affects plant growth and thermal performance on a green roof.

Green roofs provide ecosystem services, including stormwater retention and reductions in heat transfer through the roof. Microclimates, as well as designed features of green roofs, such as substrate and vegetation, affect the magnitude of these services. Many green roofs are partially shaded by surrounding buildings, but the effects of this within-roof spatial environmental heterogeneity on thermal performance and other ecosystem services have not been examined. We quantified the effects of spatial heterogeneity in solar radiation, substrate depth and other variables affected by these drivers on vegetation and ecosystem services in an extensive green roof. Spatial heterogeneity in substrate depth and insolation were correlated with differential growth, survival and flowering in two focal plant species. These effects were likely driven by the resulting spatial heterogeneity in substrate temperature and moisture content. Thermal performance (indicated by heat flux and substrate temperature) was influenced by spatial heterogeneity in vegetation cover and substrate depth. Areas with less insolation were cooler in summer and had greater substrate moisture, leading to more favorable conditions for plant growth and survival. Spatial variation in substrate moisture (7%-26% volumetric moisture content) and temperature (21°C-36°C) during hot sunny conditions in summer could cause large differences in stormwater retention and heat flux within a single green roof. Shaded areas promote smaller heat fluxes through the roof, leading to energy savings, but lower evapotranspiration in these areas should reduce stormwater retention capacity. Spatial heterogeneity can thus result in trade-offs between different ecosystem services. The effects of these spatial heterogeneities are likely widespread in green roofs. Structures that provide shelter from sun and wind may be productively utilized to design higher functioning green roofs and increase biodiversity by providing habitat heterogeneity.

Countertransference phenomena and personality pathology in clinical practice: an empirical investigation.

OBJECTIVE: This study provides initial data on the reliability and factor structure of a measure of countertransference processes in clinical practice and examines the relation between these processes and patients' personality pathology. METHOD: A national random sample of 181 psychiatrists and clinical psychologists in North America each completed a battery of instruments on a randomly selected patient in their care, including measures of axis II symptoms and the Countertransference Questionnaire, an instrument designed to assess clinicians' cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses in interacting with a particular patient. RESULTS: Factor analysis of the Countertransference Questionnaire yielded eight clinically and conceptually coherent factors that were independent of clinicians' theoretical orientation: 1) overwhelmed/disorganized, 2) helpless/inadequate, 3) positive, 4) special/overinvolved, 5) sexualized, 6) disengaged, 7) parental/protective, and 8) criticized/mistreated. The eight factors were associated in predictable ways with axis II pathology. An aggregated portrait of countertransference responses with narcissistic personality disorder patients provided a clinically rich, empirically based description that strongly resembled theoretical and clinical accounts. CONCLUSIONS: Countertransference phenomena can be measured in clinically sophisticated and psychometrically sound ways that tap the complexity of clinicians' reactions toward their patients. Countertransference patterns are systematically related to patients' personality pathology across therapeutic approaches, suggesting that clinicians, regardless of therapeutic orientation, can make diagnostic and therapeutic use of their own responses to the patient.

Parental bonding and personality pathology assessed by clinician report.

The present study focused on the link between parental bonding and personality pathology. We developed a clinician-report version of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; Parker, Tupling, and Brown, 1979), which 203 clinicians applied to a randomly selected patient in their care. The goal of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of a clinician-report PBI, and to provide a preliminary examination of the relation between personality disorder (PD) symptoms and parental bonding in a national sample of patients in treatment in the community. Factor analysis yielded two factors (parental rejection/care and parental overprotection) for each parent, which had high internal consistency (coefficient alphas all >.80). The factor structure of the clinician-report measure strongly resembled the factor structure of the widely used self-report instrument. Parental bonding as assessed by clinician report showed coherent patterns of association with PD diagnoses, which resembled those found in other samples. Maternal rejection/care showed a particular link to borderline PD (BPD), and remained a significant predictor of BPD along with sexual abuse and physical abuse in multiple regression analysis. These data, along with others from recent studies using clinicians as informants, suggest that clinicians can provide reliable and valid data when their observations are quantified using psychometrically sound instruments. Clinician-report methods may provide a useful complement to studies of personality disorders that rely primarily on self-reports or structured interviews.

Leaf and life history traits predict plant growth in a green roof ecosystem.

Green roof ecosystems are constructed to provide services such as stormwater retention and urban temperature reductions. Green roofs with shallow growing media represent stressful conditions for plant survival, thus plants that survive and grow are important for maximizing economic and ecological benefits. While field trials are essential for selecting appropriate green roof plants, we wanted to determine whether plant leaf traits could predict changes in abundance (growth) to provide a more general framework for plant selection. We quantified leaf traits and derived life-history traits (Grime's C-S-R strategies) for 13 species used in a four-year green roof experiment involving five plant life forms. Changes in canopy density in monocultures and mixtures containing one to five life forms were determined and related to plant traits using multiple regression. We expected traits related to stress-tolerance would characterize the species that best grew in this relatively harsh setting. While all species survived to the end of the experiment, canopy species diversity in mixture treatments was usually much lower than originally planted. Most species grew slower in mixture compared to monoculture, suggesting that interspecific competition reduced canopy diversity. Species dominant in mixture treatments tended to be fast-growing ruderals and included both native and non-native species. Specific leaf area was a consistently strong predictor of final biomass and the change in abundance in both monoculture and mixture treatments. Some species in contrasting life-form groups showed compensatory dynamics, suggesting that life-form mixtures can maximize resilience of cover and biomass in the face of environmental fluctuations. This study confirms that plant traits can be used to predict growth performance in green roof ecosystems. While rapid canopy growth is desirable for green roofs, maintenance of species diversity may require engineering of conditions that favor less aggressive species.

Cladonia lichens on extensive green roofs: evapotranspiration, substrate temperature, and albedo.

Green roofs are constructed ecosystems that provide ecosystem services in urban environments. Shallow substrate green roofs subject the vegetation layer to desiccation and other environmental extremes, so researchers have evaluated a variety of stress-tolerant vegetation types for green roof applications. Lichens can be found in most terrestrial habitats.  They are able to survive extremely harsh conditions, including frequent cycles of desiccation and rehydration, nutrient-poor soil, fluctuating temperatures, and high UV intensities. Extensive green roofs (substrate depth <20cm) exhibit these harsh conditions, making lichens possible candidates for incorporation into the vegetation layer on extensive green roofs.  In a modular green roof system, we tested the effect of Cladonia lichens on substrate temperature, water loss, and albedo compared to a substrate-only control. Overall, the Cladonia modules had significantly cooler substrate temperatures during the summer and significantly warmer temperatures during the fall.  Additionally, the Cladonia modules lost significantly less water than the substrate-only control. This implies that they may be able to benefit neighboring vascular plant species by reducing water loss and maintaining favorable substrate temperatures.

Personality constellations in patients with a history of childhood sexual abuse.

Although childhood sexual abuse (CSA) appears to have an impact on personality, it does not affect all survivors the same way. The goal of this study was to identify common personality patterns in women with a history of CSA. A national sample of randomly selected psychologists and psychiatrists described 74 adult female patients with a history of CSA and a comparison group of 74 without CSA using the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 (SWAP-200), a Q-sort procedure for assessing personality pathology. Q-factor analysis identified four personality constellations among abuse survivors: Internalizing Dysregulated, High Functioning Internalizing, Externalizing Dysregulated, and Dependent. The four groups differed on diagnostic, adaptive functioning, and developmental history variables, providing initial support for the validity of this classification. The data have potential methodological and treatment implications.

Transference patterns in the psychotherapy of personality disorders: empirical investigation.

BACKGROUND: The concept of transference has broadened to a recognition that patients often express enduring relational patterns in the therapeutic relationship. AIMS: To examine the structure of patient relational patterns in psychotherapy and their relation with DSM-IV personality disorder symptoms. METHOD: A random sample of psychologists and psychiatrists (n=181) completed a battery of instruments on a randomly selected patient in their care. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis identified five transference dimensions: angry/entitled, anxious/preoccupied, avoidant/counterdependent, secure/engaged and sexualised. These were associated in predictable ways with Axis II pathology; four mapped on to adult attachment styles. An aggregated portrait of transference patterns in narcissistic patients provided a clinically rich, empirically based description of transference processes that strongly resembled clinical theories. CONCLUSIONS: The ways patients interact with their therapists can provide important data about their personality, attachment patterns and interpersonal functioning. These processes can be measured in clinically sophisticated and psychometrically sound ways. Such processes are relatively independent of clinicians' theoretical orientation.