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Recent studies have shown that long-term alcohol intake from food can lead to numerous mental disorders in humans, and the social and health effects of excessive intake of alcohol currently represent serious problems for governments and families worldwide. However, to date, it has not been determined how alcohol affects the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. The zebrafish offers a good model for studying the toxicology of food-grade ethanol. In the present study, using zebrafish larvae exposed to 1% ethanol, we performed zebrafish behavioral analysis. Samples were collected for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments, and statistical analysis was performed. We found that ethanol decreased the locomotor activity of zebrafish larvae, which showed a more intense reaction to external stimuli. Ethanol also increased the level of HPA axis hormones in zebrafish larvae, influenced the level of neurotransmitters, and altered the expression of key genes in neurotransmitter metabolism. Ethanol exposure affects zebrafish behavior, increases the level of HPA axis hormones in zebrafish larvae, affects the level of neurotransmitters, and affects the expression of key genes in dopamine and serotonin metabolism. These findings may help to elucidate the effects of ethanol on HPA axis activity.

Environmental regulations frequently mandate the use of "best available" science, but ensuring that it is used in decisions around the use and protection of natural resources is often challenging. In the Western US, this relationship between science and management is at the forefront of post-fire land management decisions. Recent fires, post-fire threats (e.g. flooding, erosion), and the role of fire in ecosystem health combine to make post-fire management highly visible and often controversial. This paper uses post-fire management to present a framework for understanding why disconnects between science and management decisions may occur. We argue that attributes of agencies, such as their political or financial incentives, can limit how effectively science is incorporated into decision-making. At the other end of the spectrum, the lack of synthesis or limited data in science can result in disconnects between science-based analysis of post-fire effects and agency policy and decisions. Disconnects also occur because of the interaction between the attributes of agencies and the attributes of science, such as their different spatial and temporal scales of interest. After offering examples of these disconnects in post-fire treatment, the paper concludes with recommendations to reduce disconnects by improving monitoring, increasing synthesis of scientific findings, and directing social-science research toward identifying and deepening understanding of these disconnects.