Environmental Copper and Manganese in the Pathophysiology of Neurologic Diseases (Alzheimer's Disease and Manganism)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Populations migrating from developing to industrialized countries seem to elicit a higher incidence and prevalence rate of AD, suggesting lifestyle and environmental factors to have a role in the pathophysiology of AD. One of its major neuropathological hallmarks is the deposition of Aβ peptides as amyloid plaques in the brain of AD patients. Aβ is proteolytically cleaved out of the larger amyloid precursor protein (APP). Cu and Mn are often found in drinking water and may have a neurotoxic potential. APP is involved in Cu homeostasis in mouse and man. In vitro observations and in vivo data obtained from APP mouse models provide strong evidence that APP overexpression enables intracellular Cu to be transported out of the cell. Disturbed metal‐ion homeostasis with elevated serum Cu levels occurs in Alzheimer and Down's patients and lowered levels in post‐mortem AD brain. We observed that bioavailable Cu has specific beneficial effects in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. This should be regarded as a proof‐of‐concept for a prophylactic approach to overcome the observed CNS Cu deficiency in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Manganism is a disorder with symptoms similar to that of Parkinson's disease. The precise mechanism how manganese can damage the nervous system is unknown. There is some evidence that iron and manganese may utilize similar transport systems. Epidemi ologic data strongly suggests that manganese enters the body primarily via inhalation and through the ingestion of manganese in drinking water.     

A New Method for the Determination of Area-Averaged Turbulent Surface Fluxes from Low-Level Flights Using Inverse Models

The low-level flight method (LLF) has been combined with linear inverse models (IM) resulting in an LLF+IM method for the determination of area-averaged turbulent surface fluxes. With this combination, the vertical divergences of the turbulent latent and sensible heat fluxes were calculated from horizontal flights. The statistical errors of the derived turbulent surface fluxes were significantly reduced. The LLF+IM method was tested both in numerical and field experiments. Large-eddy simulations (LES) were performed to compare ‘true’ flux profiles with ‘measurements’ of simulated flights in an idealised convective boundary layer. Small differences between the ‘true’ and the ‘measured’ fluxes were found, but the vertical flux divergences were correctly calculated by the LLF+IM method. The LLF+IM method was then applied to data collected during two flights with the Helipod, a turbulence probe carried by a helicopter, and with the research aircraft Do 128 in the LITFASS-98 field campaign. The derived surface fluxes were compared with results from eddy-covariance surface stations and with large-aperture scintillometer data. The comparison showed that the LLF+IM method worked well for the sensible heat flux at 77 and 200 m flight levels, and also for the latent heat flux at the lowest level. The model quality control indicated failures for the latent heat flux at the 200 m level (and higher), which were probably due to large moisture fluctuations that could not be modelled using linear assumptions. Finally the LLF+IM method was applied to more than twenty low-level flights from the LITFASS-2003 experiment. Comparison with aggregated surface flux data revealed good agreement for the sensible heat flux but larger discrepancies and a higher statistical uncertainty for the latent heat flux     

Holocene History of the Chocó Rain Forest from Laguna Piusbi, Southern Pacific Lowlands of Colombia

A high-resolution pollen record from a 5-m-long sediment core from the closed-lake basin Laguna Piusbi in the southern Colombian Pacific lowlands of Chocó, dated by 11 AMS¹⁴C dates that range from ca. 7670 to 220¹⁴C yr B.P., represents the first Holocene record from the Chocó rain forest area. The interval between 7600 and 6100¹⁴C yr B.P. (500–265 cm), composed of sandy clays that accumulated during the initial phase of lake formation, is almost barren of pollen. Fungal spores and the presence of herbs and disturbance taxa suggest the basin was at least temporarily inundated and the vegetation was open. The closed lake basin might have formed during an earthquake, probably about 4400¹⁴C yr B.P. From the interval of about 6000¹⁴C yr B.P. onwards, 200 different pollen and spore types were identified in the core, illustrating a diverse floristic composition of the local rain forest. Main taxa are Moraceae/Urticaceae,Cecropia,Melastomataceae/Combretaceae,Acalypha, Alchornea,Fabaceae,Mimosa, Piper, Protium, Sloanea, Euterpe/Geonoma, Socratea,andWettinia.Little change took place during that time interval. Compared to the pollen records from the rain forests of the Colombian Amazon basin and adjacent savannas, the Chocó rain forest ecosystem has been very stable during the late Holocene. Paleoindians probably lived there at least since 3460¹⁴C yr B.P. Evidence of agricultural activity, shown by cultivation ofZea maissurrounding the lake, spans the last 1710 yr. Past and present very moist climate and little human influence are important factors in maintaining the stable ecosystem and high biodiversity of the Chocó rain forest.     

Short-Term Ozone Forecasting with a Network Model System during Summer 1999

Within the framework of the Tropospheric Research Programme (TFS) four working groups in Germany (University of Stuttgart, University of Cologne, Research Center Karlsruhe, German Weather Service) formed a network developing a model system for chemistry transport calculations on different scales. The network was optimized, based on each module and combined for the different interfaces in order to perform daily preoperational ozone forecasts and its precursors at the German Weather Service in summer 1999 (May through September). The setup of the model system, the interfaces and changes of each module are described. The results of the whole preoperational episode are displayed and discussed. Main efforts were done analyzing the model climate statistics and the verification of the predictions with an extensive data base of observations at stations in Germany. The results of this extensive verification demonstrate the relatively good performance of the entire forecast system.     

Holocene Amazon rainforest–savanna dynamics and climatic implications: high‐resolution pollen record from Laguna Loma Linda in eastern Colombia

We present a high‐resolution pollen record of a 695‐cm‐long sediment core from Laguna Loma Linda, located at an altitude of 310 m in the transitional zone between the savannas of the Llanos Orientales and the Amazonian rainforest, about 100 km from the Eastern Cordillera. Based on eight AMS ¹⁴C ages, the record represents the last 8700 ¹⁴C yr BP. During the period from 8700 to 6000 ¹⁴C yr BP the vegetation was dominated by grass savanna with only a few woody taxa, such as Curatella and Byrsonima, present in low abundance. Gallery forest along the drainage system apparently was poorly developed. Compared with today, precipitation must have been significantly lower and seasonality stronger. During the period from 6000 to 3600 ¹⁴C yr BP, rainforest taxa increased markedly, reflecting an increase in precipitation. Rainforest and gallery forest taxa such as Moraceae/Urticaceae, Melastomataceae, Alchornea, Cecropia and Acalypha, were abundant, whereas Poaceae were reduced in frequency. From 3600 to 2300 ¹⁴C yr BP rainforest taxa continued to increase; Moraceae/Urticaceae became very frequent, and Myrtaceae and Myrsine became common. Savanna vegetation decreased continuously. We infer that precipitation was still increasing, and that the length of the annual dry period possibly shortened. From 2300 ¹⁴C yr BP onwards, grass savanna (mainly represented by Poaceae) expanded and Mauritia palms became frequent. This reflects increased human impact on the vegetation. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late Quaternary vegetational and climatic change in the Popayán region,southern Colombian Andes

Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetational and climatic change have been studied palynologically at a site at 1750 m elevation in the subandean vegetation belt near Popayán, in the southern Colombian Andes. Time control on the pollen record is based on six AMS ¹⁴C ages, ranging from possibly Middle Pleniglacial time (around 50000 yr BP) to 1092 ± 44 yr BP. Because of the presence of two hiatuses only the Middle Pleniglacial and Late Holocene periods (the last 2300 yr BP) are represented. Pollen data indicate the presence of closed subandean forest during glacial time. Changes in the contribution of pollen originating from the uppermost and lowermost subandean forest belts, changes in the contribution of a number of other subandean forest taxa, and changes in species composition between the three pollen zones, suggest that the climate during the Middle Pleniglacial was markedly colder, and perhaps also wetter, than during the Late Holocene. Pollen assemblages from the Late Holocene indicate that the landscape has been affected by deforestation and agriculture since at least 2300 yr BP, but that human impact decreased in the last 780 yr BP. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From modernization theory towards the ‘clash of civilizations’: directions and paradigm shifts in Samuel Huntington's analysis and prognosis of global development1

This paper critically discusses Samuel Huntington's contribution to development studies. Long before his currently debated work on the clash of civilizations, Huntington wrote on the political order in changing societies. In this highly influential book of the late 1960s he argued on the basis of modernization theory for strong governments to accompany the inevitable and universal process of modernization. His clash of civilizations seems to argue from different assumptions. It insists on the essential differences between cultures based on religion. These cultural differences would now give rise to the most important conflict constellations. In his earlier and later work Huntington insists on the primacy of Western values and the need to defend them. The author critiques the assumptions, concepts and some of the empirical evidence of Huntingtons recent study.