Montane rainforest dynamics under changes in climate and human impact during the past millennia in northern Madagascar.

Although it is well known that humans substantially altered the Malagasy ecosystems, the timing of the human arrival as well as the extension of their environmental impact is yet not well understood. This research aims to study the influence of early human impact and climate change on rainforests and wildlife in northern Madagascar during the past millennia. Results obtained from the lake sediment in a montane environment showed significant changes in vegetation within the lake catchment associated with a major drought that started approximately 1100 years ago.

Critical review of the recovery rates of construction and demolition waste in the European Union - An analysis of influencing factors in selected EU countries.

Due to its intense use of resources, the construction sector was identified as a priority sector in the European Green Deal. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is one of the largest waste streams of the European Union. As it shows a high potential for recycling, the European Commission set a recovery target of 70% under the Waste Framework Directive.

Tuning Magnetic and Photophysical Properties of Luminomagnetic Metal-Organic Framework Composites in an Inverse Core-Satellite Structure.

Luminomagnetic composites have been synthesized that allow for an individual tuning of luminescence intensity, chromaticity and magnetization by combination of superparamagnetic, citrate-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles with the luminescent MOFs [Ln (BDC) (H O) ] (Ln=Eu, Tb; BDC =terephthalate). The components are arranged to a concept of inverse structuring compared to previous luminomagnetic composites with MOF@magnetic particle (shell@core) composition so that the luminescent MOF now acts as core and is covered by magnetic nanoparticles forming the satellite shell. Thereby, the magnetic and photophysical properties are individually tuneable between high emission intensity (1.

H S Dosimetry by CuO: Towards Stable Sensors by Unravelling the Underlying Solid-State Chemistry.

The precise detection of the toxic gas H S requires reliable sensitivity and specificity of sensors even at minute concentrations of as low as 10 ppm, the value corresponding to typical exposure limits. CuO can be used for H S dosimetry, based on the formation of conductive CuS and the concomitant significant increase in conductance. In theory, at elevated temperature the reaction is reversed and CuO is formed, ideally enabling repeated and long-term use of one sensor.

Past environmental changes affected lemur population dynamics prior to human impact in Madagascar.

Quaternary climatic changes have been invoked as important drivers of species diversification worldwide. However, the impact of such changes on vegetation and animal population dynamics in tropical regions remains debated. To overcome this uncertainty, we integrated high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions from a sedimentary record covering the past 25,000 years with demographic inferences of a forest-dwelling primate species (Microcebus arnholdi), in northern Madagascar.

Late Holocene vegetation responses to climate change and human impact on the central Tibetan Plateau.

Understanding long-term environmental changes under natural and anthropic forces is helpful for facilitating sustainable development. Here we present a sedimentary record from the central Tibetan Plateau to investigate the impacts of climate and human activities on alpine vegetation during the late Holocene, based on a 162-cm-long lacustrine sediment core collected from Tangra Yumco. Palynology, charcoal and minerogenic input reveal variations of climate and human activity during the past 3400 cal yr BP.

Climate change on the Tibetan Plateau in response to shifting atmospheric circulation since the LGM.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is primarily influenced by the northern hemispheric middle latitude Westerlies and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The extent, long-distance effects and potential long-term changes of these two atmospheric circulations are not yet fully understood. Here, we analyse modern airborne pollen in a transition zone of seasonally alternating dominance of the Westerlies and the ISM to develop a pollen discrimination index (PDI) that allows us to distinguish between the intensities of the two circulation systems.

Visual performance of aspherical and spherical intraocular lenses: intraindividual comparison of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and higher-order aberrations.

Purpose: To intraindividually compare visual performance in terms of photopic high-contrast visual acuity (HCVA), mesopic HCVA, mesopic low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA), and contrast sensitivity (CS) in patients after implantation of either an aspherical or a spherical intraocular lens (IOL).

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Methods: Forty eyes of 20 patients were randomized to implantation of an aspherical IOL (Tecnis Z9000, AMO) in 1 eye and a spherical IOL (Sensar AR40e, AMO) in the other eye.

Intraindividual comparison of higher-order aberrations after implantation of aspherical and spherical intraocular lenses as a function of pupil diameter.

Purpose: To compare intraindividual higher-order wavefront aberrations after implantation of aspherical and spherical intraocular lenses (IOLs) as function of pupil diameter.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Methods: In this prospective study, wavefront measurements of 21 patients after implantation of a spherical IOL (AMO AR40e) in 1 eye and an aspherical IOL (AMO Tecnis) in the contralateral eye were analyzed.

Incidence of posterior vitreous detachment after laser in situ keratomileusis.

Background: Vitreoretinal complications are rare in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Increase in intraocular pressure caused by intraoperative suction with subsequent deforming of the ocular globe and excimer laser shock during the ablation have been discussed as possible causes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of LASIK on the vitreous body.

Incision sizes before and after implantation of 6-mm optic foldable intraocular lenses using Monarch and Unfolder injector systems.

Purpose: To determine incision sizes for 6-mm optic foldable intraocular lenses (IOLs) implanted with injector systems.

Design: Nonrandomized, prospective clinical study.

Participants: One hundred fifty eyes of 150 patients with cataract and without other anterior segment pathological features or previous eye surgeries.

Ten-year follow-up of a ciliary sulcus-fixated silicone phakic posterior chamber intraocular lens.

In 1992, a ciliary sulcus-fixated, silicone, phakic posterior chamber intraocular lens (PPC IOL) (Adatomed, Fyodorov type) was implanted in both eyes of a 42-year-old white woman to correct high myopia (right eye, -17.0 diopters [D]; left eye, -11.5 D).

Correlation of infrared pupillometers and CCD-camera imaging from aberrometry and videokeratography for determining scotopic pupil size.

Purpose: To compare 2 infrared pupillometers with a videokeratographer and 2 aberrometers for the determination of scotopic pupil size.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Methods: The pupil diameter was measured in 100 eyes of 51 patients after 2 minutes of dark adaptation using the following devices: digital infrared pupillometer (Procyon Instruments Ltd.