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- Bai, Xuemei, et al.
(author)
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Plausible and desirable futures in the Anthropocene : A new research agenda
- 2016
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In: Global Environmental Change. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-3780 .- 1872-9495. ; 39, s. 351-362
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While the concept of the Anthropocene reflects the past and present nature, scale and magnitude of human impacts on the Earth System, its true significance lies in how it can be used to guide attitudes, choices, policies and actions that influence the future. Yet, to date much of the research on the Anthropocene has focused on interpreting past and present changes, while saying little about the future. Likewise, many futures studies have been insufficiently rooted in an understanding of past changes, in particular the long-term co-evolution of bio-physical and human systems. The Anthropocene perspective is one that encapsulates a world of intertwined drivers, complex dynamic structures, emergent phenomena and unintended consequences, manifest across different scales and within interlinked biophysical constraints and social conditions. In this paper we discuss the changing role of science and the theoretical, methodological and analytical challenges in considering futures of the Anthropocene. We present three broad groups of research questions on: (1) societal goals for the future; (2) major trends and dynamics that might favor or hinder them; (3) and factors that might propel or impede transformations towards desirable futures. Tackling these questions requires the development of novel approaches integrating natural and social sciences as well as the humanities beyond what is current today. We present three examples, one from each group of questions, illustrating how science might contribute to the identification of desirable and plausible futures and pave the way for transformations towards them. We argue that it is time for debates on the sustainability of the Anthropocene to focus on opportunities for realizing desirable and plausible futures.
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- Fazey, Ioan, et al.
(author)
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Ten essentials for action-oriented and second order energy transitions, transformations and climate change research
- 2018
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In: Energy Research and Social Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 40, s. 54-70
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The most critical question for climate research is no longer about the problem, but about how to facilitate the transformative changes necessary to avoid catastrophic climate-induced change. Addressing this question, however, will require massive upscaling of research that can rapidly enhance learning about transformations. Ten essentials for guiding action-oriented transformation and energy research are therefore presented, framed in relation to second-order science. They include: (1) Focus on transformations to low-carbon, resilient living; (2) Focus on solution processes; (3) Focus on ‘how to’ practical knowledge; (4) Approach research as occurring from within the system being intervened; (5) Work with normative aspects; (6) Seek to transcend current thinking; (7) Take a multi-faceted approach to understand and shape change; (8) Acknowledge the value of alternative roles of researchers; (9) Encourage second-order experimentation; and (10) Be reflexive. Joint application of the essentials would create highly adaptive, reflexive, collaborative and impact-oriented research able to enhance capacity to respond to the climate challenge. At present, however, the practice of such approaches is limited and constrained by dominance of other approaches. For wider transformations to low carbon living and energy systems to occur, transformations will therefore also be needed in the way in which knowledge is produced and used.
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- Hall, Benjamin, et al.
(author)
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In vivo tau PET imaging in dementia : Pathophysiology, radiotracer quantification, and a systematic review of clinical findings
- 2017
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In: Ageing Research Reviews. - : ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. - 1568-1637 .- 1872-9649. ; 36, s. 50-63
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In addition to the deposition of beta-amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of aggregated hyperphosphorylated tau are one of the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Until now, our understanding about the natural history and topography of tau deposition has only been based on post-mortem and cerebrospinal fluid studies, and evidence continues to implicate tau as a central driver of downstream neurodegenerative processes and cognitive decline. Recently, it has become possible to assess the regional distribution and severity of tau burden in vivo with the development of novel radiotracers for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. In this article, we provide a comprehensive discussion of tau pathophysiology, its quantification with novel PET radiotracers, as well as a systematic review of tau PET imaging in normal aging and various dementia conditions: mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Lewy body dementia. We discuss the main findings in relation to group differences, clinical-cognitive correlations of tau PET, and multi-modal relationships among tau PET and other pathological markers. Collectively, the small but growing literature of tau PET has yielded consistent anatomical patterns of tau accumulation that recapitulate post-mortem distribution of neurofibrillary tangles which correlate with cognitive functions and other markers of pathology. In general, AD is characterised by increased tracer retention in the inferior temporal lobe, extending into the frontal and parietal regions in more severe cases. It is also noted that the spatial topography of tau accumulation is markedly distinct to that of amyloid burden in aging and AD. Tau PET imaging has also revealed characteristic spatial patterns among various non-AD tauopathies, supporting its potential role for differential diagnosis. Finally, we propose novel directions for future tau research, including (a) longitudinal imaging in preclinical dementia, (b) multi-modal mapping of tau pathology onto other pathological processes such as neuroinflammation, and (c) the need for more validation studies against post-mortem samples of the same subjects. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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- Mak, Elijah, et al.
(author)
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In vivo coupling of tau pathology and cortical thinning in Alzheimer's disease
- 2018
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In: Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands). - : Wiley. - 2352-8729. ; 10, s. 678-687
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The deposition of neurofibrillary tangles in neurodegenerative disorders is associated with neuronal loss on autopsy; however, their in vivo associations with atrophy across the continuum of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain unclear.Methods: We estimated cortical thickness, tau ([18F]-AV-1451), and amyloid β (Aβ) status ([11C]-PiB) in 47 subjects who were stratified into Aβ- (14 healthy controls and six mild cognitive impairment-Aβ-) and Aβ+ (14 mild cognitive impairment-Aβ+ and 13 AD) groups.Results: Compared with the Aβ- group, tau was increased in widespread regions whereas cortical thinning was restricted to the temporal cortices. Increased tau binding was associated with cortical thinning in each Aβ group. Locally, regional tau was associated with temporoparietal atrophy.Discussion: These findings position tau as a promising therapeutic target. Further studies are needed to elucidate the casual relationships between tau pathology and trajectories of atrophy in AD.
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