Search

The high-resolution palaeoenvironmental record from the last interglacial (Eemian) lakeland at Neumark-Nord (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) holds the rare potential to study Neanderthal subsistence ca. 125,000 years ago in remarkable detail. Using the palynological record from the large lake Neumark-Nord 1 (NN1) and the adjacent small “pool” Neumark-Nord 2 (NN2) a sequence of lithic and faunal assemblages has been established, indicating Neanderthal presence in the lakeland throughout the Eemian. Calculations of the herbivore carrying capacity for the Neumark area during the Eemian reveal high biomass estimates. Using these estimates it was possible to calculate the structure of the source population, based on the faunal record rich in species and individuals, from littoral deposits assigned to the first mesocratic phase of the Eemian. The results can be used as a frame of reference for making inferences on subsistence opportunities and prey selection based on taphonomical and zooarchaeological studies of the Neumark-Nord faunal assemblages. In a broader perspective our study demonstrates the benefits from inferring energy values (kcal) and body mass (kg) as ancillary parameters to zooarchaeological analyses to understand the relationships between death assemblage and their habitats from which they originate.

Implementation of CLC+ based on the EAGLE concept –additional support for further development of CLC+ databases (CLC+ and CLC+ instances, namely CLC+ LULUCF instance and CLC+ Legacy instance) Deliverable D2 under contract 3436/R0-Copernicus EEA IDM

American Indian women are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than White or African American women. Inflammatory processes may underlie CVD disparities by gender and race and may be critical to understanding population-specific drivers and potential buffers. Exposure to environmental air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM), is known to be an important catalyst in CVD-associated inflammation. Positive psychological states, associated with low levels of inflammatory gene expression, could serve to moderate the inflammatory response to environmental air pollutants and ultimately lead to better cardiovascular health outcomes. The aim of the ongoing community-engaged and NIH-funded study described in this study protocol is to address the racial and gender gaps in CVD mortality by investigating the contextually relevant and culturally important determinants of health among American Indian women. In this paper we describe the procedures used to examine the relationship between environmental air pollutant exposures (PM 10-2.5 and PM 2.5 ), psychological factors (e.g., depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress symptoms, eudemonic well-being, and positive emotions), and cardiovascular-associated inflammation (hs-CRP, IL-6, Amyloid A, CBCs with differentials) in a sample of 150 women 18–50 years of age from the Lumbee Tribe in southeastern North Carolina. We describe lessons learned and strategies used in developing a community-engaged approach to enhance recruitment of American Indian women in biomedical research. The empirical data and community infrastructure resulting from this study will be foundational in designing and testing future interventions to reduce CVD-associated morbidity and mortality in American Indian women.