Converting the 2001 census NS-SEC categories back into SEG categories for the 1981 and 1991 censuses, the authors show that there is a continued process of class upgrading occurring within Greater ...London compared with the rest of England and Wales. Inner London continues to see an increase in the proportion of residents in the higher social classes (particularly in the boroughs that were already gentrified in the centre and west of the centre). In outer London, there has been a process of upwards class change, but this is being led by the intermediate social class groups and is geographically more uneven. The authors conclude that these trends provide evidence for a continued gentrification of and social upgrading in inner London. The most significant finding is that London's gentrification is now being partly driven by the expansion of the Middle' middle classes of lower professional and intermediate non-manual groups.
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Urban air quality and human health are among the key aspects of future urban planning. In order to address pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, efforts need to be made to quantify and ...reduce their concentrations. One important aspect in understanding urban air quality is the influence of urban vegetation which may act as both emitter and sink for trace gases and aerosol particles. In this context, the "Berlin Air quality and Ecosystem Research: Local and long-range Impact of anthropogenic and Natural hydrocarbons 2014" (BAERLIN2014) campaign was conducted between 2 June and 29 August in the metropolitan area of Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany. The predominant goals of the campaign were (1) the characterization of urban gaseous and particulate pollution and its attribution to anthropogenic and natural sources in the region of interest, especially considering the connection between biogenic volatile organic compounds and particulates and ozone; (2) the quantification of the impact of urban vegetation on organic trace gas levels and the presence of oxidants such as ozone; and (3) to explain the local heterogeneity of pollutants by defining the distribution of sources and sinks relevant for the interpretation of model simulations. In order to do so, the campaign included stationary measurements at urban background station and mobile observations carried out from bicycle, van and airborne platforms. This paper provides an overview of the mobile measurements (Mobile BAERLIN2014) and general conclusions drawn from the analysis. Bicycle measurements showed micro-scale variations of temperature and particulate matter, displaying a substantial reduction of mean temperatures and particulate levels in the proximity of vegetated areas compared to typical urban residential area (background) measurements. Van measurements extended the area covered by bicycle observations and included continuous measurements of O3, NOx, CO, CO2 and point-wise measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at representative sites for traffic- and vegetation-affected sites. The quantification displayed notable horizontal heterogeneity of the short-lived gases and particle number concentrations. For example, baseline concentrations of the traffic-related chemical species CO and NO varied on average by up to ±22.2 and ±63.5 %, respectively, on the scale of 100 m around any measurement location. Airborne observations revealed the dominant source of elevated urban particulate number and mass concentrations being local, i.e., not being caused by long-range transport. Surface-based observations related these two parameters predominantly to traffic sources. Vegetated areas lowered the pollutant concentrations substantially with ozone being reduced most by coniferous forests, which is most likely caused by their reactive biogenic VOC emissions. With respect to the overall potential to reduce air pollutant levels, forests were found to result in the largest decrease, followed by parks and facilities for sports and leisure. Surface temperature was generally 0.6–2.1 °C lower in vegetated regions, which in turn will have an impact on tropospheric chemical processes. Based on our findings, effective future mitigation activities to provide a more sustainable and healthier urban environment should focus predominantly on reducing fossil-fuel emissions from traffic as well as on increasing vegetated areas.
Urban air pollution is a substantial threat to human health. Traffic emissions remain a large contributor to air pollution in urban areas. The mobility restrictions put in place in response to the ...COVID-19 pandemic provided a large-scale real-world experiment that allows for the evaluation of changes in traffic emissions and the corresponding changes in air quality. Here we use observational data, as well as modelling, to analyse changes in nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter resulting from the COVID-19 restrictions at the height of the lockdown period in Spring of 2020. Accounting for the influence of meteorology on air quality, we found that reduction of ca. 30–50 % in traffic counts, dominated by changes in passenger cars, corresponded to reductions in median observed nitrogen dioxide concentrations of ca. 40 % (traffic and urban background locations) and a ca. 22 % increase in ozone (urban background locations) during weekdays. Lesser reductions in nitrogen dioxide concentrations were observed at urban background stations at weekends, and no change in ozone was observed. The modelled reductions in median nitrogen dioxide at urban background locations were smaller than the observed reductions and the change was not significant. The model results showed no significant change in ozone on weekdays or weekends. The lack of a simulated weekday/weekend effect is consistent with previous work suggesting that NOx emissions from traffic could be significantly underestimated in European cities by models. These results indicate the potential for improvements in air quality due to policies for reducing traffic, along with the scale of reductions that would be needed to result in meaningful changes in air quality if a transition to sustainable mobility is to be seriously considered. They also confirm once more the highly relevant role of traffic for air quality in urban areas.
•The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in observable reductions in urban NO2 levels.•The reduced air pollution was associated with traffic count reductions of 30–50 %.•Simulated traffic NOx emissions appear to be underestimated in European cities.•This real-world experiment is a proxy for understanding traffic reduction policies.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This paper examines the changing ethnic composition of housing tenures in London (inner and outer) from 1991 to 2001. The question that it addresses is the extent to which ethnic minorities have ...become increasingly concentrated in social and privately rented housing in the inner city, as much of the literature on other European and American cities suggests, and the extent to which some of them have been able to move outwards and upwards into suburban ownership. The period 1991-2001 is particularly important in London because it witnessed a major increase in the size and importance of its ethnic minority population and important changes in its tenure structure. The introduction of an ethnicity question in the 1991 census permits analysis over time.The paper shows both an increase in suburban ethnic minority ownership and a growing concentration of ethnic minority groups in social and privately rented housing.
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Studies of gentrification in London have shown that some groups of middle-class people have been attracted to poor and multi-ethnic areas of inner London in part because of their social and ethnic ...mix. However, the attraction has often not translated into everyday interaction. In an earlier account of gentrification in Brixton this de facto social segregation was typified as a process of 'social tectonics'. In this paper we compare two ethnically and socially mixed neighbourhoods, Peckham and Brixton, that at different times have represented the 'front line' of gentrification in London. We examine the extent to which the gentrification of Brixton in the late 1990s is being mirrored by the gentrification that is occurring today in Peckham – a similarly mixed and countercultural area of South London. Whilst we identify continuities between the gentrification process in these two areas separated by a decade of boom and recession, we suggest that the Peckham example demonstrates the need for a more developed approach to the issue of social mixing than that implied by the social tectonics metaphor. Specifically, we argue that there is a need to explain how the presence of classed and ethnic 'others' can be central to the formation of identities within some middle-class fractions in such enclaves in the inner city, and how attitudes and neighbourhood practices can change over time.
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by selective degeneration of motor neurons. Here we examine the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure axonal degeneration in the ...lumbar spinal cord of the SOD1 mouse model of ALS. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was successful in detecting axonal spinal cord damage in vivo. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were reduced exclusively in the ventral white matter tracts of the lumbar spinal cord of ALS-affected SOD1 mice compared to wild-type littermates, with this effect becoming more pronounced with disease progression. The reduced FA values were therefore limited to white matter tracts arising from the motor neurons, whereas sensory white matter fibers were preserved. Significant decreases in water diffusion parallel to the white matter fibers or axial diffusivity were observed in the SOD1 mice, which can be attributed to the axonal degeneration observed by electron microscopy. At the same time, radial diffusivity perpendicular to the spinal column increased in the SOD1 mice, reflecting reduced myelination. These results demonstrate the usefulness of MRI in tracking disease progression in live animals and will aid in the assessment of treatment efficacy. This method could also potentially be adapted to aid the diagnosis and assessment of ALS progression in humans.
►In vivo DTI can detect axonal spinal cord damage in SOD1 mice. ►A reduction of FA in SOD1 mice is observed in white matter tracts that originate from the motor neuron pool. ►In SOD1 mice sensory white matter fibers appeared unaffected. ►Decreasing FA values in aging SOD1 mice correlate with their disease progression.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The paper discusses parental choice of secondary schooling, drawing on a recent study of east London. It is argued that the New Labour agenda of promoting choice of secondary school can, in practice, ...constrain choice as parents ‘play safe’. The paper reviews the working of educational choice across seven boroughs in east London, and then focuses on how it is working in one outer London borough. It is argued that when education and housing markets are considered together it is possible to identify several of what Ball et al have termed ‘circuits of schooling’. The paper concludes by suggesting that the ‘choice agenda’ may be creating a perception of failure and a sense of resentment amongst parents who do not succeed in getting their children into all but the most popular schools.
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Mutations in TDP-43 are known to cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). TDP-43 binds to and regulates splicing of several RNA including
. Zmynd11 is a ...transcriptional repressor and a potential E3 ubiquitin ligase family member, known for its role in neuron and muscle differentiation. Mutations in
have been associated with autism with significant developmental motor delays, intellectual disability, and ataxia. Here, we show that
is aberrantly spliced in the brain and spinal cord of transgenic mice overexpressing a mutant human TDP-43 (A315T), and that these changes occur before the onset of motor symptoms.
The “Berlin Air quality and Ecosystem Research: Local and long-range Impact of
anthropogenic and Natural hydrocarbons” (BAERLIN2014) campaign was conducted
during the 3 summer months (June–August) of ...2014. During this
measurement campaign, both stationary and mobile measurements were undertaken
to address complementary aims. This paper provides an overview of the
stationary measurements and results that were focused on characterization of
gaseous and particulate pollution, including source attribution, in the
Berlin–Potsdam area, and quantification of the role of natural sources in
determining levels of ozone and related gaseous pollutants. Results show that
biogenic contributions to ozone and particulate matter are substantial. One
indicator for ozone formation, the OH reactivity, showed a 31 %
(0.82 ± 0.44 s−1) and 75 % (3.7 ± 0.90 s−1)
contribution from biogenic non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) for urban background
(2.6 ± 0.68 s−1) and urban park (4.9 ± 1.0 s−1)
location, respectively, emphasizing the importance of such locations as
sources of biogenic NMVOCs in urban areas. A comparison to NMVOC measurements
made in Berlin approximately 20 years earlier generally show lower levels today for
anthropogenic NMVOCs. A substantial contribution of secondary organic and
inorganic aerosol to PM10 concentrations was quantified. In
addition to secondary aerosols, source apportionment analysis of the organic
carbon fraction identified the contribution of biogenic (plant-based)
particulate matter, as well as primary contributions from vehicles, with a
larger contribution from diesel compared to gasoline vehicles, as well as a
relatively small contribution from wood burning, linked to measured
levoglucosan.
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