Hostility toward academics is on the rise. According to a study by the German Center for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW), almost half of those surveyed have experienced harassment or similar acts. Harassment ranges from hate speech and threats to property damage. An emergency number for victims has been available for more than a year - and demand is high. See also: Gabor Petzold, Director of Clinical Research at the DZNE, comments on the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) decision not to approve the novel Alzheimer's antibody lecanemab. And: Why hydrogen researcher Claudio Pistidda wants to have dinner with Ursula von der Leyen.

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The new research addresses the effects of tectonic forces on the formation of 'Great Escarpments' over hundreds of millions of years. The researchers found that when tectonic plates break apart, strong wave-like processes deep inside the Earth are triggered that can lift the continental surface by more than a kilometre. Their findings help to explain why parts of the continents that were previously considered ‘stable’ experience significant uplift and erosion hundreds or even thousands of kilometres inland, such as the Central Plateau in South Africa. The results have now been published in the scientific journal Nature.

Plateaus are part of the oldest structures of the continents, the so-called cratons, which are several billion years old. These ancient continental structures are considered to be tectonically extremely stable. The vertical movements of these continental core areas are still among the least understood aspects of plate tectonics. Many of the cratonic continental fragments are bounded by steep landforms. One such immense and striking landform is the 'Great Escarpment', which runs along almost the entire coast of southern Africa and surrounds the plateaus there - in some cases at great distance. It was formed more than 120 million years ago with the break-up of the ancient continent Gondwana. Until now, it was assumed that the formation of cratonic plateaus and escarpments took place independently, as they are often spatially separated from each other - sometimes by more than thousand kilometres.

In the newly published study, the team of scientists discovered that escarpments and plateaus are formed when instabilities in the Earth's mantle erode cratonic keels, causing the interior of the craton to rise. The instabilities in the Earth's mantle initially form where the continents break apart, near a rift valley. From there, the instabilities "migrate" along the lithospheric root at a rate of around 15-20 kilometres per million years towards the stable area of the continents (cratons), thereby gradually eroding the cratonic keels. 

The team's study provides a new explanation for the puzzling vertical movements of cratons far from the edges of the continents. The deep levels of the Earth's plates can have a major influence on the development of Earth’s surface. The scientists were able to show that a single process - the successive detachment of the deep lithosphere - enables the formation of 'Great Escarpments’, the uplift of plateaus and erosion in the interior of the continent, as well as the volcanism that brings diamonds to the Earth's surface. In southern Africa, these phenomena occur up to a thousand kilometres apart and are therefore not easy to link. According to the study, cratons are more dynamic than previously assumed.

To the original publication

GFZ Press Release

The picture shows the Drakensberg, part of the Great Escarpment in southern Africa. (Picture: Diriye Amey)

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Claudio Pistidda is Head of the Materials Development Department at the Institute for Hydrogen Technologies at Hereon. Together with his team, he develops safe, sustainable and highly efficient hydrogen storage systems. Picture: Hereon/ Steffen Niemann

The most exciting thing about my job is the sense of purpose. In a rapidly changing world, we need new solutions for the storage and transportation of renewable energy so that future generations can meet their needs as we do today. In our laboratories, we take on new and exciting challenges every day to constantly push the boundaries of our knowledge. The daily work with students in the early stages of their careers is also very exciting. It gives me the opportunity to nurture the next generation of scientists. It's really rewarding to watch and follow their development.

I would devote more time to science communication, because real progress can only be achieved if the vast majority of our society is involved in our work. I consider science communication to be an extremely important aspect of science. A wider audience needs to understand the results of research so that society embraces new technologies, feels part of the change and does not fear it.

As I said before, we live in a rapidly changing world, and Europe is no exception. In this scenario, Europe cannot afford to lose its competitive advantage in science and technology. We have world-class researchers, research centers and universities, but somehow we find it difficult to translate our knowledge into real-world applications in a timely manner. In this respect, we lag behind countries like the US and China. For these reasons, I would like to have dinner with the newly re-elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. I would like to discuss with her how we can put more focus on research and innovation in our society. I would like to know what the plan is to increase our sustainable competitiveness and how we as scientists can contribute to making the plan a success.

The EMA recently decided not to approve the Alzheimer's drug Lecanemab (brand name: Leqembi) in the EU. This decision is incomprehensible to me and other experts. There is an urgent need for an effective treatment option that actually addresses the causes of the disease. Lecanemab is not a cure, but it can slow down the progression of Alzheimer's dementia if people are treated early. Lecanemab differs from previously approved therapies because it targets one of the causes of the disease rather than just the symptoms: The antibody attaches itself to the beta-amyloid proteins that accumulate in the brain in the form of damaging plaques in Alzheimer's disease, thereby enabling their targeted degradation by the immune system. As a result, the progression of the disease and the progression of cognitive and functional impairment are slowed, and patients are better able to cope with their daily lives. In the pivotal studies, these effects were sustained for several months compared to the control group.

The rejection was justified by the EMA on the grounds that the expected effect was not great enough to outweigh the risk of side effects associated with Lecanemab. Although Lecanemab can cause side effects in certain cases, these can usually be detected early and managed well through targeted screening to identify suitable patients and regular monitoring of the brain. In addition, treatment can initially be focused on patient populations where a favorable benefit-to-side effect ratio is expected. In addition, treatment could initially be limited to specialized centers such as memory clinics in hospitals.

Lecanemab represents a major advance, both in the medical treatment of Alzheimer's disease and in clinical research. The refusal to approve the drug in the EU deprives early-stage Alzheimer's patients of an important treatment option, thus reducing the quality of care compared to other countries. In addition, European Alzheimer's research could be left behind if no experience can be gained with this drug. There is also a risk of two-tier medicine, as wealthy patients could obtain the drug from international pharmacies and be treated as out-of-pocket payers.

Many experts, patients and their families in the EU had high hopes for Lecanemab and are now deeply disappointed. The manufacturer of the drug has announced that it will apply to the EMA for a new review for EU approval. In the interests of early-stage Alzheimer's patients in the EU, and in the interests of European medical excellence, it is hoped that the EMA will reconsider its decision and allow safe and well-controlled access to this drug.

Statements of DZNE experts on the refusal of "Lecanemab" by the European Medicines Agency

Prof. Dr. Gabor Petzold, Director of Clinical Research, DZNE. Picture: DZNE

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Editors: Sebastian Grote, Franziska Roeder, Martin Trinkaus
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