Stakeholder Perspectives on Sustainability in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus

Interest in the various dimensions of environmental, economic, and social sustainability for food, energy, and water (FEW) systems, independently and collectively (i. e., the FEW nexus), has spawned an increasing amount of literature that seeks to understand the various linkages within the FEW nexus and provide guidance to inform decision-making to enhance sustainability. While the use of science and data can generate important and relevant information, it is not clear how important they are relative to relevant policy and the integration of policy within and across the individual FEW domains. In this work, we assessed perspectives on various considerations that pertain to sustainability in the FEW nexus. To do so, we identified numerous stakeholder groups who have interests throughout the FEW nexus, and conducted a survey of a subset of these groups. Although the responses differed across the stakeholder groups that we surveyed, the consistent result was that stakeholders generally understand that FEW systems are physically connected at high levels, and that policy is less integrated than desired. When forced to choose between priorities for science and data or for integrated policy to enhance sustainability, respondents from Academia and Extension preferred more science and data, whereas respondents who are, or more frequently interact with, practitioners and policy-makers preferred integrated policy. Overall, with other results and findings that are relevant for advancing sustainability and improving communication the FEW nexus, we conclude that the importance of science, data, and integrated policy depends on the context in which the stakeholders operate in the FEW domain

Neutral and cationic vanadium(III) alkyl and allyl complexes with a cyclopentadienyl-amine ancillary ligand

The (N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)cyclopentadienyI vanadium(III) complex [eta(5),eta(1)-C5H4(CH2)(2)-NMe2]VCl2(PMe3) (1), in which the pendant amine is coordinated to the metal center, was prepared by the reaction Of VCl3(PMe3)(2) with Li[C5H4(CH2)(2)NMe2] in THF. Reaction of 1 with 2 equiv of MeLi yields [eta(5)-C5H4(CH2)(2)NMe2]VMe2(PMe3)(2) (2), in which the amine is released in favor of the binding of a second phosphine. Compound 2 reacts with [PhNMe2H]-[BPh4] to form the ionic complex {[eta(5),eta(2)-C5H4(CH2)(2)N(Me)CH2]V(PMe3)(2)}[BPh4] (3), in which a methyl group of the pendant NMe2 functionality is metalated, and 2 equiv of methane. Reaction of 1 with allylmagnesium chloride yields [eta(5)-C5H4(CH2)(2)NMe2]V(eta(3)-C3H5)Cl(PMe3) (4), in which the amine is released in favor of the eta(3)-bonding of the allyl ligand. Methylation of 4 to yield thermally labile [eta(5)-C5H4(CH2)(2)NMe2]V(eta(3)-C3H5)Me(PMe3) (5), followed by reaction with [PhNMe2H] [BPh4], gives protonation exclusively at the methyl group to yield the ionic allyl complex {[eta(5),eta(1)-C5H4(CH2)(2)NMe2]V(eta(3)-C3H5)(PMe3)}[BPh4] (6) without concomitant NMe2 metalation

Polymerization of propene with modified constrained geometry complexes. Double-bond isomerization in pendant alkenyl groups attached to cyclopentadienyl ligands

Polymerization of propene with dimethylsilylene-bridged (amidocyclopentadienyl) dichlorotitanium( IV) complexes [TiCl2 {eta(5)-1-(t-BuSiMe2N-kappaN)- 2,3,4- Me-3 -5- R-C-5}], where R =Me (1), H (2), Ph (3), 4-fluorophenyl (4), but-2-en-2-yl (5), and butyl (6), combined with excess methylaluminoxane revealed a moderate effect of the substituent R on the catalyst activity and the molecular weight of polypropene. The asymmetric substitution in the position adjacent to the bridging carbon atom resulted in polymer yields decreasing in the order 1 > 6 > 3 approximate to 5 > 4 > 2 while polymers with the molecular weights (M-w) close to 2.5 x 10(5) for 1, 3, and 4, 1.5 x 10(5) for 5 and 6, and 7.5 x 10(4) for 2 were obtained. The C-13 NMR analysis of the polymers has shown that atactic polypropene is slightly enriched with syndiotactic triads for all the catalysts. Investigation of the crystal structure of 5 by X-ray crystallography revealed that the double bond in but-3-en-2-yl had shifted to an internal position to give the isomeric, but-2-en-2-yl-substituted complex. Likewise, the spectroscopic data for complex 7 prepared from the ligand containing but-3-en-1-yl substituent, indicate the absence of terminal double bond

Application and adaptation of the in vitro micronucleus assay for the assessment of nutritional requirements of cells for DNA damage prevention

DNA damage is a fundamental cause of developmental and degenerative diseases. The in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay is an established comprehensive method for assessing cytostasis and chromosome stability in cells. Originally developed to study the acute effects of single environmental genotoxicants, creative applications and adaptations to the basic protocol have allowed its use in evaluating the impacts of dietary micronutrients and micronutrient combinations (nutriomes) on DNA damage. In this review, we examine some of these studies and the important findings they have generated with respect to nutrient/nutrient, nutrient/genotype and nutrient/genotoxicant interactions, as well as assessment of the carcinogenic (or protective) potential of whole dietary patterns. In addition, we outline current knowledge gaps and technical limitations and propose future adaptations to enhance the applicability of the CBMN-Cyt method for in vivo predictions.Caroline F. Bull, Sasja Beetstra-Hill, Bianca J. Benassi-Evans, Jimmy W. Crott, Michiyo Kimura, Theodora Teo, Jing Wu and Michael F. Fenec