From life cycle talking to taking action

Introduction - The biannual Life Cycle Management conference series aims to create a platform for users and developers of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and related tools to share their experiences. A key concern of the LCM community has been to move beyond the production of LCA reports toward using the developed knowledge. This paper reports and evaluates some of the main outcomes of the 4th International Life Cycle Management Conference (LCM 2009). Results - Conference focus: While the focus of the conference was LCM, LCA remains a main analytical tool for supporting LCM. This is clearly shown by the overall program in which roughly half of the contributions focused on or used LCA. Some products and resources and environmental themes were markedly represented in the presentation subjects. Conference participation: The 180 delegates included 40 South Africans, 20 from other African countries, and 140 from as far afield as Brazil, Sweden, Japan, and Australia. The surveyable number of delegates and conference rooms, in combination with the well-balanced scientific and social program, facilitated optimal professional exchange and discussion. Conference structure: LCM 2009 featured some 140 contributions from 47 leading environmental practitioners, consultants, and academic researchers. The interactive conference format included three plenary sessions and training workshops. Conclusions - LCM 2009 successfully engaged with the critical questions of what it means to manage (not merely shift) the environmental and social impacts of global economic activity, what this entails for industry and public services in emerging economies, and how supply chains, networks, and partnerships can be stimulated and managed to deliver truly sustainable practic

Development of life cycle assessment methodology: a focus on co-product allocation

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a developing tool that can assist decision-makers in evaluating the comparative potential cradle-to-grave, environmental impacts of their actions in order to prevent unintended consequences. The LCA tool is designed to assist in the evaluation along the ‘value chain’ of a product’s life from the perspective that the many processes are interdependent, so that decisions made at one point along the life cycle can have consequences elsewhere. LCA enables the estimation of the cumulative environmental impacts, often including impacts that go beyond the boundaries of traditional analyses. By including the impacts throughout the product life cycle, LCA provides a comprehensive view of the environmental aspects and a more accurate picture of the true environmental trade-offs in product or process alteration or selection. After a brief look at the general LCA methodology, this thesis presents information about some of the current! limitations that prevent LCA from being a more widely-used tool that generates replicable, defensible results. The thesis author then introduces the subject of integrating LCA results into the decision-making process, suggesting that the potentially, holistic view offered by LCA can be valuable as one tool for helping to achieve sustainable societal development. Bio-fuels are presented as the subject of a “wicked problem” for which LCA can be used to support the decision-making process. The thesis then focuses on the co-product allocation issue and presents the results of testing various allocation schemes (weight, volume, market value, energy, and demand-based approach) across a fuel system. The relative ranking of conventional gas to alternative ethanol fuels is consistent in all allocation schemes. This thesis addresses three topical areas within LCA: the evolution and current status of LCA methodology (Chapter 2), integrating LCA with sustainability decision-making! with a focus on bio-based materials (Chapter 3), and co-product allocation methodology (Chapters 4 and 5). The final chapter (Chapter 6) presents overall conclusions about the future of LCA and suggests further, urgently needed, research

Variation in the responses of wild species of duck, gull, and wader to inoculation with a wild-bird-origin H6N2 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus

There is poor understanding of host responses to avian influenza virus (AIV) infection in wild birds, with most experimental studies using captive-bred birds and highly pathogenic AIVs that have an early endpoint. The objective of this study was to experimentally assess antibody responses and patterns of viral excretion in wild birds challenged with a low pathogenicity AIV. Ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), silver gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), and wandering whistling ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) were challenged with a H6N2 virus, and blood, cloacal, and oropharyngeal (OP) swabs were analyzed from each bird over 28 days, with serology conducted on the ducks for a further 7 mo. Nineteen of 22 birds showed evidence of infection, with respiratory infection prevalent in the turnstones and gulls as mostly low titer viral excretion to 4 days postinoculation (DPI) with gastrointestinal replication detected in only one turnstone. In AIV naive ducks, there was gastrointestinal tropism with moderately high titer viral excretion via the cloaca to 6 DPI and low-grade OP viral excretion to 4 DPI. The hemagglutination inhibition antibody response was poor in the ducks, declining from 19 to 56 DPI, with higher titer responses in the gulls and turnstones. All infected birds responded with elevated nucleoprotein antibodies (in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) by 7-10 DPI, and in the ducks these waned slowly after 42 DPI and were long-lived to at least 8 mo. The interspecies variability in response was consistent with a subtype that had adapted well in ducks, while the response of the turnstones may have been influenced by preexisting immunity to AIV. These findings provide insight into AIV infection dynamics in wild birds and highlight the need for further research

Effects of the mutations Ala30 to Pro and Ala53 to Thr on the physical and morphological properties of α-synuclein protein implicated in Parkinson's disease

Abstractα-Synuclein (α-syn) protein has been found in association with the pathological lesions of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, mutations in the α-syn gene have been reported in families susceptible to an inherited form of Parkinson's disease. We report here that human wild-type α-syn, PD-linked mutant α-syn(Ala30Pro) and mutant α-syn(Ala53Thr) proteins can self-aggregate and form amyloid-like filaments. The mutant α-syn forms more β-sheet and mature filaments than the wild-type protein. These findings suggest that accumulation of α-syn as insoluble deposits of amyloid may play a major role in the pathogenesis of these neurodegenerative diseases

The influence of ankle joint mobility when using an orthosis on stability in patients with spinal cord injury: A pilot study

Objectives:Perceived risk of falling is an important factor for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). This study investigated the influence of ankle joint motion on postural stability and walking in people with SCI when using an orthosis.Methods:Volunteer subjects with SCI (n=5) participated in this study. Each subject was fitted with an advanced reciprocating gait orthosis (ARGO) equipped with either solid or dorsiflexion-assist type ankle-foot orthosis (AFOs) and walked at their self-selected speed along a flat walkway to enable the comparison of walking speed, cadence and endurance. A force plate system and a modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) were utilized to measure postural sway and the perceived fear of falling, respectively.Results:There were significant differences in the mean MFES scores between two types of orthosis (P=0.023). When using two crutches, there was no significant difference in static standing postural sway in the medio-lateral (M/L) direction (P=0.799), but significant difference in the antero-posterior (A/P) direction (P=0.014). However, during single crutch support, there was a significant difference in both M/L (P=0.019) and A/P (P=0.022) directions. Walking speed (7) and endurance (5) significantly increased when using the ARGO with dorsi flexion assisted AFOs. There was no significant deference between two types of orthoses in cadence (P=0.54).Conclusions:Using an ARGO with dorsiflexion-assisted AFOs increased the fear of falling, but improved static postural stability and increased walking speed and endurance, and should therefore be considered as an effective orthosis during the rehabilitation of people with SCI. © 2013 International Spinal Cord Society All rights reserved

INSIG1 influences obesity-related hypertriglyceridemia in humans

In our analysis of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for plasma triglyceride (TG) levels [logarithm of odds (LOD) = 3.7] on human chromosome 7q36, we examined 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across INSIG1, a biological candidate gene in the region. Insulin-induced genes (INSIGs) are feedback mediators of cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis in animals, but their role in human lipid regulation is unclear. In our cohort, the INSIG1 promoter SNP rs2721 was associated with TG levels (P = 2 × 10−3 in 1,560 individuals of the original linkage cohort, P = 8 × 10−4 in 920 unrelated individuals of the replication cohort, combined P = 9.9 × 10−6). Individuals homozygous for the T allele had 9% higher TG levels and 2-fold lower expression of INSIG1 in surgical liver biopsy samples when compared with individuals homozygous for the G allele. Also, the T allele showed additional binding of nuclear proteins from HepG2 liver cells in gel shift assays. Finally, the variant rs7566605 in INSIG2, the only homolog of INSIG1, enhances the effect of rs2721 (P = 0.00117). The variant rs2721 alone explains 5.4% of the observed linkage in our cohort, suggesting that additional, yet-undiscovered genes and sequence variants in the QTL interval also contribute to alterations in TG levels in humans

Soil nutrients and beta diversity in the Bornean Dipterocarpaceae: evidence for niche partitioning by tropical rain forest trees

1   The relative importance of niche- and dispersal-mediated processes in structuring diverse tropical plant communities remains poorly understood. Here, we link mesoscale beta diversity to soil variation throughout a lowland Bornean watershed underlain by alluvium, sedimentary and granite parent materials ( c . 340 ha, 8–200 m a.s.l.). We test the hypothesis that species turnover across the habitat gradient reflects interspecific partitioning of soil resources. 2   Floristic inventories (≥ 1 cm d.b.h.) of the Dipterocarpaceae, the dominant Bornean canopy tree family, were combined with extensive soil analyses in 30 (0.16 ha) plots. Six samples per plot were analysed for total C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg, exchangeable K, Ca and Mg, extractable P, texture, and pH. 3   Extractable P, exchangeable K, and total C, N and P varied significantly among substrates and were highest on alluvium. Thirty-one dipterocarp species ( n  = 2634 individuals, five genera) were recorded. Dipterocarp density was similar across substrates, but richness and diversity were highest on nutrient-poor granite and lowest on nutrient-rich alluvium. 4   Eighteen of 22 species were positively or negatively associated with parent material. In 8 of 16 abundant species, tree distribution (≥ 10 cm d.b.h.) was more strongly non-random than juveniles (1–10 cm d.b.h.), suggesting higher juvenile mortality in unsuitable habitats. The dominant species Dipterocarpus sublamellatus (> 50% of stems) was indifferent to substrate, but nine of 11 ‘subdominant’ species (> 8 individuals ha −1 ) were substrate specialists. 5   Eighteen of 22 species were significantly associated with soil nutrients, especially P, Mg and Ca. Floristic variation was significantly correlated with edaphic and geographical distance for all stems ≥ 1 cm d.b.h. in Mantel analyses. However, juvenile variation (1–10 cm d.b.h.) was more strongly related to geographical distance than edaphic factors, while the converse held for established trees (≥ 10 cm d.b.h.), suggesting increased importance of niche processes with size class. 6   Pervasive dipterocarp associations with soil factors suggest that niche partitioning structures dipterocarp tree communities. Yet, much floristic variation unrelated to soil was correlated with geographical distance between plots, suggesting that dispersal and niche processes jointly determine mesoscale beta diversity in the Bornean Dipterocarpaceae. Journal of Ecology (2005) doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2005.01077.xPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72822/1/j.1365-2745.2005.01077.x.pd

Global extent and drivers of mammal population declines in protected areas under illegal hunting pressure

Illegal hunting is a persistent problem in many protected areas, but an overview of the extent of this problem and its impact on wildlife is lacking. We reviewed 40 years (1980–2020) of global research to examine the spatial distribution of research and socio-ecological factors influencing population decline within protected areas under illegal hunting pressure. From 81 papers reporting 988 species/site combinations, 294 mammal species were reported to have been illegally hunted from 155 protected areas across 48 countries. Research in illegal hunting has increased substantially during the review period and showed biases towards strictly protected areas and the African continent. Population declines were most frequent in countries with a low human development index, particularly in strict protected areas and for species with a body mass over 100 kg. Our results provide evidence that illegal hunting is most likely to cause declines of large-bodied species in protected areas of resource-poor countries regardless of protected area conservation status. Given the growing pressures of illegal hunting, increased investments in people’s development and additional conservation efforts such as improving anti-poaching strategies and conservation resources in terms of improving funding and personnel directed at this problem are a growing priority

Designing a broad-spectrum integrative approach for cancer prevention and treatment

Targeted therapies and the consequent adoption of "personalized" oncology have achieved notablesuccesses in some cancers; however, significant problems remain with this approach. Many targetedtherapies are highly toxic, costs are extremely high, and most patients experience relapse after a fewdisease-free months. Relapses arise from genetic heterogeneity in tumors, which harbor therapy-resistantimmortalized cells that have adopted alternate and compensatory pathways (i.e., pathways that are notreliant upon the same mechanisms as those which have been targeted). To address these limitations, aninternational task force of 180 scientists was assembled to explore the concept of a low-toxicity "broad-spectrum" therapeutic approach that could simultaneously target many key pathways and mechanisms. Using cancer hallmark phenotypes and the tumor microenvironment to account for the various aspectsof relevant cancer biology, interdisciplinary teams reviewed each hallmark area and nominated a widerange of high-priority targets (74 in total) that could be modified to improve patient outcomes. For thesetargets, corresponding low-toxicity therapeutic approaches were then suggested, many of which werephytochemicals. Proposed actions on each target and all of the approaches were further reviewed forknown effects on other hallmark areas and the tumor microenvironment. Potential contrary or procar-cinogenic effects were found for 3.9% of the relationships between targets and hallmarks, and mixedevidence of complementary and contrary relationships was found for 7.1%. Approximately 67% of therelationships revealed potentially complementary effects, and the remainder had no known relationship. Among the approaches, 1.1% had contrary, 2.8% had mixed and 62.1% had complementary relationships. These results suggest that a broad-spectrum approach should be feasible from a safety standpoint. Thisnovel approach has potential to be relatively inexpensive, it should help us address stages and types ofcancer that lack conventional treatment, and it may reduce relapse risks. A proposed agenda for futureresearch is offered