A Conceptual Framework for Comparing Alternative Commodities in the Energy Transition

The global emissions increase requires the adoption of proper countermeasures, aimed at tackling climate change. On the one hand, the transition towards a renewable-based energy sector is an undeferrable need, because of its important impact on the overall emissions balance. On the other hand, a single final use can be fed by more than one commodity, and their coexistence/competition paves the way to the development of a multi-commodity energy system, enabling the implementation of the so-called ”cross-sector integration”. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for the comparative assessment of the various energy commodity chains, aimed at defining the preferrable ones for residential and transport uses. The evaluation of their overall performance is carried out determining the quantity and the quality of the involved commodities, by adopting energy and exergy efficiency along the entire chain, provided that one unit of primary energy can supply one chain only. This straightforward assessment method is not constrained by any generation capacity and/or emission related targets and introduces a commodity-based evaluation framework, that differs from the already existing ones that adopt a technology-oriented approach

Microfinance and financial inclusion in the Senegalese Sahel : an analysis from the values of the SSE

El artículo argumenta el porqué las micro- finanzas, amparadas por los valores de la ESS, son promotoras de cambios estructurales en las relaciones sociales y económicas de las mujeres en contextos donde el derecho al crédito no está garantizado. Dicha valoración se realiza por medio del análisis de las prácticas realizadas por la mutua de crédito FADEC Njambur, en el entorno del Departamento de Kebemer, Senegal, y su comparación con los principios de la economía social y solidaria y su real aplicación en el terreno.The article argues why microfinance, protected by ESS values, are promoters of structural changes in women’s social and economic relations in contexts where the right to credit is not guaranteed. This valuation is carried out through the analysis of the practices developed by the credit mutual FADEC Njambur, in the surroundings of the Department of Kebemer, Senegal, and its comparison with the principles of the social and solidarity economy and its real application in the field

THE TOPOLOGICAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE 2D O(3)SIGMA MODEL

We study the topological susceptibility, chi, of the 2D O(3) sigma-model by defining a density of topological charge as a local polynomial of the spin variables on the lattice. Following the field theoretical prescriptions we perform the additive and multiplicative renormalizations needed to extract-chi from Monte Carlo data. By numerical simulations we show that the field theoretical definition and the cooling method give a consistent determination of chi

Modeling for use of water in agriculture

The present paper examines and evaluates the results of a survey carried out to define the criteria for restoring the surface water of the karstic stream “Gravina” (Southern-Italy). The stream runs through a watershed including several agricultural areas. The stream shows an environmental heterogeneity which is of great value to the conservation of biodiversity. The analysis supports a more general water pollution control strategy aimed at safeguarding natural water quality in the urbanized watershed with the aim, also, to reuse partially the water in agriculture. The methodology was based on the surface water sampling, quality parameter analysis and simulation by modelling. The variation and compatibility of wastewater discharge and water stream quality were verified by using a model available in literature in function of biodegradable pollutant load and dissolved oxygen. Several scenarios based on the fixed yield of treatment plants were examined

Gadd45beta forms a Homodimeric Complex that Binds Tightly to MKK7

Gadd45 alpha, beta, and gamma proteins, also known as growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible factors, have a number of cellular functions, including cell-cycle regulation and propagation of signals produced by a variety of cellular stimuli, maintaining genomic stability and apoptosis. Furthermore, Gadd45 beta has been indicated as a major player in the endogenous NF-kappaB-mediated resistance to apoptosis in a variety of cell lines. In fibroblasts this mechanism involves the inactivation of MKK7, the upstream activator of JNK, by direct binding within the kinase ATP pocket. On the basis of a number of experimental data, the structures of Gadd45 beta and the Gadd45 beta-MKK7 complex have been predicted recently and data show that interactions are mediated by acidic loops 1 and 2, and helices 3 and 4 of Gadd45 beta. Here, we provide further evidence that Gadd45 beta is a prevailingly alpha-helical protein and that in solution it is able to form non covalent dimers but not higher-order oligomers, in contrast to what has been reported for the homologous Gadd45 alpha. We show that the contact region between the two monomers is comprised of the predicted helix 1 (residues Q17-Q33) and helix 5 (residues K131-R146) of the protein, which appear to be antiparallel and to form a large dimerisation surface not involved in MKK7 recognition. The results suggest the occurrence of a large complex containing at least an MKK7-Gadd45 beta:Gadd45 beta-MKK7 tetrameric unit whose complexity could be further increased by the dimeric nature of the isolated MKK7

Vehicle-derived ultrafine particulate contaminating bees and bee products

Despite adverse health effects, ultrafine particulate matter (UFP), i.e., PM less than 0.1 \u3bcm in diameter, is an emerging pollutant not subject to regulation. UFP may cause both lung inflammation and cardiopulmonary disease and may enter the brain directly via the olfactory bulb, affecting the nervous system. In highly urbanized environments, diesel and gasoline vehicles are among the major sources of UFP including combustion-generated solid particle pollutant and metal-based particles. Metal-based UFP are of much concern, as they may promote inflammation and DNA damage via oxidative stress with generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). We used the honeybee as an alternative sampling system of UFP in an area of the Po Valley (Northern Italy), which is subject to intense traffic. Worker bees are widely recognised as efficient samplers of air pollutants, including airborne PM. During flight and foraging activity, pubescence of the bees promotes the accumulation of electrical charge on the body's surface, enhancing attraction to air pollutants. Bees living near the main Italian highway, the Autostrada A1, displayed a contamination of nanosized Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte. Sources of Fe-bearing and baryte ultrafine particles are primarily the vehicles speeding on the motorway. Pollen collected by forager bees and honey produced by the bee colony displayed contamination by nanosized Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte. Such a contamination exposes pollinators and humans to UFP ingestion, endangering the safety of food produced at traffic-influenced sites. Given the global spread of traffic, our findings suggest that exposure and environmental impact of ultrafine Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte are potentially ubiquitous, although usually overlooked in environmental policy discussions

The honey bee as an active and mobile sampler of pollutant particulate matter in Parma

The honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) is a well-known bioindicator of environmental contamination. During the wide-ranging foraging activity, the bee strongly interacts with vegetables, air, soil, and water surrounding the hive, and pollutants from these sources (e.g. heavy metals, radionuclides, VOCs and pesticides) are brought back to the hive. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the forager bee is an ideal tool also for monitoring airborne PM, an emergent pollutant whose exposure is ubiquitous and linked with several adverse health effects. In early spring 2017, during a citizen science project involving students from high school, honey bees were used for monitoring PM in a highly industrialised areas of the Parma Municipality, characterised by the presence of an incinerator, a highway and a high-speed railway. Later on, within the Ecoresiliente Project funded by the Universit\ue0 Cattolica and with the collaboration of the Universit\ue0 Milano Bicocca, a monthly collection of forager bees and pollen grains along the whole productive season led us to highlight the specific role of the different anthropogenic emission sources. Methods. Worker bees were collected monthly, from April to October, from the hive. Fore wings and pollen grains were analysed by means of a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) coupled with X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Airborne dusts were then characterized dimensionally, morphologically and chemically. Results. Both the bees and the pollen grains displayed a high number of inorganic particles from both natural and anthropogenic origin. PM10, PM5, PM2.5, PM1 and several ultrafine dusts (PM<0.1) have also been observed. The morphological and chemical characterization led us to highlight the environmental presence of many compounds possibly emitted from the incinerator and the traffic. Conclusions. Our study confirms that coupling the use of an efficient PM sampler like the honey bee with SEM/EDX analyses can provide accurate information on the environmental presence of airborne PM pollutants and on the specific contribution of different emission sources

Apis mellifera campionatore di particolato atmosferico (PM) e contaminazione dei prodotti apistici

L\u2019ape da miele (Apis mellifera L.), oltre a fornire servizi ecosistemici di regolazione e di approvvigionamento, \ue8 anche un noto bioindicatore dello stato di salute dell\u2019ambiente. Durante le attivit\ue0 di bottinamento di polline e di nettare, le api possono raccogliere anche diversi inquinanti ambientali come metalli pesanti, pesticidi, radionuclidi e composti organici volatili (VOCs), i quali possono poi concentrarsi nei prodotti dell\u2019alveare come miele e polline. Recenti studi hanno confermato che gli alveari possono essere ottimi strumenti per monitorare anche il particolato atmosferico aerodisperso. Queste particelle, note come PM (particulate matter), possono avere dimensioni nanometriche e avere origine naturale o antropica. Nel presente lavoro dimostriamo che i prodotti dell\u2019alveare, quali miele e polline, derivanti da famiglie di api che vivono in ambienti fortemente antropizzati possono essere contaminati da PM. La ricerca ha preso in esame un\u2019area ad alto impatto ambientale, corrispondente a una zona industriale del Comune di Parma. L\u2019alveare di studio era collocato nelle vicinanze di una autostrada (Autostrada del Sole A1) e di un termovalorizzatore. Sulle ali e sul polline prelevato dalle tasche polliniche di api bottinatrici sono state effettuate analisi del PM (single particle analysis) mediante l\u2019utilizzo di un microscopio elettronico a scansione (SEM) dotato di microsonda a dispersione di energia di raggi X (EDX), al fine di caratterizzare la morfologia, le dimensioni e la composizione chimica delle polveri. Le analisi sono state condotte anche su un campione di miele proveniente dalla stessa famiglia di api e in particolare sul sedimento estratto dalla matrice zuccherina del prodotto. In tutti i casi, ali, polline e miele presentavano sia particelle di derivazione naturale sia antropica. Tra le prime segnaliamo minerali della famiglia dei fillosilicati, mentre tra le seconde sono state rinvenute polveri di diverse dimensioni, fini ( < 2.5 \ub5m) e ultrafini (< 0.1 \ub5m), come ad esempio particelle sferiche o subsferiche di biossido di silicio o ossido di ferro prodotte da combustioni ad alta temperatura come quelle tipiche dei termovalorizzatori; o il solfato di bario e il biossido di titanio, comuni costituenti del sistema frenante dei veicoli e che quindi potrebbero derivare dal traffico autostradale. In conclusione \ue8 possibile affermare che anche i prodotti delle api possono venire contaminati dal particolato inorganico presente nell\u2019ambiente. Ulteriori studi per una valutazione tossicologia dei differenti composti nei confronti delle api e sul possibile impatto tossicologico sull\u2019uomo di prodotti dell\u2019alveare contaminati si rendono dunque necessari

A Mouse Model of Familial ALS Has Increased CNS Levels of Endogenous Ubiquinol_9/10 and Does Not Benefit from Exogenous Administration of Ubiquinol₁₀

<div><p>Oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment are the main pathogenic mechanisms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a severe neurodegenerative disease still lacking of effective therapy. Recently, the coenzyme-Q (CoQ) complex, a key component of mitochondrial function and redox-state modulator, has raised interest for ALS treatment. However, while the oxidized form ubiquinone₁₀ was ineffective in ALS patients and modestly effective in mouse models of ALS, no evidence was reported on the effect of the reduced form ubiquinol₁₀, which has better bioavailability and antioxidant properties. In this study we compared the effects of ubiquinone₁₀ and a new stabilized formulation of ubiquinol₁₀ on the disease course of SOD1^G93A transgenic mice, an experimental model of fALS. Chronic treatments (800 mg/kg/day orally) started from the onset of disease until death, to mimic the clinical trials that only include patients with definite ALS symptoms. Although the plasma levels of CoQ₁₀ were significantly increased by both treatments (from <0.20 to 3.0–3.4 µg/mL), no effect was found on the disease progression and survival of SOD1^G93A mice. The levels of CoQ₁₀ in the brain and spinal cord of ubiquinone₁₀- or ubiquinol₁₀-treated mice were only slightly higher (≤10%) than the endogenous levels in vehicle-treated mice, indicating poor CNS availability after oral dosing and possibly explaining the lack of pharmacological effects. To further examine this issue, we measured the oxidized and reduced forms of CoQ_9/10 in the plasma, brain and spinal cord of symptomatic SOD1^G93A mice, in comparison with age-matched SOD1^WT. Levels of ubiquinol_9/10, but not ubiquinone_9/10, were significantly higher in the CNS, but not in plasma, of SOD1^G93A mice, suggesting that CoQ redox system might participate in the mechanisms trying to counteract the pathology progression. Therefore, the very low increases of CoQ₁₀ induced by oral treatments in CNS might be not sufficient to provide significant neuroprotection in SOD1^G93A mice.</p></div