E.T.: An operational field water and salt flows model for agricultural LCA illustrated on a Moroccan Mandarin

Objectives: Water inventory and agri-food LCA databases do not fully support the application of LCIA methods assessing the impacts of consumptive and degradative water use (so-called water availability as proposed by Boulay and colleagues), and are not appropriate for LCA-based ecodesign of cropping systems. For herbaceous crops, the FAO Aquacrop model constitutes a relevant and operational model for estimating field water and salt flows, but no dedicated model is available to-date for perennials. The objectives of this work were (i) to develop a simple and operational model for the estimation of field water and salt flows, aiming at discriminating practices for all types of cropping systems including perennials, (ii) to test and discuss its feasibility in a demanding case study. Methods: After a review of modelling approaches, we elaborated a tailored model, called the E.T. model, for the inventory of field water and salt flows for use in LCA of cropping systems. The model has a daily water and salts balance, accounting for specific soil, climate and agricultural practices. We explored the model relevance and robustness in a case study of a mandarin crop grown in Morocco, based on farm primary data. We compared the model outputs with the literature and water databases, and calculated water availability impacts. Results: The E.T. model is simple and operational on perennial crops, and estimates evaporation, transpiration, deep percolating water and runoff water, in terms of volume and salinity. Its outputs compared well with literature and measurements, and allowed the simulation of scenarios of agricultural practices. A comparison with crop water consumption estimates from databases highlighted a difference of up to 60%. E.T. model outputs are water elementary flows and salinity and can be used for assessing the impacts of consumptive and degradative water use in LCA. Conclusions: The E.T. model supports the calculation of water availability impact while discriminating agricultural practices. Its domain of validity and accuracy could be extended based on recommendations from the authors

Zc3h13/Flacc is required for adenosine methylation by bridging the mRNA binding factor Rbm15/Spenito to the m6A machinery component Wtap/Fl(2)d

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant mRNA modification in eukaryotes, playing crucial roles in multiple biological processes. m6A is catalyzed by the activity of Mettl3, which depends on additional proteins whose precise functions remain poorly understood. Here we identified Flacc/Zc3h13 as a novel interactor of m6A methyltransferase complex components in Drosophila and mouse. Like other components of this complex, Flacc controls m6A levels and is involved in sexdetermination in Drosophila. We demonstrate that Flacc promotes m6A deposition by bridging Fl(2)d to the mRNA binding factor Nito. Altogether, our work advances our molecular understanding of conservation and regulation of the m6A machinery

Competition through capacity investment under asymmetric existing capacities and costs

This paper discusses the way that different operational characteristics including existing capacity, scale economies, and production policy have an important influence on the capacity outcomes when firms compete in the market place. We formulate a game-theoretical model where each firm has an existing capacity and faces both fixed and variable costs in purchasing additional capacity. Specifically, the firms simultaneously (or sequentially) make their expansion decisions, and then simultaneously decide their production decisions with these outputs being capacity constrained. We also compare our results with cases where production has to match capacity. By characterizing the firms’ capacity and production choices in equilibrium, our analysis shows that the operational factors play a crucial role in determining what happens. The modeling and analysis in the paper gives insight into the way that the ability to use less production capacity than has been built will undermine the commitment value of existing capacity. If a commitment to full production is not possible, sinking operational costs can enable a firm to keep some preemptive advantage. We also show that the existence of fixed costs can introduce cases where there are either no pure strategy equilibrium or multiple equilibria. The managerial implications of our analysis are noted in the discussion. Our central contribution in this paper is the innovative integration of the strategic analysis of capacity expansion and well-known (s,S)(s,S) policy in operations and supply chain theor

Positioning Europe for the EPITRANSCRIPTOMICS challenge

The genetic alphabet consists of the four letters: C, A, G, and T in DNA and C,A,G, and U in RNA. Triplets of these four letters jointly encode 20 different amino acids out of which proteins of all organisms are built. This system is universal and is found in all kingdoms of life. However, bases in DNA and RNA can be chemically modified. In DNA, around 10 different modifications are known, and those have been studied intensively over the past 20 years. Scientific studies on DNA modifications and proteins that recognize them gave rise to the large field of epigenetic and epigenomic research. The outcome of this intense research field is the discovery that development, ageing, and stem-cell dependent regeneration but also several diseases including cancer are largely controlled by the epigenetic state of cells. Consequently, this research has already led to the first FDA approved drugs that exploit the gained knowledge to combat disease. In recent years, the ~150 modifications found in RNA have come to the focus of intense research. Here we provide a perspective on necessary and expected developments in the fast expanding area of RNA modifications, termed epitranscriptomics.SCOPUS: no.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Coinvestment games under uncertainty

There are many business situations in which investments by a supplier and a producer (“coinvest-ments") are both necessary for either of them to grasp a business opportunity. For instance, better quality tanks are needed to manufacture reliable hydrogen-powered vehicles. One of these two firms, typically the one facing a lower cost, may be more willing to invest, but the cautionary attitude of the other delays the coinvestment. We model supply-chain interactions in a classical tractable way to derive the firms’ net present values (NPVs) upon coinvestment and determine their Nash equilibrium investment (timing) strategies. Firms coinvest when the real options of the weaker firm is ‘deep in the money.’ These business situations are likely to be affected by evolving market circumstances, in particular due to changes in the demand dynamics or endogenous decision (by, say, the supplier) to conduct research and development (R&D). We investigate related model extensions, which confirm the robustness of our key result

Coinvestment games under uncertainty

There are many business situations in which investments by a supplier and a producer (“coinvest-ments") are both necessary for either of them to grasp a business opportunity. For instance, better quality tanks are needed to manufacture reliable hydrogen-powered vehicles. One of these two firms, typically the one facing a lower cost, may be more willing to invest, but the cautionary attitude of the other delays the coinvestment. We model supply-chain interactions in a classical tractable way to derive the firms’ net present values (NPVs) upon coinvestment and determine their Nash equilibrium investment (timing) strategies. Firms coinvest when the real options of the weaker firm is ‘deep in the money.’ These business situations are likely to be affected by evolving market circumstances, in particular due to changes in the demand dynamics or endogenous decision (by, say, the supplier) to conduct research and development (R&D). We investigate related model extensions, which confirm the robustness of our key result

Comprehensive Characterization of the Complex lola Locus Reveals a Novel Role in the Octopaminergic Pathway via Tyramine Beta-Hydroxylase Regulation

Longitudinals lacking (lola) is one of the most complex genes in Drosophila melanogaster, encoding up to 20 protein isoforms that include key transcription factors involved in axonal pathfinding and neural reprogramming. Most previous studies have employed loss-of-function alleles that disrupt lola common exons, making it difficult to delineate isoform-specific functions. To overcome this issue, we have generated isoform-specific mutants for all isoforms using CRISPR/Cas9. This enabled us to study specific isoforms with respect to previously characterized roles for Lola and to demonstrate a specific function for one variant in axon guidance via activation of the microtubule-associated factor Futsch. Importantly, we also reveal a role for a second variant in preventing neurodegeneration via the positive regulation of a key enzyme of the octopaminergic pathway. Thus, our comprehensive study expands the functional repertoire of Lola functions, and it adds insights into the regulatory control of neurotransmitter expression in vivo