The bottom line for prediction of residue solvent accessibility

A simple method of predicting residue solvent accessibilities in proteins is described, with the intention that it should be used as a baseline by which more sophisticated approaches to prediction can be judged. Comparison with existing methods of predicting residue burial reveals that their performance is often little better than that of the baseline method. The problem of comparing different prediction methods is shown to be complicated by the proliferation of different schemes for classifying residue burial.     

The distinctive recognition of culture within LCSA: realising the quadruple bottom line

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Cultural indicators, although present in S-LCA subcategories, are fairly limited and are not compulsory; performing an S-LCA does not guarantee...     

Triple bottom line study of a lignocellulosic biofuel industry

Growing concerns about energy security and climate change have prompted interest in Australia and worldwide to look for alternatives of fossil fuels. Among the renewable fuel sources, biofuels are one such alternative that have received unprecedented attention in the past decade. Cellulosic biofuels, derived from agricultural and wood biomass, could potentially increase Australia's oil self‐sufficiency. In this study, we carry out a hybrid life‐cycle assessment (LCA) of a future cellulose‐refining industry located in the Green Triangle region of South Australia. We assess both the upstream and downstream refining stages, and consider as well the life‐cycle effects occurring in conventional industries displaced by the proposed biofuel supply chains. We improve on conventional LCA method by utilising multi‐region input–output (IO) analysis that allows a comprehensive appraisal of the industry's supply chains. Using IO‐based hybrid LCA, we evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of lignocellulosic biofuel production. In particular, we evaluate the employment, economic stimulus, energy consumption and greenhouse gas impacts of the biofuel supply chain and also quantify the loss in economic activity and employment in the paper, pulp and paperboard industry resulting from the diversion of forestry biomass to biofuel production. Our results reveal that the loss in economic activity and employment will only account for 10% of the new jobs and additional stimulus generated in the economy. Lignocellulosic biofuel production will create significant new jobs and enhance productivity and economic growth by initiating the growth of new industries in the economy. The energy return on investment for cellulosic biofuel production lies between 2.7 and 5.2, depending on the type of forestry feedstock and the travel distance between the feedstock industry and the cellulose refinery. Furthermore, the biofuel industry will be a net carbon sequester.     

Scientific presentations at Royal College meeting take look at medicine's bottom line.

Attempts to get good results from fewer health care dollars received considerable attention during the recent annual meeting of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Pam Harrison provides an overview of some research findings presented during the meeting, held in Montreal.     

The influence of bottom sediments upon the toxicity of pollutants

In the presence of bottom sediments, inorganic (potassium dichromate and copper chloride) and organic (imazalyl sulfate) compounds were less toxic for a crustacean (Daphnia magna). The toxic effect of potassium dichromate upon survival and fecundity of crustaceans was decreased to a highest extent at the presence of silt and loam having relatively high contents of clay fraction and of organic matter. The toxicity of copper chloride decreases at the presence of silt and loam, as well as at the presence of sandy loam having lower contents of clay fraction and organic matter. Sandy loam more actively, compared to other sediments, decreased the toxic effect of imazalyl sulfate upon the survival of crustaceans.     

A triple bottom line evaluation of solid waste management strategies: a case study for an arid Gulf State,Kuwait

Purpose

We extend a life cycle assessment (LCA) embracing both economic and social perspectives to develop an integrated solid waste management system for Kuwait. This study considers the domestic waste generated by households and waste generated commercially. Six municipal solid waste (MSW) scenarios (SR₁, SR₂, …, SR₆) are evaluated using a triple bottom line (TBL) approach that incorporates environmental, financial, and social bottom lines (social BLs).

Methods

Within the TBL framework, the environmental BL employs LCA in accordance with ISO 14044. The financial BL is calculated using capital and operational costs as well as the associated recycling revenues. The social BL applies macro-economic indicators that examine the effects of a given MSW scenario (SR) on the inhabitants. To integrate the TBLs, we apply an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) because of its advantage of pairwise unit-free rescaling. The relative importance of each BL is determined by considering the political, legal, socio-cultural, and economic climates of the country. The relative weights are cross-multiplied with indicators from each BL to calculate a composite sustainability index (CSI) for the proposed MSW SR.

Results and discussion

The environmental BL (LCA) indicates that global warming, acidification, and human toxicity are the most adversely affected impact categories, considering the local conditions and waste composition. Environmentally, SR₁ (landfilling) scored the worst in almost all impact categories and, thus, was labeled the worst-case scenario environmentally. SR₆ (composting, recycling, and incineration) performed the best from an environmental perspective. Financially, landfilling (SR₁) is the most economical scenario. Any SR that focused on incineration (SR₂ and SR₅) was financially unfavorable. The scenarios that involved composting were scored as financially reasonable (SR₃, SR₄, and SR₆). From a social acceptability perspective, SR₂ (incineration) scored the highest, while SR₁ (landfills) scored the lowest. Finally, across the TBL framework, SR₄ (composting and incineration) had the highest CSI based on the relative importance scheme adopted for each BL.

Conclusions

Although they are often overlooked in most LCA studies, the financial and social aspects are indispensable to proving feasibility and credibility at a strategic level. The complexity of financial and social formulations in LCA is inherited from the difficulty in quantifying emissions and other impacts. In addition, from a social perspective, the contingent risks and associated uncertainty vary widely across cultures, ideologies, and degrees of development and are further complicated because of the scarcity and uncertainty of the data.

     

The ribosomal subunit assembly line

Recent proteomic studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have identified nearly 200 proteins, other than the structural ribosomal proteins, that participate in the assembly of ribosomal subunits and their transport from the nucleus. In a separate line of research, proteomic studies of mature plant ribosomes have revealed considerable variability in the protein composition of individual ribosomes.     

The chlorophyll content in water and bottom sediments of the Rybinsk Reservoir

The seasonal dynamics of chlorophyll content in the plankton and bottom sediments in the Rybinsk Reservoir were studied. The highest temporal (seasonal) variability of the chlorophyll concentration is characteristic of water, and the highest spatial variability is characteristic of bottom sediments (BSs). The positive dependence between the chlorophyll content in water and bottom sediments in the reservoir was revealed, which reflects the role of phytoplankton in the formation of bottom biotopes productivities. Average values of the ratio of water and BS chlorophyll contents were comparable to the rates of sedimentation as calculated by the data on BS probing.