Divergence between general public's risk perception and environmental risk assessment: A case study of p-xylene projects in China

The growing public opposition to p-xylene (PX) project proposals in China requires understanding the divergence between the general public's risk perception and environmental risk assessment (ERA) results and its implications on its decision-making. In a case study in Fujian Province of China, a questionnaire was designed to investigate the public perception of risks of a proposed PX project, interviews were further conducted in Zhangzhou City and Xiamen City, and the survey results were compared with the ERA results of the proposed PX project. Results indicate that the environmental risk is acceptable according to current technical ERA guidelines and standards, while the public acceptance of the PX project is very low. The underlying factors causing the difference between the general public's risk perception and ERA results were identified from the ERA technical perspective. A better understanding of the risk perception divergence from different disciplinary perspectives is helpful for the public acceptance of these kinds of projects, which are on high demand in China. This study not only highlights the necessity to improve the risk communication but also provides insights on future research of ERA for this kind of large-scale project proposal.     

Functional recycling of C2 domains throughout evolution: a comparative study of synaptotagmin, protein kinase C and phospholipase C by sequence, structural and modelling approaches

The C2 domain is one of the most frequent and widely distributed calcium-binding motifs. Its structure comprises an eight-stranded beta-sandwich with two structural types as if the result of a circular permutation. Combining sequence, structural and modelling information, we have explored, at different levels of granularity, the functional characteristics of several families of C2 domains. At the coarsest level, the similarity correlates with key structural determinants of the C2 domain fold and, at the finest level, with the domain architecture of the proteins containing them, highlighting the functional diversity between the various sub-families. The functional diversity appears as different conserved surface patches throughout this common fold. In some cases, these patches are related to substrate-binding sites whereas in others they correspond to interfaces of presumably permanent interaction between other domains within the same polypeptide chain. For those related to substrate-binding sites, the predictions overlap with biochemical data in addition to providing some novel observations. For those acting as protein-protein interfaces, our modelling analysis suggests that slight variations between families are a result of not only complementary adaptations in the interfaces involved but also different domain architecture. In the light of the sequence and structural genomic projects, the work presented here shows that modelling approaches along with careful sub-typing of protein families will be a powerful combination for a broader coverage in proteomics.     

Emergy-based indicators of regional environmental sustainability: A case study in Shanwei,Guangdong, China

Understanding which factors mainly affect the environmental sustainability of a Region is a very crucial concern for many Chinese planners and policy-makers. In this study, the emergy accounting method is applied to the production and consumption activities of the city of Shanwei, a seaside urban area in Guangdong region, China. The emergy method provides a comprehensive assessment of a system, by generating a consistent set of indicators capable to capture the dynamics of the system as a whole and its efficiency in converting resources into an economic product and welfare. At the same time, the approach is capable to provide details about a system's performance over time, its use of renewable versus nonrenewables sources, local versus imported, concentrated versus dispersed and finally labor intensive versus fuel intensive processes. The main local renewable and nonrenewable emergy flows supporting the investigated area were included in the accounting, together with the flows of imported energy, goods, machinery, labor and services. Coal plays a crucial role for electricity generation, industrial uses, but also gasoline and diesel for transport affect the overall sustainability to a non-negligible extent. An Emergy Sustainability Indicator (ESI) of the local economic and social system is calculated and compared with the average value of the Chinese economy, based on the assumption that a process or system is unsustainable if it contributes to lower the overall sustainability of the region or country. This is quantified by the requirement that always must be ESI_local ≧ ESI_country. Results confirm that the most crucial factor for this region sustainability is the use of coal as a non-renewable and imported energy source. The calculated emergy indicators translate into a set-aside buffer land demand capable to mitigate, dilute, and uptake the environmental impact of human-dominated activities. Unfortunately, such buffer land demand is much higher than the land actually available. As a result, both the ESI-based sustainability equation as well as the lack of support land make the city's production and consumption patterns unsustainable and call for different lifestyles and environmental policies.     

Advances in photosynthesis research: Unlocking the potential for food security,renewable energy,and environmental sustainability

<正>Photosynthesis is the most important biochemical process and the largest-scale process of matter and energy conversion on Earth.It is the process by which plants,algae,and certain bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy.Through photosynthesis,solar energy is used to transform carbon dioxide and water into organicmatter (such as glucose) and oxygen.     

A new view on the scenario of karyotypic stasis in Epinephelidae fish: Cytogenetic,historical, and biogeographic approaches

Epinephelidae (groupers) is an astonishingly diverse group of carnivorous fish widely distributed in reef environments around the world, with growing economic importance. The first chromosomal inferences suggested a conservative scenario for the family. However, to date, this has not been validated using biogeographic and phylogenetic approaches. Thus, to estimate karyotype diversification among groupers, eight species from the Atlantic and Indian oceans were investigated using conventional cytogenetic protocols and fluorescence in situ hybridization of repetitive sequences (rDNA, microsatellites, transposable elements). Despite the remarkable persistence of some symplesiomorphic karyotype patterns, such as all species sharing 2n=48 and most preserve a basal karyotype (2n=48 acrocentrics), the chromosomal diversification in the family revealed an unsuspected evolutionary dynamic, where about 40% of the species escape from the ancestral karyotype pattern. These karyotype changes showed a relation with the historical biogeography, likely as a byproduct of the progressive occupancy of new areas (huge diversity of adaptive and speciation conditions). In this context, oceanic regions harboring more recent clades such as those of the Indo-Pacific, exhibited a higher karyotype diversity. Therefore, the karyotype evolution of Epinephelidae fits well with the expansion and geographic contingencies of its clades, providing a more complex and diverse scenario than previously assumed.     

Perspectives on the environmental implications of sustainable hydro-power: comparing countries,problems and approaches

Hydrobiologia - Perspectives on the Environmental Implications of Sustainable Hydropower gathers scientific papers from three of the worlds most important hydropower producers to discuss aspects of...     

Health risk perception in Canada II: Worldviews,attitudes and opinions

In this article, we present the results of a national survey of 1500 Canadians on their attitudes and opinions about health risks. Ratings of perceived risk, sources of information on health risks and responsibility for risk management were also investigated, with findings reported separately. A high degree of concern about health risks was associated with industrial pollution and chemical products (with the exception of medicines), with almost complete agreement that the land, air and water are more contaminated than ever. In addition, there was widespread belief that a risk‐free environment was an achievable goal, and an unwillingness to accept some health risks to improve the economy. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and tobacco smoking were perceived to be important modifiers of health risk. On the other hand, many respondents endorsed the idea that they had little control over the risks to their health.     

Measuring and modelling environmental influences on photosynthetic gas exchange in Sphagnum and Pleurozium

A mechanistic model has been used to examine the environmental regulation of photosynthetic gas exchange in moss. The effects of water content on conductance to CO₂ and on photosynthetic capacity during desiccation were calculated from the carbon isotope discrimination data of Williams & Flanagan (1996 , Oecologia 108, pp. 38–46) and combined with the biochemical model of Farquhar et al. (1980 , Planta 149, pp. 78–90). The model includes a simple light attenuation function that imparts curvature to the light response curve for net assimilation, enabling the use of physiologically realistic values for the biochemical parameters. Measurements of gas exchange for Sphagnum and Pleurozium were made in an old black spruce ecosystem over a growing season in order to assign values to parameters in the model. The calculated maximum rates of carboxylation by Rubisco ( V _max) were 5, 14 and 6 μ mol m^–2 s^–1 for Sphagnum during the spring, summer and autumn seasons of 1996, respectively. The increase in V _max during the summer was consistent with an increased allocation of resources to the photosynthetic apparatus. In contrast, no seasonal variation in V _max was observed in Pleurozium with average values of 7, 5 and 7 μ mol m^–2 s^–1 during the spring, summer and autumn, respectively.     

Patients, their doctors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the perception of risk

This article is about risk. Risk is probably the most misunderstood component in determining therapeutic intervention; however, it is probably the most relevant issue to consider in the context of expected benefit. The rarity of quantitative risk–benefit assessment and the lack of comparative risk–benefit when alternative therapies exist for a given condition leads to inadequate decisions. Without some quantitation of the risks associated with specific therapies, doctors and patients cannot make optimal risk–benefit calculations. Patients may abandon effective therapies for which benefits may still outweigh risks, or opt for therapies with less well-publicized potential adverse events of even greater frequency or severity. When only small incremental benefits accrue to patients from the use of a given therapy, on the other hand, even very rare serious events may play a role in decision-making by patients, by their health care providers and by regulatory authorities.     

Membrane fluidity and its roles in the perception of environmental signals

Poikilothermic organisms are exposed to frequent changes in environmental conditions and their survival depends on their ability to acclimate to such changes. Changes in ambient temperature and osmolarity cause fluctuations in the fluidity of cell membranes. Such fluctuations are considered to be critical to the initiation of the regulatory reactions that ultimately lead to acclimation. The mechanisms responsible for the perception of changes in membrane fluidity have not been fully characterized. However, the analysis of genome-wide gene expression using DNA microarrays has provided a powerful new approach to studies of the contribution of membrane fluidity to gene expression and to the identification of environmental sensors. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms that regulate membrane fluidity, on putative sensors that perceive changes in membrane fluidity, and on the subsequent expression of genes that ensures acclimation to a new set of environmental conditions.     

A study on the environmental aspects of WEEE plastic recycling in a Brazilian company

Purpose

The high consumption of electrical and electronic equipment motivated by the rapid technological advances seen over the years has lead to an increase in the generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Such residues contain various dangerous substances and therefore deserve special attention. To that end, the Brazilian Policy on Solid Waste has provided guidelines on integrated and solid waste management, such as consumer electronics, aiming at their appropriate disposal and treatment through reverse logistics. In this context, the present work focuses on studying the recycling of some WEEE plastics.

Methods

This study was conducted using the methodological framework presented in the International Standard ISO 14040:2006 and aimed to determine the life cycle inventory (LCI) of a WEEE plastic recycling process in a company in Brazil. Having collected the data, it was possible to identify and quantify the environmental aspects caused by the recycling process of major plastics (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS). The study was conducted in the only company in Brazil that operates WEEE plastic recycling in large scale.

Results and discussion

Some of the environmental aspects caused during the recycling process of the plastics under study were identified and quantified. As a result, besides presenting the inventory, it was also possible to determine a reduction in the consumption of energy and in CO₂ emissions. When compared to the production of virgin ABS and HIPS, the recycling processes for such plastics showed a reduction in energy consumption by approximately 90% for both plastics and a reduction in CO₂ emissions by approximately 84% for HIPS and 87% for ABS. The plastics recycled by the company retain over 90% of their virgin mechanical properties.

Conclusions

The study shows that recycling is highly relevant and that components present in WEEE received appropriate destination and treatment. Recycling avoids environmental impacts as it prevents WEEE from being disposed of in landfills and as the pellets of recycled plastics can re-enter the supply chain as raw materials. Considering the legislation in Brazil, the stage of collection/transport/treatment of WEEE conducted by the company under study presents strong indications of contributions to the environment, society, and economy of the country.

     

Nutritional effects on oocyte and embryo development in mammals: implications for reproductive efficiency and environmental sustainability

The environment in which a breeding female lives prior to conception and during the early stages of her pregnancy has striking effects on oocytes developing in the ovarian follicle and on early embryos in the reproductive tract. Of the various environmental factors known to affect oocyte and embryo development, altered nutrition during this critical period has been particularly well studied. Alterations in the quantity of food consumed or the composition of the diet imposed solely during the pre-mating period affect oocyte maturity, blastocyst yield, prenatal survival and the number of offspring born alive. Importantly, nutrition at this time also affects the quality of embryos and resultant offspring, with increasing evidence from a variety of species showing that peri-conception nutrition can alter behaviour, cardiovascular function and reproductive function throughout post-natal life. In livestock species, it is important to devise nutritional strategies that improve reproductive efficiency and the quality of offspring but that do not add to the environmental footprint of the production system and which recognize likely changes in feedstuff availability arising from predicted changes in climate.     

Unaided dispersal risk of Magallana gigas into and around the UK: combining particle tracking modelling and environmental suitability scoring

Marine non-indigenous species are a significant threat to marine ecosystems with prevention of introduction and early detection considered to be the only effective management strategy. Knowledge of the unaided pathway has received relatively little attention, despite being integral to the implementation of robust monitoring and surveillance. Here, particle tracking modelling is combined with spatial analysis of environmental suitability, to highlight UK coastal areas at risk of introduction and spread of Magallana gigas by the unaided pathway. ‘Introduction into UK’ scenarios were based on spawning from the continental coast, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and ‘spread within UK’ scenarios were based on spawning from known UK wild populations and aquaculture sites. Artificial structures were included as spawning sites in an introduction scenario. The UK coast was scored, based on parameters influencing larval settlement, to reflect environmental suitability. Risk maps were produced to highlight areas of the UK coast at elevated risk of introduction and spread of M. gigas by the unaided pathway. This study highlights that introduction of M. gigas into UK waters via the unaided pathway is possible, with offshore structures increasing the potential geographical extent of introduction. Further, there is potential for substantial secondary spread from aquaculture sites and wild populations in the UK. The results of the study are considered in the context of national M. gigas management, whilst the approach is contextualised more broadly as a tool to further understanding of a little-known, yet significant pathway.

     

The effect of environmental temperature on olfactory perception in Drosophila melanogaster

Olfaction provides chemical information to an animal about its environment. When environmental conditions change, individuals should be able to adequately maintain function. Temperature may influence olfaction in a double manner, as it modifies the concentrations of gaseous compounds and affects biological processes. Here, we address acclimatization to environmental temperature in the olfactory system of Drosophila melanogaster using heat and cold treatments. Because the consequences of temperature shifts persist for some time after the treatment's end, comparison of olfactory behaviors at the same temperature in treated and untreated flies allows us to infer the biological effects of temperature in olfaction.At intermediate odorant concentrations heat always generates a reduction of olfactory sensitivity, as they would be expected to compensate for the increase of volatiles in the air. Cold produces the opposite effect. These changes are observed in both sexes and in natural populations as well as in standard laboratory stocks.Short applications suffice to cause detectable olfactory perception changes, but even prolonged temperature treatments have only a transitory effect. Together, these results suggest that olfaction in Drosophila underlies acclimatization to environmental temperature. However, sensitivity changes are not immediate and may cause imperfect adjustment of olfactory function for short time periods.     

Conference and workshop on modelling global land use implications in the environmental assessment of biofuels

Background, Aims and Scope  On 4–5 June 2007, an international conference was held in Copenhagen. It provided an interdisciplinary forum where economists and geographers met with LCA experts to discuss the challenges of modelling the ultimate land use changes caused by an increased demand for biofuels. Main Features  The main feature of the conference was the cross-breeding of experience from the different approaches to land use modelling: The field of LCA could especially benefit from economic modelling in the identification of marginal crop production and the resulting expansion of the global agricultural area. Furthermore, the field of geography offers insights in the complexity behind new land cultivation and practical examples of where this is seen to occur on a regional scale. Results  Results presented at the conference showed that the magnitude and location of land use changes caused by biofuels demand depend on where the demand arises. For instance, mandatory blending in the EU will increase land use both within and outside of Europe, especially in South America. A key learning for the LCA society was that the response to a change in demand for a given crop is not presented by a single crop supplier or a single country, but rather by responses from a variety of suppliers of several different crops in several countries. Discussion  The intensification potential of current and future crop and biomass production was widely discussed. It was generally agreed that some parts of the third world hold large potentials for intensification, which are not realised due to a number of barriers resulting in so-called yield gaps. Conclusions  Modelling the global land use implications of biofuels requires an interdisciplinary approach optimally integrating economic, geographical, biophysical, social and possibly other aspects in the modelling. This interdisciplinary approach is necessary but also difficult due to different perspectives and mindsets in the different disciplines. Recommendations and Perspectives  The concept of a location dependent marginal land use composite should be introduced in LCA of biofuels and it should be acknowledged that the typical LCA assumption of linear substitution is not necessarily valid. Moreover, fertiliser restrictions/accessibility should be included in land use modelling and the relation between crop demand and intensification should be further explored. In addition, environmental impacts of land use intensification should be included in LCA, the powerful concept of land use curves should be further improved, and so should the modelling of diminishing returns in crop production.