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21.
R. Gemma?Raluy Luis?SerraEmail author Javier?Uche Antonio?Valero 《The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment》2005,10(5):346-354
- Preamble. This series of two papers analyses and compares the environmental loads of different water production technologies
in order to establish, in a global, rigorous and objective way, the less aggressive technology for the environment with the
present state of the art of technology. Further, an estimation of the potential environmental loads that the considered technologies
could provoke in future is also presented, taking into account the most suitable evolution of the technology.
- Part 1 presents the assessment of most commercial desalination technologies which are spread worldwide: Reverse Osmosis, Multi
Effect Desalination and Multi Stage Flash.
Part 2 presents the comparative LCA analysis of a big hydraulic infrastructure, as is to be found in the Ebro River Water
Transfer project, with respect to desalination.
- Intention, Goal and Background. In this paper some relevant results of a research work are presented, the main aim of which
consists of performing the environmental assessment of different water production technologies in order to establish, in a
global, rigorous and objective way, the less aggressive technology for the environment for supplying potable water to the
end users. The scope of this paper is mostly oriented to the comparative Life Cycle Assessment of different water production
technologies instead of presenting new advancements in the LCA methodology. Based on the results obtained in Part 1 (LCA of
most widespread commercial desalination technologies), the particular case of a big hydraulic project, which is the Ebro River
Water Transfer (ERWT) considered in the Spanish National Hydrologic Plan, versus the production by desalination of the same
amount of water to be diverted, is compared in Part 2. The assessment technique is the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which includes
the entire life cycle of each technology, encompassing: extraction and processing raw materials, manufacturing, transportation
and distribution, operation and final waste disposal.
Methods and Main Features. The software SimaPro 5.0, developed by Dutch PRé Consultants, has been used as the analysis tool, because
it is a well known, internationally accepted and validated tool. Different evaluation methods have been applied in the LCA
evaluation: CML 2 baseline 2000, Eco-Points 97 and Eco-Indicator 99. Data used in the inventory analysis of this Part 2 come
from: a) desalination: data obtained for existing plants in operation; b) ERWT: Project approved in the Spanish National Hydrologic
Plan and its Environmental Impact Evaluation and; c) data bases implemented in the SimaPro software – BUWAL 250, ETH-ESU 96,
IDEMAT 2001. Different scenarios have been analyzed in both parts in order to estimate not only the potential of reduction
of the provoked environmental loads with the present state of the art of technology, but also the most likely future trend
of technological evolution. In Part 1, different energy production models and the integration of desalination with other productive
processes are studied, while the effect of the most likely technological evolution in the midterm, and the estimation of the
environmental loads to the water transfer during drought periods are considered in Part 2.
Results and Discussion As proven in Part 1, RO is a less aggressive desalination technology for the environment. Its aggression is one order of
magnitude lower than that of the thermal processes, MSF and MED. The main contribution to the global environmental impact
of RO comes from the operation, while the other phases, construction and disposal, are almost negligible when compared to
it. In the case of the ERWT, the contribution of the operation phase is also the most important one, but the construction
phase has an important contribution too. Its corresponding environmental load, with the present state of the art of technology,
is slightly lower than that provoked by the RO desalination technology. However, the results obtained in the different scenarios
analyzed show that the potential reduction of the environmental load in the case of the ERWT is significantly lower than that
in the case of the RO. The effect of drought periods in the assessed environmental loads of the water transfer is not negligible,
obtaining as a result an increasing environmental load per m3 of diverted water.
Conclusion The environmental load associated with RO, with the present state of the art of technology, is slightly higher than that
provoked by the ERWT. However, considering the actual trend of technological improvement of the RO and the present trend of
energy production technology in the address of reducing the fossil fuels\ contribution in the electricity production, the
environmental load associated with RO in the short mid-term would be likely to be lower than that corresponding to the ERWT.
Recommendations and Outlook Although desalination technologies are energy intensive and provoke an important environmental load, as already explained
in Part 1, they present a high potential of reducing it. In respect to ERWT, the results indicate, when the infrastructure
of ERWT is completed (by 2010–2012), that the LCA of RO will be likely to be against the water transfer. With the present
technological evolution of water production technologies and from the results obtained in this paper, it seems, from an environmental
viewpoint, that big hydraulic projects should be considered the last option because they are rigid and long-term infrastructures
(several decades and even centuries of operation) that provoke important environmental loads with only a small margin for
reducing them. 相似文献
22.
Arnold JJ Bernal A Uche U Sterner DE Butt TR Cameron CE Mattern MR 《Analytical biochemistry》2006,350(2):214-221
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is the major nonlysosomal proteolytic system in eukaryotic cells responsible for regulating the level of many key regulatory molecules within the cells. Modification of cellular proteins by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins, such as small ubiquitin-like modifying protein (SUMO), plays an essential role in a number of biological schemes, and ubiquitin pathway enzymes have become important therapeutic targets. Ubiquitination is a dynamic reversible process; a multitude of ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases (DUBs) are responsible for the wide-ranging influence of this pathway as well as its selectivity. The DUB enzymes serve to maintain adequate pools of free ubiquitin and regulate the ubiquitination status of cellular proteins. Using SUMO fusions, a novel assay system, based on poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity, is described here. The method simplifies the isopeptidase assay and facilitates high-throughput analysis of these enzymes. The principle of the assay is the dependence of the viral polymerase on a free N terminus for activity; accordingly, the polymerase is inactive when fused at its N terminus to SUMO or any other ubiquitin-like protein. The assay is sensitive, reproducible, and adaptable to a high-throughput format for use in screens for inhibitors/activators of clinically relevant SUMO proteases and deubiquitinases. 相似文献
23.
Cheng WP Gray AI Tetley L Hang Tle B Schätzlein AG Uchegbu IF 《Biomacromolecules》2006,7(5):1509-1520
In the pharmaceutical industry, orally active compounds are required to have sufficient water solubility to enable dissolution within the gastrointestinal tract prior to absorption. Limited dissolution within the gastrointestinal tract often reduces the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs. To improve gastrointestinal tract dissolution, nonaqueous solvents are often used in the form of emulsions and microemulsions. Here, we show that oil-free polyelectrolyte nanosystems (micellar dispersions and 100-300 nm particles) prepared from poly(ethylenimines) derivatized with cetyl chains and quaternary ammonium groups are able to encapsulate high levels of hydrophobic drug (0.20 g of drug per g of polymer) for over 9 months, as demonstrated using cyclosporine A (log P = 4.3). The polyelectrolytes facilitate the absorption of hydrophobic drugs within the gastrointestinal tract by promoting drug dissolution and by a hypothesized mechanism involving paracellular drug transport. Polyelectrolyte nanoparticle drug blood levels are similar to those obtained with commercial microemulsion formulations. The polyelectrolytes do not promote absorption by inhibition of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump. 相似文献
24.
We have previously reported protection against hypoxic injury by a cell-permeable, mitochondrially-targeted δPKC-d subunit of F1Fo ATPase (dF1Fo) interaction inhibitor [NH2-YGRKKRRQRRRMLA TRALSLIGKRAISTSVCAGRKLALKTIDWVSFDYKDDDDK-COOH] in neonatal cardiac myo-cytes. In the present work we demonstrate the partitioning of this peptide to the inner membrane and matrix of mitochondria when it is perfused into isolated rat hearts. We also used ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) and chloroform/methanol precipitation of heart effluents to demonstrate reduced card-iac troponin I (cTnI) release from ischemic rat hearts perfused with this inhibitor. 50% (NH4)2SO4 saturation of perfusates collected from Langendorff rat heart preparations optimally precipitated cTnI, allowing its detection in Western blots. In hearts receiving 20 min of ischemia followed by 30, or 60 min of reperfusion, the Mean±S.E. (n = 5) percentage of maximal cTnI release was 30±7 and 60±17, respectively, with additional cTnI release occurring after 150 min of reperfusion. Perfusion of hearts with the δPKC-dF1Fo interaction inhibitor, prior to 20 min of ischemia and 60–150 min of reperfusion, reduced cTnI release by 80%. Additionally, we found that when soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), was added to rat heart effluents, it could also be precipitated using (NH4)2SO4 and detected in western blots. This provided a convenient method for normalizing protein recoveries between groups. Our results support the further development of the δPKC-dF1Fo inhibitor as a potential therapeutic for combating cardiac ischemic injury. In addition, we have developed an improved method for the detection of cTnI release from perfused rat hearts. 相似文献
25.
Ijeoma E. Obi Kenneth M. Sterling Gregory A. Ahearn 《Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology》2013,183(1):61-69
The effects of sodium, potassium, sugar inhibitors, and membrane potential on 3H-d-glucose uptake by hepatopancreatic epithelial brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of the Atlantic marine shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, were investigated. Brush border membrane vesicles were prepared using a MgCl2/EGTA precipitation method and uptake experiments were conducted using a high speed filtration technique. 3H-d-Glucose uptake was stimulated by both sodium and potassium and these transport rates were almost doubled in the presence of an inside-negative-induced membrane potential. Kinetics of 3H-d-glucose influx were hyperbolic functions of both external Na+ or K+, and an induced membrane potential increased influx J max and lowered Km in both salts. 3H-d-Glucose influx versus [glucose] in both Na+ or K+ media also displayed Michaelis–Menten properties that were only slightly affected by induced membrane potential. Phloridzin was a poor inhibitor of 0.5 mM 3H-d-glucose influx, requiring at least 5 mM in NaCl and 10 mM in KCl to significantly reduce hexose transport. Several sugars (d-galactose, α-methyl-d-gluco-pyranoside, unlabeled d-glucose, d-fructose, and d-mannose) were used at 75 mM as potential inhibitors of 0.1 mM 3H-d-glucose influx. Only unlabeled d-glucose, d-fructose, and d-mannose significantly (p < 0.05) reduced labeled glucose transport. An additional experiment using increasing concentrations of d-mannose (0, 10, 25, 75, and 100 mM) showed this hexose to be an effective inhibitor of 0.1 mM 3H-d-glucose uptake at concentrations of 75 mM and higher. As a whole these results suggest that 3H-d-glucose transport by hepatopancreatic BBMV occurs by a carrier system that is able to use both Na+ and K+ as drivers, is enhanced by membrane potential, is relatively refractory to phloridzin, and is only inhibited by itself, d-fructose, and d-mannose. These properties are similar to those exhibited by the mammalian SLC5A9/SGLT4 transporter, suggesting that an invertebrate analogue of this protein may occur in shrimp. 相似文献
26.
Mary Esien Kooffreh Chiaka Ijeoma Anumudu Roseline Duke Elza Cletus Okpako P. Lava Kumar 《Indian journal of human genetics》2013,19(2):213-218
OBJECTIVES:
The angiotensin II protein is a vasoconstrictor that exerts most of its influence through the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R). Inconsistent association between the A1166C polymorphism of the AT1R gene and hypertension has been reported among various populations but not among the peoples of Calabar and Uyo. This study was designed to determine the frequency of the A1166C polymorphism of the AT1R gene and its association with hypertension in a sample population of Calabar and Uyo.MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A population-based case control design consisting of total of 1224 participants, 612 each of patients and controls were randomly recruited from hypertension clinics and the general population. Genotyping of the A1166C allele of the AT1R gene to identify variants was performed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion. Multiple regressions were applied to test whether the A1166 genotypes were predictors of hypertension.RESULTS:
99% of the study population had the wild type AA genotype, and 1% was AC heterozygous carriers of the A1166C polymorphism.CONCLUSION:
The A1166C polymorphism was not a predictor of hypertension in the sample population of Calabar and Uyo. 相似文献27.
Burl S Townend J Njie-Jobe J Cox M Adetifa UJ Touray E Philbin VJ Mancuso C Kampmann B Whittle H Jaye A Flanagan KL Levy O 《PloS one》2011,6(4):e18185
The global burden of neonatal and infant mortality due to infection is staggering, particularly in resource-poor settings. Early childhood vaccination is one of the major interventions that can reduce this burden, but there are specific limitations to inducing effective immunity in early life, including impaired neonatal leukocyte production of Th1-polarizing cytokines to many stimuli. Characterizing the ontogeny of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated innate immune responses in infants may shed light on susceptibility to infection in this vulnerable age group, and provide insights into TLR agonists as candidate adjuvants for improved neonatal vaccines. As little is known about the leukocyte responses of infants in resource-poor settings, we characterized production of Th1-, Th2-, and anti-inflammatory-cytokines in response to agonists of TLRs 1-9 in whole blood from 120 Gambian infants ranging from newborns (cord blood) to 12 months of age. Most of the TLR agonists induced TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 in cord blood. The greatest TNFα responses were observed for TLR4, -5, and -8 agonists, the highest being the thiazoloquinoline CLO75 (TLR7/8) that also uniquely induced cord blood IFNγ production. For most agonists, TLR-mediated TNFα and IFNγ responses increased from birth to 1 month of age. TLR8 agonists also induced the greatest production of the Th1-polarizing cytokines TNFα and IFNγ throughout the first year of life, although the relative responses to the single TLR8 agonist and the combined TLR7/8 agonist changed with age. In contrast, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 responses to most agonists were robust at birth and remained stable through 12 months of age. These observations provide fresh insights into the ontogeny of innate immunity in African children, and may inform development of age-specific adjuvanted vaccine formulations important for global health. 相似文献
28.
Ijeoma Ejigiri Daniel R. T. Ragheb Paco Pino Alida Coppi Brandy Lee Bennett Dominique Soldati-Favre Photini Sinnis 《PLoS pathogens》2012,8(7)
Plasmodium sporozoites, the infective stage of the malaria parasite, move by gliding motility, a unique form of locomotion required for tissue migration and host cell invasion. TRAP, a transmembrane protein with extracellular adhesive domains and a cytoplasmic tail linked to the actomyosin motor, is central to this process. Forward movement is achieved when TRAP, bound to matrix or host cell receptors, is translocated posteriorly. It has been hypothesized that these adhesive interactions must ultimately be disengaged for continuous forward movement to occur. TRAP has a canonical rhomboid-cleavage site within its transmembrane domain and mutations were introduced into this sequence to elucidate the function of TRAP cleavage and determine the nature of the responsible protease. Rhomboid cleavage site mutants were defective in TRAP shedding and displayed slow, staccato motility and reduced infectivity. Moreover, they had a more dramatic reduction in infectivity after intradermal inoculation compared to intravenous inoculation, suggesting that robust gliding is critical for dermal exit. The intermediate phenotype of the rhomboid cleavage site mutants suggested residual, albeit inefficient cleavage by another protease. We therefore generated a mutant in which both the rhomboid-cleavage site and the alternate cleavage site were altered. This mutant was non-motile and non-infectious, demonstrating that TRAP removal from the sporozoite surface functions to break adhesive connections between the parasite and extracellular matrix or host cell receptors, which in turn is essential for motility and invasion. 相似文献
29.
Fidelia Ohemeng Elaine T. Lawson Jesse Ayivor Melissa Leach Linda Waldman Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu 《Anthrozo?s》2017,30(2):181-194
Bats are known to be a natural reservoir for a lot of disease pathogens and can spread several diseases. All 11 genera of fruit bat found in West Africa are found in Ghana, and human–bat interactions are common. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the socio-cultural factors that shape these interactions. This paper explores the socio-cultural factors that bring humans into contact with bats. Data were obtained through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The findings indicate that gender, religious affiliation, and belief systems influence the interaction between humans and bats. We conclude that the hunting and consumption patterns of bats have farreaching consequences for the transmission of bat-borne zoonotic diseases. Educational campaigns, therefore, should be intensified and, in particular, target groups that are most at risk of contracting bat-borne zoonotic diseases. 相似文献
30.
Nnamani IN Joshi GS Danso-Danquah R Abdulmalik O Asakura T Abraham DJ Safo MK 《化学与生物多样性》2008,5(9):1762-1769
Compounds that bind to sickle hemoglobin (Hb S) producing an allosteric shift to the high-affinity Hb S that does not polymerize are being developed to treat sickle cell anemia (SCA). In this study, three series of pyridyl derivatives of substituted benzaldehydes (Classes I-III) that combine structural features of two previously determined potent antisickling agents, vanillin and pyridoxal, were synthesized. When analyzed with normal human whole blood, the compounds form Schiff-base adducts with Hb and left shift the oxygen equilibrium curve (OEC) to the more soluble high-affinity Hb, more than vanillin or pyridoxal. Generally, Class-I compounds with an aromatic aldehyde located ortho to the pyridyl substituent are the most potent, followed by the Class-II compounds with the aldehyde at the meta-position. Class-III compounds with the aldehyde at the para position show the weakest activity. The structure-activity studies of these pyridyl derivatives of substituted benzaldehydes demonstrate significant allosteric potency that may be useful for treating SCA. 相似文献