Non-traditional tools for lca and sustainability

LCA practice focuses on impacts resulting from the release of chemicals into the environment, but consideration of ‘non-chemical impacts’ is as important for LCA, particularly as it relates to sustainability. Methodologies and philosophies exist for addressing non-chemical impacts, particularly in the area of resource depletion and land use, but the problem of comparing or integrating chemical and non-chemical impacts remains. A new approach for identifying and integrating impacts involves the use of an object-oriented modeling and simulation platform, such as Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory’s Dynamic Information Architecture System (DIAS). LCA and impact categories can be described as ‘objects’ (at any level of detail or specificity) and any combination of objects and behaviors can be brought into a DIAS analysis frame. Related models that address objects’ behavior characteristics are linked only to their respective objects, not to each other. Thus, maximum flexibility and speed is possible. The process of dividing LCA and impact assessment into a hierarchy of objects provides new insights into the complex mixture of dynamic things, activities, and relationships inherent in LCA and sustainability. Ultimately, embracing the complexity of LCA may be the way to simplify it.     

Characterization of the Particles of Purified κ-Casein: Trypsin as a Probe of Surface-Accessible Residues

κ-Casein as purified from bovine milk exhibits a rather unique disulfide bonding pattern as revealed by SDS–PAGE. The disulfide-bonded caseins present range from dimer to octamer and above and preparations contain about 10% monomer. All of these heterogeneous polymers, however, self-associate into nearly spherical particles with an average diameter of 13 nm at pH 8.0, as revealed by negatively stained transmission electron micrographs and dynamic light scattering. The weight-average molecular weight of the aggregates at pH 8.0, as judged by analytical ultracentrifugation, is 648,000. Trypsin digestion at pH 8.0 was used to probe the surface groups of the κ-casein A polymers. The reaction with trypsin was rapid and the peptides liberated were identified by separation with reverse-phase HPLC, amino acid analysis, and protein sequencing. The most rapidly released peptides (t _1/2 < 30 sec) were from cleavage at Arg 97 and Lys residues 111 and 112. These results suggest a surface orientation for these residues, and the data are in accord with earlier proposed 3D predictive models for κ-casein. It is speculated that Arg 97, together with adjacent His residues (98 and 100) and Lys residues 111 and 112, form two positively charged clusters on the surface of the otherwise negatively charged casein. These clusters bracket the neutral chymosin cleavage site (whose hydrolysis triggers a well-known digestive process) and so these clusters may facilitate docking of the substrate caseins with chymosin.     

EFFECTS OF LIGHT AND WAVE DISTURBANCE ON VERTICAL ZONATION OF ATTACHED MICROALGAGE IN A LARGE RESERVOIR1

Experimental field manipulations of artificial substrata were used to examine the mechanisms controlling attached algal zonation down the face of the dam in Lake McConaughy, a large reservoir in western Nabraska. Sets of clay tiles were incubated in the upper (2.5 m depth) and lower (8 m depth) growth zones for two weeks. Five sets tiles were then switched from the upper to the lower growth zone and vice versa. Five additional sets of tiles were switched to the lower zone and artificially disturbed. Diatom cell densities increased rapidly in both the zones; however, wind-induced turbulence caused dramatic declines (up to 61%) in densities in the upper zone. Consequently, cell densities in the upper and lower growth zones were not significantly different after four weeks, despite the 17–30% higher light levels in the upper zone. Based on cell densities and relative abundances on clay tiles and naturally occurring rocks, 26 of the 32 most common diatom taxa had a significant upper (10) or lower (16) zone preference. Of these, 15 taxa exhibited a consistent response to one or both switching manipulations, confirming a growth zone preference, and two showed a clear preference for disturbed substrata. Diatom growth form appeared to play a major role in determining the vertical zonation of attached communities, since actively motile taxa exhibited a lower zone preference and stalked forms occurred primarily in the upper zone. The present study indicates that light attenuation and wave disturbance are primary mechanisms that control the vertical zonation of freshwater epilithic algae.     

Specific localization of scallop gill epithelial calmodulin in cilia

Calmodulin has been isolated and characterized from the gill of the bay scallop aequipecten irradians. Quantitative electrophoretic analysis of epithelial cell fractions show most of the calmodulin to be localized in the cilia, specifically in the detergent- solubilized membrane-matrix fraction. Calmodulin represents 2.2 +/- 0.3 percent of the membrane-matrix protein or 0.41 +/- 0.5 percent of the total ciliary protein. Its concentration is at least 10(-4) M if distributed uniformly within the matrix. Extraction in the presence of calcium suggests that the calmodulin is not bound to the axoneme proper. The ciliary protein is identified as a calmodulin on the basis of its calcium- dependent binding to a fluphenazine-sepharose affinity column and its comigration with bovine brain calmodulin on alkaline-urea and SDS polyacrylamide gels in both the presence and absence of calcium. Scallop ciliary calmodulin activates bovine brain phosphodiesterase to the same extent as bovine brain and chicken gizzard calmodulins. Containing trimethyllysine and lacking cysteine and tryptophan, the amino acid composition of gill calmodulin is typical of known calmodulins, except that it is relatively high in serine and low in methionine. Its composition is less acidic than other calmodulins, in agreement with an observed isoelectric point approximately 0.2 units higher than that of bovine brain. Comparative tryptic peptide mapping of scallop gill ciliary and bovine brain calmodulins indicates coincidence of over 75 percent of the major peptides, but at least two major peptides in each show no near-equivalency. Preliminary results using ATP-reactivated gill cell models show no effect of calcium at micromolar levels on ciliary beat or directionality of the lateral cilia, the cilia which constitute the vast majority of those isolated. However, ciliary arrest will occur at calcium levels more than 150 muM. Because calmodulin usually functions in the micromolar range, its role in this system is unclear. Scallop gill ciliary calmodulin may be involved in the direct regulation of dyneintubule sliding, or it may serve some coupled calcium transport function. At the concentration in which it is found, it must also at least act as a calcium buffer.     

Relation entre réaction géotropique et évolution du statenchyme dans la racine d'Asperge

Relationship between the Geotropic Response and the Evolution of the Statenchyma in Roots of Asparagus officinalis. The evolution of the statenchyma in roots of Asparagus of ficinalis seedlings, grown in obscurity, was followed during the first 17 days. After 7 days of etiolation, a decrease of both the average diameter of the amyloplasts and the average number of these organelles was observed in the central root cap cells. If the seedlings were illuminated (with white light) from the 7th day, the average number of statoliths increased rapidly in the statocytes. The volume of these organelles undergoes the same variation in etiolated and in illuminated plants. The initial rate of curvature (V_i) of the roots (stimulated in a horizontal position) and the volume of amyloplasts (V_ac) in their caps were analysed as a function of the time of germination in obscurity (from the 8th to the 17th day). It was found that V_i increased as a linear function of the logarithm of V_ac, which confirms that the weight of the amyloplasts of the statocytes may play a role in the geotropic stimulation of the roots.     

Expression of Three Gastrula Cell Surface Glycoproteins during Embryonic and Larval Development in the Amphibian Pleurodeles waltlii

We have previously reported the identification of cell surface glycoproteins in Pleurodeles waltlii gastrulae. In an attempt to study the expression of three of these cell surface glycoproteins (proteins referred to 1, 11 and 14), we have produced monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies by immunizing mice with the spots of the three selected glycoproteins excised from 2D-gels. Expression of the three glycoproteins was detected on the surfaces of all cells during embryonic development. Before hatching, proteins 1, 11 and 14 become expressed in a limited number of tissues.     

Isolation and some properties of an aryl acylamidase from red rice, Oryza sativa L., that metabolizes 3',4'-dichloropropionanilide

An aryl acylamidase (aryl-acylamine amidohydrolase, E. C. 3.5.1.a)was isolated from red rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings and purifiedapproximately 5-fold with ammonium sulfate precipitation andgel filtration. The enzyme hydrolyzed 3',4'-dichloro- propionanilide(propanil) and several other mono- and dichloro-substitutedpropionanilides and 3',4'-dichloroanilide alkyl analogs. Substratespecificity tests on these analogs indicated the following substratepreference: propanil > 3'-chloropropionanilide > propionanilide> 4'-chloropropionanilide 3',5'-dichloropropionanilide 2'- chioropropionanilide. Tests on a series of 3',4'-dichloroanilidealkyl analogs of propanil revealed: propanil > 3,4-dichloroacetanilide> 3',4'-dichlorovaleranilide. The apparent Km for 3',4'-dichloropropionanilide was determinedfrom a double reciprocal plot of initial velocities at severalsubstrate concentrations. A value of Km=2.5 ? 10^–5 M wasobtained. The temperature optimum, when assayed with propanilas substrate, was 50?C. Although the pH optimum was 8.2, therewas relatively high enzyme activity over a wide range of pHvalues between 7.4–8.7. Several compounds, e.g. p-benzoquinone,pyrocatechol and CuSO₄, were found to effectively inhibit theenzyme activity on propanil. These results indicated that theproperties of this aryl acylamidase from red rice are very similarto those of enzymes from a commercial rice variety and fromother plant species. ¹ Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station cooperating. (Received January 6, 1978; )     

Seasonal attenuation of quantum irradiance (400–700 NM) in three Nebraska reserviors

The attenuation of down-welling quantum irradiance (400–700 nm) was monitored seasonally in three eutrophic Nebraska reservoirs from July, 1975, to June, 1976. Measurements were made at four stations in McConaughy, three in Pawnee, and three in Yankee Hill using a commercially available, quantum irradiance sensor. The mean vertical attenuation coefficient () for McConaughy varied within a range of thirty-four-fold (0.16 5.45 m^-1), and this range is apparently the greatest reported and this range is apparently the greatest reported for a freshwater system in which data were collected with a quantum sensor. Annual average values for McConaughy, Yankee Hill, and Pawnee were 0.69 m^–1, 1.08 m^–1, and 1.25 m^–1, respectively. The euphotic zone and the 1% level of subsurface irradiance is discussed with respect to the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) into natural waters.This study was supported by a grant from the Office of Water Research and Technology, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, project number A-043-NEB, agreement number 14-34-0001-6028, to James R. Rosowski, School of Life Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.     

FURTHER EXPERIMENTS ON THE ABSORPTION OF IONS BY PLANTS,INCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ON THE EFFECT OF LIGHT

1. The conditions of illumination were found to exert a very significant influence on absorption of ions from dilute solution by Nitella. These conditions were also found to influence the penetration of Br and NO₃ into the cell sap. 2. It is concluded that absorption of ions by plants from dilute solutions involves energy exchanges, with light as the ultimate source of the energy. It is suggested that the absorption is intimately related to growth and metabolism. 3. One ion may affect the removal from solution or penetration into the cell sap of another ion present in the same solution, even in solutions of extremely low concentration. It is probable that all three types of relations may exist—anion to anion, cation to cation, and anion to cation. 4. The sulfate and phosphate ions exerted far less influence on the absorption of nitrate than did chlorine and bromine ions. It is suggested as a possibility that sulfate does not penetrate readily to those surfaces at which chlorine, bromine, nitrate, and other ions may become effective.