Can S-LCA methodology support responsible sourcing of raw materials in EU policy context?

Purpose

Access, affordability and sustainability of raw material supply chains are crucial to the sustainable development of the European Union (EU) for both society and economy. The study investigates whether and how the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodology can support responsible sourcing of raw materials in Europe. The potential of social indicators already available in an S-LCA database is tested for the development of new metrics to monitor social risks in raw material industries at EU policy level.

Methods

The Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database was identified as a data and indicators source to assess social risks in raw material industries in EU-28 and extra-EU countries. Six raw material country sectors in the scope of the European policy on raw materials were identified and aggregated among those available in PSILCA. The selection of indicators for the assessment was based on the RACER (Relevance, Acceptance, Credibility, Ease, Robustness) analysis, leading to the proposal of 9 social impact categories. An S-LCA of the selected raw material industries was, thus, performed for the EU-28 region, followed by a contribution analysis to detect direct and indirect impacts and investigate related supply chains. Finally, the social performance of raw material sectors in EU-28 was compared with that of six extra-EU countries.

Results and discussion

Considering the overall social risks in raw material industries, “Corruption”, “Fair salary”, “Health and safety” and “Freedom of association and collective bargaining” emerged as the most significant categories both in EU and extra-EU. EU-28 shows an above-average performance where the only exception is represented by the mining and quarrying sector. An investigation of the most contributing processes to social impact categories for EU-28 led to the identification of important risks originating in the supply chain and in extra-EU areas. Therefore, the S-LCA methodology confirmed the potential of a life cycle perspective to detect burdens shifting and trade-offs. However, only a limited view on the sectoral social performance could be obtained from the research due to a lack of social data.

Conclusions

The S-LCA methodology and indicators appear appropriate to perform an initial social sustainability screening, thus enabling the identification of hotspots in raw material supply chains and the prioritization of areas of action in EU policies. Further methodological developments in the S-LCA field are necessary to make the approach proposed in the paper fully adequate to support EU policies on raw materials.

     

Intensification of agriculture in southwestern Germany between the Bronze Age and Medieval period,based on archaeobotanical data from Baden-Württemberg

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - A system of farming with an alternation of land use between being cultivated or left fallow as grassland (Feldgraswirtschaft) developed in southwestern...     

mTORC1 activity is supported by spatial association with focal adhesions

The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) integrates mitogenic and stress signals to control growth and metabolism. Activation of mTORC1 by amino acids and growth factors involves recruitment of the complex to the lysosomal membrane and is further supported by lysosome distribution to the cell periphery. Here, we show that translocation of lysosomes toward the cell periphery brings mTORC1 into proximity with focal adhesions (FAs). We demonstrate that FAs constitute discrete plasma membrane hubs mediating growth factor signaling and amino acid input into the cell. FAs, as well as the translocation of lysosome-bound mTORC1 to their vicinity, contribute to both peripheral and intracellular mTORC1 activity. Conversely, lysosomal distribution to the cell periphery is dispensable for the activation of mTORC1 constitutively targeted to FAs. This study advances our understanding of spatial mTORC1 regulation by demonstrating that the localization of mTORC1 to FAs is both necessary and sufficient for its activation by growth-promoting stimuli.     

Staphylococcus aureus cell wall structure and dynamics during host-pathogen interaction

Peptidoglycan is the major structural component of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall, in which it maintains cellular integrity, is the interface with the host, and its synthesis is targeted by some of the most crucial antibiotics developed. Despite this importance, and the wealth of data from in vitro studies, we do not understand the structure and dynamics of peptidoglycan during infection. In this study we have developed methods to harvest bacteria from an active infection in order to purify cell walls for biochemical analysis ex vivo. Isolated ex vivo bacterial cells are smaller than those actively growing in vitro, with thickened cell walls and reduced peptidoglycan crosslinking, similar to that of stationary phase cells. These features suggested a role for specific peptidoglycan homeostatic mechanisms in disease. As S. aureus missing penicillin binding protein 4 (PBP4) has reduced peptidoglycan crosslinking in vitro its role during infection was established. Loss of PBP4 resulted in an increased recovery of S. aureus from the livers of infected mice, which coincided with enhanced fitness within murine and human macrophages. Thicker cell walls correlate with reduced activity of peptidoglycan hydrolases. S. aureus has a family of 4 putative glucosaminidases, that are collectively crucial for growth. Loss of the major enzyme SagB, led to attenuation during murine infection and reduced survival in human macrophages. However, loss of the other three enzymes Atl, SagA and ScaH resulted in clustering dependent attenuation, in a zebrafish embryo, but not a murine, model of infection. A combination of pbp4 and sagB deficiencies resulted in a restoration of parental virulence. Our results, demonstrate the importance of appropriate cell wall structure and dynamics during pathogenesis, providing new insight to the mechanisms of disease.     

Modification of chromatin organisation at low water potential in cultured cells of Solanum tuberosum: Possible involvement of dehydrins

ABSTRACT

To understand the mechanisms which enable the nucleus to function under low water potential, the morphology and biochemistry of potato cell nuclei were studied. Conformational modifications were observed in the chromatin of nuclei of cells growing under low water potential. These modifications include a higher number of heterochromatic centres, enlargement of the nuclear diameter, and a different accessibility of DNA to the action of restriction enzymes. Biochemical analyses showed that these chromatin modifications may coincide with quantitative and qualitative variations of several nuclear proteins, some of which may belong to the dehydrin family. We especially focussed our attention on a 45-kDa protein that is heat-stable and is recognised by an antibody raised against the conserved domain of dehydrins. The survival of potato cells in an environment where water availability is low may depend on several simultaneous events regarding the nucleus. The accumulation in the nucleus of specific proteins such as dehydrins could be required to stabilise the chromatin by means of their molecule-salvation action. Further studies are in progress to check whether or not variations in chromatin organisation may be one of the numerous traits that a cell must acquire to become water-stress resistant.     

Changes of nitric oxide,carbon monoxide and oxidative stress in term infants at birth

The higher risk of respiratory problem in infants delivered by elective caesarean section in comparison with vaginally born infants may be favoured by lower level of nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) and higher oxidative stress in infants born by caesarean section. We studied healthy term infants born by vaginal delivery or by elective caesarean section. Nitric oxide, CO, guanosine 3–5 cyclic monophosphate, total hydroperoxide and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were measured at birth and 48–72 h of life. Nitric oxide, CO and cGMP were lower at birth and at 48–72 h of life in infants born by elective caesarean delivery. Total hydroperoxide and AOPP levels were similar in the two groups and increased from birth to 48–72 h of life. In conclusion, nitric oxide and CO concentrations were higher in term infants vaginally born than in infants born by elective caesarean section and decreased from birth to 48–72 h of life. The mode of delivery did not affect the oxidative stress which increases from birth to 48–72 h of life.     

Dried alginate-entrapped enzymes (DALGEEs) and their application to the production of fructooligosaccharides

A modification of the classical calcium alginate enzyme entrapment technique is described aiming to overcome some of the limitations of the former gel-based biocatalysts. Dried alginate entrapped enzymes (DALGEEs) were obtained dehydrating calcium alginate gel beads containing entrapped enzymes. A fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus aculeatus, present in Pectinex Ultra SP-L, was entrapped using this technique. The resulting DALGEEs were successfully tested both operating batchwise and in a continuous fixed-bed reactor for fructooligosaccharides (FOS) synthesis from sucrose. Interestingly, DALGEEs did not re-swell upon incubation in concentrated (600 g/L) sucrose solutions, probably due to the lowered water activity (a_w) of such media. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of DALGEEs revealed that the enzyme molecules accumulated preferably in the shell of the particles. DALGEEs showed an approximately 30-fold higher volumetric activity (300 U/mL) compared with the calcium alginate gel beads. Moreover, a significant enhancement (40-fold) of the space-time-yield of fixed-bed bioreactors was observed when using DALGEEs as biocatalyst compared with gel beads (4030 g/day L of FOS vs. 103 g/day L). The operational stability of fixed-bed reactors packed with DALGEEs was extraordinary, providing a nearly constant FOS composition of the outlet during at least 700 h. It was also noticeable their resistance against microbial attack, even after long periods of storage at room temperature. The DALGEEs immobilisation strategy may also be useful for other biotransformations, in particular when they take place in low a_w media.     

Cisgenics as emerging bio-objects: bio-objectification and bio-identification in agrobiotech innovation

Cisgenesis is a genetic modification of a recipient organism with genetic material from a crossable organism. Trying to free cisgenics from the regulatory guidelines of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), some scientists have suggested to classify the genetically modified products by the origin of transferred genes. Aiming at exploring how scientists frame cisgenics in relation to current legal frameworks, we have sent an extensive survey to the totality of researchers working on cisgenics. Trying to provide cisgenics with a new, uncontroversial identity, the respondents present cisgenics as a method of obtaining “natural,” environmentally friendly and economically sustainable crops. However, such strategy is challenged by GMO corporations opposing a segmentation of the sector, and by the opponents of GMOs, who fear that deregulation on cisgenics leads to the deregulation of GMOs. Drawing from the concepts of bio-objectification and bio-identification, we show how the status of this bio-object is likely to remain contested and contestable.     

A Novel Microtubule Inhibitor 4SC-207 with Anti-Proliferative Activity in Taxane-Resistant Cells

Microtubule inhibitors are invaluable tools in cancer chemotherapy: taxanes and vinca alkaloids have been successfully used in the clinic over the past thirty years against a broad range of tumors. However, two factors have limited the effectiveness of microtubule inhibitors: toxicity and resistance. In particular, the latter is highly unpredictable, variable from patient to patient and is believed to be the cause of treatment failure in most cases of metastatic cancers. For these reasons, there is an increasing demand for new microtubule inhibitors that can overcome resistance mechanisms and that, at the same time, have reduced side effects. Here we present a novel microtubule inhibitor, 4SC-207, which shows strong anti-proliferative activity in a large panel of tumor cell lines with an average GI₅₀ of 11nM. In particular, 4SC-207 is active in multi-drug resistant cell lines, such as HCT-15 and ACHN, suggesting that it is a poor substrate for drug efflux pumps. 4SC-207 inhibits microtubule growth in vitro and in vivo and promotes, in a dose dependent manner, a mitotic delay/arrest, followed by apoptosis or aberrant divisions due to chromosome alignment defects and formation of multi-polar spindles. Furthermore, preliminary data from preclinical studies suggest low propensity towards bone marrow toxicities at concentrations that inhibit tumor growth in paclitaxel-resistant xenograft models. In summary, our results suggest that 4SC-207 may be a potential anti-cancer agent.