Impact of fly ash content and fly ash transportation distance on embodied greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption in concrete

Background, aim and scope  

Fly ash, a by-product of coal-fired power stations, is substituted for Portland cement to improve the properties of concrete and reduce the embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Much of the world’s fly ash is currently disposed of as a waste product. While replacing some Portland cement with fly ash can reduce production costs and the embodied emissions of concrete, the relationship between fly ash content and embodied GHG emissions in concrete has not been quantified. The impact of fly ash content on embodied water is also unknown. Furthermore, it is not known whether a global trade in fly ash for use in concrete is feasible from a carbon balance perspective, or if transport over long distances would eliminate any CO₂ savings. This paper aims to quantify GHG emissions and water embodied in concrete (f′_c = 32 MPa) as a function of fly ash content and to determine the critical fly ash transportation distance, beyond which use of fly ash in concrete increases embodied GHG emissions.     

Three-phase partitioning of trypsin inhibitor from legume seeds

Three-phase partitioning (TPP) was used to isolate trypsin inhibitors from navy bean (NB), red kidney bean (RK) and adzuki bean (AZ) from the Royal Project Foundation in Thailand. The method was to mix the crude extract with solid ammonium sulfate (30% saturation, w/v) and tert-butanol (t-butanol) in order to obtain the three phases. The trypsin inhibitor was purified to 5-, 14- and 7-fold with 315%, 441% and 228% recovery for NB, RK and AZ, respectively. The SDS-PAGE showed the major inhibitor band with the molecular weights (MWs) of 132, 118 and 13 kDa for NB, RK and AZ, respectively. The fractions from NB and AZ showed higher pH stability compared to that of the RK, and they had the optimum pH ranges of 7–9. The highest relative inhibitory activity of the fractions of NB and RK were found at 50 °C, and all fractions were quite stable at 90 °C for 60 min of incubation. Increasing the concentration of salt (up to 3%, w/v) did not significantly decrease the inhibitory activity of all fractions (p > 0.05). The trypsin inhibitors from the three legumes were unable to inhibit the autolysis of Pacific whiting and arrowtooth flounder muscles.     

NMR assignment of prespore specific antigen—a cell surface adhesion glycoprotein from Dictyostelium discoideum

Presopore-specific antigen (PsA) is a cell surface glycoprotein of the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoidum implicated in cell adhesion. The ¹⁵N, ¹³C and ¹H chemical shift assignments of PsA were determined from multidimensional, multinuclear NMR experiments. Resonance assignments have been made for both the N-terminal globular domain and its attached O-glycosylated PTVT linker motif.     

A highly conserved amino-terminal region of sonic hedgehog is required for the formation of its freely diffusible multimeric form

Although members of the Hedgehog (Hh) family were initially described as morphogens, many of these early conclusions were based on experiments that used non-physiologically relevant forms of Hh. Native Hh is modified by cholesterol (HhNp) and palmitate. These hydrophobic modifications are responsible for the ability of Hh to associate with cellular membranes, a property that initially appeared inconsistent with its ability to act far from its site of synthesis. Although it is now clear that Hh family members are capable of acting directly in long-range signaling, the form of Hh capable of this activity remains controversial. We have previously provided evidence for a freely diffusible multimeric form of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) termed s-ShhNp, which is capable of accumulating in a gradient fashion through a morphogenic field. Here, we provide further evidence that s-ShhNp is the physiologically relevant form of Shh. We show that the biological activity of freely diffusible ShhNp resides in its multimeric form and that this multimeric form is exceedingly stable, even to high concentrations of salt and detergent. Furthermore, we now validate the Shh-Shh interactions previously observed in the crystal structure of human Shh, showing that a highly conserved amino-terminal domain of Shh is important for the formation of s-ShhNp. We also conclusively show that palmitoylation is required for s-ShhNp formation. Thus, our results identify both protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions that are required for s-ShhNp formation, and provide the first structural analyses supporting the existence of Shh multimers.     

Absence of Mycobacterium bovis in feral swine (Sus scrofa) from the southern Texas border region

Free-ranging wildlife, such as feral swine (Sus scrofa), harbor a variety of diseases that are transmissible to livestock and could negatively impact agricultural production. Information is needed regarding the exposure and infection rates of Mycobacterium bovis and many other diseases and parasites in feral swine occurring in the Texas border region. Our main objective was to determine exposure rates and possible infection rates of M. bovis in feral swine by opportunistically sampling animals from the Texas border region. From June to September 2010, we obtained samples from 396 feral swine and tested 98 samples for M. bovis by histopathology and mycobacteriologic culture. We found no evidence of M. bovis infection. We believe that it is important to periodically and strategically sample feral swine for M. bovis in high-risk areas of the United States because they are capable of becoming reservoirs of the disease.     

Prevalence of Hypertension in Indian Tribes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Introduction

In India there is an increasing trend in hypertension prevalence among the general population. Studies have shown that tribal populations in India are also experiencing this burden.

Objective

The aim was to estimate the pooled prevalence of primary hypertension among adult tribal populations of India.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, IndMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and major journals for studies published between 1981 and 2011. Two authors independently reviewed the studies, did quality assessment and extracted data in pre-coded spread-sheets. Pooled estimates of prevalence of hypertension were calculated using DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses and meta-regression were performed.

Results

Twenty studies or 53 subpopulations with 64 674 subjects were included in final review. The pooled estimate of hypertension prevalence was 16.1% (95% CI: 13.5, 19.2). There was significant heterogeneity among the studies (I² = 99% and Q = 4624.0, df  = 53, p<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that year of study, acculturation status, special features, and BP measurement techniques significantly influenced prevalence, but after meta-regression analyses, ‘decade of study’ remained the only covariate that significantly and independently influenced prevalence (R² = 0.57, Q = 119.2, df  = 49, p value <0.001).

Conclusion

An increasing trend was found in the prevalence of hypertension in adult tribal populations across three decades. Although acculturation was probably the underlying agent that caused this increase, other unmeasured factors that need further research were also important. Concerned policy makers should focus on the changing health needs of tribal communities.     

Human Quadrupeds,Primate Quadrupedalism,and Uner Tan Syndrome

Since 2005, an extensive literature documents individuals from several families afflicted with “Uner Tan Syndrome (UTS),” a condition that in its most extreme form is characterized by cerebellar hypoplasia, loss of balance and coordination, impaired cognitive abilities, and habitual quadrupedal gait on hands and feet. Some researchers have interpreted habitual use of quadrupedalism by these individuals from an evolutionary perspective, suggesting that it represents an atavistic expression of our quadrupedal primate ancestry or “devolution.” In support of this idea, individuals with “UTS” are said to use diagonal sequence quadrupedalism, a type of quadrupedal gait that distinguishes primates from most other mammals. Although the use of primate-like quadrupedal gait in humans would not be sufficient to support the conclusion of evolutionary “reversal,” no quantitative gait analyses were presented to support this claim. Using standard gait analysis of 518 quadrupedal strides from video sequences of individuals with “UTS”, we found that these humans almost exclusively used lateral sequence–not diagonal sequence–quadrupedal gaits. The quadrupedal gait of these individuals has therefore been erroneously described as primate-like, further weakening the “devolution” hypothesis. In fact, the quadrupedalism exhibited by individuals with UTS resembles that of healthy adult humans asked to walk quadrupedally in an experimental setting. We conclude that quadrupedalism in healthy adults or those with a physical disability can be explained using biomechanical principles rather than evolutionary assumptions.