Interactive Visualization and Industrial Ecology: Applications,Challenges, and Opportunities

The emergence of increasingly complex data in industrial ecology (IE) has caused scholarly interest in interactive visualization (IV). IV allows users to interact with data, aiding in processing and interpreting complex datasets, processes, and simulations. Consequently, IV can help IE practitioners communicate the complexities of their methods and results, shed light on the underlying research assumptions, and enable more transparent monitoring of data quality and error. This can significantly increase the reach and impact of research, promote transparency, reproducibility, and open science, as well as improve the clarity and presentation of IE research. A review of current IV applications reveals that, while data exploration has received some attention among IE practitioners, IV applications in scientific communication are clearly lacking. With the help of a working example, we explore the value of IV, discuss its operationalization, and highlight challenges that the IE community must face during IV uptake. Such challenges include technical and knowledge limitations, limits on user interaction, and implementation strategies. With these challenges in mind, we outline key aspects needed to lift the IE field to the forefront of scientific communication in the coming years. Among these, we draft the basic principles of a “Hub for Interactive Visualization in Industrial Ecology” (HIVE), a point of encounter where IE practitioners could find an array of data visualization tools that are geared toward IE datasets. IV is here to stay, and its inceptive stage presents many opportunities to IE practitioners to shape its operationalization and benefit from early adoption.     

Mechanisms of magnetic stimulation of central nervous system neurons

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a stimulation method in which a magnetic coil generates a magnetic field in an area of interest in the brain. This magnetic field induces an electric field that modulates neuronal activity. The spatial distribution of the induced electric field is determined by the geometry and location of the coil relative to the brain. Although TMS has been used for several decades, the biophysical basis underlying the stimulation of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) is still unknown. To address this problem we developed a numerical scheme enabling us to combine realistic magnetic stimulation (MS) with compartmental modeling of neurons with arbitrary morphology. The induced electric field for each location in space was combined with standard compartmental modeling software to calculate the membrane current generated by the electromagnetic field for each segment of the neuron. In agreement with previous studies, the simulations suggested that peripheral axons were excited by the spatial gradients of the induced electric field. In both peripheral and central neurons, MS amplitude required for action potential generation was inversely proportional to the square of the diameter of the stimulated compartment. Due to the importance of the fiber's diameter, magnetic stimulation of CNS neurons depolarized the soma followed by initiation of an action potential in the initial segment of the axon. Passive dendrites affect this process primarily as current sinks, not sources. The simulations predict that neurons with low current threshold are more susceptible to magnetic stimulation. Moreover, they suggest that MS does not directly trigger dendritic regenerative mechanisms. These insights into the mechanism of MS may be relevant for the design of multi-intensity TMS protocols, may facilitate the construction of magnetic stimulators, and may aid the interpretation of results of TMS of the CNS.     

BIOVOLUME CALCULATION FOR PELAGIC AND BENTHIC MICROALGAE

Microalgal biovolume is commonly calculated to assess the relative abundance (as biomass or carbon) of co-occurring algae varying in shape and/or size. However, a standardized set of equations for biovolume calculations from microscopically measured linear dimensions that includes the entire range of microalgal shapes is not available yet. In comparison with automated methods, the use of microscopical measurements allows high taxonomic resolution, up to the species level, and has fewer sources of error. We present a set of geometric shapes and mathematical equations for calculating biovolumes of >850 pelagic and benthic marine and freshwater microalgal genera. The equations are designed to minimize the effort of microscopic measurement. The similarities and differences between our proposal for standardization and previously published proposals are discussed and recommendations for quality standards given.     

Sharing economy rebound: The case of peer-to-peer sharing of food waste

The digital sharing economy is commonly thought to promote sustainable consumption and improve material efficiency through better utilization of existing product stocks. However, the cost savings and convenience of using digital sharing platforms can ultimately stimulate additional demand for products and services. As a result, some or even all of the expected environmental benefits attributed to sharing could be offset, a phenomenon known as the rebound effect. Relying on a unique dataset covering over 750,000 food items shared in the United Kingdom through a free peer-to-peer food-sharing platform, we use econometric modeling, geo-spatial network analysis, and environmentally extended input–output analysis to quantify how much of the expected environmental benefits attributed to sharing are offset via rebound effects under seven re-spending scenarios. We find that rebound effects can offset 59–94% of expected greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, 20–81% of expected water depletion benefits, and 23–90% of land use benefit as platform users re-spent the money saved from food sharing on other goods and services. Our results demonstrate that rebound effects could limit the potential to achieve meaningful reductions in environmental burdens through sharing, and highlight the importance of incorporating rebound effects in environmental assessments of the digital sharing economy.     

Non-indigenous insect species in Israel and adjacent areas

Non-indigenous species cause great damage worldwide. Non-indigenous insects are known as harmful in many regions, but few comprehensive works have investigated non-indigenous insects as a group. We compiled a comprehensive database of established non-indigenous (ENI) insects in Israel and adjacent regions to investigate how they arrived, their biological characteristics, and the attributes of areas they invade. Of 218 species of ENI insects in this region, 124 are widespread. Most species came as stowaways, but 38 were brought intentionally for biological control. Most ENI insects in this region are in the Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Homoptera. Species from various orders differ in their tendency to be localized or widespread, and in biogeographic origins. The distribution of species among orders differs between native and ENI insects. The Coastal Plain houses the most ENI insect species and the Negev and Judean deserts the fewest. Most ENI insects spread from the Coastal Plain to other regions. Absence of roads, settlements and presence of nature reserves are negatively correlated with occurrence of ENI species. Seventy-nine species are categorized as pests that damage produce, merchandise, forestry, etc. Despite a general dearth of knowledge on impacts of ENI insects on natural systems, 42 species are known to feed on native plants, some of conservation concern. Biological control agents are usually more limited in their distribution than other ENI insects. Further research, legislation, and enforcement are required to minimize effects of these species on agriculture and natural habitats.     

Neocentromeres Form Efficiently at Multiple Possible Loci in Candida albicans

Centromeres are critically important for chromosome stability and integrity. Most eukaryotes have regional centromeres that include long tracts of repetitive DNA packaged into pericentric heterochromatin. Neocentromeres, new sites of functional kinetochore assembly, can form at ectopic loci because no DNA sequence is strictly required for assembly of a functional kinetochore. In humans, neocentromeres often arise in cells with gross chromosome rearrangements that rescue an acentric chromosome. Here, we studied the properties of centromeres in Candida albicans, the most prevalent fungal pathogen of humans, which has small regional centromeres that lack pericentric heterochromatin. We functionally delimited centromere DNA on Chromosome 5 (CEN5) and then replaced the entire region with the counter-selectable URA3 gene or other marker genes. All of the resulting cen5Δ::URA3 transformants stably retained both copies of Chr5, indicating that a functional neocentromere had assembled efficiently on the homolog lacking CEN5 DNA. Strains selected to maintain only the cen5Δ::URA3 homolog and no wild-type Chr5 homolog also grew well, indicating that neocentromere function is independent of the presence of any wild-type CEN5 DNA. Two classes of neocentromere (neoCEN) strains were distinguishable: “proximal neoCEN” and “distal neoCEN” strains. Neocentromeres in the distal neoCEN strains formed at loci about 200–450 kb from cen5Δ::URA3 on either chromosome arm, as detected by massively parallel sequencing of DNA isolated by CENP-A^Cse4p chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). In the proximal neoCEN strains, the neocentromeres formed directly adjacent to cen5Δ::URA3 and moved onto the URA3 DNA, resulting in silencing of its expression. Functional neocentromeres form efficiently at several possible loci that share properties of low gene density and flanking repeated DNA sequences. Subsequently, neocentromeres can move locally, which can be detected by silencing of an adjacent URA3 gene, or can relocate to entirely different regions of the chromosome. The ability to select for neocentromere formation and movement in C. albicans permits mechanistic analysis of the assembly and maintenance of a regional centromere.     

Carbon:chlorophyll <Emphasis Type=Italic>a</Emphasis> ratio,assimilation numbers and turnover times of Lake Kinneret phytoplankton

Carbon to chlorophyll a (C:Chl) ratios, assimilation numbers (A.N.) and turnover times of natural populations of individual species and taxonomic groups were extracted from a long-term database of phytoplankton wet-weight biomass, chlorophyll a concentrations, and primary production in Lake Kinneret, Israel. From a database spanning more than a decade, we selected data for samples dominated by a single species or taxonomic group. The overall average of C:Chl was highest for cyanophytes and lowest for diatoms, while chlorophytes and dinoflagellates showed intermediate values. When converting chlorophyll a to algal cellular carbon this variability should be taken into account. The variability in C:Chl within each phylum and species (when data were available) was high and the variability at any particular sampling date tended to be greater than the temporal variability. The average chlorophyll a-normalized rate of photosynthetic activity of cyanophytes was higher and that of the dinoflagellates lower than that of other phyla. Turnover time of phytoplankton, calculated using primary productivity data at the depth of maximal photosynthetic rate, was longest in dinoflagellates and shortest in cyanophytes, with diatoms and chlorophytes showing intermediate values. The more extreme C:Chl and turnover times of dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria in comparison with chlorophytes and diatoms should be taken into consideration when employed in ecological modeling.     

Population genetics and reproductive strategies of two Notostraca (Crustacea) species from winter ponds in Israel

Fluorescent-amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) fingerprinting assay was used to compare the genetic diversity within and between tadpole shrimps (Notostraca) populations of Lepidurus apus (n=7) and Triops cancriformis (n=2) from rain pools in Israel. Each ephemeral water body has revealed a unique fingerprint pattern with an entailed genetic drift between nearby ponds. High similarity of genotypic diversity within each geographic area led to three clusters of water bodies, north, south and center of Israel. FAFLP assays on several newly hatched individuals of T. cancriformis revealed high identity amongst kin, as compared to L. apus where newly hatched from the same maternal source showed high diversity. Results indicate that T. cancriformis populations from Israel are probably parthenogenetic as indicated by clonal structures. The higher genetic variability in the L. apus populations and in laboratory-hatched specimens indicates the existence of sexual reproduction.     

Effects of Cr(VI) long-term and low-dose action on mammalian antioxidant enzymes (an in vitro study)

In order to investigate the low-dose long-term Cr(VI) action on antioxidant enzymes in cultured mammalian cells we estimated the activity of glutathione dependent antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) under various chromium concentrations in human epithelial-like L-41 cells. The long-term action of 20 microM causes the toxicity that results in losing of the cell viability by activating the apoptotic process, as identified by morphological analysis, the activation of caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation. The toxic chromium concentration totally destroys glutathione antioxidant system, and diminishes the activity of catalase and cytosolic Cu, ZnSOD. The non-toxic concentration (2 microM) causes the activation of the antioxidant defense systems, and they neutralize the oxidative impact.