Sustainability of forest bioenergy in Europe: land-use-related carbon dioxide emissions of forest harvest residues

Increasing bioenergy production from forest harvest residues decreases litter input to the soil and can thus reduce the carbon stock and sink of forests. This effect may negate greenhouse gas savings obtained by using bioenergy. We used a spatially explicit modelling framework to assess the reduction in the forest litter and soil carbon stocks across Europe, assuming that a sustainable potential of bioenergy from forest harvest residues is taken into use. The forest harvest residue removal reduced the carbon stocks of litter and soil on average by 3% over the period from 2016 to 2100. The reduction was small compared to the size of the carbon stocks but significant in comparison to the amount of energy produced from the residues. As a result of these land-use-related emissions, bioenergy production from forest harvest residues would need to be continued for 60–80 years to achieve a 60% carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission reduction in heat and power generation compared to the fossil fuels it replaces in most European countries. The emission reductions achieved and their timings varied among countries because of differences in the litter and soil carbon loss. Our results show that extending the current sustainability requirements for bioliquids and biofuels to solid bioenergy does not guarantee efficient reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the short-term. In the longer-term, bioenergy from forest harvest residues may pave the way to low-emission energy systems.     

Causal Characteristics for Ecoepidemiology

We suggest that there are six fundamental characteristics of causation: time order, co-occurrence, preceding causation, sufficiency, interaction, and alteration. The cause precedes the effect (time order). The cause co-occurs with the unaffected entity in space and time (co-occurrence). Causes and their effects are the result of a web of causation (preceding causation). The intensity, frequency, and duration of the cause are adequate and the susceptible entity can exhibit the type and magnitude of the effect (sufficiency). The cause effectively interacts with the entity in a way that induces the effect (interaction). And, the entity is changed by the interactions with the cause (alteration). In contrast to Hill's criteria, the causal characteristics are distinct from the: (1) evidence that is used to document causal characteristics, (2) sources of information used to develop the evidence, and (3) qualities used to evaluate evidence of causal characteristics and body of evidence for the causal relationship. Evidence of causal characteristics can form the basis for assessments of epidemiological studies and can structure an explanatory narrative that is causally relevant and substantive. Six core characteristics may be easier to organize, evaluate, communicate, and for decision-makers to assimilate, remember, and inspire action.     

Cardiovascular risk assessment of dyslipidemic children: analysis of biomarkers to identify monogenic dyslipidemia

The distinction between a monogenic dyslipidemia and a polygenic/environmental dyslipidemia is important for the cardiovascular risk assessment, counseling, and treatment of these patients. The present work aims to perform the cardiovascular risk assessment of dyslipidemic children to identify useful biomarkers for clinical criteria improvement in clinical settings. Main cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed in a cohort of 237 unrelated children with clinical diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). About 40% carried at least two cardiovascular risk factors and 37.6% had FH, presenting mutations in LDLR and APOB. FH children showed significant elevated atherogenic markers and lower concentration of antiatherogenic particles. Children without a molecular diagnosis of FH had higher levels of TGs, apoC2, apoC3, and higher frequency of BMI and overweight/obesity, suggesting that environmental factors can be the underlying cause of their hypercholesterolem≥ia. An apoB/apoA1 ratio ≥0.68 was identified as the best biomarker (area under the curve = 0.835) to differentiate FH from other dyslipidemias. The inclusion in clinical criteria of a higher cut-off point for LDL cholesterol or an apoB/apoA1 ratio ≥0.68 optimized the criteria sensitivity and specificity. The correct identification, at an early age, of all children at-risk is of great importance so that specific interventions can be implemented. apoB/apoA1 can improve the identification of FH patients.     

Influence of population decline, fishing, and spawner variability on the recovery of marine fishes

Based on an analysis of 90 marine fish populations, collapses (the greatest proportional reduction in spawner biomass over 15 years) are predicated typically by dramatic increases in fishing mortality and recoveries are more likely to occur when exploitation is reduced. However, among populations for which fishing mortality declined after collapse, recovery was independent of exploitation rate, even when fishing mortality (F) post-collapse was expressed as a function of each population's maximum growth rate (r). After a period of 15 years, many populations that experienced 15 year declines >60% exhibited little or no recovery, despite considerable reductions in fishing mortality. This suggests that factors other than fishing may be considerably more important to recovery, and fishing less important, than previously thought. Furthermore, among populations for which fishing mortality decreased post-collapse, rate of population decline was a reliable predictor of recovery. With the possible exception of clupeids, variation in marine fish breeding population size was found to differ little from that of other vertebrates, and such variability appears to have no effect on rate of recovery. In addition to providing an empirical framework for the study of population collapse and recovery, the analyses presented here provide a means of assessing the precautionary nature of various population-decline thresholds used to assign extinction risks to marine fish.     

Toxicological Considerations of Contaminants in the Terrestrial Environment for Ecological Risk Assessment

The terrestrial environment acts as a “sink” for contaminants that have been purposely or accidentally released into the environment. Science and policy that support protective measures for terrestrial ecosystems have run behind those of aquatic toxicology and water quality concerns. As a result ecological risk assessment (ERA) involving terrestrial environments tends to be conducted at a simplistic level, relying on numeric targets (soil quality criteria) as a basis for decision-making. However, soil criteria for ecological receptors are somewhat deficient in terms of the numbers available and the data that supports these numbers. Direct toxicity assessments (DTA) for terrestrial environments, such as those used for water quality evaluations, can provide additional useful information about the toxicity and bioavailability of mixtures of contaminants present in soils. This article outlines the approaches used for assessing the toxicity of soil contaminants in terrestrial environments and critiques their advantages and pitfalls.     

Experimental nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment stimulates multiple trophic levels of algal and detrital-based food webs: a global meta-analysis from streams and rivers

Anthropogenic increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations can strongly influence the structure and function of ecosystems. Even though lotic ecosystems receive cumulative inputs of nutrients applied to and deposited on land, no comprehensive assessment has quantified nutrient-enrichment effects within streams and rivers. We conducted a meta-analysis of published studies that experimentally increased concentrations of N and/or P in streams and rivers to examine how enrichment alters ecosystem structure (state: primary producer and consumer biomass and abundance) and function (rate: primary production, leaf breakdown rates, metabolism) at multiple trophic levels (primary producer, microbial heterotroph, primary and secondary consumers, and integrated ecosystem). Our synthesis included 184 studies, 885 experiments, and 3497 biotic responses to nutrient enrichment. We documented widespread increases in organismal biomass and abundance (mean response = +48%) and rates of ecosystem processes (+54%) to enrichment across multiple trophic levels, with no large differences in responses among trophic levels or between autotrophic or heterotrophic food-web pathways. Responses to nutrient enrichment varied with the nutrient added (N, P, or both) depending on rate versus state variable and experiment type, and were greater in flume and whole-stream experiments than in experiments using nutrient-diffusing substrata. Generally, nutrient-enrichment effects also increased with water temperature and light, and decreased under elevated ambient concentrations of inorganic N and/or P. Overall, increased concentrations of N and/or P altered multiple food-web pathways and trophic levels in lotic ecosystems. Our results indicate that preservation or restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem functions of streams and rivers requires management of nutrient inputs and consideration of multiple trophic pathways.     

Using ICD‐9 codes to establish prevalence of malformations in newborn infants

BACKGROUND The International Classification of Disease (ICD‐9) codes are used to identify, after discharge, diagnoses from a review of the medical record and provide the basis for reimbursement. These codes have been used to establish the prevalence of malformations and to assess potential teratogens. We have analyzed the accuracy of codes 740 to 759.9 to identify newborn infants with malformations. METHODS The diagnoses and ICD‐9 codes in the medical records of 1000 consecutive live‐born and stillborn infants were compared to the information provided in the medical records of those infants. RESULTS One hundred twenty‐seven of the 1000 infants had ICD‐9 codes between 740 and 759.9. 67 (52.8%) of the codes identified minor features, such as birth marks and minor anomalies. Twenty‐three (18.1%) of the codes designated a malformation and were correct. Two types of errors were identified in another 33 infants (26%) whose codes designated a malformation: either the pediatricians' notes described a less severe finding or the fact that there was no such abnormality. In addition, four malformed infants were missed in pregnancies that were either terminated electively or stillborn, as they did not have medical records. CONCLUSION The ICD‐9 codes 740 to 759.9 identified accurately some infants ( 18% ) with malformations, but identified incorrectly many others. The accuracy of the coding for identifying malformations would be improved if (1) the findings of the examining pediatricians were considered; (2) normal features of prematurity, such as patent foramen ovale and patent ductus arteriosus, were not considered malformations; (3) minor physical features were not assigned ICD‐9 codes within the 740 to 759.9 sequence. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.