Evaluating Land-Use Impacts: Selection of Surface Area Metrics for Life-Cycle Assessment of Mining

Land use is an increasingly important component of sustainability evaluations, and numerous performance metrics have evolved to meet this need. The selection of appropriate land-use metrics for decision makers, however, remains an ongoing challenge. Additionally, life-cycle practitioners often struggle to provide meaningful impact assessment because of challenges associated with traditional land-use impact metrics. This article is intended to assist decision makers and life-cycle practitioners who wish to more effectively measure and evaluate one aspect of land use: surface area occupation. Existing performance metrics are discussed, and the specific circumstances under which each is appropriate are identified. Building on leading-edge research and analysis in the field of life-cycle impact assessment, a modified methodology for evaluating surface area occupation is proposed. This approach is demonstrated for a series of mining practices including three individual gold mines, a bauxite mine, and a copper mine. The specific data requirements and resulting equivalency factors for each mine are discussed. Results indicate that equivalency factors for gold (average of 700 acre-yr/ton) are expected to be several orders of magnitude higher than for either bauxite (0.004 acre-yr/ ton) or copper (0.03 acre-yr/ton). These dramatic differences in results demonstrate that equivalency factors are appropriate and necessary for including land-use impact potential as part of a life-cycle assessment that includes several different minerals or material requirements.     

Short/branched-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency due to an IVS3+3A>G mutation that causes exon skipping

Short/branched-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SBCADD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of l-isoleucine catabolism. Little is known about the clinical presentation associated with this enzyme defect, as it has been reported in only a limited number of patients. Because the presence of C5-carnitine in blood may indicate SBCADD, the disorder may be detected by MS/MS-based routine newborn screening. It is, therefore, important to gain more knowledge about the clinical presentation and the mutational spectrum of SBCADD. In the present study, we have studied two unrelated families with SBCADD, both with seizures and psychomotor delay as the main clinical features. One family illustrates the fact that affected individuals may also remain asymptomatic. In addition, the normal level of newborn blood spot C5-acylcarnitine in one patient underscores the fact that newborn screening by MS/MS currently lacks sensitivity in detecting SBCADD. Until now, seven mutations in the SBCAD gene have been reported, but only three have been tested experimentally. Here, we identify and characterize an IVS3+3A>G mutation (c.303+3A>G) in the SBCAD gene, and provide evidence that this mutation is disease-causing in both families. Using a minigene approach, we show that the IVS3+3A>G mutation causes exon 3 skipping, despite the fact that it does not appear to disrupt the consensus sequence of the 5′ splice site. Based on these results and numerous literature examples, we suggest that this type of mutation (IVS+3A>G) induces missplicing only when in the context of non-consensus (weak) 5′ splice sites. Statistical analysis of the sequences shows that the wild-type versions of 5′ splice sites in which +3A>G mutations cause exon skipping and disease are weaker on average than a random set of 5′ splice sites. This finding is relevant to the interpretation of the functional consequences of this type of mutation in other disease genes.     

A novel assay for monoacylglycerol hydrolysis suitable for high-throughput screening

A simple assay for monoacylglycerol hydrolysis suitable for high-throughput screening is described. The assay uses [(3)H]2-oleoylglycerol as substrate, with the tritium label in the glycerol part of the molecule and the use of phenyl sepharose gel to separate the hydrolyzed product ([(3)H]glycerol) from substrate. Using cytosolic fractions derived from rat cerebella as a source of hydrolytic activity, the assay gives the appropriate pH profile and sensitivity to inhibition with compounds known to inhibit hydrolysis of this substrate. The assay could also be adapted to a 96-well plate format, using C6 cells as the source of hydrolytic activity. Thus the assay is simple and appropriate for high-throughput screening of inhibitors of monoacylglycerol hydrolysis.     

Estrogenic activity of triterpene glycosides in yeast two-hybrid assay

Estrogenic potency of six triterpene glycosides, Holothurin A, Holotoxin A₁, Frondoside A, Cucumarioside A₂-2 and Cauloside C, that are natural products and semi-synthesized Ginsenoside-Rh₂, were examined with yeast two-hybrid system, including expressed genes of human estrogen receptor, hER, the co-activator TIF2 and lacZ as a reporter gene. Only Ginsenoside-Rh₂ exhibited significant moderate estrogenic activity in the concentration range of 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻⁶ M. Its effect was approximately 30% of the activity of 17β-estradiol applied at half-effective concentration. This indicates Ginsenosides-Rh₂ is a weak phytoestrogen. The sea cucumber triterpene glycosides, Holothurin A, Holotoxin A₁, Cucumarioside A₂-2 and Frondoside A, and plant glycoside Cauloside C had no appreciable estrogenic activity. Data obtained by yeast two-hybrid assay reflect structure–activity relationship between tested compounds and 17β-estradiol. Only Ginsenoside-Rh₂ has some similarity in chemical structure with 17β-estradiol that might explain affinity of this glycoside to the hER receptor.     

2株耐低温微生物处理污水模拟试验初报

从下水管道的污泥中分离筛选到耐冷细菌H6和耐冷酵母菌J1,采用此2菌株进行模拟污水低温(8℃)处理试验。H6和J1菌株对模拟污水COD的去除率分别为66.6%和72.2%;H6、J1菌株对有机氮去除率分别为76.9%和64.5%;H6、J1菌株对总磷去除率分别为53.9%和14.0%。说明低温微生物在低温环境的污水处理具有广阔的应用前景。     

Reply to the first systematic response by the Global Footprint Network to criticism: A real debate finally?

We respond to a reaction of the Global Footprint Network/GFN on our 8-point criticism of the ecological footprint. We also refer to, and comment on, an associated debate in this journal between Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014a, Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014b, on the one hand, and Goldfinger et al. (2014), on the other. We conclude that criticism on the footprint is accumulating and coherent across the various studies and disciplines and among the different authors. This was the first time that Wackernagel/GFN systematically responded to our criticisms. Hence, our response contains several original elements and the resulting exchange can be seen to add value to the existing literature. It ultimately allows readers to better make up their mind about the different viewpoints on the ecological footprint.     

淮南采煤塌陷湖泊浮游植物功能群的季节演替及其驱动因子

在淮南矿区设置潘谢潘集站(PXPJ)、潘谢顾桥站(PXGQ)和潘谢谢桥站(PXXQ)等3个塌陷湖泊站点,分别代表3种典型矿区湖泊水文生态条件,于2013—2014年分4个季度采样并分析了3个湖泊浮游植物功能群组成、季节演替规律及其与环境和生物因子的关系。结果显示,3个湖泊的浮游植物种类可归入16个功能群,其主要优势功能群反映了小型富营养化湖泊水体的生境特征。PXPJ春季S1、X2和Y为主要优势功能群,分别以伪鱼腥藻(Pseudanabaena sp.)、具尾蓝隐藻(Chroomonas caudata Geitler)和卵形隐藻(Cryptomonas ovata Ehr.)为代表种属,随后3个季节C为第1优势功能群,以链形小环藻(Cyclotella catenata)为代表物种。PXGQ春夏秋3个季节中均以伪鱼腥藻为代表的S1功能群占绝对优势地位,冬季向C(以链形小环藻为代表)和D(以尖针杆藻为代表)为主的功能群演替。PXXQ春季X2和Y为主要优势功能群,分别以具尾蓝隐藻和卵形隐藻为代表,夏秋季以伪鱼腥藻为代表的S1功能群占据优势地位,冬季向C(链形小环藻为代表)和E(长锥形锥囊藻为代表)功能群为主的群落结构演替。水温和光照条件是驱动淮南采煤塌陷湖泊浮游植物功能群季节演替的关键环境因子,而营养盐和生物因素是导致3个湖泊功能群组成差异的重要原因。     

Phytomass change in natural phytocenosis as an indicator of technogenic pollution of soils with heavy metals

This study considered the possibility of using plant community phytomass for the assessment of soil pollution with heavy metals (HM) from industrial wastes. The three-year-long field experiment was run under the regional natural meadow vegetation; the polymetallic galvanic slime was used as an industrial waste contaminant. It is shown that soil contamination primarily causes decrease of phytomass in the growing phytocenosis. The vegetation experiments determined nonlinear dependence of cultivated and wild plant biomass on the level of soil contamination; it is described by the equations of logistic and Gaussian regression. In the absence of permanent contaminants, the soil is self-cleaned over time. It reproduces phytomass mainly due to the productivity increase of the most pollution-tolerant species in the remaining phytocenosis. This phenomenon is defined as environmental hysteresis. Soil pollution by industrial waste leads to the loss of plant biodiversity. The research shows that the study of the HM impact on ecosystems is expedient given the consideration of the “soil–phytocenosis–pollutant” complex in the “dose–response” aspect. The reaction of phytocenosis on HM showing decline in phytomass leads to serious limitations in the choice of accumulating plants, because the adsorbed HM are rejected through phytomass.     

羽叶金合欢的DNA提取和SSR引物筛选

利用SSR分子标记对羽叶金合欢( Acacia pennata )的野生种和栽培种进行了分析,利用改良的CTAB方法优化了其总DNA的提取方法,并优化了PCR扩增条件.从已有的金合欢属植物的82对SSR引物中筛选出多态性高,稳定性好的12对引物作为羽叶金合欢的SSR分析引物,为进一步对其进行遗传多样性研究提供了依据.