A Comparative Study on the Archives of Xanthine Oxidase and Aldehyde Oxidase in Different Fish Species from Two Rivers in the Western Niger-Delta

Glycaemia, a classical indicator of stress, xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase which are involved in phase I detoxication were investigated in two different fish species from two rivers with different pollution levels in the Western Niger-Delta. Four sampling zones covering the entire lengths of Warri and Ethiope Rivers respectively were used in this study. For each species of fish five were obtained from a sampling zone in a river. Blood glucose was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in M. electricus from Warri River (82.13 +/- 5.50 mg cm(-3)) compared to the same species from Ethiope River (36.47 +/- 1.49 mg cm(-3)). With the same parameter a similar profile was observed for C. gariepinus; Warri River (56.92 +/- 10.31 mg cm(-3)); Ethiope River (37.65 +/- 0.90 mg cm(-3)) which was also significant (P < 0.01). The activity of xanthine oxidase in M. electricus from Warri River (255.80 +/- 41 it mol cm(-3)) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) compared to the value obtained for the same species (108 +/- 22.36 micro mol cm(-3)) from Ethiope River. Also the activity of xanthine oxidase in C. gariepinus from Warri River (197 +/- 34.65 micro mol cm(-3)) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) when matched with the value obtained for the same species (78.40 +/- 26.84 micro mol cm(-3)) from Ethiope River. That blood glucose level was related to xanthine oxidase activity in the two fish species from Warri River was supported by the high positive correlation between these two parameters (M. electricus. r = 1: C. gariepinus, r = 0.71). The activity of aldehyde oxidase in C. gariepinus from Warri River (143.80 +/- 28.45 micro mol cm(-3)) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) compared to the value obtained for the same species (61.20 +/- 15.21 micro mol cm(-3)) from Ethiope River. A similar profile in aldehyde oxidase activity observed for M. electricus; Warri River (130 +/- 28.39 micro mol cm(-3)); Ethiope River (89 +/- 19.70 micro mol cm(-3)) but an inferior statistical variation (P < 0.05) was obtained. The results obtained in this study indicate that the level of xanthine oxidase in M. electricus is a more specific marker and to a lesser extent its activity in C. gariepinus in monitoring environmental stress due to pollution.     

Review of ozone and temperature lidar validations performed within the framework of the Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change

The use of assimilation tools for satellite validation requires true estimates of the accuracy of the reference data. Since its inception, the Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) has provided systematic lidar measurements of ozone and temperature at several places around the world that are well adapted for satellite validations. Regular exercises have been organised to ensure the data quality at each individual site. These exercises can be separated into three categories: large scale intercomparisons using multiple instruments, including a mobile lidar; using satellite observations as a geographic transfer standards to compare measurements at different sites; and comparative investigations of the analysis software. NDSC is a research network, so each system has its own history, design, and analysis, and has participated differently in validation campaigns. There are still some technological differences that may explain different accuracies. However, the comparison campaigns performed over the last decade have always proved to be very helpful in improving the measurements. To date, more efforts have been devoted to characterising ozone measurements than to temperature observations. The synthesis of the published works shows that the network can potentially be considered as homogeneous within +/-2% between 20-35 km for ozone and +/-1 K between 35-60 km for temperature. Outside this altitude range, larger biases are reported and more efforts are required. In the lower stratosphere, Raman channels seem to improve comparisons but such capabilities were not systematically compared. At the top of the profiles, more investigations on analysis methodologies are still probably needed. SAGE II and GOMOS appear to be excellent tools for future ozone lidar validations but need to be better coordinated and take more advantage of assimilation tools. Also, temperature validations face major difficulties caused by atmospheric tides and therefore require intercomparisons with the mobile systems, at all sites.     

The effectiveness of recycling policy options: Waste diversion or just diversions?

Recycling is becoming ever more important as waste generation rates increase globally. Policy-makers must decide which recycling practices to implement from the host of options at their disposal to best divert waste from landfill. This study strived to determine the most important characteristics in recycling programs that were associated with higher material recovery rates, including bag limits, user pay programs, the number of materials collected, curbside collection frequency, promotion and education (P&E) activities, Best Practice principles, and the type of recycling collection stream. Data collected from 223 recycling programs in Ontario during 2005–2010 were used to perform multiple regression analyses. The findings of this study suggest that attributes of convenience are more important to encourage recycling than those that penalize disposal, thus providing important implications for waste policy-makers, both in Ontario and in other jurisdictions.     

Integrating energy efficiency performance in production management – gap analysis between industrial needs and scientific literature

For governments and for manufacturing companies, global warming, rising energy prices, and customers’ increasing ecological awareness have pushed energy efficient manufacturing to the top of the agenda. Governments and companies are both striving to identify the most effective measures to increase energy efficiency in manufacturing processes. Based on results of a recent EU-funded roadmapping project, this paper highlights the needs of industrial companies for integrating energy efficiency performance in production management. First, it analyses concepts and tools for measurement, control and improvement of energy efficiency in production management proposed in literature. Second, the paper outlines that ICT tools and standardization are important enablers for energy efficient manufacturing. Third, industrial needs in these areas are presented based on expert interviews. The industrial needs thus identified are contrasted with concepts proposed in literature to point out the implementation gaps between practice and theory. The paper demonstrates that there exists a gap between the solutions available and the actual implementation in industrial companies. It concludes by deriving requirements for energy management in production that future collaborative research projects should address.     

The European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), under conditions of technogenic pollution in the Kostomuksha tailing pond

The population structure and biological parameters of the European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), have been analyzed in a technogenically polluted water body. The biochemical state of the whitefish and the fauna and morphology of helminths parasitizing them have been assessed. It is shown that the species composition of the fish, plankton, benthos, and parasite faunas of this water body are depleted and the morphological parameters of common fish parasites are altered. It is noted that, in addition to adaptive rearrangements in biochemical metabolism, the whitefish from the transformed water body are characterized by a reduction in the level of protein synthesis in muscles and the rate of aerobic energy metabolism in the liver and muscles.     

Urban Environmental Sustainability Metrics: A Provisional Set

Designing or transforming urban areas into 'sustainable cities' is becoming an increasingly common vision. It is, however, an unrealizable vision without agreement on how to determine whether a sustainable city vision has been fulfilled. In this paper we define a provisional set of urban environmental sustainability metrics, chosen to cover the spectrum of issues related to urban areas, and to be drawn from data that are customarily available. We devise a display technique to communicate efficiently the results of a metrics evaluation to a variety of stakeholders. The approach is illustrated by applying the metrics set to Vancouver, Canada, an urban area that has expended considerable effort toward achieving its own environmental vision.