Mutagenic activity of transition‐metal complexes: Relation structure‐mutagenic and antibacterial activity for some Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(I) complexes†

The inhibitory and mutagenic action of some Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(I) complexes towards various bacterial strains has been evaluated, and some correlations have been found between the chemical behaviour of the complexes and their selective biological activity: most of the complexes cause only a DNA damage repaired by the excision repair system. Particularly, the Rh(I) complexes used in this work show selective antibacterial effects on defective but no effect on wild‐type strains.     

A review of spatial and temporal assessment of PFOS and PFOA contamination in China

The current state of concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in China is presented. While products that are known to degrade to either PFOS or PFOA have been used in China, concentrations in environmental media have been reported to be relatively low across China. Greater concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were observed in southern and eastern China than in other areas of China. Concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were relatively great in the Huangpu River, with concentrations of 20.5 ng l^?1 and 1590 ng l^?1, respectively. Surface waters of Dongguan and Shanghai were more contaminated by PFOS and PFOA than that of other cities. Dongguan was the only city in China in which PFOS value in surface water exceeded the water quality criterion, while PFOA concentration in Shanghai was 152 ng l^?1. Similar to other contaminants, point-source pollution was also the common pattern of PFOS and PFOA contamination. Concentrations of PFOS in human blood in China were relatively greater in China than other countries, with drinking water contamination given as the most likely source. Concentrations of PFOS in human blood have increased from the 1980s to the 2000s, while such a trend was not observed for PFOA.     

Multicriteria analysis applied to the sustainable agriculture problem

SUMMARY

The aim of this paper is to present an operational approach to compare the relative sustainability of existing farming systems. Sustainability rests on the assumption that an equilibrium must exist among three domains: social, economic and ecological. If we are to look for a solution to the problem, we must face a multi-dimensional approach. We propose that multicriteria analysis, a multi-dimensional method, is an appropriate methodology to study the issue. As sustainability cannot be measured directly, the way out is to use indicators. We have performed a thorough analysis of four farming systems existing in Guaíra, SP, Brazil to validate the methodology. Thirty indicators of sustainability (ten ecological, ten social, and ten economic) were defined and used to perform the analysis. The results of the multicriteria analysis proved useful because of its capability of reducing the dimensionality of the problem. From the three dimensions of sustainability, a final score was derived that can easily compare the relative sustainability of each farming system.     

Sustainability aspects of vegetable production in the peri-urban environment of Bogotá, Colombia

Although the peri-urban region around Bogotá, Colombia contains a diversified horticulture sector, local vegetable production suffers from a critical lack of research and availability of un-biased, scientifically validated information on crop management. In this study, we identify current trends and deficiencies in fertilisation and pest management for local vegetable production. We relate pesticide type with target pests, evaluate temporal patterns in pesticide and fertiliser use for a key crop (i.e. spinach) and conduct basic nutrient budget accounting. Personal interviews with vegetable growers were combined with a detailed follow-up of management activities and soil nutrient profiles on pilot farms in two different peri-urban municipalities. Most (84%) vegetable growers relied on personal experience, and indicated a lack of unbiased information on fertiliser effectiveness and pesticide action spectra. The majority of farmers used pesticide mixtures on a calendar basis and commonly applied products below recommended doses. Soil nutrient accounts indicate insufficient fertilisation and a progressive depletion of key nutrients. Extraction rates for the principal vegetable crops exceeded by 33.6%, 20.5% and 93.0% soil nutrient availability of N, P and K, respectively. Organic products are included in local fertilisation schemes, with chicken manure as the principal source, at an average application rate of 6 t ha^?1. Our findings could help policymakers and local institutions set a research and extension agenda to promote sustainable peri-urban vegetable production and help secure peri-urban livelihoods while ensuring healthy and safe horticultural production.     

The sustainable development oxymoron: quantifying and modelling the incompatibility of sustainable development goals

ABSTRACT

In 2015, the UN adopted a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eradicate poverty, establish socioeconomic inclusion and protect the environment. Critical voices such as the International Council for Science (ICSU), however, have expressed concerns about the potential incompatibility of the SDGs, specifically the incompatibility of socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. In this paper, we test, quantify and model the alleged inconsistency of SDGs. Our analyses show which SDGs are consistent and which are conflicting. We measure the extent of inconsistency and conclude that the SDG agenda will fail as a whole if we continue with business as usual. We further explore the nature of the inconsistencies using dynamical systems models, which reveal that the focus on economic growth and consumption as a means for development underlies the inconsistency. Our models also show that there are factors which can contribute to development (health programmes, government investment) on the one hand and ecological sustainability (renewable energy) on the other, without triggering the conflict between incompatible SDGs.     

Fostering food and energy security through by-product valorization within agricultural and agro-industrial networks: study of the province of Santiago de Cuba

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to investigate of how the concept of ‘integrated food and energy systems’ or IFES production networks could be applied – within the specific context of Eastern Cuba’s agricultural and agro-industrial sectors – as an innovative approach to improve food and energy security. The Province of Santiago de Cuba in southeast Cuba was the focus of this study; its existing operations, infrastructure, resource flows and scarcities, and actor relationships provide the basis of the data used for the evaluation.

The authors investigated the regional context, identify potential members of an agricultural and agro-industrial network in three municipalities of the province, and identify the main residuals and by-products of key facilities. Potential avenues for by-product valorization are investigated along with the possible influence/impacts on the sustainability of the surrounding systems and actors. A conceptual model for a regional network for integrated food and energy production is then provided based upon the development of three agricultural/agro-industrial scenarios: influence at the farm level, regional agro-industrial networks, and ‘anchor tenant’ eco-industrial systems. The main challenges and opportunities for the development of the networks are described with recommendations for addressing such where possible.     

Sharing and preparing: cross-institutional,food security-based knowledge in Canada

This study proposes a framework for the collection and management of knowledge related to food security in Canada. This paper has several goals. First, the paper summarizes the current state of food security knowledge in Canada. Second, the paper presents data from an experiment where food security issues were discussed by stakeholders at two fora, the first of which was held in western Canada and the second held in eastern Canada. Finally, based on the notes taken during and feedback received after the fora, this paper suggests a framework for organizing and managing the multiple perspectives and complex types of knowledge about food security and sustainable development from a Canadian context. Two fora were held in Canada where food security issues were presented and discussed by multiple stakeholders. Most provinces in Canada were represented in at least one of the two sessions. Sessions were designed to be informative and interactive; agenda were designed to take advantage of the needs and experiences of multiple stakeholders in both western and eastern regions of Canada. To develop the framework, the sessions were also designed to assess the types of issues and knowledge about food security in Canada. Evidence presented from this experiment supports arguments that food security work must be approached in a collaborative manner, no matter the approach or discipline. Data from fora held in western and eastern regions of Canada indicate a number of specific ways in which those along the food continuum have the desire to share knowledge and enter into partnerships to work toward secure and sustainable food systems. Data also indicate how academia and institutions of higher learning might play a key role in sharing food security-based knowledge. The data from this study suggest that academia could play a leadership role in collecting and sharing information about food security-based knowledge from all disciplinary approaches that could help collaborative in addressing the complexity of food security challenges. The framework developed in this paper could provide the guide for organizing knowledge about food security and sustainable development. The framework could be used as a map to guide understanding about the different ways in which food security can be approached and understood; this could help reduce tensions among partners in projects where a wide variety of experiences are attempting to work collaboratively. The two food security fora brought together stakeholders with specialized knowledge about food security in a Canadian context. The analysis of data arising from the fora permitted unique insights to arise about the nature of knowledge by region. The data in this study also allowed us to build a framework for food security knowledge from these regional knowledge bases. This paper suggests that academia actively take a leadership role and openly share knowledge about food security. Open sharing of knowledge will help collaborates in dealing with complex food security issues understand in-depth other approaches; this sharing may help to make explicit the tensions that arise during collaborative work.     

《化工过程安全》双语教学课程的教材体系研究

在《化工过程安全》双语教学过程中,照搬使用国外教材不符合应用型本科院校学生的实际情况,达不到双语教学的预期效果。因此,根据笔者所在应用型本科院校安全工程专业学生的英语水平、专业知识基础及国外原版化工过程安全教材内容的广度与深度,对如何构建适合于应用型本科院校安全工程专业使用的《Chemical Process Safety》双语教材的知识体系进行了研究。形成的初步讲义在双语教学实践过程中取得了较好的效果,有望在继续修改后编印成一本适合于应用型本科院校安全工程专业学生使用的《Chemical Process Safety》英文讲义。     

Predicting barrier passage and habitat suitability for migratory fish species

Fish migrate to spawn, feed, seek refuge from predators, and escape harmful environmental conditions. The success of upstream migration is limited by the presence of barriers that can impede the passage of fish. We used a spatially explicit modeling strategy to examine the effects of barriers on passage for 21 native and non-native migratory fish species and the amount of suitable habitat blocked for each species. Spatially derived physical parameter estimates and literature based fish capabilities and tolerances were used to predict fish passage success and habitat suitability. Both the fish passage and the habitat suitability models accurately predicted fish presence above barriers for most common, non-stocked species. The fish passage model predicted that barriers greater than or equal to 6 m block all migratory species. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was expected to be blocked the least. The habitat suitability model predicted that low gradient streams with intact habitat quality were likely to support the highest number of fish species. The fish passage and habitat suitability models were intended to be used by environmental managers as strategy development tools to prioritize candidate dams for field assessment and make decisions regarding the management of migratory fish populations.     

Embedding the human factor in road tunnel risk analysis

The paper is focusing on road tunnel safety and builds upon the Directive 2004/54/EC launched by the European Commission; the latter sets basic requirements and suggests the implementation of risk assessment in several tunnel cases apart from technical measures imposed on the basis of tunnel structural and operational characteristics. Since the EU Directive does not indicate the method for performing risk assessment, a wide range of methods have been proposed, most of them based on quantitative risk assessment (QRA). Although the majority of current road tunnel QRAs assess physical aspects of the tunnel system and consider several hazards concerning the transportation of dangerous goods through a tunnel, they do not take into account, sufficiently, several organizational and human-related factors that can greatly affect the overall safety level of these critical infrastructures. To cope with this limitation this paper proposes a fuzzy logic system based on CREAM method for human reliability analysis (Hollnagel, 1998) in order to provide more sophisticated estimations of the tunnel operator's performance in safety critical situations. It is deduced that a human reliability analysis component to analyze operator performance, like the fuzzy system proposed here, is important for risk analysts. Consideration of organizational and human factors will enhance risk analysts’ studies and highlight the uncertainty related to human performance variability.