Impact assessment of urban waste processing systems using a multibox model

A set of 14 household waste management system scenarios have been ranked according to the environmental impact of their respective refuse outputs. Each system has been characterized by the annual release of 8 chemical elements, namely: S, Cl, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb. The method relies on the determination of a load factor, which is defined as the ratio between the actual pollutant concentration and the accepted norm for this concentration. These figures are calculated via a three box model, where the three boxes are air, water and soil. The model considers the pollutant output from each scenario, the dilution or accumulation in each box as well as dry deposition from air to water and soil. The pollutant load factors are then aggregated in order to obtain a score. These scores allow a final scenario grade to be determined, which can then be used to rank the various scenarios. The final grades are strongly dependant on the presence of deposition terms as well as on the values chosen for the individual pollutant concentration norms, whereas they are reasonably independent of all other parameters.     

Impact of lignin structure and cell wall reticulation on maize cell wall degradability

In this study, eight maize recombinant inbred lines were selected to assess both the impact of lignin structure and the impact of cell wall reticulation by p-hydroxycinnamic acids on cell wall degradability independently of the main "lignin content" factor. These recombinant lines and their parents were analyzed for in vitro degradability, cell wall residue content, esterified and etherified p-hydroxycinnamic acid content, and lignin content and structure. Lignin structure and esterified p-coumaric acid content showed significantly high correlation with in vitro degradability (r=-0.82 and r=-0.72, respectively). A multiple regression analysis showed that more than 80% of cell wall degradability variations within these 10 lines (eight recombinant inbred lines and their two parents) were explained by a regression model including two main explanatory factors: lignin content and estimated proportion of syringyl lignin units esterified by p-coumaric acid. This study revealed new biochemical parameters of interest to improve cell wall degradability and promote lignocellulose valorization.     

Fingerprinting sediment sources in the outlet reservoir of a hilly cultivated catchment in Tunisia

Purpose

Approximately 74 % of agricultural soils in Tunisia are affected by water erosion, leading to the siltation of numerous human-made reservoirs and therefore a loss of water storage capacity. The objective of this study was to propose a methodology for estimating the relative contributions of gully/channel bank erosion and surface topsoil erosion to the sediment accumulated in small reservoirs.

Materials and methods

We tested an approach based on the sediment fingerprinting technique for sediments collected from a reservoir (which has been in operation since 1994) at the outlet of a catchment (Kamech, 2.63 km²). Sampling concentrated on the soil surface (in both cropland and grassland), gullies and channel banks. A total of 17 sediment cores were collected along a longitudinal transect of the Kamech reservoir to investigate the origin of the sediment throughout the reservoir. Radionuclides (particularly caesium-137, ¹³⁷Cs) and nutrients (total phosphorus, total nitrogen and total organic carbon (TOC)) were analysed as potential tracers.

Results and discussion

The applications of a mixing model with ¹³⁷Cs alone or ¹³⁷Cs and TOC provided very similar results: The dominant source of sediment was surface erosion, which was responsible for 80 % of the total erosion within the Kamech catchment. Additionally, we showed that the analysis of a single composite core provided information on the sediment origin that was consistent with the analysis of all sediment layers in the core. We demonstrated the importance of the core sampling location within the reservoir for obtaining reliable information regarding sediment sources and the dominant erosion processes.

Conclusions

The dominance of surface erosion processes indicates that conservation farming practices are required to mitigate erosion in the agricultural Kamech catchment. Based on the results from 17 sediment cores, guidelines regarding the number and location of sampling cores to be collected for sediment fingerprinting are proposed. We showed that the collection of two cores limited the sediment source apportionment uncertainty due to the core sampling scheme to <10 %.     

Transport across Caco-2 cell monolayer and sensitivity to hydrolysis of two anxiolytic peptides from αs1-casein, α-casozepine, and αs1-casein-f91-97: effect of bile salts

α-Casozepine and f91-97, peptides from α(s1)-casein, display anxiolytic activity in rats and may have to cross the intestinal epithelium to exert this central effect. We evaluated their resistance to hydrolysis by the peptidases of Caco-2 cells and their ability to cross the cell monolayer. To mimic physiological conditions, two preparations of bile salts were used in noncytotoxic concentrations: porcine bile extract and an equimolar mixture of taurocholate, cholate, and deoxycholate. The presence and composition of bile salts appeared to modulate the peptidase activities of the Caco-2 cells involved (i) in the hydrolysis of α-casozepine, leading to much higher formation of fragments f91-99, f91-98, and f91-97, and (ii) in the hydrolysis of f91-97, leading to lower degradation of this peptide. Transport of α-casozepine across Caco-2 monolayer increased significantly, in the presence of bile extract, and of fragment f91-97, in the presence of bile salts.     

Lymphatic metastasis in the absence of functional intratumor lymphatics

Lymphatic metastasis contributes to mortality from solid tumors. Whether metastasizing cancer cells reach lymph nodes via intratumor lymphatic vessels is unknown. Here, we examine functional lymphatics associated with mouse tumors expressing normal or elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), a molecule that stimulates lymphangiogenesis. Although VEGF-C overexpression increased lymphatic surface area in the tumor margin and lymphatic metastasis, these tumors contained no functional lymphatics, as assessed by four independent functional assays and immunohistochemical staining. These findings suggest that the functional lymphatics in the tumor margin alone are sufficient for lymphatic metastasis and should be targeted therapeutically.     

Foaming and Emulsifying Properties of Fractions of Gluten Peptides Obtained by Limited Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Ultrafiltration

Gluten hydrolysates were prepared by limited enzymatic hydrolysis with a protease having a chymotryptic activity in the presence or in the absence of cysteine during the dispersion phase of the process. The hydrolysates were fractionated by ultrafiltration, using two inorganic membranes with different molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), 50 kg/mol and 150 kg/mol. The retentates were enriched in hydrophobic peptides and the permeates were enriched in hydrophilic peptides. The foaming and emulsifying properties of hydrolysates, retentates and permeates were analysed at two pHs (4 and 6·5) and two salt concentrations (0·2 and 2% NaCl). Hydrolysates displayed a foaming capacity, but the foams were not stable. Permeates generated foams at pH 6·5 only, and these foams had a very short life-time. Permeates displayed no emulsifying properties. Retentates yielded foams with a good stability and were more efficient than whole hydrolysates to stabilise emulsions. They provided a strong resistance to coalescence. The functional properties of retentates were only sightly influenced by pH and ionic strength. Neither cysteine addition, which helps gluten dispersion and increases the yield of soluble hydrolysate, nor the MWCO of the ultrafiltration membranes influenced the functionality of the hydrolysate fractions.     

Synthesis,Structural and Pharmacological Characterizations of CIC,a Novel α-Conotoxin with an Extended N-Terminal Tail

Cone snails are venomous marine predators that rely on fast-acting venom to subdue their prey and defend against aggressors. The conotoxins produced in the venom gland are small disulfide-rich peptides with high affinity and selectivity for their pharmacological targets. A dominant group comprises α-conotoxins, targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Here, we report on the synthesis, structure determination and biological activity of a novel α-conotoxin, CIC, found in the predatory venom of the piscivorous species Conus catus and its truncated mutant Δ-CIC. CIC is a 4/7 α-conotoxin with an unusual extended N-terminal tail. High-resolution NMR spectroscopy shows a major influence of the N-terminal tail on the apparent rigidity of the three-dimensional structure of CIC compared to the more flexible Δ-CIC. Surprisingly, this effect on the structure does not alter the biological activity, since both peptides selectively inhibit α3β2 and α6/α3β2β3 nAChRs with almost identical sub- to low micromolar inhibition constants. Our results suggest that the N-terminal part of α-conotoxins can accommodate chemical modifications without affecting their pharmacology.     

Adaptation of the STICS intercrop model to simulate crop growth and N accumulation in pea–barley intercrops

Cereal–legume intercrops are gaining increasing interest in Europe. Modelling, by taking into account the complexity of species interactions, can be a very useful tool to study such systems and to test new strategies in various soil and climatic conditions. The present work describes the adaptation of an intercrop model for pea–barley intercrops through the extrapolation of the STICS sole crop model and its parameterisation from experimental data recorded on sole crops. Several improvements have been added to the existing crop model to allow an inversion of dominance in height between species during the crop cycle and a trophic link between crop growth rate and the potential for N₂ fixation. A 2-year dataset on pea and barley sole crops grown under non-limiting water conditions and with full crop protection was first used for calibration. The intercrop model was subsequently tested on experimental datasets of pea–barley intercrops grown under the same conditions as the sole crops. The intercrop experiments used to test the intercrop model differed in soil type, soil N supply and plant densities of each species.