A New Sustainability Controlling Approach for Urban Water Systems： Multidimensional Risk Identification and System Analysis

There are many pressures on urban water systems in today＇s highly dynamic world. These include the diverse impacts that are summarized under the term ＂Global Change＂. At the same time, high demands on water utilities to act sustainably do exist. For this purpose, the collaborative project ＂Sustainability Controlling for Urban Water Systems＂ （NaCoSi） introduces an innovative approach with which sustainability risks can be identified and controlled. The sustainability controlling is based on common process-oriented management systems. The starting point is a system of sustainability objectives, which were developed together with practice partners from the German water sector. A method for multidimensional risk identification is introduced to identify sustainability risks. Complex networks of cause-effect relationships are disaggregated into unbranched linear causal chains, which are managed as records in a risk database. The subsequent analysis of the risk database allows the examination of cross-linked risks. Severe risk factors, vulnerable processes and sustainability objectives can thereby be identified and subsequently analyzed. The sustainability controlling was successfully tested and improved by an iterative process of case studies in cooperation with practice partners. The results of the case studies demonstrate the benefit of the project＇s interdisciplinary approach and the applicability of the sustainability controlling.

Primary Investigation of Diseases and Pests on Oil Camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel) in Guangxi Province of China and Suggestions for Prevention and Control

The occurrence condition of pests and diseases in major production areas of oil camellia（Camellia oleifera Abel）in Guangxi Province of China was preliminarily investigated from 2010 to 2012.The investigation results showed that there were seven species of major pests on oil camellia in Guangxi Province,including six species of leaf pests,one species of branch pest and one species of fruit pest;there were seven species of major diseases on oil camellia.It was the first report that Mytilaspis camelliae（Hoke）and Empoasca pivisuga Matumura could damage C.oleifera.The occurrence status of pests and diseases on oil camellia in Guangxi Province was summarized,and suggestions for prevention and control against pests and diseases were also put forward.

PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles as Tumor Ecrosis Factor-α Receptor Blocking Peptide Carriers:Preparation,Characterization and Release in vitro

To assess the merits of PEGylated poly （lactic-co-glycolic acid） （PEG-PLGA） nanoparticles as drug carriers for tumor necrosis factor-α receptor blocking peptide （TNFR-BP）, PEG-PLGA copolymer, which could be used to prepare the stealth nanoparticles, was synthesized with methoxypolyethyleneglycol, DL-lactide and glycolide. The structure of PEG-PLGA was confirmed with ^1H-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, and the molecular weight （MW） was determined by gel permeation chromatography. Fluorescent FITC-TNFR- BP was chosen as model protein and encapsulated within PEG-PLGA nanoparticles using the double emulsion method. Atomic force microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy were employed to characterize the stealth nanoparticles fabricated for morphology, size with polydispersity index and zeta potential. Encapsulation efficiency （EE） and the release of FITC-TNFR-BP in nanopartieles in vitro were measured by the fluorescence measurement. The stealth nanoparticles were found to have the mean diameter less than 270 nm and zeta potential less than -20 mV. In all nanoparticle formulations, more than 45% of EE were obtained. FITC-TNFR-BP release from the PEG-PLGA nanoparticles exhibited a biphasic pattern, initial burst release and consequently sustained release. The experimental results show that PEG-PLGA nanoparticles possess the potential to develop as drug carriers for controlled release applications of TNFR-BP.

Effect of Cedar Extract(Cedrela odorata L.)on the Termite(Reticulitermes spp.)

For knowing the effect that causes the extract from the leaves of the cedar (Cedrela odorata L.) in termites (Reticulitermes sp.) that affecting rooms, libraries, racks, fence posts and all articles wood source, considering the hypothesis that the extract from the leaves of the cedar is a substance that it makes termites die at a certain time, which makes it possible to use the extract as a biological insecticide that does not harm the environment and influencing the sustainable management of the rooms and many articles wood source. Termites were reared in a greenhouse in susceptible consumption and suitable for reproduction wood, of where the termites were collected and placed in petri dishes toguether with the remains of wood that contained. The application of the extract was done with a manual atomizer, sprinkling it on termites and wood waste, using 20 mL per petri dish and then counted the seconds until termites immovilized or dead in a 100%. Cedar extract acted as insecticide on termites but of all doses tested 5.0 g of leaves per 500 mL of water was the that caused the termites died in a few seconds after application under laboratory conditions.

WHEAT STRIPE RUST AND INTEGRATION OF SUSTAINABLE CONTROL STRATEGIES IN CHINA

Stripe (yellow) rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici occurs in almost allwheat-producing regions of the world. Severe countrywide epidemics in Chinahave caused substantial yield losses. Growing resistant cultivars is the beststrategy to control this disease but the pathogen can overcome resistance inwheat cultivars. The high variation in the virulence of the pathogen combinedwith the large areas of susceptible wheat cultivars enables the pathogenpopulation to increase rapidly and disperse over long distances under favorableenvironmental conditions, resulting in severe pandemics within croppingseasons. Current stripe rust control measures are based on many years ofresearch including the underlying epidemiology regarding year-to-year survivalof the pathogen, pathways of pathogen dispersal within seasons and years, therole of P. striiformis sexual hybridization, the use of resistance sources inbreeding programs, and year-round surveillance of national wheat crops that arepresent in different parts of the country throughout the year. All these strategiesdepend on accurate prediction of epidemics, more precise use of fungicides tomeet national requirements and better deployment of resistance genes. Newideas with potential application in sustainable protection of stripe rust includenegative regulatory gene editing, resistance gene overexpression and biologicalcontrol based on microbiomes.

Soliton formation with controllable frequency line spacing using dual pumps in a microresonator

Temporal cavity solitons（CSs） have excellent properties that can sustain their shape in a temporal profile and with a broadband, smooth-frequency spectrum. We propose a method for controllable frequency line spacing soliton formation in a microresonator using two continuous-wave（CW） pumps with multi-free-spectral-range（FSR） spacing. The method we propose has better control over the amount and location of the solitons traveling in the cavity compared to the tuning pump method. We also find that by introducing a second pump with frequency N FSR from the first pump, solitons with N FSR comb spacing can be generated.

Development of an educational cartoon to prevent worm infections in Chinese schoolchildren

Background:With more than two billion people infected worldwide,soil-transmitted helminths(STH)are the most widespread infections.To date,STH control efforts rely predominantly on recurrent mass drug administration(MDA),which does not prevent reinfection.Additional public health measures including novel health educational tools are required for more sustained integrated control of STH.We describe the development of an educational cartoon video(The Magic Glasses)targeting STH infections in Chinese schoolchildren and its pilot testing in China.We applied an extensive community-based mixed methods approach involving input from the target group of 9–10 year old schoolchildren and key informants,such as teachers,doctors and parents,in order to identify potential STH infection risks in the study area and to formulate key messages for the cartoon.The development of the educational cartoon included three major steps:formative research,production,and pilot testing and revision.Results:We found that most adults and approximately 50%of the schoolchildren were aware of roundworm(Ascaris)infection,but knowledge of transmission,prevention and treatment of STH was poor.Observations in the study area showed that unhygienic food practices,such as eating raw and unwashed fruit or playing in vegetable gardens previously fertilised with human faeces,posed major STH infection risks.Conclusions:It was crucial to assess the intellectual,emotional,social and cultural background of the target population prior to video production in order to integrate the key messages of the cartoon into everyday situations.Overall,our strategy for the development of the cartoon and its incorporation into a health education package proved successful,and we provide a summary of recommendations for the development of future educational videos based on our experiences in China.

Special Topic on Bio-based and Biodegradable Polymers

In the past decades,bio-based and biodegradable polymers have attracted wide and increasing interests because of the shortage of fossil resource,concerns on environmental pollution,demands for some medical fields as well as support of government policies.Depending on the sustainable source of organic carbon,biodegradability and biocompatibility,these polymers have shown promising applications in industry,agriculture,biomedicine and daily life.To impart excellent physical properties and functions to them,scientists and engineers have exploited versatile methods to tune