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Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratories (IELabs) enable the construction of national-to-local-scale multi-regional input–output (MRIO) models. These IELabs have been proven to be especially important for analyzing research questions that warrant sub-national spatial detail. The field of industrial ecology has clearly progressed from the time of national-only input–output tables. Here, we present a newly developed tool called NLab—“nested IELab”—that nests sub-national MRIO tables within global country-scale MRIOs. This capability allows for the investigation of interactions between sub-national production and consumption systems, with global systems interlinked via international trade. We provide a technical and mathematical roadmap for construction of nested input–output tables in the NLab, and demonstrate this capability through a real-world assessment of the Western Australian wine industry. Our results suggest that nested MRIO tables provide an added layer of detail at a regional level, when undertaking consumption-based footprint assessments, leading to improved assessment of quantification of regional impacts. The NLab presented in this work provides tools for analysis of complex trade linkages between industries at various scales, which has the further potential to open avenues for policy-makers to analyze the implications of local decisions at a global level, and vice versa

Rationale: Omega-3 fatty acid (n3PUFA) supplementation has been proposed as a promising antiasthma strategy. The rs59439148 ALOX5 polymorphism affects leukotriene production and possibly inflammatory responses to n3PUFA. Objectives: Assess the effects of n3PUFA supplementation and ALOX5 genotype on asthma control in patients with obesity and uncontrolled asthma. Methods: This multicenter trial among 12- to 25-year-olds with overweight/obesity and uncontrolled asthma randomized subjects in a 3:1 allotment to n3PUFA (4 g/d) or soy oil control for 24 weeks. Asthma Control Questionnaire was the primary outcome; secondary outcomes included blood leukocyte n3PUFA levels, urinary leukotriene-E4, spirometry, and asthma-related events. The number of SP1 tandem repeats in rs59439148 determined ALOX5 genotype status. Simple and multivariable generalized linear models assessed effects on outcomes. Results: Ninety-eight participants were randomized (77 to PUFA, 21 to control), and more than 86% completed all visits. Asthma and demographic characteristics were similar among treatment groups. n3PUFA treatment increased the n3-to-n6 PUFA ratio in circulating granulocytes (P = 0.029) and monocytes (P = 0.004) but did not affect mean Asthma Control Questionnaire change at 6 months (n3PUFA: mean, −0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09 to 0.10; vs. control: mean, −0.18; 95% CI, −0.42 to 0.06; P = 0.58). Changes in urinary leukotriene-E4 (P = 0.24), forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted (P = 0.88), and exacerbations (relative risk [RR], 0.92; 95% CI, 0.30–2.89) at 6 months were similar in both groups. n3PUFA treatment was associated with reduced asthma-related phone contacts (RR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.13–0.86; P = 0.02). ALOX5 genotype did not affect n3PUFA treatment responses. Conclusions: We did not find evidence that n3PUFA use improves most asthma-related outcomes and cannot recommend it as a prevention strategy for overweight/obese patients with asthma. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01027143).

As the critical link between individual building and city, precinct represents an important scale for urban planning, at which low-carbon strategies for urban built environment can be tested and measured. However, previous studies often failed to assess the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the urban precincts comprehensively and reliably due to methodological and data-related limitations. This study is conceived to bridge this gap by applying a case-specific hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) to a typical residential precinct including buildings, open spaces, network, on-site energy units and occupant-related mobility. Meanwhile, the corresponding conventional process-based LCA is conducted alongside to quantify the impact of applying different LCA approaches. For the whole precinct, the life cycle GHG emissions from hybrid LCA is 16% higher than its corresponding process-based LCA result, reaching 16.6 t CO2e/inhabitant/year. Embodied emissions, operational emissions and occupant-related transport emissions take up 28%, 32% and 40% of the life cycle GHG emissions, respectively, and the biggest difference between these two LCA approaches is seen in embodied emissions (22%), followed by transport emissions (17%) and operational emissions (11%). Assuming no technology innovation and substantial changes in economic structure, precinct design and lifestyle are involved, twelve GHG emissions mitigation measures are quantified. While process-based LCA suggests a mitigation potential of 35%, hybrid LCA results in a reduction of 31%. The most effective measures are related to reducing transport emissions and operational emissions, but for the embodied emissions, instead of reducing them, the combination of all measures brings about a slight increase both absolutely and relatively. From base case to mitigated case, the differences between two LCA approaches are enlarged and the biggest difference is always seen in embodied emission. This implies the process-based LCA would further underestimate the life cycle GHG emissions in mitigated case, therefore, the use of hybrid LCA is more favourable for the purpose of providing a comprehensive and reliable assessment.