The increase in wood and wood-based products in the construction and furniture sectors has grown exponentially,generating severe environmental and socioeconomic impacts.Particleboard panels have been the main cost-ben...The increase in wood and wood-based products in the construction and furniture sectors has grown exponentially,generating severe environmental and socioeconomic impacts.Particleboard panels have been the main cost-benefit option on the market due to their lightness and lower cost compared to solid wood.However,the synthetic adhesives used in producing traditional particleboard panels cause serious harm to human health.Developing particleboard panels with fibrous waste and natural adhesives could be a sustainable alternative for these sectors.The work aimed to create particleboards with fibrous wastes from the pseudostem of the banana tree(Musa paradisiaca)and different proportions of the natural adhesive cassava starch-CS in replacement of synthetic adhesive urea-formaldehyde-UF.Five experimental groups were manufactured with banana trees and different percentages of UF and CS adhesives,namely(100UF–0%CS),(50%UF–50%CS),(30%UF–70%CS),(10%UF–90%CS)and(0%UF–100%CS).The particleboards had their physical-mechanical properties determined.The apparent density values did not show significant variation between the assessed treatments.Regarding the water absorption and thickness swelling,the best performances were observed for the panels made without the addition of CS(100%UF).For the mechanical properties of static bending strength and Janka hardness,it was identified that adding up to 50%CS did not interfere with the quality of the panels.These analyses show that the particleboard panels produced with wastes of the banana tree bonded with natural CS adhesivemay be an economically viable and environmentally correct alternative,positively strengthening the development of sustainable strategies.展开更多
This study analyzes Brazilian stromatolites in Lagoa Salgada,serving as analogs for pre-salt rocks in the Santos and Campos basins.Despite their excellent petrophysical properties,such as high porosity and permeabilit...This study analyzes Brazilian stromatolites in Lagoa Salgada,serving as analogs for pre-salt rocks in the Santos and Campos basins.Despite their excellent petrophysical properties,such as high porosity and permeability,these reservoirs present challenges in fluid flow modeling and simulation.The research investigates various factors influencing the development of carbonate reservoirs,including diagenetic processes employing several techniques,such as microcomputed tomography(micro-CT)and digital rock physics(DRP),to study petrophysical and geological characteristics.Additionally,through numerical simulations,the properties of fluid flow in different microfacies of stromatolites are estimated,with particular emphasis on understanding and highlighting changes in the direction of fluid flow in the three characterized microfacies.These findings offer crucial insights into optimizing oil and gas exploration and production techniques in carbonate reservoirs,providing a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of fluid transport in porous media,especially in terms of directional changes within stromatolites.展开更多
The combined application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers is an effective way to enhance soil organic carbon(SOC)sequestration through its influences on organic carbon(OC)input and the stability of SOC fract...The combined application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers is an effective way to enhance soil organic carbon(SOC)sequestration through its influences on organic carbon(OC)input and the stability of SOC fractions.However,there is limited information on the carbon sequestration efficiency(CSE)of chemically separated SOC fractions and its response to OC input under long-term fertilization regimes,especially at different sites.This study used three long-term fertilization experiments in Gongzhuling,Zhengzhou and Qiyang spanning 20 years to compare the stocks and CSE in four different OC fractions(very labile OC,labile OC,less labile OC,and non-labile OC)and their relationships with annual OC input.Three treatments of no fertilization(CK),chemical nitrogen,phosphorous,and potassium fertilizers(NPK),and chemical NPK combined with manure(NPKM)were employed.The results showed that compared with CK,NPKM resulted in enhanced SOC stocks and sequestration rates as well as CSE levels of all fractions irrespective of experimental site.Specifically for the very labile and non-labile OC fractions,NPKM significantly increased the SOC stocks by 43 and 83%,77 and 86%,and 73 and 82%in Gongzhuling,Qiyang,and Zhengzhou relative to CK,respectively.However,the greatest changes in SOC stock relative to the initial value were associated with non-labile OC fractions in Gongzhuling,Zhengzhou,and Qiyang,which reached 6.65,7.16,and 7.35 Mg ha^(-1) under NPKM.Similarly,the highest CSE was noted for non-labile OC fractions under NPKM followed sequentially by the very labile OC,labile OC,and less-labile OC fractions,however a CSE of 8.56%in the non-labile OC fraction for Gongzhuling was higher than the values of 6.10 and 4.61%in Zhengzhou and Qiyang,respectively.In addition,the CSE for the passive pool(very labile+labile OC fractions)was higher than the active pool(less-labile+non-labile OC fractions),with the highest value in Gongzhuling.The redundancy analysis revealed that the CSEs of fractions and pools were negatively influenced by annual OC input,mean annual precipitation and temperature,but positively influenced by the initial SOC and total nitrogen contents.This suggests that differential stability of sequestered OC is further governed by indigenous site characteristics and variable amounts of annual OC input.展开更多
Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety o...Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety of soils and at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2200 m,especially in Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean climates,and it is sensitive to low winter temperatures,early and late frosts,as well as high summer temperatures.Sessile oak forms both pure and mixed stands especially with broadleaves such as European beech,European hornbeam,small-leaved lime and Acer spp.These form the understorey of sessile oak stands,promoting the natural shedding of lower branches of the oak and protecting the trunk against epicormic branches.Sessile oak is a long-lived,light-demanding and wind-firm species,owing to its taproot and heart-shaped root system.Its timber,one of the most valuable in Europe,is important for fur-niture-making(both solid wood and veneer),construction,barrels,railway sleepers,and is also used as fuelwood.It is one of the few major tree species in Europe that is regener-ated by seed(naturally or artificially)and by stump shoots in high forest,coppice-with-standards and coppice forests.Sessile oak forests are treated in both regular and irregular systems involving silvicultural techniques such as uniform shelterwood,group shelterwood,irregular shelterwood,irregular high forest,coppice-with-standards and simple coppice.Young naturally regenerated stands are managed by weeding,release cutting and cleaning-respacing,keeping the stands quite dense for good natural pruning.Plantations are based on(1)2-4-year old bare-root or container-grown seedlings produced in nurseries using seeds from genetic resources,seed stands and seed orchards.The density of sessile oak plantations(mostly in rows,but also in clusters)is usually between 4000 and 6000 ind.ha^(−1).Sessile oak silviculture of mature stands includes crown thinning,focus-ing on final crop trees(usually a maximum of 100 ind.ha^(−1))and targeting the production of large-diameter and high quality trees at long rotation ages(mostly over 120 years,sometimes 250-300 years).In different parts of Europe,conversion of simple coppices and coppice-with-standards to high forests is continuing.Even though manage-ment of sessile oak forests is very intensive and expensive,requiring active human intervention,the importance of this species in future European forests will increase in the con-text of climate change due to its high resistance to distur-bance,superior drought tolerance and heat stress resistance.展开更多
Despite its enormous benefits,mining is respon-sible for intense changes to vegetation and soil properties.Thus,after extraction,it is necessary to rehabilitate the mined areas,creating better conditions for the estab...Despite its enormous benefits,mining is respon-sible for intense changes to vegetation and soil properties.Thus,after extraction,it is necessary to rehabilitate the mined areas,creating better conditions for the establishment of plant species which is challenging.This study evaluated mineral and organic fertilization on the growth,and carbon and nitrogen(N)metabolism of two Crotalaria species[Cro-talaria spectabilis(exotic species)and Crotalaria maypu-rensis(native species from Carajás Mineral Province(CMP)]established on a waste pile from an iron mine in CMP.A control(without fertilizer application)and six fertilization mixtures were tested(i=NPK;ii=NPK+micronutrients;iii=NPK+micronutrients+organic compost;iv=PK;v=PK+micronutrients;vi=PK+micronutrients+organic compost).Fertilization contributed to increased growth of both species,and treatments with NPK and micronutrients had the best results(up to 257%cf.controls),while organic fertilization did not show differences.Exotic Crotalaria had a greater number of nodules,higher nodule dry mass,chlorophyll a and b contents and showed free ammonium as the predominant N form,reflecting greater increments in biomass compared to native species.Although having lower growth,the use of this native species in the rehabilitation of mining areas should be considered,mainly because it has good development and meets current government legislation as an opportunity to restore local biodiversity.展开更多
This study examines the predictability of three major cryptocurrencies—bitcoin,ethereum,and litecoin—and the profitability of trading strategies devised upon machine learning techniques(e.g.,linear models,random for...This study examines the predictability of three major cryptocurrencies—bitcoin,ethereum,and litecoin—and the profitability of trading strategies devised upon machine learning techniques(e.g.,linear models,random forests,and support vector machines).The models are validated in a period characterized by unprecedented turmoil and tested in a period of bear markets,allowing the assessment of whether the predictions are good even when the market direction changes between the validation and test periods.The classification and regression methods use attributes from trading and network activity for the period from August 15,2015 to March 03,2019,with the test sample beginning on April 13,2018.For the test period,five out of 18 individual models have success rates of less than 50%.The trading strategies are built on model assembling.The ensemble assuming that five models produce identical signals(Ensemble 5)achieves the best performance for ethereum and litecoin,with annualized Sharpe ratios of 80.17%and 91.35%and annualized returns(after proportional round-trip trading costs of 0.5%)of 9.62%and 5.73%,respectively.These positive results support the claim that machine learning provides robust techniques for exploring the predictability of cryptocurrencies and for devising profitable trading strategies in these markets,even under adverse market conditions.展开更多
The mineralogy and trace element contents in coals from the West Bokaro coalfield, which is the one of the biggest Gondwana coalfields of India, were studied to delineate enrichment of trace elements and their modes o...The mineralogy and trace element contents in coals from the West Bokaro coalfield, which is the one of the biggest Gondwana coalfields of India, were studied to delineate enrichment of trace elements and their modes of occur- rence. Elemental concentrations with reference to their crustal abundances indicated that coals are relatively enriched in As （4.4-15.5 mg/kg）, Cd （0.3-3.0 mg/kg）, Cu （28.0-68.1 mg/kg） and V （46.6-178.0 mg/kg）; depleted in Co （10.8-28.4 mg/ kg）, Mn （7.6-483.4 mg/kg）, Ni （13.0-31.6 mg/kg）, Cr （14.2-85.5 mg/kg） and Zn （5.25-70.4 mg/kg）. The concentration of As, Cd, Co, Cu and V were higher than the average values of world and Indian coals. Mineralogical study carried out by X-ray diffraction shows that quartz and kaolinite occur as dominant mineral phases in this coal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy pattern suggests organic structures primarily containing aromatic nuclei, aliphatic side chain and some oxygen containing groups. The modes of occurrence of trace elements present in these coals have been determined through statistical approach. Both Cu and Cr are more closely associated with mineral matter, whereas Co is dominantly present with its organic form. The concentrations of Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, As and V have apparently occur in both organic and inorganic constituents. This study would be helpful to assess the potential environmental impacts during mining and combustion of this coal.展开更多
Increasing production and disposal of coal fly ash （CFA） is a matter of serious environment concern. However, CFA contains various beneficial metals and mineral matters whose demand is increasing in the industrializ...Increasing production and disposal of coal fly ash （CFA） is a matter of serious environment concern. However, CFA contains various beneficial metals and mineral matters whose demand is increasing in the industrialized world, while natural supplies are diminishing. Therefore, recovery of these potential resources from CFA can be an alternative way to save mineral resources, as well as to reduce the environmental burden of CFA disposal. There are numerous methods developed for the recovery of beneficial products from CFA. Based on the US patents and journal literatures, the present review describes the recovery status and technologies of major elements such as Al, Si, Fe and Ti, and trace elements such as V, Ga, Ge, Se, Li, Mo, U, Au, Ag, Pt groups and rare earth elements （REEs） and other beneficial products such as magnetic materials, cenospheres, and unburned carbon from CFA. It also highlights the recovery efficiency and drawbacks for their extraction, and suggests future research to develop satisfactory results in terms of selective recovery and purification.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the treatment of pediatric functional chronic intestinal constipation (FCIC) with a probiotic goat yogurt. METHODS: A crossover double-blind formula-controlled trial was carried out on 59 students (ag...AIM: To evaluate the treatment of pediatric functional chronic intestinal constipation (FCIC) with a probiotic goat yogurt. METHODS: A crossover double-blind formula-controlled trial was carried out on 59 students (age range: 5-15 years) of a public school in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, presenting a FCIC diagnostic, according to Roma Ⅲ criteria. The students were randomized in two groups to receive a goat yogurt supplemented with 109 colony forming unit/mL Bifidobacterium longum (B.longum) (probiotic) daily or only the yogurt for a period of 5 wk (formula). Afterwards, the groups were intercrossed for another 5 wk. Defecation frequency, stool consistency and abdominal and defecation pain were assessed.RESULTS: Both treatment groups demonstrated improvement in defecation frequency compared to baseline. However, the group treated with probiotic showed most signif icant improvement in the f irst phase of the study. An inversion was observed after crossing over, resulting in a reduction in stool frequency when this group was treated by formula. Probiotic and formula improved stool consistency in the f irst phase of treatment, but the improvement obtained with probiotic was significantly higher (P = 0.03). In the second phase of treatment, the group initially treated with probiotic showed worseningstool consistency when using formula. However, the difference was not signif icant. A signif icant improvement in abdominal pain and defecation pain was observed with both probiotic and formula in the first phase of treatment, but again the improvement was more signif icant for the group treated with B. longum during phase I (P < 0.05). When all data of the crossover study were analyzed, significant differences were observed between probiotic yogurt and yogurt only for defecation frequency (P = 0.012), defecation pain (P = 0.046) and abdominal pain (P = 0.015).展开更多
The primary challenge of mineland revegetation is the establishment of species able to cope with low availability of nutrients,especially in steep slopes such as of mine pits.We evaluated plant growth response and nut...The primary challenge of mineland revegetation is the establishment of species able to cope with low availability of nutrients,especially in steep slopes such as of mine pits.We evaluated plant growth response and nutrient use efficiency(NUE)of two promising native Fabaceae species(Dioclea apurensis—liana from metalliferous savannas;Bauhinia longipedicellata—tree from Amazon rainforest)from the Caraja´s Mineral Province,eastern Amazon-Brazil.Plants were grown separately in 2-kg pots filled with mining waste.Substrates were fertilized with nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium(NPK),lime,and micronutrients.The results showed increments on growth of both species when nutrients were applied to the mining waste.D.apurensis showed increases in leaf area,plant height,stem diameter,and shoot dry mass production when NPK or NPK?micronutrients were applied,while B.longipedicelata was responsive to application of NPK?lime or NPK?lime?micronutrients.Further,D.apurensis showed higher NUE than B.longipedicelata,especially at the lowest doses of N,P and K.These findings may indicate a substantial advantage of D.apurensis for mineland revegetation,as this species may require lower nutrient inputs,being,therefore,a more sustainable way to revegetate degraded areas.展开更多
Sugarcane bagasse was pyrolyzed using a laboratory fixed bed reactor to produce char and its by-product(pyrolysis liquid).The pyrolysis experiments were carried out using different temperatures(400℃ and 500℃),heatin...Sugarcane bagasse was pyrolyzed using a laboratory fixed bed reactor to produce char and its by-product(pyrolysis liquid).The pyrolysis experiments were carried out using different temperatures(400℃ and 500℃),heating rate(1℃/min and 10℃/min),and holding time(30 min and 60 min).Char was characterized according to its thermal properties,while the pyrolysis liquid was tested for its anti-fungal and anti-termite activities.Pyrolysis temperature and heating rate had a significant influence on the char properties and the yield of char and pyrolysis liquid,where a high-quality char and high yield of pyrolysis liquid can be obtained at a temperature of 500℃ and a heating rate of 10℃/min.The yield of char and pyrolysis liquid was 28.97%and 55.46%,respectively.The principal compounds of pyrolysis liquid were water,acetic acid,glycolaldehyde,1-hydroxy-2-propanone,methanol,formic acid,levoglucosan,furfural,followed by some phenol compounds and guaiacol derivatives.Pyrolysis liquid at a concentration of 0.20%and 0.25%(v/v)caused a 100%inhibition of Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor,respectively,when performing inhibition growth tests in Petri dishes.Filter paper treated with 10%of pyrolysis liquid caused 100%of termite mortality,while only 5.65%–7.03%of the treated filter papers consumed by termites at such concentration.Pyrolysis liquid is potentially effective to be used in the formulation of wood protection against fungi and termites.展开更多
The natural composition of forests has undergone significant changes over recent centuries.A closer-to-natural tree species composition has long been perceived as key to a high biodiversity.We investigated the impact ...The natural composition of forests has undergone significant changes over recent centuries.A closer-to-natural tree species composition has long been perceived as key to a high biodiversity.We investigated the impact on communities of click beetles(Elateridae)caused by changes in the tree species composition of spruce monocultures compared to reference sites of recently unmanaged natural beech forests.To collect data,passive interception traps were distributed within managed spruce stands of different age classes and natural beech forests of various developmental stages.The beetle species richness was slightly but not significantly higher in the beech forests.The saproxylic species group was significantly more common in the spruce stands,whereas the group of nonsaproxylic species was significantly more abundant in the beech stands.In the commercial stands,the significantly highest species richness was in the clearings(0–10-year-old stands),and at this forest age class,the vast majority of the beetle species occurred in the spruce stands.In the developmental stages of the natural forest,a slightly higher beetle richness was found at the disintegration stage.The study results suggested that different tree species compositions and stand structures affect the communities of click beetles and substantially change their species composition and thus their response to external influences.Therefore,management of stands using diverse silvicultural systems is recommended for creating diverse ecological niches in forests.展开更多
Altitude and environmental variables such as edaphic properties are considered determinants of species distribution and community composition in mountain ecosystems.Here,we aimed to outline the effects of distinct mou...Altitude and environmental variables such as edaphic properties are considered determinants of species distribution and community composition in mountain ecosystems.Here,we aimed to outline the effects of distinct mountain peaks,altitude and soil properties on community composition,species density,phylogenetic structure and diversity of angiosperm páramo communities from the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park,Minas Gerais,southeastern Brazil.For that,we identified all angiosperm species found in 300 plots(1 m×1 m)from three mountain peaks,measured soil depth and analyzed soil fertility and texture in each plot.To reduce the number of soil variables and species composition,we computed principal coordinates based on soil properties and principal coordinates based on species-plot matrix for each plot.Furthermore,we computed the standard effect sizes of the mean phylogenetic pairwise distance and the mean nearest phylogenetic taxon distance for each plot to investigate differences in the degree of relatedness among coexisting species.We compared differences in response variables between peaks and modelled them in function of altitude and principle components of soil properties using mixed effect models.Species density and phylogenetic diversity differed between peaks,but,contrary to the previous findings,no relationships between species richness or phylogenetic diversity and altitude or soil properties were found,indicating that further investigations are necessary to understand the altitude-biodiversity relationship in Brazilian páramo vegetation.Community composition differed between peaks and depended on altitude,soil properties and interactions between them,indicating that upward shifting of bioclimatic conditions due to climate changes may alter communities of this ecosystem.Phylogenetic structure differed between peaks and was influenced by altitude and soil properties.As phylogenetic clustering increased with altitude,eventual upward movements of species in Brazilian páramo vegetation due to climate change may alter community composition and the degree of relatedness among coexisting species,increasing the risk of species from higher altitudes to disappear.Therefore,conservation priorities arise for higher landscape portions,where these high altitude species may find refuges.展开更多
In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two...In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two hypotheses：（1） that natural fragment size in agricultural landscapes indirectly affects the herbivore through effects on natural predator populations;and（2） predator activity into the crop reduces along the distance from the natural fragment edge.From 2008 and 2009,we conducted our study in seven forest remnants and in surrounding coffee plantations（fragments ranged from 6 to 105 ha,mean 49.28 ± 36.60 ha） in Southern Minas Gerais,Brazil.Birds were sampled by point counts,and insect predation was evaluated by using an artificial insect model（Koh and Menge 2006）.Our results suggest that although there were many potential predators（e.g.,wasps,ants,birds,and mammals）,birds were the most important taxon unit.The covariance analysis supported the hypothesis that patch size affected the number of larvae predation by overall taxi,but there was no support for a distance effect.These findings suggest that natural enemies’ ecological service（mainly from birds） declined with remnant reduction,which has implications not only for human welfare,but also in strengthening the economic justifications for conserving the remaining natural habitats and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.展开更多
AIM To establish a permanent piwi like RNA-mediated genesilencing 1(PIWIL1) gene knockout in AGP01 gastric cancer cell line using CRISPR-Cas9 system and analyze phenotypic modifications as well as gene expression alte...AIM To establish a permanent piwi like RNA-mediated genesilencing 1(PIWIL1) gene knockout in AGP01 gastric cancer cell line using CRISPR-Cas9 system and analyze phenotypic modifications as well as gene expression alterations.METHODS CRISPR-Cas9 system used was purchased from Dharmacon GE Life Sciences(Lafayette, CO, United States) and permanent knockout was performed according to manufacturer's recommendations. Woundhealing assay was performed to investigate the effect of PIWIL1 knockout on migration capability of cells and Boyden chamber invasion assay was performed to investigate the effect on invasion capability. For the gene expression analysis, a one-color microarray-based gene expression analysis kit(Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, United States) was used according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer. RESULTS PIWIL1 gene knockout caused a significant decrease in AGP01 migration capacity as well as a significant decrease in cell invasiveness. Moreover, functional analysis based on grouping of all differentially expressed m RNAs identified a total of 35 genes(5 up-regulated and 30 down-regulated) encoding proteins involved in cellular invasion and migration. According to current literature, 9 of these 35 genes(DOCK2, ZNF503, PDE4 D, ABL1, ABL2, LPAR1, SMAD2, WASF3 and DACH1) are possibly related to the mechanisms used by PIWIL1 to promote carcinogenic effects related to migration and invasion, since their functions are consistent with the changes observed(being up-or down-regulated after knockout). CONCLUSION Taken together, these data reinforce the idea that PIWIL1 plays a crucial role in the signaling pathway of gastric cancer, regulating several genes involved in migration and invasion processes; therefore, its use as a therapeutic target may generate promising results in the treatment of gastric cancer.展开更多
In this work, we derive an exact vacuum solution for a cylindrically symmetric metric in an extended gravity theory developed by Novello, De Lorenci and Luciane (hereafter referred to as the NDL theory) which is inspi...In this work, we derive an exact vacuum solution for a cylindrically symmetric metric in an extended gravity theory developed by Novello, De Lorenci and Luciane (hereafter referred to as the NDL theory) which is inspired in the Born-Infeld theory. The main goal of this paper is to nd a cosmic string solution for the NDL theory. However, a careful analysis of the metric shows that it is asymptotically singular and therefore does not represent a cosmic string solution.展开更多
基金financed by“Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico”(CNPq)and“Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior”(CAPES)-Finance Code 001.
文摘The increase in wood and wood-based products in the construction and furniture sectors has grown exponentially,generating severe environmental and socioeconomic impacts.Particleboard panels have been the main cost-benefit option on the market due to their lightness and lower cost compared to solid wood.However,the synthetic adhesives used in producing traditional particleboard panels cause serious harm to human health.Developing particleboard panels with fibrous waste and natural adhesives could be a sustainable alternative for these sectors.The work aimed to create particleboards with fibrous wastes from the pseudostem of the banana tree(Musa paradisiaca)and different proportions of the natural adhesive cassava starch-CS in replacement of synthetic adhesive urea-formaldehyde-UF.Five experimental groups were manufactured with banana trees and different percentages of UF and CS adhesives,namely(100UF–0%CS),(50%UF–50%CS),(30%UF–70%CS),(10%UF–90%CS)and(0%UF–100%CS).The particleboards had their physical-mechanical properties determined.The apparent density values did not show significant variation between the assessed treatments.Regarding the water absorption and thickness swelling,the best performances were observed for the panels made without the addition of CS(100%UF).For the mechanical properties of static bending strength and Janka hardness,it was identified that adding up to 50%CS did not interfere with the quality of the panels.These analyses show that the particleboard panels produced with wastes of the banana tree bonded with natural CS adhesivemay be an economically viable and environmentally correct alternative,positively strengthening the development of sustainable strategies.
基金the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior of the Ministry of Education(CAPES/MEC/BRAZIL)-Finance Code 001,Equinor Energy of Brazil Company(Project No.4600025270)the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum,Gas,and Biofuels(ANP),and Petrobras(Project No.46000579151)+1 种基金INCT/Petroleum Geophysics for financial supportthe National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for their Research Grants of Productivity in Technological Development and Innovation-DT II (313522/2019-7 and 313746/ 2019-2)
文摘This study analyzes Brazilian stromatolites in Lagoa Salgada,serving as analogs for pre-salt rocks in the Santos and Campos basins.Despite their excellent petrophysical properties,such as high porosity and permeability,these reservoirs present challenges in fluid flow modeling and simulation.The research investigates various factors influencing the development of carbonate reservoirs,including diagenetic processes employing several techniques,such as microcomputed tomography(micro-CT)and digital rock physics(DRP),to study petrophysical and geological characteristics.Additionally,through numerical simulations,the properties of fluid flow in different microfacies of stromatolites are estimated,with particular emphasis on understanding and highlighting changes in the direction of fluid flow in the three characterized microfacies.These findings offer crucial insights into optimizing oil and gas exploration and production techniques in carbonate reservoirs,providing a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of fluid transport in porous media,especially in terms of directional changes within stromatolites.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42177341)is highly acknowledged。
文摘The combined application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers is an effective way to enhance soil organic carbon(SOC)sequestration through its influences on organic carbon(OC)input and the stability of SOC fractions.However,there is limited information on the carbon sequestration efficiency(CSE)of chemically separated SOC fractions and its response to OC input under long-term fertilization regimes,especially at different sites.This study used three long-term fertilization experiments in Gongzhuling,Zhengzhou and Qiyang spanning 20 years to compare the stocks and CSE in four different OC fractions(very labile OC,labile OC,less labile OC,and non-labile OC)and their relationships with annual OC input.Three treatments of no fertilization(CK),chemical nitrogen,phosphorous,and potassium fertilizers(NPK),and chemical NPK combined with manure(NPKM)were employed.The results showed that compared with CK,NPKM resulted in enhanced SOC stocks and sequestration rates as well as CSE levels of all fractions irrespective of experimental site.Specifically for the very labile and non-labile OC fractions,NPKM significantly increased the SOC stocks by 43 and 83%,77 and 86%,and 73 and 82%in Gongzhuling,Qiyang,and Zhengzhou relative to CK,respectively.However,the greatest changes in SOC stock relative to the initial value were associated with non-labile OC fractions in Gongzhuling,Zhengzhou,and Qiyang,which reached 6.65,7.16,and 7.35 Mg ha^(-1) under NPKM.Similarly,the highest CSE was noted for non-labile OC fractions under NPKM followed sequentially by the very labile OC,labile OC,and less-labile OC fractions,however a CSE of 8.56%in the non-labile OC fraction for Gongzhuling was higher than the values of 6.10 and 4.61%in Zhengzhou and Qiyang,respectively.In addition,the CSE for the passive pool(very labile+labile OC fractions)was higher than the active pool(less-labile+non-labile OC fractions),with the highest value in Gongzhuling.The redundancy analysis revealed that the CSEs of fractions and pools were negatively influenced by annual OC input,mean annual precipitation and temperature,but positively influenced by the initial SOC and total nitrogen contents.This suggests that differential stability of sequestered OC is further governed by indigenous site characteristics and variable amounts of annual OC input.
文摘Sessile oak(Quercus petraea(Matt.)Liebl.)is widely distributed across most of Europe particularly the hills and lower mountain ranges,so is considered“the oak of the mountains”.This species grows on a wide variety of soils and at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2200 m,especially in Atlantic and sub-Mediterranean climates,and it is sensitive to low winter temperatures,early and late frosts,as well as high summer temperatures.Sessile oak forms both pure and mixed stands especially with broadleaves such as European beech,European hornbeam,small-leaved lime and Acer spp.These form the understorey of sessile oak stands,promoting the natural shedding of lower branches of the oak and protecting the trunk against epicormic branches.Sessile oak is a long-lived,light-demanding and wind-firm species,owing to its taproot and heart-shaped root system.Its timber,one of the most valuable in Europe,is important for fur-niture-making(both solid wood and veneer),construction,barrels,railway sleepers,and is also used as fuelwood.It is one of the few major tree species in Europe that is regener-ated by seed(naturally or artificially)and by stump shoots in high forest,coppice-with-standards and coppice forests.Sessile oak forests are treated in both regular and irregular systems involving silvicultural techniques such as uniform shelterwood,group shelterwood,irregular shelterwood,irregular high forest,coppice-with-standards and simple coppice.Young naturally regenerated stands are managed by weeding,release cutting and cleaning-respacing,keeping the stands quite dense for good natural pruning.Plantations are based on(1)2-4-year old bare-root or container-grown seedlings produced in nurseries using seeds from genetic resources,seed stands and seed orchards.The density of sessile oak plantations(mostly in rows,but also in clusters)is usually between 4000 and 6000 ind.ha^(−1).Sessile oak silviculture of mature stands includes crown thinning,focus-ing on final crop trees(usually a maximum of 100 ind.ha^(−1))and targeting the production of large-diameter and high quality trees at long rotation ages(mostly over 120 years,sometimes 250-300 years).In different parts of Europe,conversion of simple coppices and coppice-with-standards to high forests is continuing.Even though manage-ment of sessile oak forests is very intensive and expensive,requiring active human intervention,the importance of this species in future European forests will increase in the con-text of climate change due to its high resistance to distur-bance,superior drought tolerance and heat stress resistance.
基金This research was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq)the Instituto Tecnológico Vale(ITV),Fundação de Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa(FUNDEP)Fundação de Amparo e Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa(FADESP).
文摘Despite its enormous benefits,mining is respon-sible for intense changes to vegetation and soil properties.Thus,after extraction,it is necessary to rehabilitate the mined areas,creating better conditions for the establishment of plant species which is challenging.This study evaluated mineral and organic fertilization on the growth,and carbon and nitrogen(N)metabolism of two Crotalaria species[Cro-talaria spectabilis(exotic species)and Crotalaria maypu-rensis(native species from Carajás Mineral Province(CMP)]established on a waste pile from an iron mine in CMP.A control(without fertilizer application)and six fertilization mixtures were tested(i=NPK;ii=NPK+micronutrients;iii=NPK+micronutrients+organic compost;iv=PK;v=PK+micronutrients;vi=PK+micronutrients+organic compost).Fertilization contributed to increased growth of both species,and treatments with NPK and micronutrients had the best results(up to 257%cf.controls),while organic fertilization did not show differences.Exotic Crotalaria had a greater number of nodules,higher nodule dry mass,chlorophyll a and b contents and showed free ammonium as the predominant N form,reflecting greater increments in biomass compared to native species.Although having lower growth,the use of this native species in the rehabilitation of mining areas should be considered,mainly because it has good development and meets current government legislation as an opportunity to restore local biodiversity.
基金This work has been funded by national funds through FCT-Fundaçao para a Ciência e a Tecnologia,I.P.,Project UIDB/05037/2020.
文摘This study examines the predictability of three major cryptocurrencies—bitcoin,ethereum,and litecoin—and the profitability of trading strategies devised upon machine learning techniques(e.g.,linear models,random forests,and support vector machines).The models are validated in a period characterized by unprecedented turmoil and tested in a period of bear markets,allowing the assessment of whether the predictions are good even when the market direction changes between the validation and test periods.The classification and regression methods use attributes from trading and network activity for the period from August 15,2015 to March 03,2019,with the test sample beginning on April 13,2018.For the test period,five out of 18 individual models have success rates of less than 50%.The trading strategies are built on model assembling.The ensemble assuming that five models produce identical signals(Ensemble 5)achieves the best performance for ethereum and litecoin,with annualized Sharpe ratios of 80.17%and 91.35%and annualized returns(after proportional round-trip trading costs of 0.5%)of 9.62%and 5.73%,respectively.These positive results support the claim that machine learning provides robust techniques for exploring the predictability of cryptocurrencies and for devising profitable trading strategies in these markets,even under adverse market conditions.
文摘The mineralogy and trace element contents in coals from the West Bokaro coalfield, which is the one of the biggest Gondwana coalfields of India, were studied to delineate enrichment of trace elements and their modes of occur- rence. Elemental concentrations with reference to their crustal abundances indicated that coals are relatively enriched in As （4.4-15.5 mg/kg）, Cd （0.3-3.0 mg/kg）, Cu （28.0-68.1 mg/kg） and V （46.6-178.0 mg/kg）; depleted in Co （10.8-28.4 mg/ kg）, Mn （7.6-483.4 mg/kg）, Ni （13.0-31.6 mg/kg）, Cr （14.2-85.5 mg/kg） and Zn （5.25-70.4 mg/kg）. The concentration of As, Cd, Co, Cu and V were higher than the average values of world and Indian coals. Mineralogical study carried out by X-ray diffraction shows that quartz and kaolinite occur as dominant mineral phases in this coal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy pattern suggests organic structures primarily containing aromatic nuclei, aliphatic side chain and some oxygen containing groups. The modes of occurrence of trace elements present in these coals have been determined through statistical approach. Both Cu and Cr are more closely associated with mineral matter, whereas Co is dominantly present with its organic form. The concentrations of Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, As and V have apparently occur in both organic and inorganic constituents. This study would be helpful to assess the potential environmental impacts during mining and combustion of this coal.
文摘Increasing production and disposal of coal fly ash （CFA） is a matter of serious environment concern. However, CFA contains various beneficial metals and mineral matters whose demand is increasing in the industrialized world, while natural supplies are diminishing. Therefore, recovery of these potential resources from CFA can be an alternative way to save mineral resources, as well as to reduce the environmental burden of CFA disposal. There are numerous methods developed for the recovery of beneficial products from CFA. Based on the US patents and journal literatures, the present review describes the recovery status and technologies of major elements such as Al, Si, Fe and Ti, and trace elements such as V, Ga, Ge, Se, Li, Mo, U, Au, Ag, Pt groups and rare earth elements （REEs） and other beneficial products such as magnetic materials, cenospheres, and unburned carbon from CFA. It also highlights the recovery efficiency and drawbacks for their extraction, and suggests future research to develop satisfactory results in terms of selective recovery and purification.
基金Supported by Grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvi-mento Cientifico e TecnológicoFundaco de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
文摘AIM: To evaluate the treatment of pediatric functional chronic intestinal constipation (FCIC) with a probiotic goat yogurt. METHODS: A crossover double-blind formula-controlled trial was carried out on 59 students (age range: 5-15 years) of a public school in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, presenting a FCIC diagnostic, according to Roma Ⅲ criteria. The students were randomized in two groups to receive a goat yogurt supplemented with 109 colony forming unit/mL Bifidobacterium longum (B.longum) (probiotic) daily or only the yogurt for a period of 5 wk (formula). Afterwards, the groups were intercrossed for another 5 wk. Defecation frequency, stool consistency and abdominal and defecation pain were assessed.RESULTS: Both treatment groups demonstrated improvement in defecation frequency compared to baseline. However, the group treated with probiotic showed most signif icant improvement in the f irst phase of the study. An inversion was observed after crossing over, resulting in a reduction in stool frequency when this group was treated by formula. Probiotic and formula improved stool consistency in the f irst phase of treatment, but the improvement obtained with probiotic was significantly higher (P = 0.03). In the second phase of treatment, the group initially treated with probiotic showed worseningstool consistency when using formula. However, the difference was not signif icant. A signif icant improvement in abdominal pain and defecation pain was observed with both probiotic and formula in the first phase of treatment, but again the improvement was more signif icant for the group treated with B. longum during phase I (P < 0.05). When all data of the crossover study were analyzed, significant differences were observed between probiotic yogurt and yogurt only for defecation frequency (P = 0.012), defecation pain (P = 0.046) and abdominal pain (P = 0.015).
文摘The primary challenge of mineland revegetation is the establishment of species able to cope with low availability of nutrients,especially in steep slopes such as of mine pits.We evaluated plant growth response and nutrient use efficiency(NUE)of two promising native Fabaceae species(Dioclea apurensis—liana from metalliferous savannas;Bauhinia longipedicellata—tree from Amazon rainforest)from the Caraja´s Mineral Province,eastern Amazon-Brazil.Plants were grown separately in 2-kg pots filled with mining waste.Substrates were fertilized with nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium(NPK),lime,and micronutrients.The results showed increments on growth of both species when nutrients were applied to the mining waste.D.apurensis showed increases in leaf area,plant height,stem diameter,and shoot dry mass production when NPK or NPK?micronutrients were applied,while B.longipedicelata was responsive to application of NPK?lime or NPK?lime?micronutrients.Further,D.apurensis showed higher NUE than B.longipedicelata,especially at the lowest doses of N,P and K.These findings may indicate a substantial advantage of D.apurensis for mineland revegetation,as this species may require lower nutrient inputs,being,therefore,a more sustainable way to revegetate degraded areas.
文摘Sugarcane bagasse was pyrolyzed using a laboratory fixed bed reactor to produce char and its by-product(pyrolysis liquid).The pyrolysis experiments were carried out using different temperatures(400℃ and 500℃),heating rate(1℃/min and 10℃/min),and holding time(30 min and 60 min).Char was characterized according to its thermal properties,while the pyrolysis liquid was tested for its anti-fungal and anti-termite activities.Pyrolysis temperature and heating rate had a significant influence on the char properties and the yield of char and pyrolysis liquid,where a high-quality char and high yield of pyrolysis liquid can be obtained at a temperature of 500℃ and a heating rate of 10℃/min.The yield of char and pyrolysis liquid was 28.97%and 55.46%,respectively.The principal compounds of pyrolysis liquid were water,acetic acid,glycolaldehyde,1-hydroxy-2-propanone,methanol,formic acid,levoglucosan,furfural,followed by some phenol compounds and guaiacol derivatives.Pyrolysis liquid at a concentration of 0.20%and 0.25%(v/v)caused a 100%inhibition of Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor,respectively,when performing inhibition growth tests in Petri dishes.Filter paper treated with 10%of pyrolysis liquid caused 100%of termite mortality,while only 5.65%–7.03%of the treated filter papers consumed by termites at such concentration.Pyrolysis liquid is potentially effective to be used in the formulation of wood protection against fungi and termites.
基金funded by the Internal Grant Agency of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Science,No.43120/1312/3106the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic,NAZV No.QK21020371.
文摘The natural composition of forests has undergone significant changes over recent centuries.A closer-to-natural tree species composition has long been perceived as key to a high biodiversity.We investigated the impact on communities of click beetles(Elateridae)caused by changes in the tree species composition of spruce monocultures compared to reference sites of recently unmanaged natural beech forests.To collect data,passive interception traps were distributed within managed spruce stands of different age classes and natural beech forests of various developmental stages.The beetle species richness was slightly but not significantly higher in the beech forests.The saproxylic species group was significantly more common in the spruce stands,whereas the group of nonsaproxylic species was significantly more abundant in the beech stands.In the commercial stands,the significantly highest species richness was in the clearings(0–10-year-old stands),and at this forest age class,the vast majority of the beetle species occurred in the spruce stands.In the developmental stages of the natural forest,a slightly higher beetle richness was found at the disintegration stage.The study results suggested that different tree species compositions and stand structures affect the communities of click beetles and substantially change their species composition and thus their response to external influences.Therefore,management of stands using diverse silvicultural systems is recommended for creating diverse ecological niches in forests.
基金Fapemig(APQ-01833-11)for founding the field worka CNPq post-doc fellowship(153535/2018-0)CNPq(206814/2014-3)Post-doctorate scholarship
文摘Altitude and environmental variables such as edaphic properties are considered determinants of species distribution and community composition in mountain ecosystems.Here,we aimed to outline the effects of distinct mountain peaks,altitude and soil properties on community composition,species density,phylogenetic structure and diversity of angiosperm páramo communities from the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park,Minas Gerais,southeastern Brazil.For that,we identified all angiosperm species found in 300 plots(1 m×1 m)from three mountain peaks,measured soil depth and analyzed soil fertility and texture in each plot.To reduce the number of soil variables and species composition,we computed principal coordinates based on soil properties and principal coordinates based on species-plot matrix for each plot.Furthermore,we computed the standard effect sizes of the mean phylogenetic pairwise distance and the mean nearest phylogenetic taxon distance for each plot to investigate differences in the degree of relatedness among coexisting species.We compared differences in response variables between peaks and modelled them in function of altitude and principle components of soil properties using mixed effect models.Species density and phylogenetic diversity differed between peaks,but,contrary to the previous findings,no relationships between species richness or phylogenetic diversity and altitude or soil properties were found,indicating that further investigations are necessary to understand the altitude-biodiversity relationship in Brazilian páramo vegetation.Community composition differed between peaks and depended on altitude,soil properties and interactions between them,indicating that upward shifting of bioclimatic conditions due to climate changes may alter communities of this ecosystem.Phylogenetic structure differed between peaks and was influenced by altitude and soil properties.As phylogenetic clustering increased with altitude,eventual upward movements of species in Brazilian páramo vegetation due to climate change may alter community composition and the degree of relatedness among coexisting species,increasing the risk of species from higher altitudes to disappear.Therefore,conservation priorities arise for higher landscape portions,where these high altitude species may find refuges.
基金supported from Fundacao de Amparo a`Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais FAPEMIG-VALE S/A(Process#RDP-00104-10)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq)(Process#472250/2010)
文摘In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two hypotheses：（1） that natural fragment size in agricultural landscapes indirectly affects the herbivore through effects on natural predator populations;and（2） predator activity into the crop reduces along the distance from the natural fragment edge.From 2008 and 2009,we conducted our study in seven forest remnants and in surrounding coffee plantations（fragments ranged from 6 to 105 ha,mean 49.28 ± 36.60 ha） in Southern Minas Gerais,Brazil.Birds were sampled by point counts,and insect predation was evaluated by using an artificial insect model（Koh and Menge 2006）.Our results suggest that although there were many potential predators（e.g.,wasps,ants,birds,and mammals）,birds were the most important taxon unit.The covariance analysis supported the hypothesis that patch size affected the number of larvae predation by overall taxi,but there was no support for a distance effect.These findings suggest that natural enemies’ ecological service（mainly from birds） declined with remnant reduction,which has implications not only for human welfare,but also in strengthening the economic justifications for conserving the remaining natural habitats and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
基金Supported by Fundacao Amazonia de Amparo a Estudos e Pesquisa(FAPESPA),No.174/2014
文摘AIM To establish a permanent piwi like RNA-mediated genesilencing 1(PIWIL1) gene knockout in AGP01 gastric cancer cell line using CRISPR-Cas9 system and analyze phenotypic modifications as well as gene expression alterations.METHODS CRISPR-Cas9 system used was purchased from Dharmacon GE Life Sciences(Lafayette, CO, United States) and permanent knockout was performed according to manufacturer's recommendations. Woundhealing assay was performed to investigate the effect of PIWIL1 knockout on migration capability of cells and Boyden chamber invasion assay was performed to investigate the effect on invasion capability. For the gene expression analysis, a one-color microarray-based gene expression analysis kit(Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, United States) was used according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer. RESULTS PIWIL1 gene knockout caused a significant decrease in AGP01 migration capacity as well as a significant decrease in cell invasiveness. Moreover, functional analysis based on grouping of all differentially expressed m RNAs identified a total of 35 genes(5 up-regulated and 30 down-regulated) encoding proteins involved in cellular invasion and migration. According to current literature, 9 of these 35 genes(DOCK2, ZNF503, PDE4 D, ABL1, ABL2, LPAR1, SMAD2, WASF3 and DACH1) are possibly related to the mechanisms used by PIWIL1 to promote carcinogenic effects related to migration and invasion, since their functions are consistent with the changes observed(being up-or down-regulated after knockout). CONCLUSION Taken together, these data reinforce the idea that PIWIL1 plays a crucial role in the signaling pathway of gastric cancer, regulating several genes involved in migration and invasion processes; therefore, its use as a therapeutic target may generate promising results in the treatment of gastric cancer.
文摘In this work, we derive an exact vacuum solution for a cylindrically symmetric metric in an extended gravity theory developed by Novello, De Lorenci and Luciane (hereafter referred to as the NDL theory) which is inspired in the Born-Infeld theory. The main goal of this paper is to nd a cosmic string solution for the NDL theory. However, a careful analysis of the metric shows that it is asymptotically singular and therefore does not represent a cosmic string solution.
