Olefin oligomerisation over nanocrystalline MFI-based micro/mesoporous zeotypes synthesised via bottom-up approaches

The oligomerisation of 1-butene was studied under high-pressure continuous-flow conditions (200–250 °C, 30–40 bar), in the presence of micro/mesoporous zeotypes based on the MFI topology, which were prepared via different non-destructive bottom-up strategies: crystallization of silanized protozeolitic units; co-templating with a dual function (polymeric) template; and using a sole structure directing agent (non-surfactant and non-polymeric) to generate mesoporosity. The synthesis method influenced the material properties and consequently the catalytic performance. In targeting hydrocarbons with boiling point ranges characteristics of diesel, the zeotypes benefited from regular morphology, reduced crystallite size, mesoporosity and enhanced molar ratio of Lewis (L) to Brønsted (B) acid sites (L/B). In general, the zeotypes outperformed commercial zeolite ZSM-5. The best-performing zeotype was prepared according to the Serrano strategy based on the crystallization of silanized zeolitic seeds, and led to 97% conversion and an average space-time yield of liquid products of 1077 mg gcat−1 h−1, at 250 °C, 40 bar. The zeotypes seemed more stable than the commercial zeolite, based on molecular level characterization studies of the used/regenerated catalysts, with some differences in catalytic activity.publishe

Bulk and composite catalysts combining BEA topology and mesoporosity for the valorisation of furfural

The sustainable conversion of biomass and biomass-derived platform chemicals demands efficient catalytic processes for which modified versions of zeolites can be strategically important. The catalytic potential of bulk and composite catalysts which simultaneously feature zeolite crystallinity, mesoporosity and Zr and Al sites were explored for the valorisation of furfural (Fur; industrially produced from hemicelluloses) via integrated reduction and acid reactions in alcohol media, to give useful bio-products (bioP), namely, furanic ethers, levulinate esters and angelica lactones. Different synthetic strategies were used starting from zeolite microcrystals or nanocrystals. A composite consisting of nanocrystals of Zr,Al-Beta embedded in a mesoporous matrix is reported for the first time. In a different synthesis approach, a bulk mesoporous zeotype material was prepared by post-synthesis alkaline/acid/impregnation treatments, and explored for the first time as a catalyst for a one-pot reduction/acid reaction system. Characterisation studies of the morphology, structure, texture and nature of the Al and Zr sites (27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine or deuterated acetonitrile) helped understand the influence of material properties on catalytic performance. These types of materials are active and stable catalysts for the integrated conversion of Fur to bioP

Exercise training prevents the deterioration in the arterial baroreflex control of sympathetic nerve activity in chronic heart failure patients

Arterial baroreflex control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (ABRMSNA) is impaired in chronic systolic heart failure (CHF). the purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that exercise training would improve the gain and reduce the time delay of ABRMSNA in CHF patients. Twenty-six CHF patients, New York Heart Association Functional Class II-III, EF <= 40%, peak (V) over dot O-2 <= 20 ml.kg(-1).min(-1) were divided into two groups: untrained (UT, n = 13, 57 +/- 3 years) and exercise trained (ET, n = 13, 49 +/- 3 years). Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was directly recorded by microneurography technique. Arterial pressure was measured on a beat-to-beat basis. Time series of MSNA and systolic arterial pressure were analyzed by autoregressive spectral analysis. the gain and time delay of ABRMSNA was obtained by bivariate autoregressive analysis. Exercise training was performed on a cycle ergometer at moderate intensity, three 60-min sessions per week for 16 wk. Baseline MSNA, gain and time delay of ABRMSNA, and low frequency of MSNA (LFMSNA) to high-frequency ratio (HFMSNA) (LFMSNA/HFMSNA) were similar between groups. ET significantly decreased MSNA. MSNA was unchanged in the UT patients. the gain and time delay of ABRMSNA were unchanged in the ET patients. in contrast, the gain of ABRMSNA was significantly reduced [3.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.2, arbitrary units (au)/mmHg, P = 0.04] and the time delay of ABRMSNA was significantly increased (4.6 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.9 +/- 1.0 s, P = 0.05) in the UT patients. LFMSNA-to-HFMSNA ratio tended to be lower in the ET patients (P < 0.08). Exercise training prevents the deterioration of ABRMSNA in CHF patients.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao ZerbiniCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Heart Inst InCor, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Phys Educ & Sport, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Cardiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Calif Los Angeles, David Geffen Sch Med, Dept Med Cardiol & Physiol, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Cardiol, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2010/50048-1FAPESP: 140643/2009-5FAPESP: 2013/07651-7CNPq: 142366/2009-9CNPq: 301867/2010-0CNPq: 308068/2011-4FAPESP: 2013/15651-7National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: RO1-HL084525Web of Scienc

Rede RestaurAÇÃO: pesquisa e desenvolvimento participativos em restauração ecológica e valorização da sociobiodiversidade no noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul.

No noroeste do Rio Grande Sul têm-se evidenciado diversas redes sociotécnicas articuladoras de projetos relacionados ao manejo sustentável da sociobiodiversidade e à regularização de passivos ambientais. Esta articulação tornou-se base para ações de pesquisa e desenvolvimento, criando-se em 2018 o Projeto Rede RestaurAÇÃO, que possui objetivos voltados à segurança ambiental, alimentar e nutricional e de geração de renda, calcados este no intercâmbio e construção de conhecimentos entre pesquisa, extensão, ensino, agricultores e indígenas. Até o momento foram construídos cinco viveiros comunitários; foram atendidas 45 famílias de agricultores, quatro escolas e uma instituição de ensino superior, com o plantio de 15.000 mudas, de 39 espécies, cuja escolha priorizou os objetivos das famílias e das comunidades; foram feitas capacitações em produção de mudas, construção de viveiros artesanais, restauração ecológica e em sistemas agroflorestais, e oficinas de processamento de frutas nativas.Edição dos Anais do XI Congresso Brasileiro de Agroecologia, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, 2019

Deficit irrigation in grapevine improves water-use efficiency while controlling vigour and production quality

Grapevine irrigation is becoming an important practice to guarantee wine quality or even plant survival in regions affected by seasonal drought. Nevertheless, irrigation has to be controlled to optimise source to sink balance and avoid excessive vigour. The results we present here in two grapevine varieties (Moscatel and Castela ˜o) during 3 years, indicate thatwe can decrease the amount ofwater applied by 50%(as in deficit irrigation, DI, and in partial root drying, PRD) in relation to full crop’s evapotranspiration (ETc) [full irrigated (FI) vines] with no negative effects on production and even get some gains of quality (in the case of PRD).We report that in non-irrigated and in several cases in PRD vines exhibit higher concentrations of berry skin anthocyanins and total phenols than those presented by DI and FI vines.We showed that these effects on quality weremediated by a reduction in vigour, leading to an increase on light interception in the cluster zone. Because plant water status during most of the dates along the season was not significantly different between PRD and DI, and when different, PRD even exhibited a higher leaf water potential than DI vines, we conclude that growth inhibition in PRD was not a result of a hydraulic control. The gain in crop water use in DI and PRD was accompanied by an increase of the δ13 C values in the berries in DI and PRD as compared to FI, suggesting that we can use this methodology to assess the integrated water-use efficiency over the growing season

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors