Calibration Models And Near Infrared Spectroscopy For Predicting Chemical Properties And Basic Density In Eucalyptus Wood

A espectroscopia no infravermelho pr\uf3ximo (NIRS) surge no campo das ci\ueancias florestais como m\ue9todo n\ue3o destrutivo, r\ue1pido e preciso capaz de predizer propriedades tecnol\uf3gicas da madeira. O objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar a t\ue9cnica NIRS para desenvolvimento de modelos de calibra\ue7\ue3o para estimar as propriedades qu\uedmicas e a densidade b\ue1sica da madeira de Eucalyptus. Foram utilizados clones de Eucalyptus de tr\ueas anos de idade, provenientes de plantios comerciais nas localidades de Cocais, Guanh\ue3es, Rio Doce-Ipaba e Santa B\ue1rbara, estado de Minas Gerais. As propriedades qu\uedmicas da madeira e a densidade b\ue1sica das \ue1rvores foram determinadas por metodologia tradicional e correlacionadas com as leituras espectrais por meio da regress\ue3o dos m\uednimos quadrados parciais. As calibra\ue7\uf5es para estimar a densidade b\ue1sica da madeira apresentaram coeficientes de correla\ue7\ue3o em valida\ue7\ue3o cruzada (Rcv) variando de 0,56 a 0,97 e rela\ue7\ue3o de desempenho do desvio (RPD) entre 1,1 e 4,7. Os modelos desenvolvidos para estimar o teor de xilanas e glicanas apresentaram Rcv variando de 0,39 a 0,88 e RPD de 1,1 a 2,1. Para o teor de celulose, lignina e extrativos os modelos de calibra\ue7\ue3o apresentaram Rcv entre 0,10 e 0,87 e valores de RPD entre 0,9 e 2,0. A calibra\ue7\ue3o para predi\ue7\ue3o da rela\ue7\ue3o S/G que apresentou o melhor ajuste (Rcv = 0,90 e RPD = 2,3) foi a que representa as \ue1rvores amostradas em Rio Doce. Os modelos de calibra\ue7\ue3o desenvolvidos por meio da espectroscopia no infravermelho pr\uf3ximo mostraram-se eficientes para a densidade b\ue1sica e propriedades qu\uedmicas da madeira de clones de Eucalyptus.Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast, accurate and non-destructive method, capable of predicting wood technology properties. The aim of this study was to apply the NIRS technique for fast prediction of chemical properties and basic density of Eucalyptus wood. Clones of three-year\u2013old Eucalyptus, from commercial plantations in Cocais, Guanh\ue3es, Rio Doce and Santa Barbara localities in the state of Minas Gerais were used. The chemical properties and basic density of the trees were determined using traditional laboratory methods and correlated with the spectral information by Partial Least Squares Regression. The calibrations to estimate basic density showed coefficients of correlation in cross-validation (Rcv) ranging between 0.56 and 0.97 and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) between 1.1 and 4.7. The carbohydrate, xylan and glucan contents were predicted through models with Rcv ranging from 0.39 to 0.88 and RPD from 1.1 to 2.1. For cellulose, lignin and extractive contents, the models presented Rcv between 0.10 and 0.87 and RPD values between 0.9 and 2.0. The calibration to predict S/G monomer ratio that showed the best adjustment (Rcv=0.90 and RPD=2.3) was in the trees from Rio Doce site. The near infrared spectroscopy proved to be satisfactory to provide the basic density and chemical properties of clones of Eucalyptus wood

Gasification of lignocellulosic materials for generation of electric energy.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi construir um gaseificador contracorrente em alvenaria para avaliar o potencial de gera\ue7\ue3o de energia el\ue9trica de esp\ue9cies de eucalipto cultivadas no estado de Minas Gerais, de res\uedduos da agroind\ufastria e da mistura desses materiais. Determinaram-se a composi\ue7\ue3o qu\uedmica imediata e o poder calor\uedfico dos materiais utilizados. Experimentaram-se os diferentes materiais lignocelul\uf3sicos e a gasolina, como testemunha. Para os fatores testados, foram executadas medi\ue7\uf5es dos rendimentos el\ue9tricos e de consumos dos materiais. O delineamento estat\uedstico foi o inteiramente casualizado, com 17 tratamentos e tr\ueas repeti\ue7\uf5es e as an\ue1lises estat\uedsticas feitas a 5% de signific\ue2ncia. Com base nos resultados obtidos e nas an\ue1lises estat\uedsticas realizadas, concluiu\u2013se que o conjunto gaseificador-gerador \ue9 de f\ue1cil constru\ue7\ue3o, fabricado com materiais de f\ue1cil aquisi\ue7\ue3o e de custo reduzido; dentre os materiais avaliados o carv\ue3o da esp\ue9cie Corimbia citriodora, com 78% de carbono fixo, apresentou o melhor desempenho de pot\ueancia gerada, obtendo-se 1.391 watts, com tens\ue3o constante de 230 volts. Os res\uedduos utilizados de baga\ue7o de cana, palha de arroz, casca de caf\ue9, sabugo de milho e moinha de carv\ue3o n\ue3o apresentaram potencial para gera\ue7\ue3o de energia pelo tipo de gaseificador utilizado.The objective of this work was to build a countercurrent gasifier in hardened mortar to evaluate the potential of generating electrical energy of eucalyptus species grown in the state of Minas Gerais, from agroindustry residues and from the mixture of those materials. The immediate chemical composition and the heat power of the materials utilized were determined. The different lignocellulosic materials were experienced, and gas was used as the control. For the factors being tested, measurements of the electric yields and consumptions of the materials were performed. The statistical design was the completely randomized with seventeen treatments and three replicates done at 5% of significance. On the basis of the results obtained and on the statistical analyses performed, it follows that the gasifier-generator set is easy to build, made with easily purchased and low cost materials. Among the materials evaluated the coal of the species, Corimbia citriodora, with 78% of fixed carbon, presented the best performance of generated power, obtaining 1,391 watts, with a constant tension of 230 volts. The residues utilized of cane bagasse, rice straw, corn cob, coffee husk and coal chaff presented no potential to generate energy by the sort of gasifier utilized. Keywords: gasification; electric power; plant coal; residues

MAGABEIRA LATEX PRODUCTION EVALUATION IN CERRADO REGION OF GOI\uc1S

O l\ue1tex de mangabeira, planta nativa do cerrado, apresenta potencial biotecnol\uf3gico para desenvolvimento de novos f\ue1rmacos. Pouco se sabe sobre os m\ue9todos de coleta e produtividade de l\ue1tex em mangabeira, a qual vem sendo explorada comercialmente para produ\ue7\ue3o de frutos de modo principalmente extrativista. Buscando informa\ue7\uf5es sobre a utiliza\ue7\ue3o do l\ue1tex de mangabeira foi avaliada, nesse trabalho, a produtividade do l\ue1tex associada aos m\ue9todos de sangria; \ue0s condi\ue7\uf5es ambientais; \ue0s caracter\uedsticas sazonais e anat\uf4micas dessa esp\ue9cie. Como resultado observou-se que o m\ue9todo de coleta utilizado comumente em seringueira n\ue3o \ue9 apropriado para mangabeira, sendo a sangria feita com fac\ue3o na regi\ue3o do caule o m\ue9todo mais produtivo. Em rela\ue7\ue3o \ue0 anatomia da casca, a espessura, a posi\ue7\ue3o e o n\ufamero de vasos lact\uedferos influenciam na produ\ue7\ue3o. Resultados tamb\ue9m mostraram que a casca de mangabeira \ue9 espessa e que o n\ufamero de vasos lact\uedferos \ue9 superior na regi\ue3o interna, evidenciando que sangrias utilizando cortes superficiais n\ue3o s\ue3o eficientes, pois n\ue3o atingem os vasos lact\uedferos. Tamb\ue9m, foi observado que o aumento da temperatura ambiental tem influ\ueancia positiva na produtividade do l\ue1tex e que na \ue9poca da frutifica\ue7\ue3o a produ\ue7\ue3o de l\ue1tex \ue9 significativamente inferior. Isso provavelmente ocorre porque a planta utiliza uma parcela dos seus metab\uf3litos secund\ue1rios para forma\ue7\ue3o do fruto, gerando uma menor disponibilidade desses metab\uf3litos para a produ\ue7\ue3o de l\ue1tex.The mangabeira latex, plant native from Cerrado, shows biotechnological potential for the development of new drugs. Little is known about the latex productivity and bleeding methods in mangabeira, which is usually utilized in extractive way for fruit production. Aiming to broaden the knowledge about mangabeira latex production it was evaluated the productivity associated with bleeding methods; environmental conditions; anatomical aspects from the bark and seasonal properties. As results it was observed that the bleeding method commonly used in rubber tree is not appropriated to mangabeira; the most productive bleeding method was using a knife in stalk region. The bark thickness and lactiferous vessels number are associated with latex production. Anatomical analysis showed that the bark in mangabeira is thick and the lactiferous vessels are deeply localized, in this way some superficial bleeding methods are not able to reach the vessels. It was also observed that the increase in environmental temperature has a positive influence on the productivity of latex and that during the fruiting time the latex production is significantly lower. This probably occurs because the plant uses part of the secondary metabolites for fruit formation, which reduced the availability of these metabolites to latex production

Estimativa da idade de segrega\ue7\ue3o do lenho juvenil e adulto por meio de par\ue2metros anat\uf4micos para madeira de Luehea divaricata Mart

Este estudo teve como objetivo delimitar a idade de matura\ue7\ue3o do lenho usando-se de caracter\uedsticas anat\uf4micas da madeira de Luehea divaricata Mart. (a\ue7oita-cavalo), por meio da segrega\ue7\ue3o dos lenhos juvenil e adulto. Para tanto, foram eleitas tr\ueas \ue1rvores adultas, de fuste reto e cil\uedndrico, com di\ue2metro superior a 30 cm, a 1,30 m de altura (DAP), coletadas na Encosta Superior do Nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. De cada \ue1rvore, a 0,10 m de altura da base do tronco, foi extra\ueddo um disco com aproximadamente 2 cm de espessura. Com aux\uedlio de uma serra de fita, retirou-se de cada disco uma bagueta central, de 2 cm de largura, bem orientada no sentido radial, incluindo a medula no centro desta, dividindo-se a medula em duas amostras. Dentre as amostras sorteou-se uma e separou-se apenas o lenho inicial de cada anel de crescimento para a macera\ue7\ue3o (m\ue9todo de Jeffrey). Com aux\uedlio de um microsc\uf3pio esterosc\uf3pio equipado com r\ue9gua microm\ue9trica mediram-se primeiramente as dimens\uf5es individuais relativas ao comprimento, di\ue2metro e di\ue2metro do lume de cem fibras no anel de crescimento pr\uf3ximo \ue0 casca, e posteriormente, definiram-se trinta fibras, selecionadas ao acaso por anel de crescimento, como estatisticamente suficiente. A espessura da parede celular das fibras foi obtida pela metade da diferen\ue7a entre os di\ue2metros da fibra e do lume. A segrega\ue7\ue3o dos dois tipos de lenho foi avaliada com base na varia\ue7\ue3o radial das caracter\uedsticas anat\uf4micas (comprimento, di\ue2metro, di\ue2metro do lume e espessura da parede das fibras), por meio de regress\ue3o linear simples. Os resultados indicaram que, dentre as caracter\uedsticas estudadas, o comprimento de fibra foi a que melhor definiu o ano de segrega\ue7\ue3o dos lenhos juvenil-adulto, estimado em 21 anos, aproximadamente. Por sua vez, os par\ue2metros anat\uf4micos di\ue2metro das fibras, di\ue2metro do lume e espessura da parede das fibras mostraram-se inadequados para a estimativa da idade de segrega\ue7\ue3o, devido aos baixos coeficientes de determina\ue7\ue3o dos modelos estat\uedsticos testados.This study aimed at determining the age of demarcation of juvenile and mature wood of Luehea divaricata Mart., using anatomical characteristics. Three adult trees, in good trunk, with diameter at DBH larger than 30 cm, from Encosta Superior do Nordeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, were selected. Discs with thickness of 2 cm at 0.1 m of height from the base of the trunk were used. From each disc a radial ribbon 2 cm wide including the pith was removed. The initial wood of each growth ring was separated for maceration (method of Jeffrey). There were measured length and diameter of thirty fibers from each growth ring. Demarcation of the two types of wood was defined by the radial variation (pith-bark) of the anatomical characteristics (length, diameter, width of the lumen and wall thickness of fibers), using simple linear regression. Results indicate that fiber length is the best characteristic, while fiber diameter, lumen width and wall thickness were considered inadequate for demarcation. The age of demarcation of juvenile and mature wood of Luehea divaricata was defined as 21 years-old, approximately

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field

Effect of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Results From the CREDENCE Trial and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate or elevated albuminuria increases risk for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. This study assessed the effects of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on stroke and atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) from CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation) and a meta-analysis of large cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) of SGLT2i in type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS: CREDENCE randomized 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease to canagliflozin or placebo. Post hoc, we estimated effects on fatal or nonfatal stroke, stroke subtypes, and intermediate markers of stroke risk including AF/AFL. Stroke and AF/AFL data from 3 other completed large CVOTs and CREDENCE were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.RESULTS: In CREDENCE, 142 participants experienced a stroke during follow-up (10.9/1000 patient-years with canagliflozin, 14.2/1000 patient-years with placebo; hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.55-1.08]). Effects by stroke subtypes were: ischemic (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.61-1.28]; n=111), hemorrhagic (HR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.19-1.32]; n=18), and undetermined (HR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.20-1.46]; n=17). There was no clear effect on AF/AFL (HR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.53-1.10]; n=115). The overall effects in the 4 CVOTs combined were: total stroke (HRpooled, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.82-1.12]), ischemic stroke (HRpooled, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.89-1.14]), hemorrhagic stroke (HRpooled, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.30-0.83]), undetermined stroke (HRpooled, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.49-1.51]), and AF/AFL (HRpooled, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.71-0.93]). There was evidence that SGLT2i effects on total stroke varied by baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (P=0.01), with protection in the lowest estimated glomerular filtration rate (<45 mL/min/1.73 m2]) subgroup (HRpooled, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.31-0.79]).CONCLUSIONS: Although we found no clear effect of SGLT2i on total stroke in CREDENCE or across trials combined, there was some evidence of benefit in preventing hemorrhagic stroke and AF/AFL, as well as total stroke for those with lowest estimated glomerular filtration rate. Future research should focus on confirming these data and exploring potential mechanisms. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02065791