Background and scope Mangroves provide several ecosystem goods and services to society. However, mangroves are frequently subjected to land conversion, overharvesting, and pollution including ...increased nitrogen (N) availability. Aiming to provide useful information to predict effects of N enrichment on mangroves, we evaluated literature data on N transformation rates in sediment, dissolved N (DN) fluxes across the sedimentwater interface, and natural abundance of N stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N) in the sediment-plant system in conserved mangroves and those subjected to anthropogenic N enrichment. Conclusions Mangroves and terrestrial tropical forests exhibit a great overlap in rates of biological N fixation (BNF) and denitrification and nitrous oxide flux rates. Mangroves can be highly efficient users of DN forms from tidal waters, related to rapid plant uptake and an efficient conservation of DN in sediment by microbial activity. The main factors limiting N transformation rates in mangrove sediment are inorganic DN availability and microbial immobilization. The δ¹⁵N data indicated that fringe forests exhibit higher N transformation rates in sediment and higher N losses to atmosphere, compared to other mangrove types. Except for BNF, all other N transformation and flux rates seem to be intensified by increasing N availability.
•The literature of cutting stock problem with usable leftovers is reviewed.•Paper organization: heuristic methods, cutting pattern and item oriented models.•We point out some further research related ...to the problem.
In this article, we review published studies that consider the solution of the one-dimensional cutting stock problem (1DCSP) with the possibility of using leftovers to meet future demands, if long enough. The one-dimensional cutting stock problem with usable leftovers (1DCSPUL) is a problem frequently encountered in practical settings but often, it is not dealt with in an explicit manner. For each work reviewed, we present the application, the mathematical model if one is proposed and comments on the computational results obtained. The approaches are organized into three classes: heuristics, item-oriented, or cutting pattern-oriented.
Mangroves exhibit low species richness compared to other tropical forests, but great structural and functional diversity. Aiming to contribute to a better understanding of the functioning of mangrove ...forests, we investigated nitrogen (N) dynamics in two physiographic types of mangroves (fringe and basin forests) in southeastern Brazil. Because fringe forests are under great influence of tidal flushing we hypothesized that these forests would exhibit higher N cycling rates in sediment and higher N losses to the atmosphere compared to basin forests. We quantified net N mineralization and nitrification rates in sediment and natural abundance of N stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N) in the sediment–plant–litter system. The fringe forest exhibited higher net N mineralization rates and δ¹⁵N in the sediment–plant–litter system, but net nitrification rates were similar to those of the basin forest. The results of the present study suggest that fringe forests exhibit higher N availability and N cycling in sediment compared to basin forests.
Nanotechnology has been proven to be increasingly compatible with pharmacological and biomedical applications. Therefore, we evaluated the biological interactions of single-wall carbon nanotubes ...functionalized with polyethylene glycol (SWNT-PEG). For this purpose, we analyzed biochemical, histological, behavioral and biodistribution parameters to understand how this material behaves in vitro and in vivo using the fish Danio rerio (zebrafish) as a biological model. The in vitro results for fish brain homogenates indicated that SWNT-PEG had an effect on lipid peroxidation and GSH (reduced glutathione) content. However, after intraperitoneal exposure, SWNT-PEG proved to be less biocompatible and formed aggregates, suggesting that the PEG used for the nanoparticle functionalization was of an inappropriate size for maintaining product stability in a biological environment. This problem with functionalization may have contributed to the low or practically absent biodistribution of SWNT-PEG in zebrafish tissues, as verified by Raman spectroscopy. There was an accumulation of material in the abdominal cavity that led to inflammation and behavioral disturbances, as evaluated by a histological analysis and an open field test, respectively. These results provide evidence of a lack of biocompatibility of SWNTs modified with short chain PEGs, which leads to the accumulation of the material, tissue damage and behavioral alterations in the tested subjects.
•In vitro brain exposure diminished lipid peroxidation.•In vitro brain exposure depletes the GSH content.•SWNT-PEG was not biocompatible and formed aggregates after the exposure.•Practically absent biodistribution of SWNT-PEG was observed by Raman spectroscopy.•SWNT-PEG exposure lead to tissue damage and inflammatory responses.
In the context of the 2018 resurgence of the global movement of Climate Action, architects around the world have taken responsibility for taking actions against climate change and for adhering to the ...United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in both practice and education ...
This systematic review intends to identify how sustainable manufacturing research is contributing to the development of the Industry 4.0 agenda and for a broader understanding about the links between ...the Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Manufacturing by mapping and summarising existing research efforts, identifying research agendas, as well as gaps and opportunities for research development. A conceptual framework formed by the principles and technological pillars of Industry 4.0, sustainable manufacturing scope, opportunities previously identified, and sustainability dimensions, guided analysis of 35 papers from 2008-2018, selected by a systematic approach. Bibliometrics data and social network analysis complement results identifying how research is being organised and its respective research agendas, relevant publications, and status of the research lifecycle. Results point to that the current research is aligned with the goals defined by different national industrial programs. There are, however, research gaps and opportunities for field development, becoming more mature and having a significant contribution to fully developing the agenda of Industry 4.0.
The molecular weight of asphaltenes has been a controversy for several decades. In recent years, several techniques have converged on the size of the fused ring system; indicating that chromophores ...in virgin crude oil asphaltenes typically have 4–10 fused rings. Consequently, the molecular weight debate is equivalent to determining whether asphaltenes are monomeric (one fused-ring system per molecule) or whether they are polymeric. Time-resolved fluorescence depolarization (FD) is employed here to interrogate the absolute size of asphaltene molecules and to determine the relation of the size of the fused ring system to that of the corresponding molecule. Coal, petroleum and bitumen asphaltenes are compared. Molecular size of coal asphaltenes obtained here by FD-determined rotational diffusion match closely with Taylor-dispersion-derived translational diffusion measurements with UV absorption
1. Coal asphaltenes are smaller than petroleum asphaltenes. N-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP) soluble and insoluble fractions are examined. NMP soluble and insoluble fractions of asphaltenes are monomeric. It is suggested that the ‘giant’ asphaltene molecules reported from SEC studies using NMP as the eluting solvent may actually be the expected flocs of asphaltene which are not soluble in NMP. Data is presented that intramolecular electronic relaxation in asphaltenes does not perturb FD results.
Business sustainability integration is a complex task and strongly linked to operations management. In fact, sustainability based approaches demand operations management boundaries' expansion, ...creation and integration of new performance goals into traditional company's performance management system, and new criteria and policies for operations' decision areas development. The challenge is to conduct more sustainable operations through companies' value chain and their operations network. Maturity models have been used in different areas as a process improvement and change management model for complex contexts. In sustainable operations management area, maturity models have been developed for specific purposes, e.g., sustainable production, sustainable supply chain management, corporate social responsibility, and life cycle management. However, there is a lack of models that considers sustainability integration through the evolution of sustainable operations' capabilities in an integrated way. Based on literature review and results from two panel studies conducted with academics and practitioners, this paper proposes a maturity framework for sustainability integration guided by sustainable operations capabilities evolution. The findings pointed out that its is possible to identify an evolutionary path, which goes from an initial approach focused in compliance aspects and firm's value protection to an innovative approach, based on corporate social responsibility supporting operations' integration in a sustainable system, and long-term values development. The experts' studies identified key processes that need to be prioritized in each level, and also evaluate the adaptation of some elements from Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) to sustainable maturity framework design. The framework represents company's vision regarding its value chain and operations network, and it is indicated for manufacturing companies.
•Maturity has been considered relevant to companies’ improvement models.•Maturity for operations decisions is developed along reactive and proactive approaches.•Sustainable operations maturity defines a path from compliance to social corporate responsibility.•Maturity approaches performance goals from value-protection to innovativeness.
Domestication of plants and animals promoted humanity's transition from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles, demographic expansion, and the emergence of civilizations. In contrast to the well-documented ...successes of crop and livestock breeding, processes of microbe domestication remain obscure, despite the importance of microbes to the production of food, beverages, and biofuels. Lager-beer, first brewed in the 15th century, employs an allotetraploid hybrid yeast, Saccharomyces pastorianus (syn. Saccharomyces carlsbergensis), a domesticated species created by the fusion of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae ale-yeast with an unknown cryotolerant Saccharomyces species. We report the isolation of that species and designate it Saccharomyces eubayanus sp. nov. because of its resemblance to Saccharomyces bayanus (a complex hybrid of S. eubayanus, Saccharomyces uvarum, and S. cerevisiae found only in the brewing environment). Individuals from populations of S. eubayanus and its sister species, S. uvarum, exist in apparent sympatry in Nothofagus (Southern beech) forests in Patagonia, but are isolated genetically through intrinsic postzygotic barriers, and ecologically through host-preference. The draft genome sequence of S. eubayanus is 99.5% identical to the non-S. cerevisiae portion of the S. pastorianus genome sequence and suggests specific changes in sugar and sulfite metabolism that were crucial for domestication in the lager-brewing environment. This study shows that combining microbial ecology with comparative genomics facilitates the discovery and preservation of wild genetic stocks of domesticated microbes to trace their history, identify genetic changes, and suggest paths to further industrial improvement.
PDF
