Spatial patterns of stable isotopes in animal tissues or “isoscapes” can be used to investigate animal origins in a range of ecological and forensic investigations. Here, we developed a feather ...hydrogen isotope (δ
2
H
f
) isoscape for Brazil based on 192 samples of feathers from the family
Thraupidae
from scientific collections. Raw values of δ
2
H
f
ranged from -107.3 to +5.0‰, with higher values at the Caatinga biome (northeast Brazil) and lower values at the Amazon and Pantanal. A Random Forest (RF) method was used to model the spatial surface, using a range of environmental data as auxiliary variables. The RF model indicated a negative relationship between δ
2
H
f
and Mean Annual Precipitation, Precipitation in the Warmest Quarter, and Annual Temperature Range and positive relationships for amount-weighted February-April precipitation δ
2
H (δ
2
H
p(Feb-April)
) and Mean Annual Solar Radiation. Modelled δ
2
H
f
values ranged from -85.7 to -13.6‰. Ours is the first δ
2
H
f
isoscape for Brazil that can greatly assist our understanding of both ecological and biogeochemical processes controlling spatial variation in δ
2
H for this region. This isoscape can be used with caution, due to its poor predictive power (as found in other tropical regions) and can benefit from new sample input, new GNIP data, ecological and physiological studies, and keratin standard material better encompassing the range in feather samples from Brazil. So, we encourage new attempts to build more precise feather H isoscapes, as well as isoscapes based on other elements.
•Cellulose nanocrystals from banana pseudostem were extracted and characterized.•Nanocomposites of PVOH-nanocrystals were casted and characterized.•The nanocrystals improved thermal, mechanical, and ...barrier properties of PVOH.
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) isolated from banana pseudostems fibers (BPF) of the Pacovan variety were used as fillers in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) matrix to yield a nanocomposite. The fibers from the external fractions of the BPF were alkaline bleached and hydrolyzed under acidic conditions (H2SO4 62% w/w, 70min, 45°C) to obtain CNCs with a length (L) of 135.0±12.0nm and a diameter (D) of 7.2±1.9nm to yield an aspect ratio (L/D) of 21.2. The CNCs were applied to PVOH films at different concentrations (0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% w/w, dry basis). With higher concentrations of CNCs, the water–vapor barrier of the films increased, while the optical properties changed very little. Increasing the concentration of the CNCs up to 3% significantly improved the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite.
The global demand for forest products will increase in the coming decades due to population growth and increasing environmental awareness. Therefore, the production of forest products through ...multifunctional forest restoration could be a meaningful opportunity for large-scale restoration while promoting sustainability and vegetation recovery. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore how forest restoration in Brazil can meet the growing global demand for forest products, thereby promoting the widespread adoption of restoration practices. The number of forest restoration publications addressing forest product supply has increased, but remains limited. Notably, only studies on payments for environmental services have increased significantly over the years, while studies on non-timber forest products and timber have not increased significantly. Similar patterns and trends were found in earlier studies. Many studies do not provide insights into the socioeconomic outcomes of multifunctional forest restoration, which is consistent with other research findings. The studies cited 108 native species of commercial value. According to the literature, these species can provide multiple forest products, making their management economically attractive. Multifunctional restoration in Brazil has the potential for meeting global demand for forest products and supporting large-scale restoration. However, advancing scientific and technological knowledge in this area is needed to make this feasible.
The Itapema Formation in the Santos Basin is described as a carbonate coquina interval, a type of sedimentary rock composed mainly by shells and their fragments. These rocks have different textural ...characteristics related to depositional and diagenetic processes, which influence the pore system and consequently the permeability. Understanding how the different facies are distributed and their relationship with petrophysics is essential to preview the quality of a reservoir. In this study, we classify the shell beds of the Itapema Formation through taphonomic characteristics, applying the concept of taphofacies, where taphonomic patterns such as orientation of shells, degree of packing, fragmentation of shells, abrasion, rounding, and sorting (type of grains) are used to differentiate shell concentrations. Six taphofacies (Tf-1 to Tf-6) were described in a core interval of 12 m, which corresponds to the Itapema Formation. Taphofacies Tf-1 and Tf-2 are well-sorted and unsorted grainstones/rudstones with parallel-oriented and densely packed shells with a braded valves. Taphofacies Tf-3 and Tf-4 are well-sorted and unsorted grainstones/rudstones with oblique oriented shells, generally well-preserved but often with high shell dissolution. Taphofacies Tf-5 and Tf-6 are well-sorted and unsorted grainstones/rudstones with randomly oriented shells and densely packed deposits. In general, all the well-sorted taphofacies are composed mainly of shells and their fragments, do not show mud matrix or even shell fragments smaller than 0.2 mm, the size of valves varies from 0.5 to 5 mm and shell fragments are the smallest components. The unsorted taphofacies contain grains smaller than 0.2 mm, most of them peloids, and very small shell fragments. Through the analysis of thin sections, x-ray tomography (CT), high resolution tomography (H-CT) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) it was possible to quantify the porosity in the described taphofacies and classify them according to Choquette and Pray (1970) and Ahr (2008). In well-sorted taphofacies primary pores are preserved; the total porosity varies from 9% to 21% in thin sections, and mainly consists of interparticle, intraparticle, and moldic pores and vugs. The control of porosity varies from depositional to hybrid 1, according to Ahr (2008), and pores are generally connected. In unsorted taphofacies, preserved primary porosity is uncommon and most pores are moldic and vugs. The total porosity in this facies varies from 2 to 15%, although almost all values are between 10% and 15%. The control of porosity varies from hybrid 1 to diagenetic, based on Ahr (2008), and the connectivity varies. Despite these textural differences between well-sorted and unsorted taphofacies, in general, the porosity is good and varies between 10% and 25%. The permeability in well-sorted taphofacies varies from 0.3 to 8 D, the high values being associated with a connected porous system, whereas in unsorted taphofacies the permeability varies from 0.01 to 0.4 D due to the occurrence of isolated vugs and moldic pores. The well-sorted coquinas were interpreted as deposits influenced by storm-induced currents and waves where the energy was sufficient to winnow the finer grains and preserve the primary pores. The taphonomic characteristics indicate tempestites to shoreface deposits, whereas in unsorted taphofacies the energy was not sufficient to remove finer grains generally associated with distal tempestites and backshore deposits.
•Shell concentration (coquinas) pore types and petrophysics.•Taphofacies interpretation and their relationship with porosity and permeability.•Porosity control in carbonate coquina deposits.•Permeability distribution in carbonate coquinas reservoir.
There is an unprecedented demand for sustainability incorporation; however, a significant gap exists in sustainability management systems. We considered this gap as well as the fact that ...organizations mainly face difficulties in managing sustainability using integrated management systems.
Here, we propose an innovative model to improve corporate sustainability aimed at cleaner production; we develop this model by integrating quality, environmental, social responsibility, and occupational health and safety management systems with the lean manufacturing system. The proposed model is expected to aid organizations in improving corporate sustainability in a structured manner. This research introduces the Lean-Integrated Management System for Sustainability Improvement (LIMSSI), which is based on the rational use of resources and energy while engaging and empowering people. The LIMSSI provides an innovative description of correlations of the quality, environmental, occupational health and safety, and social responsibility requirements with the principles and tools of lean manufacturing; it also includes a description of their integration to create synergies. It was structured considering the difficulties faced by organizations in performing sustainability-improvement activities, and aim to avoid loss of organizational efficiency due to waste, duplication, and increments of bureaucratic processes. The LIMSSI is expected to improve corporate sustainability performance and thereby render companies more sustainable and competitive.
Display omitted
•This paper presents a Management System for Sustainability Improvement (LIMSSI).•It is based on the rational use of resources, while engaging and empowering people.•We present the correlations between QMS, EMS, SRMS, OHSMS and Lean Manufacturing.•The LIMSSI provide a structured roadmap to improve sustainability.•The LIMSSI can render an organization more competitive and sustainable.
We conducted a systematic review to describe and summarize possible associations between the walkability index, overweight, and obesity. Systematic searches using seven electronic databases and ...reference lists were conducted to identify papers published until December 2017. Observational studies, describing associations using regression-based statistical methods, published in English and Portuguese, reporting markers of overweight and obesity, and involving adults (≥18 years) were included. Of the 2469 references initially retrieved, ten were used for the descriptive synthesis. Seven studies showed significant inverse associations between walkability and overweight and obesity, however, all were cross-sectional studies. High risk of bias scores were observed in "selection bias" and "withdrawals and dropouts". All studies were published in high-income countries with sample sizes ranging among 75 to 649,513 participants. Weight and height as measures for determining BMI tended to be self-reported. Indicators of walkability, such as land-use mix, street connectivity and residential density were used as components of the indices. Based on this review, more studies should be conducted in low, middle, and middle-high income countries, using longitudinal designs that control neighborhood self-selection; other indicators of the neighborhood environment, such as food access, physical activity facilities, sidewalks, and safety and crime prevention should be considered.
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most prevalent injuries in runners. Unfortunately, a substantial part of injured athletes do not recover fully from PFP in the long-term. Although previous ...studies have shown positive effects of gait retraining in this condition, retraining protocols often lack clinical applicability because they are time-consuming, costly for patients and require a treadmill. The primary objective of this study will be to compare the effects of two different two-week partially supervised gait retraining programs, with a control intervention; on pain, function and lower limb kinematics of runners with PFP. It will be a single-blind randomized clinical trial with six-month follow-up. The study will be composed of three groups: a group focusing on impact (group A), a group focusing on cadence (group B), and a control group that will not perform any intervention (group C). The primary outcome measure will be pain assessed using the Visual Analog Pain scale during running. Secondary outcomes will include pain during daily activities (usual), symptoms assessed using the Patellofemoral Disorders Scale and lower limb running kinematics in the frontal (contralateral pelvic drop; hip adduction) and sagittal planes (foot inclination; tibia inclination; ankle dorsiflexion; knee flexion) assessed using the MyoResearch 3.14-MyoVideo (Noraxon U.S.A. Inc.). The study outcomes will be evaluated before (t0), immediately after (t2), and six months (t24) after starting the protocol. Our hypothesis is that both partially supervised gait retraining programs will be more effective in reducing pain, improving symptoms, and modifying lower limb kinematics during running compared with the control group, and that the positive effects from these programs will persist for six months. Also, we believe that one gait retraining group will not be superior to the other. Results from this study will help improve care in runners with PFP, while maximizing clinical applicability as well as time and cost-effectiveness.
Crop-livestock systems are regaining their importance as an alternative to unsustainable intensive farming systems. Loss of biodiversity, nutrient pollution and habitat fragmentation are a few of ...many concerns recently reported with modern agriculture. Integrating crops and pastures in no-till systems can result in better environmental services, since conservation agriculture is improved by system diversity, paths of nutrient flux, and other processes common in nature. The presence of large herbivores can positively modify nutrient pathways and soil aggregation, increasing soil quality. Despite the low diversity involved, the integration of crops and pastures enhances nature's biomimicry and allows attainment of a higher system organization level. This paper illustrates these benefits focusing on the use of grazing animals integrated with crops under no-tillage systems characteristic of southern Brazil.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous flame retardants and are environmentally persistent. PBDEs show endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and lower birth weight in infants, and their ...human body burden has become a public health concern. The infants' exposure begins in the prenatal period and continues via breast milk ingestion, although, little is known about the factors that may influence this exposure. In this study, PBDE levels in Brazilian breast milk were assessed in 200 lactating women. The risk assessment of infants' exposure to PBDE was performed through the estimated daily intake (EDI) calculation. The geometric mean (GM) of ∑
levels was 2.33 (0.14-6.05) ng/g wet weight. At least one PBDE congener was detected in the samples, and the 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) showed a 100% of detection rate (GM of 1.05 ng/g). Location of residence, maternal level education, monthly salary, and race were positively associated with PBDE levels (
< 0.05). The EDI of BDE-47 was higher in Belo Horizonte (8.29 ng/kg/day) than in Viçosa (6.36 ng/kg/day), as well as for the ∑
(19.77 versus 12.78 ng/kg/day) (
< 0.05). Taking the high detection rate of PBDEs in breast milk and their toxicity, continuous studies on infant exposure, fetal growth, and child neurodevelopment are requested.
Two sequential batch reactors were operated, aiming at forming aerobic granular sludge and studying the effects of the gradual increase of the NaCl concentration on the granule.
structure and ...microbial diversity, and on the efficiency of ammonia removal. The reactors were fed with ammonia-enriched synthetic effluent and 5 g L−1 of NaCl per week were applied. A decrease in the size of the granules was observed until they were completely disintegrated as the salt concentration increased up to 10 g L−1. However, the ammonia removal efficiency remained high in all the salinities applied. By sequencing the 16S rRNA amplicon gene, the microbial community structure allowed the verification of the presence of several genera affiliated with the bacteria that perform both heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification, besides those involved in the conventional nitrification and denitrification and the ANAMMOX process. Salinity affected the microbial population related to the formation and stability of the granules.
•With the increase of NaCl, the granules decreased in size until they disintegrated.•Ammonia removal remained efficient in all analyzed salinities.•There was no accumulation of nitrite or nitrate in the treated effluent.•The removal of nitrite and nitrate increased with the addition of NaCl.•Several genera of bacteria that perform the nitrification and denitrification.
PDF
