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Biomass burning serves as important sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet our understanding of the molecular characteristics of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) from fresh emissions remains limited. In this study, gaseous organic compounds in fresh smokes from burning typical Chinese crop straws and woods are measured using an iodide time‐of‐flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer. Approximately 750 molecular formulas are identified, with CHO compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms accounting for 77%–95% of the total. C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids dominate the total CHO signal intensities by 27%–48%, while well‐known molecular markers of biomass burning, such as monosaccharide, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, contribute 7%–17%. Notably, crop straw and wood burning emit a higher abundance of guaiacol than syringol derivatives by a factor of 5. Additionally, a variety of nitrogen‐containing compounds (mainly in the CHON group) is identified, including isocyanate, amide, amino acids, and pyridine. The mass spectral profiles of organic compounds are largely similar between crop straw and wood burning fuels, although wood burning produces higher contributions of compounds with carbon atoms numbers >10. The saturation concentrations of organic compounds are estimated using molecular formula‐based volatility parameterization, revealing that semi‐volatile and intermediate VOCs (S/intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs)) predominate smoke releases by 35%–60% and 20%–43%, respectively, with only a small fraction of low‐volatility compounds. Given the widespread nature of biomass burning in winter China, our results may have significant implications for interpreting secondary organic aerosol formation through gas‐particle partitioning or aqueous‐phase reactions. Plain Language Summary: Biomass burning is a significant source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) being particularly important due to their high reactivity and their contribution to the radical budget and secondary products formation. However, previous research has primarily focused on a limited number of OVOCs species from pine, spruce, and other biofuels, leading to insufficient studies on the full mass spectra of OVOCs from biomass smokes. Our study has addressed this gap by identifying approximately 750 OVOCs from burning typical Chinese crop straws and woods. We found that C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids are the predominant contributors to total signal intensities. This expands on previous studies that have focused on a limited well‐known molecular markers of biomass burning, such as monosaccharide, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, and reveals the presence of nitrogen‐containing compounds, including isocyanate, amide, amino acids, and pyridine. The saturation concentrations of organic compounds are estimated, highlighting the importance of semi‐volatile and intermediate VOCs (S/IVOCs) in fresh smoke releases. Our study contributes to a better understanding of complex chemistry of biomass burning and its impact on air quality. It will serve as a crucial basis for accurately assessing biomass burning related‐secondary organic aerosol formation. Key Points: C1–C3 organic acids and dicarboxylic acids dominate the total signal intensities of fresh crop straw and wood burning emissionsThe mass spectral profiles are largely similar across different fuels, with wood burning produces higher contributions of large compoundsSemi‐volatile and intermediate volatile organic compounds predominate fresh smoke emissions, with only a small fraction of low‐volatility compounds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vector control using insecticides is a key prevention strategy against malaria. Unfortunately, insecticide resistance in mosquitoes threatens all progress in malaria control. In the perspective of managing this resistance, new insecticide formulations are being tested to improve the effectiveness of vector control tools. Methods: The efficacy and residual activity of Pirikool® 300 CS was evaluated in comparison with Actellic® 300 CS in experimental huts at the Tiassalé experimental station on three substrates including cement, wood and mud. The mortality, blood-feeding inhibition, exiting behaviour and deterrency of free-flying wild mosquitoes was evaluated. Cone bioassay tests with susceptible and resistant mosquito strains were conducted in the huts to determine residual efficacy. Results: A total of 20,505 mosquitoes of which 10,979 (53%) wild female Anopheles gambiae were collected for 112 nights. Residual efficacy obtained from monthly cone bioassay was higher than 80% with the susceptible, laboratory-maintained An. gambiae Kisumu strain, from the first to the tenth study period on all three types of treated substrate for both Actellic® 300CS and Pirikool® 300CS. This residual efficacy on the wild Tiassalé strain was over 80% until the 4th month of study on Pirikool® 300CS S treated substrates. Overall 24-h mortalities of wild free-flying An. gambiae sensu lato which entered in the experimental huts over the 8-months trial on Pirikool® 300CS treatment was 50.5%, 75.9% and 52.7%, respectively, on cement wall, wood wall and mud wall. The positive reference product Actellic® 300CS treatment induced mortalities of 42.0%, 51.8% and 41.8% on cement wall, wood wall and mud wall. Conclusion: Pirikool® 300CS has performed really well against resistant strains of An. gambiae using indoor residual spraying method in experimental huts. It could be an alternative product for indoor residual spraying in response to the vectors' resistance to insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delignified porous wood samples were used as carriers for biofilm formation of a bacterial consortium with the ability to degrade 1,4-dioxane (DX). The delignification treatment of the natural wood resulted in higher porosity, formation of macropores, increase in surface roughness and hydrophilicity of the treated wood pieces. These superior properties of two types of treated carriers (respectively, A and B) compared to the untreated wood resulted in 2.19 ± 0.52- and 2.66 ± 0.23-fold higher growth of biofilm. Moreover, analysis of the fatty acid profiles indicated an increase in proportion of the saturated fatty acids during the biofilm formation, characterising an enhancement in rigidity and hydrophobicity of the biofilms. DX initial concentration of 100 mg/L was completely degraded (detection limit 0.01 mg/L) in 24 and 32 h using the treated A and B woods, while only 25.84 ± 5.95% was removed after 32 h using the untreated wood. However, fitting the DX biodegradation data to the Monod model showed a lower maximum specific growth rate for biofilm (0.0276 ± 0.0018 1/h) versus planktonic (0.0382 ± 0.0024 1/h), because of gradual accumulation of inactive cells in the biofilm. Findings of this study can contribute to the knowledge of biofilm formation regarding the physical/chemical properties of biofilm carriers and be helpful to the ongoing research on bioremediation of DX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to evaluate two quantitative methods, based on the external calibration applied in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis, known as (i) analytical curve and (ii) one-point calibration, using the concept of matrix matching to quantify three potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in wood samples. These can biologically register changes in the abiotic environment and be applied to monitoring climate change or environmental toxicity. In this case, standard sample preparation was evaluated to prepare the standard pellets using Pinus taeda species as a matrix-matching concept. Six pellets of P. taeda, with different Pb, Cd, and Ba concentrations, were prepared to build the analytical curve and one-point calibration strategies. The LA-ICP-MS parameters were optimised for 206Pb, 208Pb, 112Cd, 114Cd, 137Ba, and 138Ba isotope analysis in wood samples. The two calibration strategies provided 74–110% analytical recovery from certified reference materials and similar results to those obtained by ICP-MS through the acid digestion of environmental wood samples from São Paulo City (Brazil). This demonstrated the applicability of the one-point calibration strategy in quantifying PTEs in wood samples, which could be used with environmental analyses. Differences observed between the Ba isotope results obtained via LA-ICP-MS and ICP-MS quantification were related to sampling by LA-ICP-MS and the ICP-MS sample introduction, as well as to laser matrix and transport effects because of the difference between the wood species evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration of greatly efficient and steady non‐noble oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is of great significance in improving the overall efficiency of energy density systems such as regenerative fuel cells, water electrolyzes, and metal‐air batteries. Herein, inspired by hierarchical 3D porous structures with open microchannels of natural wood, CoO@NiFe LDH sandwich‐like nanosheets were anchored on the carbonized wood (CW) via electrodeposition and calcination strategies. The strong interactions between CoO nanosheets and NiFe LDH nanosheets endow CoO@NiFe LDH/CW electrocatalyst with high catalytic properties toward the OER comparable to CoO/CW and NiFe LDH/CW. The optimized CoO@NiFe LDH/CW electrocatalyst demonstrates good OER catalytic performance with an overpotential of 230 mV at 100 mA cm−2. This work presents an innovative approach to utilize renewable resources for constructing advanced free‐standing catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacing crude oil as the primary industrial source of carbon‐based chemicals has become crucial for both environmental and resource sustainability reasons. In this scenario, wood arises as an excellent candidate, whilst depolymerization approaches have emerged as promising strategies to unlock the lignin potential as a resource in the production of high‐value organic chemicals. However, many drawbacks, such as toxic solvents, expensive catalysts, high energy inputs, and poor product selectivity have represented major challenges to this task. Herein, we present an unprecedented approach using electrocatalysis for the simultaneous depolymerization and dearomatization of lignin in aqueous medium under ambient conditions. By employing water/sodium carbonate as a solvent system, we demonstrated a pathway for selectively depolymerizing lignin under reductive electrochemical conditions using carbon as an electrocatalyst. After reductive electrocatalysis, the presence of aromatic compounds was no longer detected via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Further characterization by NMR, FTIR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry revealed the major presences of sodium levulinate, sodium 4‐hydroxyvalerate, sodium formate, and sodium acetate as products. By achieving a complete dearomatization, valuable aliphatic intermediates with enhanced reactivity were selectively obtained, opening new avenues for further synthesis of many different organic chemicals, and contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sinonasal adenocarcinoma is a rare cancer, encompassing two different entities, the intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma (ITAC) and the non-intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma (non-ITAC). Occurrence of ITAC is strongly associated with exposure to hardwood dusts. In countries with predominant exposure to softwood dust the occurrence of sinonasal adenocarcinomas is lower and the relative amount of non-ITACs to ITACs is higher. The molecular mechanisms behind the tumorigenic effects of wood dust remain largely unknown. Methods: We carried out whole-genome sequencing of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of sinonasal adenocarcinomas from ten wood dust-exposed and six non-exposed individuals, with partial tobacco exposure data. Sequences were analyzed for the presence of mutational signatures matching COSMIC database signatures. Driver mutations and CN variant regions were characterized. Results: Mutation burden was higher in samples of wood dust-exposed patients (p = 0.016). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage-related mutational signatures were almost exclusively identified in ITAC subtype samples (p = 0.00055). Tobacco smoke mutational signatures were observed in samples of patients with tobacco exposure or missing information, but not in samples from non-exposed patients. A tetraploidy copy number (CN) signature was enriched in ITAC subtype (p = 0.042). CN variation included recurrent gains in COSMIC Cancer Gene Census genes TERT, SDHA, RAC1, ETV1, PCM1, and MYC. Pathogenic variants were observed most frequently in TP53, NF1, CHD2, BRAF, APC, and LRP1B. Driver mutations and copy number gains did not segregate by subtype. Conclusions: Our analysis identified distinct mutational characteristics in ITAC and non-ITAC. Mutational signature analysis may eventually become useful for documentation of occupation-related cancer, while the exact mechanisms behind wood dust-driven carcinogenesis remain elusive. The presence of homologous recombination deficiency signatures implies a novel opportunity for treatment, but further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of wood-inhabiting fungi on nutrient cycling and ecosystem functions, their ecology, especially related to their community assembly, is still highly unexplored. In this study, we analyzed the wood-inhabiting fungal richness, community composition, and phylogenetics using PacBio sequencing. Opposite to what has been expected that deterministic processes especially environmental filtering through wood-physicochemical properties controls the community assembly of wood-inhabiting fungal communities, here we showed that both deterministic and stochastic processes can highly contribute to the community assembly processes of wood-inhabiting fungi in this tropical forest. We demonstrated that the dynamics of stochastic and deterministic processes varied with wood decomposition stages. The initial stage was mainly governed by a deterministic process (homogenous selection), whereas the early and later decomposition stages were governed by the stochastic processes (ecological drift). Deterministic processes were highly contributed by wood physicochemical properties (especially macronutrients and hemicellulose) rather than soil physicochemical factors. We elucidated that fine-scale fungal-fungal interactions, especially the network topology, modularity, and keystone taxa of wood-inhabiting fungal communities, strongly differed in an initial and decomposing deadwood. This current study contributes to a better understanding of the ecological processes of wood-inhabiting fungi in tropical regions where the knowledge of wood-inhabiting fungi is highly limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Membrane emulsification technology has garnered increasing interest in emulsion preparation due to controllable droplet size, narrower droplet size distribution, low energy consumption, simple process design and excellent reproducibility. Nevertheless, the pore structure and surface engineering in membrane materials design play a crucial role in achieving high-quality emulsions with high throughput simultaneously. In this work, an oriented interpenetrating capillary network composed of highly aligned and interconnected wood cell lumens has been utilized to fabricate an emulsion membrane. A novel honeycomb porous ZnO layer obtained by a seed prefabrication–hydrothermal growth method was designed to reconstruct wood channel surfaces for enhanced microfluid mixing. The results show that through the unique capillary mesh microstructure of wood, the emulsion droplets were smaller in size, had narrower pore-size distribution, and were easy to obtain under high throughput conditions. Meanwhile, a well-designed ZnO layer could further improve the emulsion quality of a wood membrane, while the emulsifying throughput is still maintained at a higher level. This demonstrates that the convection process of the microfluid in these wood capillary channels was intensified markedly. This study not only develops advanced membrane materials in emulsion preparation, but also introduces a brand-new field for functional applications of wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to a large number of harmful chemicals flowing into the water source in production and life, the water quality deteriorates, and the use value of water is reduced or lost. Biochar has a strong physical adsorption effect, but it can only separate pollutants from water and cannot eliminate pollutants fundamentally. Photocatalytic degradation technology using photocatalysts uses chemical methods to degrade or mineralize organic pollutants, but it is difficult to recover and reuse. Woody biomass has the advantages of huge reserves, convenient access and a low price. Processing woody biomass into biochar and then combining it with photocatalysts has played a complementary role. In this paper, the shortcomings of a photocatalyst and biochar in water treatment are introduced, respectively, and the advantages of a woody biochar-based photocatalyst made by combining them are summarized. The preparation and assembly methods of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst starting from the preparation of biochar are listed, and the water treatment efficiency of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst using different photocatalysts is listed. Finally, the future development of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst is summarized and prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivery performance in wood supply chains is affected by carrying capacity on forest roads. Stochastic weather variations affect carrying capacity of roads and accessibility of harvested wood on landings. In Sweden, annual harvest scheduling is usually based on four seasons and road accessibility classes are set to match these seasons. In reality, road accessibility changes depend on weather variations not season. This causes a risk of poor delivery performance. Delivery performance is evaluated using two performance indicators, backorders (orders not delivered on time) and lead time (time from harvesting to delivery to mill). A data-analytic framework, combining optimization and simulation, is proposed to assess and evaluate these performance indicators for the wood supply chain under stochastic weather variations. An optimization model is used to generate a feasible harvest schedule for expected weather. This is thereafter evaluated given various weather scenarios using a discrete-event simulation model. The combination of optimization and discrete-event simulation is used to assess delivery performance over time, and changes in road accessibility caused by weather variation. An expected decrease in road accessibility implies a stable delivery performance, while an unexpected decrease causes a reduced delivery performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humins are heterogeneous and polydisperse furanic macromolecules derived from sugar biorefinery. Improving wood properties by humination has become of interest recently. This study examined the photodegradation stability of European pine sapwood microveneers modified with humins at different concentrations of citric acid (CA) and succinic acid (SA) as reaction catalysts, e.g., 1.5 %, 3 %, and 4.5 % wt.%. The photostability of huminated wood was assessed after 48 h, 96 h, and 144 h of exposure to the accelerated weathering test by means of mass loss and finite-span tensile strength. The results were compared with unmodified and also unweathered samples. The FT-IR spectroscopy showed apparent changes in the chemical structure of wood by humination modifications. The weight percentage gains of the samples increased with increasing the concentration of the catalyst. While no differences were observed between the samples after two weeks of the water leaching. The strength losses of weathered microveneers were, however, mostly reduced by humin-based formulas containing catalysts, where the microveneers modified with 1.5 % and 3 % CA showed respectively 32 % and 41 % lower strength loss values than the unmodified samples after 144 h of weathering. Overall, the results showed a high potential for humins to protect wood against photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the inhibition effect of nanoscale silver–copper particle (20 nm) against Coriolus versicolor and Gloeophyllumtrabeum. Poplar wood samples (Populus L.) were vacuum-impregnated using aqueous nano-AgCu solutions at concentrations of 0.01 %, 0.02 %, 0.03 %, 0.05 %, 0.075 %, and 0.1 %. Alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ, 0.1 %), boric acid (0.2 %) and untreated control group (CK) were employed for comparisons. Decay resistance and leachability were studied. The anti-fungi effects were compared between nano-AgCu, nano-Ag, Ag+ (silver nitrate), Cu2+ (copper nitrate), and a composite of Ag+–Cu2+. Nano-AgCu particle exhibited effective resistance to fungi after 12 weeks of exposure. The threshold retention of the nano-AgCu against C. versicolor and G. trabeum on poplar wood was 0.19 kg m−3 and 0.62 kg m−3, respectively. The silver–copper nanoparticles demonstrated excellent leach resistance, and the inhibition effect was retained after leaching. The nano-AgCu particle provided better antifungal effects than single ions or metal nanoparticles. This study illustrates the potential of using nano-AgCu particle as an efficient wood preservative compared to commercial water-soluble preservatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent wood (TW) combining unique anisotropic structure has broad application prospects in the field of advanced building furniture materials. Many efforts have been made to add quantum dots or nanoparticles to TW to endow it with additional functionality, such as luminescent, electrochromic, and thermochromic TW. However, luminous TW with shape‐editable functionality and its new applications have yet to be explored. Benefiting from the excellent luminescence performance in a diluted solution state, BODIPY (4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diazas‐indacene) dyes have been widely used for bio‐sensing and bioimaging. In addition, vitrimers exhibit excellent stimuli‐responsive, shape‐memory, and reprocessing properties thanks to exchangeable dynamic covalent crosslinking networks, which are suitable for fabricating smart TW. Herein, combing these advantages, a dual‐functional transparent wood composite (P‐SEFTW) with photoluminescent and shape editable function was developed by introducing BODIPY dyes and vitrimers into the delignified wood (DW) templates. P‐SEFTW displays good UV luminescence, unique light guiding and directional scattering effects. Meanwhile, it shows excellent shape‐recovery, shape‐programming, shape‐erasing, and re‐programming capability under thermal‐stimulus. These characteristics enable TW to exhibit great prospect as an advanced smart and functional building material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term pyric herbivory was first introduced in 2009, describing how fire shapes herbivory as burned areas attract herbivores and, simultaneously, herbivory shapes fuel load and fire behaviour. Pyric herbivory results in a mosaic of patches with varying levels of herbivory and grazing intensity fire intensity and frequency. The importance of pyric herbivory for ecosystem heterogeneity and biodiversity has been described for North American, Australian and African systems, but the concept remains largely untested in a European context.We introduced fire and herbivory in a full‐factorial experiment in a temperate European wood‐pasture system to test whether pyric herbivory operates in ways comparable to grassy systems elsewhere in the world. Using camera traps, we observed the behaviour of cattle in burned subplots (49 m2) compared with unburned subplots. We measured grass height and the proportion of the subplot that burned as variables affecting cattle preference and to assess how grazing affects fire behaviour. We also examined the effect on plant species and life‐form composition after six seasons of treatment.Cattle spent more time grazing in burned than in unburned subplots in the most productive paddock, where a larger proportion of the subplot burned. The proportion of a subplot that burned was positively related to pre‐fire grass height. Moreover, both grass height and the proportion of subplot burned declined in the burned subplots during the 6‐year study period and fire and cattle grazing altered the relative cover of graminoids and shrubs (Rubus spp.), with more graminoids in grazed and/or burned subplots and more shrubs in ungrazed subplots at the end of the study.Synthesis and applications. In our temperate European wood pasture, fire and (cattle) grazing interacted in ways comparable to pyric herbivory in grassy ecosystems elsewhere in the world, especially in the most productive paddock. Fire attracted grazing, with cattle grazing longer on subplots that burned more fully. Grazing also affected fire, where over the course of our experiment cattle grazing reduced grass height and the proportion of a subplot that burned. We suggest that pyric herbivory is an interesting management method to further explore in the European context to address the loss of biodiversity in open ecosystems, particularly in more productive sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the lipophilic component that affects the quality of pulp and paper products in wood of 10-year-old Anthocephalus cadamba (families 23, 11 and 6) and 5-year-old Anthocepalus macrophyllus (families 75, 85 and 2). The results showed that the main group of compounds that appeared frequently and were identified in the lipophilic fraction were fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linoleic and stearic acids), fatty alcohols (eicosanol, heneicosanol and tetracosanol), sterols (β-sitosterol and campasterol), hydrocarbons (hexadecane, tricosene and cyclotetracosane), aldehydes, alongside minor amounts of triterpenoid. F11 and F2 can be promoted as raw materials for pulp and paper, while F6 and F75 are not recommended because of the high levels of lipids such as sterols, triterpenoids, hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and fatty alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile and environmentally friendly strategy was proposed for the production of reducing sugars from enzymatic hydrolysis of rubber wood by surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment. Compared with hydrothermal pretreatment, the addition of surfactants (Tween 40) significantly increased the reducing sugars concentration, the highest reducing sugars concentration was up to 22.47 g/L. After surfactant-assisted pretreatment, the crystallinity index of rubber wood hydrolysis residues increased and then decreased with the addition amount of Tween 40. The surfactant-assisted pretreated rubber wood featured high cellulose and hemicellulose conversion rates of 95.1% and 95.4% respectively, which was 122.2% and 41.1% higher than the hydrothermally pretreated rubber wood. It was also found that surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment had the same improvement effect on increasing the sugar production of other lignocellulose. The results showed that surfactant-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment is a promising and universal method for developing biomass-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin is a common adhesive in the plywood industry with the main advantage of its water resistance and high bonding strength. However, PF has unfavorable high curing temperatures which becomes of cost concern. In the present work, sodium silicate was used to modify the resin properties to lower its curing temperature. The amount of sodium silicate was varied in a range of 0% to 25% (w/w) in terms of sodium silicate to phenol. The thermal properties of the modified resin and its bonding strength were investigated. The experimental result showed that the presence of sodium silicate can increase crosslink density which leads to higher bonding strength. In addition, the presence of sodium silicate resulted in a lower curing temperature and reduced curing activation energy. The addition of 25% (w/w) sodium silicate could increase the bonding strength by more than 200% and decrease the curing temperature by about 35 °C. The improved processability and energy consumption offer advantages for the effective application of phenol-formaldehyde, particularly in the wood industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new eyeless species of Nereis from organic falls (whale bones and wood parcels) in the Southwestern Atlantic from depths between 550 and 3285 m are described, and the eyeless species Neanthes shinkai is transferred to Nereis. All new species and Nereis shinkai comb. nov. can be distinguished from the majority of Nereis species by the absence of eyes and by the presence of small and delicate paragnaths. Interestingly, the species Nereis anoculepitoka sp. nov. presents epitoky, with sexual dimorphism and the morphological variations described herein. This is the first description of an eyeless epitoke form from organic falls in the deep ocean. We conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses using COI and 16S mitochondrial genes, confirmed the morphological identification and established an eyeless clade within Nereis including the three new species and Nereis shinkai comb. nov. The presence of different species in a relatively small geographical area can be explained, in part, by the action of different water masses in each sampling site and suggests that organic islands are potential hotspots for specialization of Nereis in the deep sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluorescence behaviour of lignocellulose in Pinus sylvestris L. was studied under the influence of moisture. Fluorescence excitation-emission-matrices (EEMs) of the solid wood surfaces were recorded. Two emission peaks were identified, one attributed to lignocellulose, the other to pinosylvins. The two peaks were successfully modelled with PARAFAC2-deconvolution. Lignocellulose showed excitation-dependent emission. Its emission was quenched and blue-shifted by moisture, while pinosylvin showed none of these properties. The quenching efficiency was proportional to the moisture content (linear Stern–Volmer plot), a phenomenon first demonstrated for wood in this study. Potential mechanisms for the moisture quenching are discussed, with clustering-triggered emission best explaining most of the observed peculiarities. The strong influence of moisture on the fluorescence of pine wood suggests that carbohydrates, or interactions between carbohydrates and lignin, play an important role in lignocellulose fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, cellulose was effectively separated from eucalyptus wood with ternary solvents containing organic base 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl guanidine and other organic solvents such as morpholine, N-ethyl morpholine, dimethyl formamide, glycerin, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. It was found that the combination of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl guanidine with morpholine was favorable for achieving high delignification and less loss of cellulose. The removal of lignin and hemicellulose achieved 89.8% and 81.4% after heating for 6 h at 160 °C, respectively. It was found that the combination of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl guanidine with morpholine was favorable for achieving high delignification and less loss of cellulose. The removal of lignin and hemicellulose achieved 89.8% and 81.4% after heating for 6 h at 160 °C, respectively. The addition of morpholine and water promoted the dissolution of lignin and reduced the degradation of cellulose. Subsequently, the crude cellulose was further purified through a simplified bleaching process, the final removal of lignin and hemicellulose increased to 98.7% and 97.5% respectively, and cellulose with a purity of 96.9% was achieved. The scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the diameter of cellulose bundles decreased from about 250 μm to about 20 μm after organic solvents treatment. The fiber bundle was completely separated into a single fiber with a diameter of about 5–10 μm after bleaching process. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed an increase in the crystallinity of fiber from 69.4% to 83.3%, implying a reduction of lignin and hemicellulose in eucalyptus. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed the high selective removal of lignin and hemicellulose. Two-dimensional 1H-13C Heteronuclear singular quantum correlation was performed to investigated the structure units and linkages of lignin and found that only the structural signal of C5-H5 in guaiacyl (G5) alone existed in the aromatic region, while the signals -OCH3, Cγ–Hγ in β-O-4' (Aγ) and β-β' (Cγ) remained in the side chain region, indicating that lignin could be effectively degraded and dissolved by the ternary solvents. In conclusion, high purity cellulose was obtained from eucalyptus wood by environmentally friendly and recyclable processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New wood uses of Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica) have attracted much attention in recent years, but false heartwood has led to a decline in commercial value due to its irregular wood color. In this study, we assessed the occurrence of false heartwood and its proportion to stem cross-sectional area (PFH) in individual Japanese white birch (482 trees) in a ca. 70-year-old natural secondary forest. Specifically, we investigated the relative strength of the direct/indirect effects of individual size (BA), growth rate (GR), crown ratio (CR), number of branch scars (NBS), basal area sum of neighboring trees (BAS) and topographic wetness index (TWI) on PFH. In total, 80.3% of trees had false heartwood. CR was found to be the most important factor, acting through direct and indirect negative effects. BA and NBS had a positive effect, and TWI had a negative effect on PFH. BA had a positive correlation with tree age, indicating that PFH can be reduced in trees with faster growth. Simultaneously, BAS had an indirect positive effect on PFH. These results suggested that thinning, which reduces BAS and increases CR, can reduce false heartwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In wheat‐derived bakery products, the quantity of free asparagine (fAsn) has been identified as a key factor in acrylamide (AA) formation. Based on this assumption, four varieties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Stromboli, Montecarlo, Sothys and Cosmic, selected for their different fAsn content inside the grain, were studied to evaluate their potential in the production of pizza with reduced AA levels. To this purpose, wholemeal and refined flours were obtained from each variety. Results: The fAsn content ranged from 0.25 to 3.30 mmol kg−1, with higher values for wholemeal flours which also showed greater amount of ash, fibre and damaged starch than refined wheat flours. All types of flours were separately used to produce wood oven baked pizza base, according to the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed EU Regulation (97/2010). AA reduction in the range 47–68% was found for all the selected wheat cultivars, compared with a commercial flour, with significantly lower values registered when refined flour was used. Moreover, refined leavened dough samples showed decreased levels of fAsn and reducing sugars due to the fermentation activity of yeasts. Furthermore, it was confirmed that pizza made with wholemeal flours exhibited lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and rapidly available glucose (RAG) values compared to that prepared with the refined flour. Conclusion: This study clearly shows that a reduced asparagine content in wheat flour is a key factor in the mitigation of AA formation in pizza base. Unfortunately, at the same time, it is highlighted how it is necessary to sacrifice the beneficial effects of fibre intake, such as lowering the glycaemic index, in order to reduce AA. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combustion of traditional fuels in low-income countries, including those in sub-Saharan Africa, leads to extensive indoor particle exposure. Yet, the related health consequences in this context are understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro toxicity of combustion-derived particles relevant for Sub-Saharan household environments. Particles (< 2.5 µm) were collected using a high-volume sampler during combustion of traditional Ethiopian biomass fuels: cow dung, eucalyptus wood and eucalyptus charcoal. Diesel exhaust particles (DEP, NIST 2975) served as reference particles. The highest levels of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in wood (3219 ng/mg), followed by dung (618 ng/mg), charcoal (136 ng/mg) and DEP (118 ng/mg) (GC–MS). BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells and THP-1 derived macrophages were exposed to particle suspensions (1–150 µg/mL) for 24 h. All particles induced concentration-dependent genotoxicity (comet assay) but no pro-inflammatory cytokine release in epithelial cells, whereas dung and wood particles also induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity (Alamar Blue). Only wood particles induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in macrophage-like cells, while dung particles were unique at increasing secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α). In summary, particles derived from combustion of less energy dense fuels like dung and wood had a higher PAH content and were more cytotoxic in epithelial cells. In addition, the least energy dense and cheapest fuel, dung, also induced pro-inflammatory effects in macrophage-like cells. These findings highlight the influence of fuel type on the toxic profile of the emitted particles and warrant further research to understand and mitigate health effects of indoor air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follett et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) demonstrated that a large wood jam can be modeled as a porous obstruction with momentum loss proportional to the number, size, and packing density of the logs and jam length. Poppema and Wüthrich (2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl106348) incorporated uniform flow Froude number, broadening the scope of our work. Here, we demonstrate that Froude number can be directly introduced to equations in the main body of Follett et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346), without requiring uniform flow. Based on this, we show that a managed increase in upstream depth is possible for conditions below a critical discharge, in which equilibrium upstream depth over uniformly distributed jams can be adjusted with inter‐jam spacing. This design could retain water in low flow conditions, allowing jams to act independently above critical discharge. Finally, we suggest that log orientation can be included in our model by varying both drag coefficient and frontal area perpendicular to the flow. Plain Language Summary: Logjams can increase upstream water surface elevation, creating an upstream pool with slower, deeper water. We demonstrated that the increase in water depth upstream of a logjam is related to the number, size, and packing density of the logs and the jam length. In this Reply to a Comment by Poppema and Wüthrich (2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl106348), we clarify that our prediction of upstream water depth does not depend on river steepness and sediment size. We go on to show that a progressive increase in upstream depth is possible under some low flow conditions, if logjams are spaced closely enough so that each logjam is impacted by its downstream neighbor. This arrangement could be used to design nature‐based solutions for water retention during drought. In response to Poppema and Wüthrich (2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl106348), we clarify the observed agreement between our model and a similar model by Schalko et al. (2018, https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)hy.1943‐7900.0001501) and suggest that the effect of log orientation can be included in our model by varying the drag coefficient in addition to the frontal area perpendicular to the flow. Key Points: Response to Comment by Poppema and Wüthrich (2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl106348), which re‐writes backwater rise equations in Follett et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) using Froude numberFollett et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) does not require river slope & roughness, as implied in Comment. We show use of Froude number with main text equationsA series of jams can generate a progressive increase in water depth, allowing for water storage during low flows below a critical discharge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follett et al. (2020a, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) developed an analytical model to predict backwater rise by log jams, using the size and packing density of logs and the jam length, as well as river slope and bed roughness. We show that the model formulas can be rewritten using the Froude number instead of river slope and roughness, thus improving their applicability in engineering practice. The equation terms and results of Follett et al. (2020a, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) are found to be similar to those of the empirically derived formula by Schalko et al. (2018, https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)hy.1943‐7900.0001501). However, some differences are identified, calling for further study. Most notably, these distinctions pertain to the effect of accumulation porosity, with additional minor differences in the exponent of the Froude number. Lastly, model implications for some broader applications are explored, showing a methodology to calculate the representative log size for log mixtures, and the expected effect of log orientation on backwater rise. Plain Language Summary: Accumulations of wood in rivers (log jams) can block the flow and thereby cause water level rise. Follett et al. (2020a, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) developed a theoretical model to predict how this water level rise depends on log jam properties and local river conditions. For the local river conditions, they used the river slope and bottom roughness. In this comment, we show that the Froude number can be used instead, with exactly the same result. The Froude number is a dimensionless number that depends directly on the local river conditions, making the adapted formula easier to apply in practice. The resulting formula shows good agreement with an earlier one based on experimental work by Schalko et al. (2018, https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)hy.1943‐7900.0001501). Still, some differences were found that raise questions. Most notably, the formulas differ for the effect of accumulation porosity. This becomes especially clear when logs are packed closely together. Next, model implications for slightly different settings than those studied by Follett et al. (2020a, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) were explored. This showed how to determine the average log size for a mixture of logs with different sizes, and how the expected water level rise changes with log orientation. Key Points: Follett et al. (2020a, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl089346) predicted backwater rise by log jams using river slope and roughness. We show the Froude number can be used insteadBy using the Froude number, the link to the local river conditions becomes stronger, improving formula applicability in engineering practiceThe resulting formula is shown to be similar to earlier empirical work. But differences in jam porosity effects call for further study [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]