Quality of eucalyptus wood chips for bioenergy as a function of drying time and horizontal chipper settings.

The increase in the use of energy from forest biomass has increased the demand for knowledge about tree-chipping operations. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different drying times of wood logs and various combinations of knife and anvil configurations in the horizontal chipper on the quality of chips produced for energy purposes. The study was conducted in a seven-year-old stand of .

Performance of eucalypt particleboard with the addition of farm waste.

Wood residues, as well as those from poultry farming, are generally disposed of irregularly, which causes damage to the environment, and thus poses a great challenge in terms of their use, a possible alternative is the manufacture of particleboards. For this, the following mechanical properties of the panels were evaluated: static bending (elasticity - MOE and rupture - MOR), internal bond strength (IB), Janka hardness (DJ), screw withdrawal resistance (SW), thickness swelling (TS), water absorption (WA), moisture, apparent density (DA) and density profile, in addition to morphological characterization by scanning electron microscope image. With the results obtained, it was possible to observe that the amount of residue influenced the density of the panel.

Allocation of water reservoirs to fight forest fires according to the risk of occurrence.

Although forest fires are indispensable for some ecosystems, they can have profound economic, environmental, and social implications, especially when they reach high intensities. There are two crucial factors in fighting forest fires: the availability of water resources and the service network. The objective of this study was to propose an alternative methodology for allocating water reservoirs to fight forest fires.

Predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics of dental services utilization among socially deprived schoolchildren.

Objectives: To test the relationship of predisposing, enabling and need characteristics with dental services utilization and pattern of dental attendance among 12-year-old schoolchildren living in a socially deprived urban area.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 358 children enrolled in public schools located in a deprived area of the city of Manaus, Brazil. Predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics were selected according to Andersen's behavioral conceptual model.

Assessment of on-road emissions of four Euro V diesel and CNG waste collection trucks for supporting air-quality improvement initiatives in the city of Milan.

This paper summarizes the results of an extensive experimental study aiming to evaluate the performance and pollutant emissions of diesel and CNG waste collection trucks under realistic and controlled operating conditions in order to support a fleet renewal initiative in the city of Milan. Four vehicles (1 diesel and 3 CNG) were tested in two phases using a portable emission measurement system. The first phase included real world operation in the city of Milan while the second involved controlled conditions in a closed track.