Reaction-based assays are commonly automated and miniaturized via flow analysis. However, aggressive reagents can affect or destroy even the chemically resistant manifold during long-term use. Using on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) can eliminate this drawback and allow for high reproducibility and further advanced automation, as presented in this work. Determination of creatinine in human urine, an important clinical marker, by sequential injection analysis was achieved using bead injection on-line SPE with specific UV spectrophotometric detection, providing the necessary sensitivity and selectivity of the method for bioanalysis. The automated SPE column packing and disposal, calibration, and fast measurement highlighted the improvements in our approach. Variable sample volumes and a single working standard solution eliminated matrix effects, broadened the calibration range, and accelerated the quantification.Our method comprised an injection of 20 μL of 100 × times diluted urine with aqueous acetic acid solution pH 2.4, sorption of creatinine in a strong cation exchanger SPE column, washing out urine matrix with 50% aqueous acetonitrile, and elution of creatinine with 1% ammonium hydroxide. The SPE step was accelerated by a single flush of the column when the eluent/matrix wash/sample/standard zones sequence was created in the pump holding coil, and then the sequence of the zones was flushed into the column at once. The whole process was continually spectrophotometrically detected at 235 nm, subtracted from the signal at 270 nm. A single run duration was less than 3.5 min. Method relative standard deviation was <5.0% (n = 6). A calibration range was linear within the range of 0.02–0.30 μg creatinine (R > 0.999), covering 1.0–15.0 mmol/L creatinine in urine. The standard addition method used two different volumes of a single working standard solution for quantification. Results proved the effectiveness of our improvements in the flow manifold, bead injection, and automated quantification. The accuracy of our method was comparable to the routine enzymatic assay of real urine samples in a clinical laboratory.

Abstract This study expands the spatial scope of the Subregional Timber Supply (SRTS) model to include states in the central hardwood region and examine critical market tipping points of high-grade (large diameter) white oak under a set of illustrative scheduled demand scenarios. In light of the growing concern for future white oak timber supply, we illustrate the sensitivity of future inventory tipping points to market structure and price responsiveness. Particularly, we examined the importance of market demand parameters, including growth rates for product demand and supply/demand elasticities, in influencing future inventory trajectories in different subregions over the projection horizon. Results of this study indicate that more elastic demand and more inelastic supply response concomitantly defers the time before inventory culminates. This modeling framework shows promise in examining key ecological, climatic, and economic interrelationships that will drive future resource changes.

A drive for low to net zero carbon structures has required a change of direction for Modern Construction Methods to lighter weight buildings, which need to be suitable for many uses over its lifecycle. Gym's present one of the more challenging uses within a building, especially when in close proximity to residents, which is a desirable aim for sustainable living close to facilities that are positive for health and wellbeing. A standardised approach has therefore been developed for assessing the suitability of buildings for Gym uses, bringing together the experience of those acoustic professionals working in this area in the UK. The results of this collaboration by a working group of the Association of Noise Consultants, with other professional bodies are discussed, with a working draft document now available ahead of its publication. A look at the approaches it contains include a standardised measurement approaches for heavy drops, a practical prediction method, advice for developers and Local Authorities, with insights of the thinking behind it. This paper shares the UK's approach to this challenge, which is an important future noise control solution for the sustainable future of multi-use buildings.

The article analyzed the impact of corporate governance on the value of Brazilian publicly held companies listed in the Brazilian Stock Exchange, aka B3, during the Covid-19 crisis, inferring the behavior of the stocks of companies listed in B3. In the study, windows were chosen to reflect the maximum fall of B3 index, “Ibovespa”, on March 3rd, 2020, and its recovery on June 1st, 2021, in order to contemplate the full effect of the impact of Covid-19 on main listed companies’ stocks in B3. In the fall window, corporate governance control worked for the return on the value of shares, because companies with greater governance had an abnormal return, higher than medium and low-governance companies, respectively. In the recovery window, companies with higher governance control had an abnormal return compared to medium and low-governance control companies. Thus, governance proved to be a risk control factor, even in a market stress event.

The city of São Paulo in Brazil represents the most important urban center in South America due to its geospatial, demographic, and economic characteristics. The present study aimed to investigate in what way the city of São Paulo considers e acts to issues related to urban sustainability. To this end, a bibliographic review about urban sustainability was first carried out. In a second step, through qualitative and exploratory research, in-depth interviews were conducted with people who represented the views of the public and private sector, the academy, and civil society dealing with sustainable projects in São Paulo. Among the main results, it was possible to conclude that, despite the small advances that the city has managed to make in recent years, it cannot yet be considered sustainable. For this scenario to be more positive in the future, it is essential that the municipality acts on three fronts: urban planning, reduction of social inequality, and environmental education.

This paper develops methodologies and identifies data gaps for understanding the impacts of hurricanes on forest product markets. Using the case of Hurricane Michael, we simulate damage to forest growing stock and forest area from alternative damage estimations (inventory and remote sensed). We then consider alternative scenarios for replanting, and the spatial distribution of salvage consumption. Beyond previous analyses we examine both short run and long run market outcomes resulting from the age demographics of standing timber post-hurricane. The simulation framework developed allows for the comparison of welfare and forest carbon consequences. Across scenarios the hurricane causes a welfare increase for pine sawtimber producers ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 times the no-hurricane baseline, and a loss for pine sawtimber consumers ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 times the baseline. Hardwood sawtimber producers gain by equivalent factors of 1.8, and consumers lose half. All scenarios gained forest carbon on the order of 1.2 times the pre-hurricane forest carbon, however, the no-hurricane case exhibited both higher carbon and carbon per unit area after a 40-year simulation.

A flow-based method for the spectrophotometric determination of chromium (VI) in recreational waters with different salinities was developed. Chromium can occur in the environment in different oxidation states with different related physiological properties. With regard to chromium, the speciation is particularly important, as the hexavalent chromium is considered to be carcinogenic. To achieve that purpose, the use of the diphenylcarbazide (DPC) selective colored reaction with the hexavalent chromium was the chosen strategy. The main objective was to develop a direct and simple spectrophotometric method that could cope with the analysis of different types of environmental waters, within different salinity ranges (fresh to marine waters). The potential interference of metal ions, that can usually be present in environmental waters, was assessed and no significant interferences were observed (<10%). For a complete Cr(VI) determination (three replicas) cycle, the corresponding reagents consumption was 75 µg of DPC, 9 mg of ethanol and 54 mg of sulfuric acid. Each cycle takes about 5 min, including the system clean-up. The limit of detection was 6.9 and 12.2 µg L−1 for waters with low and high salt content, respectively. The method was applied for the quantification of chromium (VI) in both fresh and marine water, and the results were in agreement with the reference procedure.

The work objective was an analysis for the petroleum prospectivity of a core from the Marcellus Formation of Western Pennsylvania, USA. In accordance with the investigation results, two sample groups were delineated based on TOC and S1free oil measurements of the analyzed core and the most prospective interval for further development was marked out. Core analysis on a Marcellus TST sequence overlain by undetermined sequence Marcellus core was done using pyrolysis and SEM XRF measurements together with GR (Gamma Ray), ChemoGR (calculated from Potassium, Thorium and Uranium), Porosity and PHIE (Effective Porosity) logging. Oil saturation was measured using both Classical Pyrolysis and HAWK-PAM methods. HAWK Petroleum Assessment MethodTM is advanced multiramp/multizone pyrolysis method that utilizes five zones using multiple ramp and isotherm routines assigned during a single sample analysis. A ramp rate of 25°C is utilized to generate five petroleum peaks – four on oil fractions and one on kerogen. The efficiency of the HAWK-PAM pyrolysis method is shown for determination of the sweet spot intervals that is particularly important for the development of hard-to-recover unconventional reservoirs like the Marcellus Formation in USA or the Bazhenov Formation in Russia.

ABSTRACT: An increase in 2,4-D use is expected as tolerant crops have been approved to use in Brazil, which may negatively affect important crops such as tobacco. Our objective was to determine safe distances between 2,4-D applications and tobacco fields considering herbicide contamination to the harvested product. A field experiment was conducted, consisting of a 2,4-D application done perpendicularly to the wind direction, using a tractor sprayer. Drifted herbicide was collected using tobacco plants placed at various points (-50 up to 400 meters from application zone), following three schemes: a) 0 to 0.5 hours after application (HAT); b) 0 to 24 HAT; and c) 0.5 to 24 HAT. Environmental conditions were recorded. Herbicide in tobacco leaves was quantified. Drift was detected up to 200 m in both years. Vapor movement of 2,4-D was detected up to 400 m from the application strip in 2016, on plants taken to the field after herbicide application. Environmental conditions in 2015 favored off-target movement (higher wind speed and air temperature and lower humidity); although, in 2016 the herbicide traveled further due to wet deposition. These results indicated that a 100-meter buffer zone is enough to significantly decrease chances of tobacco contamination above the tolerated threshold, and highlighted the importance of environmental conditions in the transport processes for 2,4-D under field conditions.

Cooperatives and MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) are some of the sectors that make a positive contribution to economic growth in Indonesia. The contribution obtained from the existence of MSMEs to GDP reaches 60% with the employment of 116.7 million people or 97.02% of the total workforce that is already working. Even though they have a big role, on the one hand, MSMEs have not been able to optimally manage their business, especially related to business management. The majority of MSME actors have not benefited from the use of digital technology because most MSME business actors have not fully understood the importance of using digital technology. The E-SMEs applications that will be developed for partners in this research are applications built using Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) technology. Java Enterprise Edition technology is a Java development for enterprise solutions, ranging from web-based applications using servlets and JSPs and android-based applications. The advantages of Java Enterprise Edition technology can create a reliable and portable application because Java can be implemented on various platforms and operating systems. In making this application using the Waterfall method which refers to the system development process model called the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This research method is a research and development method with the ADDIE approach. The developed e-SMEs application can later be used by Fiara Sulam to do online marketing and also digitally manage their finances.Keywords : E-SMEs MSMEs; Business Management