The aim of this study was to model the individual height and volume of eucalyptus wood in two integrated crop-livestock-forest systems (ICLF1 and ICLF2) in Campo Grande, a city in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Classic nonlinear growth models were adjusted for height (Logistic, Gompertz, Richards, Weibull, Van Bertalanffy, Brody, Mitscherlich, and Chapman and Richards) and volume (Shumacher-hall nonlinear, Takata, Honner, Logistic, Gompertz, and Weibull) in two structural arrangements: ICLF1, with a spacing of 14 x 2 m and density of 357 trees ha-1, and ICLF2, with a spacing of 22 x 2 m and density of 227 trees ha-1. Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) measurements were performed in 100% of trees, with measurements of the total height of some individuals and a rigorous scaling procedure in diameter classes. According to the calculated value of Student's t-test, there was no significant evidence that DBH and the average height of the trees were different between ICLF1 and ICLF2. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the corrected Akaike information criterion (AICC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC), the Richards model was selected to estimate heights and the Takata model was selected to estimate the volume.

Brazilian nuts are native to the Amazon rainforest and are considered a non-timber forest-product of extreme economic importance to local populations. This study evaluated the lipid profile, bioactive compounds, and oxidative stability of semi-defatted Brazilian nut flour oil (BNSDFO) obtained using pressurized fluids (n-propane at 40 °C and 2, 4, and 8 MPa or a CO₂/n-propane mixture at 40 °C and 12 MPa). A Brazilian nut kernel oil (BNKO) processed by conventional cold pressing was also obtained. The BNKO showed a higher concentration of total phenolic compounds and saturated fatty acids, higher antioxidant activity, and the presence of gallic acid derivatives. The oils extracted using pressurized fluids showed a higher concentration of linoleic acid, β-sitosterol, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The utilization of pressurized n-propane resulted in higher yields (13.7 wt%), and at intermediate pressures (4 MPa), the product showed myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside and higher oxidative stability (OSI, 12 h) than at lower pressures (2 MPa). The CO₂/n-propane mixture of pressurized solvents resulted in higher concentrations of squalene (4.5 times), the presence of different phenolic compounds, and a high OSI (12 h) but lower yield (2.2 wt%). In conclusion, oils with better fatty acid profiles (oleic e linoleic acids), phytosterol composition, and suitable radical scavenging activity may be obtained using pressurized fluids and Brazilian nut flour, a byproduct of oil extraction. The mixture of solvents may improve the concentration of squalene, whereas using only n-propane may increase oil yield.

Fungi (Neolentinus lepideus, Nl, and Trametes versicolor, Tv) impart wood rot, leading to economic and environmental issues. To overcome this issue, toxic chemicals are commonly employed for wood preservation, impacting the environment and human health. Surface coatings based on antimicrobial chitosan (CS) of high molar mass (145 × 10⁵ Da) were tested as wood preservation agents using an innovative strategy involving ultra-pressurizing CS solutions to deposit organic coatings on wood samples. Before coating deposition, the antifungal activity of CS in diluted acetic acid (AcOOH) solutions was evaluated against the rot fungi models Neolentinus lepideus (Nl) and Trametes versicolor (Tv). CS effectively inhibited fungal growth, particularly in solutions with concentrations equal to or higher than 0.125 mg/mL. Wood samples (Eucalyptus sp. and Pinus sp.) were then coated with CS under ultra-pressurization at 70 bar. The polymeric coating deposition on wood was confirmed through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and water contact angle measurements. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of the uncoated and coated samples suggested that CS does not penetrate the bulk of the wood samples due to its high molar mass but penetrates in the surface pores, leading to its impregnation in wood samples. Coated and uncoated wood samples were exposed to fungi (Tv and Nl) for 12 weeks. In vivo testing revealed that Tv and Nl fungi did not grow on wood samples coated with CS, whereas the fungi proliferated on uncoated samples. CS of high molar mass has film-forming properties, leading to a thin hydrophobic film on the wood surface (water contact angle of 118°). This effect is mainly attributed to the high molar mass of CS and the hydrogen bonding interactions established between CS chains and cellulose. This hydrophobic film prevents water interaction, resulting in a stable coating with insignificant leaching of CS after the stability test. The CS coating can offer a sustainable strategy to prevent wood degradation, overcoming the disadvantages of toxic chemicals often used as wood preservative agents.

The present study examined the impact of germination using Aloe vera as an elicitor on the phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and in vitro anti-hyperglycemic and antitumoral activity of fenugreek seed extracts germinated by pressurized n-propane. The lipid composition, free fatty acids, antioxidant activity, and phenolic content, as well as the contents of α-tocopherol, β-carotene, and minor compounds, have been determined for the extracts. The in vitro anti-hyperglycemic and anticancer activities were also evaluated in cervical cancer (HeLa) and colon cancer (SiHa) cell lines. Antioxidant activity increased two-fold, α-tocopherol increased almost three-fold, and β-carotene content was 55% higher in the germinated seed extracts compared to the raw. Fifteen polyphenolic compounds have been identified in fenugreek seed extracts, which promote germination by increasing high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids at the expense of reducing saturated fatty acids. Extracts obtained from seed germination and elicitation with Aloe vera demonstrated potential in vitro anticancer activity in HeLa and SiHa cells. Fenugreek extracts demonstrated high in vitro inhibition of α-glucosidase (99%) and α-amylase (95%), indicating anti-hyperglycemic potential. The use of Aloe vera germination, combined with extraction using pressurized n-propane, demonstrated efficiency in enriching fenugreek seed extracts with bioactive compounds with potential in vitro anti-hyperglycemic and antitumor activity.

We investigated antifungal properties of two kraft-pulping liquors as potential environmentally friendly wood preservatives targeting in deterioration by white rot (WRF) and brown rot fungi (BRF). The in vitro antifungal activity of crude black liquor (BL) and the product from a hydrothermal gasification (BLW_Supc) process were investigated. Both products showed high bioactivity, with BL completely inhibiting the activity of WRF and BRF; 80% was entirely suppressed at low BL concentrations (5–10% vol/vol). Using the BLW_Supc at 2.55% wt/wt, we achieved the same inhibitory effect as BL (15% vol/vol) for the two fungi. These antifungal effects can be explained by the composition of liquors that act as antioxidants, promoting enzymatic inactivation and inhibiting the growth of WRF and BRF. BLW_Supc exhibited radical quenching activity against DPPH of 43.9%, and the BL, a phenolic content about 20 times higher (23.635 mg/L) than BLW_Supc (2.093 mg/L), suggesting that antifungal activity of BL and BLW is related to their chemical composition. An opportunity demonstrated by this study is the reuse of BLW_Supc as a protective treatment within a sustainable chain.

Cellulose and lignin are biopolymers with significant potential for chemical synthesis and energy production; however, their heterogeneous composition presents challenges for their use as raw material sources. This study employed near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with partial least-squares regression (PLSR) to predict cellulose and lignin content in sapwood and heartwood of Eucalyptus urophylla and sapwood of Pinus taeda, all impregnated with black liquor under high pressure. Samples were analyzed across three longitudinal sections (top, middle, base), with no significant compositional variation detected. Near-infrared spectral data (1100–2500 nm) and pre-processed using the standard normal variate (SNV) method, yielded high predictive accuracy: R² values of 0.98–0.99 for cellulose and 0.94–0.96 for lignin, with root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.2–0.3 and 0.1, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 98% of sample variance, revealing clear distinctions between E. urophylla sapwood and heartwood. These findings confirm the efficacy of NIR-PLSR as a nondestructive, reliable alternative to conventional chemical analyses, with implications for improved quality control and decision-making in the wood treatment industry.