Wood is a porous three dimensional, hydroscopic, viscoelastic, anisotropic bio-polymer composite composed of an interconnecting matrix of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin with minor amounts of inorganic elements and organic extractives. Some, but not all, of the cell wall polymer hydroxyl groups are accessible to moisture and these accessible hydroxyls form hydrogen bonds with water. As the...

The objectives of this study were: (i) to compare five models (Wood, Cobby & Le Du, Wilmink, Cappio Borlino, Djikstra) for describing the lactation curve of Chios sheep, (ii) to identify variation in lactation parameters related to environmental factors (season) and animal factors (parity). A data base on 61,705 recordings of daily milk production obtained from an automatic milking system was u...

The variability of wood properties is an important issue in the utilisation of wood and fibre. Over recent decades there has been increased emphasis on intensively managed, short rotation, plantation forestry, that produces larger proportions of so-called juvenile or core wood. This situation seems to have been aggravated by the shift to establishing forests on high-fertility farm sites, and ea...

A simulation model of a log transport logistics network was developed. The model could be structured to either share truck capacity among a group of loggers, or to assign a fixed number of trucks to individual loggers. Another variation of the model allowed the use of a staging yard to set out loaded trailers and deliver them to destinations using dedicated shuttle trucks that operated continuo...

To evaluate the potential environmental and health implications of leaching of wood preservatives in service under different conditions, there is a need for a predictive model that provides estimates of the rate and extent of leaching over a wide range of exposure conditions. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that preservative component emissions can be modeled on the basis of three easily ...

The traditional approach to managing decaying wood for wildlife has been to list species associated with snags, down wood, and other wood decay elements, and then to provide the kinds, sizes, and amounts of wood decay elements presumed necessary to meet their needs. An expanded approach more consistent with the spirit of ecosystem management would also describe those species’ key ecological fun...

Background: Asthma is a chronic multifactorial disease with a high prevalence. Among asthma risk factors, the effect of baking in wood tenor ovens (traditional form of baking) on bronchial asthma is still debated. The aim of this study was to determine the association between baking in wood tenor ovens and incidence and control of bronchial asthma. Materials and Methods: This descriptive stu...

The challenge in numerical modeling of wood is to have the model closely match the structure of a real specimen. The model should account for heterogeneity, such as wood grain, growth rings, etc., and for anisotropy of each phase. In some problems, the model should also match realistic morphologies of specimens. This paper presents numerical results for transverse modulus and for transverse fra...

Wood abundance in streams is an indicator of its likely geomorphological and ecological importance. However, wood volume estimates can be highly variable, due in part to natural variability and the methodology used to characterize it. We measured wood volume in streams of similar sizes and riparian forest conditions using extended field surveys and simulation modelling. We surveyed a total of 3...