Effectiveness of cleaning during post harvest handling fresh market tomatoes

Orientador: Marcos David FerreiraDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia AgricolaResumo: A etapa de limpeza em uma linha de beneficiamento para tomate de mesa é importante, pois é responsável pela retirada de impurezas externas dos frutos, sem danificálos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia da limpeza e a qualidade dos frutos após serem submetidos a esse processo, alterando o tipo de cerdas e as rotações das escovas utilizadas, tendo como modelo referencial o tomate de mesa Débora. Os ensaios foram realizados em laboratório, na etapa de limpeza do protótipo UNIMAC1. Primeiramente, identificou-se entre as metodologias, análise com colorímetro e turbidímetro, a mais adequada para avaliar a eficácia de limpeza. Para isto utilizou-se esferas de borracha, de peso similar ao tomate, que foram sujas artificialmente e passaram pela limpeza no protótipo com cerdas de nylon e rotação de 100 rpm. Em uma segunda etapa, avaliou-se a eficácia de limpeza, utilizando as esferas de borracha, variando-se o tipo de cerda (nylon, sisal, Tereftalato de polietileno - PET e fibra de coco) e a rotação (40, 80, 120 e 160 rpm) das escovas. E por fim, realizou-se o estudo com o tomate de mesa, analisando a eficácia da limpeza e a qualidade dos frutos (perda de massa, atividade respiratória, concentração de etileno e aparência externa). Observou-se que a análise com o turbidímetro foi a mais precisa na avaliação da eficácia de limpeza. No ensaio com as esferas, o uso de cerdas mais flexíveis, nylon e sisal, que apresentam um índice de flexibilidade (Gc) de 68,34 e 70,27 N.m-1, respectivamente, combinadas a altas rotações tornaram o processo de limpeza mais eficaz. A cerda PET, que é mais rígida, Gc de 135,94 N.m-1, e a rotação de 40 rpm foram ineficientes, apresentando um índice de limpeza inferior a 50%. Para os frutos de tomate, o tratamento cerdas de nylon a 120 rpm foi o mais eficaz no processo de limpeza, com um índice de limpeza de 91%, já na rotação de 160 rpm o índice foi inferior (88%), uma vez que devido à alta velocidade das escovas os frutos pulavam e assim não eram envoltos pelas cerdas. Os menores índices de limpeza, 75,4 e 78,8% foram obtidos nos tratamentos com fibra de coco a 80 e a 120 rpm, respectivamente. De um modo geral, os frutos limpos apresentaram alta perda de massa, alta atividade respiratória e um maior incremento na concentração de etileno após o processo de limpeza. A limpeza dos frutos não foi perceptível na análise sensorial, todavia os tomates que passaram pela limpeza foram os mais aceitos no teste de intenção de compra. Assim concluiuse que a cerda de nylon, por ser mais flexível, quando combinada à rotação de 120 rpm, envolveu melhor os frutos, tornando a limpeza mais eficaz. Contudo, tal processo aumentou a perda de massa e a atividade respiratória logo após o tratamento. Por outro lado quando combinada à rotação de 160 rpm, apesar do processo ser mais ineficiente com relação à limpeza, ocorreu menores alterações de qualidade nos frutosAbstract: The cleaning step of a packing line for fresh tomatoes is very important, because it is responsible for removing surface residues of fruits without injuring. The main goal of this work was to evaluate cleaning efficiency and fruit quality submitted to different types of bristles and rotations, having as referential model the fresh market tomato Débora. The assays were carried out in a laboratory, in a cleaning step on a prototype developed and named UNIMAC1. First, an assay was carried out to identify the best method for evaluating cleaning efficiency: colorimeter or turbidimeter. Then, rubber spheres, with similar tomato weight, were artificially dirtied and submitted to the cleaning step on the prototype, with brushes of nylon bristles and rotation of 100 rpm. Afterwards, in a second process, the efficiency cleaning was evaluated and the rubber spheres were used again, changing the types of bristles (nylon, sisal fiber, PET and coconut fiber) as well as the rotation (40, 80, 120 and 160 rpm) of rotary brushes. The last phase, the studies were carried out with fresh tomatoes for evaluating cleaning efficiency and fruit quality (weight loss, respiratory rate, ethylene evolution and external appearance). Results showed that the turbidimeter method was the most accurate methodology for evaluating cleaning efficiency. On the trials where rubber spheres were used, the flexible bristles, nylon and sisal fiber, which demonstrated a flexible index (Gc) of 68.34 and 70.27 N.m-1, respectively, were more efficient at higher rotations. PET bristles, that are stiffer (Gc of 135.94 N.m-1) and at a rotation of 40 rpm, were inefficient, presenting a cleaning index lower than 50%. For the fresh tomatoes, a nylon brush at 120 rpm treatment was the most efficient cleaning process, showing a cleaning index of 91%. Nylon brushes at 160 rpm treatment showed the lowest cleaning index (88%). These results were probably associated to the fact that, at higher speeds, fruits tended to jump, causing a poor contact between bristles and fruits. The lowest cleaning index, 75.4 and 78.8%, were observed on coconut fiber at 80 and 120 rpm treatments, respectively. In general, cleaned fruits demonstrated high weight loss, high respiratory rate and more evolution of ethylene after cleaning process. Cleaning efficiency of fruits was not perceptible in sensory analysis; however tomatoes that were submitted to cleaning were more accepted by the buy intention test, being the clean fruits in coconut fiber at 80 rpm treatment preferred by buyers. In conclusion, as nylon bristles are more flexible, allowing a more intimate contact with fruits at 120 rpm, the cleaning process for these parameters is more efficient. However this treatment increased weight loss and respiratory rate after cleaning. On the other hand, nylon at 160 rpm treatment showed to be more inefficient in relation to cleaning, but showed fewer fruits alterationsMestradoTecnologia Pós-ColheitaMestre em Engenharia Agrícol

Digital Transformation in IT Consulting

Internship Report presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Knowledge Management and Business IntelligenceAs IT Consulting market revenue increases year after year, more and more digital transformation projects are being sold. Yet, the deep change IT consultants sell to their clients in this type of projects, which translates into the digitalisation of practices accompanied by a change in mentalities, is not usually the reality that we find in their same consultancy firms. For Creative Management, the company that hosted the internship, the problem recurs: there is a general desire of evolving into a digital company, with some disconnected digital tools already implemented but without planning or coordination. Literature shows that a Digital Transformations requires several premises to develop into a successful project such as the definition of a plan, the knowledge and support of leaders, investment, etc. My project, within the internship, aimed to address Digital Transformation at Creative Management by coordinating an internal digital strategy that materialized in new technological tools. The key takeaway is the fact that an IT Consulting firm is probably better prepared for this type of change than non-IT consultancies

Habitat’s de inovação na economia do conhecimento: identificando ações de sucesso

ABSTRACTThe first objective of this paper is to characterize the technology parks that are in operation in the Northeast region as a habitat for innovation that will generate new knowledge that could be transformed into new products and processes. The second objective is to identify the return or the degree of success achieved by the actions which are understood to be essential to economy knowledge development. The article is substantiated due to the utilization of case reports characterized by descriptive and exploratory research which was empirically illustrated from five case studies. The case studies were ones through which we could identify technology parks that have characteristics of a habitat for innovation aimed to spread a new entrepreneurial and innovative culture in the region as well as supports the creation of technology based enterprises through the acquisition of knowledge and technologies generated in the R&D internal and the inclusion of products, services, and marketing processes that contribute to the economic development of the region to which it is inserted

Carga de trabalho da equipe de enfermagem e segurança do paciente - estudo com método misto na abordagem ecológica restaurativa

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the potential association between nursing workload and patient safety in the medical and surgical inpatient units of a teaching hospital. METHOD: a mixed method strategy (sequential explanatory design). RESULTS: the initial quantitative stage of the study suggest that increases in the number of patients assigned to each nursing team lead to increased rates of bed-related falls, central line-associated bloodstream infections, nursing staff turnover, and absenteeism. During the subsequent qualitative stage of the research, the nursing team stressed medication administration, bed baths, and patient transport as the aspects of care that have the greatest impact on workload and pose the greatest hazards to patient, provider, and environment safety. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrated significant associations between nursing workload and patient safety. We observed that nursing staff with fewer patients presented best results of care-related and management-related patient safety indicators. In addition, the tenets of ecological and restorative thinking contributed to the understanding of some of the aspects in this intricate relationship from the standpoint of nursing providers. They also promoted a participatory approach in this study.El estudio tuvo por objetivo analizar la carga de trabajo de enfermería y su potencial relación con la seguridad del paciente en unidades de internación de las áreas clínica y quirúrgica de un hospital universitario. Se adoptó un método mixto de investigación con diseño secuencial explicativo. Los resultados de la etapa cuantitativa indican que el aumento del número de pacientes atribuidos al equipo de enfermería implica en elevación de las tasas de caída de cama, infección relacionada a catéter vascular central, turnover y absentismo. En la etapa cualitativa, el equipo de enfermería destacó los cuidados relacionados con la administración de medicación, baño de cama y transporte de pacientes como aquellos que más repercuten en la carga de trabajo y representan riesgos para la seguridad de los pacientes, de los profesionales y del ambiente. Los resultados mostraron asociaciones significativas entre la carga de trabajo y la seguridad del paciente. La mejor dotación de personal mostró mejores resultados para el manejo y para el cuidado del paciente. Los principios del pensamiento ecológico y restaurativo contribuyeron a la comprensión de algunos de los aspectos involucrados en esta intricada relación, a partir de las miradas de los profesionales, con un enfoque participativo.OBJETIVO: analisar a carga de trabalho da equipe de enfermagem e sua potencial relação com a segurança do paciente, em unidades de internação das áreas clínica e cirúrgica de um hospital universitário. MÉTODO: adotou-se um método misto de pesquisa com desenho sequencial explanatório. RESULTADOS: a etapa quantitativa inicial do estudo sugere que o aumento do número de pacientes designados para a equipe de enfermagem implica em aumento das taxas de queda do leito, infecções relacionadas ao cateter vascular central, rotatividade de profissionais e absenteísmo. Durante a etapa qualitativa subsequente, a equipe de enfermagem destacou os cuidados relacionados à administração de medicação, banho de leito e transporte de pacientes, como aqueles que mais repercutem na carga de trabalho e mais representam riscos para a segurança do paciente, dos profissionais e do ambiente. CONCLUSÕES: os achados deste estudo evidenciaram associações significativas entre carga de trabalho e a segurança dos pacientes. Observa-se que os quadros de pessoal com menos pacientes apresentaram os melhores indicadores de qualidade assistencial e gerencial de segurança do paciente. Além disso, os princípios do pensamento ecológico e restaurativo contribuíram para a compreensão de alguns dos aspectos envolvidos nessa intricada relação, a partir dos olhares dos próprios profissionais e também promoveram abordagem participativa para o estudo desse tema

Web survey system to discover the actual role of experience in learning in higher education: a case study

March 19 - 22, 2006, São Paulo, BRAZIL World Congress on Computer Science, Engineering and Technology EducationAdults students (AS) bring to Higher Education (HE) and to the learning process a wide range of life experiences. The use of these can assist academic learning and enable AS to become independent reflective learners. Research is urgent as more adults are returning to HE, because of the push policy for lifelong learning – at national government, European Commission (EC) and Bologna Process levels. The project PRILHE (Promoting Reflective Independent Learning in HE), funded by the EC Socrates- Grundtvig Programme, aims to identify the learning processes which enable AS in HE to become independent reflective learners and how best to support these processes. Within this research, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to determine how students organise their studies and to discover their learning experiences. This paper describes the design and development of the system for the web survey data collection, taking into account the characteristics of information systems quality models

Lifelong learning: case study of adult students in portuguese technological schools and higher education institutions

Paper to be presented in ESREA 2007 ADC Network Seminar - Changing Relationships between the State, Civil Society and the Citizen: Implications for adult education and adult learning, 14 -16 June 2007 - University of Minho - Campus de Gualtar, Braga (Portugal).Adult education, especially at the tertiary level, is significant when preparing citizens to work in today’s continuously evolving markets, a hallmark of the knowledge-based economies. This paper focuses on the identification of learning strategies used by Portuguese non-traditional adult students who embark on lifelong learning routes to obtain tertiary level education. The results of a case study undertaken within the project PRILHE (Promoting Reflective Independent Learning in HE) funded by the European Commission Socrates Adult Education Programme Socrates – (113869-CP-1-2004-1-UKGRUNDTVIG- G1) are presented and discussed. It seems that there is still a long way to go before non-traditional adult students can benefit from lifelong learning opportunities, at tertiary level in Portugal; nevertheless the study presents evidence of some “best practices” in TS which could be shared with HEI

Building a knowledge and learning society in Portugal - Adult students in technological schools and higher education institutions

Chapter in Merrill, Barbara (ed.) (2009) Learning to Change? The Role of Identity and Learning Careers in Adult Education. Hamburg: Peter Lang Publishers. URL: http://www.peterlang.com/ index.cfm?vID=58279&vLang=E&vHR=1&vUR=2&vUUR=1This chapter introduces a case study of adult students in Portugal. It was developed by the Portuguese partner of the PRILHE (Promoting Reflective Independent Learning in HE) project consortium. This was a project funded by the European Commission Socrates Adult Education Programme (113869-CP-1-2004-1-UK- GRUNDTVIG-G1PP). In Portugal, adults may choose Higher Education Institutions[1] (HEI) or Technological Schools (TS) to pursue their education. The case study shows that there are similarities and differences between students from TS and Universities, mostly related with the approaches students have to learning and the way teachers take into consideration these approaches. It seems that TS have “best practices” that could usefully be implemented by other institutions. The chapter is organised as follows: first, we contextualize LLL development as an element within the political objective of creation of a knowledge economy, especially in the context of the European Union's Lisbon Agenda, linking education with employment. The different access routes non-traditional adult students can take to access Universities in the Portuguese higher education (HE) system are then briefly described. The PRILHE project, its main objectives, the participant institutions in the consortium, and the methodology used to gather and analyse data are briefly explained. Finally, the results of the Portuguese case within this project are presented and discu

Efeito da suplementação de dietas com lípidos de origem marinha na composição em ácidos gordos da carne de borrego

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Zootécnica/Produção AnimalO interesse em estudar a composição em ácidos gordos (AG) da carne de ruminantes advém da necessidade de descobrir diferentes vias para produzir carne mais saudável, isto é, com um teor de ácidos gordos polinsaturados (PUFA) mais elevado comparativamente ao teor de ácidos gordos saturados (SFA) e um balanço mais favorável entre os PUFA ómega-6 e ómega-3. O estudo realizado examinou os efeitos de diferentes fontes de PUFA de cadeia muito longa (LCPUFA) ómega-3 na composição de AG do músculo e da gordura subcutânea (GSC) de borregos. Assim, os principais objetivos deste estudo foram verificar de que forma a suplementação da dieta de borregos com lípidos de origem marinha (óleo de peixe e microalgas) afetou a composição de AG do músculo de borregos através da comparação do teor e tipo de AG das frações lipídicas do músculo (lípidos neutros e polares) e da GSC de borregos e se os AG provenientes das algas e do óleo de peixe se depositaram em quantidades significativas na carne ou na GSC. O ensaio foi realizado no INIAV-Santarém, em que foram utilizados 36 borregos Merino Branco, divididos em 3 grupos de 12 animais cada. O ensaio foi realizado durante 6 semanas, após uma semana de adaptação em que a dieta foi introduzida progressivamente. Os três grupos experimentais foram sujeitos a diferentes dietas: controlo, óleo de peixe e algas. Em geral, houve uma redução do 18:0 e uma acumulação de 18:1trans nos tecidos dos animas suplementados com lípidos de origem marinha comparativamente ao controlo, o que sugere a inibição do último passo da bioidrogenação ruminal. A suplementação das dietas com óleo de peixe e algas conduziram a um aumento de LCPUFA n-3 e CLAc9t11 na carne e na gordura dos borregos. No entanto, os níveis mais elevados de CLAc9t11 foram verificados no tratamento com óleo de peixe, o que sugere uma menor atividade da enzima Delta9-dessaturase no tratamento com algas relativamente ao do óleo de peixe.ABSTRACT - The interest in study the fatty acid composition of ruminant meat comes from the need to find different ways to produce meat with a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to saturated fatty acids and a favorable balance between PUFA omega-6 and omega-3. This study examined the effects of different marine sources in the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat and muscle of lambs. Thus, the aims of this study was verify if the dietary supplementation of lipids from marine sources (fish oil and microalgae) had an effect on the fatty acid composition of lambs muscle and compare the content and type of fatty acids in lipid muscle fractions (neutral and polar lipids) and subcutaneous fat, and also understand if fatty acids from algae and fish oil were deposited in significant quantities in these tissues. The experiment was conducted at INIAV-Santarem, where 36 Merino Branco lambs were divided into 3 groups of 12 animals each. The experiment was conducted over 6 weeks after one week of adaptation to the diet. The three groups were subjected to different diets: control, fish oil and algae. Overall, there was a reduction of 18:0 and an accumulation of 18:1trans in the tissues of animals supplemented with marine lipids compared to control, suggesting an inhibition of the last biohydrogenation step. Supplementation of diets with fish oil and algae led to an increase of n-3 LCPUFA and CLAc9t11 in meat and subcutaneous fat of lambs. However, the highest levels of CLAc9t11 were observed with the fish oil treatment suggesting a reduced Delta9-dessaturase enzyme activity on animals fed algae compared to those fed fish oil