Modelling the kinetics of thermal inactivation of apple polyphenoloxidase

The enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables caused by mechanical injury during postharvest storage or processing is initiated by the catalytic action of polyphenoloxidase (PPO). A bleaching treatment prior to processing is still considered mostly effective in inhibiting the catalytic activity of PPO, and thus controlling undesirable enzymatic browning. In this work, different mathematical routines were assessed in terms of their adequacy to describe the thermal inactivation of PPO from Golden apples over a range of temperatures from 62.5 to 72.5 ºC. The classical approach to kinetic modelling of the decay activity of apple PPO, commonly reported to follow a first-order model, employs a two-step procedure, in which the model parameters are individually obtained, by each temperature studied, using non-linear or linear regressions. Thereafter, the estimated parameters are further used to calculate their temperature dependence. Alternatively, a one-step method provides a regression fit to all experimental data sets, with the temperature dependence equation being directly built in the kinetic model. This fitting technique thus, (a) avoids the estimation of intermediate parameters and, (b) substantially increases the degrees of freedom and hence the precision of parameters’ estimates. Within this issue was further explored the logarithmic transformation of the mathematical equations used on the adequacy of the model to describe experimental data. In all cases non-weighted least-squares regression procedures were used. Both the examination and criticism of the current modelling strategies were done by assessing statistical data obtained, such as the confidence intervals of the estimates, correlation coefficients, sum of squares, and residuals normality

The Challenges of Strategic Human Resources Management in Southeast Asian Universities

Nowadays the Higher Education Institutions face major challenges in its development. Demanding from different actors and the orientation of the research, more oriented to innovation and value creation, request news capacities to answer to that. Southeast Asia shows a strong economic growth with a large increase in GDP and a growing improvement in the position of The Human Development Index promoted by United Nations. This reality creates a different pressure on the higher education institutions in southeast Asia that requires a change in the universities, in the way they implement the mission and in the requested capacities, specially the human resources capacities. In this way, a new paradigm and model of human resources management for southeast higher education institutions need be developed to create the conditions to answer to this new reality, where the main analysis variables will be talent, performance, motivation and retention, coaching, cross cultural, integrity and permanent adaptability and flexibility. The main objective of this communication is to reflect and contextualize in terms of theoretical models where we find the assumptions for the implementation of strategic human resources management for southeast Asian universities. What kind of profile is request for the staff in this new reality? What we need to change in human resources management? How can this change be implemented? What HRM tools are most relevant to this reality? These are the main issues on which we will reflect with a critical thinking approach in order to present a set of clues to southeast Asian universities according to our analysis and interpretation, as Portuguese and European

Resultados de pesquisa da Embrapa Soja - 2003: ecofisiologia, biologia molecular e nematóides.

Zoneamento agrícola do Brasil - análise de riscos climáticos e atualização; Projeto componente 2: desenvolvimento de metodologias para análises de riscos climáticos; Projeto componente 3: aprimoramento dos estudos para redução dos riscos climáticos às culturas de grãos; Desenvolvimento de cultivares de soja adaptadas às várias regiões ecológicas e aos vários sistemas de produção; Expressão gênica diferencial em raízes de soja [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] submetidas a infecção com o nematóide Meloidogyne javanica; Controle de nematóides fitoparasitas associados à cultura da soja; Biologia e controle do nematóide de cisto da soja (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) (06.04.02.333.01); Controle dos nematóides parasitas da soja através do manejo da cultura e do solo (06.04.02.333.02); Identificação e controle de nematóides formadores de galhas em soja (06.04.02.333.03).bitstream/item/64890/1/Documentos-246.pd

Resultados de pesquisa da Embrapa Soja - 2003: trigo.

Melhoramento genético de trigo para competitividade do agronegócio brasileiro; Desenvolvimento de linhagens e de cultivares de trigo de ciclo precoce e médio, das classes Pão e Melhorador, adaptadas à região centro-sul (Subtropical) (PR, SP e MS) (02.02.2.10.00.03); Avaliação (VCU) e caracterização (DHE) de linhagens e de cultivares de trigo, das classes Pão e Melhorador, adaptadas à região centro-sul (Subtropical) (PR, SP e MS) (02.02.2.10.00.04).bitstream/item/80258/1/Resultados-de-pesquisa-da-Embrapa-Soja-2003-trigo.pd

Resultados de pesquisa da Embrapa Soja - 2003: solos.

Fertilidade do solo e nutrição mineral da soja para sistemas sustentáveis de produção em semeadura direta e convencional; Potássio no solo e nutrição mineral na sucessão soja-trigo, em sistema de semeadura direta (04.2000.326.01); Produtividade e análise de alternativas para a nutrição da soja em Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico sob semeadura direta (04.2000.326.02); Adubação e nutrição da soja em solos tropicais de baixa latitude, em semeadura direta e convencional (04.2000.326.03); Adubação da soja com macro e micronutrientes e manejo da fertilidade do solo em rotação de culturas em solos do Brasil (04.2000.326.04); Estudo da disponibilidade de enxofre para a cultura da soja em solos do Brasil (04.2000.326.05).bitstream/item/80259/1/Resultados-de-pesquisa-da-Embrapa-Soja-2003-solos.pd

Resultados de pesquisa da Embrapa Soja - 2003: manejo de solos, plantas daninhas e agricultura de precisão.

Manejo do solo e de espécies vegetais em sistemas de produção com a soja; Avaliação de sistemas de preparo do solo e manejo do plantio direto envolvendo sucessão e rotação de culturas (04.2000.328-02 e 02.02.519-02); Manejo dos resíduos da colheita condicionado por sistemas de preparo do solo (04.2000.328-05); Aprimoramento da tecnologia de manejo do solo para a melhoria da preservação ambiental e aumento da competitividade agrícola no Planalto Meridional do Estado do Paraná; Caracterização das frações orgânicas de resíduos vegetais e da matéria orgânica do solo; Avaliação de populações de minhocas (Annelida: Oligochaeta) em sistemas agrícolas e naturais, e seu potencial como bioindicadores ambientais; Avaliação das populações e de minhocas como bioindicadores ambientais no Norte e Leste do Estado do Paraná (03.02.5.14.00.02 e 03.02.5.14.00.03); Capacitação e cursos de ecologia e taxonomia de minhocas (03.02.5.14.00.06); Biologia e controle de plantas daninhas na cultura da soja; Dinâmica do estabelecimento de plantas daninhas (04.2000.324.02); Estudo e implementação da agricultura de precisão, em sistemas de produção de soja, em áreas de semeadura direta, nas regiões central e sul do Brasil; Estudo da variabilidade espacial de fatores determinantes do rendimento das culturas, em sistemas de produção com soja: plantas daninhas (12.2001.100-02).bitstream/item/67815/1/Documentos-253.pd

Resultados de pesquisa da Embrapa Soja - 2003: sementes e transferência de tecnologias.

Tecnologia para a melhoria da qualidade de sementes de soja; Aperfeiçoamento e utilização de métodos para a melhoria da qualidade da semente de soja (04.2000.327-01); Estudo das técnicas de produção de sementes de soja (04.2000.327-03); Peletização de sementes de soja (04.2000.327-04); Transferência de tecnologias; Difusão de cultivares de soja para os Estados do Paraná, de São Paulo, de Santa Catarina e Mato Grosso do Sul (04.02.616.00-02); Difusão de cultivares de trigo para os Estados do Paraná, São Paulo, Santa Catarina e Mato Grosso do Sul (04.02.616.00-03); Estudos dos componentes químicos do grão de soja e de suas relações com a nutrição e saúde humana; Estudos sobre a variabilidade genética e ambiental das características químicas e tecnológicas de cultivares de soja (06.04.01.337-01); Transferência de tecnologias para a utilização adequada da soja na alimentação humana (06.04.01.337-03).bitstream/item/64888/1/Documentos-244.pd

Food Waste in Public Food Service Sector-Surplus and Leftovers

Food waste occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, starting from the production stage on farms to processing, distribution, and consumption. It is an important global problem that has social, environmental, ethical, and economic costs. The present work aims to discuss the differences in waste generated from surpluses or leftovers, the monitoring systems of food waste in public food services, and the good practices to reduce food waste. Besides the accessible knowledge about reducing waste, tonnes of food were daily discarded and wasted. To achieve a sustainable food system, food waste must be reduced significantly. Collaborative efforts are necessary to achieve significant reductions in food waste for achieving SDG 12.3 in public food services. Thus, policies that support or enforce larger implementation of best practices are needed. Knowledge about food waste is important to change attitudes and behaviors toward surplus food and leftovers. Some best practices can include promoting awareness campaigns to educate staff about the impact of food waste and the best practices to reduce it, including information on proper storage, portion control, and meal planning; implementing inventory management systems; donating surplus food via collaboration with food banks and charities; optimizing portion sizes, ensuring they are adequate and manageable for customers, reducing the likelihood of leftover food on the plate; allowing customers to order smaller quantities or share a meal; providing packaging to allow customers take their leftovers home for later consumption. The procedures to be adopted by public food services should provide guidance for the selection of products that can be donated. However, specific temperature requirements depending on the food category should be complied with. This paper enlarges the understanding of surpluses and leftovers and the best practices that could be implemented in public food services to minimize food waste.The participation of CG is supported by FCT/UIDB/04033/2020. The participation of FN is supported by FCT UIDB/00616/2020 and UIDP/00616/2020. The participation of SS and CS were supported by the projects UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). CG, FN and CS would like to thank to project I & D AgriFood XXI, operation NORTE-01-0145-FEDER43 000041, co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through NORTE 2020 (Programa Operacional Regional do Norte 2014/2020)

New insights into the role of tissue eosinophils in the progression of colorectal cancer: A literature review

Introduction: Amongst the inflammatory cells implicated in the immune surveillance of colorectal cancer, a growing body of evidence suggests a role for eosinophils in carcinogenesis. We aimed to review the value of tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) in the prognosis of colorectal cancer emphasizing the identification and measurement of tissue-infiltrating eosinophils and their association with the clinicopathological features of the disease. Material and Methods: We used PubMed and Web of Science search engines to retrieve studies that looked at the association between tissue eosinophils and colorectal cancer prognosis. Results: We selected 15 studies for our review. In the majority of the studies, eosinophils were identified in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections and scores were generated for analysis. Most of the studies pointed to tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia as a favourable prognostic marker in colorectal cancer and found an inverse association between eosinophil count and the metastatic potential of these neoplasms. The association between tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia and established prognostic markers of colorectal cancer was assessed in some studies, with inconsistent results. Additionally, tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia decreased with the adenoma-carcinoma progression of colorectal lesions. Discussion: Several mechanisms have been proposed regarding eosinophil chemoatraction to tumour tissues and eosinophil-cancer cell cross-talk, suggesting that eosinophils are actively involved in colorectal cancer progression. Although a scoring system is still lacking, tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia meets the criteria of a convenient histopathological prognosticator in colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Collectively, current evidence associates the presence of eosinophils in the colorectal cancer microenvironment with the modulation of tumour progression. The clinical impact of this finding deserves future research