Development of poly(lactic acid) films with propolis as a source of active compounds: biodegradability, physical, and functional properties

Active films (AFs) using poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a polymeric matrix containing various propolis concentrations (5, 8.5, and 13%) as the active agent (AA) were developed using a casting method. The purpose was to determine the effects of the incorporation of AA on the physical properties of the films and to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Tensile strength and elastic modulus of the AFs decreased relative to the control (PLA without AA). Introducing the active substances from propolis into the PLA also affected its thermal properties (glass transition). Adding AAs to the polymer generated more opacity with a green-yellowish color compared to the control. In addition, AFs exhibited reduced water vapor permeability as the AA concentration increased. Biodegradation assay showed that the AFs degraded faster than the control. AFs exhibited antioxidant activity, which was measured as the ability to scavenge free radicals (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)), due to the presence of bioactive compounds (phenolics). Antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli and showed a reduction over 4-log cycles. Therefore, incorporation of propolis is a useful strategy for the development of active packaging with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which increase the shelf life of food products. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47090.Direccion de Investigacion of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso [DI-037-362-14]University of Santiago de Chile [1555-Vridei O81771GL_CONT

Spatial variability of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehydeand residential exposure of children in the industrial area of Viadana, Northern Italy

Chipboard production is a source of ambient air pollution. We assessed the spatial variability of outdoor pollutants and residentialexposure of children living in proximity to the largest chipboard industry in Italy and evaluated the reliability of exposureestimates obtained from a number of available models. We obtained passive sampling data on NO2and formaldehyde collectedby the Environmental Protection Agency of Lombardy region at 25 sites in the municipality of Viadana during 10 weeks (2017-2018) and compared NO2measurements with average weekly concentrations from continuous monitors. We compared interpo-lated NO2and formaldehyde surfaces with previous maps for 2010. We assessed the relationship between residential proximity tothe industry and pollutant exposures assigned using these maps, as well as other available countrywide/continental models basedon routine data on NO2, PM10, andPM2.5. The correlation between NO2concentrations from continuous and passive samplingwas high (Pearson'sr= 0.89), although passive sampling underestimated NO2especially during winter. For both 2010 and 2017-2018, we observed higher NO2and formaldehyde concentrations in the south of Viadana, with hot-spots in proximity to theindustry. PM10and PM2.5exposures were higher for children at 3.5 km to theindustry, whereas NO2exposure was higher at 1-1.7 km to the industry. Road and population densities were also higher close tothe industry. Findings from a variety of exposure models suggest that children living in proximity to the chipboard industry inViadana are more exposed to air pollution and that exposure gradients are relatively stable over time

Relative water content in two grass cultivars in crop-livestock system in the State of Tocantins, Brazil.

In this presentation, we report the results of two grasses on Integrated Crop-Livestock System in the Tocantins Cerrado

Innovative approach to address challenges and opportunities to conservation agriculture adoption in Brazilian agricultural frontier.

Brazilian agriculture is facing another expansion cycle to the Cerrado region, more specific in the Northeast. The first agriculture expansion cycle to the Midwest was in seventies encouraged and developed by Brazilian Government with farmers from southern and southeast Brazil, which were traditional small farmers with some experience, low budget and a remarkable determination. All of these efforts after 20 years resulted in an outstanding development of a part of the country with economy based on agribusiness (soybean, corn, cotton, livestock, poultry, swine, etc.). In late nineties, another cycle initiated in the Cerrado Northeastern region known as MATOPIBA (acronyms of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia states). Bahia and Maranhão were more pronounced and became very strong over time. Recently, basically in the last 5 years Tocantins and Piauí states started to increase agricultural production in high rates, reaching in Tocantins state a 30% increase of crop area per year and 34 % increase of total grain production per year and soybean is the major crop. Most of technologies developed in other Cerrado regions are not well adapted to MATOPIBA and a technology transfer is necessary to address conservation agriculture principles to farmers, agronomists, consultants and extension agents

The risk analysis use supporting decision-making process on crop-livestock systems in Tocantins State, Brazil.

Decision-making about which crops will compose the crop-livestock system is an extremely important process for success integrated production. This case study aims to present the Monte Carlo (Boyle, 1977) risk analysis as a tool to support this process

Estruturação do processo de gestão de parcerias de inovação na Embrapa Semiárido.

Com base nas experiências de Unidades da Embrapa credenciadas junto a Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial (EMBRAPII) e as Normas ABNT ISO 56002 (ABNT, 2020) e ABNT NBR ISO 56003 foi estruturado um framework com objetivo de prover melhorias no processo de gestão de parcerias de inovação na Embrapa Semiárido. Dentre os processos necessários objetivou-se a etapa de prospecção estruturada em etapas prévias e promotoras de prospecção. A prospecção envolve a busca ativa por parceiros em diferentes setores, utilizando diferentes canais de comunicação, como plataformas online, eventos da indústria e redes de relacionamento. O framework estruturado neste trabalho é uma base útil e aplicável a diferentes unidades e pode ser a estrutura inicial da implementação de prospecção de parcerias a ser adotado em unidades cujo processo não exista ou seja imaturo. A análise dos resultados obtidos identificou que a maioria das unidades participantes da aplicação da pesquisa não possuem processos struturados com foco nas etapas de prospecção de parcerias. É possível a partir da observação de processos mais amadurecidos em algumas unidades promover o compartilhamento de experiências exitosas visando a promoção de processos que possam contribuir para a efetividade dessa atividade em unidades onde o processo ainda esteja incipiente, situação que foi validada no presente trabalho. Com base nas discussões oriundas da fase de validação concluiu-se também que, considerando a diversidade da empresa, regiões e cultura, diferentes cadeias produtivas atendidas, a estruturação de processos nas unidades descentralizadas é fundamental, o que inviabiliza um processo único gerido no âmbito central da empresa. Para assegurar que a empresa consiga atingir seus objetivos em atendimento a sua missão e ao PDE, norteador do planejamento estratégico da Embrapa, as singularidades administrativas nas 43 unidades é fator que precisa ser considerado e deve ser entendido como riqueza e crucial para aplicabilidade de processos. Ao serem consideradas as particularidades de cada Unidade, os processos de gestão de parcerias apresentam maior chance de êxito e adesão

Thermal comfort in the building environment: a case study at an open-plan office

Este artigo traz uma avaliação de conforto térmico de um escritório coletivo open-plan, que opera com ventilação natural e artificial. O objetivo é caracterizar as variáveis pessoais, ambientais e coletar votos de sensação e preferência térmica dos usuários durante o período de trabalho, através da aplicação de questionários de satisfação. Foi realizada uma análise através de dois métodos de avaliação de conforto térmico: o primeiro modelo é aqui chamado de Modelo Estático, aonde são calculados os índices de Voto Médio Predito (PMV) e Porcentagem de Pessoas Insatisfeitas (PPD). O segundo modelo, conhecido por Modelo Adaptativo, relaciona temperatura operativa interna (faixas aceitáveis) e temperaturas do ar externo. Concluiu-se que ambos os métodos resultaram em boa representatividade do ambiente térmico, e que os resultados obtidos se assimilam aos votos subjetivos de sensação térmica dos ocupantes. Foi verificado que os ocupantes se adaptaram às mudanças climáticas e estavam confortáveis no ambiente térmico.This paper presents a thermal comfort evaluation conditions in an open-plan collective office operating through natural ventilation and eventually by the air conditioning system. The aim is to characterize personal and environmental variables thus collect occupants’ perception votes about thermal sensation over working time through satisfaction questionnaires. We carried an analysis out by two models of comfort. The first model, the Static Model, takes two indices: Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD). The second model, known as the Adaptive Model, tests thermal acceptability by environmental variables such as Operative Temperature and Mean Outdoor Air Temperature. We concluded it that both methods accurately represented the thermal environment, and the results got are similar the occupants’ thermal sensation votes. The occupants have adapted to climate change, and they were comfortable in the thermal environment

"Clone Wars": Episode II - The Next Generation: The Copyright Implications relating to 3D Printing and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Files

The future market potential of 3D printing will rest on the dissemination of Computer Aided Design (CAD) files. Without clear instructions from a CAD file, a 3D printer will not function. In fact, “a 3D printer without an attached computer and a good design file is as useless as an iPod without music”. The importance of CAD-based design files, therefore, cannot be underestimated. Drawing on UK and EU copyright laws and their application to 3D printing and CAD files, this paper will, first, question whether CAD files can be protected by copyright law before considering the copyright implications thrown up by the modification of CAD files as a result of scanning and the use of online tools. Highlighting some of the challenges for rights holders and users existent in the present law the paper advocates new business models over a premature call for stringent intellectual property laws before concluding with some recommendations for the future

Visual comfort assessment in an open plan office environment: a case study

O presente trabalho tange sobre um estudo de caso, que avalia as condições de conforto visual de um ambiente de escritório da Fundação de ensino e Engenharia de Santa Catariana (FEESC), locada na Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) no campus Trindade, em Florianópolis-SC. Foram realizadas simulações computacionais de iluminâncias e índices de luminância coletados in-loco e aplicação de questionário aos usuários do espaço, a fim de discutir o conforto visual desde a sua escala física, fisiológica até psicossocial, com ênfase na apresentação dos procedimentos utilizados nos levantamentos e nos parâmetros aplicados para a avaliação do ambiente luminoso. Foi possível perceber que no geral as condições de conforto visual são adequadas aos usuários, por meio do questionário aplicado, porém, em relação a norma NBR ISO/CIE 8995-1, alguns índices não satisfazem o recomendado, isso ocorre, graças as condições climáticas do dia, e horário analisado, limitações identificadas no estudo.This paper presents a case study, which evaluates the visual comfort conditions of an office environment of the Santa Catarina Teaching and Engineering Foundation (FEESC), at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) on the Trindade campus, in Florianópolis-SC. By running computer simulations of illuminances collected in-place, luminance indices, and an application of a questionnaire to space's users, to discuss visual comfort from its physical, physiological and psychosocial scale. We are emphasizing the procedures used in the surveys, and the parameters applied for the evaluation of the luminous environment. Through the questionnaire applied we concluded that, in general, the visual comfort conditions are satisfactory for users. However, according to the NBR ISO/CIE 8995-1 standard, some indices do not reach the recommendation. This occurs due to the climatic daily conditions, and the analyzed period, besides other limitations identified in this study