Waste identification diagrams

CLME'2011 / IIICEM – 6º Congresso Luso-Moçambicano de Engenharia - 3º Congresso de Engenharia de Moçambique Maputo, 29Ago - 2Set 2011 - Edições INEGI 2011, (ISBN: 978-972-8826-24-6), Ref: CLME’2011_0912AThe most popular and perhaps the most effective way to represent the material flow in production units is the diagram known as Value Stream Map (VSM). Moreover these maps are also used to help in the identification of waste as well as a tool to support continuous improvement. Nevertheless, many of VSM limitations are known and thus there is room for the creation of other more effective ways to represent productive units as well as helping the identification of production waste. This paper presents a new graphic representation model for production units, as a tool to identify three forms of waste, designated as Waste Identification Diagram (WID), which aims to provide information to top managers in a much more effective format. The WID is a network of blocks and arrows, showing visually the throughput times, idle capacity, transport effort, changeover times and work-in-process levels. To illustrate the main features of this new tool, the paper includes a WID of a real production unity

Rooted in the Mangrove Landscape: Children and their Ethnoichthyological Knowledge as Sentinels for Biodiversity Loss in Northern Guinea-Bissau

Biomonitoring fish species losses in data-deficient estuaries of West Africa can be facilitated by consulting small-scale fishermen as on-the-spot sentinels. Children are often prominent fishing actors in rural societies, but scientific studies looking at their ethnoichthyological knowledge are lacking. This study examines childhood fish knowledge inside a Diola village in Northern Guinea-Bissau, discussing how gendered division of labor affects the distribution of such knowledge. By using a photo-based identification methodology supplemented with participant observation and key informant interviews, we compare differences in children’s knowledge, perceptions of their mangrove environment, and associated fish diversity. The results show: a) a high level of ethnoichthyological knowledge among the children; b) girls identified fewer fish species than boys; c) both boys and girls show difficulties in correctly naming the fish less visible in the local mangrove ecosystem. We highlight the importance of children’s participation in landscape use and maintenance for their cognitive development. Additionally, we conclude that the assessment of children’s endogenous knowledge is important for biological conservation, securing fish diversity, and sustainable exploitation efforts in mangrove socio-ecosystems while respecting local bio-cultural identity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards an electroless deposition of gold on metallic substrates using ionic liquids as electrolytes

Recent research has suggested a number of applications for gold in fuel cells and related hydrogen fuel processing, which include light weight corrosion resistance bipolar plates and the incorporation of gold as catalyst to provide improvements in electrode conductivity, among others. This paper reports on the electroless deposition of gold on copper substrates from a HAuCl4.3H2O solution in 1-butyl-1- methylpyrrolidinium dicyanamide (BMP-DCA), in laboratory atmospheric conditions. The electrochemical behaviour of the plating solution was studied by potential sweep techniques. Results suggest that gold ions are reduced and deposited on copper without the aid of external polarization, probably by displacement deposition involving copper dissolution, since no other oxidation reaction was identified. Preliminary studies using SEM/EDX showed that compact gold thin films, deposited on copper substrates at 333 K, present a granular nanostructured morphology

A influência da avaliação peer na dinâmica de trabalho de equipas em projetos PBL

Since the school year 2004/2005 has been applied in the course of Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM), University of Minho, a learning methodology based on Interdisciplinary Projects (PBL - Project-Based Learning). Among other skills, such projects emphasizes teamwork and in this process different goals and visions among team members origins conflicts to resolve. In this context, each team also faced with the evaluation process performed between its own elements, peer assessment. This paper aims to analyze how this evaluation may affect the performance and motivation of each member and the team as a whole, and will be a source of internal conflicts, or rather, a way to resolve these same conflicts in PBL processes. In this article is presented a brief testimony of the authors about their experience with peer assessment in interdisciplinary projects and a qualitative nature study about the peer evaluation that encompassed all years of the Industrial Management and Engineering course. After the analysis of the results it is presented a critical reflection of the experience of a group, in which the first tree authors were part, that used peer assessment and of the study that was made.Desde o ano letivo de 2004/2005 tem vindo a aplicar-se no Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial (MIEGI) da Universidade do Minho uma metodologia de aprendizagem baseada em Projetos Interdisciplinares (PBL – Project-Based Learning). Entre outras competências, este tipo de projetos enfatiza o trabalho em equipa e neste processo, diferentes objetivos e visões entre os elementos da equipa, geram conflitos de difícil resolução. Neste contexto, cada equipa depara-se também com o processo de avaliação efetuada entre os seus próprios elementos, Avaliação Peer ou Avaliação por Pares. Neste trabalho pretende-se analisar de que forma esta avaliação pode afetar a performance e motivação de cada elemento e da equipa como um todo, e se será uma fonte geradora de conflitos internos, ou pelo contrário, uma forma de resolver esses mesmos conflitos, no contexto de processos PBL. No presente artigo apresenta-se um breve testemunho dos autores acerca da sua experiência com a avaliação peer em projetos interdisciplinares e um estudo de natureza qualitativa acerca deste tipo de avaliação que englobou todos os anos do curso do MIEGI. Após a análise de resultados apresenta-se uma reflexão crítica sobre a experiência de um grupo, do qual os três primeiros autores fizeram parte, que utilizou a avaliação peer e sobre o estudo realizado

The effectiveness of an activity to practise communication competencies: a case study across five European engineering universities

Although accreditation bodies emphasise communication competencies development in engineering curricula due to its importance for future engineers, the focus is often mainly on oral presentation and written reports. A communication activity was created to practice and reflect on students’ communication competencies including describing information in a short time, listening skills, and ask and respond to questions. This activity was implemented at five different European engineering universities involving 393 students. This study explores the effectiveness of this activity as a case-study of game-based learning to practise and reflect on engineering students’ communication competencies. A mixed-method approach measuring students’ communication performance, their perceived communication competencies, and the benefits of this activity to students was used to explore the game characteristics that make the activity effective. The findings of the scoring rubric and the questionnaire used showed that this activity is effective. Because it is engaging and set by rules, students actively participated during the activity, reflected on their effective and ineffective communication competencies, the existing communication barriers and styles, gained awareness, experienced communication in teams, and cooperated with different people. This study highlights the effectiveness of a small intervention using a proven communication activity, which is freely available as OpenCourseWare through TU Delft for anyone to use.This work was partially supported by FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope UIDB/00319/2020 and by the Erasmusthorn program of the European Union (grant agreement 575778-EPP-1-2016-1-BE-EPPKA2-KA)

Predicting future coastal land use/cover change and associated sea-level impact on habitat quality in the Northwestern Coastline of Guinea-Bissau

The assessment of coastal land use/cover (LULC) change is one of the most precise techniques for detecting spatio-temporal change in the coastal system. This study, integrated Land Change Modeler, Habitat Quality Model, and Digital Shoreline Analysis System, to quantify spacio-temporal coastal LULC change and driving forces between 2000 and 2020. Combined the CA-Markov Model with Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), merged local SLR data with future representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5) scenarios, and predicted future coastal LULC change and associated sea-level rise (SLR) impact on the coastal land use and habitat quality in short-, medium- and long-term. The study area had significant coastal LULC change between 2000 and 2020. The tidal flats, whose change was driven mainly by sea level, registered a total net gain of 57.93 km2 . We also observed the significant loss of developed land whose change was influenced by tidal flat with a total loss of − 75.58 km2. The tidal flat will experience a stunning net gain of 80.55 km2 between 2020 and 2060, making developed land the most negatively impacted land in the study area. The study led to the conclusion that the uncontrolled conversion of saltmarshes, mixed-forest, and mangroves into agriculture and infrastructures were the main factors affecting the coastal systems, including the faster coastal erosion and accretion observed during a 20-year period. The study also concluded that a low coastal elevation of − 1 m and a slope of less than 2◦have contributed to coastal change. Unprecedented changes will unavoidably pose a danger to coastal ecological services, socioeconomic growth, and food security. Timely efforts should be made by establishing sustainable mitigation methods to avoid the future impact.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects on appetite regulation, growth and sensory properties of fish flesh

Funding Information: This work was supported by Project “MobFood – Mobilizing scientific and technological knowledge in response to the challenges of the agri-food market” (POCI-01–0247-FEDER-024524), financed by ERDF, through PORTUGAL2020/COMPETE2020/ Lisb@2020. Publisher Copyright: © 2024Sardine cooking wastewaters are by-products of the canning industry with great potential for valorisation. We have hypothesized that they can be a source of aromas to enhance appetite when added to plant-based diets. The poor palatability of such diets often described in carnivorous species poses a recurring problem in fish farming, with harsh consequences on fish growth performance and flesh quality. Aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters were collected without processing (CW-A), processed through vacuum distillation (VD-A), or processed through liquid/liquid extraction with soybean oil (LLE-A) into plant-based diets. Each aroma was added to a plant-protein based diet for European seabass, at a concentration of 2 μg of 1-penten-3-ol/g diet, resulting in 3 experimental diets (CW, VD and LLE). A non-supplemented diet was used as a control. Each diet was assigned to triplicate fish groups (initial weight 95.7 g), that were hand-fed twice daily until apparent satiation in a recirculating saltwater system at 21 °C. After 18 weeks, fish growth performance and nutrient utilisation were evaluated. The expression in the brain of neuropeptides involved in feed intake regulation was also analysed. Moreover, flesh colour and texture were assessed instrumentally and by sensory analysis using a consumer panel. Fish fed LLE displayed a significantly higher feed intake than those fed CW which was correlated with an increased neuropeptide Y expression in the hypothalamus. However, LLE slightly hindered lipid metabolism, leading to lower available glucose and resulting in statistically similar final weights among diets. Despite variations in fillet hardness, the sensory panel revealed similar overall liking across all treatments. The findings indicate that aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters can modulate feed intake, but further refinement in processing or incorporation levels is required to potentiate their efficacy.publishersversionpublishe

Incorporating sardine cooking water aromas into plant-based diets for european seabass: effects on appetite regulation, growth and sensory properties of fish flesh

Sardine cooking wastewaters are by-products of the canning industry with great potential for valorisation. We have hypothesized that they can be a source of aromas to enhance appetite when added to plant-based diets. The poor palatability of such diets often described in carnivorous species poses a recurring problem in fish farming, with harsh consequences on fish growth performance and flesh quality. Aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters were collected without processing (CW-A), processed through vacuum distillation (VD-A), or processed through liquid/liquid extraction with soybean oil (LLE-A) into plant-based diets. Each aroma was added to a plant-protein based diet for European seabass, at a concentration of 2 μg of 1-penten-3-ol/g diet, resulting in 3 experimental diets (CW, VD and LLE). A non-supplemented diet was used as a control. Each diet was assigned to triplicate fish groups (initial weight 95.7 g), that were hand-fed twice daily until apparent satiation in a recirculating saltwater system at 21 °C. After 18 weeks, fish growth performance and nutrient utilisation were evaluated. The expression in the brain of neuropeptides involved in feed intake regulation was also analysed. Moreover, flesh colour and texture were assessed instrumentally and by sensory analysis using a consumer panel. Fish fed LLE displayed a significantly higher feed intake than those fed CW which was correlated with an increased neuropeptide Y expression in the hypothalamus. However, LLE slightly hindered lipid metabolism, leading to lower available glucose and resulting in statistically similar final weights among diets. Despite variations in fillet hardness, the sensory panel revealed similar overall liking across all treatments. The findings indicate that aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters can modulate feed intake, but further refinement in processing or incorporation levels is required to potentiate their efficacy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Leptin modulates human Sertoli cells acetate production and glycolytic profile: a novel mechanism of obesity-induced male infertility?

AbstractHuman feeding behavior and lifestyle are gradually being altered, favoring the development of metabolic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes and obesity. Leptin is produced by the adipose tissue acting as a satiety signal. Its levels have been positively correlated with fat mass and hyperleptinemia has been proposed to negatively affect male reproductive function. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which this hormone affects male fertility remain unknown. Herein, we hypothesize that leptin acts on human Sertoli cells (hSCs), the “nurse cells” of spermatogenesis, altering their metabolism. To test our hypothesis, hSCs were cultured without or with leptin (5, 25 and 50ng/mL). Leptin receptor was identified by qPCR and Western blot. Protein levels of glucose transporters (GLUT1, GLUT2 and GLUT3), phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) were determined by Western Blot. LDH activity was assessed and metabolite production/consumption determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Oxidative damage was evaluated by assessing lipid peroxidation, protein carbonilation and nitration. Our data shows that leptin receptor is expressed in hSCs. The concentration of leptin found in lean, healthy patients, upregulated GLUT2 protein levels and concentrations of leptin found in lean and obese patients increased LDH activity. Of note, all leptin concentrations decreased hSCs acetate production illustrating a novel mechanism for this hormone action. Moreover, our data shows that leptin does not induce or protect hSCs from oxidative damage. We report that this hormone modulates the nutritional support of spermatogenesis, illustrating a novel mechanism that may be linked to obesity-induced male infertility