Socio-economic evaluation of sunflower agri-food chains in Brazil in view of the potential implementation of innovative plant protein ingredients for human consumption

This study aimed at performing a socio-economic analysis of an agri-food chain focused on a non-established crop in view of the potential implementation of food innovations, using sunflower agri-food chains in Brazil and upcoming sunflower high-quality food protein ingredients as a case study. Thus, fieldwork was carried out in the main sunflower-producing areas between April and August 2016 for data collection among sunflower chain agents from the input, farming, and processing segments, besides representatives from the research sector. Section 1 applied a multiple case study embedded design to describe and analyze the dynamics of operation of sunflower agri-food chains in Brazil. The analysis followed a theory-driven approach based on concepts from transaction costs economics and the social network approach. The findings indicated an environment of high transaction costs, in which the economic transactions are ruled by formal and relational governance structures, and made possible through knowledge diffusion, under the coordination of a processing company. Nevertheless, the sustainable long-term operation of the sunflower chains is constrained by typical limitations of non-established crops, such as restricted market structure, land use competition with well-established crops, and technological limitations regarding plant breeding, and control of pests and diseases. Moreover, Section 1 revealed that a farmer-led sunflower chain in the state of Mato Grosso (MT) stood out regarding the operational stability, suggesting a closer analysis of this farmers collective endeavor, which was performed in the subsequent section. Thus, Section 2 adopted a single case study embedded design to describe and analyze the establishment process of the leading Brazilian sunflower agri-food chain located in MT under the regime of farmers. The analysis followed a framework that regarded the agri-food chain establishment as an entrepreneurial process. The findings indicated that the process of establishment of this sunflower chain has been a complex social-economic endeavor stemming from a set of interconnected driving forces composed of entrepreneurial skills, social network, resource availability, and crop suitability. Furthermore, Section 2 suggested the existence of a supportive institutional environment for the establishment of new sunflower agri-food chains in MT among soybean farmers, besides indicating the need of examining the potential for sunflower production expansion in MT, which was the focus of the next section. Thus, Section 3 applied an integrated assessment approach that combines an agent-based model (ABM) with a crop growth model to investigate the potential for sunflower land use expansion in double-cropping systems prevailing in MT. The ABM was implemented using the software package Mathematical Programming-based Multi-Agent Systems (MPMAS), and the crop yields simulations were implemented using the process-based model for nitrogen and carbon in agro-ecosystems (MONICA). The findings indicated the existence of a potential for the expansion of the sunflower production in MT. Nevertheless, this potential is constrained by the distance between the producing areas and the processing facilities. Moreover, the simulations confirmed the land use competition between sunflower and maize, showing that sunflower land use is strongly associated with agents expectations regarding prices and yields of sunflower and maize. However, the results also revealed a complementary effect between these two crops due to the different water deficit tolerance of these crops. Section 3 also highlighted that the simulated potential production of sunflower would require further increases in the current processing capacity installed in MT. To conclude, the analyses performed in Sections 1, 2, and 3 indicated relevant aspects to be considered by innovators interested in implementing food innovations related to non-established crops. The scarcity of feedstock suppliers requires the adoption of contractual and relational governance structures coupled with the provision of technical assistance at the farming level. Moreover, farmers with a recognized professional and social reputation as well as leadership abilities play an important role in influencing other farmers to adopt a non-established crop. Finally, the suitability of the crop for the agricultural system prevailing in the region is essential for ensuring a minimum level of farmers willingness to adopt a non-established crop. In this regard, particular attention should be given to the land use competition with well-established crops.Die vorliegende Arbeit auf die Durchführung einer sozio-ökonomischen Analyse einer Agrar- und Lebensmittelkette unter Fokussierung auf eine nicht etablierte Feldfrucht und im Hinblick auf die potenzielle Implementierung von Lebensmittelinnovationen. Zu diesem Zweck werden die Agrar- und Lebensmittelkette der Sonnenblume in Brasilien und in der Entwicklung befindliche hochqualitative Proteininhaltsstoffe auf Basis dieser Pflanze als Fallstudie betrachtet. Abschnitt 1 verwendet als Untersuchungsmethode einen mehrfachen Fallstudienansatz, um die Funktionsdynamik der agrarischen Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungsketten in Brasilien zu beschreiben und zu analysieren. Die Analyse folgte einem auf der Theorie der Transaktionskosten und der Theorie von sozialen Netzwerken basierenden Ansatz. Die Ergebnisse zeigen ein Umfeld hoher Transaktionskosten, in welchem die Transaktionen von formalen und beziehungsgebundenen Governancestrukturen beherrscht werden, hervorgerufen durch Wissensdiffusion unter dem koordinierenden Einfluss eines verarbeitenden Unternehmens. Dennoch ist eine dauerhaft nachhaltige Funktion von Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungsketten, wie für nicht etablierte Feldfrüchte typisch, eingeschränkt: dies wird bedingt durch eine begrenzte Marktstruktur, Landnutzungskonkurrenzen mit gut etablierten Feldfrüchten und technologische Limitierungen im Hinblick auf die Pflanzenzucht sowie den Pflanzenschutz. Darüber hinaus zeigt Abschnitt 1, dass eine durch die Landwirte selbst organisierte Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungskette im Bundesstaat Mato Grosso (MT) sich durch ihre funktionale Stabilität hervortut. Entsprechend wird in Abschnitt 2 ein einfacher Fallstudienansatz gewählt, um den Entstehungsprozess der prominentesten Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungskette Brasiliens, ansässig in MT und organisiert von Landwirten, zu beschreiben und zu analysieren. Dabei folgt die Analyse der Vorstellung, dass die Entstehung der agrarischen Lebensmittelwertschöpfungskette einem unternehmerischen Prozess entspricht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Entstehungsprozess dieser Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungskette einer komplexen sozio-ökonomischen Anstrengung entspringt, resultierend aus einer Mischung untereinander verbundener Antriebe: unternehmerischer Kompetenzen, sozialer Netzwerke, vorhandener Ressourcen und passender Feldfrüchte. Im weiteren Verlauf deutet Abschnitt 2 die Existenz eines unterstützenden institutionellen Umfelds für die Etablierung neuer Sonnenblumenwertschöpfungsketten in MT unter den Landwirten an, die bislang Soja anbauen. Abschnitt 3 nutzt den Ansatz einer integrierten Abschätzung und kombiniert hierzu ein Agenten-basiertes Modell (ABM) mit einem Pflanzenwachstumsmodell, um das Potenzial der Anbauflächenausweitung für Sonnenblumen in den vorherrschenden Zweifruchtsystemen in MT zu untersuchen. Das ABM wurde mithilfe der Software Mathematical Programming-based Multi-Agent Systems (MPMAS) umgesetzt, die Ertragssimulation erfolgte mittels des prozessbasierten Models for nitrogen and carbon in agro-ecoystems (MONICA). Die Ergebnisse zeigen ein Potenzial der Produktionsausweitung von Sonnenblumen in MT an. Jedoch ist dieses Potenzial limitiert durch die Entfernungen zwischen Anbaugebieten und Verarbeitungsstätten. Darüber hinaus bestätigen die Simulationen die Landnutzungskonkurrenzen zwischen Sonnenblumen und Mais: es besteht ein starker Zusammenhang der Akteure im Hinblick auf erwartete Preise und Erträge dieser Feldfrüchte. Allerdings zeigen die Ergebnisse auch, dass ein komplementärer Effekt zwischen Sonnenblumen und Mais besteht, da unterschiedliche Toleranzen gegenüber Trockenstress existieren. Abschnitt 3 zeigt zudem, dass das simulierte Potenzial der Anbauausweitung von Sonnenblumen einen Ausbau der aktuell vorhandenen Verarbeitungskapazität in MT bedarf. Zusammenfassend beschreiben die Analysen der Abschnitte 1, 2 und 3 die von gestaltenden Akteuren zu beachtenden Aspekte, wenn Lebensmittelinnovationen durch nicht etablierte Feldfrüchte erfolgen sollen. Die Knappheit an Rohstofflieferanten erfordert den Einsatz vertraglicher und beziehungsgebundener Governancestrukturen, verknüpft mit der Bereitstellung technischer Unterstützung für die landwirtschaftliche Erzeugung. Zudem spielen Landwirte mit hoher Professionalität, sozialer Reputation und Führungsqualitäten eine wichtige Rolle im Einwirken auf andere Landwirte bezüglich des Anbaus von nicht etablierten Feldfrüchten. Schließlich ist die grundsätzliche Eignung dieser Feldfrüchte für das regional vorherrschende Anbausystem unverzichtbar, um ein Mindestmaß an Anbaubereitschaft für nicht etablierte Früchte bei den Landwirten sicherzustellen. In dieser Hinsicht ist besondere Aufmerksamkeit bezüglich der Landnutzungskonkurrenzen mit gut etablierten Feldfrüchten angezeigt

Compensation of model uncertainties in damage identification by means of the approximation error approach

This work presents an application of the Approximation Error Approach (AEA) in the context of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Based on the Bayesian framework of statistical inversion, this approach allows one to compensate for errors caused by incorrect modeling of a physical system while still providing a relatively simple mathematical formulation. The application of different prior distributions of the unknown parameters is investigated. The AEA is compared to a traditional least-squares approach consisting of a forward model unable to compensate for modeling related errors.Esta dissertação apresenta uma aplicação do Approximation Error Approach (AEA), no contexto de Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). A abordagem proposta baseia-se na aplicação da Teoria Bayesiana de probabilidade na solução de problemas inversos. Tal abordagem permite corrigir a resposta prevista por um modelo através da compensação por um erro de modelagem associado usando uma formulação matemática que é relativamente simples. A aplicação de diferentes distribuições a priori para os parâmetros considerados nas simulações necessárias para o AEA ´e investigada. Resultados obtidos utilizando-se AEA e uma abordagem de mínimos quadrados são comparados

Celebration of the 5th Centenary of Fernão de Magalhães's circumnavigation voyage

In this article we intend to demonstrate the importance of the circumnavigation voyage for the advancement of science and technology in the 16th century, the research and innovation projects carried out within the scope of the 5th Centenary celebrations, project the “Magalhães feat in the future, as pillars of a new international agenda” and to compare the globalization produced at the time of the Discoveries with globalization as a modern phenomenon that emerged with the evolution of the new means of communication.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implementação e validação de uma abordagem galerkin descontínuo para modelagem de turbulância das equações de navier-stokes com média de reynolds (rans) bidimensionais

Orientadores: Marco Lucio Bittencourt, Alberto Costa Nogueira JuniorDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia MecânicaResumo: Uma abordagem de Elementos Finitos Galerkin Descontínuo (DG) para as equações de Navier-Stokes com Média de Reynolds (RANS) complementadas pelo modelo Spalart- Allmaras (SA) é implementada e validada para alguns casos de teste básicos. As variáveis de campo do problema são interpoladas usando expansões modais com polinômios de Jacobi. A comunicação entre os elementos é garantida pelo uso dos fluxos numéricos de Roe e HLLC para os termos convectivos e BR1 para os dissipativos. A integração temporal é realizada usando-se um esquema implícito Standard-Newton GMRES Backward Euler. O software desenvolvido neste trabalho tem intensivamente usado e expandido o pacote de aplicações para fluidodinâmica da plataforma de código aberto Manticore, de forma a permitir a construção da infraestrutura dos modelos RANSAbstract: A Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Elements (DG) approach for the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations (RANS) complemented by the closure model Spalart-Allmaras (SA) is implemented and validated for some basic test cases. The problem field vari- ables are interpolated using modal expansions of Jacobi polynomials. The communication between the elements is enforced by using the numerical fluxes Roe and HLLC for the convective terms and BR1 for the dissipative ones. The time-integration is performed by using an implicit Standard-Newton GMRES Backward Euler scheme. The software devel- oped in this work has extensively used and expanded the fluid dynamics toolbox of the open-source framework Manticore in order to construct the infra-structure of the RANS modelsMestradoMecanica dos Sólidos e Projeto MecanicoMestre em Engenharia Mecânic

Bonabeau hierarchy models revisited

What basic processes generate hierarchy in a collective? The Bonabeau model provides us a simple mechanism based on randomness which develops self-organization through both winner/looser effects and relaxation process. A phase transition between egalitarian and hierarchic states has been found both analytically and numerically in previous works. In this paper we present a different approach: by means of a discrete scheme we develop a mean field approximation that not only reproduces the phase transition but also allows us to characterize the complexity of hierarchic phase. In the same philosophy, we study a new version of the Bonabeau model, developed by Stauffer et al. Several previous works described numerically the presence of a similar phase transition in this later version. We find surprising results in this model that can be interpreted properly as the non-existence of phase transition in this version of Bonabeau model, but a changing in fixed point structure

Nanofiltration performance to remove microcystins from water for human consumption at a pilot scale

The presence of microcystins (MC) in drinking water reservoirs, even at low concentrations, is a problem for all involved in management and water treatment. This cyclic peptide hepatotoxin, produced by several species of toxic cyanobacteria as secondary metabolites, cause liver damage and is considered tumor promoter (Matsushima et al., 1992), representing a potential hazard to human health (Carmichael, 1994). Therefore, it is necessary to ensure their removal in water treatment plants (WTP) by innovative and effective treatments. In recent years, nanofiltration (NF) has become an attractive alternative technology to conventional water treatment due to the capacity to remove inorganic and organic compounds (disinfection by-products (DBP) precursors) with low molecular weight cut-offs and low operating pressures (Her et al., 2000; Costa and Pinho, 2006). However, the application of NF to drinking water treatment is affected by natural organic matter (NOM) fouling (Hong and Elimelech, 1997). Membrane fouling refers to plugging and external pore blocking (Gwon et al., 2003) which causes low performance and reduction of membrane time life, because of flux decline and/or transmembrane pressure increase (Her et al., 2000). In addition, good results were obtained with NF to remove cyanotoxins present in water for human consumption. According to some authors (Ribau Teixeira and Rosa, 2005; Gijsbertsen- Abrahamse et al., 2006; Ribau Teixeira and Rosa, 2006), NF removed cyanobacterial toxins from water, with removal rates greater than 99% at laboratory scale. However, pilot scale experiments in real context are missing. The aim of this work is to study NF performance to remove microcystins from natural water, at a pilot scale in a real context of WTP