Dairy goat health management and milk production on organic and conventional system in Brazil

The aimed of this article is to measure risk factors on health and milk production on organic and conventional dairy goats in Brazil. Two experimental groups (organic and conventional) were evaluated simultaneously. The study design was completely randomized. The organic herd consisted of 25 goats and 15 kids. In the conventional production system, a dairy herd comprising 40 goats and 20 kids participated in the study. Data on milk production and health management were available from January 2007 to December 2009. The abortion rate in the conventional system was 5% (2/40) whereas in organic system no abortion was diagnosed (0/25). The mortality rate at weaning in the conventional system was 5% (2/40) and in the organic system was 8% (2/25). Milk production was lower (2.20 kg/day) in organic than conventional system (2.66 kg/day). Goats and kids in organic farm had a higher FEC (386±104 and 900±204, respectively) (p<0.05) than those in conventional farm (245±132 and 634±212, respectively). In addition, Saanen kids had higher FEC (p<0.001) than goats. Treatment with antiparasitic drugs was higher in conventional system (50%) than organic system (1.3%).

Composition and quantification of the anthropogenic and natural fractions of wastes collected from the stormwater drainage system for discussions about the waste management and people behavior

A study was made of the composition of wastes collected from the pipes of the stormwater drainage system of Sorocaba, SP, Brazil (600 thousand inhabitants). A total of 10 samples weighing at least 100 kg each were sorted into 19 items to determine the fraction that can be considered natural (earth/sand, stones, organic matter, and water, the latter determined after oven-drying the samples) and the anthropogenic fraction (the remaining 15 items, especially construction and demolition wastes and packaging). Soil/sand was found to be the main item collected (52.5 % dry weight), followed by the water soaked into the waste (24.3 %), which meant that all the other wastes were saturated in mud, whose contents varied from 6.4 % (glass) to 87.2 % (metalized plastics packaging). In general, 83 % of the collected wastes can be classified as natural, but the remaining 17 % represent 2,000 kg of the most varied types of wastes discarded improperly every day on the streets of the city. This is an alarming amount of wastes that may clog parts of the drainage systems, causing troubles for all the population (like flooding) and must be strongly considered in municipal solid wastes management and in environmental education programs. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Digital proficiency and digital inclusion: Comparison between students of computer science, public relations and engineering

New information and communication technologies may be useful for providing more in-depth knowledge to students in many ways, whether through online multimedia educational material, or through online debates with colleagues, teachers and other area professionals in a synchronous or asynchronous manner. This paper focuses on participation in online discussion in e-learning courses for promoting learning. Although an important theoretical aspect, an analysis of literature reveals there are few studies evaluating the personal and social aspects of online course users in a quantitative manner. This paper aims to introduce a method for diagnosing inclusion and digital proficiency and other personal aspects of the student through a case study comparing Information System, Public Relations and Engineering students at a public university in Brazil. Statistical analysis and analysis of variances (ANOVA) were used as the methodology for data analysis in order to understand existing relations between the components of the proposed method. The survey methodology was also used, in its online format, as a research instrument. The method is based on using online questionnaires that diagnose digital proficiency and time management, level of extroversion and social skills of the students. According to the sample studied, there is no strong correlation between digital proficiency and individual characteristics tied to the use of time, level of extroversion and social skills of students. The differences in course grades for some components are partly due to subject 'Introduction to Economics' being offered to freshmen in Public Relations, whereas subject 'Economics in Engineering' is offered in the final semesters of Engineering and Information Systems courses. Therefore, the difference could be more tied to the respondent's age than to the course. Information Systems students were observed to be older, with access to computers and Internet at the workplace, compared to the other students who access the Internet more often from home. This paper presents a pilot study aimed at conducting a diagnosis that permits proposing actions for information and communication technology to contribute towards student education. Three levels of digital inclusion are described as a scale to measure whether information technology increases personal performance and professional knowledge and skills. This study may be useful for other readers interested in themes related to education in engineering. © 2013 IEEE.

The management of cover plant residues for cotton cropped in a no-tillage system

The cutting of plant residue in no-tillage systems under certain environmental conditions becomes necessary to adequately establish and grow crops. This study aims to assess the effect on the yield of different methods of managing millet plant residue in cotton plantations. The study was conducted during the agricultural years 2006/07 and 2007/08, and the treatments included no-mechanical-treatment tillage and the use of a rotary shredder, crimper-roller, and mechanical disintegrator for millet plants before sowing the cotton. Evaluations were performed for the residue fragmentation, emergence speed, percent of soil cover during the cycle and yield of the cotton crop. The emergence speed was faster in the management with the rotary shredder. In 2006/07, the no-tillage treatment showed a rate of loss for soil cover that was 46 percent greater than the disintegrator treatment. The rotary shredder and the disintegrator yielded greater soil coverage during the cultivation cycle, and the yield was highly correlated with the soil cover at 75 days after emergence. The management of the millet residue affected the cotton plants for the two-year study period.

Age of No-Till System and Nitrogen Management on Common Bean Nutrition and Yield

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo da implementação do Warehouse Management System em uma empresa produtora de embreagens

In the supply chain management there are several risk factors that must be mitigated to increase the flow of production and as a possible solution the literature cites the implementation of a warehouse management system, but this subject is few explored. This thesis has as main objective the study of the implementation of a warehouse management system in a company from the automotive sector that produces clutches. As results, are shown data of the characterization of items; as well as data and comparisons between disruptions in production reports due to lack of material before and after the implementation of WMS and is presented the result of a questionnaire applied to the involved on the implementation of the system, the results were associated with the risk factors on the implementation of the system studied on the literature review, and enumeration of the results that are not associated with any factors previously studied. And finally, the study is concluded and are recommended future studies related to the theme

Desenvolvimento de um sistema de gerenciamento de energia (EMS - Energy Management System) para a rede elétrica inteligente (Smart Grid)

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Relationships between company size, types of production system and supply chain management: evidence from electro-electronics sector in Brazil

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how company size and the type of production system affect the adoption of supply chain management (SCM) practices in companies in the electro‐electronics sector in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – An e‐mail survey of 107 companies associated with the Brazilian Electrical and Electronics Industry Association (ABINEE) was conducted. Statistical techniques were employed to verify the adoption of SCM practices according to the size of the company and its production system. Findings – The major results indicate that the larger the size of the company, the higher the level of adoption of SCM practices, and that the choice of SCM practices depends upon the type of production system implemented. Practical implications – The implications of this study are useful to top management leaders of small and medium‐sized enterprises since the findings enable them to identify the most common practices adopted by either large‐, medium‐ or small‐sized companies in order to benchmark the level of adoption of SCM practices. Production managers can also benefit from this study by identifying the SCM practices that may support certain production systems.

Evolutionary stages of environmental management in computer companies located in Brazil: case studies

This study aims at identifying which environmental management practices computer companies located in Brazil are adopting, and classifying these companies according to the evolutionary stages of environmental management. For such, the case study research method was used at three companies. Results show that environmental management in the sector is geared towards compliance with laws and eco-efficiency, aimed at cutting costs. It was concluded that classification does not occur in a linear manner with defined borders, and that the multinational companies located in Brazil are greatly influenced by their foreign head offices, which are at more advanced evolutionary stages.