Avaliação econômica da elaboração de banana-passa proveniente de cultivo orgânico e convencional

This work reports an economic evaluation of the dried banana production from an agroindustry located in Guaraqueçaba - PR State, Brazil. The conventional and the organic banana processings were evaluated by comparing the economic viability pointers. The dried organic banana is exported to the Europe and the dried conventional banana is commercialized in the region of Curitiba - PR. Both processings presented positive economic viability, however the dried organic banana presented better indices (TIR 94%, VPL R$ 486,009.39 and benefit cost relation of 2.11) than the conventional dried banana (TIR 14%, VPL R$ 34,668.00 and benefit cost relation of 1.17). The dried organic banana presented a cost of production of R$ 3.64, being 50.1% relative to the expense with insumos and 27% with labour. The dried conventional banana presented a cost of R$ 3.21, being 45.3% for insumos and 31.2% for labour.

Óculos de baixo custo: experiência em Divinolândia (SP)

INTRODUCTION: In Divinolândia (SP), the Consortium of Development of São João da Boa Vista Region Policy (CONDERG), in partnership with State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), has founded an eyeglass store to produce low cost glasses to distribute freely to their customers. The purpose is to analyze the evolution and working process of CONDERG eyeglass store in the last 13 years, since its foundation. METHODS: Data were collected from CONDERG store files from 1988 to 2001. Data regarding the amount of spectacles produced per year, ability to increase the production and store feasibility were analyzed. RESULTS: In 13 years, 16,500 spectacles were supplied. Currently, 400 spectacles are delivered per month, being 200 supported by SUS and the other 200 by CONDERG's own resources. CONCLUSION: The 13-year operation of CONDERG eyeglass store, the free provision of 16,500 spectacles and the increase productive ability have shown this model feasibility.

Construction Of A Manual Of Work Processes And Techniques From Centro De Dispensação De Medicamentos De Alto Custo (cedmac), Hospital De Clínicas, Unicamp.

The Centers for High Cost Medication (Centros de Medicação de Alto Custo, CEDMAC), Health Department, São Paulo were instituted by project in partnership with the Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, USP, sponsored by the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP) aimed at the formation of a statewide network for comprehensive care of patients referred for use of immunobiological agents in rheumatological diseases. The CEDMAC of Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (HC-Unicamp), implemented by the Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, identified the need for standardization of the multidisciplinary team conducts, in face of the specificity of care conducts, verifying the importance of describing, in manual format, their operational and technical processes. The aim of this study is to present the methodology applied to the elaboration of the CEDMAC/HC-Unicamp Manual as an institutional tool, with the aim of offering the best assistance and administrative quality. In the methodology for preparing the manuals at HC-Unicamp since 2008, the premise was to obtain a document that is participatory, multidisciplinary, focused on work processes integrated with institutional rules, with objective and didactic descriptions, in a standardized format and with electronic dissemination. The CEDMAC/HC-Unicamp Manual was elaborated in 10 months, with involvement of the entire multidisciplinary team, with 19 chapters on work processes and techniques, in addition to those concerning the organizational structure and its annexes. Published in the electronic portal of HC Manuals in July 2012 as an e-Book (ISBN 978-85-63274-17-5), the manual has been a valuable instrument in guiding professionals in healthcare, teaching and research activities.

Otimização das condições de produção de ésteres etílicos a partir de óleo de peixe com elevado teor de ácidos graxos ômega-3

The production of ethyl esters by alcoholysis is an alternative for splitting triacylglycerols due to the possibility of using low temperatures, which results in oxidative protection of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. Ethyl esters produced under mild conditions of temperature could be used as substrate for obtaining structured lipids. The reaction parameters of production of ethyl esters from fish oil with high content of omega-3 fatty acids by alcoholysis were optimized using response surface methodology. An experimental design (2³) (with levels +1 and -1, six axial points with levels -alpha and +alpha and three central points) was applied. The variables investigated were concentration of catalyst, amount of ethyl alcohol and temperature. Ethyl ester conversion was monitored by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and the best result obtained was 95% conversion rate. The optimal conditions were 40 °C, 1% of NaOH and 36% of ethanol.

Produção de isomaltulose, um substituto da sacarose, utilizando glicosiltransferase microbiana

Isomaltulose, a functional isomer of sucrose, is a non-cariogenic reducing disaccharide; has a low glycemic index; selectively promotes growth of beneficial bifidobacteria in the human intestinal microflora; and has greater stability than sucrose in some foods and beverages. Isomaltulose is a nutritional sugar that is digested more slowly than sucrose, and has health advantages for diabetics and nondiabetics. Immobilization techniques, especially entrapment of the cells, are widely used for conversion of sucrose into isomaltulose. Immobilization offers advantages such as minimum downstream processing, continuous operation and reusability of cells. Isomaltulose is currently considered to be a promising sugar substitute.

Construção de um calorímetro isotérmico diferencial de alta sensibilidade e baixo custo

The high cost of sensitivity commercial calorimeters may represent an obstacle for many calorimetric research groups. This work describes the construction and calibration of a batch differential heat conduction calorimeter with sample cells volumes of about 400 μL. The calorimeter was built using two small high sensibility square Peltier thermoelectric sensors and the total cost was estimated to be about US$ 500. The calorimeter was used to study the excess enthalpy of solution of binary mixtures of liquids, as a function of composition, for the following binary systems of solvents: water + 1,4-dioxane or + dimethylsulfoxide at 298,2 ± 0,5 K.

Produção de micropartículas de alginato contendo Flavobacterium columnare inativada pelo método de emulsão para vacinação de peixes por via oral

Alginate microparticles were prepared by an emulsion method aiming oral controlled release of antigens to fish. The effects of emulsification temperature and impeller type on particle morphology, average diameter, and size distribution were evaluated. Microparticles contaning formalin-killed Flavobacterium columnare cells (a model antigen) were prepared and characterized regarding bacterial release and particle stability when exposed to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) typical gastrointestinal conditions. This methodology allowed the production of microparticles containing up to 14.3 g/L of bacterin, stable at a pH range from 2.0 to 9.0 for 12 h and smaller than 35 μm.

Desenvolvimento, produção e caracterização de nanocristais de fármacos pouco solúveis

Poorly soluble drugs have low bioavailability, representing a major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. Processing drugs into the nanosized range changes their physical properties, and these are being used in pharmaceutics to develop innovative formulations known as Nanocrystals. Use of nanocrystals to overcome the problem of low bioavailability, and their production using different techniques such as microfluidization or high pressure homogenization, was reviewed in this paper. Examples of drugs, cosmetics and nutraceutical ingredients were also discussed. These technologies are well established in the pharmaceutical industry and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Índice de previsão de produção de leite para vacas Jersey

In Brazil the adoption of several models of cattle confinement leads to special conditions for management methods in dairy production, which can be improved by the use of technology that assures better herd management. Indexes relating environmental variables to production are applied for the prediction of milk production. The values of temperature and relative humidity, rain index, solar radiation and pasture soil temperature are generally considered potential stress agents for cows. The objective of this research was to develop an index for predicting milk production for high productivity Jersey milking cows lodged in semi confinement in tropical conditions. The experiment considered two treatments: A - the cows waited for 30 minutes prior to milking in a room with a shower associated to a fan; B - the cows did not have access to this room (control). Other than the waiting period, the cows had access to pasture. Differences in the effect of average production were not statistically significant. The analysis for studying the effect of the variables and designing the model led to a statistical model relating the variables milk production and rain index, as well as the maximum soil temperature of pasture, and milk production.

Desenvolvimento e avaliação de uma servoválvula de baixo custo para a aplicação de insumos líquidos

The present work aimed the development of a low cost servo-valve that answers to an electronic control signal, for variable rates liquid inputs application. A literature research to define which valve type should be used was made. A mechanically activated proportional valve with an electronically controlled servo-engine was designed and evaluated. Since developed the servo-valve, the system was submited to a number of tests .The evaluation of its behavior was obtained in terms of repeatability, hystheresis and linearity. The test was accomplished in a bench, specially developed for this aim. As a result, were obtained three curves of opening percentage as function of flow rate, describing three opening and closing increments in two different work pressures. The servo-valve presented a good repeatability, reasonable hysteresis and a typically quadratic curve. This one maintained the low cost target. These results were very satisfied because the non-linearity and the hysteresis could be easily corrected by software.

Estimativa de bem-estar de frango de corte em função da concentração de amônia e grau de luminosidade no galpão de produção

Brazil is an important poultry meat export country, and large parts of its destination are countries with specific rearing restrictions related to broiler s welfare. One of the aerial pollutants mostly found in high concentrations in closed poultry housing environment is ammonia. There are evidences that broilers welfare may be compromised by the continuous exposition to this pollutant in rearing housing. This research aimed to estimate broilers welfare reared under specific thermal environmental attributes and bird s density, as function of the ammonia concentration and light intensity inside the housing environment using the Fuzzy Theory. Results showed that the best welfare value (0.89 in the scale: 0-1) approximately 90% of the ideal was found in the conditions that associated the ideal thermal environment, with bird s density between 13-15 birds m-2, with values of the ammonia concentration in the environment below 5 ppm, and light intensity near 1 lx. Using the predictive method it was possible to estimate broilers welfare with relation to the ammonia concentration and light intensity in the housing.

Produção de alface hidropônica em três ambientes de cultivo

It was proposed to evaluate the hydroponic lettuce production, variety Vera, on inclined benches with channels of 100 mm, and Nutrient Film Technique, as answer to carbon dioxide application and evaporative cooling. There were five cycles of cultivation from March, 20th to April, 17th (C1); from May, 25th to June, 29th (C2); from July, 13th to August, 20th (C3); from August, 27th to October, 10th (C4); from December, 12th to January, 10th (C5). In three greenhouses were tested the following systems: (A1) without evaporative cooling air CO2 aerial injection, (A2) with CO2 aerial injection and without evaporative cooling and (A3) with CO2 aerial injection and pad-fan evaporative cooling system. The fresh and dry mass of leaves in grams, number of leaves and leaf area in square millimeter were evaluated. The completely randomized statistical analysis was used. The cycle C1 were used 48 replications, for cycles C2, C3 and C5 were used 64 replications and C5 were used 24 replications. The results showed that greenhouse with evaporative cooling system and CO2 allow better development and greater lettuce yield. It was possible to conclude that the aerial injection of CO2, in the absence of evaporative cooling system, did not lead increasing the lettuce productivity to most cycles. Bigger lettuce leaf areas were found in periods with higher temperatures.

Análise de custo-efetividade de métodos preventivos para superfície oclusal de acordo com o risco de cárie: resultados de um ensaio clínico controlado

This study presents the results of a cost-effectiveness analysis in a controlled clinical trial on the effectiveness of a modified glass ionomer resin sealant ( Vitremer, 3M ESPE) and the application of fluoride varnish (Duraphat, Colgate) on occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars in children 6-8 years of age (N = 268), according to caries risk (high versus low). Children were examined semiannually by the same calibrated dentist for 24 months after allocation in six groups: high and low risk controls (oral health education every three months); high and low risk with varnish (oral health education every three months + varnish biannually); and high and low risk with sealant (oral health education every three months + a single application of sealant). Economic analysis showed that sealing permanent first molars of high-risk schoolchildren showed a C/E ratio of US$ 119.80 per saved occlusal surface and an incremental C/E ratio of US$ 108.36 per additional saved occlusal surface. The study concluded that sealing permanent first molars of high-risk schoolchildren was the most cost-effective intervention.

Abundância de ramos reprodutivos e produção de sementes em populações de Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br. na Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brasil

The variation in the proportion of reproductive branches, fruit, and seed production of Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br. (Convolvulaceae) were evaluated at ten beaches on Santa Catarina Island, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Three patches per beach of Ipomoea pes-caprae were monitored, involving two reproductive cycles. Ipomoea pes-caprae presented initially an average length of patches of 14 m, with 9.6 branches/m² and 39% of reproductive branches. The proportion of reproductive branches varied between the cycles, but there was not noticed an alternation of reproductive effort between the subsequent cycles. There was a reduction in the percentage of reproductive branches at six localities. In four beaches where Ipomoea pes-caprae populations declined, occurred reduction in the reproductive vigor, and in the seed production, being these declines associated to strong sea erosion. In another hand, in one beach with population increase, there were little reproductive branches due to the occurrence of young stolons. Four patches never maturated fruits, being three of these located at small beaches. The fruit and seed productions in the patches showed values up to 40 fruits/m² and up to 140 seeds/m², respectively. Populations with great seed production were localized in areas adjacent to great coastal plains, which may represent potential seed sources for areas with small seed production in the island.

Produção de serapilheira e decomposição do material foliar em um cerradão na Estação Ecológica de Jataí, município de Luiz Antônio, SP, Brasil

We estimate litter production and leaf decomposition rate in a cerradão area, physiognomy little studied and very threatened in São Paulo State. During the period of study, litter production was 5646.9 kg.ha-1.year-1, which the 'leaf' fraction corresponded to 4081.2 kg.ha¹.year¹; the 'branch' fraction, to 1066.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; the 'reproductive structures' fraction, to 434.1 kg.ha-1.year-1; and the 'miscellaneous' fraction to 65.5 kg.ha-1.year-1. Litter production was highly seasonal and negatively correlated with relative humidity and air temperature. Leaf production was negatively correlated with relative humidity, rainfall, and air temperature. There was no significant difference between litter production found in this study and those in two other sites with cerradão and semideciduous forest, but these physiognomies differed significantly from the cerrado sensu stricto. Leaf decomposition rate (K) was 0.56. Half-life of the decomposing material was 1.8 years and turnover time was 2.3 years.