A roadmap towards a circular and sustainable bioeconomy through waste valorization

Municipal solid waste and food supply chain waste are globally generated in large quantities from various sectors including various stages of food supply chains, municipalities, open markets and catering services. A prevailing priority in the EU is to stimulate the transition towards a circular economy that fosters the promotion of sustainable and resource-efficient policies for long-term socio-economic and environmental benefits. Common practices for waste management include landfill disposal, anaerobic digestion, composting and wastewater treatment. Recently, new technologies have been introduced to produce value-added products from agricultural residues and food processing side streams. Integrated and holistic approaches for organic waste utilization as industrial feedstocks will boost the transition towards the bio-economy era. The establishment of circular economy would expand and diversify the market outlets of bio-based products. This review provides an overview of the current methods on waste and by-product streams bioconversion to develop biorefinery concepts

CARREIRA NA MATERNIDADE: A percepção de mulheres de uma cidade no norte do estado do Rio Grande do Sul

Previously, the challenge for women was just to enter the job market, today they need to overcome different obstacles to continue their careers after motherhood. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze the women’s perception of career after motherhood. Through a qualitative research, fifteen interviews were conducted based on a semi-structured script with women working in private companies, which were analyzed through content analysis. The results showed that women have a traditional career perspective, but when they approach their trajectory they report a career without borders and protean. They also report that they felt the need to be able to have motherhood leave extended to six months as a major organizational benefit, as well as they need organizational policies that support this moment in their lives to reconcile career and motherhood.  Anteriormente, el desafío para las mujeres era solo ingresar al mercado laboral, hoy necesitan superar diferentes obstáculos para poder continuar su carrera después de la maternidad. En este contexto, el presente estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la percepción de las mujeres sobre sus carreras después de la maternidad. A través de una investigación cualitativa, se realizaron quince entrevistas basadas en un guión semiestructurado con mujeres que trabajan en empresas privadas, las cuales fueron analizadas mediante análisis de contenido. Los resultados mostraron que las mujeres tienen una perspectiva de carrera tradicional, pero cuando se acercan a su trayectoria reportan una carrera sin fronteras y proteica. También informan que sintieron la necesidad de poder extender la baja por maternidad a seis meses como un gran beneficio organizacional, así como también necesitan políticas organizacionales que apoyen este momento de sus vidas para conciliar carrera y maternidad.O desafio das mulheres, anteriormente, era apenas inserir-se no mercado de trabalho, hoje elas precisam superar obstáculos diversos para dar continuidade à sua carreira após a maternidade. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo objetiva analisar a percepção de mulheres residentes em uma cidade da região norte do estado do Rio Grande do Sul sobre a carreira após a maternidade. Em uma pesquisa qualitativa, realizaram-se, com mulheres que trabalham em empresas privadas, quinze entrevistas com roteiro semiestruturado, as quais foram analisadas por meio da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados revelaram que as mulheres têm a perspectiva de seguir uma carreira tradicional, mas, quando abordam sua trajetória, relatam uma carreira sem fronteiras e proteana. Elas relatam sentirem a necessidade de ter a licença-maternidade estendida para seis meses como maior benefício organizacional, bem como precisarem de políticas organizacionais que lhes deem suporte para conciliar carreira e maternidade

Technical note: Residues of gaseous air pollutants in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) tissues

[EN] The modern consumer is concerned not only for meat quality, but also about animal welfare and the environment. Studies were conducted to determine the concentration of gaseous residues in the tissues of rabbits. For this purpose, gaseous air pollutants were measured at the height of rabbit cages. Immediately after slaughter, samples were taken for analysis to determine the level of residual pollutants in the tissues (blood, perirenal fat and lung). Headspace gas chromatography was performed on the tissue samples to test for volatile toxic substances. Gas residues of 11 compounds were determined in the samples of blood, perirenal fat and lungs. The same chemicals were present in the air of the farm and the animal tissues, which may indicate their capacity for bioaccumulation. 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Curvi-linear relation between acetone in breathing zone air and acetone in urine among workers exposed to acetone vapor. Toxicol. Lett. 62: 85-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-4274(92)90081-TKonéab A.P., Desjardinsbc Y., Gosselinbc A., Cinq-Marsa D., Guaya F., Saucier L. 2019. Plant extracts and essential oil product as feed additives to control rabbit meat microbial quality. Meat Sci., 50: 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.12.013Lauwerys, R., Bernard, A., Viau, C., Buchet, J.P. 1985. Kidney disorders and hematotoxicity from organic solvent exposure. Scand. J. Work Environ. Health., 11 Suppl 1: 83-90. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.2238Michl R., Hoy St. 1996. Results of continuous measuring of gases in rabbit keeping by using multigas-monitoring. Berl. Munch. Tierarztl. Wochenschr., 109: 340-343.Nowakowicz-Dębek B., Buszewicz G., Chmielowiec-Korzeniowska A., Saba L., Bis-Wencel H., Wnuk W. 2007. Residues of volatile gaseous substances in the tissues of polar foxes. Med. 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Pectins from food waste: Characterization and functional properties of a pectin extracted from broccoli stalk

Currently about 60–75% of world broccoli production is wasted during harvesting. The aim of the present study was to extract and characterise the pectin present in broccoli stalks and to evaluate its functional properties. The stalks were initially treated with boiling ethanol to remove compounds such as pigments and free sugars and then the pectin (FB) was extracted with 0.1 M nitric acid for 30min. The pectic fraction FB (18% yield) was found to contain 75% galacturonic acid with a degree of methyl-esterification of 56%, and an acetyl content of 1.1%. Rhamnose and galactose were the main neutral sugars present. NMR analyses showed that FB was composed of homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan I substituted with β-1,4-D-galactan. The molar mass of FB was 72.2 × 103 g/mol and the viscosity of a 5% (w/w) solution in 0.1M NaCl at pH 4 showed shear thinning behaviour with a low shear Newtonian plateau of ~100 Pa s at 25 °C. At the same concentration FB showed a weak gel like behaviour. FB (0.5–4%, w/w) was also able to stabilize medium chain triglyceride oil in water emulsions. The results suggest that broccoli stalk could be used as an alternative source of commercial pectins

Effects of Hydrostatic Weight on Heart Rate During Water Immersion

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hydrostatic weight on the changes in heart rate (HR) observed during water immersion (WI). Ten men underwent the following situations: HRR---recumbent position, outside the water; HRS---standing position, outside the water; HRU---standing position, immersed up to the umbilical scar region; HRUW---standing position, immersed up to the umbilical scar region with the addition of weight to equal force weight reached in the situation standing outside the water, and HREND---standing position outside the water again. The HR was measured at the final 15 seconds of each experimental situation. ANOVA for repeated measures with posthoc Tukey tests were used. No statistically significant differences were found between HRU (60.6 ± 7.7 bpm) and HRUW (64.9 ± 7.7 bpm); however, in the comparison of these two situations with situation HRS (75.7 ± 7.7 bpm), situation HRU presented a significant difference, while situation HRUW did not produce a significant bradycardia. The decrease in hydrostatic weight, during WI, does not influence the behavior of HR

Biopolymer production using fungus Mucor racemosus Fresenius and glycerol as substrate

Abstract This study evaluated extracellular production of biopolymer using fungus Mucor racemosus Fresenius and glycerol as a carbon source. Initially employing conical flasks of 500 mL containing 100 mL of cultive medium with 0.18 ± 0.03 g.L–1 of microorganisms, the results showed that the best conditions of the variables studied were: initial concentration of glycerol 50 g.L–1, fermentation time of 96 h, inoculum cultivation time of 120 h, and aeration in two stages–the first 24 hours without aeration and 72 hours fermentation with aeration of 2 vvm and 2 g.L–1 of yeast extract. The experiments conducted in a Biostat B fermenter with a 2.0 L capacity that contained 1.0 L of medium showed production of 16.35 g.L–1 gum formed and 75% glycerol consumption. These conditions produced a biopolymer with the molecular weight and total sugar content of 4.607×106 g.mol–1 (Da) and 89.5%, respectively

Chatbot conversacional desde un entorno de aprendizaje colaborativo y prácticas supervisadas

El Grupo de Investigación & Desarrollo Aplicado a Sistemas informáticos y computacionales (GIDAS) de UTN FRLP propicia la enseñanza y desarrollo de prácticas supervisadas. Año a año, recepciona consultas de aquellas personas que se sienten convocadas a sumarse a dichos procesos. Dentro del GIDAS la Inteligencia artificial (IA) es el área que despierta mayores intereses. En los últimos años, se evidenció un aumento significativo en la cantidad de consultas sobre el desarrollo de IA Es así que, en el año 2021, nos propusimos la creación de un chatbot conversacional usando machine learning (ML) que pueda dar respuesta a las variadas consultas de las/os interesados, así como la puesta en práctica de IA. El chatbot fue y continúa siendo, un área de estudio de laboratorio. A su vez, la concreción del mismo resultó una solución automática para las consultas realizadas. La Práctica supervisada (PS) es una materia que es parte del plan de estudios de la UTN y el GIDAS propicia la enseñanza y desarrollo de prácticas supervisadas donde las/os alumnas pueden transitarla. En el laboratorio, hemos ofrecido de forma planificada distintas PPSS con el objetivo de poder concluir este trayecto y brindar la experiencia de participar en un laboratorio de investigación en distintos proyectos. Es así que muchas/os becarios han participado en la evolución de esta herramienta. El resultado fue no solo su construcción sino también, la incorporación del bot en la página institucional del GIDAS brindando respuestas a la comunidad. Por lo tanto, fueron objetivos de este proyecto la creación del bot conversacional, para dar respuestas automáticas, y la formación de estudiantes a través de prácticas supervisadas que llevaron a cabo dicho proyecto.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic