Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:52:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6483.pdf: 1351831 bytes, checksum: 8b3eaa1d6ee3b90257eb5685c07a7e2f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-11-07 / The need to ensure the quality and safety of food becomes increasingly a concern of the entire food production chain, from primary production to final consumption. Feed industry is an important link in this chain, because the food given to livestock can influence the quality and safety of animal products. To ensure food safety adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which, for the animal feed industry has become mandatory implementation in Brazil, from 2003 is required, and preventive approach programs like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), whose implementation is not mandatory. This dissertation analyzes the internal and external impacts of the implementation of GMP / HACCP factories in the feed industry associated to Sindirações as well as the perceived difficulties during deployment. We conducted a survey research (survey), through a questionnaire sent to companies, yielding 60 response units. The data were analyzed in order to characterize companies, test possible correlations between the study variables and evaluate corporate groupings (clusters) with similar characteristics. Cluster analysis showed three groups, distinguished from each other mainly by the size of the unit and certifications standards for food safety. Although the quality of the product is a general requirement of the sector, the understanding that the adoption of programs to ensure the safety of foods is important for product quality and essential to the quality of food of animal origin food supplied to the final consumer does not seem to be unanimous in researching industry. It was observed that the plants that meet the most demanding markets tend to adopt these programs as well as certification. The main internal impacts, reported after the implementation of GMP / HACCP have been improvements in the occurrence of food security issues and improving the level of training of production employees, with respect to external impacts, the most cited were improved image brand and the improvement in customer satisfaction. / A necessidade de garantir a qualidade e a segurança de alimentos torna-se, cada vez mais, uma preocupação de toda a cadeia de produção de alimentos, desde a produção primária, até o consumidor final. A indústria de alimentos para animais é um importante elo nesta cadeia, pois o alimento fornecido aos animais de produção pode influenciar na qualidade e segurança dos produtos de origem animal. Para garantir a segurança dos alimentos é necessária a adoção das Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPF), que, para a indústria de alimentos para animais tornou-se de implantação obrigatória, no Brasil, a partir de 2003, e de programas de abordagem preventiva como a Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle (APPCC), cuja implantação não é mandatória. Essa dissertação analisa os impactos internos e externos da implantação de BPF / APPCC em unidades fabris da indústria de alimentos para animais de produção associadas ao SINDIRAÇÕES, bem como as dificuldades percebidas durante a implantação. Realizou-se uma pesquisa de levantamento (survey), por meio de envio de questionário às empresas, obtendo-se resposta de 60 unidades. Os dados foram analisados com a finalidade de caracterizar as empresas, testar possíveis correlações entre as variáveis de estudo e avaliar agrupamentos de empresas (clusters) com características similares. A análise de cluster mostrou três grupos, diferenciados entre si, principalmente, pelo porte da unidade e por certificações em normas para segurança de alimentos. Embora a qualidade do produto seja uma exigência geral do setor, o entendimento de que a adoção de programas para a garantia da segurança dos alimentos é importante para a qualidade do produto e imprescindível para a qualidade dos alimentos de origem animal fornecidos ao consumidor final parece não ser uma percepção unânime no setor pesquisado. Observou-se que as unidades fabris que atendem aos mercados mais exigentes tendem a adotar estes programas, assim como sua certificação. Os principais impactos internos, relatados após a implantação de BPF / APPCC foram melhorias nas ocorrências de problemas relacionados à segurança de alimento e a melhoria no nível de capacitação dos funcionários da produção, com relação aos impactos externos, os mais citados foram melhoria na imagem da marca e a melhoria no nível de satisfação dos clientes.

No description available.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Michael R. Langemeier / With increased focus on food safety and protection, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has examined the possibility of removing the exemption for elevators pertaining to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). The objective of this thesis was to determine the extent to which Kansas Elevators have adopted GMPs. To accomplish the objective of this thesis, information from an online survey completed by 42 elevators was summarized and analyzed. The information that was collected focused on the general classification of the elevators, grain safety programs, pest control programs and procedures, operational methods and personal practices, and maintenance of the facilities and equipment. Correlation coefficients were computed to determine if there were any significant correlations between elevator characteristics and GMPs. The study found that many of the elevators surveyed do not comply with the GMP requirements, and would require more resources in order to do so. Little connection was made between classification information such as size, location, or number of employees and GMP implementation. The significant correlations found were between HACCP and Pest Management, and HACCP and Traceability. The main limitation of this thesis was the small number of survey participants.

Testing is necessary factor to guarantee that ICs operate according to specifications before being delivered to customers. Testing is a process used to identify ICs containing imperfections or manufacturing defects that may cause failures. Inaccuracy and imperfections can be introduced during the fabrication of the chips due to the complex mechanical and chemical steps required during the manufacturing processes. The testing process step applies test patterns to circuits and analyzes their responses. This work focuses on VLSI circuit testing with two implementations for DFT (Design for testability); the first is an ATPG tool for sequential circuits and the second is a BIT (Built in Test) circuit for high frequency signal classification.There has been a massive increase in the number of transistors integrated in a chip, and the complexity of the circuit is increasing along with it. This growth has become a bottleneck for the test developers. The proposed ATPG tool was designed for testing sequential circuits. Scan Chains in Design For Testability (DFT) gained more prominence due to the increase in the complexity of the modern circuits. As the test time increases along with the number of memory elements in the circuit, new and improved methods are needed. Even though scan chains implementation effectively increases observability and controllability, a big portion of the time is wasted while shifting in and shifting out the test patterns through the scan chain. Additionally, the modern applications require operating speed at higher frequencies and there is a growing demand in testing equipment capable to test CMOS circuits utilized in high frequency applications.With the modern applications requiring operating speed at higher frequencies, there is a growing demand in testing equipment capable to test CMOS circuits utilized in high frequency applications. Two main problems have been associated when using external test equipment to test high frequency circuits; the effect of the resistance and capacitance of the probe on the performance of the circuit under test which leads to a faulty evaluation; and the cost of a dedicated high frequency tester. To solve these problems innovative test techniques are needed such as Built In Test (BIT) where self-evaluation takes place with a small area overhead and reduced requirements for external equipment. In the proposed methodology a Built In Test (BIT) detection circuit provides an efficient way to transform the high frequency response of the circuit under test into a DC signal.This work is focused in two major fields. The first topic is on VLSI circuit testing with two implementations for DFT (Design for testability); the first is an ATPG tool for sequential circuits and the second is a BIT (Built in Test) circuit for high frequency signal classification as explained. The second topic is focused on efficient implementations of arithmetic operations in arbitrary long numbers with emphasis to addition. Arbitrary-Precision arithmetic refers to a set of data structures and algorithms which allows to process much greater numbers that exceed the standard data types. . An application example where arbitrary long numbers are widely used is cryptography, because longer numbers offer higher encryption security. Modern systems typically employ up to 64-bit registers, way less than what an arbitrary number requires, while conventional algorithms do not exploit hardware characteristics as well. Mathematical models such as weather prediction and experimental mathematics require high precision calculations that exceed the precision found in most Arithmetic Logic Units (ALU). In this work, we propose a new scalable algorithm to add arbitrary long numbers. The algorithm performs bitwise logic operations rather than arithmetic on 64-bit registers. We propose two approaches of the same algorithm that utilize the same basic function created according to the rules of binary addition

Acinetobacter baumannii is a prevalent nosocomial pathogen where, like many other infectious bacteria, A. baumannii is increasingly considered a multi-drug resistant pathogen. This research study was designed to find a way to affect the persistence of A. baumannii such that it can be applied to a hospital setting to prevent further nosocomial infections. One regulatory mechanism potentially used by A. baumannii to persist on hospital surfaces is through the use of the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP). This nucleotide signal is regulated in response to environmental conditions, and then activates c-di-GMP-binding proteins that induce phenotypic changes. One c-di-GMP-regulated phenotype is bacterial motility, and reducing motility may alter A. baumannii’s ability to colonize and persist on hospital surfaces. I hypothesized that A. baumannii uses c-di-GMP-binding proteins to regulate motility. A. baumannii encodes two potential c-di-GMP-binding proteins of interest, one that contains a sole c-di-GMP-binding PilZ domain and another that pairs a PilZ domain with a hydrolase enzymatic domain. I am also testing two A. baumannii strains: AB5075, a recent multi-drug resistant military hospital isolate and 17978, an established lab strain. A notable difference between these two strains is that AB5075 demonstrates twitching motility where it utilizes type IV pili, while 17978 demonstrates swarming motility that has unknown mechanisms. Both c-di-GMP-binding proteins were tested for their role in motility for the particular A. baumannii strain. While I am still generating the deletion strain for the c-di-GMP-binding hydrolase enzyme in AB5075, the sole PilZ domain protein is required for twitching motility, while both c-di-GMP-binding proteins are required for 17978 swarming motility. [PM1] Future plans include determining the role of the c-di-GMP-binding hydrolase enzyme in twitching motility and identifying the role that these proteins play through binding of c-di-GMP.

No description available.

Salmonella is a leading bacterial cause of foodborne illness worldwide. During a previous study investigating the enzymes responsible for regulating cyclic-di-GMP concentrations, a mutant in the cyclic-di-GMP-specific phosphodiesterase STM3615 was identified that displayed a phenotype characterized by decreased survival on agar plates and a shorter bacterium length. I was able to determine that the periplasmic domain of STM3615 was responsible for this phenotype, not the enzymatic phosphodiesterase domain. Based upon a bioinformatic analysis of the protein, I then hypothesized that the periplasmic domain of STM3615 was interacting with a periplasmic protein to give rise to this phenotype. To identify this periplasmic protein partner, a transposon mutagenesis approach was taken to disrupt genes within the STM3615 mutant. Two mutants, rcsD and yrfG, within the STM3615 deletion mutant restored the WT phenotype and require further investigation. RcsD is an important partner of the transcription regulatory protein RcsB that controls expression of FtsZ, a key player in cell division.

Regulation of the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP in Salmonella Typhimurium allows it to delicately alter phenotypes to optimize invasion and survive intracellularly in epithelial cells and macrophages to become virulent and cause infection. The concentration of cyclic-di-GMP is regulated by the presence of external stimuli, sensor CMEs (diguanylate cyclases, DGCs, and phosphodiesterases, PDEs), and cyclic-di-GMP binding effectors. Previous studies established that maintenance of low cyclic-di-GMP concentrations is required for survival in macrophages and that the deletion of 3 active PDEs reduces this survival. This study aimed to further investigate the regulation of cyclic-di-GMP for survival in macrophages and epithelial cells. Salmonella Typhimurium mutants were generated and used for an infection assay with RAW 264.7 macrophage and HeLa epithelial cell lines to determine active CMEs via intracellular survival. Intracellular survival was quantified by plate counting of cell lysates at 1-, 4-, and 24-hours post-infection. Our result showed that the previously identified 3 PDEs also influenced the infection of epithelial cells. We re-established the decreased survival in the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line and determined that the cyclic-di-GMP-binding cellulose synthase BcsA was responsible for decreased survival in macrophages. Finally, we identified an active DGC whose deletion within the 3xKO PDEs restores survival levels, suggesting that this enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of cyclic-di-GMP during macrophage infection. Further studies on how cyclic-di-GMP regulates Salmonella Typhimurium intracellular survival could lead to identifying a potential alternative drug target for treating its infections.

Regulation of the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP in Salmonella Typhimurium allows it to delicately alter phenotypes to optimize invasion and survive intracellularly in epithelial cells and macrophages to become virulent and cause infection. Cyclic-di-GMP concentration is regulated by the presence of external stimuli, sensory diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and phosphodiesterases (PDEs), and cyclic-di-GMP binding effectors. Previous studies established that maintenance of low cyclic-di-GMP concentrations is required for survival in macrophages, and that deletion of 3 active PDEs reduces this survival. Here I showed that these 3 PDEs also influenced the infection of epithelial cells. Further studies re-established the decreased survival in an immortalized macrophage cell line and determined that cyclic-di-GMP-binding cellulose synthase BcsA was responsible for the decreased survival in macrophages. Finally, I also identified an active DGC whose deletion within the 3xKO restores survival levels, suggesting that this enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of cyclic-di-GMP during macrophage infection.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly multidrug-resistant pathogen contributing to hospital-acquired infections necessitating the discovery of novel treatments. A bacterial second messenger, cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (cyclic di-GMP), can regulate various persistence factors that are potentially advantageous for survival in hospital environments. Cyclic di-GMP–modulating enzymes and cyclic di-GMP–binding effectors predictively are encoded in the Acinetobacter baumannii genome. I hypothesized that cyclic di-GMP controls motility, biofilm formation, and desiccation tolerance in Acinetobacter baumannii. Disrupting cyclic di-GMP–modulating enzymes or cyclic di-GMP–binding effectors should alter the regulatory effectiveness of these phenotypes. I tested the multidrug-resistant isolate Acinetobacter baumannii strain AB5075 and identified several transposon mutants that altered twitching motility, biofilm formation, and desiccation tolerance; these results suggest that cyclic di-GMP plays a role during these three responses in Acinetobacter baumannii AB5075. Inhibiting these cyclic di-GMP signaling pathways could produce novel mechanisms to combat this pathogen in the hospital environment.