Search

The companies don't operate in total isolation from the environment in which they are inserted. The environment at the same time as it is influenced by the organizations, in the performance and the performance of its origins, especially with regard to the practice of innovation. Small and medium-sized enterprises are the engine of economic development, especially in developing countries such as Brazil. Accordingly, the main objective of this research was to present and test a research model of innovation in Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) proposed by Walter, Veloso and Fernandes (2017) to analyze: (1) the degree of innovation of Micro and Small Enterprises and (2) how the innovation is presented in the Micro and Small Enterprises as a result of its business environments. For this the study was based on a sample of 617 MSE distributed in 6 cities of the State of Piauí. The data were collected through the application of the Innovation Radar. Statistical techniques of descriptive, exploratory and inferential nature were used. The results showed that MSE have innovation capacity between "Little Innovative" and "Occasional Innovative", due to the greater expressiveness of organizations and marketing innovations, and that the average and the distribution of innovation are the same among MSE analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maytenus genus is a member of the Celastraceae family. Numerous medicinal uses were assigned to species of this genus, with the use of roots, bark, and leaves for the treatment of gastric ulcers, as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiallergic, antitumor, among others. Several studies have demonstrated that natural products derived from plants have an important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Accordingly, we evaluated the effect of Maytenus imbricata extracts in the treatment of obesity induced by diet rich in refined carbohydrate (HC). BALB/c mice were fed chow or HC diet for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the 9th week, the HC group was subdivided into three groups: (i) group of animals that continued to consume only HC diet; (ii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with ethyl acetate extract of M. imbricata roots (HC + EAE); (iii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with extract in hexane/ethyl ether (HC + HEE). The period of extracts supplementation was 4 weeks. It was observed that EAE and EHE when added to the HC diet modulated the metabolic and inflammatory changes, such as: reduced the adipocytes area, improved glucose intolerance, reduced the levels of triglycerides and resistin in serum, and the number of total leukocytes in blood. In the epididymal adipose tissue, the extracts reduced proinflammatory mediators' concentration. According to the results, it was concluded that the species Maytenus imbricata has the potential to be used for the treatment of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Temperature is one of the most important environmental variables for organisms, especially for ectothermic animals. In fact, ectotherms must move within a relatively narrow range of temperatures where they are able to maximize their performance. We assessed the thermal ecology of female sand spiders (Sicarius thomisoides) in Chile from separate populations along an environmental gradient and different macro habitats (coast vs. inland locations). The parameters of thermal performance curves do not vary between populations, with an average optimum temperature (T° opt) of 25.33 ± 2.65 °C, and a CT min and CT max of 6.56 ± 1.72 °C and 44.23 ± 4.92 °C, respectively. Our results show that the thermal niche in laboratory is conserved and does not vary along an environmental gradient coinciding with the temperatures selected by female spiders in their microhabitats. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Temperature is an important factor to define reproduction site in female spiders. • Micro habitat selection is used by females to regulate body temperatures. • Thermal niche is conserved and does not vary along an environmental gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To determine the effects of maternal nutrition on modifications of foetal development of the skeletal muscle and possible increase in the potential of skeletal muscle growth in cattle, gestating cows were either fed 190% NRC recommendations (overnourished; ON) or 100% NRC recommendation (control; CO). Interaction between maternal nutrition (MN) and the foetal sex (FS) was also investigated. Foetuses were necropsied at four different time points throughout gestation (139, 199, 241 and 268 days of gestation) to assess the mRNA expression of myogenic, adipogenic and fibrogenic markers in skeletal muscle. Phenotypic indicators of the development of skeletal muscle fibres, intramuscular lipogenesis and collagen development were also evaluated. Modifications in mRNA expression of skeletal muscle of foetuses were observed in function of MN and FS despite the lack of effect of MN and FS on foetal weight at necropsy. Maternal ON increased the mRNA expression of the myogenic marker Cadherin‐associated protein, beta 1 (CTNNB1) and adipogenic markers Peroxissome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and Zinc finger protein 423 (ZNF423) at midgestation. However, no differences on foetal skeletal muscle development were observed between treatments at late gestation indicating that a compensatory development may have occurred on CO foetuses making the effect of MN on skeletal muscle development not significant at late gestation. Moreover, our data have shown an evidence of sexual dimorphism during foetal stage with a greater skeletal muscle development in male than in female foetuses. In conclusion, providing a higher nutritional level to pregnant cows changes the trajectory of the development of skeletal muscle during midgestation, but apparently does not change the potential of post‐natal growth of muscle mass of the offspring, as no differences in skeletal muscle development were observed in late gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several works have shown that triterpenes induce peripheral antinociception by activation of cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids; besides, several research groups have reported activation of cannabinoid receptors in peripheral antinociception. The aim of this study was to assess the involvement of the cannabinoid system in the antinociceptive effect induced by tingenone against hyperalgesia evoked by prostaglandin E (PGE) at peripheral level. The paw pressure test was used and the hyperalgesia was induced by intraplantar injection of PGE (2 μg/paw). All drugs were injected subcutaneously in the hind paws of male Swiss mice. Tingenone (200 µg/paw) administered into the right hind paw induced a local antinociceptive effect, that was antagonized by AM630, a selective antagonist to CB cannabinoid receptor. AM251, a selective antagonist to CB cannabinoid receptor, did not alter the peripheral antinociceptive effect of tingenone. MAFP, a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor; VDM11, an anandamide reuptake inhibitor; and JZL184, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitor did not potentiate the peripheral antinociceptive effect of the lower dose of tingenone (50 µg/paw). The results suggest that tingenone induced a peripheral antinociceptive effect via cannabinoid receptor activation. Therefore, this study suggests a pharmacological potential for a new analgesic drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental legislation of many countries imposes severe restrictions on the emissions of gaseous pollutants, including NOx and SOx. Efficient alternatives for the removal of nitrogen and sulphur contaminants are required to obtain increasingly cleaner fuels. In this regard, adsorption is economically promising, because it requires less energy than the traditional hydrotreating processes due to mild conditions of temperature and pressure required. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of nickel, cerium, molybdenum and cobalt oxides impregnated on silica-alumina in removing nitrogen and sulphur compounds from a hydrotreated diesel. The incorporation of metal oxides increased the density of acid sites and promoted the removal of nitrogen and sulphur compounds, especially the one impregnated with molybdenum oxide. The influence of molybdenum oxide loading was also studied. It was observed that this synthesis parameter affected acid sites density and contaminant removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loxoscelism is a health problem caused by the bite of spiders of the genus Loxosceles. In Chile all cases are attributable to Loxosceles laeta. It has been suggested that the spitting spider Scytodes globula may be a predator of L. laeta and control its population, which is only possible if they share the microhabitat. This study compared the thermal preferences and tolerances of the two species. Later, spiders acclimated to 15°C and 25°C were exposed to decreasing and increasing temperatures to determine the lower and upper critical temperatures. The preferred temperatures were lower during the morning, but there were no differences between the species. The thermal niche breadths were similar for the species, with a large overlap. Both species showed tolerance to extreme temperatures, but L. laeta showed greater tolerance to low temperatures. Both species showed acclimation of the lower critical temperatures to changes in acclimation temperatures. The similarity of preferred and tolerated temperatures was partly an expected fact, since the species share the same macrohabitat; these spider species are very common in domestic environments of central Chile. However, the results imply that their microhabitat choices are also very similar, indicating a high probability of meeting and predation, which could have important consequences in loxoscelism epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There is a lack of studies concerning the nutrient requirements of dairy calves, mainly, evaluating different genetic groups. Aims: The objective was to quantify energy and protein requirements of dairy calves up to 60 days, testing the influence of genetic composition (Holstein or crossbred Holstein × Gyr) on these requirements. Methods: The study involved 42 bull calves (3 days of age), including animals with less than 15/16 Holstein composition (considered crossbred) and animals with more than 15/16 Holstein pedigree (considered purebred). Six calves were slaughtered at the start of the experiment to estimate the initial body composition of the animals. Of the remaining animals, four formed the maintenance group (fed 3 L/day of raw milk), and the other 32 were distributed into four treatments, which consisted of 6 L/day of raw milk, with increasing DM contents of 13.5%, 16.1%, 18.2% and 20.4% respectively. The DM contents were corrected for adding milk replacer to the raw milk. All animals had free access to starter feed and water. Digestibility trials were conducted at 28 and 56 days of life, with total faeces collection being performed for 5 days and urine collection for a period of 24 h. At 60 days of life, the animals were slaughtered to determine their body composition. Key results: Net energy requirements for maintenance and metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance were 57.6 and 86.8 kcal/(empty bodyweight, EBW)0.75.day respectively. The efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable energy for maintenance was 66%. Net energy requirements for gain (NEg, Mcal/day) can be estimated by the following equation: AN18773_E1a.gif , where EBG is empty body gain (kg/day) and EBW is in kilograms. The efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable energy for gain was 27%. The metabolisable-protein requirement for maintenance was 3.22 g/EBW0.75.day. Net protein requirement for gain (NPg, g/day) can be estimated by the following equation: AN18773_E1b.gif , where RE is retained energy (Mcal/day). The efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable protein for gain was 59.1%. Conclusions: Genetic group does not affect energy or protein requirements of pre-weaned calves. The estimates presented here can be used to calculate nutrient requirements of pre-weaned calves aged up to 60 days. Implications: Inclusion of milk replacer in the liquid feed had a negative impact on diet quality. There is a lack of studies concerning the nutrient requirements of dairy calves, mainly, evaluating different genetic groups. The present study determined requirements of dairy calves feeding liquid feed containing increasing dry-matter concentrations and the influence of genetic group (Holstein or Holstein × Gyr) on these requirements. In summary, genetic group had no effect on the requirements of pre-weaned dairy calves and the inclusion of milk replacer in the liquid feed had a negative impact on diet quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter is presented with regards to the spontaneous involution of choroidal neovascularization secondary to rubella retinopathy.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal nutrition ( MN) and foetal sex on the intestinal development of bovine foetuses throughout different days of gestation ( DG). Forty-four multiparous, dry Holstein × Gyr cows with average initial body weight of 480 ± 10 kg were fed the same diet of either restricted feeding at 1.15% of body weight ( CO, n = 24) or fed ad libitum (overnourished, ON, n = 20). Six cows from CO group and five cows from ON group were slaughtered at 139, 199, 241 and 268 DG, and foetuses were necropsied to evaluate the intestinal development. The mass, length and density of foetal intestines were not affected by MN (p ≥ 0.260). An interaction between MN and DG was observed for the villi length of jejunum (p = 0.006) and ileum (p < 0.001). Villi length of jejunum and ileum was higher (p < 0.10) in foetuses from ON-fed cows than in foetuses from CO-fed cows at 139 DG. However, at 199 DG, the villi length of jejunum and ileum of foetuses from CO-fed cows was higher than in foetuses from ON-fed cows. Despite these differences, MN did not affect the villi length of jejunum and ileum at 268 DG (p > 0.10). Female foetuses had greater small intestine mass (p = 0.093), large intestine mass (p = 0.022), small intestine mass in proportion to body mass (p = 0.017) and large intestine mass in proportion to body mass (p < 0.001) than male foetuses. Female foetuses had also longer small intestine (p = 0.077) and greater small intestine density (p = 0.021) and villi length of jejunum (p = 0.001) and ileum (p = 0.010) than males. We conclude that MN affects the pathway for the development of foetal villi length throughout the gestation in bovine foetuses without changing the final villi length. Female foetuses had higher intestinal mass, density and villi length than males during the foetal phase in bovines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate the influence of the handling of three milkers on the behavior of dairy cows, milking management and animal production. Direct observations were made, continuous and with visual sampling of the milkers behavior and of the cows. The cows participated of the three treatments (milkers), constituting the cross-over experimental design. In the comparative analysis of the human and animal behavior the nonparametric chi-square (χ²) test was used. For data on milk production, flight distance and milking time it was applied the variance analysis (ANOVA). In the economic evaluation it was used a descriptive analysis of the production results. It was concluded that the type of handling of the milker influenced milk production, milking time, flight distance and the reaction of the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feeding behavior of grazing ruminants has been used to guide and underpin many discussions related to the intake found in research. Therefore, the measurements of these correlations can break some paradigms, because probably not all behavioral variables are correlated with nutritional parameters. This study aimed to evaluate the linear correlations between feeding behavior and intake of dairy cows supplemented on pasture. Twelve Holstein × Zebu crossbred cows, at 100 to 150 days in milk, with an average body weight of 466.9 ± 33.2 kg, received concentrate supplementation to provide variations in their feed intake and feeding behavior. Their feed intake and feeding behavior were measured in four evaluations held every 17 days during the experimental period. Pearson's linear correlation analyses were carried out using the "t" test, with values considered significant at 5% probability level. The grazing and rumination times and the time spent performing other activities did not have significant correlations with the intake variables (P>0.05); however, the time spent feeding at the trough had a low but positive correlation with the intake of non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) (P<0.05). The number of grazing periods showed a low negative correlation (P<0.05) with the intakes of crude protein and NFC. However, the correlation coefficients were low in relation to the feeding behavior variables, because of factors linked to characteristics of the concentrate, such as appearance and texture, which were not controlled in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The metabolic and water evaporation strategies in spiders may be part of a set of physiological adaptations to tolerate low or unpredictable food availability, buffering spiders against environmental fluctuations such as those of the high mountains of the central Andes. The aim of this study is to analyze experimentally the variations in metabolic rate and the rate of evaporative water with food and/or water restriction in a high mountain mygalomorph spider population (Paraphysa sp.). We found that the low metabolism of this spider was not affected by water restriction, but its metabolism was depressed after 3weeks of food deprivation. The spider did not show seasonal metabolic changes but it presented seasonal changes in the rate of evaporative water loss at high temperatures. Females with egg sacs reduced their metabolic rate and evaporative water at high temperatures. These findings constitute a set of possible adaptations to a highly fluctuating Mediterranean environment, which is completely covered with snow for many months and then progresses rapidly to a very dry climate with high temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Small animals need efficient water conservation mechanisms for survival and reproduction, which is relevant for the spiders that have large book lungs with large respiratory surface. If lung evaporation is relevant to limit water loss, adjustments of the spiracle opening to metabolic demands should be expected. In this study, we measured the metabolic rate and total evaporative water loss mediated by the opening of the spiracles in the migalomorph spider Paraphysa parvula, a resident of fluctuating Mediterranean environments of the mountains of central Chile. We found that the metabolism of P. parvula was similar to other Theraphosidae and low compared to other arthropods. Carbon dioxide production and evaporative water loss increased with temperature, particularly at 40°C. The total evaporative water loss at 40°C increased dramatically to about 10 times that found with the lower temperatures. Thus, 40°C will be the limit temperature for this species after which evaporative water loss starts to become damaging, so it has to avoid it. The exposition to hypercapnic environments had as a consequence an increase in evaporative water loss and the involvement of the book lungs in this loss was about 60%. The possibility of losing water could condition this species to seek temperate and oxygenated shelters under rocks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study we hypothesized that Grammostola rosea Walckenaer 1837, an active predator of large size that depends on its two paired book lungs for respiration, would have a refined low energy strategy based on its thin air-hemolymph barrier. The morphology of book lungs and the oxygen consumption at 20° and 30°C under normal and starvation conditions were studied. The oxygen consumption was low compared to that expected for spiders from the allometric relationship, 0.027 ± 0.01 ml O2 g-1 h-1 (average ± standard deviation), and 0 was depressed at 30° C under starvation. The harmonic mean thickness of the airhemolymph barrier was 0.14 ± 0.03 p.m, the respiratory surface density was 122.99 ± 35.84 mm -1, and the book lung volume ranged from 12.2 to 37.5 mm3. With these parameters a high oxygen diffusion capacity was estimated. The combination of low resting oxygen consumption and high pulmonary oxygen conductance results in very low gradients of partial oxygen pressures across the air-hemolymph barrier (0.12 4).16 kPa) required to satisfy the resting oxygen demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]