Cooperação envolvendo pequenas e médias empresas industriais no MERCOSUL

This article is about agreements among small and medium industrial firms of Brazil and Argentina It is based on an empirical investigation carried on through interviews over thirty firms in Southern Brazil. After a brief section concerned with the general subject of agreements involving firms, the text presents the main results of the research. The principal issues are: types of agreements; meaning of agreements for firms, their motivation and goals; obstacles and facilities faced by firms; apparent conditions for successful agreements; ways to establish contact with partners and make agreements. As part of the final comments, the need of institutional support for establishing and developing agreements is stressed.This article is about agreements among small and medium industrial firms of Brazil and Argentina It is based on an empirical investigation carried on through interviews over thirty firms in Southern Brazil. After a brief section concerned with the general subject of agreements involving firms, the text presents the main results of the research. The principal issues are: types of agreements; meaning of agreements for firms, their motivation and goals; obstacles and facilities faced by firms; apparent conditions for successful agreements; ways to establish contact with partners and make agreements. As part of the final comments, the need of institutional support for establishing and developing agreements is stressed

Las Estratégias de Clusters en América Latina Frente a los Desafios del Cambio Estrutural: Experiencias Recientes y Contribuciones para una Nueva Agenda

Para retomar y hacer sustentables los procesos de crecimiento con inclusión social que varios países de América Latina protagonizaron en años recientes, será preciso que la región impulse profundos procesos de transformación productiva para ir superando su actual especialización basada en ventajas estáticas (recursos naturales) y para alcanzar niveles superiores de productividad. Las políticas industriales y tecnológicas son fundamentales para viabilizar ese proceso, y entre ellas se destacan las políticas de clusters. La experiencia reciente de la región pone en evidencia que estas últimas pueden hacer un aporte importante al proceso de cambio estructural, facilitando el desarrollo de capacidades competitivas y de innovación y viabilizando la superación de las brechas de productividad que caracterizan la estructura productiva latinoamericana. Una nueva y necesaria agenda de políticas cluster en la región debería sin embargo extraer algunas lecciones claves de aquella experiencia, en particular la necesidad de una fuerte articulación con las políticas nacionales y regionales que afectan la competitividad de los clusters. Las políticas clusterdeben formar parte activa de estrategias más amplias de innovación regional

Extracellular hydrolytic enzyme production by proteolytic bacteria from the Antarctic

Cold−adapted marine bacteria producing extracellular hydrolytic enzymes are important for their industrial application and play a key role in degradation of particulate organic matter in their natural environment. In this work, members of a previously−obtained protease−producing bacterial collection isolated from different marine sources from Potter Cove (King George Island, South Shetlands) were taxonomically identified and screened for their ability to produce other economically relevant enzymes. Eighty−eight proteolytic bacterial isolates were grouped into 25 phylotypes based on their Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis profiles. The sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes from representative isolates of the phylotypes showed that the predominant culturable protease−producing bacteria belonged to the class Gammaproteobacteria and were affiliated to the genera Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Colwellia, and Pseudoalteromonas, the latter being the predominant group (64% of isolates). In addition, members of the classes Actinobacteria, Bacilli and Flavobacteria were found. Among the 88 isolates screened we detected producers of amylases (21), pectinases (67), cellulases (53), CM−cellulases (68), xylanases (55) and agarases (57). More than 85% of the isolates showed at least one of the extracellular enzymatic activities tested, with some of them producing up to six extracellular enzymes. Our results confirmed that using selective conditions to isolate producers of one extracellular enzyme activity increases the probability of recovering bacteria that will also produce additional extracellular enzymes. This finding establishes a starting point for future programs oriented to the prospecting for biomolecules in Antarctica.Fil: Tropeano, Mauro. Biosidus; ArgentinaFil: Vazquez, Susana Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Coria, Silvia. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Turjanski, Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Cicero, Daniel. Fundación Instituto Leloir; Argentina. University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. Department of Chemical Science and Technology; ItaliaFil: Bercovich, Andrés. Biosidus; ArgentinaFil: Cormack, Mac. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentin

Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor gene transfer on infarct size, left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion in sheep after 2months of coronary artery occlusion

Background: In large mammalian models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), plasmid-mediated vascular endothelial growth factor (pVEGF) gene transfer has been shown to induce angio-arteriogenesis, proliferation of myocyte precursors and adult cardiomyocyte mitosis, reducing infarct size at 15days after coronary artery occlusion. However, it is unknown whether these effects persist at longer follow-up times, nor how they affect cardiac performance. We thus assessed infarct size, left ventricular (LV) function and perfusion in 2-month-old ovine AMI. Methods: Adult sheep with coronary artery occlusion were randomized to blindly receive ten intramyocardial injections of 3.8mg of pVEGF or empty plasmid distributed at the infarct border. Three and 60days later, LV perfusion (single-photon emission computed tomography) and function (stress echocardiography) were assessed. Finally, hemodynamics (LV catheterization), scar size and peri-infarct histology were studied. Results: Infarct size was 30% smaller in pVEGF-treated sheep (23.6±1.9% versus 32.7±2.7% of the LV; p<0.02). Percentage fractional shortening and wall thickening at the infarct border improved after pVEGF, as did myocardial perfusion and LV wall motion under pharmacological stress. Global LV function did not differ between groups, although the force-frequency response was preserved in pVEGF group and lost in placebo animals. These effects were associated with angio-arteriogenesis and proliferation of cardiomyocyte precursors. Conclusions: In sheep with AMI, pVEGF gene transfer affords long-term infarct size reduction, yielding regional LV function and perfusion improvement and reducing remodeling progression. These results suggest the potential usefulness of this approach in the clinical setting.Fil: Vera Janavel, Gustavo L.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: De Lorenzi, Andrea. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cortés, Claudia. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Olea, Fernanda Daniela. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cabeza Meckert, Patricia. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Bercovich, Andrés. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Criscuolo, Marcelo. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, Rubén. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Crottogini, Alberto Jose. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Políticas para mejorar la gestión ambiental en las PYMES argentinas y promover su oferta de bienes y servicios ambientales

Incluye BibliografíaEste estudio tiene por objetivo discutir propuestas de políticas públicas e iniciativas privadas orientadas a mejorar la gestión ambiental en las pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes) argentinas y brindar apoyo para que éstas puedan ocupar nichos de mercado en materia de provisión de bienes y servicios ambientales. Inicialmente, se traza el cuadro de la situación de las pymes argentinas en materia ambiental, tanto desde el punto de vista de su demanda de bienes y servicios ambientales como desde la perspectiva de la capacidad de consolidación de una oferta pyme local en esa área. Allí se discute cuál es el impacto ambiental de las pymes, qué grado de avance tiene la gestión ambiental en ese segmento productivo y cuáles son las restricciones que impiden un mejor desempeño en la materia. Asimismo, se analiza cuál es la situación de la oferta pyme de bienes y servicios ambientales. Una vez caracterizada a grandes rasgos la situación e identificados los principales problemas, se aborda la discusión de políticas. Se plantea primeramente un breve marco conceptual y se resumen algunas de las prácticas recomendadas (best practices) utilizadas a nivel internacional para promover una mejora en la gestión ambiental de las pymes. Luego, se presenta un panorama de la regulación ambiental en Argentina y se comentan las principales iniciativas ambientales, tanto públicas como privadas, con incidencia en pyme. A continuación, se presentan los resultados de una encuesta sobre opciones de políticas ambientales realizada entre un grupo de empresas argentinas con experiencia en gestión ambiental. Finalmente, sobre la base de las consideraciones previas, se sugieren un conjunto de políticas que podrían permitir mejorar las oportunidades y el posicionamiento de las pymes en materia ambiental

Culturable heterotrophic bacteria from Potter Cove, Antarctica, and their hydrolytic enzymes production

Affiliations of the dominant culturable bacteria isolated from Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, were investigated together with their production of cold-active hydrolytic enzymes. A total of 189 aerobic heterotrophic bacterial isolates were obtained at 4°C and sorted into 63 phylotypes based on their amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis profiles. The sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of representatives from each phylotype showed that the isolates belong to the phyla Proteobacteria (classes Alpha- and Gamma-proteobacteria), Bacteroidetes (class Flavobacteria), Actinobacteria (class Actinobacteria) and Firmicutes (class Bacilli). The predominant culturable group in the site studied belongs to the class Gammaproteobacteria, with 65 isolates affiliated to the genus Pseudoalteromonas and 58 to Psychrobacter. Among the 189 isolates screened, producers of amylases (9.5%), pectinases (22.8%), cellulases (14.8%), CM-cellulases (25.4%), xylanases (20.1%) and proteases (44.4%) were detected. More than 25% of the isolates produced at least one extracellular enzyme, with some of them producing up to six of the tested extracellular enzymatic activities. These results suggest that a high culturable bacterial diversity is present in Potter Cove and that this place represents a promising source of biomolecules.Keywords: Microbial enzymes; Antarctic bacteria; marine bacteria; cold enzymes; psychrophiles(Published: 20 December 2012)Citation: Polar Research 2012, 31, 18507, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.1850

Long-term effects of growth hormone on infarct size and left ventricular function in sheep with coronary artery occlusion

The effects of growth hormone (GH) on infarct size and left ventricular (LV) function in experimental acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been controversial. Moreover, little, if any, information exists regarding long-term evaluation of therapeutic doses of GH in large mammalian models of AMI. We therefore aimed to assess the effect of therapeutic doses of GH over 3.5 months on infarct size and heart function in sheep with AMI. After coronary artery ligation, sheep received subcutaneous human GH 8 IU/d (n = 8) or vehicle (n = 8) over 100 days. Infarct area was similar in GH (16.9% 6 3% of LV area) and placebo (16.5% 6 3.7%, P = not significant) sheep. At 3 days of treatment onset, but not at later times, GH sheep had higher LV shortening fraction (30.7% 6 3.5% vs. 24.8% 6 6.1%, P , 0.04), systolic anterior wall thickness (10.1 6 0.8 vs. 8.6 6 1.2 mm, P , 0.02), and cardiac index (3.8 6 0.6 vs. 2.8 6 0.7 L min21 m22 , P , 0.01). This evolution of function parameters paralleled that of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, which differed significantly only during the first week, suggesting a direct effect of GH on LV contractility. These results may suggest the usefulness of therapeutic doses of GH at the early phases of AMI but do not support maintaining the treatment for longer time.Fil: Olea, Fernanda Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: De Lorenzi, Andrea. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cortés, Claudia. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cabeza Meckert, Patricia. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cendoya, Oscar. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Barra, Juan G.. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Bercovich, Andrés. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: González, Eliseo. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, Rubén. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Crottogini, Alberto José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentin