171 research outputs found
Export Upgrading and FDI: New Evidence from Brazil
This study presents additional evidence of the role of FDI flows
in export upgrading. Using industry-level data on Brazilian FDI
inflows, we show that FDI inflows promote export upgrading. Most
importantly, we show that export sophistication occurs through
the upgrading of goods exported to the same foreign market. We
show that upgrading occurs in all sectors and that sophistication
is slightly stronger for low-tech products. Keywords: Export Up-
grading, FDI flows, sectoral evidence
Importers and the Survival of New Exporters
New exporters tend to exit markets more often. Despite significant sunk costs of exporting, the rate of survival in the first year of a product in a new market is very low. In this paper, we use detailed export and import transactions panel data from Colombia to examine whether changes in the volume imported by exporting firms increases export survival. We use the lagged importers exchange rate index as an instrument for imports and control for different types of synergies and for firm, product and destination-year fixed effects. The main result shows that imports significantly increase the probability of export survival after the first year, especially when the number of products imported and the number of countries of origin of imports are higher and when the firm also imports from the destination country
Hyperpigmentant activity of leaves and flowers extracts of Pyrostegia venusta on murine B16F10 melanoma
AbstractEthnopharmacological relevancePyrostegia venusta is a native Brazilian plant which has a variety of uses in traditional folk medicine including the treatment of vitiligo. However, its effectiveness on melanogenesis is not yet elucidated.Aim of the studyThis study aimed to investigate the melanogenic activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from the leaves and flowers of P. venusta on murine B16F10 melanoma cells.Materials and methodsDifferent concentrations of the hydroalcoholic extracts of flowers and leaves of P. venusta were evaluated in trials of spontaneous melanin content (4 days), and cell viability by the MTT assay in murine B16F10 cells, and in the mushroom tyrosinase activity in vitro.ResultsBoth extracts, leaves (0.1; 0.3; 1 and 3μg/mL) and flowers (0.03 and 0.1μg/mL) increased the melanin content in a concentration dependent manner after 4 days of incubation on melanoma cells. Leaves extract promoted enhancement of melanogenesis with maximum effect of 33.3±3% (3μg/mL), and the flower extract increased in 23.4±3% (0.1μg/mL). The cell viability test using MTT showed that in the same tested concentrations of both extracts no cell death was detected. Actually, either extract was not able to cause any change in the tyrosinase activity. HPLC analysis of P. venusta extracts found 0.09% and 1.08% of allantoin on leaves and flowers extracts, respectively.ConclusionsThe leaves and flowers extracts of P. venusta stimulates B16F10 melanogenesis at very low concentrations. These findings support the folk medicinal use of P. venusta on the treatment of hypopigmentation diseases, such as vitiligo
Production and characterization of new fibrinolytic protease from Mucor subtillissimus UCP 1262 in solid-state fermentation
Fibrinolytic enzymes have received attention regarding their medicinal potential for thrombolytic
diseases, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Various natural enzymes purified
from animal, plant and microbial sources have been extensively studied. The aim of this work was
to produce fibrinolytic protease by solid state fermentation using agro industrial substrates. Rhizopus
arrhizus var. arrhizus UCP 1295 and Mucor subtillissimus UCP 1262 filamentous fungi species
isolated from soil of Caatinga-PE, Brasil, were used as producer microorganisms. Wheat bran
was shown to be the best substrate for the production of the enzyme and by using a 23 full factorial
design the main effects and interactions of the quantity of the substrate wheat bran, moisture and
temperature on the fibrinolytic enzyme production and protease were evaluated. The best results
for fibrinolytic and protease activities, 144.58 U/mL and 48.33 U/mL, respectively, were obtained
with Mucor subtillissimus UCP 1262 using as culture medium 3 g wheat bran, 50% moisture at a
temperature of 25˚C for 72 hours. The optimum temperature for the produced enzyme was 45˚C
and most of its original activity was retained after being subjected to 80˚C for 120 min. The protease activity was enhanced by K+, Ca+ and Mn+; but with Cu+ there was an inhibition. The specificity
to chromogenic substrate and the inhibition by PMSF indicates that it is a chymotrypsin-like
serine protease. Presented results suggest that this enzyme produced by solid-state fermentation
is an interesting alternative as a candidate for thrombolytic therapy
Estudos sobre a paz e cultura da paz
Segundo o autor, a cultura da paz implica uma mudança quer na
forma como a “alta cultura” lida com a realidade quer no tipo de
abordagem que o senso comum faz às relações sociais, sendo que a
ruptura com a ideologia conservadora, ou seja, com o senso comum
realista só é possível graças a estas alterações. O autor realça tanto a
importância que os estudos sobre a paz têm para o surgimento de um
conceito amplo de paz, desenvolvido por Johan Galtung, como o facto
destes estarem estrategicamente orientados para a transformação do
sistema internacional. Sequentemente, conclui que a paz é uma categoria moral e cultural que só pode ser alcançada através do comportamento quotidian
Beyond the “resprout or not resprout” dichotomy: on the prevalence and evolutionary fingerprint of resprouting in tropical dry forest trees
Macrophage-dependent IL-1β production induces cardiac arrhythmias in diabetic mice
Diabetes mellitus (DM) encompasses a multitude of secondary disorders, including heart disease. One of the most frequent and potentially life threatening disorders of DM-induced heart disease is ventricular tachycardia (VT). Here we show that toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in cardiac macrophages mediate the production of IL-1β in DM mice. IL-1β causes prolongation of the action potential duration, induces a decrease in potassium current and an increase in calcium sparks in cardiomyocytes, which are changes that underlie arrhythmia propensity. IL-1β-induced spontaneous contractile events are associated with CaMKII oxidation and phosphorylation. We further show that DM-induced arrhythmias can be successfully treated by inhibiting the IL-1β axis with either IL-1 receptor antagonist or by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our results establish IL-1β as an inflammatory connection between metabolic dysfunction and arrhythmias in DM.Facultad de Ciencias MédicasCentro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculare
Macrophage-dependent IL-1β production induces cardiac arrhythmias in diabetic mice
Diabetes mellitus (DM) encompasses a multitude of secondary disorders, including heart disease. One of the most frequent and potentially life threatening disorders of DM-induced heart disease is ventricular tachycardia (VT). Here we show that toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in cardiac macrophages mediate the production of IL-1β in DM mice. IL-1β causes prolongation of the action potential duration, induces a decrease in potassium current and an increase in calcium sparks in cardiomyocytes, which are changes that underlie arrhythmia propensity. IL-1β-induced spontaneous contractile events are associated with CaMKII oxidation and phosphorylation. We further show that DM-induced arrhythmias can be successfully treated by inhibiting the IL-1β axis with either IL-1 receptor antagonist or by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our results establish IL-1β as an inflammatory connection between metabolic dysfunction and arrhythmias in DM.Facultad de Ciencias MédicasCentro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculare
BIOGAS PRODUCTION FROM DAIRY CATTLE MANURE, UNDER ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
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