Clusters industriais abertos e fechados: a estrutura social da inovação

In this theoretical essay we discuss knowledge and innovation in clusters and the benefits of clustering from a knowledge-based perspective. Knowledge-based resources and innovations are important sources of competitive advantage for firms. Aware of the importance of continuously seeking new knowledge, firms increasingly seek knowledge-rich locations such as specific industry clusters across the world. These locations are characterized by the concentration of firms operating in related and supporting activities, a specialized work force and a specialized institutional environment that nurtures the industry. However, it is not likely that these clusters are always locations from which the firms will be able to draw the intended knowledge benefits. The social structure of the relationships between individuals and firms determines the extent to which knowledge will be created, will flow between co-located firms and will bound the knowledge benefits firms may capture. We finish with a discussion of the need of further examination of the network dynamics involved in an industry cluster to obtain a clearer identification of the actual positive externalities that may accrue to co-locating firms. Key words: strategy, industry clusters, innovation.Este artigo discute o conhecimento e a inovação em clusters e os benefícios da clusterização a partir de uma perspectiva baseada no conhecimento. Recursos baseados em conhecimento e inovações são fontes importantes para a vantagem competitiva das firmas. Conscientes da importância de buscar continuamente conhecimento novo, as firmas buscam, cada vez mais, encontrar localizações ricas em conhecimento como “cluster industriais” específicos em todo o mundo. Essas localizações são caracterizadas pela concentração de firmas operando em atividades relacionadas e apoiadas por força de trabalho especializada e em um ambiente institucional especializado que nutre a indústria. Entretanto, não é possível que esses clusters sejam sempre localizações nas quais as firmas estarão habilitadas a conseguir os benefícios de conhecimento pretendidos. Ainda, a estrutura social dos relacionamentos entre indivíduos e firmas determinará a extensão em que o conhecimento é criado, flui entre firmas na mesma localização e limita os benefícios de conhecimento que a firma pode capturar. Finalmente, concluímos o artigo com a discussão da necessidade de investigação adicional sobre a dinâmica das redes de relacionamento envolvidas em um cluster industrial para a obtenção de uma identificação mais clara das externalidades positivas atuais que possam ser acumuladas em firmas co-localizadas. Palavras-chave: estratégia, clusters industriais, inovação

Morphometric analysis of the phrenic nerve in male and female Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)

Ventilatory differences between rat strains and genders have been described but the morphology of the phrenic nerve has not been investigated in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. A descriptive and morphometric study of the phrenic nerves of male (N = 8) and female (N = 9) SHR, and male (N = 5) and female (N = 6) WKY is presented. After arterial pressure and heart rate recordings, the phrenic nerves of 20-week-old animals were prepared for epoxy resin embedding and light microscopy. Morphometric analysis performed with the aid of computer software that took into consideration the fascicle area and diameter, as well as myelinated fiber profile and Schwann cell nucleus number per area. Phrenic nerves were generally larger in males than in females on both strains but larger in WKY compared to SHR for both genders. Myelinated fiber numbers (male SHR = 228 ± 13; female SHR = 258 ± 4; male WKY = 382 ± 23; female WKY = 442 ± 11 for proximal right segments) and density (N/mm²; male SHR = 7048 ± 537; female SHR = 10355 ± 359; male WKY = 9457 ± 1437; female WKY = 14351 ± 1448) for proximal right segments) were significantly larger in females of both groups and remarkably larger in WKY than SHR for both genders. Strain and gender differences in phrenic nerve myelinated fiber number are described for the first time in this experimental model of hypertension, indicating the need for thorough functional studies of this nerve in male and female SHR

Stability and change in physical activity: a longitudinal study in children (6 to 9)

There is a strong agreement that physical activity (PA) positively influences individual health status. Regular PA is an important factor along the whole life cycle to promote a healthy life style. Childhood and adolescence are golden ages to promote and acquire PA habits. Physical activity promotion in childhood and adolescence is partially based on the assumption that PA habits are developed during these periods of life and are maintained throughout adulthoo

New comprehensive procedure for enhanced dataanalysis and interpretation of Real-Time Measurements: A unique feature for real time avour generation

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Process control in flavour generation : NIR-MVA as a tool to monitor key odorants formation

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Actividade física em crianças e adolescentes avaliada por acelerometria. Diferenças entre grupos etários e género sexual.

Existeum consenso generalizado, na comunidade científica, de que a actividade física (AF)tem efeitos benéficos sobre o estado de saúde individual. A infância e a adolescênciasão consideradas os períodos da vida mais adequados para a promoção e aquisição de hábitos de AF. A identificação de grupos com níveis distintos de AF é um aspectoimportante para os sistemas de vigilância e promoção da AP. O propósito desta investigação foi avaliar as diferenças entre géneros e grupos etários nos níveis de AF decrianças e adolescentes. A amostra incluiu 103 sujeitos (49 meninas e 54 meninos) agrupadosem três grupos: grupo 1 (6 a 11 anos de idade, 16 meninos e 16 meninas); grupo2 (12 a 15 anos de idade, 23 meninos, 25 meninas) e grupo 3 (16 a 18 anos de idade, 15 meninos e 8 meninas). A AF foi avaliada com o acelerómetro CSA 7164 durante 7 dias consecutivos. Através de um programa concebido para o efeito (Trost et a!., 2002) foram calculados os totais de minutos diários de AF moderada a vigorosa (AFM),vigorosa (AFV) e muito vigorosa (AFMV) e os períodos contínuos de 20, 10 e 5minutos de AFM e AFY. As diferenças entre os meninos e meninas e entre os grupos etários foram analisadas através do teste de Kruskal- Wallis. Foram encontradas diferençassignificativas na AFM, APV e AFMV entre os meninos e as meninas e entre os diferentes grupos etários, ocorrendo um decréscimo da AF ao longo da idade. No grupo 1 foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os géneros apenas na AFY. No grupo 2 foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os meninos e as meninas naAFM e na AFY. No grupo 3 foram encontradas diferenças entre os géneros na AFV e na AFMY. Em todos os casos os meninos eram mais activos do que as meninas

(Un)targeted analysis to unravel critical interactions between sugars and phenolics in Strecker aldehydes formation in beverages

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Natural Hazards Challenges to Civil Engineering

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Protein haze formation in wines revisited. The stabilising effect of organic acids

The effect on the wine protein haze potential of five organic acids commonly encountered in wines (L(+)- tartaric, L( )-malic, citric, succinic and gluconic acids) was assessed. All five acids, tested at 20 mM, reduced dramatically the haze potential of proteins, either in wine or dissolved in water, throughout the range of pH values typical of wines (i.e., from 2.8 through 3.8). Subtle differences among the acid effects did not correlate with the number of their carboxyl groups, but were attributed to electrostatic interactions that depend upon the acid pKa values, the protein pI values and the medium pH. These results invalidate or question the validity of all experiments on wine proteins involving wine model solutions containing organic acids. Overall, the results obtained in the present work clearly indicate that organic acids with a common occurrence in wines exhibit a stabilising effect upon the haze potential of the wine proteins

Use Of Blends Bioabsorbable Poly(l-lactic Acid)/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) As Surfaces For Vero Cell Culture

Vero cells, a cell line established from the kidney of the African green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops), were cultured in F-10 Ham medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum at 37°C on membranes of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and their blends in different proportions (100/0, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60, and 0/100). The present study evaluated morphology of cells grown on different polymeric substrates after 24 h of culture by scanning electron microscopy. Cell adhesion was also analyzed after 2 h of inoculation. For cell growth evaluation, the cells were maintained in culture for 48, 120, 240, and 360 h. For cytochemical study, the cells were cultured for 120 or 240 h, fixed, processed for histological analysis, and stained with Toluidine blue, pH 4.0, and Xylidine ponceau, pH 2.5. Our results showed that cell adhesion was better when 60/40 and 50/50 blends were used although cells were able to grow and proliferate on all blends tested. When using PLLA/PHBV (50/50) slightly flattened cells were observed on porous and smooth areas. PLLA/PHBV (40/60) blends presented flattened cells on smooth areas. PLLA/PHBV (0/100), which presented no pores, also supported spreading cells interconnected by thin filaments. Histological sections showed that cells grew as a confluent monolayer on different substrates. Cytochemical analysis showed basophilic cells, indicating a large amount of RNA and proteins. Hence, we detected changes in cell morphology induced by alterations in blend proportions. 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