A natural resource-based view of climate change: innovation challenges in the automobile industry

In recent years, uncertainty about climate change policies has deeply altered the competitive landscape of the automobile industry, and highlighted the key role that companies can play in reducing global CO2 emissions through technological innovation. Given the complexity of the innovation process in this industry, mainly due to an interactive relationship with the market, this study adopts a socio-technical transition perspective in order to understand the type of technological innovations that automobile companies have developed for reducing CO2 emissions from their products during a period of regulatory uncertainty. The Natural-Resource-Based View is used as a novel framework to categorize technological innovations into two important sets: product stewardship and clean technology. Product stewardship innovations are characterized by incremental changes in product components, with no substantial modifications of the core product concept. Clean technology innovations are characterized by significant alterations to existing product functionalities, infrastructure and consumer patterns, and imply major restructuring of both manufacturing processes and market acceptance. Under regulatory uncertainty, findings show that significant reductions of CO2 emissions from vehicles have been due to clean technology innovations. The benefits from clean technologies persist over time. In addition, complementarities between product stewardship and clean technology innovations have occurred, with positive effects on further CO2 emission reductions. These latter benefits, however, show only short-term effects, suggesting that continuous innovation in product stewardship is necessary in the next few years in this industry to survive in a carbon-constrained market.This work was supported by Grant #ECO2013-46091-P from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Part of this work was performed while the first author was visiting faculty (2012-2014) at Pompeu Fabra University, Department of Economics and Business, Barcelona (Spain)

Desarrollo de plan integral de negocios exportación de palta orgánica

El presente plan integral de negocios pretende demostrar la viabilidad de la comercialización en el mercado de la Unión Europea de la palta, cultivada y procesada bajo un proceso orgánico, para lo cual se llevará a cabo el análisis de los factores internos y externos que contribuirán al desarrollo y éxito de este nuevo negocio. Es un proyecto agro industrial que analizará la factibilidad de producir, procesar y comercializar en el exterior paltas orgánicas, evaluando la posibilidad de incursionar posteriormente en la comercialización de otras frutas exóticas y orgánicas. La profunda convicción de los participantes en esta evaluación respecto a la preservación del ecosistema, entendido este como el entorno físico y emocional, ha impulsado la concepción de un negocio diferente que dará como resultado la introducción al mercado mundial de frutos de primera calidad que satisfagan el paladar más exigente, a la vez que brinden beneficios para la salud de los consumidores y la preservación del medio ambiente. La empresa se denominará ORGANIC INCA FRUITS S.A.C., nombre bajo el cual se registrará la marca, buscando llegar a la mente de nuestro público objetivo con el concepto de frutos de excelente calidad e inocuidad presente en los cultivos peruanos desde las épocas de los incas y ofrecidas directamente para ellos.Tesi

Conflicts Of Interest In Research On Electronic Cigarettes

INTRODUCTION The tobacco control community has raised some concerns about whether studies on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) published in scientific journals hide conflicts of interest (COI) and whether such reports are biased. This study assessed potential COI in the e-cigarette scientific literature. METHODS Cross-sectional study was conducted on e-cigarette publications indexed in PubMed up to August 2014. We extracted information about the authors (affiliations, location, etc.), publication characteristics (type, topic, subject, etc.), results and conclusions, presence of a COI statement, and funding by and/or financial ties to pharmaceutical, tobacco, and/or e-cigarette companies. An algorithm to determine the COI disclosure status was created based on the information in the publication. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to identify associations with COI disclosure, controlling for several independent variables. RESULTS Of the 404 publications included in the analysis, 37.1% (n=150) had no COI disclosure statement, 38.6% declared no COI, 13.4% declared potential COI with pharmaceutical companies, 3.0% with tobacco companies, and 10.6% with e-cigarette companies. The conclusions in publications with COI, which were mainly tied to pharmaceutical companies, were more likely to be favourable to e-cigarette use (PR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.43-3.46). Publications that supported the use of e-cigarettes for both harm reduction (PR= 1.81; 95% CI: 1.14-2.89) and smoking cessation (PR= 2.02; 95% CI: 1.26-3.23) were more likely to have conclusions that were favourable to e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS One-third of the publications reporting studies on e-cigarettes did not have a COI disclosure statement, and this proportion was even higher in news articles, editorials and other types of publications. Papers with conclusions that were favourable to e-cigarette use were more likely to have COI. Journal editors and reviewers should consider evaluating publications, including funding sources, to determine whether the results and conclusions may be biased

ESPÉCIES INVASORAS DA FAMÍLIA DROSOPHILIDAE (DIPTERA, INSECTA) EM AMBIENTES DA CAATINGA DE PERNAMBUCO

Embora as invasões biológicas sejam fenômenos mundiais, poucos estudos foram desenvolvidos em ambientes tropicais, especialmente no Brasil. A escassez de dados sobre os trópicos atinge todos os processos relacionados à invasão, desde a fase de diagnóstico até a de solução de problemas, passando pela caracterização das espécies invasoras, comunidades e habitats invadidos, bem como a previsão dos impactos sobre a biodiversidade. Apresentamos o registro da presença e da distribuição de três espécies invasoras da família Drosophilidae, Zaprionus indianus, Drosophila simulans e D. malerkotliana. Juntas, as três espécies representaram quase metade da abundância absoluta dos indivíduos coletados nos ambientes da Caatinga de Pernambuco aqui investigados

Aspectos éticos y estrategias para la participación voluntaria de niños en la investigación

A literatura de saúde tem abordado os aspectos éticos da investigação com seres humanos há décadas, mas ainda há desafios a serem reconhecidos e superados, tais como os referentes à pesquisa com crianças. Este artigo apresenta e discute aspectos éticos da pesquisa com crianças. Descreve estratégias de abordagem conformes às necessidades infantis, segundo seu processo de desenvolvimento e características individuais, para garantir a participação voluntária da criança na pesquisa.Ethical issues about research with human beings have been addressed in health literature since decades. In spite of this, it is necessary to enhance actions to face many challenges, like the ones related to investigation of childhood. This paper presents and discusses ethical issues in research with children. It describes some strategies to perform with children, considering their developmental process and individual characteristics, in order to guarantee their voluntary participation in research.La literatura de salud ha tratado de los aspectos éticos de la investigación con seres humanos hace décadas, pero aun hay retos que deben ser reconocidos y superados, tales como los referentes a la investigación con la población infantil. Este artículo presenta y discute aspectos éticos de la investigación con niños y niñas. Describe estrategias de abordaje adecuadas a las necesidades infantiles, según su proceso de desarrollo y características individuales, para garantizar la participación voluntaria de niños y niñas en investigaciones

Genomic epidemiology of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli from Argentinian pig and dairy farms reveals animal-specific patterns of co-resistance and resistance mechanisms

Control measures are being introduced globally to reduce the prevalence of antibiotic resistance (ABR) in bacteria on farms. However, little is known about the current prevalence and molecular ecology of ABR in bacterial species with the potential to be key opportunistic human pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, on South American farms. Working with 30 dairy cattle farms and 40 pig farms across two provinces in central-eastern Argentina, we report a comprehensive genomic analysis of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC-R) E. coli, which were recovered from 34.8% (cattle) and 47.8% (pigs) of samples from fecally contaminated sites. Phylogenetic analysis revealed substantial diversity suggestive of long-term horizontal and vertical transmission of 3GC-R mechanisms. CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-2 were more often produced by isolates from dairy farms, while CTX-M-8 and CMY-2 and co-carriage of amoxicillin/clavulanate resistance and florfenicol resistance were more common in isolates from pig farms. This suggests different selective pressures for antibiotic use in these two animal types. We identified the β-lactamase gene blaROB, which has previously only been reported in the family Pasteurellaceae, in 3GC-R E. coli. blaROB was found alongside a novel florfenicol resistance gene, ydhC, also mobilized from a pig pathogen as part of a new composite transposon. As the first comprehensive genomic survey of 3GC-R E. coli in Argentina, these data set a baseline from which to measure the effects of interventions aimed at reducing on-farm ABR and provide an opportunity to investigate the zoonotic transmission of resistant bacteria in this region

Drosophila nasuta (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in Brazil: a decade of invasion and occupation of more than half of the country

Abstract As a result of human activities and natural dispersal, exotic species can be brought to new areas, where they become established and spread, becoming invaders. These species are responsible for the loss of biodiversity and cause ecosystemic harm throughout the world. In this paper, we report the rapid, broad geographic expansion of the invasive fly Drosophila nasuta in Brazil. An 84% increase was found in its area of occupation in the country compared to previous studies. The present data reveal its arrival to the Pantanal wetlands in a location more than one thousand kilometers from the closest previous record in the Cerrado biome. We present the first record of D. nasuta in the Atlantic Forest in the states of Paraíba and Bahia. We report its introduction in the Amazon Forest in the state of Amazonas approximately 700 kilometers from previous records. The relative abundance of D. nasuta in this biome increased fivefold in comparison to a previous study. In the first decade of invasion in Brazil, D. nasuta has already colonized more than half of the country. The present data reveal its invasive potential and underscore the importance of following up the possible negative effects of this biological invasion

Práticas seguras na assistência cirúrgica: uma reflexão teórica

Objective: Carry out a theoretical reflection on safe practices related to surgical care.Objetivo: Realizar uma reflexão teórica sobre as práticas seguras relacionadas à assistência cirúrgica