Firm Innovation and Co‐Location in Portugal

This paper investigates the geographical distribution and concentration of firms’ innovation persistence and innovation type (product and process) based on three waves of the Portuguese Community Innovation Survey data covering the period 1998–2006. The main findings are: 1) both innovation persistence and innovation type are asymmetrically distributed across Portuguese regions, 2) the degree of correlation between geographical location and innovative output varies with the innovation type, and 3) the correlation between geographical unit and innovation increases when the spatial unit of analysis is narrower. The results suggest that the firms’ choices of geographical location have a long‐lasting effect, engendering no equal probabilities of being persistently innovative.     

Anti-Mullerian hormone and its relationship to ovulation response and fertility in timed AI Bos indicus heifers

This study evaluated the association between plasma anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) concentration and fertility in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers submitted to timed artificial insemination (TAI). At the onset of the synchronization protocol, heifers (n = 289) received a subcutaneous P4 ear implant (3 mg) and 2 mg of oestradiol benzoate. Eight days later, the P4 implant was removed and 0.5 mg of oestradiol cypionate, prostaglandin (0.265 mg, i.m.) and equine chorionic gonadotropin (300 UI, i.m.) was administered, and TAI was performed 48 hr after ear implant removal. Ovarian ultrasound evaluations were performed to measure number of ovarian follicles, dominant follicle size and ovulation response. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by ultrasound 30 days after AI. Heifers with greater circulating AMH had more antral follicles, a smaller dominant follicle near timed ovulation and lower ovulation response to the timed AI protocol compared to heifers with lower circulating AMH. Although AMH and pregnancy outcome had a quadratic-shaped pattern, AMH was not significantly associated with fertility. In conclusion, heifers with lower AMH had larger follicles towards the end of the synchronization protocol and greater ovulation responses, whereas greater circulating AMH was unrelated to conception success.     

Endosymbiont load,personality and reproductive output of maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais)

Journal of Pest Science - Endosymbiotic association is frequent in insects, and endosymbionts influence a range of biological processes in these organisms. The endosymbiont–insect association...     

Volatile Organic Compounds Profile Obtained from Processing Steps of Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas) as Perspective for Food Industry

ABSTRACT

In the heat treatment of oysters, many aroma compounds are lost in the cooking steam and water. In this study, aroma compound profiles from oyster processing were identified by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The compounds were extracted by headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), while the best process conditions such as temperature, extraction time, and desorption time were studied. The aroma compounds were obtained from raw oysters, from oysters after thermal treatment, from water released from raw oysters, from cooking steam, and from oyster boiling juice. All compounds were identified and semi-quantified by GC-MS. The major oyster aroma compounds were 1-octen-3-ol, hexanal, and benzaldehyde. Most of the components from oysters were lost both to the cooking steam and to the oyster boiling juice. The concentration range of volatile organic compounds transferred for oyster boiling juice between 14 and 90 mg L^?1 shows that the residues from oyster processing have great technological potential, and they can be recovered for application as aromas by the food industry.     

Impact of the colonisation of Zaprionus (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in different ecosystems of the Neotropical Region: 2 years after the invasion

The drosophilid Zaprionus indianus was not collected in Brazil, despite on-going drosophilid collecting, until 1999. Since 1999 this species has become common in Brazil. We present data on collections of Z. indianus in central Brazil, since its first occurrence in this region, with the goal of discussing its route of introduction in South America and aspects of its adaptation to the environment. Collections made during a 2-year period show different seasonal distribution patterns of this insect. In contrast with the low population sizes registered in 1999, during the summer of 2000 a large proliferation of this insect was detected. We show that Z. indianus is more common in the savanna sites and that its population peaks during the wet season. These preferences are discussed, and the hypothesis that the introduction in South America should have occurred in the southeast region of this continent is defended.     

Soil organic carbon accumulation and carbon costs related to tillage, cropping systems and nitrogen fertilization in a subtropical Acrisol

Conservation management systems can improve soil organic matter stocks and contribute to atmospheric C mitigation. This study was carried out in a 18-year long-term experiment conducted on a subtropical Acrisol in Southern Brazil to assess the potential of tillage systems [conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT)], cropping systems [oat/maize (O/M), vetch/maize (V/M) and oat + vetch/maize + cowpea (OV/MC)] and N fertilization [0 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (0 N) and 180 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (180 N)] for mitigating atmospheric C. For that, the soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation and the C equivalent (CE) costs of the investigated management systems were taken into account in comparison to the CT O/M 0 N used as reference system. No-till is known to produce a less oxidative environment than CT and resulted in SOC accumulation, mainly in the 0–5 cm soil layer, at rates related to the addition of crop residues, which were increased by legume cover crops and N fertilization. Considering the reference treatment, the SOC accumulation rates in the 0–20 cm layer varied from 0.09 to 0.34 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in CT and from 0.19 to 0.65 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in NT. However, the SOC accumulation rates peaked during the first years (5th to 9th) after the adoption of the management practices and decreased exponentially over time, indicating that conservation soil management was a short-term strategy for atmospheric C mitigation. On the other hand, when the CE costs of tillage operations were taken into account, the benefits of NT to C mitigation compared to CT were enhanced. When CE costs related to N-based fertilizers were taken into account, the increases in SOC accumulation due to N did not necessarily improve atmospheric C mitigation, although this does not diminish the agricultural and economic importance of inorganic N fertilization.     

Molecular and pedigree analysis applied to conservation of animal genetic resources: the case of Brazilian Somali hair sheep

The first registers of Somali sheep in Brazil are from the beginning of the 1900s. This breed, adapted to the dry climate and scarce food supply, is restricted in the northeast region of the country. Molecular marker technologies, especially those based on genotyping microsatellite and mtDNA loci, can be used in conjunction with breeding (pedigree analysis) and consequently the maintenance of genetic variation in herds. Animals from the Brazilian Somali Conservation Nuclei from Embrapa Sheep and Goats in Ceará State were used to validate genetic monitoring by traditional pedigree methods and molecular markers. Nineteen microsatellite markers and 404 base pairs from the control region of mtDNA were used. For total herd diversity, an average 5.32 alleles were found, with expected heterozygosity of 0.5896, observed heterozygosity of 0.6451, 0.4126 for molecular coancestrality, and coefficient of inbreeding (F _IS) was −0.095. Comparing molecular coancestrality means over the years, there was a consistent increase in this parameter within the herd, increasing from 0.4157 to 0.4769 in 2 years (approx. 12% variation). Sixteen mtDNA haplotypes were identified. Inbreeding and other estimates from genealogical analyses confirm the results from molecular markers. From these results, it is possible to state that microsatellites are useful tools in genetic management of herds, especially when routine herd recording is not carried out, or there were gaps in recent generations. As well as pedigree control, genetic diversity can be optimized. Based on the results, and despite herd recording in the herd of Brazilian Somali of Embrapa Sheep and Goats, additional management measures need to be carried out in this herd to reduce inbreeding and optimize genetic variation.     

Management practices to control gastrointestinal parasites in dairy and beef goats in Minas Gerais; Brazil

Parasitic infection is recognized worldwide as a limiting factor in the production of goats, and various control methods are used to reduce economic losses, often without considering the epidemiology of the parasites. This has led to the development of highly tolerant parasite populations and the presence of chemical residues in the beef and milk. The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of goat farmers about parasitic diseases and to correlate this with the epidemiology of endoparasites and parasite control practices in goat farms in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The analysis was based on a questionnaire applied by trained veterinarians. The sample was homogeneous throughout the state, covering 18.4% (157/853) of municipalities. Eighty-four dairy goat farms in 81 municipalities and 200 properties with beef goats in 76 municipalities were evaluated. The herd size per goat farm ranged from 4 to 57 (average 24) for beef herds and from 2 to 308 (average 63) for dairy farms. The majority of the beef herd production was extensive and semi-extensive (98.5%), while the dairy herds were maintained under intensive farming (98.8%). The mixed production of goats and sheep was reported by 36.5% of beef goat farmers and by 20.2% of dairy goat farmers. Among the beef goats farms on which the technological level was determined, 2.0% were categorized as having high technological level, 34.5% as medium, and 63.5% as low. Of the 84 dairy farms, 30% operated at a high, 47% at a medium, and 23% at a low technological level. The adoption of practices to reduce parasitism, such as the quarantine of animals, treatment of newly arrived animals, regular cleaning of the floor, and technical assistance, was significantly higher on dairy farms than on beef farms. Although 85.7% of dairy farmers and 83% of beef farmers medicate their animals, the treatments were performed without technical criteria, and deworming intervals ranged from 30 to 120 days or more. The average interval between treatments was significantly longer in dairy goat herds (4.8 months) than in the beef herds (3.6 months). The most commonly used drugs were macrocyclic lactones (37.7% in dairy and 39.5% in beef herds) and benzimidazoles (48.9% in dairy and 31.5% in beef herds). Goat production in Minas Gerais is still in its infancy, and even though using a control program associated with other health practices, producers still rely heavily on chemicals to get satisfactory results.     

Permeability of cork to gases

The permeability of gases through uncompressed cork was investigated. More than 100 samples were assessed from different plank qualities to provide a picture of the permeability distribution. A novel technique based on a mass spectrometer leak detector was used to directly measure the helium flow through the central area of small disks 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick. The permeability for nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases was measured by the pressure rise technique. Boiled and nonboiled cork samples from different sections were evaluated. An asymmetric frequency distribution ranging 3 orders of magnitude (roughly from 1 to 1000 μmol/(cm·atm·day)) for selected samples without macroscopic defects was found, having a peak below 100 μmol/(cm·atm·day). Correlation was found between density and permeability: higher density samples tend to show lower permeability. However, boiled cork showed a mean lower permeability despite having a lower density. The transport mechanism of gases through cork was also examined. Calculations suggest that gases permeate uncompressed cork mainly through small channels between cells under a molecular flow regime. The diameter of such channels was estimated to be in the range of 100 nm, in agreement with the plasmodesmata size in the cork cell walls.