Strategic alignment and performance: Brazilian companies in the medical diagnostics sector

A gap has been identified in the literature on the diagnosis and monitoring of the degree of strategic alignment. The main objective of this article is to diagnose and analyze the strategic alignment profile using the alignment diagnostic profile (ADP) tool, which enables organizations to show visually their degree of strategic alignment. The methodological approach adopted is multiple-case studies, which were conducted at five organizations in the medical diagnostics sector. The results indicate that the ADP enables organizations to understand the steps required to improve their level of alignment and to identify and locate gaps and conflicts.

Collaboration intensity in the Brazilian supermarket retail chain

Purpose - This paper seeks to identify collaboration elements and evaluate their intensity in the Brazilian supermarket retail chain, especially the manufacturer-retailer channel. Design/methodology/approach - A structured questionnaire was elaborated and applied to 125 representatives from suppliers of large supermarket chains. Statistical methods including multivariate analysis were employed. Variables were grouped and composed into five indicators (joint actions, information sharing, interpersonal integration, gains and cost sharing, and strategic integration) to assess the degree of collaboration. Findings - The analyses showed that the interviewees considered interpersonal integration to be of greater importance to collaboration intensity than the other integration factors, such as gain or cost sharing or even strategic integration. Research limitations/implications - The research was conducted solely from the point of view of the industries that supply the large retail networks. The interviews were not conducted in pairs; that is, there was no application of one questionnaire to the retail network and another to the partner industry. Practical implications - Companies should invest in conducting periodic meetings with their partners to increase collaboration intensity, and should carry out technical visits to learn about their partners` logistic reality and thus make better operational decisions. Originality/value - The paper reveals which indicators produce greater collaboration intensity, and thus those that are more relevant to more efficient logistics management.

Outsourcing decision-making aspects considered by IT departments in Brazilian companies

The study of Information Technology (IT) outsourcing is relevant because companies are outsourcing their activities more than ever. An important IT outsourcing research area is the decision-making process. In other words, the comprehension of how companies decide about outsourcing their IT operations is relevant from research point of view. Therefore, the objective of this study is to understand the decision-making process used by Brazilian companies when outsourcing their IT operations. An analysis of the literature that refers to this subject showed that six aspects are usually considered by companies on the evaluation of IT outsourcing service alternatives. This research verified how these six aspects are considered by Brazilian companies on IT outsourcing decisions. The survey showed that Brazilian companies consider all the six aspects, but each of them has a different level of importance. The research also grouped the aspects according to their level of importance and interdependency, using factorial analysis to understand the logic behind IT outsourcing decision process. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variability on red blood cell transfusion practices among Brazilian neonatal intensive care units

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for red blood cell (RBC) transfusions exist; however, transfusion practices vary among centers. This study aimed to analyze transfusion practices and the impact of patients and institutional characteristics on the indications of RBC transfusions in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: RBC transfusion practices were investigated in a multicenter prospective cohort of preterm infants with a birth weight of less than 1500 g born at eight public university neonatal intensive care units of the Brazilian Network on Neonatal Research. Variables associated with any RBC transfusions were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 952 very-low-birth-weight infants, 532 (55.9%) received at least one RBC transfusion. The percentages of transfused neonates were 48.9, 54.5, 56.0, 61.2, 56.3, 47.8, 75.4, and 44.7%, respectively, for Centers 1 through 8. The number of transfusions during the first 28 days of life was higher in Center 4 and 7 than in other centers. After 28 days, the number of transfusions decreased, except for Center 7. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed higher likelihood of transfusion in infants with late onset sepsis (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-4.4), intraventricular hemorrhage (OR, 9.4; 95% CI, 3.3-26.8), intubation at birth (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.8), need for umbilical catheter (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.4), days on mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.2), oxygen therapy (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1), parenteral nutrition (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1), and birth center (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The need of RBC transfusions in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants was associated with clinical conditions and birth center. The distribution of the number of transfusions during hospital stay may be used as a measure of neonatal care quality.

Identification of a bioactive compound isolated from Brazilian propolis type 6

A prenylated benzophenone, hyperibone A, was isolated from the hexane fraction of Brazilian propolis type 6. Its structure was determined by spectral analysis including 2D NMR. This compound exhibited cytotoxic activity against HeLa tumor cells (IC(50) = 0.1756 mu M), strong antimicrobial activity (MIC range-0.73-6.6 mu g/mL; MBC range-2.92-106 mu g/mL) against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus oralis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Actinomyces naeslundii, and the results of its cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were considered good. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and analysis of bioactive isoflavonoids and chalcone from a new type of Brazilian propolis

Activity-directed fractionation and purification processes were employed to identify isoflavonoids with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities from Brazilian red propolis. Crude propolis was extracted with ethanol (80%. v/v) and fractioned by liquid-liquid extraction technique using hexane and chloroform. Since chloroform fraction showed strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities it was purified and isolated using various chromatographic techniques. Comparing our spectral data (UV, NMR, and mass spectrometry) with values found in the literature, we identified two bioactive isoflavonoids (vestitol and neovestitol), together with one chalcone (isoliquiritigenin). Vestitol presented higher antioxidant activity against beta-carotene consumption than neovestitol. The antimicrobial activity of these three compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Actinomyces naeslundii was evaluated and we concluded that isoliquiritigenin was the most active one with lower MIC, ranging from 15.6 to 62.5 mu g/mL. Our results showed that Brazilian red propolis has biologically active isoflavonoids that may be used as a mild antioxidant and antimicrobial for food preservation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of AFM(1) in urine samples of a Brazilian population and association with food consumption

This survey evaluated the presence of AFM(1) in human urine samples from a specific Brazilian population, as well as corn, peanut, and milk consumption measured by two types of food inquiry. Urine samples from donors who live in the city of Piracicaba, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil were analyzed to detect the presence of aflatoxin M(1) (AFM(1)). an aflatoxin B(1) metabolite, which may be used as aflatoxin B(1) exposure biomarker. The AFM(1) analysis was performed using immunoaffinity clean-up and detection by high-performance-liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector. A total of 69 samples were analyzed and 45 of them (65%) presented contaminations >= 1.8 pg ml(-1), which was the limit of quantification (LOQ). Seventy eight percent (n = 54) of the samples presented detectable concentrations of AFM(1) (>0.6 pg ml(-1)). The AFM(1) concentration among samples above LOQ ranged from 1.8 to 39.9 pg ml(-1). There were differences in food consumption profile among donors, although no association was found between food consumption and AFM(1) concentration in urine. The high frequency of positive samples suggests exposure of the populations studied to aflatoxins. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Sugar Cane Vinasse to Mitigate Aluminum Toxicity to Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Owing to its toxicity, aluminum (Al), which is one of the most abundant metals, inhibits the productivity of many cultures and affects the microbial metabolism. The aim of this work was to investigate the capacity of sugar cane vinasse to mitigate the adverse effects of Al on cell growth, viability, and budding, as the likely result of possible chelating action. For this purpose, Fleischmann`s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was used in growth tests performed in 125-mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing 30 mL of YED medium (5.0 g/L yeast extract plus 20 g/L glucose) supplemented with the selected amounts of either vinasse or Al in the form of AlCl(3) center dot A H(2)O. Without vinasse, the addition of increasing levels of Al up to 54 mg/L reduced the specific growth rate by 18%, whereas no significant reduction was observed in its presence. The toxic effect of Al on S. cerevisiae growth and the mitigating effect of sugar cane vinasse were quantified by the exponential model of Ciftci et al. (Biotechnol Bioeng 25:2007-2023, 1983). The cell viability decreased from 97.7% at the start to 84.0% at the end of runs without vinasse and to 92.3% with vinasse. On the other hand, the cell budding increased from 7.62% at the start to 8.84% at the end of runs without vinasse and to 17.8% with vinasse. These results demonstrate the ability of this raw material to stimulate cell growth and mitigate the toxic effect of Al.

Photosynthesis and water relations of well-watered orange plants as affected by winter and summer conditions

The aim of this study was to evaluate how the summer and winter conditions affect the photosynthesis and water relations of well-watered orange trees, considering the diurnal changes in leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, and leaf water potential (I) of potted-plants growing in a subtropical climate. The diurnal pattern of photosynthesis in young citrus trees was not significantly affected by the environmental changes when compared the summer and winter seasons. However, citrus plants showed higher photosynthetic performance in summer, when plants fixed 2.9 times more CO(2) during the diurnal period than in the winter season. Curiously, the winter conditions were more favorable to photosynthesis of citrus plants, when considering the air temperature (< 29 A degrees C), leaf-to-air vapor pressure difference (< 2.4 kPa) and photon flux density (maximum values near light saturation) during the diurnal period. Therefore, low night temperature was the main environmental element changing the photosynthetic performance and water relations of well-watered plants during winter. Lower whole-plant hydraulic conductance, lower shoot hydration and lower stomatal conductance were noticed during winter when compared to the summer season. In winter, higher ratio between the apparent electron transport rate and leaf CO(2) assimilation was verified in afternoon, indicating reduction in electron use efficiency by photosynthesis. The high radiation loading in the summer season did not impair the citrus photochemistry, being photoprotective mechanisms active. Such mechanisms were related to increases in the heat dissipation of excessive light energy at the PSII level and to other metabolic processes consuming electrons, which impede the citrus photoinhibition under high light conditions.

Effects of bamboo stands on seed rain and seed limitation in a rainforest

Bamboos often negatively affect tree recruitment, survival, and growth, leading to arrested tree regeneration in forested habitats. Studies so far have focused on the effects of bamboos on the performance of seedlings and saplings, but the influence of bamboos on forest dynamics may start very early in the forest regeneration process by altering seed rain patterns. We tested the prediction that the density and composition of the seed rain are altered and seed limitation is higher in stands of Guadua tagoara (B or bamboo stands), a large-sized woody bamboo native from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, compared to forest patches without bamboos (NB or non-bamboo stands). Forty 1 m(2) seed traps were set in B and NB stands, and the seed rain was monitored monthly for 1 year. The seed rain was not greatly altered by the presence of bamboos: rarefied seed species richness was higher for B stands, patterns of dominance and density of seeds were similar between stands, and differences in overall composition were slight. Seed limitation, however, was greater at B stands, likely as a resulted of reduced tree density. Despite Such reduced density, the presence of trees growing amidst and over the bamboos seems to play a key role in keeping the seeds falling in B stands because they serve as food sources for frugivores or simply as perches for them. The loss of such trees may lead to enhanced seed limitation, contributing ultimately to the self-perpetuating bamboo disturbance cycle. (C) 2008 Elsevier B,V. All rights reserved.

Morphological alterations in leave of micropropagated pineapple plants cv. IAC Gomo-de-mel acclimatizated in different conditions of luminosity

(Morphological alterations in leave of micropropagated pineapple plants cv. IAC Gomo-de-mel acclimatizated in different conditions of luminosity). Microprapagated plants usually show difficulties to adapt to ex vitro conditions, and many times are submitted to the rustication process to aim the reduction of all the impacts resulting from the environmental changes. Once the leaf and its annexes are important indicators of adaptability strategies of the plants to adverse environmental conditions, the objective of this work was to compare the leaf anatomy of pineapple cv. IAC Gomo-de-mel in vitro cultivated plants with microplants acclimatized in different conditions of luminosity, under mesh, with 50% of shading and directly exposed to sunlight, to verify the needed of rustication process on this cultivar. Evaluations of the leaf epidermis using light and electronic scanning microscopy showed an increase on scale density in both leaves surfaces of the ex vitro microplants, mainly related to the ones directly exposed to sunlight. Subsequent observations showed an increase on cuticle thickness, on wavy contours of epidermal cells, and on the distribution and quantity of mesophyll fibers, evidencing the light conditions interference in morphological characteristics of these microplants. These alterations had not harmed microplant development, showing that are not need of rustication stages on the acclimatization process of this cultivar.

A new genus and species of rodent from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae: Oryzomyini), with comments on oryzomyine biogeography

We describe in this paper a new genus and species of cricetid rodent from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, one of the most endangered eco-regions of the world. The new form displays some but not all synapomorphies of the tribe Oryzomyini, but a suite of unique characteristics is also observed. This new forest rat possesses anatomical characteristics of arboreal taxa, such as very developed plantar pads, but was collected almost exclusively in pitfall traps. Phylogenetic analyses of morphological (integument, soft tissue, cranial, and dental characters) and molecular [nuclear - Interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (Irbp) - and mitochondrial - cytochrome b - genes] datasets using maximum likelihood and cladistic parsimony approaches corroborate the inclusion of the new taxon within oryzomyines. The analyses also place the new form as sister species to Eremoryzomys polius, an Andean rat endemic to the Maranon valley. This biogeographical pattern is unusual amongst small terrestrial vertebrates, as a review of the literature points to few other similar examples of Andean-Atlantic Forest pairings, in hylid frogs, Pionus parrots, and other sigmodontine rodents. (C) 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161, 357-390. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00643.x

Ectopic expression of soybean leghemoglobin in chloroplasts impairs gibberellin biosynthesis and induces dwarfism in transgenic potato plants

We have characterized potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants expressing a soybean leghemoglobin that is targeted to plastids. Transgenic plants displayed a dwarf phenotype caused by short internode length, and exhibited increased tuberization in vitro. Under in vivo conditions that do not promote tuberization, plants showed smaller parenchymal cells than control plants. Analysis of gibberellin (GA) concentrations indicated that the transgenic plants have a substantial reduction (approximately 10-fold) of bioactive GA(1) concentration in shoots. Application of GA(3) to the shoot apex of the transformed plants completely restored the wild type phenotype suggesting that GA-biosynthesis rather than signal transduction was limiting. Since the first stage of the GA-biosynthetic pathway is located in the plastid, these results suggest that an early step in the pathway may be affected by the presence of the leghemoglobin.

Mineralization and degradation of glyphosate and atrazine applied in combination in a Brazilian Oxisol

The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of the association between atrazine and glyphosate in the soil through mineralization and degradation tests. Soil treatments consisted of the combination of a field dose of glyphosate (2.88 kg ha-1) with 0, 1/2, 1 and 2 times a field dose of atrazine (3.00 kg ha-1) and a field dose of atrazine with 0, 1/2, 1 and 2 times a field dose of glyphosate. The herbicide mineralization rates were measured after 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 and 63 days of soil application, and degradation rates after 0, 7, 28 and 63 days. Although glyphosate mineralization rate was higher in the presence of 1 (one) dose of atrazine when compared with glyphosate alone, no significant differences were found when half or twice the atrazine dose was applied, meaning that differences in glyphosate mineralization rates cannot be attributed to the presence of atrazine. On the other hand, the influence of glyphosate on atrazine mineralization was evident, since increasing doses of glyphosate increased the atrazine mineralization rate and the lowest dose of glyphosate accelerated atrazine degradation.

Novel sources of witches` broom resistance (causal agent Moniliophthora perniciosa) from natural populations of Theobroma cacao from the Brazilian Amazon

Witches` broom is a severe disease of Theobroma cacao L. (cacao), caused by the basidiomycete Moniliophthora perniciosa. The use of resistant cultivars is the ultimate method of control, but there are limited sources of resistance. Further, resistance from the most widely used source (`Scavina 6`) has been overcome after a few years of deployment. New sources of resistance have been intensively searched for in the Amazon basin. Here, we evaluated for witches` broom resistance, cacao accessions from various natural cacao populations originally collected in the Brazilian Amazon. Resistance of 43 families was evaluated under nursery and/or field conditions by artificial or natural infection, respectively, based on disease incidence. Screening for resistance by artificial inoculation under nursery conditions appeared to be efficient in identifying these novel resistance sources, confirmed by natural field evaluation over a nine-year period. The increase in natural field infection of `Scavina 6` was clearly demonstrated. Among the evaluated families with the least witches` broom incidence, there were accessions originally collected from distinct river basins, including the Jamari river (`CAB 0371`; `CAB 0388`; `CAB 0392`; and `CAB 0410`); Acre (`CAB 0169`); Javari (`CAB 0352`); Solimes (`CAB 0270`); and from the Purus river basin, the two most outstanding resistant accessions, `CAB 0208` and `CAB 0214`. The large genetic diversity found in cacao populations occurring at river basins from Acre and Amazonas states, Brazil, increased the chance that the selected resistant accessions would be genetically more dissimilar, and represent distinct sources of resistance to M. perniciosa from `Scavina 6`.