Morphological adaptations to arboreal habitats and heart position in species of the neotropical whipsnakes genus Chironius

The evolution of arboreality in snakes is accompanied by modifications that are remarkably similar across species. Gravity is one of the most important selective agents, and arboreal snakes present adaptations to circumvent the gradient of pressure, including modifications on heart position (HP) and body slenderness (BS). However, the degree to which different life-history traits influence the cardiovascular system of snakes remains unclear. Here, we used an ecological and a phylogenetic approach to explore the relationship between habitat, HP, BS, and heart size (HS) in five species of the neotropical whipsnakes genus Chironius that occupy terrestrial, semiarboreal, and arboreal habits. Our ecological comparison indicated that the arboreal species have the most posterior-positioned heart, the most slender body, and the smallest HS, whereas the terrestrial representative of the group exhibited the most anterior heart, the less flattened body, and the largest HS. After removing the phylogenetic effect, we found no difference in HP and BS between terrestrial and arboreal species. Habitat only differed when contrasting with HS. Body slenderness and HS were correlated with HP. Our results suggest that different restrictions, such as anatomical constraints, behavior, and phylogenetic inertia, may be important for the studied species. © 2013 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Inovação no desenvolvimento de produtos em cluster industrial: Práticas do setor moveleiro de votuporanga

It is notorious that the cluster formation is a possibility for micro, small and medium companies to become more competitive. This research therefore aims to analyze leading practices for product innovation in companies belonging to the cluster of Votuporanga, which is the largest furniture industry in production and exporting of São Paulo state. Therefore, we conducted a survey research and data were collected from 61 furniture companies in the region of Votuporanga-SP. Among the main results it is observed that the incremental innovation of products is a central characteristic between the companies in cluster and there is little collaboration for the joint development of products from these companies with external agents such as research institutes, universities and even suppliers.

Fruit color and contrast in seasonal habitats - a case study from a cerrado savanna

Communication contributes to mediate the interactions between plants and the animals that disperse their genes. As yet, seasonal patterns in plant-animal communication are unknown, even though many habitats display pronounced seasonality e.g. when leaves senescence. We thus hypothesized that the contrast between fruit displays and their background vary throughout the year in a seasonal habitat. If this variation is adaptive, we predicted higher contrasts between fruits and foliage during the fruiting season in a cerrado-savanna vegetation, southeastern Brazil. Based on a six-year data base of fruit ripening and a one-year data set of fruit biomass, we used reflectance measurements and contrast analysis to show that fruits with distinct colors differed in the beginning of ripening and the peak of fruit biomass. Black, and particularly red fruits, that have a high contrast against the leaf background, were highly seasonal, peaking in the wet season. Multicolored and yellow fruits were less seasonal, not limited to one season, with a bimodal pattern for yellow ones, represented by two peaks, one in each season. We further supported the hypothesis that seasonal changes in fruit contrasts can be adaptive because fruits contrasted more strongly against their own foliage in the wet season, when most fruits are ripe. Hence, the seasonal variation in fruit colors observed in the cerrado-savanna may be, at least partly, explicable as an adaptation to ensure high conspicuousness to seed dispersers. © 2013 The Authors.

Contribuição diferencial de quatro famílias de aves dispersoras de sementes na recuperação de habitats florestais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Uso de habitats e ecomorfologia de girinos na Serra da Mantiqueira, SP

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Uma proposta de inovação no cardápio escolar baseada na avaliação do programa de alimentação escolar de Piracicaba-SP

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

Proteção jurídica da inovação tecnológica no comércio internacional e no direito comparado: internalização destes institutos jurídicos pelo direito brasileiro

Pós-graduação em Direito - FCHS

Sistema nacional de inovação agrícola: um exame da interação entre Embrapa e as empresas privadas

Pós-graduação em Economia - FCLAR

Inovação e atividades inovativas em indústrias de baixa e média-baixa tecnologias: um estudo da indústria de alimentos processados

Pós-graduação em Economia - FCLAR

A co-evolução dos elementos do sistema setorial de inovação do setor automotivo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Inovação tecnológica na indústria brasileira no passado recente: uma resenha da literatura econômica

Incluye Bibliografía

Inovação e estratégias de acumulação de conhecimento na indústria brasileira

Incluye Bibliografía

Envolvimento dos usuários no processo de inovação por meio da web 2.0: um estudo de caso na indústria automobilística

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Redes de transformação do processo de inovação: o caminho entre a descoberta e a comercialização

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Um estudo sobre a relação entre o sistema de gestão da qualidade ISO 9001 e a inovação em empresas industriais do Estado de São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)