The practice of Information Architecture of websites in Brazil

The project of Information Architecture is one of the initial stages of the project of a website, thus the detection and correction of errors in this stage are easier and time-saving than in the following stages. However, to minimize errors for the projects of information architecture, a methodology is necessary to organize the work of the professional and guarantee the final product quality. The profile of the professional who works with Information Architecture in Brazil has been analyzed (quantitative research by means of a questionnaire on-line) as well as the difficulties, techniques and methodologies found in his projects (qualitative research by means of interviews in depth with support of the approaches of the Sense-Making). One concludes that the methodologies of projects of information architecture need to develop the adoption of the approaches of Design Centered in the User and in the ways to evaluate its results.

E o Iphan retirou o véu da noiva e disse sim: ecletismo e modernismo no edifício Luciano Costa

São raros os momentos, na história das políticas de preservação do patrimônio no Brasil, em que se vê a dimensão de um conflito - gerado pela atribuição de valores a um bem cultural - alcançar repercussão significativa, mobilizando diversos agentes. O caso do edifício Luciano Costa, no Recife, é um exemplo dessa natureza. Neste artigo, procuramos apresentar -a partir da interpretação de uma trama complexa de discursos e ações - a polêmica preservacionista em torno desse edifício, um exemplar arquitetônico singular, por ter simultaneamente duas fachadas, uma eclética e uma modernista. Em grande parte inéditos, os documentos técnico-administrativos da 5ª Superintendência Regional e do Departamento de Documentação do Iphan, assim como aqueles da fundação do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico de Pernambuco (fundarpe), da Diretoria de Projetos Especiais da Empresa de Urbanização do Recife (URb-Recife) e do Ministério Público de Pernambuco foram as fontes primárias privilegiadas.

Architecture for machining process and production monitoring based in open computer numerical control

This paper proposes an architecture for machining process and production monitoring to be applied in machine tools with open Computer numerical control (CNC). A brief description of the advantages of using open CNC for machining process and production monitoring is presented with an emphasis on the CNC architecture using a personal computer (PC)-based human-machine interface. The proposed architecture uses the CNC data and sensors to gather information about the machining process and production. It allows the development of different levels of monitoring systems with mininium investment, minimum need for sensor installation, and low intrusiveness to the process. Successful examples of the utilization of this architecture in a laboratory environment are briefly described. As a Conclusion, it is shown that a wide range of monitoring solutions can be implemented in production processes using the proposed architecture.

A molecular phylogeny and the evolution of nest architecture and behavior in Trigona s.s. (Hymenoptera : Apidae : Meliponini)

Stingless bees exhibit extraordinary variation in nest architecture within and among species. To test for phylogenetic association of behavioral traits for species of the Neotropical stingless bee genus Trigona s.s., a phylogenetic hypothesis was generated by combining sequence data of 24 taxa from one mitochondrial (16S rRNA) and four nuclear gene fragments (long-wavelength rhodopsin copy 1 (opsin), elongation factor-1 alpha copy F2, arginine kinase, and 28S rRNA). Fifteen characteristics of the nest architecture were coded and tested for phylogenetic association. Several characters have significant phylogenetic signal, including type of nesting substrate, nest construction material, and hemipterophily, the tending of hemipteroid insects in exchange for sugar excretions. Phylogenetic independent habits encountered in Trigona s.s. include coprophily and necrophagy.

Optimized architecture for Tyrosinase-containing Langmuir-Blodgett films to detect pyrogallol

The control of molecular architectures has been a key factor for the use of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films in biosensors, especially because biomolecules can be immobilized with preserved activity. In this paper we investigated the incorporation of tyrosinase (Tyr) in mixed Langmuir films of arachidic acid (AA) and a lutetium bisphthalocyanine (LuPc(2)), which is confirmed by a large expansion in the surface pressure isotherm. These mixed films of AA-LuPc(2) + Tyr could be transferred onto ITO and Pt electrodes as indicated by FTIR and electrochemical measurements, and there was no need for crosslinking of the enzyme molecules to preserve their activity. Significantly, the activity of the immobilised Tyr was considerably higher than in previous work in the literature, which allowed Tyr-containing LB films to be used as highly sensitive voltammetric sensors to detect pyrogallol. Linear responses have been found up to 400 mu M, with a detection limit of 4.87 x 10(-2) mu M (n = 4) and a sensitivity of 1.54 mu A mu M(-1) cm(-2). In addition, the Hill coefficient (h = 1.27) indicates cooperation with LuPc(2) that also acts as a catalyst. The enhanced performance of the LB-based biosensor resulted therefore from a preserved activity of Tyr combined with the catalytic activity of LuPc(2), in a strategy that can be extended to other enzymes and analytes upon varying the LB film architecture.

Evaluating an Agile Method for Planning and Controlling Innovative Projects

This article presents an extensive investigation carried out in two technology-based companies of the So Carlos technological pole in Brazil. Based on this multiple case study and literature review, a method, entitled hereafter IVPM2, applying agile project management (APM) principles was developed. After the method implementation, a qualitative evaluation was carried out by a document analysis and questionnaire application. This article shows that the application of this method at the companies under investigation evidenced the benefits of using simple, iterative, visual, and agile techniques to plan and control innovative product projects combined with traditional project management best practices, such as standardization.

MODELING OF AN INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR WINE TRACEABILITY BASED ON A SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE

The purpose is to present a scientific research that led to the modeling of an information system which aimed at the maintenance of traceability data in the Brazilian wine industry, according to the principles of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Since 2005, traceability data maintenance is an obligation for all producers that intend to export to any European Union country. Also, final customers, including the Brazilian ones, have been asking for information about food products. A solution that collectively contemplated the industry was sought in order to permit that producer consortiums of associations could share the costs and benefits of such a solution. Following an extensive bibliographic review, a series of interviews conducted with Brazilian researchers and wine producers in Bento Goncalves - RS, Brazil, elucidated many aspects associated with the wine production process. Information technology issues related to the theme were also researched. The software was modeled with the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and uses web services for data exchange. A model for the wine production process was also proposed. A functional prototype showed that the adopted model is able to fulfill the demands of wine producers. The good results obtained lead us to consider the use of this model in other domains.

The AdapLib Library for Execution of Adaptive Devices: Architecture and Use

In this paper it is presented the theoretical background, the architecture (using the ""4+1"" model), and the use of the library for execution of adaptive devices, AdapLib. This library was created seeking to be accurate to the adaptive devices theory, and to allow its easy extension considering the specific details of solutions that employ this kind of device. As an example, it is presented a case study in which the library was used to create a proof of concept to monitor and diagnose problems in an online news portal.

Tax Cost of Investment Projects: the case of ICMS credits

This article discusses the impact on the profitability of firms under Complementary Law 102/2000 (which abrogated the Law 89/96 - Kandir Law) allowing the appropriation of ICMS credits, due to investment in fixed assets goods, at a ratio of 1/48 per month. The paper seeks to demonstrate how this new system - which resulted in the transformation of the ICMS as a value added tax (VAT) consumption-type to an income-type - leads to a loss of approximately 30% of the value of credits to be recovered and the effect it generates on the cost of investment and the profits for small, medium and large firms. From the methodological point of view, it is a descriptive and quantitative research, which proceeded in three stages. Initially, we have obtained estimated value of net sales and volume of investments, based on report Painel de Competitividade prepared by the Federacao das Indtustrias do Estado de Sao Paulo (Fiesp/Serasa). Based on this information, it was possible to obtain estimates of the factors of generation of debits and credits for ICMS, using the model Credit Control of Fixed Assets (CIAP). Finally, we have calculated three indicators: (i) present value of debt recovery/value of credits, (ii) present value of debt recovery / investment value, (iii) present value of debt recovery / sales profitability. We have conclude that the system introduced by Complementary Law 102/2000 implicates great opportunity cost for firms and that legislation should be reviewed from this perspective, aiming to ensure lower costs associated with investment projects.

Letters that construct limits: intellectual and political projects in the letters of Capistrano de Abreu to Barao do Rio Branco (1886-1903)

The intention of this paper is to analyze the letters from Capistrano de Abreu to Barao do Rio Branco in the years between 1886 and 1903. The focus will be given to the divergences around the notion of territorial formation, a basic concept for these authors who were thinking about the construction of a historical narrative at the end of the 19(th) and beginning of the 20(th) century. Later, the question is the construction of the craft of the historian in the letters of Capistrano de Abreu and his distinction and proximity to the ideas of the Barao do Rio Branco.