Get your website noticed How to reach, acquire and retain customers online

The Internet has developed itself as a major tool in marketing. With the advent of the Internet, online marketing has become the main marketing strategy used by most companies to promote their products. However, with the Internet, competition among companies has increased as each company has an opportunity to reach the same type of potential consumers through the Internet. This implies that for a company to attract and retain customers, it has to employ unique features in its website in order to make it stand out. This study was aimed at determining the features of a company’s website which can help to attract and retain customers. It was also meant to find out about the online marketing strategies that can be used to attract customers at the initial stage as well as find out on how companies engage their customers on their site. In this study, the qualitative method of research was used. Data collection was done using interviews. The interviewees were selected from marketing agencies in Finland

Diseño de un modelo administrativo para la eficiente gestión empresarial del centro de recolección, acopio y tratamiento de desechos sólidos de la Fundación ABA.

El diseño del Modelo Administrativo propuesto para el personal que dirige el Centro de Acopio de la Fundación ABA tiene como objetivo principal lograr que la gestión administrativa se realice en forma ordenada y que todos los recursos disponibles y necesarios para el buen desarrollo de las actividades que ahí se ejecutan, sean orientados hacia el logro de los objetivos organizacionales de una manera eficiente. La actividad principal a que se dedica la Fundación ABA, es la recolección, acopio y tratamiento de los desechos sólidos a través de una red de Empresas Cooperativas, identificando cómo se organiza y que procesos utiliza para llevar a cabo tal actividad; todo esto se determinó a través de un diagnostico interno que se hizo al Centro de Acopio de la Fundación, mediante la aplicación de las fases del Proceso Administrativo. La información se obtuvo haciendo uso de dos instrumentos (cuestionarios) de los cuales uno se dirigió al personal operativo y otro al personal de dirección, obteniéndose como resultado de las diferentes opiniones, una serie de deficiencias tanto administrativas como operativas, detallándose así: No poseen un documento escrito que establezca las políticas, procedimientos, manuales de descripción de puestos y reglamento interno para el personal; la mayoría de los empleados no conocen los objetivos, visión y misión, razón por la cual se les dificulta tener un panorama real de lo que la Fundación ABA es y lo que pretende ser en el futuro, además no existen métodos de control sobre el trabajo realizado, no existe unidad de mando, ni tampoco se ha dado a conocer una estructura organizativa que muestre de qué manera está organizado el Centro de Acopio, no existe integración de las Cooperativas miembro, sumando a todo esto que los recursos financieros son insuficientes para generar inversión y obtener mayor producción. Lo anterior conduce a presentar la propuesta final denominada “Diseño de un modelo Administrativo para la Eficiente Gestión Empresarial del Centro de Recolección, Acopio y Tratamiento de Desechos Sólidos de la Fundación ABA”. Este Modelo ofrece una guía para establecer los planes necesarios para obtener los mejores resultados de acuerdo a los objetivos requeridos y a los recursos disponibles, con relación a la Organización, se establece una estructura organizativa que define claramente las líneas de acción y un manual de puestos que describe brevemente las características, requisitos y funciones de cada uno de los puestos para que cada empleado tenga por escrito y conozca cuál es su papel y lo que se espera de ellos, con el propósito de obtener el menor margen de error posible en desempeño de las distintas tareas. Finalmente se sugiere un sistema de Dirección y Control que ayude a mejorar el rendimiento, la comunicación y las relaciones personales entre los empleados.

Website content and design in SME: insights from Portugal

Although there is a vast amount of literature on website evaluation, relatively little has been written about the analysis of websites of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). This paper examines a comprehensive set of content and design features of 915 websites of Portuguese SME, as well as the relationship between these features and enterprise size. The results indicate that the majority of the websites are used to convey information, rather than to make transactions, support networking and collaboration or to interact dynamically with users. Accessibility or privacy and security features are not common among websites. Web 2.0 features have a low presence in SME websites, but social media emerged as a construct. In contrast with existing literature, the study has found that website content and design features are positively related with enterprise size. The contributions and implications are discussed together with avenues for further research.

Creating a terminology resource for local food from Modena and localizing a traditional restaurant's website.

This thesis describes a project of terminology and localization focused on local and traditional cuisine from the province of Modena: the final products of this project are a specialized termbase and the localized version of the website of Trattoria Ermes, a small Modenese restaurant offering traditional dishes. It is a known fact the Internet has drastically altered the way companies and businesses communicate with their audience. Considering that food tourism is an invaluable sector of Italy’s economy and a great aid to safeguarding its culinary traditions, business owners can benefit from localizing their websites, allowing them to reach wider international audiences. The project is divided into two main sections: the first focuses on the terminological systematization of specialized terminology collected from Sandro Bellei’s cooking book and two web-derived monolingual corpora, while the second section offers insight into the analysis of the localization and optimization process of Trattoria Ermes website. In particular, the thesis approaches localization from the point of view of web marketing, with a theoretical and practical section dedicated to the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) processes employed by web marketing teams to ensure the visibility and popularity of the website

Predictive Value Of Phase I Trials For Safety In Later Trials And Final Approved Dose: Analysis Of 61 Approved Cancer Drugs.

Phase I trials use a small number of patients to define a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the safety of new agents. We compared data from phase I and registration trials to determine whether early trials predicted later safety and final dose. We searched the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website for drugs approved in nonpediatric cancers (January 1990-October 2012). The recommended phase II dose (R2PD) and toxicities from phase I were compared with doses and safety in later trials. In 62 of 85 (73%) matched trials, the dose from the later trial was within 20% of the RP2D. In a multivariable analysis, phase I trials of targeted agents were less predictive of the final approved dose (OR, 0.2 for adopting ± 20% of the RP2D for targeted vs. other classes; P = 0.025). Of the 530 clinically relevant toxicities in later trials, 70% (n = 374) were described in phase I. A significant relationship (P = 0.0032) between increasing the number of patients in phase I (up to 60) and the ability to describe future clinically relevant toxicities was observed. Among 28,505 patients in later trials, the death rate that was related to drug was 1.41%. In conclusion, dosing based on phase I trials was associated with a low toxicity-related death rate in later trials. The ability to predict relevant toxicities correlates with the number of patients on the initial phase I trial. The final dose approved was within 20% of the RP2D in 73% of assessed trials.

Germinação de esporos de Polypodium pleopeltifolium: resultados preliminares

Polypodium pleopeltifolium is an epiphytic fern which occurs in cerrado vegetation of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The species is light sensitive for germination but some spores germinate in the absence of light. Short treatments at 40 or 5ºC and alternating temperatures did not increase the germination in dark conditions. Germination was not affected by IAA but it was reduced by GA3, CEPA and ABA. Red light (short treatments) promoted germination.

A Internet como uma possibilidade do mundo da (in)formação sobre a cultura corporal

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Contribuições para análise da política de saúde auditiva no Brasil

OBJETIVO: Realizar o levantamento do quantitativo dos procedimentos relacionados à adaptação de aparelho de amplificação sonora individual (AASI) incluídos na Tabela do Sistema Único de Saúde (Tabela SUS). MÉTODOS: Os dados sobre os procedimentos relacionados à adaptação de AASI incluídos na Tabela SUS foram levantados no site www.datasus.gov.br. Após o levantamento desses dados, foi realizada a organização e a análise descritiva da produção dos atendimentos ambulatoriais registrados pelos serviços de saúde auditiva do Brasil, durante o período de novembro de 2004 a julho de 2010. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: Quanto aos procedimentos relacionados à dispensação de AASI no território nacional no âmbito da saúde auditiva, em 2006, a terapia fonoaudiológica ultrapassou o quantitativo obtido pela adaptação de AASI e, o acompanhamento fonoaudiológico, por sua vez, foi pouco realizado no país. Os AASI com tecnologias B e C vem sendo mais adaptados do que os AASI de tecnologia A e a realização de medida com microfone sonda ou acoplador de 2cc na adaptação dos AASI é pouco realizada em comparação ao ganho funcional. CONCLUSÃO: Houve grandes avanços na atenção ao deficiente auditivo no país, mas é necessário aprimorar o acompanhamento dos usuários de AASI, e revisar procedimentos como medidas com microfone sonda e tecnologias dos AASI.

Causas múltiplas de morte relacionadas às doenças cerebrovasculares no Estado do Paraná

OBJETIVO: Identificar as causas associadas de morte e o número de causas informadas nas declarações de óbito por doenças cerebrovasculares entre residentes no Estado do Paraná. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: O banco de dados de mortalidade do ano de 2004 foi obtido do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade disponível no endereço eletrônico do Datasus. A população escolhida foi separada pelo programa TabWin e as causas múltiplas foram processadas pelo programa Tabulador de Causas Múltiplas de Morte. RESULTADOS: O número médio de causas informadas foi de 2,92 para as mulheres e 2,97 para os homens. A maioria dos óbitos (74,8%) foi de pessoas com 65 anos ou mais de idade. Entre as causas associadas aos óbitos por doenças cerebrovasculares se destacaram as doenças do aparelho respiratório (37,9%), as doenças hipertensivas (37,5%) e os sintomas, sinais e achados anormais de exames clínicos e de laboratório (32,3%). CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: Foi observada relativa melhora na qualidade dos dados de mortalidade em relação ao número de causas citadas. A hipertensão arterial como uma das principais causas associadas sugere a necessidade do seu controle no combate à mortalidade por doenças cerebrovasculares. Incentivos devem ser promovidos para estudos com causas múltiplas, para que se utilizem melhor informações tão importantes, que são desprezadas em estudos de mortalidade feitos somente com a causa básica de morte.

Sugarcane genes associated with sucrose content

Background -: Sucrose content is a highly desirable trait in sugarcane as the worldwide demand for cost-effective biofuels surges. Sugarcane cultivars differ in their capacity to accumulate sucrose and breeding programs routinely perform crosses to identify genotypes able to produce more sucrose. Sucrose content in the mature internodes reach around 20% of the culms dry weight. Genotypes in the populations reflect their genetic program and may display contrasting growth, development, and physiology, all of which affect carbohydrate metabolism. Few studies have profiled gene expression related to sugarcane's sugar content. The identification of signal transduction components and transcription factors that might regulate sugar accumulation is highly desirable if we are to improve this characteristic of sugarcane plants. Results -: We have evaluated thirty genotypes that have different Brix (sugar) levels and identified genes differentially expressed in internodes using cDNA microarrays. These genes were compared to existing gene expression data for sugarcane plants subjected to diverse stress and hormone treatments. The comparisons revealed a strong overlap between the drought and sucrose-content datasets and a limited overlap with ABA signaling. Genes associated with sucrose content were extensively validated by qRT-PCR, which highlighted several protein kinases and transcription factors that are likely to be regulators of sucrose accumulation. The data also indicate that aquaporins, as well as lignin biosynthesis and cell wall metabolism genes, are strongly related to sucrose accumulation. Moreover, sucrose-associated genes were shown to be directly responsive to short term sucrose stimuli, confirming their role in sugar-related pathways. Conclusion -: Gene expression analysis of sugarcane populations contrasting for sucrose content indicated a possible overlap with drought and cell wall metabolism processes and suggested signaling and transcriptional regulators to be used as molecular markers in breeding programs. Transgenic research is necessary to further clarify the role of the genes and define targets useful for sugarcane improvement programs based on transgenic plants.

A score system for quality evaluation of RNA sequence tags: an improvement for gene expression profiling

Background: High-throughput molecular approaches for gene expression profiling, such as Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE), Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing (MPSS) or Sequencing-by-Synthesis (SBS) represent powerful techniques that provide global transcription profiles of different cell types through sequencing of short fragments of transcripts, denominated sequence tags. These techniques have improved our understanding about the relationships between these expression profiles and cellular phenotypes. Despite this, more reliable datasets are still necessary. In this work, we present a web-based tool named S3T: Score System for Sequence Tags, to index sequenced tags in accordance with their reliability. This is made through a series of evaluations based on a defined rule set. S3T allows the identification/selection of tags, considered more reliable for further gene expression analysis. Results: This methodology was applied to a public SAGE dataset. In order to compare data before and after filtering, a hierarchical clustering analysis was performed in samples from the same type of tissue, in distinct biological conditions, using these two datasets. Our results provide evidences suggesting that it is possible to find more congruous clusters after using S3T scoring system. Conclusion: These results substantiate the proposed application to generate more reliable data. This is a significant contribution for determination of global gene expression profiles. The library analysis with S3T is freely available at http://gdm.fmrp.usp.br/s3t/.S3T source code and datasets can also be downloaded from the aforementioned website.

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.

Hormonal modulation of photomorphogenesis-controlled anthocyanin accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Micro-Tom) hypocotyls: Physiological and genetic studies

Hormones are likely to be important factors modulating the light-dependent anthocyanin accumulation. Here we analyzed anthocyanin contents in hypocotyls of near isogenic Micro-Tom (MT) tomato lines carrying hormone and phytochrome mutations, as single and double-mutant combinations. In order to recapitulate mutant phenotype, exogenous hormone applications were also performed Anthocyanin accumulation was promoted by exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and inhibited by gibberellin (GA), in accordance to the reduced anthocyanin contents measured in ABA-deficient (notabills) and GA-constitutive response (procera) mutants. Exogenous cytokinin also enhanced anthocyanin levels in MT hypocotyls. Although auxin-insensitive chageotropica mutant exhibited higher anthocyanin contents, pharmacological approaches employing exogenous auxin and a transport inhibitor did not support a direct role of the hormone in anthocyanin accumulation Analysis of mutants exhibiting increased ethylene production (epwastic) or reduced sensitivity (Never ripe), together with pharmacological data obtained from plants treated with the hormone, indicated a limited role for ethylene in anthocyanin contents. Phytochrome-deficiency (aurea) and hormone double-mutant combinations exhibited phenotypes suggesting additive or synergistic interactions, but not fully espistatic ones, in the control of anthocyanin levels in tomato hypocotyls. Our results indicate that phytochrome-mediated anthocyanin accumulation in tomato hypocotyls is modulated by distinct hormone classes via both shared and independent pathways. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Enhanced transpiration rate in the high pigment 1 tomato mutant and its physiological significance

Tomato high pigment (hp) mutants represent an interesting horticultural resource due to their enhanced accumulation of carotenoids, flavonoids and vitamin C. Since hp mutants are known for their exaggerated light responses, the molecules accumulated are likely to be antioxidants, recruited to deal with light and others stresses. Further phenotypes displayed by hp mutations are reduced growth and an apparent disturbance in water loss. Here, we examined the impact of the hp1 mutation and its near isogenic line cv Micro-Tom (MT) on stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), CO(2) assimilation (A) and water use efficiency (WUE). Detached hp1 leaves lost water more rapidly than control leaves, but this behaviour was reversed by exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), indicating the ability of hp1 to respond to this hormone. Although attached hp1 leaves had enhanced gs, E and A compared to control leaves, genotypic differences were lost when water was withheld. Both instantaneous leaf-level WUE and long-term whole plant WUE did not differ between hp1 and MT. Our results indicate a link between exaggerated light response and water loss in hp1, which has important implications for the use of this mutant in both basic and horticultural research.

Overview: Individual and organizational perspectives on emotion management and display

As reported in Volume 1 of Research on Emotions in Organizations (Ashkanasy, Zerbe, & Härtel, 2005), the chapters in this volume are drawn from the best contributions to the 2004 International Conference on Emotion and Organizational Life held at Birkbeck College, London, complemented by additional, invited chapters. (This biannual conference has come to be known as the “Emonet” conference, after the listserv of members.) Previous edited volumes (Ashkanasy, Härtel, & Zerbe, 2000; Ashkanasy, Zerbe, & Härtel, 2002; Härtel, Zerbe, & Ashkanasy, 2004) were published every two years following the Emonet conference. With the birth of this annual Elsevier series came the opportunity for greater focus in the theme of each volume, and for greater scope for invited contributions. This volume contains eight chapters selected from conference contributions for their quality, interest, and appropriateness to the theme of this volume, as well as four invited chapters. We again acknowledge in particular the assistance of the conference paper reviewers (see the appendix). In the year of publication of this volume the 2006 Emonet conference will be held in Atlanta, USA and will be followed by Volumes 3 and 4 of Research on Emotions in Organizations. Readers interested in learning more about the conferences or the Emonet list should check the Emonet website http://www.uq.edu.au/emonet/.