STRUCTURE OF THE SHRUB-ARBOREAL COMPONENT OF AN ATLANTIC FOREST FRAGMENT ON A HILLOCK IN THE CENTRAL LOWLAND OF RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

The present study describes and evaluates the horizontal and vertical structures of a lowland forest fragment on a hillock in the municipality of Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (22 degrees 31`56 `` S and 42 degrees 20`46 `` W). Twenty plots (10x2m) totaling 0.5ha were laid out following the slope grade using DBH >= 5cm as the inclusion criterion. A total of 734 individuals were encountered, yielding a total density of 1468 ind./ha and a total basal area of 10783m(2). The richness values (129 species/41 families), Shannon-Wiener diversity (4.22) and equitability (0.87) indices indicated an accentuated floristic heterogeneity and low ecological dominance. Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae showed the greatest species richness, corroborating other studies that indicated these species as the most representative of Atlantic Forest areas in southeastern Brazil. The species with the greatest importance values (VI) were Aparisthmium cordatum, Guapira opposita, Lacistema pubescens, Xylopia sericea, Tapirira guianensis and Piptocarpha macropoda. The high diversity observed was influenced by earlier anthropogenic actions and by the current successional stage. The forest fragment studied demonstrated closer floristic similarity to areas inventoried in a close-by biological reserve than to fragments dispersed throughout the coastal plain. Similarities in soil type, degree of soil saturation and use-history of forest resources all support these relationships. The fragmented physiognomy of the central lowland in this region and the use-history of the landscape make these small remnant forest areas important in terms of establishing strategies for landscape restoration and species conservation.

Scalable model-based configuration management of security services in complex enterprise networks

Security administrators face the challenge of designing, deploying and maintaining a variety of configuration files related to security systems, especially in large-scale networks. These files have heterogeneous syntaxes and follow differing semantic concepts. Nevertheless, they are interdependent due to security services having to cooperate and their configuration to be consistent with each other, so that global security policies are completely and correctly enforced. To tackle this problem, our approach supports a comfortable definition of an abstract high-level security policy and provides an automated derivation of the desired configuration files. It is an extension of policy-based management and policy hierarchies, combining model-based management (MBM) with system modularization. MBM employs an object-oriented model of the managed system to obtain the details needed for automated policy refinement. The modularization into abstract subsystems (ASs) segment the system-and the model-into units which more closely encapsulate related system components and provide focused abstract views. As a result, scalability is achieved and even comprehensive IT systems can be modelled in a unified manner. The associated tool MoBaSeC (Model-Based-Service-Configuration) supports interactive graphical modelling, automated model analysis and policy refinement with the derivation of configuration files. We describe the MBM and AS approaches, outline the tool functions and exemplify their applications and results obtained. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aprendendo com a implementação de ERP: um estudo comparativo entre Brasil e Canadá

Esta pesquisa é uma extensão do trabalho de doutorado Studying Configurational Technology Implementation: A Mediation Process, cujo foco de análise foi o processo de mediação nas implementações de ERP. Processo de mediação é o processo através do qual clientes e consultores conjuntamente influenciam as decisões que são feitas sobre como o sistema será configurado. A partir dessa análise, foram identificados alguns padrões no processo de mediação, estabelecendo-se associações entre esses padrões e os resultados da implementação. Nosso estudo busca analisar o processo de implementação de tecnologias configuráveis, mais precisamente ERP Enterprise Resource Planning, sob o mesmo enfoque do trabalho de doutorado descrito acima, mas observando-se empresas brasileiras. Nossos resultados serão comparados aos resultados encontrados nas empresas canadenses, buscando-se identificar diferenças e similaridades e seu impacto nos resultados do projeto. Visamos, dessa maneira, promover um melhor entendimento sobre o processo de implementação de ERP, contribuindo para minimizar o risco de fracasso de tal empreendimento em empresas brasileiras.

An analysis of critical success factors in ERP implementation

Essa tese foca em diferentes perspectivas sobre CSF (Fatores Críticos de Sucess) em implementações de ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). A literatura atual foca nos CSF sob o ponto de vista da alta gerência da organização e classifica esses CSF baseado nessa visão. Essa tese irá apresentar a visão do time de implementação de ERP sob os principais CSF e irá utilizar um estudo de caso para avaliar se a alta gerência e o time de implementação compartilham a mesma visão. Além disso ess tese irá propor uma relação entre o sucesso na implementação de ERP e os CSF pesquisados, usando o método PLS (Partial Least Squares) para analisar as respostas do time de implementação a um questionário desenvolvido para medir sucesso na implementação de ERP.

Is enterprise value affected by political nominations for a regulatory agency's presidency?

Economists have argued that regulation is the appropriate approach to maintain output in its economically efficient level in a natural monopoly, and that can be achieved by submitting these companies to regulatory agencies’ decisions. The autonomous agencies are, however, not free in an absolute sense, and it is important to ask what the priorities of the new administration are. One answer is that it is designed to give leeway and powers of discretion to unbiased professionals with expertise in their field. In practice, however, professional experts might often be politically motivated. The objective of this study is to investigate whether political nominations to the presidency of regulatory agencies, rather than technical appointments, affect the level of regulatory risk. In order to achieve this purpose, an event study was performed, where the regulatory risk in a political nomination will be compared to a technical nomination, in terms of abnormal return.

Corporate governance and its influence on the investment decision process of equity market's professionals: An inside view of how corporate governance issues influence the decision-making process of sell-side and buy-side professionals when analyzing Brazilian listed companies

Corporate governance has been in the spotlight for the past two decades, being subject of numerous researches all over the world. Governance is pictured as a broad and diverse theme, evolving through different routes to form distinct systems. This scenario together with 2 types of agency problems (investor vs. management and minorities vs. controlling shareholders) produce different definitions for governance. Usually, studies investigate whether corporate governance structures influence firm performance, and company valuation. This approach implies investors can identify those impacts and later take them into consideration when making investment decisions. However, behavioral finance theory shows that not always investors take rational decisions, and therefore the modus operandi of those professionals needs to be understood. So, this research aimed to investigate to what extent Brazilian corporate governance standards and practices influence the investment decision-making process of equity markets' professionals from the sell-side and buy-side. This exploratory study was carried out through qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative phase, 8 practitioners were interviewed and 3 dimensions emerged: understanding, pertinence and practice. Based on the interviews’ findings, a questionnaire was formulated and distributed to buy-siders and sell-siders that cover Brazilian stocks. 117 respondents from all over the world contributed to the study. The data obtained were analyzed through structural equation modeling and descriptive statistics. The 3 dimensions became 5 constructs: definition (institutionalized governance, informal governance), pertinence (relevance), practice (valuation process, structured governance assessment) The results of this thesis suggest there is no definitive answer, as the extent to which governance will influence an investment decision process will depend on a number of circumstances which compose the context. The only certainty is the need to present a “corporate governance behavior”, rather than simply establishing rules and regulations at firm and country level.

Influence of ovariectomy on healing of autogenous bone block grafts in the mandible: A histomorphometric study in an aged rat model

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate quantitatively and qualitatively the influence of estrogen deficiency on autogenous bone block grafts in aged variectomized rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty 12-month-old female Wistar rats were used in the study. They were divided into 2 groups, an ovariectomized group and a sham-operated group. After 30 days the animals received autogenous block bone grafts on the angle of the mandible, harvested from the calvaria. The animals were euthanized at 7, 14, or 28 days postoperatively. Results: Histologic analysis showed that at 7 days postsurgery, the interface between graft and recipient site in the sham-operated group appeared filled by a granulation tissue with angiogenic activity, whereas the ovariectomized group still exhibited a blood clot and a granulation tissue in organization. on the 14th postoperative day, the interface in the shamoperated group was partially filled by newly formed bone establishing a union between the graft and the recipient site. The interface in the ovariectomized group was typically filled by granulation tissue with discrete osteogenic activity in most specimens. on the 28th postoperative day, the graft in the sham-operated group appeared histologically integrated to the mandible. However, the interface in the ovariectomized group appeared partially filled by newly formed bone, with areas of interposed connective tissue. The statistical analysis revealed that bone neoformation was significantly greater in the sham-operated group (57.41% at 14 days and 68.35 at 28 days) in comparison with the ovariectomized group (40.82% at 14 days and 53.09 at 28 days) at the 5% level. Conclusion: The estrogen depletion caused by the ovariectomy hindered the healing process of autogenous block bone grafts placed in the mandibles of aged rats.

Modelling an expert GIS system based on knowledge to evaluate oil spill environmental sensitivity

Oil spills cause great damage to coastal habitats, especially when rapid and suitable response measures are not taken. Establishing high priority areas is fundamental for the operation of response teams. Under this context and considering the need for keeping all geographical information up-to-date for emergencial use, the present study proposes employing a decision tree coupled with a knowledge-based approach using GIS to assign oil sensitivity indices to Brazilian coastal habitats. The modelled system works based on rules set by the official standards of Brazilian Federal Environment Organ. We tested it on one of the littoral regions of Brazil where transportation of petroleum is most intense: the coast of the municipalities of Sao Sebastiao and Caraguatatuba in the northern littoral of São Paulo state, Brazil. The system automatically ranked the littoral sensitivity index of the study area habitats according to geographical conditions during summer and winter; since index ranks of some habitats varied between these seasons because of sediment alterations. The obtained results illustrate the great potential of the proposed system in generating ESI maps and in aiding response teams during emergency operations. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban areas and isolated remnants of natural habitats: An action proposal for botanical gardens

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) advocates an increase of the number of botanical gardens throughout the world as one of the measures that can help to preserve the world's biodiversity. To implement this strategy, the present work brings forward a suggestion particularly suited to tropical regions: establishing municipal botanical gardens. It refers to the experience of a newly opened municipal botanical garden in Brazil, comparing its attractive power on visitors to that of other botanical gardens included in the Brazilian network of Botanical Gardens. It also presents considerations on in situ conservation in small remnants and on the importance of urban reserves to preserve the regional biodiversity and spread the conservationist philosophy. The present proposal promotes the participation of local communities making the public opinion more aware and active, besides being able to counterbalance proposals that support protecting the world biodiversity through interventionist actions. It assumes that, through actions planned and coordinated by regional and national botanical garden networks, the measure proposed can mitigate the anthropic actions exerted on important natural reserves all over the world.

Library in virtual reality: An innovative way for accessing, disseminating, and sharing information

This paper focuses on Virtual Reality (VR) as a very powerful technology that can be applied to the libraries, aiming at contributing to the activities of accessing, disseminating, and sharing information. The paper presents the VR concept and describes some libraries in virtual reality under utilization in different countries. In the final considerations, it is pointed out the use of virtual reality to develop libraries as collaborative virtual environments.

Dentistry and HIV: University professors' role in establishing a basis for judgment

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the attitudes of Dentistry School Professors from two universities, one private and one public concerning HIV-positive patients or HIV-positive health care professionals. A questionnaire Was handled to all profession at the Araçatuba Dental School of São Paulo State University - FOA-UNESP (public) and Lins Dental School of the Piracicaba Methodist University - FOL-UNIMEP (private). When asked if they would be willing to be treated by an HIV-infected health care professional, 38.9% of the 77 professors at FOA-UNESP replied that they would accept only non-invasive treatments and 13% would not accept any kind of treatment; the same applied to 42.4% and 15.2% of the 33 FOL-UNIMEP professors. Among the 54 professors at FOA-UNESP and 27 at FOL-UNIMEP providing clinical service, only 31.5% and 18.5% stated that they treat HIV-infected persons like any other patient. The results were very similar in both schools. Although they reported that they taught their students not to act in a discriminatory manner towards HIV-positive patient the professors themselves showed prejudice towards infected patients and professionals. Consequently, this topic trust be further debated in the academic milieu.

The application of distributed virtual machines for enterprise computer management: A two-tier network file system for image provisioning and management

In order to simplify computer management, several system administrators are adopting advanced techniques to manage software configuration of enterprise computer networks, but the tight coupling between hardware and software makes every PC an individual managed entity, lowering the scalability and increasing the costs to manage hundreds or thousands of PCs. Virtualization is an established technology, however its use is been more focused on server consolidation and virtual desktop infrastructure, not for managing distributed computers over a network. This paper discusses the feasibility of the Distributed Virtual Machine Environment, a new approach for enterprise computer management that combines virtualization and distributed system architecture as the basis of the management architecture. © 2008 IEEE.

Enterprise systems modeling: The ERP5 development process

The design and implementation of an ERP system involves capturing the information necessary for implementing the system's structure and behavior that support enterprise management. This process should start on the enterprise modeling level and finish at the coding level, going down through different abstraction layers. For the case of Free/Open Source ERP, the lack of proper modeling methods and tools jeopardizes the advantages of source code availability. Moreover, the distributed, decentralized decision-making, and source-code driven development culture of open source communities, generally doesn't rely on methods for modeling the higher abstraction levels necessary for an ERP solution. The aim of this paper is to present a model driven development process for the open source ERP ERP5. The proposed process covers the different abstraction levels involved, taking into account well established standards and common practices, as well as new approaches, by supplying Enterprise, Requirements, Analysis, Design, and Implementation workflows. Copyright 2008 ACM.

Bilateralism and regionalism: re-establishing the primacy of multilateralism a Latin American and Caribbean perspective

Includes bibliography