Fluxo e tecnologias de informação no contexto brasileiro de inventário de ciclo de vida

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Informação - FFC

Proposta de zoneamento ambiental das paisagens para o alto curso da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Sucuriú, Mato Grosso do Sul-Brasil

Pós-graduação em Geografia - FCT

Brazilian community health agents and qualitative primary healthcare information

The aim of this study was to explore female community health agents’ views about the value of recording qualitative information on contextual health issues they observe during home visits, data that are not officially required to be documented for the Brazilian System of Primary Healthcare Information. Background: The study was conducted in community primary healthcare centres located in the cities of Araçatuba and Coroados (state of São Paulo) and Rio de Janeiro (state of Rio de Janeiro), Brazil. Methods: The design was a qualitative, exploratory study. The purposeful sampling criteria were being female, with a minimum of three years of continuous service in the same location. Data collection with 62 participants was conducted via 11 focus groups (in 2007 and 2008). Audio files were transcribed and submitted to the method of thematic analysis. Four themes guided the analysis: working with qualitative information and undocumented observation; reflecting on qualitative information; integrating/analysing quantitative and qualitative information; and information-sharing with agents and family health teams. In 2010, 25 community health agents verified the final interpretation of the findings. Findings: Participants valued the recording of qualitative, contextual information to expand understanding of primary healthcare issues and as an indicator of clients’ improved health behaviour and health literacy. While participants initiated the recording of additional health information, they generally did not inform the family health team about these findings. They perceived that team members devalued this type of information by considering it a reflection of the clientele’s social conditions or problems beyond the scope of medical concerns. Documentation of qualitative evidence can account for the effectiveness of health education in two ways: by improving preventative care, and by amplifying the voices of underprivileged clients who live in poverty to ensure the most appropriate and best quality primary healthcare for them.

Zoneamento do escoamento superficial da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Paciência, Ilha do Maranhão-MA

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

Elaboração de um sistema de informações georreferenciadas para o planejamento urbano: estudo de caso - centros educacionais de Bauru

The objective of this paper is to show the development of a Geographic Information System (SIG) for the management of the Educational Centers of the city of Bauru. Currently, the Educational Centers and Assistance Institutes, public or private, in Brazilian cities have some problems, for example: they have no money to manage their institutions and they have no correct form to organize and to store the information. Because of these problems, we developed a system which will manage some informations for these institutions and local authority. This system will allow visualizing the data in the internet by the community. This pilot project has used the softwares SPRING 4.1 e SPRINGWEB 3.0.

Sistema de informação geográfica na formulação de indicadores ambientais para sustentabilidade dos recursos hídricos

Planning and sustainable management of water resources require actions that focuses on life quality, recovery and preservation of natural resources. As such, a municipality must have tools which empower the government with the right to exercise such actions, for example, the Master Plan and Sector Plans. To develop municipal plans which will guide the development of the city and provide information for establishment of public policies, it is of the utmost importance that they are designed based on primary and safe data. In view of these considerations, this study aimed at formulating environmental indicators by using a Geographic Information System – GIS. The environmental diagnosis based on the gvGIS was used as database, which made the process to be agile and accurate. The watershed of Lençóis River – SP was the study area. It has a good database from the Environmental Diagnosis of the watershed of Lençóis River, which was created through funds from the State Funds for Water Resources – FEHIDRO. The borrower was the Service of Water Supply and Sewage of Lençóis Paulista – SAAELP. Based on the diagnosis, the indicators were formulated concerning land use and occupation as well as water resources. The results were considered satisfactory and showed that the methodology used in this study is of great importance to evaluate water resources, as it provides a reliable basis for the decision-making process seeking environmental compliance and sustainable development. By using environmental indicators, the sustainability of an area as a whole can be analyzed, and the parts as well, i.e., it is possible to identify which sector is experiencing significant problems and take actions to solve them.

Planejamento e zoneamento ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do manancial Balneário da Amizade nos municípios de Álvares Machado e Presidente Prudente - São Paulo/Brasil

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

Medições de áreas por fotografias aéreas, em escala nominal, comparadas com a área obtida em fotografias com escalas corrigidas por meio de um SIG

Land use management has becoming a very important activity. Aerial photo interpretation is a basic resource and constitutes in a technique which enables infinite refining. Agricultural development and land use require a careful initial planning in order not only to protect them against superficial changing provoked by natural phenomenon but also to gradually develop its productive capacity. For the efficiency of land management, it is necessary to access correct and detailed information which can be available through aerial images of remote sensing. The use of vertical aerial photography through Remote Sensing has become more common in boundary survey projects, management and exploration, mainly because it substitutes, with lots of advantage, for cartographic bases, besides offering detailed characteristics, eliminating access difficulties in inaccessible areas, as well as facilitating a tridimensional view once it increases map efficiency and accuracy by combining field and laboratory work with photography interpretation. This work, using panchromatic aerial photography in nominal scale 1:25000 (1962), 1:45000 (1977) , and approximate nominal scale of 1:30.000, originating from aerial survey obtained in 2005, aimed at showing through the Geographic Information System (GIS) the possibility of developing a more complete and accurate analysis of the area values, obtained directly from photos without scale correction, and after comparing it with area values obtained from aerial photography with correct scale referred in IGC (Brazilian Cartography and Geography Institute) guidelines, resulting in an error coefficient which shows area differences through two proposed study. Considering the aerial photography in three different years: 1962, 1977 and 2005 it is possible to affirm that the 2005’s images presented lower values of area difference (43, 48 square meters) than determined area values in reference chart and the 2005’s colored images has facilitated the photo interpretation of the landscape, becoming accurate the confronting traces and among land owners and consequently offering precision during land marking.

Análise ambiental e morfométrica da bacia hidrográfica do Córrego Santo Antônio - São Francisco Xavier (SP)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reestruturação e automação de processos: caso de um processo da área de compras e suprimentos de uma empresa brasileira do setor de mídia

Innovation in the field of Information Technology (IT) have made companies evaluate their processes and activity of its supply chain to conform to this new reality. In the supply chain management, one of the tools that revolutionized the activities was the use of management information systems such as ERP tool. This system allows greater integration of data from multiple areas of the enterprise and beyond, giving more activities to processes and activities. This work aims to analyze the results and impacts of the restructuring of an equipment leasing process in a Brazilian media company and verify that the gains and improvements that were targeted in the initial design of this restructuring have been achieved. Also the risks identified with this change will be studied, the reactions of those involved in this process and the performance of the chain as a whole. To carry out this work was carried out a single case study with data collection in the assessed company and literature related to supply chain and information systems

Towards a Model of Information Systems User Competency

The ability to utilize information systems (IS) effectively is becoming a necessity for business professionals. However, individuals differ in their abilities to use IS effectively, with some achieving exceptional performance in IS use and others being unable to do so. Therefore, developing a set of skills and attributes to achieve IS user competency, or the ability to realize the fullest potential and the greatest performance from IS use, is important. Various constructs have been identified in the literature to describe IS users with regard to their intentions to use IS and their frequency of IS usage, but studies to describe the relevant characteristics associated with highly competent IS users, or those who have achieved IS user competency, are lacking. This research develops a model of IS user competency by using the Repertory Grid Technique to identify a broad set of characteristics of highly competent IS users. A qualitative analysis was carried out to identify categories and sub-categories of these characteristics. Then, based on the findings, a subset of the model of IS user competency focusing on the IS-specific factors – domain knowledge of and skills in IS, willingness to try and to explore IS, and perception of IS value – was developed and validated using the survey approach. The survey findings suggest that all three factors are relevant and important to IS user competency, with willingness to try and to explore IS being the most significant factor. This research generates a rich set of factors explaining IS user competency, such as perception of IS value. The results not only highlight characteristics that can be fostered in IS users to improve their performance with IS use, but also present research opportunities for IS training and potential hiring criteria for IS users in organizations.

Using Genetics to Assess Differentiation Among Raccoons in an Area with Variable Rabies Status in Alabama

The western spread of raccoon rabies in Alabama has been slow and even appears to regress eastward periodically. While the disease has been present in the state for over 30 years, areas in northwest Alabama are devoid of raccoon rabies. This variation resulting in an enzootic area of raccoon rabies primarily in southeastern Alabama may be due to landscape features that hinder the movement of raccoons (i.e., gene flow) among different locations. We used 11 raccoon-specific microsatellite markers to obtain individual genotypes to examine gene flow among areas that were rabies free, enzootic with rabies, or had only sporadic reports of the disease. Samples from 70 individuals were collected from 5 sampling localities in 3 counties. The landscape feature data were collected from geographic information system (GIS) data. We inferred gene flow by estimating FST and by using Bayesian tests to identify genetic clusters. Estimates of pairwise FST indicated genetic differentiation and restricted gene flow between some sites, and an uneven distribution of genetic clusters was observed. Of the landscape features examined (i.e., land cover, elevation, slope, roads, and hydrology), only land cover had an association with genetic differentiation, suggesting this landscape variable may affect gene flow among raccoon populations and thus the spread of raccoon variant of rabies in Alabama.

Assessing Needs for Computer Pest Management Software in Nebraska Agriculture

A mail survey was conducted to assess current computer hardware use and perceived needs of potential users for software related to crop pest management in Nebraska. Surveys were sent to University of Nebraska-Lincoln agricultural extension agents, agribusiness personnel (including independent crop consultants), and crop producers identified by extension agents as computer users. There were no differences between the groups in several aspects of computer hardware use (percentage computer use, percentage IBM-compatible computer, amount of RAM memory, percentage with hard drive, hard drive size, or monitor graphics capability). Responses were similar among the three groups in several areas that are important to crop pest management (pest identification, pest biology, treatment decision making, control options, and pesticide selection), and a majority of each group expressed the need for additional sources of such information about insects, diseases, and weeds. However, agents mentioned vertebrate pest management information as a need more often than the other two groups. Also, majorities of each group expressed an interest in using computer software, if available, to obtain information in these areas. Appropriate software to address these needs should find an audience among all three groups.

Reestruturação e automação de processos: caso de um processo da área de compras e suprimentos de uma empresa brasileira do setor de mídia

Innovation in the field of Information Technology (IT) have made companies evaluate their processes and activity of its supply chain to conform to this new reality. In the supply chain management, one of the tools that revolutionized the activities was the use of management information systems such as ERP tool. This system allows greater integration of data from multiple areas of the enterprise and beyond, giving more activities to processes and activities. This work aims to analyze the results and impacts of the restructuring of an equipment leasing process in a Brazilian media company and verify that the gains and improvements that were targeted in the initial design of this restructuring have been achieved. Also the risks identified with this change will be studied, the reactions of those involved in this process and the performance of the chain as a whole. To carry out this work was carried out a single case study with data collection in the assessed company and literature related to supply chain and information systems

GeoHealth: A Georeferenced System for Health Data Analysis in Primary Care

The Primary Care Information System (SIAB) concentrates basic healthcare information from all different regions of Brazil. The information is collected by primary care teams on a paper-based procedure that degrades the quality of information provided to the healthcare authorities and slows down the process of decision making. To overcome these problems we propose a new data gathering application that uses a mobile device connected to a 3G network and a GPS to be used by the primary care teams for collecting the families' data. A prototype was developed in which a digital version of one SIAB form is made available at the mobile device. The prototype was tested in a basic healthcare unit located in a suburb of Sao Paulo. The results obtained so far have shown that the proposed process is a better alternative for data collecting at primary care, both in terms of data quality and lower deployment time to health care authorities.