Brazilian Websites Research Articles

The Sacred in Bits and Pixels: An Analysis of the Interactional Interface in Brazilian Catholic Online Rituals

Through digital technologies, a new form of communicational interaction between the user and the sacred occurs in an online religious experience. This phenomenon is illustrated in practice by numerous religious services present in the online Catholic environment, which manifest new modes of discourse and religious practices, beyond the scope of the traditional church – what I term here “online rituals” – marked by a process of mediatization of religion. In this paper, from a corpus of four Brazilian websites, I analyze key concepts for the understanding of this phenomenon, including digital mediatization and interface. I examine, in these Brazilian Catholic websites, the communicational configurations of the religious experience from five areas of the interactional interface: the screen; peripherals; the organizational structure of content on websites; the graphic composition of the webpages; and possible interface failures. Finally, I examine a shift in the communicational dynamics of religion today, marked by new materialities present in online religious rituals.

Qualidade das informações de saúde e medicamentos nos sítios brasileiros

To evaluate the quality of information about health and medication available on Brazilian websites. A descriptive study with a quantitative approach regarding Brazilian websites, conducted from January to March 2011. The search sites were located using two search phrases: "medication information" and "health information." The choice of variables was based on the Internet information quality criteria of the World Health Organization and the International Code of Ethics for health and services sites on the Internet. The dependent variable was whether the site had information about health or medication. The independent variables were access, appearance, organization, honesty, transparency, responsibility and origin. For statistical analysis, the χ² and Fisher exact tests were applied, with a significance level of 5%. Of the 37 Brazilian sites analyzed, 24 (64.9%) contained health information and 13 (35.1%) contained medication information. Regarding appearance, organization and access criteria, most sites related to health and medication were easily accessible, easy to understand, used objective language, were updated and organized logically and provided accurate and scientifically grounded information. The honesty criterion differed significantly between sites, and the quality of information presented on health and medication websites showed significant differences, suggesting the need for a more systematic organization of these topics on the Internet.

Poluição das águas disponíveis em websites brasileiros: conteúdo com qualidade?

This study aimed to evaluate how the theme “water pollution” has been available on Brazilian websites. In addition, websites were evaluated based on technical criteria: update, authorship, ease of understanding of the content published the presence of images or figures, scientific basis, language and interaction with the user. A total of 73 websites was selected for analysis. The results show that the website does not address important content on the theme. Thus, this work points to the need to establish mechanisms to disseminate correct information about the water pollution in the internet, so the network can be used as a useful tool for the prevention and conservation of this vital resource to the survival of life on the planet.

Understanding links: Web Science and hyperlink studies at macro, meso and micro-levels

Web Science has favoured macroscopic approaches which have revealed much about the Web's structural patterns. We argue that contextualised knowledge about hyperlinks on the Web has not advanced at the same rate and that complementary intermediate and micro-scale investigations are essential for a better understanding of the motivations, functions and meanings of these links. We present an investigation that attempted to overcome the shortcomings of current theoretical frameworks and methodological techniques. The focus of this article lies in the demonstration of the viability of studying the web at different scales of analysis without loss of coherence guided by the assumption of the Web as media. Results of our quali-quantitative, multi-scale and study of the international connectivity of websites registered in Brazil are presented. At the macro-scale, previous indications of high international connectivity are confirmed. Intermediate (meso) and micro-scale analyses focused on the connectivity between Brazilian and German websites and contradicted the conclusions about the meanings and functions of hyperlinks commonly associated with structural analysis. Links between Brazilian and German websites were shown to derive from a large number of formal and generic links, challenging the prevalent association that large quantities of incoming links are an indication of high relevance.

Escritores-fantasma e comércio de trabalhos científicos na internet: a ciência em risco

Frauds in scientific production are not a rare phenomenon, even in the medical field. Among these frauds are some types of authorship misconduct, such as plagiarism and ghostwriting sponsored by pharmaceutical industries. Another type of misconduct, which is particularly detrimental to science, is the e-commerce of scientific works, which has been growing and frequently shown in the press. To analyze the e-commerce of scientific papers and the means by which these services are offered. Eighteen Brazilian web sites that offer elaboration of scientific papers were selected. A request for the elaboration of a final essay for a forged post-graduate course was sent to each of them. The research requested had already been completed, consequently technical, ethical and bibliographical characteristics were already known to the author. Ten enterprises accepted the order and, except for one, they have not objected to the conditions imposed: Field research, approval by an ethics committee on research and use of the Vancouver norms. Six have not replied and two have not accepted the order alleging that they had no co-workers available for the task. E-commerce of scientific papers is a fact which can negatively interfere in the ethical, scientific and professional development of graduate and post-graduate students, as well as in scientific production by adulterating data and information found in literature. A new approach is recommended, especially when evaluating final essays.

Avaliação das informações sobre rinite alérgica em sites brasileiros na rede mundial de computadores (Internet)

A rede mundial de computadores (Internet) é, atualmente, fonte de informação sobre saúde para leigos e profissionais da área médica. A Rinite Alérgica é uma doença muito prevalente que chega a atingir mais de 10% da população geral, causando queda da qualidade de vida. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os princípios éticos de sites brasileiros que divulgam informações a respeito do tema "rinite alérgica". FORMA DE ESTUDO: revisional. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foi feita avaliação de 173 sites brasileiros encontrados através de quatro mecanismos de busca (Google, Yahoo, Altavista e Radar Uol). Os sites foram avaliados de acordo com o Manual de Princípios Éticos para Sites de Medicina e Saúde do CREMESP (Conselho Regional de Medicina do Estado de São Paulo), de acordo com os itens transparência, honestidade, qualidade, consentimento livre e esclarecido, privacidade, ética médica, responsabilidade e procedência. RESULTADOS: Entre os sites analisados, 149 (86,1%) não estavam de acordo como Manual de Princípios Éticos para Sites de Medicina e Saúde do CREMESP. As proporções de irregularidades entre os itens avaliados foram: qualidade (84,4%), privacidade (46,2%) honestidade (18,5%), consentimento livre e esclarecido (15,6%), responsabilidade (13,9%), transparência (12,1%), ética médica (2,3%). Havia informações inexatas em 24,3% dos sites analisados. CONCLUSÕES: A maioria dos sites estudados contendo informações sobre rinite alérgica fere os princípios éticos para sites do CREMESP. Tanto a qualidade em geral de grande parte dos sites brasileiros que abordam o tema "rinite alérgica", quanto à qualidade das informações por eles divulgadas, são insuficientes para satisfazer a médicos e pacientes.

Evaluation of Brazilian web site information on allergic rhinitis

SummaryNowadays, the World Wide Web (Internet) is an information source for non-experts and physicians. Aim: To evaluate, based on ethical principles, Brazilian web sites information about “allergic rhinitis”. Allergic rhinitis is a very common disease, effecting more than 10% of the general population, leading to decrease in quality of life. Study design: review. Material and Method: We performed the evaluation of 173 Brazilian web sites, which were obtained from four search engines (Google, Yahoo, AltaVista and Radar Uol). The web sites were evaluated according to the Manual of Ethical Principles, Regional Council of Medicine of the state of Sao Paulo (CREMESP), regarding transparency, honesty, quality, privacy, medical ethics, informed consent, responsibility and origin. Results: Among the analyzed web sites, 149 (86.1%) were not in accordance with the Manual of Ethical Principles of Regional Council of Medicine of the state of Sao Paulo (CREMESP). According to the analyzed items, the irregularities that were found were quality (84.4%), privacy (46.2%), honesty (18.5%), informed consent (15.6%), responsibility and origin (13.9%), transparency (12.1%), medical ethics (2.3%). There was inaccurate information in 24.3% of the analyzed sites. Conclusions: The majority of the websites regarding allergic rhinitis are not in accordance with the ethical principles of CREMESP. In general, the quality of a great part of the Brazilian web sites that address “allergic rhinitis”, and the quality of the information disseminated by them, are insufficient to satisfy doctors and patients.

Sources for the Study of Brazilian Economic and Social History on the Internet

Sources for the Study of Brazilian Economic and Social History on the Internet

Internet e Parlamento. Um estudo dos mecanismos de participação oferecidos pelo Poder Legislativo através de ferramentas online

O trabalho examina as ferramentas de participação oferecidas aos cidadãos através dos websites de seis casas legislativas brasileiras: a Câmara dos Deputados e as Assembléias de cinco estados (Bahia, Goiás, Pará, Rio Grande do Sul e São Paulo). Para se considerar a adequação dos recursos participativos disponíveis em tais websites, empregou-se a perspectiva deliberacionista de democracia. Dentre os principais resultados da investigação, aponta-se que, à exceção do site da Câmara, as iniciativas em questão ofertam recursos limitados de participação, o que sugere um subaproveitamento do potencial técnico dos media digitais.