Leandro Innocentini Lopes de Faria

Assessing nanocellulose developments using science and technology indicators

This research aims to examine scientific and technological trends of developments in nanocellulose based on scientometric and patent indicators obtained from the Science Citation Index and Derwent Innovations Index in 2001-2010. The overall nanocellulose activity indicators were compared to nanotechnology and other selected nanomaterials. Scientific and technological future developments in nanocellulose were forecasted using extrapolation growth curves and the main countries were also mapped. The results showed that nanocellulose publications and patent documents have increased rapidly over the last five years with an average growth rate higher than that of nanotechnology and fullerene. The USA, Japan, France, Sweden and Finland all played a significant role in nanocellulose development and the extrapolation growth curves suggested that nanocellulose scientific and technological activities are still emerging. Finally, the evidence from this study recommends monitoring nanocellulose S&T advances in the coming years.

Panorama setorial e perspectivas na área de polímeros biodegradáveis

This work on biodegradable polymers involved an analysis of patents to identify indicators for evaluating the prospects and opportunities of action in the field of polymers. We used the Spacenet database and Vantage Point software. The study encompassed the following polymers: polyhydroxybutyrate - PHB, polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate - PHBV, polylactic acid - PLA, poly (e-caprolactone) - PCL and the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), dealt in greater detail because they represent the general class of microbial polyesters. We found that, although the field of biodegradable polymers is new and still under development, it holds great potential in view of present widespread use of polymeric materials. Overall we found a great diversity of themes and opportunities for studies on compounds, blends, biodegradation and applications.

Patents in nanotechnology: an analysis using macro-indicators and forecasting curves

In this study, we evaluated future trends of worldwide patenting in nanotechnology and its domains using logistic growth curves while the patent activity from the main countries, technological domains and subdomains were assessed in four different contexts: worldwide, patents filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and patents applications in the triadic (TRIAD) and in the tetradic (TETRAD) countries. The indicators were developed based on a set of records recovered from the Derwent Innovation Index database. Nanotechnology has recently emerged as a new research field, with logistic trend behaviors generating interesting discussions since they suggest that technological development in nanotechnology and its domains has reached an initial maturation stage. Future scenarios were compiled due to the difficult to establish upper limits to forecasting curves. Although China’s share of patents is small in some cases, it was the only country to constantly increase the number of patents from a worldwide perspective. In contrast, the USA and the EU were the most active in the USPTO, TRIAD and TETRAD cases, followed by Japan and Korea. The technological subdomains of main interest from countries/region changed according to the perspective adopted, even though there was a clear bias towards semiconductors, surface treatments, electrical components, macromolecular chemistry, materials–metallurgy, pharmacy–cosmetics and analysis–measurement–control subdomains. We conclude that monitoring nanotechnology advances should be constantly reviewed in order to confirm the evidence observed and forecasted.

Bibliometria e "avaliação" da atividade científica: um estudo sobre o índice h

Assess the scientific activity is a crucial factor for development agencies and research institutes, which is why a new bibliometric indicator has been gaining ground in the scientific community - the index h. This study looks at the variability / persistence of the index value in different areas of knowledge and its application as a tool for science and technology policy.

Indicadores bibliométricos de cooperação científica internacional em bioprospecção

The current article aims at observing the factors that influence in the relations of scientific collaboration of a multidisciplinary research activity - the area of bioprospection - such as economical, cultural and geographical similarities. Bibliometric indicators of co-authorship are presented and analyzed, gathered from an international and multidisciplinary bibliographic basis, the Science Citation Index, from 1986 to 2006.

Technological indicators of nanocellulose advances obtained from data and text mining applied to patent documents

Nanocellulose is remarkable cellulose-based nanomaterials that have a potential for innovation and sustainable appeal. Their advances can be assessed using patent indicators and text mining techniques. The aim of this study was at analyzing the advances in nanocellulose based on indicators compiled from patents filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 2000 to 2012. Assignees, technological subjects, highly cited patents, applications and types of nanocellulose were obtained by mining structured and unstructured data. The results highlighted the different interests in the USA market, mainly after 2007. Mined terms from titles and abstracts could add further information to the analysis. However, although the method applied was useful, it was not sufficient to identify all applications and types of nanocellulose involved in the sample analyzed, therefore it is recommended that other document parts be included in future analyses.

A delineating procedure to retrieve relevant publication data in research areas: the case of nanocellulose

Advances concerning publication-level classification system have been demonstrated striking results by dealing properly with emergent, complex and interdisciplinary research areas, such as nanotechnology and nanocellulose. However, less attention has been paid to propose a delineating method to retrieve relevant research areas on specific subjects. This study aims at proposing a procedure to delineate research areas addressed in case nanocellulose. We investigate how a bibliometric analysis could provide interesting insights into research about this sustainable nanomaterial. The research topics clustered by a Publication-level Classification System were used. The procedure involves an iterative process, which includes developing and cleaning a set of core publication regarding the subject and an analysis of clusters they are associated with. Nanocellulose was selected as the subject of study, but the methodology may be applied to any other research area or topic. A discussion about each step of the procedure is provided. The proposed delineation procedure enables us to retrieve relevant publications from research areas involving nanocellulose. Seventeen research topics were mapped and associated with current research challenges on nanocellulose.

Delimitação de uma área multidisciplinar para análise bibliométrica de produção científica: o caso da Bioprospecção

Os indicadores bibliometricos em ciencia e tecnologia surgem da necessidade de mensuracao da producao das instituicoes cientificas, partindo da premissa de que a ciencia se encontra, em grande parte, incorporada em sua literatura. Como a ciencia torna-se cada vez mais multidisciplinar, uma das principais dificuldades da analise bibliometrica tem sido a construcao de indicadores de areas com essa caracteristica. Isso ocorre porque as bases de dados cientificas adotam uma classificacao propria de areas, subareas e disciplinas cientificas e atribuem tais classificacoes aos periodicos. Este trabalho insere-se nesse contexto, contribuindo especificamente para a delimitacao e construcao de indicadores de uma area cientifica de atividade caracteristicamente multidisciplinar, a bioprospeccao. Esta area de conhecimento vem se destacando na esfera politica e economica dos ultimos anos. Os resultados deste estudo demonstram ainda a importância dessa area no meio academico, ao comprovar o crescimento da area pelo numero de artigos publicados, de disciplinas envolvidas, dos principais periodicos e das instituicoes de pesquisa que se destacam na producao dos conhecimentos multidisciplinares da bioprospeccao.

Modelo para o mapeamento de competências em equipes de inteligência competitiva

Com o intuito de contribuir para o aumento da eficiencia e eficacia das unidades de inteligencia competitiva (IC) no âmbito da gestao de pessoas, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo geral desenvolver um modelo para mapear conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes de profissionais de IC, com vistas ao estabelecimento do processo de gestao de pessoas por competencias (GPPC). O metodo de pesquisa adotado foi a pesquisa-acao, e a aplicacao foi realizada junto ao Nucleo de Informacao Tecnologica em Materiais (NIT/Materiais) da Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar). Foram os seguintes resultados obtidos: a) uma base de referencia para apoio ao mapeamento de competencias em IC; b) um glossario de atributos de competencia de IC (conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes); c) a ferramenta ?Coletor de percepcoes de competencias?, para a coleta e analise de atributos de competencia; d) procedimento para iniciar a gestao das competencias individuais. A partir dos resultados obtidos e da discussao suscitada em torno da tematica das competencias em IC, foi possivel concluir que o modelo de mapeamento pode contribuir para a criacao e desenvolvimento de equipes de IC, em um processo de melhoria continua.

Panorama da inteligência competitiva no Brasil: os pesquisadores e a produção científica na plataforma Lattes

Com base nos desafios presentes e futuros e na importância da consolidacao da profissao de inteligencia competitiva (IC) no Brasil, o objetivo deste artigo foi identificar e analisar o perfil do profissional de IC, quanto a formacao, atuacao e producao cientifica no Brasil. O metodo de pesquisa utilizado compreendeu a analise de documentos e a bibliometria, sendo a amostra de dados composta por 1.434 curriculos, 223 artigos de periodicos e 26 projetos de pesquisa em andamento, recuperados de forma automatizada junto a Plataforma Lattes, com a expressao de busca “inteligencia competitiva”. Foi possivel identificar o perfil de atuacao e de formacao academica do profissional, e ainda, as principais tematicas e conceitos abordados pela producao cientifica brasileira em IC. Com base no referencial teorico e nos resultados alcancados conclui-se que a producao cientifica brasileira esta concentrada no desenvolvimento teorico da IC, abordando de forma incipiente casos ilustrativos sobre a aplicacao da IC. Com relacao ao profissional atuante em IC, constatou-se o alto indice de profissionais com a formacao de doutor e uma grande concentracao desses individuos na regiao Sudeste e Sul e no ambiente das universidades.