Benchmarking sustainable urban mobility: The case of Curitiba, Brazil

Transportation planning is currently being confronted with a broader planning view, which is given by the concept of mobility. The Index of Sustainable Urban Mobility (I_SUM) is among the tools developed for supporting this new concept implementation. It is a tool to assess the current mobility conditions of any city, which can also be applied for policy formulation. This study focus on the application of I_SUM in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. Considering that the city is known worldwide as a reference of successful urban and transportation planning, the index application must confirm it. An additional objective of the study was to evaluate the index itself, or the subjacent assessment method and reference values. A global I_SUM value of 0.747 confirmed that the city has indeed very positive characteristics regarding sustainable mobility policies. However, some deficiencies were also detected, particularly with respect to non-motorized transport modes. The application has also served to show that a few I_SUM indicators were not able to capture some of the positive aspects of the city, what may suggest the need of changes in their formulation. Finally, the index application in parts of the city suggests that the city provides fair and equitable mobility conditions to all citizens throughout the city. This is certainly a good attribute for becoming a benchmark of sustainable mobility, even if it is not yet the ideal model. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The influence of noise, vibration, cycle paths, and period of day on stress experienced by cyclists

Urban and transport planners need to assess the stressful conditions experienced by cyclists, considering that highly stressful situations can discourage people from cycling as a transport mode. Therefore, this study has two objectives: (1) to present a method for monitoring stress and other environmental factors along cycling routes using smart sensors; and (2) to analyze the influence of noise, vibration, presence of cycle paths, and the period of the day on stress experienced by cyclists. Data were collected in the city of Sao Carlos, Brazil, using stress and noise sensors, accelerometers, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Primarily, heat maps generated from the data made it possible to identify critical points of stress along the routes. In addition, the results of a logistic regression model were analyzed to identify the influence of the studied variables on stress. Although high levels of noise increased the odds of experiencing stress by 4%, very uncomfortable vibrations increased the odds by 14%, and the presence of cycle paths reduced the odds by 8%, an analysis of p-values and odds ratio confidence intervals shows, with a 95% confidence level, that only the period of the day influenced stress, as confirmed by the data. In this case, the odds of having stress increased by 24% in the afternoon rush hour compared to the morning rush hour

Complementary And Integrative Practices By Doulas In Maternities In Fortaleza (ce) And Campinas (sp), Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the Integrative and Complementary Practices (ICP) applied by doulas in the cities of Fortaleza and Campinas-SP. This is a qualitative study encompassing fifteen doulas: nine from Fortaleza (Brazil, CE) and six from Campinas (Brazil, SP). The data were collected in the second half of 2010 by conducting semi-structured and pre-organized interviews following the procedures of thematic content analysis. The interpretations of the results were based on the idea that institutionalization of knowledge and practices happen through the conformation of nuclei and fields. The nucleus demarcates the identity of an area of knowledge and the professionals' practices, and the field demarcates the blurred limits among disciplines that can be submitted to conflicts. We observed that the support offered by doulas permeates a variety of practices framed in traditional medicine as well as in complementary and alternative medicine. ICP was associated with decreases in length of labor, superior pain management, ability of making decision and empowering of women. It is understood that the range of activities offered by doulas and the use of ICP converge to the uniqueness, respect and autonomy of women. Furthermore, it proposes a new model of awareness and practices centered on the importance of the natural process of childbirth.25110812

Cyclists' noise exposure in a Brazilian medium-sized city

This study aimed to assess cyclists' exposure to noise in a medium-sized Brazilian city. Mobile sensors were used to conduct noise measurements in streets with and without dedicated cycling infrastructures. The method can be summarized in the following procedures: i) characterization of the study area; ii) data collection and validation; iii) calculation of exposure indicators; and iv) comparison and representation of the results on maps. Two strategies were adopted for the analysis, namely, spatial data aggregation and temporal data aggregation. Thus, measurements were initially organized in 1,200 nodes distributed along the paths. The results indicate that bicycle riders in Sao Carlos may be exposed, in some routes, to a high proportion of high noise-level segments. In the two routes selected for this study, the cyclist was exposed to noise levels above the adopted threshold (> 75dBA) in 33.2% and 18.9% of the nodes. Also, the possibility of simultaneously working with two related indicators has broadened the classification criteria of the route segments regarding noise exposure

Uso de práticas integrativas e complementares por doulas em maternidades de Fortaleza (CE) e Campinas (SP)

This study aimed to analyze the Integrative and Complementary Practices (ICP) applied by doulas in the cities of Fortaleza (CE) and Campinas (SP). This is a qualitative study encompassing fifteen doulas: nine from Fortaleza and six from Campinas. The data were collected in the second half of 2010 by conducting semi-structured and pre-organized interviews following the procedures of thematic content analysis. The interpretations of the results were based on the idea that institutionalization of knowledge and practices happen through the conformation of nuclei and fields. The nucleus demarcates the identity of an area of knowledge and the professionals' practices, and the field de marcates the blurred limits among disciplines that can be submitted to conflicts. We observed that the support offered by doulas permeates a variety of practices framed in traditional medicine as well as in complementary and alternative medicine. ICP was associated with decreases in length of labor, superior pain management, ability of making de cision and empowering of women. It is understood that the range of activities offered by doulas and the use of ICP converge to the uniqueness, respect and autonomy of women. Furthermore, it proposes a new model of awareness and practices centered on the importance of the natural process of childbirth251108120Objetivou-se analisar as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares (PICs) utilizadas por doulas nos municípios de Fortaleza (CE) e Campinas (SP). É um estudo de natureza qualitativa, com 15 doulas: nove de Fortaleza e seis de Campinas. Os dados foram coletados no segundo semestre de 2010, mediante a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas, e organizados seguindo a técnica da Análise de Con teúdo na modalidade temática. A interpretação dos resultados baseou-se na noção de que a institucio nalização dos saberes se dá pela conformação de núcleos e de campos. O núcleo demarca a identidade de uma área de saber e de práticas profissionais; e o campo, um espaço de limites imprecisos entre as disciplinas, mas que pode ser submetido a conflitos. Observou-se que o suporte das doulas permeia uma variedade de práticas emolduradas na Medicina Tradicional (MT) e das PICs. Essas práticas contri buíram para a diminuição do tempo de trabalho de parto, melhor controle da dor, ajuda na tomada de decisões e empoderamento da mulher. Compreende -se que o espaço de atuação da doula e o uso de PICs convergem para a singularidade, respeito e autonomia da mulher e propõem um novo modelo de saberes e práticas centrado na importância do processo natural do part

Osteitis in a female infant after vaccination with BCG Moreau in the neonatal period

Secretaria de Estado da Saúde do Estado de São Paulo Instituto Clemente FerreiraHospital Israelita Albert EinsteinUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de PediatriaUNIFESP, Depto. de PediatriaSciEL

Complementary and integrative practices by doulas in maternities in Fortaleza (CE) and Campinas (SP), Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the Integrative and Complementary Practices (ICP) applied by doulas in the cities of Fortaleza (CE) and Campinas (SP). This is a qualitative study encompassing fifteen doulas: nine from Fortaleza and six from Campinas. The data were collected in the second half of 2010 by conducting semi-structured and pre-organized interviews following the procedures of thematic content analysis. The interpretations of the results were based on the idea that institutionalization of knowledge and practices happen through the conformation of nuclei and fields. The nucleus demarcates the identity of an area of knowledge and the professionals' practices, and the field de marcates the blurred limits among disciplines that can be submitted to conflicts. We observed that the support offered by doulas permeates a variety of practices framed in traditional medicine as well as in complementary and alternative medicine. ICP was associated with decreases in length of labor, superior pain management, ability of making de cision and empowering of women. It is understood that the range of activities offered by doulas and the use of ICP converge to the uniqueness, respect and autonomy of women. Furthermore, it proposes a new model of awareness and practices centered on the importance of the natural process of childbirth.Objetivou-se analisar as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares (PICs) utilizadas por doulas nos municípios de Fortaleza (CE) e Campinas (SP). É um estudo de natureza qualitativa, com 15 doulas: nove de Fortaleza e seis de Campinas. Os dados foram coletados no segundo semestre de 2010, mediante a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas, e organizados seguindo a técnica da Análise de Con teúdo na modalidade temática. A interpretação dos resultados baseou-se na noção de que a institucio nalização dos saberes se dá pela conformação de núcleos e de campos. O núcleo demarca a identidade de uma área de saber e de práticas profissionais; e o campo, um espaço de limites imprecisos entre as disciplinas, mas que pode ser submetido a conflitos. Observou-se que o suporte das doulas permeia uma variedade de práticas emolduradas na Medicina Tradicional (MT) e das PICs. Essas práticas contri buíram para a diminuição do tempo de trabalho de parto, melhor controle da dor, ajuda na tomada de decisões e empoderamento da mulher. Compreende -se que o espaço de atuação da doula e o uso de PICs convergem para a singularidade, respeito e autonomia da mulher e propõem um novo modelo de saberes e práticas centrado na importância do processo natural do parto.25110812

Exploratory techniques for locating potential users of urban public transportation

O objetivo deste estudo é identificar e encontrar potenciais usuários de transporte público através do emprego de mapas\ud construídos em um sistema de informações geográficas. O método considera a divisão do município estudado em zonas, em\ud função do código postal. Estas zonas são caracterizadas pelos atributos socioeconômicos da população e do sistema de\ud transporte. Diante da hipótese de melhoria na qualidade do transporte público, dois segmentos de usuários de automóvel foram\ud considerados: usuários que trocariam para ônibus e usuários que continuariam preferindo o carro. Duas técnicas (Modelo Logit\ud e Redes Neurais Artificiais) foram utilizadas com o intuito de reproduzir esse comportamento de escolha dos usuários. Assim, é\ud possível caracterizar espacialmente o impacto de alterações no sistema de transportes ou no perfil da população sobre o\ud potencial de utilização do transporte público. Um cenário de aumento na densidade populacional permitiu identificar, por\ud exemplo, regiões da cidade de São Carlos com potenciais usuáriosThe objective of this study is to identify and locate potential users of public transport through maps built using a geographic\ud information system. The method assumes a division of the city into areas according to the postcodes of the streets. These areas\ud are characterized by socioeconomic attributes of the population and of the transport system. Two segments of automobile users\ud were considered, under the assumption that the quality of public transport would be improved: users who would switch to buses\ud and users who still prefer the car. Two techniques (Logit Model and Artificial Neural Networks) were used to reproduce the\ud users’ choice behavior. That makes it possible to spatially distinguish the impact of changes in the transport system or in the\ud profile of the population on the potential use of public transport. A scenario of increase in the population density, for example,\ud allowed the identification of areas in the city of São Carlos with potential user