Indoor air quality in hospitality venues after the implementation of the Portuguese tobacco control law

Um estudo efectuado na cidade de Braga, em Fevereiro de 2008 (pouco tempo depois da entrada em vigor da lei n.º 37/2007 de 14 de Agosto de controlo do tabagismo), no sector da restauração e similares, revelou que há proprietários desses estabelecimentos que permitem que se fume no interior. Este facto levantou o problema de saber qual a concentração de nicotina (indicadora da poluição por fumo do tabaco) presente no ar nesses locais. Participantes e método: A qualidade do ar foi avaliada em Março de 2009, em 6 locais de restauração e similares, da cidade de Braga: 2 restaurantes com menos de 100 m 2 que permitem que se fume no interior; 2 cafés com menos de 100 m 2 (um café que permite que se fume no interior e outro que proíbe o consumo); um bar nocturno com menos de 100 m 2 para fumadores e uma discoteca com uma área para fumadores e outra para não fumadores, separadas por uma cortina de ar. A medição da fase de vapor de nicotina no ar foi feita por monitorização activa, através da utilização de monitores, segundo o método aplicado por Hammond 1. As partículas (PM 2,5) foram medidas com um medidor Side Pack. Resultados: A concentração média de nicotina presente no interior dos restaurantes e no café onde é permitido fumar foi de 6,29 mg/m 3, enquanto que no interior do café onde é proibido fumar foi de 1,1 μg/m 3. A concentração de nicotina no "bar" apresenta um valor bastante elevado (9,42 μg/m 3). Na discoteca, a concentração de nicotina é a mais elevada registada em espaços fechados (19,1 μg/m 3 na área em que é proibido fumar e 10,2 μg/m 3 na área para fumadores). Conclusões: Os resultados sugerem que em locais da hotelaria (restaurantes e similares), onde é permitido fumar, há uma elevada contaminação do ar por Fumo Ambiental do Tabaco, à qual estão particularmente expostos os trabalhadores. Mais estudos são necessários para clarificar a situação do consumo de tabaco no sector da restauração.(undefined

Multiscaling properties on sequences of turbulent plumes images

A multifractal analysis on a finite-range-scale of the plume concentration images at different experimental conditions (the height of the source Ho), where the measure is the grey value of the image (from 0 to 255), was applied to study its structure through time. The multifractal spectrum showed the characteristic inverse U-shape and a similar evolution in all Ho. The variation of the Hölder exponent (¿a) presented different amplitudes at different moments and increased with time. The symmetry of the spectrum (¿f) decreased with time achieving negative values (from left hand asymmetry evolving to right asymmetry). We show the different behaviour of axial velocity (W) with ¿a and ¿f. There is a linear relation of entrainment coefficient (ae) and the entropy dimension (a1). Therefore, the multifractal spectrum and the derived parameters can be used as markers of plume evolution as well as to study the effect of experimental conditions.Postprint (published version

Psychometric properties of a portuguese version of the SOCRATES 8D: a study with a sample of heroin addicts in treatment

In the present study, we adapted the Stage of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES, version 8D) to the European Portuguese and we examined its factor structure and psychometric properties. The scale was applied to a sample of 100 adults, mostly heroin addicts, in outpatient or inpatient treatment. A Principal Component Analysis applied to the data revealed three dimensions - Problem Recognition, Taking Steps and Ambivalence -, corresponding almost exactly to the factor structure originally proposed by Miller and Tonigan (1996). The reliability indices for SOCRATES three subscales (internal consistency and temporal stability) were adequate. External validity study showed that the subscales differentiated treatment contexts and were associated to the participants' evaluation regarding the treatment expectations and the technical team. Thus, the Portuguese version of SOCRATES 8D seems to possess the proper psychometric properties to evaluate drug addicts' treatment motivation

Analisis comparativo de la institucionalidad del manejo del recurso hidrico para riego entre Chile y provincia de Mendoza, Argentina.

94 p.La escasez de agua a nivel mundial es evidente, cada día que pasa existe menos cantidad de recurso hídrico disponible para ser utilizado. En el futuro la agricultura será la única manera de combatir la escasez de alimentos que provoca las hambrunas, y por supuesto el agua para riego, es y seguirá siendo, fundamental para el desarrollo de los cultivos. Actualmente se viven conflictos bélicos relacionados con un recurso escaso y fundamental para el funcionamiento de las ciudades mundiales como es el petróleo. A partir de esta situación se puede pronosticar que cuando la escasez de agua sea realmente crítica, los conflictos que se van a observar serán mucho más violentos, ya que el recurso hídrico no sólo es fundamental para el funcionamiento de las ciudades, sino que para la existencia de la vida. Cada país tiene su propia legislación y administración del agua para riego. Mientras que en algunos casos el Estado es el que controla este recurso, en otros son los privados los encargados de él. Independiente de cual sea la institucionalidad presente, todos los sistemas tienen aspectos favorables y desfavorables que se deben considerar para que todos los procesos relacionados con el agua para riego sean más eficientes. En este estudio se comparó la institucionalidad presente en Chile; porque en este país existe un “mercado de aguas” muy poco común a nivel mundial, con la que presenta la provincia de Mendoza, Argentina, que es absolutamente contraria, ya que el sistema es completamente estatal.En primer lugar se estudió la legislación referente al recurso hídrico para riego en ambas zonas de estudio, donde se evidenció que en Chile ha existido una constante promulgación de este tipo de leyes, mientras que en Mendoza se ha ido reformando una sola ley existente desde 1884. El estudio de la administración del agua para riego indicó que el sistema utilizado en Chile es descentralizado, es decir, existen muchas instituciones, públicas y privadas, vinculadas con este recurso que tornan más difícil la toma de decisiones, pero que ejercen un control social. La situación en Mendoza es contraria, ya que al existir un sistema absolutamente centralizado y estatal, se facilita la ocurrencia de irregularidades en el entorno y las decisiones se toman con mayor rapidez. Al observar las características de los cauces en las zonas de estudio, se comprobó que en Mendoza la agricultura está condicionada a la oferta hídrica anual, que los caudales presentes son muy variables, y que no existe mucha inversión en revestimiento de cauces que permita una mayor eficiencia en la conducción. En cambio en Chile, los caudales de los cauces son más constantes, la distribución del recurso hídrico se realiza de acuerdo a la demanda de los cultivos, y en muchos casos existe una importante inversión en revestimiento de cauces que eleva la eficiencia en la conducción del caudal disponible. ABSTRACT The chortage of water resources througout the world is real, every new day less water is available to be used. In the future the agriculture will be the only way to face the lack of food that brings the hunger crisis, and of course the irrigation water, is fundamental to produce farm food products. Nowadays there are wars due to the importance of the oil on the development and life of modern cities. From this situation we can predict that when the water resources gets critical, the conflicts will become even worse, because water means life for men. Each country has its own regulations and administration for the water for agriculture. In some cases the Goverment controls the water administration, in other cases it is the private corporations. No matter which is the present control system of the water, each system has positive and negative items to be considered so that the processes related with water become more efficient. In this analysis the actual situation of Chile (where exists “water market”) was compared to the Mendoza administration which is entirely performed by the provincial Goverment. The legislation referred to water resources for agriculture was analyzed on both countryes, and was found that while in Chile new laws are constantly presented in Mendoza just one law from 1884 is being modified once in a while. The review of the administration of water resources proved that the chilean system is not handled in just one place, but in many private and goverment`s institutions related to the subyect that make late decisions, but every one has the chance to say something about it. The situation in Mendoza is the opposite, that is one department controls every situations that means a rapid decision but a probability of corruption. As we observed the river flow systems on the areas we studied it was found that in Mendoza the agriculture activities are related directly to the annual water availability; the amount of water is changing from one year to another and also during the season. The investment in improving the water transportation and supply is low. In Chile is different, the river water capacity is more constant, the water distribution is made according to the cultivations demand, and in many cases there is an important investment in transportations works for the water

Avaliação do cumprimento da lei portuguesa de prevenção do tabagismo no sector da restauração

O objectivo deste estudo é avaliar o cumprimento da nova legislação no sector da restauração e similares. Realizou-se na cidade de Braga – Portugal, em 2008. Foram objecto de observação: restaurantes com mais de 100 m2 (14); restaurantes com menos de 100 m2 (16); cafés, pastelarias e similares (29); e bares, pubs e discotecas (10). 76,8% dos locais da restauração e similares optaram por se declarar espaços sem fumo. A maior taxa de adesão encontra-se nos restaurantes com mais de cem metros (85,7%) e a menor nas discotecas, bares e pubs (70,5%).The objective of this study is to evaluate the fulfilment of the new legislation of tobacco control at the sector of the hospitality. The study was carried out in the city of Braga – Portugal, in 2008. Which evaluated: 14 restaurants with more than 100 m2; 16 restaurants with less than 100 m2; 29 coffees, cake shops and similar; and 10 bars, pubs and discotheques. 76,8% of the places observed had been declared smoke free environments. The largest percentage of adhesion meets in the restaurants with more than 100 m2 (85,7%) and the least in the discotheques, bars and pubs (70,5%)

A review on intelligent monitoring and activity interpretation

This survey paper provides a tour of the various monitoring and activity interpretation frameworks found in the literature. The needs of monitoring and interpretation systems are presented in relation to the area where they have been developed or applied. Their evolution is studied to better understand the characteristics of current systems. After this, the main features of monitoring and activity interpretation systems are defined.Este trabajo presenta una revisión de los marcos de trabajo para monitorización e interpretación de actividades presentes en la literatura. Dependiendo del área donde dichos marcos se han desarrollado o aplicado, se han identificado diferentes necesidades. Además, para comprender mejor las particularidades de los marcos de trabajo, esta revisión realiza un recorrido por su evolución histórica. Posteriormente, se definirían las principales características de los sistemas de monitorización e interpretación de actividades.This work was partially supported by Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad / FEDER under DPI2016-80894-R grant

Prevention of gender violence and working against LGBT prejudices: The intersection between collective action and institutional dynamics

This study compares two public campaigns against LGBT prejudices: ‘Dislike Homophobic Bullying’, by CIG, the Portuguese governmental mechanism for citizenship and gender equality; and the performative action ‘Exorcise the Pathologization’, included in the Portuguese branch of the international campaign Stop Trans Pathologization 2012. Using critical discourse analysis (CDA) and visual analysis (VA), we conclude that gender violence is a cross-cultural and structural problem embracing a wide range of forms of violence against women and LGBT people in Portugal. It is grounded in a dominant culture where gender is socially constructed as polarized, complemented by the performativity of discourse, the intersectional and institutional power relations underlying social practices. We demonstrate how public campaigns against homophobia and transphobia can contribute to de-naturalizing the gender divide and gender regime, and thus to changing the cultural ground of gender violence. However, without deconstructing gender, they are at risk of reproducing gender hierarchies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pollen feeding by syrphids varies across seasons in a Mediterranean landscape dominated by the olive orchard

Syrphids provide valuable ecosystem services such as pollination, pest control or organic matter decomposition. In many cases, adults exploit pollen resources from the landscape to complete their life cycles. Yet, the knowledge about the most suitable plants for enhancing syrphid populations is still insufficient for most habitats. Also syrphid distribution across the landscape is understudied. In this work we analyzed: (i) syrphids distribution across different land uses and seasons in a Mediterranean landscape dominated by olive orchards, (ii) pollen resources exploited by the most abundant syrphid species and (iii) specific pollen resources relevant for egg production. Syrphids were captured weekly in spring, summer and autumn from April to November 2013 with a sweep net in patches with different land uses (olive orchards, herbaceous and scrubland patches). Nine species, generally with predatory aphidophagous larvae, were identified. The most abundant species was Sphaerophoria scripta (L.) followed by Melanostoma mellinum (L.). Sphaerophoria scripta was associated to olive orchards while M. mellinum was associated to herbaceous/scrubland patches. Pollen selection and consumption and number of eggs within gravid females for the most abundant species were determined through gut dissection and identified with a microscope. Several pollen types were showed a positive selection index by syrphid species. During spring and summer, the most ingested pollen types belonged to abundant plants in the patches of capture indicating that syrphids possibly do not need to fly among patches to feed during those periods. In spring, Asteraceae and Plantago type were particularly consumed by S. scripta and M. mellinum gravid females respectively while in summer feeding habits of males, gravid and non-gravid females did not differ. Females consumed more pollen than males but the number of eggs in gravid females was not related with the amount of ingested pollen grains. This study brings some insights about the seasonal variation of pollen feeding habits shown by adult syrphids across a Mediterranean heterogeneous landscape dominated by the olive orchard. In spring, dense flowering strips maintained within the olive orchards might attract and nourish adult syrphids while in summer syrphids might fly to non-crop areas to feedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

NUEVO CONCEPTO DE COLECTOR SOLAR INTEGRADO EN UN PANEL SÁNDWICH A MODO DE FACHADA ACTIVA; ESTUDIO PARAMÉTRICO MEDIANTE CFD Y APLICACIÓN A UN CASO DE ESTUDIO

The use of renewable energy sources is a clear commitment in the process of developing alternatives to reduce the high energy consumption in buildings. Although with intermittent production, renewable energies are unlimited and have a demonstrated potential to be integrated within buildings. The facade is a key element in a strategic position for harnessing renewable solar energy by means of the Active Solar Façade concept. Through a CFD model, a parametric study has been developed to evaluate different alternatives in the design of an Active Solar Facade, composed by a sandwich panel as unglazed solar collector. The high influence of the conductivity together with the absorptivity has been demonstrated. Directly linked to the material selection for solving the absorber and the hydraulic circuit, the advantage of metals compared with plastics, has been verified. The minor effect of the insulation has also been analyzed, although the necessity of a minimum quantity has been stated looking to avoid significant heat losses. Additionally, the performance of the system has been evaluated in order to determine the potentially achievable energy. The result of the extensive campaign monitored in KUBIK® and developed in different days in a period of 12 months, has resulted in an average daily production of 320Wh / m2. This study highlights the potential benefits of this type of solutions and the necessity to properly dimension and design them. In such way it is aimed to contribute to a greater use of renewable energy in buildings, and consequently for reducing the use of fossil fuels, by means of alternatives that enable the mitigation of the climate change.The authors are grateful for the technical and human support provided by IZO-SGI SGIker of UPV/EHU and to the Basque Government, through the IT781-13 and IT1314-19 research groups and UPV/EHU through PES17/25. Finally thanks must be given to TECNALIA Research & Innovation for supporting this research through a cooperation agreement (PT10516) with UPV/EHU. The authors would also like to thank all those companies and researchers participating in the BASSE project for their strong involvement during that research. The BASSE project received funding from the European Union, RFCS Program, Research Fund for Coal and Steel project Building Active Steel Skin (BASSE, Grant Agreement no RFSR-CT2013-00026)

Percolation experiments in complex fractal media

Postprint (published version