Sonic islands: sound and responsiveness extending the dimensions of space

A gravidez corresponde a um período da vida da mulher em que as doenças infeciosas representam uma grave ameaça à sua saúde e do seu filho. A imunização materna através da vacinação permite a prevenção de tais doenças e das suas complicações maternas e fetais, bem como conferir imunidade passiva ao feto nos primeiros meses de vida. Os principais objetivos do trabalho são rever as recomendações mais recentes disponibilizadas pelo ACIP para cada vacina, os riscos/benefícios associados e perceber ainda as alterações imunológicas associadas à gravidez, como é realizada a vigilância da gestação, qual o papel dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários e quais os motivos que estão na base da fraca cobertura vacinal nesta população. A metodologia utilizada baseou-se numa pesquisa bibliográfica publicada online no PubMed, na pesquisa específica das recomendações do ACIP e no acesso a normas/protocolos de saúde Materno-Infantil da ARS do Centro e da DGS. O sistema imunitário materno sofre um processo de imunomodulação e a transferência de anticorpos maternos para o feto, que lhe confere imunidade passiva, é maior nas últimas quatro semanas de gestação. A vigilância da gravidez baseia-se num protocolo que deve ser partilhado entre os Cuidados de Saúde Primários e os Cuidados Hospitalares. Segundo o ACIP, as vacinas de bactérias ou vírus inativados, de toxoides e as imunoglobulinas não apresentam riscos para o feto. Já as vacinas de bactérias ou vírus vivos atenuados (LAIV, VASPR, Varicela, Zoster e BCG) apresentam riscos teóricos de infeção fetal, abortamento espontâneo, morte fetal, morte neonatal e malformações congénitas. Deste modo, as primeiras podem ser administradas durante a gravidez e as segundas estão contraindicadas. As vacinas recomendadas a todas as grávidas são a vacina Tdap/Td e a vacina inativada contra o vírus influenza. No entanto, dado que os estudos não revelam preocupações em termos de segurança, mesmo para as vacinas contraindicadas, se a mulher for inadvertidamente vacinada, não existem razões relacionadas com a vacinação para interromper a gravidez. A cobertura vacinal das mulheres grávidas continua a não ser prática constante dos cuidados de saúde e as principais razões para tal são a falta de incentivo pelos profissionais de saúde que alegam falta de informação e questões de segurança das vacinas. Tendo em conta a estreita relação entre a grávida e os Cuidados de Saúde Primários, estes devem rever o seu estado de imunização, informar adequadamente a grávida acerca dos benefícios e riscos da vacinação e proporcionar todo o apoio que seja necessário, incluindo também o agregado familiar da grávida.Pregnancy is a time in a woman's life that infectious diseases pose a serious threat to your health and your child's health. Maternal immunization through vaccination allows the prevention of such diseases and their maternal and fetal complications, as well as to provide passive immunity to the fetus in the first months of life. The main objectives of this study are to review the latest guidelines provided by ACIP for each vaccine, the risks/benefits associated and understand the immunological changes associated with pregnancy, how is performed the surveillance of pregnancy, the role of Primary Health Care and the reasons that underlie the low vaccination coverage in this population. The methodology used was based on a literature research published online in PubMed, in research of specific ACIP guidelines and in access to standards/protocols of Maternal and Child Health of Center ARS and DGS. The maternal immune system undergoes a process of immunomodulation and the transfer of maternal antibodies to the fetus, that confers passive immunity, is higher in the last four weeks of pregnancy. Surveillance of pregnancy is based on a protocol that must be shared between the Primary Health Care and the Hospital Care. According to the ACIP, the vaccines of inactivated bacteria or viruses, toxoids and immunoglobulins present no risk to the fetus. Bacterial or viruses live attenuated vaccines (LAIV, MMR, Varicella, Zoster and BCG) present theoretical risk of fetal infection, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death and congenital malformations. Thus, the first can be administered during pregnancy and the latter are contraindicated. The Tdap/Td and the TIV vaccines are recommended for all pregnant women. However, as studies reveal no concerns about safety, even for vaccines contraindicated, if the woman is inadvertently vaccinated there are no reasons related to vaccination to interrupt the pregnancy. The vaccination coverage of pregnant women is still not a consistent practice of health care and the main reasons for this are the lack of encouragement by health professionals who claim lack of information and safety issues of vaccines. Given the close relationship between the pregnant and Primary Health Care, they should review immunization status of pregnant women, adequately inform about the benefits and risks of vaccination and provide whatever support is necessary, also including the household of pregnant

Gesture-Controlled Interaction with Aesthetic Information Sonification

Information representation in augmented and virtual reality systems, and social physical (building) spaces can enhance the efficacy of interacting with and assimilating abstract, non-visual data. Sanification is the process of automatically generated real time information representation. There is a gap in our implementation and knowledge of auditory display systems used to enhance interaction in virtual and augmented reality. This paper addresses that gap by examining methodologies for mapping socio-spatial data to spatialised sanification manipulated with gestural controllers. This is a system of interactive knowledge representation that completes the human integration loop, enabling the user to interact with and manipulate data using 3D spatial gesture and 3D auditory display. Benefits include 1) added immersion in an augmented or virtual reality interface; 2) auditory display avoids visual overload in visually-saturated processes such as designing, evacuation in emergencies, flying aircraft; computer gaming; and 3) bi-modal or auditory representation, due to its time-based character, facilitates cognition of complex information

Sonic Islands: Sound and Responsiveness Extending the Dimensions of Space

Designing space is an activity for all the senses, This chapter unpacks multidimensional designing, new ways to think.of designing architectures and spaces using sound and interaction (or responsiveness) as additional dimensions in negotiating and experiencing spaceand hence in its conception. Islands are unique and exciting.This discussion raises three different possibilities for integrating the sonic and interactive potential of space to elaborate the essence of the Urban Island

Genetic Adaptation in Relation to Animal Welfare

The author outlines the adaptation processes of animals and animal populations and discusses their relevance to the animal welfare problem. Because animal welfare has many different aspects, including philosophical, ethical, and biological, it is important to examine some fundamental issues underlying the concept. Hence, in this essay, the author comments on how people come to know, how information accumulates, and how what we know influences our actions. The author also discusses the biological information that is relevant to animal welfare. When this topic has been placed within a broader framework, more generally useful solutions to the animal welfare problem may be found

Genetic Adaptation in Relation to Animal Welfare

In this essay I outline the processes of adaptation of animals and of animal populations and discuss their relevance to the problem of animal welfare. Because animal welfare has many different aspects including philosophical, ethical, and biological, it is important to examine some of the fundamental issues that underly the concept. Hence, in this essay, I comment on how people come to know, how information accumulates, and how what we know influences our actions. I also discuss the biological information that is relevant to animal welfare. It is my hope that, when this topic has been placed within a broader framework of this sort, more generally useful solutions to the animal welfare problem may be found

The literacy-related knowledge of the children in two Western Australian preprimary centres and the literacy-related practices in their homes

This study investigates both the literacy-related knowledge of two groups of children beginning their preprimary education and the literacy-related practices identified by their parents as taking place in their homes. The two groups of children were attending preprimary centres located in different suburbs of Perth; one was in a low socio-economic status northern suburb and the other was in a high socio-economic status inner metropolitan suburb. The results of a questionnaire about family literacy practices showed that there was a wide range of literacy-related practices and materials available in the majority of the households involved in the study. The results of assessment of the literacy-related knowledge of the children showed that the children had begun to develop knowledge in some areas of emergent literacy which have been shown by previous research to predict success in learning to read. These areas of knowledge were: recognition of letters of the alphabet, vocabulary, environmental print, concepts of print and grammatical and phonological awareness. Statistically significant differences were found between the mean scores for both groups of children for each of the assessment tasks measuring literacy-related knowledge. Observation of the parent responses to the questionnaire, indicated that there were also differences between the home literacy practices of the two groups in the frequency of joint book reading, the number of classes (other than preprimary) attended by the children, computer use and the parents\u27 expectations of their child\u27s eventual level of education. Several aspects of the children\u27s literacy-related knowledge (identification of letters of the alphabet, vocabulary, phonological awareness and grammatical awareness), were found to have statistically significant relationships with the home factors of frequency of joint book reading, teaching the letters of the alphabet, playing word and letter games, computer use and parent\u27s level of education. The results of this study have implications for teachers who are attempting to implement early intervention programs or planning for individual children in their classes. The methods of assessment of young children\u27s literacy-related knowledge need to be carefully chosen to be appropriate to the age and developmental level of the children. The tasks involved should measure specific areas of knowledge identified as predicting success in learning to read. The results of this study indicate that teachers may have children with a wide range of literacy-related knowledge entering their preprimary classes. In order to build on the skills and knowledge which these children bring with them, teachers need to acknowledge the rich and diverse context of home literacy practices rather than attempt to overcome the differences