‘Ulster Says No’: Regulating the consumption of commercial sex spaces and services in Northern Ireland

Commercial forms of sex such as prostitution/sex work, strip clubs and even sex shops have been the subject of much political debate and policy regulation over the last decade or so in the UK and Ireland. These myriad forms of commercial sex and land usage have managed to survive and even thrive in the face of public outcry and regulation. Despite being part of the UK we suggest that Northern Ireland has steered its own regulatory course, whereby the consumption of commercial sexual spaces and services have been the subject of intense moral and legal oversight in ways that are not apparent in other UK regions. Nevertheless, in spite of this we also argue that the context of Northern Ireland may provide some lessons for the ways that religious values and moral reasoning can influence debates on commercial sex elsewhere.

The Role of Luxury Fashion Brands : A qualitative research of how the consumption of luxury fashion brands relate to young consumers' self-concept

The market for luxury brands has outpaced other consumption categories through its growth, and has been found in continuous development. As there is an increasing amount of luxury categories, the consumption of luxury fashion brands account for the largest proportion of luxury profits, and the marketing costs for such brands has shown to surpass those of other fashion categories. Consumer researchers have throughout decades emphasized how individuals participate in consumption behavior to form their self-concept in relation to brands. However, previous research has disregarded the multidimensional perspective regarding the theory of self-concept when examining the consumption of brands. Hence, the current research paper aims to strengthen the existing self-concept theory by exploring the role in which luxury fashion brands have by focusing on how the consumption of such brands relate, and contribute, to the consumer’s self-concept. By applying a qualitative method to investigate such purpose, and involving the existing theory of self-concept, brand image, and brand personality, it appeared that luxury fashion brands has a function to operate as a confidence booster for young consumers’ perception of their self-concept. In terms of the theoretical contribution of this paper, this research further illustrates how the theoretical explanation of brand image and brand personality relates to two different dimensions of the consumer’s self-concept. The consumption of luxury fashion brands has shown a significant role in individuals’ consumption behavior by emphasizing a striving, and motivating, part in the self-concept of young consumers.

European life project: a global strategy for the responsible use of a coastal lagoon: a case study from Portugal

Rin de Aveiro is a coastal lagoon located at the Central Region of Portugal subjected to the influence of the tides, resulting in a set of characteristic biotopes favouring anthropic and natural processes. Once managed and controlled correctly, each of these biotopes will allow simultaneously the biodiversity and integration in the making of the wetland landscape. In 1998, one of the final conclusions of the "MARIA" Demonstration Programme for the Integrated Management of Ria de Aveiro was that the poor current state of the environment area resulted from a set of interrelated factors. The Programme selected four (4) pilot-projects towards the integrated management of the lagoon biotopes as possible scenarios for an intervention. This selection was based in criteria related to environmental priorities and the maintenance of traditional economic activities in the region. The idea of choosing projects that would involve the whole geographic space of the Ria, without forgetting the other important themes interrelated with the Management Structure, emerged as a relevant aspect for their definition. Thus, and as a first test of this Management Structure functionality, the following task forces were put forward: Recovery and valorisation of the piers; Recovery of the former salt pans; Management of the agricultural fields of Baixo-Vouga; Implementation of measures for the classification of the Protected Landscape Area of the River Caster Mouth. This payer will report the main results of these pilot-projects attained during their first year period, especially the intervention strategies defined by the Partnership created for this aim.

Fragmentation versus convergence: University students in Brussels and the consumption of TV series on the Internet

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

A Methodology for estimating energy consumption of QDI asynchronous circuits

International audience

Is there a health risk concerning the children´s consumption of cereal-based products? A cumulative mycotoxin risk assessment approach

Historically, the health risk of mycotoxins had been evaluated on the basis of single-chemical and single-exposure pathway scenarios. However, the co-contamination of foodstuffs with these compounds is being reported at an increasing rate and a multiple-exposure scenario for humans and vulnerable population groups as children is urgently needed. Cereals are among the first solid foods eaten by child and thus constitute an important food group of their diet. Few data are available relatively to early stages child´s exposure to mycotoxins through consumption of cereal-based foods. The present study aims to perform the cumulative risk assessment of mycotoxins present in a set of cereal-based foods including breakfast cereals (BC), processed cereal-based foods (PCBF) and biscuits (BT), consumed by children (1 to 3 years old, n=75) from Lisbon region, Portugal. Children food consumption and occurrence of 12 mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins and trichothecenes) in cereal-based foods were combined to estimate the mycotoxin daily intake, using deterministic and probabilistic approaches. Different strategies were used to treat the left censored data. For aflatoxins, as carcinogenic compounds, the margin of exposure (MoE) was calculated as a ratio of BMDL (benchmark dose lower confidence limit) and aflatoxin daily exposure. For the remaining mycotoxins, the output of exposure was compared to the dose reference values (TDI) in order to calculate the hazard quotients (HQ, ratio between exposure and a reference dose). The concentration addition (CA) concept was used for the cumulative risk assessment of multiple mycotoxins. The combined margin of exposure (MoET) and the hazard index (HI) were calculated for aflatoxins and the remaining mycotoxins, respectively. Main results revealed a significant health concern related to aflatoxins and especially aflatoxin M1 exposure according to the MoET and MoE values (below 10000), respectively. HQ and HI values for the remaining mycotoxins were below 1, revealing a low concern from a public health point of view. These are the first results on cumulative risk assessment of multiple mycotoxins present in cereal-based foods consumed by children. Considering the present results, more research studies are needed to provide the governmental regulatory bodies with data to develop an approach that contemplate the human exposure and, particularly, children, to multiple mycotoxins in food. The last issue is particularly important considering the potential synergistic effects that could occur between mycotoxins and its potential impact on human and, mainly, children health.

Investigating the use of LiDAR scanning as a method for the measurement of timber distortion features

Measuring the extent to which a piece of structural timber has distorted at a macroscopic scale is fundamental to assessing its viability as a structural component. From the sawmill to the construction site, as structural timber dries, distortion can render it unsuitable for its intended purposes. This rejection of unusable timber is a considerable source of waste to the timber industry and the wider construction sector. As such, ensuring accurate measurement of distortion is a key step in addressing ineffciencies within timber processing. Currently, the FRITS frame method is the established approach used to gain an understanding of timber surface profile. The method, while reliable, is dependent upon relatively few measurements taken across a limited area of the overall surface, with a great deal of interpolation required. Further, the process is unavoidably slow and cumbersome, the immobile scanning equipment limiting where and when measurements can be taken and constricting the process as a whole. This thesis seeks to introduce LiDAR scanning as a new, alternative approach to distortion feature measurement. In its infancy as a measurement technique within timber research, the practicalities of using LiDAR scanning as a measurement method are herein demonstrated, exploiting many of the advantages the technology has over current approaches. LiDAR scanning creates a much more comprehensive image of a timber surface, generating input data multiple magnitudes larger than that of the FRITS frame. Set-up and scanning time for LiDAR is also much quicker and more flexible than existing methods. With LiDAR scanning the measurement process is freed from many of the constraints of the FRITS frame and can be done in almost any environment. For this thesis, surface scans were carried out on seven Sitka spruce samples of dimensions 48.5x102x3000mm using both the FRITS frame and LiDAR scanner. The samples used presented marked levels of distortion and were relatively free from knots. A computational measurement model was created to extract feature measurements from the raw LiDAR data, enabling an assessment of each piece of timber to be carried out in accordance with existing standards. Assessment of distortion features focused primarily on the measurement of twist due to its strong prevalence in spruce and the considerable concern it generates within the construction industry. Additional measurements of surface inclination and bow were also made with each method to further establish LiDAR's credentials as a viable alternative. Overall, feature measurements as generated by the new LiDAR method compared well with those of the established FRITS method. From these investigations recommendations were made to address inadequacies within existing measurement standards, namely their reliance on generalised and interpretative descriptions of distortion. The potential for further uses of LiDAR scanning within timber researches was also discussed.

The study of the impact of demand controlled ventilation in energy consumption of offices in Portuguese commercial buildings

Indoor Air 2016 - The 14th International Conference of Indoor Air Quality and Climate

A genetic variant of the CAPN10 gene in Mexican subjects with dyslipidemia is associated with increased HDL-cholesterol concentrations after the consumption of a soy protein and soluble fiber dietary portfolio

Dyslipidemia is a major public health problem, and therefore, it is important to develop dietary strategies to diminish the prevalence of this disorder. It was recently reported that diet may play an important role in triggering insulin resistance by interacting with genetic variants at the CAPN10 gene locus in patients with metabolic syndrome. Nonetheless, it remains unknown whether genetic variants of genes involved in the development of type 2 diabetes are associated with variations in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The study used a single-center, prospective, cohort design. Here, we assessed the effect of four variants of the CAPN10 gene on HDL-C levels in response to a soy protein and soluble fiber dietary portfolio in subjects with dyslipidemia. In 31 Mexican dyslipidemic individuals, we analyzed four CAPN10 gene variants (rs5030952, rs2975762, rs3792267, and rs2975760) associated with type 2 diabetes. Subjects with the GG genotype of the rs2975762 variant of the CAPN10 gene were better responders to dietary intervention, showing increased HDL-C concentrations from the first month of treatment. HDL-C concentrations in participants with the wild type genotype increased by 17.0%, whereas the HDL-C concentration in subjects with the variant genotypes increased by only 3.22% (p = 0.03); the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of GG carriers tended to decrease (-12.6%). These results indicate that Mexican dyslipidemic carriers of the rs2975762-GG genotype are better responders to this dietary intervention.

Early consumption of liquids different to breast milk in Mexican infants under 1 year: results of the probabilistic National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012

Introduction: Studies on infant dietary intake do not generally focus on the types of liquids consumed. Objective: To document by age and breastfeeding status, the types of liquids present in the diet of Mexican children under 1 year of age (< 1 y) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (ENSANUT-2012). Methods: Analysis of the infant < 1 y feeding practices from the ENSANUT-2012 survey in non-breastfed (non-BF) and breastfed (BF) infants by status quo for the consumption of liquids grouped in: water, formula, fortified LICONSA milk, nutritive liquids (NL; thin cereal-based gruel with water or milk and coffee with milk) and non-nutritive liquids (non-NL) as sugared water, water-based drinks, tea, beans or chicken broth, aguamiel and coffee. In this infants < 1 y we analyzed the not grouped consumption of liquids in the first three days of life (newborns) from the mother's recall. Percentage and confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated adjusting for survey design. Statistical differences were analyzed by Z test. Results: We observed a high consumption of human milk followed by formula (56.7%) and water (51.1%) in infants under 6 months of age (< 6 mo). The proportion of non-BF infants consuming non-NL was higher than for BF infants (p < 0.05). More than 60% of older infants (6 mo and < 1 y) consumed formula and were non-BF. In newborns formula consumption was predominant, followed by tea or infusion and water. Conclusions: Non-breast milk liquids are present undesirably in Mexican infants' diet and non-NL are consumed earlier than NL, revealing inadequate early dietary practices.

Compliance in food consumption of young and long-lived elderly of a city in southern Brazil

Introduction: Life expectancy is increasing and becoming a characteristic phenomenon of developed countries and, increasingly, of developing countries, such as Brazil. The aging process causes changes of some physiological functions such as loss of smell, taste, loss of appetite, among other things that end up changing the food intake of these individuals. Objectives: This study aimed to assess food consumption of the young and long-lived elderly in a city in southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted through home visits in Palmeira das Missões - RS, Brazil. The sociodemographic, anthropometrical and dietary data were collected through questionnaires and 24-hour recall. The adequacy of nutrients was assessed according to the Dietary Reference Intakes. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software. Results: The study included 424 older adults, 84,4% (n = 358) aged less than 80 years old and 15,6% (n = 66) older than 80. The intake of energy and protein was insufficient for both young elderly and the oldest. The consumption of vitamins and minerals has been insufficient in all seniors except for iron, which presented an excessive intake. There was a statistically significant difference between the elderly and oldest only for the consumption of lipids and vitamin B12. Conclusion: The majority of studies with elderly corroborate the results found in this article. An inadequate intake of nutrients can develop nutritional deficiencies, and consequently it can result in physiological and pathological changes which would compromise the functional capacity of the elderly. Energy consumption was insufficient and macronutrients were inadequate, both for the young elderly as for the oldest. Additionally, the consumption of vitamins and minerals was insufficient to everyone except the iron, which presented excessive intake for young and oldest elderly.

Age-Dependent Fragility and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of Timber and Steel Distribution Poles Subjected to Hurricanes

Power distribution systems are susceptible to extreme damage from natural hazards especially hurricanes. Hurricane winds can knock down distribution poles thereby causing damage to the system and power outages which can result in millions of dollars in lost revenue and restoration costs. Timber has been the dominant material used to support overhead lines in distribution systems. Recently however, utility companies have been searching for a cost-effective alternative to timber poles due to environmental concerns, durability, high cost of maintenance and need for improved aesthetics. Steel has emerged as a viable alternative to timber due to its advantages such as relatively lower maintenance cost, light weight, consistent performance, and invulnerability to wood-pecker attacks. Both timber and steel poles are prone to deterioration over time due to decay in the timber and corrosion of the steel. This research proposes a framework for conducting fragility analysis of timber and steel poles subjected to hurricane winds considering deterioration of the poles over time. Monte Carlo simulation was used to develop the fragility curves considering uncertainties in strength, geometry and wind loads. A framework for life-cycle cost analysis is also proposed to compare the steel and timber poles. The results show that steel poles can have superior reliability and lower life-cycle cost compared to timber poles, which makes them suitable substitutes.

Energy and memory consumption of SHA256 algorithm

L'efficienza dei computer ha un limite inferiore dettato dal principio di Landauer. La distruzione di una qualsiasi informazione ha un costo energetico per la dissipazione dei bit che la formavano. L'unico modo per aggirare il principio di Landauer è attraverso la reversibilità. Questa tecnica di computazione ci permette di eseguire un programma senza dover distruggere informazioni e quindi, senza dissipare bit. Molti algoritmi ai giorni nostri hanno un grande impatto energetico sul mondo, ed uno di questi è SHA256, l'algoritmo usato nella block-chain di Bitcoin. Questa tesi si pone l'obbiettivo di analizzare il consumo energetico e di memoria di una implementazione di SHA256 reversibile ideale.

Energy consumption of parallel algorithms for solving linear systems on HPC architecture

Modern High-Performance Computing HPC systems are gradually increasing in size and complexity due to the correspondent demand of larger simulations requiring more complicated tasks and higher accuracy. However, as side effects of the Dennard’s scaling approaching its ultimate power limit, the efficiency of software plays also an important role in increasing the overall performance of a computation. Tools to measure application performance in these increasingly complex environments provide insights into the intricate ways in which software and hardware interact. The monitoring of the power consumption in order to save energy is possible through processors interfaces like Intel Running Average Power Limit RAPL. Given the low level of these interfaces, they are often paired with an application-level tool like Performance Application Programming Interface PAPI. Since several problems in many heterogeneous fields can be represented as a complex linear system, an optimized and scalable linear system solver algorithm can decrease significantly the time spent to compute its resolution. One of the most widely used algorithms deployed for the resolution of large simulation is the Gaussian Elimination, which has its most popular implementation for HPC systems in the Scalable Linear Algebra PACKage ScaLAPACK library. However, another relevant algorithm, which is increasing in popularity in the academic field, is the Inhibition Method. This thesis compares the energy consumption of the Inhibition Method and Gaussian Elimination from ScaLAPACK to profile their execution during the resolution of linear systems above the HPC architecture offered by CINECA. Moreover, it also collates the energy and power values for different ranks, nodes, and sockets configurations. The monitoring tools employed to track the energy consumption of these algorithms are PAPI and RAPL, that will be integrated with the parallel execution of the algorithms managed with the Message Passing Interface MPI.