Super suburbia: developing resilience by closing resource cycles in North Belfast

Sustainability can be described as having three interlinked strands, known as the ‘trias energetica’, without which resilience is difficult to achieve. These strands are environmental, social and economic: and if taken as indicators, the suburbs of North Belfast are very poorly performing indeed. Places such as Ligoneal and Glen Cairn have poor housing stock energetically, and also little economic activity. This paper describes propositional work completed by Queens University and Belfast City Council as part of the UK’s Technology Strategy Board’s Future Cities Programme, which aimed to develop new synergies in these neighbourhoods by the insertion of closed cycle economies.

By utilising a research by design methodology, the paper develops a process-based and phased design to develop a new emergent form to these neighbourhoods, one in which new productive systems are embedded into the city, at a small-scales. These include a peak-load hydro-electric project in Ligoneal; a productive landscape in Glen Cairn and a city-wide energy refurbishment utilising neighbourhood waste streams.

These designs allow for a roadmap for development to be created that could change the modus operandi of an area over a relatively short period of time, and show that even modest investments of productive technologies at a local scale could fundamentally change the form and the economic and environmental operation of the city in the future, and create a new resilient city, one that can be less externally dependent and more socially just.

The high-energy environment in the super-Earth system CoRoT-7

High-energy irradiation of exoplanets has been identified to be a key influence on the stability of these planets' atmospheres. So far, irradiation-driven mass-loss has been observed only in two Hot Jupiters, and the observational data remain even more sparse in the super-Earth regime. We present an investigation of the high-energy emission in the CoRoT-7 system, which hosts the first known transiting super-Earth. To characterize the high-energy XUV radiation field into which the rocky planets CoRoT-7b and CoRoT-7c are immersed, we analyzed a 25 ks XMM-Newton observation of the host star. Our analysis yields the first clear (3.5σ) X-ray detection of CoRoT-7. We determine a coronal temperature of ≈ 3 MK and an X-ray luminosity of 3 × 1028 erg s-1. The level of XUV irradiation on CoRoT-7b amounts to ≈37 000 erg cm-2 s-1. Current theories for planetary evaporation can only provide an order-of-magnitude estimate for the planetary mass loss; assuming that CoRoT-7b has formed as a rocky planet, we estimate that CoRoT-7b evaporates at a rate of about 1.3 × 1011 g s-1 and has lost ≈4-10 earth masses in total.

X-Ray Emission from the Super-Earth Host GJ 1214

Stellar activity can produce large amounts of high-energy radiation, which is absorbed by the planetary atmosphere leading to irradiation-driven mass loss. We present the detection and an investigation of high-energy emission in a transiting super-Earth host system, GJ 1214, based on XMM-Newton observations. We derive an X-ray luminosity of LX = 7.4 × 1025 erg s-1 and a corresponding activity level of log (LX /L bol) ~ -5.3. Further, we determine a coronal temperature of about ~3.5 MK, which is typical for coronal emission of moderately active low-mass stars. We estimate that GJ 1214 b evaporates at a rate of 1.3× 1010 g s-1 and has lost a total of ≈2-5.6 M ⊕.

The Impact of Multimedia Education on Uptake of Comprehensive Eye Examinations in Rural China: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: To study the effect of multimedia education on acceptance of comprehensive eye examinations (CEEs), critical for detecting glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, among rural Chinese patients using a randomized, controlled design.
METHODS: Patients aged ≥40 years were recruited from 52 routine clinic sessions (26 intervention, 26 control) conducted at seven rural hospitals in Guangdong, China. Subjects answered demographic questionnaires, were tested on knowledge about CEEs and chronic eye disease, and were told the cost of examination (range US$0-8). At intervention sessions, subjects were cluster-randomized to view a 10-minute video on the value of CEEs and retested. Control subjects were not retested. Trial outcomes were acceptance of CEEs (primary outcome) and final knowledge scores (secondary outcome).
RESULTS: At baseline, >70% (p = 0.70) of both intervention (n = 241, 61.2 ± 12.3 years) and control (n = 218, 58.4 ± 11.7 years) subjects answered no knowledge questions correctly, but mean scores on the test (maximum 5 points) increased by 1.39 (standard deviation 0.12) points (p < 0.001) after viewing the video. Intervention (73.0%) and control (72.9%) subjects did not differ in acceptance of CEEs (p > 0.50). In mixed-effect logistic regression models, acceptance of CEEs was associated with availability of free CEEs (odds ratio 18.3, 95% confidence interval 1.32-253.0), but not group assignment or knowledge score. Acceptance was 97.5% (79/81) when free exams were offered.
CONCLUSIONS: Education increased knowledge about but not acceptance of CEEs, which was generally high. Making CEEs free could further increase acceptance.

The supporting role of emerging multimedia technologies in higher education

In this paper we give an overview of current investigations into the incorporation of cutting edge technologies within the Higher Education teaching domain. In particular, the role of audio is discussed through a number of case studies. The paper then concludes with a discussion of the authors' plans to incorporate audio and video content as supplementary course material for a technical undergraduate module

Resposta do Olival Intensivo e Super-Intensivo a Dois Regimes de Rega: Parâmetros Fisiológicos, Produção e Qualidade

O olival de regadio tem tido grande expansão nos últimos anos no Alentejo, sendo a administração da rega mais adequada às necessidades hídricas um dos fatores determinantes da sua boa gestão. No presente trabalho, avaliou-se a resposta de duas variedades de Olea europaea, Cobrançosa e Arbequina, em regime intensivo e super- intensivo, respetivamente, a duas dotações de rega, a normalmente utilizada pelo agricultor (RA) e outra experimental, com dotações acima (RA+) ou abaixo (RA−) das praticados em RA. Mediram-se os principais parâmetros hídricos das plantas e o teor em clorofilas, e registou-se a assinatura espectral em folhas adultas e jovens, ao meio- dia solar, em três épocas do ano, primavera, final do verão e inverno de 2011. Em Outubro foi feita a colheita, tendo-se quantificado a produção em termos de produção total e teor de óleo na matéria seca, e a qualidade do azeite em termos de acidez e oxidação. Face aos resultados, conclui-se que no olival intensivo de Cobrançosa, na rega experimental (RA+), acima da praticada pelo agricultor, não se verificou diferenças significativas na produção total nem no teor de óleo na matéria seca. Não se verificaram também diferenças significativas entre as regas nos parâmetros hídricos avaliados. Quanto ao olival super-intensivo de Arbequina, a rega experimental (RA−), deficitária relativamente à do agricultor (RA), acarretou menor produção, associada a menor teor relativo de água nas folhas, potenciais hídricos mais negativos e menor condutância estomática no final do verão e inverno, mantendo-se no entanto o teor de óleo nos frutos. O teor em clorofilas e alguns índices de vegetação foram influenciados pelo regime de rega apenas em algumas das datas. Nos dois olivais, as regas experimentais não influenciaram a qualidade do azeite, tendo-se obtido azeites extra virgem com propriedades semelhantes aos das modalidades RA. O estudo prossegue em 2012.

Pegada hídrica de um olival super-intensivo sob clima mediterrânico, utilizando medições de campo e deteção remota

A pegada hídrica de uma cultura representa o volume de água necessário para produzir, relacionando as necessidades hídricas da cultura com a produção. As suas componentes, pegadas hídricas azul, verde e cinzenta, referem-se respectivamente aos volumes de água superficial e subterrânea, precipitação e de água necessária para assimilar a poluição utilizados pela cultura. A determinação das pegadas hídricas azul e verde é normalmente conseguida através da estimativa da evapotranspiração cultural, aplicando coeficientes culturais a uma evapotranspiração de referência, calculada a partir de dados meteorológicos. No presente estudo foram utilizadas medições da evapotranspiração para estimar a pegada hídrica de um olival super-intensivo na região de Évora. As necessidades hídricas foram medidas utilizando um método de fluxo de seiva para determinar a transpiração e o método micrometeorológico das flutuações instantâneas para medir directamente a evapotranspiração. Esta técnica foi utilizada durante um período de tempo limitado, enquanto as medições do fluxo de seiva, que foram efectuadas para períodos alargados, permitiram a extensão dos registos. A evapotranspiração medida directamente apresentou valores de cerca de 3 mm d-1 e o quociente entre evapotranspiração real e evapotranspiração de referência é próximo de 0,6 para o mesmo período. Comparou-se a estimativa da pegada hídrica obtida com o procedimento habitual com a resultante de medições in-situ e utilizando técnicas de deteção remota. A pegada hídrica do olival sob estudo foi inferior às simulações encontradas na literatura, o que pode ser explicado por diferenças na densidade de plantação, produção e gestão da rega. O olival em estudo obteve uma produção elevada, com um azeite que preencheu as características essenciais à classificação de azeite extra virgem, o mais valorizado, o que contraria o efeito do elevado consumo de água, resultando numa pegada hídrica inferior à de olivais não regados ou com menor densidade de plantação.

Déterminants et significations des conduites d’hypertravail : une approche psychosociale et systémique- le cas des travailleurs et des travailleuses des secteurs du multimédia et des services informatiques

Loin de la réduction pressentie du temps de travail et de l’émergence d’une société des loisirs, est plutôt observé, depuis une trentaine d’années, un accroissement du temps consacré au travail pour les travailleurs les plus qualifiés, au Québec comme dans la plupart des sociétés occidentales (Burke et Cooper, 2008; Lapointe, 2005; Lee, 2007). Dans un contexte où les « arrangements temporels » (Thoemmes, 2000) tendent à s’individualiser de façon à mieux prendre en compte les réalités et les besoins des salariés et salariées tout comme ceux des organisations, cette thèse interroge le caractère « volontaire » des conduites d’hypertravail observées chez les travailleurs et les travailleuses des secteurs des services informatiques et du multimédia. Elle s’attarde plus particulièrement aux processus psychosociaux qui sous-tendent la construction de ces conduites. Inscrite au sein d’une approche psychosociale et systémique, notre recherche articule une théorie qui met en résonance les fonctionnements individuel et organisationnel, soutenue par le modèle du Système psychique organisationnel (Aubert et de Gaulejac, 1991), et une théorie de la socialisation plurielle et active, soutenue par le modèle du Système des activités (Baubion-Broye et Hajjar, 1998; Curie, 2000). Opérationnalisée selon une grille articulée autour de cinq niveaux d’analyse (intra-individuel, interpersonnel, positionnel, idéologique et de la tâche et de l’organisation du travail), nous avons mené 34 entretiens biographiques (26 hommes et 8 femmes) auprès de salariés et salariées des secteurs des services informatiques et du multimédia. Les résultats mettent en évidence trois types de processus menant à l’adoption de conduites d’hypertravail ; un cas-type qui illustre un processus de renforcement d’une identité professionnelle de « grand travailleur » ; un cas-type qui rend compte d’un processus de suraffiliation organisationnelle et d’assujettissement de la vie hors-travail; et un cas-type qui expose le maintien d’une conduite d’hypertravail défensive, dans un contexte de mise à l’épreuve organisationnelle. Au final, les résonances particulières observées entre ces niveaux et facteurs nous amènent à souligner l’intérêt de mieux comprendre l’hypertravail en prenant en compte les significations que les individus donnent à leurs conduites, à partir d’un regard diachronique et synchronique. Nous discutons également du caractère dynamique et évolutif de la relation individu-collectif-organisation et du rôle différencié des organisations et des collectifs de travail dans la construction des conduites d’hypertravail. Nous relevons enfin certaines implications des nouvelles pratiques et normes de temps de travail observées dans ces organisations, favorables au développement et au maintien de l’hypertravail. Mots-clés : temps de travail, longues heures de travail, conduites d’hypertravail, articulation travail-vie personnelle, socialisation plurielle et active, domination au travail.

Ultra-deep sequencing provides insights into the virology of hepatitis C super-infections in a case of three sequential infections with different genotypes

The current epidemic of Hepatitis C infection in HIV-positive men who have sex with men is associated with increasing use of recreational drugs. Multiple HCV infections have been reported in haemophiliacs and intravenous drug users. Using ultra-deep sequencing analysis, we present the case of an HIV-positive MSM with evidence of three sequential HCV infections, each occurring during the acute phase of the preceding infection, following risk exposures. We observed rapid replacement of the original strain by the incoming genotype at subsequent time points. The impact of HCV super-infection remains unclear and UDS may provide new insights.

A Single-Frame Super-Resolution Innovative Approach

Super-resolution refers to the process of obtaining a high resolution image from one or more low resolution images. In this work, we present a novel method for the super-resolution problem for the limited case, where only one image of low resolution is given as an input. The proposed method is based on statistical learning for inferring the high frequencies regions which helps to distinguish a high resolution image from a low resolution one. These inferences are obtained from the correlation between regions of low and high resolution that come exclusively from the image to be super-resolved, in term of small neighborhoods. The Markov random fields are used as a model to capture the local statistics of high and low resolution data when they are analyzed at different scales and resolutions. Experimental results show the viability of the method.

An Enhanced WLAN Security System With FPGA Implementation for Multimedia Applications

Maintaining a high level of data security with a low impact on system performance is more challenging in wireless multimedia applications. Protocols that are used for wireless local area network (WLAN) security are known to significantly degrade performance. In this paper, we propose an enhanced security system for a WLAN. Our new design aims to decrease the processing delay and increase both the speed and throughput of the system, thereby making it more efficient for multimedia applications. Our design is based on the idea of offloading computationally intensive encryption and authentication services to the end systems’ CPUs. The security operations are performed by the hosts’ central processor (which is usually a powerful processor) before delivering the data to a wireless card (which usually has a low-performance processor). By adopting this design, we show that both the delay and the jitter are significantly reduced. At the access point, we improve the performance of network processing hardware for real-time cryptographic processing by using a specialized processor implemented with field-programmable gate array technology. Furthermore, we use enhanced techniques to implement the Counter (CTR) Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) and the CTR protocol. Our experiments show that it requires timing in the range of 20–40 μs to perform data encryption and authentication on different end-host CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i5, i7, and AMD 6-Core) as compared with 10–50 ms when performed using the wireless card. Furthermore, when compared with the standard WiFi protected access II (WPA2), results show that our proposed security system improved the speed to up to 3.7 times.

Merger between Zon Multimedia and Sonaecom: Revisiting the consolidation scenario

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

PT Multimedia

The purpose of the present case – and accompanying Teaching Notes – is to better understand the spin-off of PT Multimédia, by Portugal Telecom, after receiving a Public Takeover Offer from Sonaecom, in 2006. The Government and the Competition Authority had never looked in a serious way at PT’s dominant position and the lack of room for competition in the TMT sector – PT was the owner of both the cable and copper networks, having access to privileged information from its competitors with control over the wholesale and retail businesses. In 2006, the company received a takeover offer from Sonaecom, the TMT subsidiary from the Portuguese conglomerate Sonae. The offer was voted and rejected by a majority of PT shareholders, but the whole process triggered several recommendations from the regulatory bodies. As a result, PT divested its cable business with the spin-off of PT Multimédia, giving birth to a new competitor and a totally different landscape in the telecommunications sector in Portugal.