Remodelació Plaça Urquinaona

L'estudi de Coll-LeClerc per a la plaça d'Urquinaona ha identificat tots els elements d'aquesta popular plaça barcelonina, amb la idea de preveure la seva futura integració un cop es reformi la plaça. Així, la font d'aigua del Nen del Càntir, situada ara a l'illa del mig de la plaça haurà de trobar un nou encaix. El mateix passa amb la popular parada de castanyes i moniatos a l'hivern i de gelats i refrescos a l'estiu que hi ha al xamfrà de Pau Claris i que podria canviar cap a un lloc més ample aprofitant que la plaça disposarà de molts espais lliures.Es preveu que la plaça ja no es pugui travessar en cotxe pel carrer Ausiàs Marc ni des del carrer Jonqueres en direcció al carrer Bruc, i redueix a dos carrils més carril bus la calçada de la ronda Sant Pere i la connexió amb Via Laietana. En canvi, es crea una gran àrea de vianants gràcies a la desaparició de la calçada del carrer Ausiàs Marc.

A comparison of the spatial dependence of body mass index among adults and children in a Swiss general population.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) may cluster in space among adults and be spatially dependent. Whether BMI clusters among children and how age-specific BMI clusters are related remains unknown. We aimed to identify and compare the spatial dependence of BMI in adults and children in a Swiss general population, taking into account the area's income level. METHODS: Geo-referenced data from the Bus Santé study (adults, n=6663) and Geneva School Health Service (children, n=3601) were used. We implemented global (Moran's I) and local (local indicators of spatial association (LISA)) indices of spatial autocorrelation to investigate the spatial dependence of BMI in adults (35-74 years) and children (6-7 years). Weight and height were measured using standardized procedures. Five spatial autocorrelation classes (LISA clusters) were defined including the high-high BMI class (high BMI participant's BMI value correlated with high BMI-neighbors' mean BMI values). The spatial distributions of clusters were compared between adults and children with and without adjustment for area's income level. RESULTS: In both adults and children, BMI was clearly not distributed at random across the State of Geneva. Both adults' and children's BMIs were associated with the mean BMI of their neighborhood. We found that the clusters of higher BMI in adults and children are located in close, yet different, areas of the state. Significant clusters of high versus low BMIs were clearly identified in both adults and children. Area's income level was associated with children's BMI clusters. CONCLUSIONS: BMI clusters show a specific spatial dependence in adults and children from the general population. Using a fine-scale spatial analytic approach, we identified life course-specific clusters that could guide tailored interventions.

Disseny i implementació d'un conjunt de perifèrics de comunicació per a la seva incorporació en nous dissenys hardware del grup de robòtica i visió per computador

El grupo de robòtica i Visió fabricó la tarjeta gráfica MAGCL para el tratamiento de imágenes en tiempo real, en la que se incluyó un conector IDC20 proveniente de parte del bus de datos, de la FPGA que contiene, destinado a futuras aplicaciones. Con este proyecto se quiere aprovechar este conector para la comunicación de la placa con un PC, y se desarrollarán los puertos de comunicación serie RS232 y USB, Universal Serial Bus.El objetivo de este proyecto es establecer la comunicación de la tarjeta gráfica con un PC a través de estos dos tipos de puerto. Una vez conseguida la comunicación, quedan una serie de librerías hardware que pueden ayudar en la realización de futuros proyectos. La placa posee una FPGA (field programable gate array) destinada al desarrollo, pero programando esas librerías sobre otros componentes, se pueden utilizar estos puertos de forma permanente o exclusiva

Assessment of particulate exposure and surface characteristics in association with urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, considered as marker of oxidative stress

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that exposure to fine particles is associated to adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, mechanisms by which particles induce health effects remain unclear. According to one of the most investigated hypotheses, particles cause adverse effects through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are very hazardous compounds able to attack directly biological structures, including the DNA strand or the lipid bilayer of the cells. If the defense mechanisms, constituted of antioxidants, are not able to counter ROS, then these compounds will cause in the body a range of oxidation reactions called "oxidative stress". The aim of the present research project was to better understand mechanisms by which exposure to fine particles induces oxidative stress. The first point of this project was to check whether exposure to high levels of fine particles is directly linked to oxidative stress, and whether this oxidative stress is accompanied by the activation of the defense mechanisms (antioxidants). The second point was to study the role played by the particle surface characteristics in the oxidative stress process. For that purpose, a study was conducted in bus depots with the participation of 40 mechanics. First, occupational exposure to particles (PM4) and to other pollutants (NOx, O3) was measured over a two-day period. Then, urine samples of mechanics were collected in order to measure levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) and antioxidants. 8OHdG is a molecule formed by the oxidation of DNA and allowing to assess the oxidative stress status of the mechanics. Finally, particles were collected on filters, and functional groups located on the particle surface were analyzed in the laboratory using a Knudsen flow reactor. This technique allows not only to quantify functional groups on the particle surface, but also to measure the reaction kinetics. Results obtained during the field campaign in bus depots showed that mechanics were exposed to rather low levels of PM4 (20-85 μg/m3) and of pollutants (NOx: 100-1000 ppb; O3: <15 ppb). However, despite this low exposure, urinary levels of the oxidative stress biomarker (8OHdG) increased significantly for non-smoking workers over a two-day period of shift. This oxidative stress was accompanied by an increase of antioxidants, indicating the activation of defense mechanisms. On the other hand, the analysis of functional groups on the particle surface showed important differences, depending on the workplace, the date and the activities of workers. The particle surface contained simultaneously antagonistic functional groups which did not undergo internal reactions (such as acids and bases), and was usually characterized by a high density of carbonyl functions and a low density of acidic sites. Reaction kinetics measured using the Knudsen flow reactor pointed out fast reactions of oxidizable groups and slow reactions of acidic sites. Several exposure parameters were significantly correlated with the increase of the oxidative stress status: the presence of acidic sites, carbonyl functions and oxidizable groups on the particle surface; reaction kinetics of functional groups on the particle surface; particulate iron and copper concentrations; and NOx concentration.

Relay card for capacitance measurements

In this bachelor's thesis a relay card for capacitance measurements was designed, built and tested. The study was made for the research and development laboratory of VTI Technologies, which manufactures capacitive silicon micro electro mechanical accelerometers and pressure sensors. As the size of the sensors is decreasing the capacitance value of the sensors also decreases. The decreased capacitance causes a need for new and more accurate measurement systems. The technology used in the instrument measuring the capacitance dictates a framework how the relay card should be designed, thus the operating principle of the instrument must be known. To achieve accurate results the measurement instrument and its functions needed to be used correctly. The relay card was designed using printed circuit board design methods that minimize interference coupling to the measurement. The relay card that was designed in this study is modular. It consists of a separate CPU card, which was used to control the add-on cards connected to it. The CPU card was controlled from a computer through a serial bus. Two add-on cards for the CPU card were designed in this study. The first one was the measurement card, which could be used to measure 32 capacitive sensors. The second add-on card was the MUX card, which could be used to switch between two measurement cards. The capacitance measurements carried out through the MUX card and the measurement cards were characterized with a series of test measurements. The test measurement data was then analysed. The relay card design was confirmed to work and offer accurate measurement results up to a measurement frequency of 10 MHz. The length of the measurement cables limited the measurement frequency.

Avaliação da Qualidade do Transporte Colectivo Urbano, na Cidade da Praia, e a Satisfação dos Utentes

A qualidade nas organizações de serviço tem-se tornado num tópico de muita importância, sendo reconhecida como uma variável estratégica para aumentar a sua eficácia e eficiência, ganhar vantagem competitiva e conduzir à satisfação dos seus clientes. Promover uma escala apropriada, que reflicta convenientemente as percepções e as expectativas dos clientes, deve ser uma preocupação tanto dos gestores de empresas como das agências governativas. O presente estudo empírico desenvolve e analisa uma escala de medição da qualidade de serviço, através da aplicação do modelo SERVQUAL, desenvolvido por Parasuraman et al. (1985, 1988, 1991), e adaptado para o serviço de transporte colectivo urbano de passageiros (TCUP). O procedimento levado a efeito na presente investigação apresenta 4 fases e 9 etapas, com a combinação do paradigma de Churchill (1979) e entrevistas focus group. A escala final SERVQUAL adaptada, com 23 itens, e as dimensões obtidas indicam que a mesma é altamente fiável (0,891) e válida, demonstrando assim que o procedimento seguido é aplicável e que os seus itens foram desenhados de acordo com as condições do sector. A pesquisa exploratória foi conduzida em Cabo Verde, na cidade da Praia, em Setembro de 2008, com 230 utentes regulares do serviço de TCUP. Os dados confirmam a existência de gaps, encontrando-se a maioria dos inquiridos (67%) insatisfeita com esse serviço. A análise factorial confirmou a existência de cinco dimensões, que determinam a qualidade de serviço no TCUP, na Praia, pela seguinte ordem de importância: “aparência física dos veículos/conforto”, “atenção personalizada/desempenho dos colaboradores”, “empatia”, “conveniência do serviço”, e, por último, “equipamento tangível”. Service quality has become a topic of great importance and it is recognized as a strategic variable to increase its efficiency and effectiveness in getting competitive advantage and leading to customer satisfaction. To seek a proper scale that can reflect perceptions and customers’ expectations accurately should be a concern for business managers as well as government agencies. Present empirical study develops and analyzes a measurement scale of quality service, through the application of SERVQUAL model developed by Parasuraman et al. (1985, 1988, 1991) and adapted for the urban passenger transportation. The procedure followed in present research indicates four phases and nine steps in connection to Churchill paradigm (1979) and focus group interview. The adapted final SERVQUAL scale, with 23 items, and the dimensions obtained indicated that it is highly reliable (0.891) and valid, showing this way that the procedure followed is applicable and their items were drawn according to the sector conditions. This exploratory research was performed in Cape Verde, at Praia in September 2008 with 230 regular’s users of bus service. The data confirms the existence of gaps and that the majority of the inquired are not pleased (67%) with their bus service. The factorial analysis confirms the existence of five dimensions, which determines the service quality in the bus service at Praia according to the following order of importance : “physical appearance of the bus/confort”, “personalized attention/results from the collaborators”, “empathy”, “service convenience” and lastly “tangible equipment”.

Assessment of diesel exhaust particulate exposure and surface characteristics in association with levels of oxidative stress biomarkers

Exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm and 2.5 μm, respectively) is associated with a range of adverse health effects, including cancer, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Surface characteristics (chemical reactivity, surface area) are considered of prime importance to understand the mechanisms which lead to harmful effects. A hypothetical mechanism to explain these adverse effects is the ability of components (organics, metal ions) adsorbed on these particles to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), and thereby to cause oxidative stress in biological systems (Donaldson et al., 2003). ROS can attack almost any cellular structure, like DNA or cellular membrane, leading to the formation of a wide variety of degradation products which can be used as a biomarker of oxidative stress. The aim of the present research project is to test whether there is a correlation between the exposure to Diesel Exhaust Particulate (DEP) and the oxidative stress status. For that purpose, a survey has been conducted in real occupational situations where workers were exposed to DEP (bus depots). Different exposure variables have been considered: - particulate number, size distribution and surface area (SMPS); - particulate mass - PM2.5 and PM4 (gravimetry); - elemental and organic carbon (coulometry); - total adsorbed heavy metals - iron, copper, manganese (atomic adsorption); - surface functional groups present on aerosols (Knudsen flow reactor). (Demirdjian et al., 2005). Several biomarkers of oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and several aldehydes) have been determined either in urine or serum of volunteers. Results obtained during the sampling campaign in several bus depots indicated that the occupational exposure to particulates in these places was rather low (40-50 μg/m3 for PM4). Size distributions indicated that particles are within the nanometric range. Surface characteristics of sampled particles varied strongly, depending on the bus depot. They were usually characterized by high carbonyl and low acidic sites content. Among the different biomarkers which have been analyzed within the framework of this study, mean levels of 8- hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and several aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal) increased during two consecutive days of exposure for non-smokers. In order to bring some insight into the relation between the particulate characteristics and the formation of ROS by-products, biomarkers levels will be discussed in relation with exposure variables.

Clients of sex workers in Switzerland: it makes sense to counsel and propose rapid test for HIV on the street, a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Clients of street sex workers may be at higher risk for HIV infection than the general population. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge regarding HIV testing of clients of sex workers in developed countries. METHOD: This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptance of rapid HIV testing by the clients of street-based sex workers in Lausanne, Switzerland. For 5 evenings, clients in cars were stopped by trained field staff for face-to-face interviews focusing on sex-related HIV risk behaviors and HIV testing history. The clients were then offered a free anonymous rapid HIV test in a bus parked nearby. Rapid HIV testing and counselling were performed by experienced nurse practitioners. Clients with reactive tests were offered confirmatory testing, medical evaluation, and care in our HIV clinic. RESULT: We intercepted 144 men, 112 (77.8%) agreed to be interviewed. Among them, 50 (46.6%) had never been tested for HIV. A total of 31 (27.7%) rapid HIV tests were performed, 16 (51.6%) in clients who had not previously been tested. None were reactive. Initially, 19 (16.9%) additional clients agreed to HIV testing but later declined due to the 40-minute queue for testing. CONCLUSION: This pilot study showed that rapid HIV testing in the red light district of Lausanne was feasible, and that the clients of sex workers accepted testing at an unexpectedly high rate. This setting seems particularly appropriate for targeted HIV screening, since more than 40% of the clients had not previously been tested for HIV even though they engaged in sex-related HIV risk behaviour.

Disseny i construcció d’ un braç de robot de 5 graus de llibertat governat des de PC via USB.

El braç robot es va crear com a resposta a una necessitat de fabricació d’elements mitjançant la producció en cadena i en tasques que necessiten precisió. Hi ha, però, altres tipus de tasques les quals no són repetitives, ni poden ésser programades, que necessiten però ser controlades en tot moment per un ésser humà. Són activitats que han d’estar realitzades per un ésser humà, però que requereixen molta precisió, és per això que es creu necessari el disseny d’un prototipus de control d’un braç robot estàndard, que permeti a una persona el control total sobre aquest en temps real per a la realització d’una tasca no repetitiva i no programable prèviament.Pretenem, en el present projecte, dissenyar i construir un braç robot de 5 graus de llibertat, controlat des d’un PC mitjançant un microcontrolador PIC amb comunicació a través d’un bus USB. El robot serà governat des d’un PC a través d’un software de control específic

The crew-scheduling module in the GIST system

The public transportation is gaining importance every year basically duethe population growth, environmental policies and, route and streetcongestion. Too able an efficient management of all the resources relatedto public transportation, several techniques from different areas are beingapplied and several projects in Transportation Planning Systems, indifferent countries, are being developed. In this work, we present theGIST Planning Transportation Systems, a Portuguese project involving twouniversities and six public transportation companies. We describe indetail one of the most relevant modules of this project, the crew-scheduling module. The crew-scheduling module is based on the application of meta-heuristics, in particular GRASP, tabu search and geneticalgorithm to solve the bus-driver-scheduling problem. The metaheuristicshave been successfully incorporated in the GIST Planning TransportationSystems and are actually used by several companies.

Driver scheduling problem modelling

The Drivers Scheduling Problem (DSP) consists of selecting a set of duties for vehicle drivers, for example buses, trains, plane or boat drivers or pilots, for the transportation of passengers or goods. This is a complex problem because it involves several constraints related to labour and company rules and can also present different evaluation criteria and objectives. Being able to develop an adequate model for this problem that can represent the real problem as close as possible is an important research area.The main objective of this research work is to present new mathematical models to the DSP problem that represent all the complexity of the drivers scheduling problem, and also demonstrate that the solutions of these models can be easily implemented in real situations. This issue has been recognized by several authors and as important problem in Public Transportation. The most well-known and general formulation for the DSP is a Set Partition/Set Covering Model (SPP/SCP). However, to a large extend these models simplify some of the specific business aspects and issues of real problems. This makes it difficult to use these models as automatic planning systems because the schedules obtained must be modified manually to be implemented in real situations. Based on extensive passenger transportation experience in bus companies in Portugal, we propose new alternative models to formulate the DSP problem. These models are also based on Set Partitioning/Covering Models; however, they take into account the bus operator issues and the perspective opinions and environment of the user.We follow the steps of the Operations Research Methodology which consist of: Identify the Problem; Understand the System; Formulate a Mathematical Model; Verify the Model; Select the Best Alternative; Present the Results of theAnalysis and Implement and Evaluate. All the processes are done with close participation and involvement of the final users from different transportation companies. The planner s opinion and main criticisms are used to improve the proposed model in a continuous enrichment process. The final objective is to have a model that can be incorporated into an information system to be used as an automatic tool to produce driver schedules. Therefore, the criteria for evaluating the models is the capacity to generate real and useful schedules that can be implemented without many manual adjustments or modifications. We have considered the following as measures of the quality of the model: simplicity, solution quality and applicability. We tested the alternative models with a set of real data obtained from several different transportation companies and analyzed the optimal schedules obtained with respect to the applicability of the solution to the real situation. To do this, the schedules were analyzed by the planners to determine their quality and applicability. The main result of this work is the proposition of new mathematical models for the DSP that better represent the realities of the passenger transportation operators and lead to better schedules that can be implemented directly in real situations.

Commercial Driver's License in a Nutshell, March 2009

Federal law requires uniform licensing of truck and bus drivers (CDL) in all states and the District of Columbia. Commercial Driver's License (CDL) testing and issuance began in Iowa November 1, 1990. A person applying for a license to operate a commercial motor vehicle must apply for a CDL.

Iowa’s Railroads and You, July 28, 2004

Like most motorists, you want your trips to go as quickly and smoothly as possible. Things like having to wait at a railroad crossing while the train crosses, or having to slow for a rough railroad crossing may seem like an inconvenience. But, when you look at the overall picture, you will find there are many things that affect your trips: heavy traffic, including large trucks, on the interstates; congestion on urban freeways; a lot of pedestrian traffic at crosswalks; a bus stopped on the street while passengers are boarding or exiting; slow-moving farm equipment or bicyclists on a rural road; or any number of other disruptions. The reality is that Iowa’s transportation system is extremely complex. Iowa has many diverse transportation users and all types of vehicles traveling at differing speeds.

Safe Routes to School, June 7, 2006

Parental concerns about traffic and strangers have reduced children’s freedom to move about their neighborhoods on their own. Programs like the Walking School Bus — an adult-supervised walk to school — identify safe routes to school, and teach safe crossing practices and “street smart” skills. Appropriate infrastructure like sidewalks and bicycling paths is also important.

Los nuevos activos del árbitro de baloncesto: poder blando, empatía y comunicación. El caso del Comité catalán de Árbitros de Baloncesto

El arbitraje del baloncesto ha experimentado numerosos cambios en los últimos diez años. El presente artículo pretende aunar algunas bases conceptuales y metodológicas a partir de las cuales definir un nuevo perfil operativo para el denominado ‘árbitro moderno’. En este sentido, se ahondará en el análisis de las nuevas competencias comunicativas asociadas e indisolubles a la tarea arbitral, capitalizadas por el diálogo, la administración de ‘poder blando’, la gestión emocional y la adopción, por parte del árbitro, de una renovada actitud empática ante todos los componentes del juego. Así las cosas, este trabajo, en su conjunto y con la ayuda de un estudio de caso, propondrá la definición teórica de nuevas lógicas de actuación arbitral propias del baloncesto del siglo XXI.