Pregnancy and childbirth: What changes in the lifestyle of women who become mothers?

Pregnancy is a period influenced by the interaction of several factors, therefore this study aimed to identify changes in lifestyles due to pregnancy and childbirth in Portuguese and immigrant women in Portugal. This is a qualitative study, using the semi-structured interview, with eighty-two Portuguese and immigrant women. Content analysis was used, with verbatim classification supported by Nvivo 10. It was authorized by an Ethics Commission. Results revealed that the primary changes in lifestyles due to pregnancy were in eating habits (nutrition), daily activity, exposure to danger, sleep and rest patterns, social and family relationships, going out, self-care, work, clothing and footwear, travel, health monitoring and sexual activity and substances consumption. The main change after the birth, manifested by these women, was that their lives began to revolve around their baby.

Assessement of Malaria Transmission in an Area with Very Low Mosquito Density

The increase in world travel in recent years, especially to and from areas where vector-borne diseases are endemic, has resulted in a substantial rise in imported cases of those diseases. In particular, malaria is a cause of concern. In those countries at the edge of its distribution, it can be difficult to distinguish between autochthonous and imported cases. However, distinguishing between the two is important because of the different allocation of resources to combat the disease that each requires. In general, observation of the various stages of parasite development in wild-caught female mosquitoes is considered evidence of autochthonous transmission. Observation of oocysts in the mosquito mid-gut testifies that mosquitoes are susceptible to infection but conclusions cannot be reached about their ability to complete the transmission cycle. Perhaps the best indication of autochthonous transmission is microscopic observation of sporozoites in mosquito salivary glands, since this detects parasites ready to be inoculated (BELER et al., 1990). Detection of circumsporozoite protein (CSP)(BURKOT, WILLIAMS & SCHNEIDER, 1984) in dry mosquito thoraxes, by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is also widely used to determine transmission, especially when large numbers of mosquitoes need to be processed. Such assays provide information about the parasite species infecting the mosquito (BURKOT & WIRTZ, 1986; WIRTZ et al., 1987; BELER et al., 1990).

Maladie de Weil: à propos d'un cas de leptospirose acquise en Suisse [Weil's disease: a case report of acquired leptospirosis in Switzerland].

Leptospirosis is a rare disease in Switzerland. However its incidence is probably underestimated, due to its broad spectrum of presentations, including subclinical benign forms and the ictero-hemorragic form of the Weil's syndrome, whose mortality is high. We describe here a case of Weil's syndrome acquired in Switzerland with a favourable outcome under antibiotherapy. Even in the absence of any travel, the association of an acute renal insufficiency and jaundice with only moderate hepatic cytolysis should lead to the suspicion of leptospirosis. Clinical and epidemiological aspects of the disease are discussed in the article.

La gestió de les destinacions i les noves mobilitats turístiques

Amb l’objectiu d’analitzar i comprendre d’una manera més adequada els mecanismes pels quals els potencials turistes que venen d’Anglaterra prenen la decisió de viatjar fins la Costa Daurada, en el context de la introducció de les línies aèries de baix cost a Espanya i la creació de noves rutes, s’ha dut a terme una enquesta a l’aeroport de Reus a un total de 445 turistes que estaven a punt de tornar de les seves vacances cap a Anglaterra tenint l'aeroport d'East Midlands (EMA) com a destinació i viatjant amb la companyia aèria de baix cost RyanAir. Amb el mètode utilitzat en aquest projecte s'ha mesurat, per mitjà de l'enquesta esmentada, el pes de la causalitat entre la presència de vols barats des de EMA fins a Reus amb la decisió dels turistes de passar les seves vacances en una regió turística de primer ordre a Catalunya com és la Costa Daurada. Segons els resultats de les dues preguntes causals que formen part de l’enquesta (pregunta 18 i pregunta 19), gairebé un 30% de l'impacte econòmic turístic total és degut a la disponibilitat de vols barats mitjançant RyanAir. Tanmateix, al voltant d’un 60% de l'impacte estaria relacionat amb el fet que els turistes visitarien la Costa Daurada independentment de la disponibilitat de vols de RyanAir. Això indicaria que tot i que els vols de Ryanair són innegablement atractius pels turistes, hi ha un desig important de visitar la Costa Daurada que podria ser satisfet per altres mitjans.

Mobilités numériques. De l'usage à l'expérience utilisateur (UX) du monde.

Résumé La mobilité ne signifie plus uniquement se mouvoir d'un point à un autre ; il s'agit d'un concept lui-même en constante évolution, grâce au progrès technique et à l'innovation sociale notamment. Aujourd'hui, la recherche de la vitesse n'est plus le seul enjeu au coeur de nos préoccupations. Elle a été remplacée par un retour au voyage enrichi par l'expérience et ce quelle que soit sa durée. Cet enrichissement s'est principalement fait par le truchement des technologies de l'information et de la communication et peut prendre plusieurs formes liées aux problématiques contemporaines de la ville et du territoire. Citons comme exemple la valorisation du temps de déplacement, grâce à un meilleur accès à l'information (travail, réseaux sociaux, etc.) et à la recherche d'une plus grande cohérence entre l'acte de se mouvoir et l'environnement proche ou lointain. Cette « recontextualisation » du mouvement nous interpelle dans notre rapport à l'espace et nous donne également des pistes pour repenser le métier d'urbaniste de la ville intelligente. Abstract Mobility issues do not only involve the act of moving nowadays. The concept itself evolves continuously thanks to technological and social innovations. The main stakes do not focus anymore on improving speed, but on enriching the experience of travelling, even in the case of short trips. One of the main factors that fosters this evolution is the progressive adoption of information and communication technologies that help to reshape the issues of contemporary cities. For example, the quality of travel time has improved thanks to the ubiquitous accessibility to information, and by offering a better coherence between the trip and the immediate social environment. The "recontextualisation" of everyday activities (working, interacting, etc.) challenges the relationship individuals have with space and offers many clues in regard to the required skills that urban planners and designers of the smart city should possess.

Safety Impacts of Pavement Edge Drop-offs, 2006

A vehicle may leave its travel lane for a number of reasons, such as driver error, poor surface conditions, or avoidance of a collision with another vehicle in the travel lane. When a vehicle leaves the travel lane, pavement edge drop-off poses a potential safety hazard because significant vertical differences between surfaces can affect vehicle stability and reduce a driver’s ability to handle the vehicle. Numerous controlled studies have tested driver response to encountering drop-offs under various conditions, including different speeds, vehicle types, drop-off height and shape, and tire scrubbing versus non-scrubbing conditions. The studies evaluated the drivers’ ability to return to and recover within their own travel lane after leaving the roadway and encountering a drop-off. Many of these studies, however, have used professional drivers as test subjects, so results may not always apply to the population of average drivers. Furthermore, test subjects are always briefed on what generally is to be expected and how to respond; thus, the sense of surprise that a truly naïve driver may experience upon realizing that one or two of his or her tires have just dropped off the edge of the pavement, is very likely diminished. Additionally, the studies were carried out under controlled conditions. The actual impact of pavement edge drop-off on drivers’ ability to recover safely once they leave the roadway, however, is not well understood under actual driving conditions. Additionally, little information is available that quantifies the number or severity of crashes that occur where pavement edge drop-off may have been a contributing factor. Without sufficient information about the frequency of edge drop-off-related crashes, agencies are not fully able to measure the economic benefits of investment decisions, evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments to mitigate edge drop-off, or focus maintenance resources. To address these issues, this report details research to quantify the contribution of pavement edge drop-off to crash frequency and severity. Additionally, the study evaluated federal and state guidance in sampling and addressing pavement edge drop-off and quantified the extent of pavement edge drop-off in two states. This study focused on rural two-lane paved roadways with unpaved shoulders, since they are often high speed facilities (55+ mph), have varying levels of maintenance, and are likely to be characterized by adverse roadway conditions such as narrow lanes or no shoulders.

Entre a Terra e o Mar - Grau de Satisfação dos Cruzeiristas na Ilha de São Vicente

Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de um estudo realizado em São Vicente, de Março a Abril de 2012 a turistas de cruzeiro. Este estudo teve como objectivo analisar o perfile a satisfação dos visitantes durante a sua estadia na ilha, para ajudar a indústria do turismo na melhoria do produto e infra-estrutura turística, e ao fazê-lo melhorar aexperiência para os cruzeiristas. O estudo foi conduzido através da revisão da literaturasobre turismo de cruzeiro, imagem do destino, elementos da oferta turística, qualidade esatisfação e sua relação com o turismo. Para a avaliação do perfil e satisfação do turistade cruzeiro, aplicou-se um questionário a uma amostra de 131 cruzeiristas, no fim dasua visita à ilha. Os resultados do questionário aplicado aos cruzeiristas evidenciaram maior satisfação com aspectos como paisagem natural, clima, simpatia da população local, oportunidadepara conhecer pessoas e limpeza urbana. Os atributos que demonstraram valores maisaltos de insatisfação são: museus, sanitários, gastronomia, sinalização, serviços derestauração e de informação turística. O perfil do cruzeirista é caracterizado pela disponibilidade em viajar, nível académico eprofissional médio alto, poder de compra médio alto e de média idade. Verificou-se que os vários sectores não estão bem organizados e integrados entre si paraatender às necessidades e desejos dos visitantes. Assim, recomenda-se uma série deactividades, tendo em vista, minimizar os aspectos negativos identificados peloscruzeiristas e integrar a oferta turística entre os vários elementos que a compõem. This research is based on the results acquired from tourists who traveled to the island of Sao Vicente on cruise ships during the months of March and April of 2012. The object of this study was to analyze the characteristics and level of satisfaction of those visiting the island of Sao Vicente, in order to help improve the tourism industry, and its infrastructure in hopes of bettering the overall experience for cruise tourists. The study emerged from a profound revision of cruise ship literature, now detailing destination images, available touristic elements, as well as quality and satisfaction ratings in relationship to tourism. In order to measure the satisfaction of the tourists we implemented a questionnaire where a sample of 131 people was surveyed at the end of their visit to the island. The questionnaire resulted in evidence detailing higher satisfaction regarding natural landscape, climate, local acceptance, ability to meet others and urban cleanliness. However, elements such as museums, sanitation, gastronomy, signage, restaurant services and travel information demonstrated higher levels of dissatisfaction. Cruise tourists are characterized as middle aged, frequent travelers with high academic and professional levels, and by their ability to consume heavily. This study verifies that various elements within the tourism sector are not well organized to satisfy the necessities and desires of cruise tourists. Therefore, an implementation of more activities is recommended for those visiting the island of Sao Vicente on cruise ships. While considering the need to minimize the negative aspects identified by the surveyed cruise tourists it is also important to integrate the offered tourist attractions within the various elements that embody tourism.

O Papel das Agências de Viagens e Turismo no Desenvolvimento do Turismo Emissor e Receptor

Devido a mudanças tecnológicas e da globalização, o turismo vem passando por grandes transformações, permitindo um maior acesso às informações e uma maior aproximação entre o consumidor e o mercado turístico. O papel das agências de viagens e turismo (AVT’s) é de fundamental importância para o desenvolvimento da actividade turística de um país. Face a isto, as AVT’s devem aderir ao novo cenário, procurando acompanhar a evolução, renovando e actualizando sempre os seus serviços. O presente estudo tem por objectivo avaliar o papel das AVT’s da ilha de São Vicente, no âmbito do turismo emissor e receptor. Foi realizado um estudo de caso, incluindo os doze representantes das AVT’s da ilha de S. Vicente, com excepção das empresas exclusivamente marítimas. Foi usado um guião de entrevistas para a obtenção de dados relacionados aos responsáveis dos serviços, a empresa, aos colaboradores internos, clientes, serviços oferecidos, sazonalidade e sua problemática, parceiros, as tecnologias de informação e as perspectivas futuras. As informações foram analisadas sob um enquadramento teórico e prático. Constatou-se que sete agências dedicam-se ao turismo emissor e receptor, três ao turismo emissor, e duas ao receptor. Foi possível observar que as AVT’s apresentam semelhanças na prestação de serviços e a maioria tem a preocupação de acompanhar as exigências actuais do turismo. Pode-se concluir que o turismo emissor e receptor estão bem representados pelas AVT’s de São Vicente. Technological changes and globalization has allowed big transformations in Tourism, greater access to information and a closer relationship between the consumer and tourist market. The role of the Travel and Tourism Agencies (TTA) has fundamental importance for the tourism development in a country, and they must adhere to the new environment, trying to follow the evolution, always renewing and updating their services. The present study aims to evaluate the role of TTA’s in São Vicente Island, in the field of inbound and outbound tourism. It was conducted a case study, including 12 representatives of TTA's in São Vicente, with exception of shipping companies. It was used a scripted interview to obtain data about the service delegate, the company, internal employees, customers, offered services, seasonality and its problems, partners, information technology and future prospects. Data were analyzed from a theoretical and practical view. It was found that seven agencies dedicated to inbound and outbound tourism, three to outbound and two to inbound. The TTA’s have similarities in service delivery and most have the concern to keep up with current demands of tourism. It can be concluded that inbound and outbound tourism are well represented by TTA’s in São Vicente.

Health care provider choice in the case of patient-initiated contacts. An extended version of discrete choice of model demand

This paper analyzes the nature of health care provider choice inthe case of patient-initiated contacts, with special reference toa National Health Service setting, where monetary prices are zeroand general practitioners act as gatekeepers to publicly financedspecialized care. We focus our attention on the factors that mayexplain the continuously increasing use of hospital emergencyvisits as opposed to other provider alternatives. An extendedversion of a discrete choice model of demand for patient-initiatedcontacts is presented, allowing for individual and town residencesize differences in perceived quality (preferences) betweenalternative providers and including travel and waiting time asnon-monetary costs. Results of a nested multinomial logit model ofprovider choice are presented. Individual choice betweenalternatives considers, in a repeated nested structure, self-care,primary care, hospital and clinic emergency services. Welfareimplications and income effects are analyzed by computingcompensating variations, and by simulating the effects of userfees by levels of income. Results indicate that compensatingvariation per visit is higher than the direct marginal cost ofemergency visits, and consequently, emergency visits do not appearas an inefficient alternative even for non-urgent conditions.

Melanin-based colouration predicts natal dispersal in the barn owl, Tyto alba

Searching for a suitable breeding site is an important decision in the life of most animals. The decisions where to settle and how far to travel before doing so depend on many factors. Individual differences in dispersal distance could result from different strategies (e.g. specialists versus generalists), which might result in similar reproductive success in different habitats, or different competitive abilities to acquire a territory close to the natal site. The barn owl is polymorphic in melanic coloration, which is associated with many physiological and behavioural traits such as habitat choice, stress response and docility, raising the possibility that the coloration is also related to dispersal. We studied natal dispersal (from rearing site to site of first breeding attempt) and breeding dispersal (from one breeding site to the next) in barn owls using a long-term data set. Darker reddish individuals moved further than paler individuals during natal dispersal, but not during breeding dispersal. A cross-fostering experiment showed that the colour of the biological and foster parents had no influence on dispersal distance. The distance dispersed by parents and same-sex offspring was correlated, whereas natal and breeding dispersal were not repeatable within individuals, indicating that they are two different processes. Given that the distance travelled in natal dispersal appears to be heritable, the underlying genes might be coupled to those related to coloration. We discuss hypotheses to explain the potential adaptive function of the link between coloration and natal dispersal.

The P-median problem in a changing network: The case of Barcelona

In this paper a p--median--like model is formulated to address theissue of locating new facilities when there is uncertainty. Severalpossible future scenarios with respect to demand and/or the travel times/distanceparameters are presented. The planner will want a strategy of positioning thatwill do as ``well as possible'' over the future scenarios. This paper presents a discrete location model formulation to address this P--Medianproblem under uncertainty. The model is applied to the location of firestations in Barcelona.

Contributo das TIC na integração de famílias oriundas do Brasil no concelho de Albufeira

Os fenómenos migratórios tem-se acentuado nas últimas décadas, para este facto muito tem contribuído a era globalizada em que nos encontramos. Com a globalização surgiu o desenvolvimento de redes mundiais, nomeadamente sistemas sociais e económicos, facultando o acesso a meios de transporte mais rápidos e baratos, e as comunicações tornaram-se mais fáceis, promovendo e facilitando as deslocações entre países e continentes, de pessoas e bens. Assim, actualmente com o acesso facilitado nas comunicações e nas deslocações, a migração tornou-se uma constante. Perante a quantidade de indivíduos oriundos das mais diversas partes do globo e com a evolução das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, as barreiras culturais foram reduzidas, permitindo uma rápida difusão de ideias e de meios, possibilitando que indivíduos que se encontram em locais geograficamente longínquos possam comunicar com regularidade. Este estudo teve como objectivo conhecer, por um lado, o impacto da utilização das TIC, por parte dos imigrantes de origem brasileira, como forma de manterem o contacto com o país de origem, por outro, o facto de residirem familiares/amigos em Portugal, aquando da sua vinda, podem contribuir para a sua integração. O estudo foi aplicado no Gabinete da família e no Gabinete do Imigrante, da Divisão de Acção Social Saúde e Juventude, da Câmara Municipal de Albufeira. Teve uma amostragem por conveniência que abrangeu 50 indivíduos oriundos do Brasil, residentes em Albufeira. Foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário que permitiu a caracterização da amostra e recolher informações sobre o impacto da utilização das TIC como forma de manter o contacto com o país de origem e a importância das redes sociais no processo de integração. Constituído por 74 questões fechadas, abertas e semi abertas. Fez-se de seguida uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa dos dados recolhidos. Os resultados obtidos sobre esta problemática permitiram percepcionar que o facto de existir uma rede familiar e de amigos, contribui para a integração da família imigrante na sociedade de acolhimento. Ou seja, todo o suporte familiar e a rede de amigos existente facultam ao imigrante condições para que o mesmo se instale no país de acolhimento e se sinta integrado. O facto de os imigrantes comunicarem, por norma, semanalmente com a família no Brasil, bem como utilizarem as tecnologias de informação e comunicação, contribui em muito para o seu bem estar psicológico e emocional. O contacto regular com a família, ainda que através de uma Web cam, proporciona-lhes tranquilidade e minimiza a distância física, uma vez que os podem ver e ouvir sentindo assim o apoio dos mesmos, ajudando-os a permanecer no nosso país. O uso das novas tecnologias são utilizadas para manter a ligação com a comunidade de origem, fomentando os laços familiares e com amigos. Os imigrantes utilizam a internet para comunicar com os indivíduos da mesma nacionalidade, bem como a família/amigos que se encontram no Brasil. O acesso às TIC e o facto de as utilizarem para comunicar com a família e amigos, no país de origem, pode ser considerada como uma rede social de apoio, proporcionando assim aos imigrantes uma integração no país de acolhimento.

Archaeology on the Road, July 2008

Team Archaeology is excited to be riding with you this year! We hope to make our participation an annual opportunity to share the story of Iowa’s amazing past. As you ride across the state you will be passing by the locations of hundreds of known archaeological sites and an as yet unknown number of new discoveries waiting to be made. These archaeological sites, and the artifacts they contain, tell the history of the first people to travel this landscape and the stories of each generation that has contributed to what we know of ourselves today. As you travel through our beautiful state, you too are now a part of that story, making history for the future to learn and wonder about! The Office of the State Archaeologist serves a unique dual role in Iowa as both a designated research unit of The University of Iowa and as a state agency. The larger mission of the OSA is to develop, disseminate, and preserve knowledge of Iowa’s human past through Midwestern and Plains archaeological research, scientific discovery, public stewardship, service, and education. It is our goal to provide all Iowans the opportunity to learn about their past. I see this as an investment in the preservation of a nonrenewable resource—the archaeological record of Iowa. Look for the Team Archeology members as you ride and be sure to ask them about Iowa archeology. Please help yourself to free materials about our shared past from our information tables at each overnight town and get one of the free Iowa Archeology wrist bands. There will also be free public talks by local archaeologists each afternoon, as well as flintknapping and other demonstrations of archaeological interest, so keep this booklet as your guide to the week’s activities. Most of all, ride smart, be safe, and when you get home tell your friends and neighbors about Iowa archaeology!

Service Quality Analysis in the Five Stars Resort Hotels of Cape Verde

The objective of this study was the identification of the attributes and dimensions of service quality affecting the service performance of the five stars resort hotels located in the Cape Verde Islands. The reason boosting the initiative to do this research was the paramount role of the resort hotels in the development of the travel and tourism sector in Cape Verde, and the impact that today this sector has had in the economy of that country. The research opens with a literature review on the service quality theory in the hotel industry, starting from the middle of the 1980s with the classic model of service quality and SERVQUAL instrument to the analysis of recent models of service quality measurement in the hotel industry, as it is an example the scale of items developed in 2003 in the Lodging Quality Index (LQI). Furthermore, the study elaborates an analysis on the importance of the travel and tourism activities in the Cape Verde Islands, and it evidences the enormous importance of those activities in the performance of the Cape Verdean hotel industry. In sequence the study analyzes in details the hotel industry of Cape Verde and it identifies the market size of the five stars resort hotels and their current operators in that market. Moreover, the research develops with an online questionnaire elaborated and sent through the platforms of travel websites and communities to the guests whom have experienced the service of the five stars resort hotels located in the Cape Verde Islands. The scope of the questionnaire was to assess the attributes and dimensions of service quality in the five stars resort hotels of Cape Verde. The results of the questionnaire were in sequence analyzed through descriptive and applied statistics, using Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Content validity analysis, factor analysis, and reliability analysis of the factors were made to purify an initial scale of 47 items of service quality. An instrument with three dimensions covering twenty four attributes of service quality assessment in the five stars resort hotels of Cape Verde was finally created. The three dimensions found were: staff competence; food and entertainment; and physical facilities. This study on the service in the five stars resort hotels of Cape Verde ends with brief comments on the status of service quality according to the identified dimensions and their attributes. In the conclusion, the study summarizes the whole work and gives some directions for future research.