El Negoci de l'esquí alpí als Pirineus catalans : Anàlisi del sector i recerca de noves oportunitats empresarials

El principal objectiu d’aquest estudi és fer un anàlisi sobre l’estat del negoci de l’esquí alpí al Pirineu català. El treball tracta des de diferents punts de vista com el climatològic, el purament econòmic o fins i tot el social, les diverses problemàtiques de les estacions d’esquí a Catalunya.En primer lloc, l’estudi es centra en la climatologia del Pirineu, observant les dades dels darrers anys i algun model de futur per constatar el descens de precipitacions i l’augment de temperatures i veure com pot evolucionar en el futur, analitzant també l’hipotètic impacte que causaria en les estacions d’esquí. Posteriorment, s’analitza detingudament l’estat general de les estacions d’esquí, comparant nombre de visitants, places hoteleres, cotes, domini esquiable o remuntadors, entre d’altres aspectes. La segona gran part de l’estudi es centra en l’anàlisi concret d’una estació, la de Vallter 2000, explicant-ne les condicions concretes i analitzant-ne l’evolució de clients o dies d’obertura i la situació econòmica de l’estació. A continuació, es fa un breu anàlisi del context internacional per poder comparar la situació del Pirineu català amb altres zonesdel Pirineu i amb els Alps. Finalment, com a conclusió, es presenten una sèrie d’alternatives, discernint entre les que podrien ser viables, que bàsicament van destinades a aconseguir una major injecció de capital, basant-se sobretot en diversificar les activitats i en integrar les activitats secundàries, i les que s’han considerat inviables, que contemplaven mesures com l’ampliació de les estacions cap a cotes més altes, l’augment dels canons de neu o la contractació d’assegurances climàtiques, descartades majoritàriament per requerir una inversió excessivament elevada.

La vegetació de la serra de Moixeró i el massís de la Tosa d'Alp (Pirineus orientals).

This work offers an approach to the vegetation of the Pyrenean area mentioned above according to three successive and related levels -vascularflora, plant communities and plant landscape. The study area stretches over 147.5 square km (projected surface), nearly 70% belonging to Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park. Altitudes rise from 720 m a.s.l. (Southern part) and 1100 m a.s.l. (Northern part) to 2536 m a.s.l. at the top ofla Tosa d'Alp. Limestone, the most common substrate, constitutes the highest mountain ranges in the area and also the roughest relief. Slate, carbonated slate, marl, sandstone and different kinds of conglomerate are also present. The bioclimate of lower parts is axeromeric sub-mediterranean type in the Gaussen scale, with a marked continental factor in the Northern sector (Cerdanya district). High parts have high mountain climates -cold axeric, subalpine and alpine types.

La amenaza de las armas pequeñas, ligeras y explosivos ALP-ME

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Lack of association between lipaemia and central adiposity in subjects with an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between indices of adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP). SUBJECTS: Fifty-five men, aged 34-69 y, body mass index (BMI) 22-35 kg/m2, with an ALP lipid profile (triglycerides (TG) 1.5-4.0 mmol/l, HDL<1.1 mmol/l; %LDL-3>40% total LDL). DESIGN: Each participant provided a fasting blood sample and underwent an 8 h postprandial assessment and had anthropometric measurements taken. OUTCOME MEASURES: BMI, waist circumference (W), waist-to-hip ratio (W/H), sum of skinfolds (SSK), fasting and postprandial concentrations of glucose, insulin and plasma lipids, post-heparin lipase activity, and apoE genotype. RESULTS: The expected positive associations between BMI, W and SSK and fasting and postprandial insulin were observed (r=0.42-0.65). Little association between glucose responses and any measures of adiposity was evident. Unexpectedly, there were no positive associations between measures of central adiposity (W and W/H) and fasting and postprandial TG responses, with a trend towards negative associations in this study group (TG AUC vs W, r=-0.23, P=0.097; TG IAUC vs W/H, r=-0.26, P=0.068). Subgroup analysis indicated that lack of a positive association between central adiposity and postprandial TG values was more evident in those with one E4 allele (r=-0.42, P=0.077) relative to non-E4 carriers (r=-0.16, P=0.430). The expected positive associations between insulin and TG responses were not observed (r=-0.03 to -0.36). CONCLUSION: In this ALP group the expected positive association between TG responses and a centralized distribution of body fat was not observed, particularly in individuals with an apoE4 genotype. Our findings are not in line with the view that there is a clear causal relationship between insulin resistance and the lipid abnormalities associated with ALP.

Durch Schaden wird man klug: Aus dem badischen Oberlande wird vom 15. Juni geschrieben: "Der uns drückende Alp wird etwas erträglicher ..."

Welsch (Projektbearbeiter): Warnung vor der Revolution, d.h. insbesondere vor ihrer radikaldemokratisch-republikanisch-sozialistischen Richtung; Abdruck von Zitaten aus Briefen (Baden) sowie aus dem 'Manifest der Deutschen Demokraten im Auslande' (Genf) und deren Kommentierung im antirevolutionärem Sinne

Adherence to HIV /AIDS therapies among low -literacy populations: The ALP project

Adherence to HIV/AIDS therapies has been an important health problem since the early 1980s when AZT was first prescribed as a therapy for HIV/AIDS. It became particularly important between 1995 and 1997 with the advent of protease inhibitors (Chesney, Ickovics, Hecht, Sikipa, & Rabkin J., 1999) and became even more significant as persons with HIV/AIDS began to develop resistance to medications. Low-literacy populations have poorer health (Brez & Taylor, 1997) and higher AIDS rates (Simon, Hu, Diaz, & Kerndt, 1995), than their higher literacy counterparts due to delayed treatment (Baker, Parker, Williams, Clark, & Nurss, 1997), shame of literacy skills (Parikh, 1996), and poor access to care (Williams, et al., 1995). Poorer health and higher AIDS rates can also be attributed to poor patient-provider relationships (Crespo-Fierro, 1997; Eldred, Wu, Chaisson, & Moore, 1998) to a poorer understanding of medical protocols (Murphy, 1997), and inadequate patient education (Ungvarski, 1997; Davis, Michielutte, Askov, Williams, & Weiss, 1998, Doak, Doak, & Root, 1996). ^ The ALP intervention was developed for HIV positive low-literacy populations of African American women in Houston, Texas. The intervention was based on a needs assessment, using the PRECEDE model, an innovative process referred to as Intervention Mapping, and validated using formative evaluation methods with 54 individuals. The needs assessment resulted in a list of behavioral, environmental, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing determinants of adherence. The Intervention Mapping framework was used to refine these determinants and develop a list of objectives describing what must be learned or changed to for the target population to adhere to HIV/AIDS therapies. Methods and strategies, were developed using theoretical constructs from the Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1974) and Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986). These theories, empirical evidence, and information from the target population indicated that perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy were important and changeable determinants of adherence to HIV/AIDS therapies for this population. ^ These components were brought together in the form of a theory-based color cartoon book and 10-minute cassette tape. The book was developed for people with 2.9 years of U.S. education as measured with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level method and the script was recorded onto a cassette tape to make it suitable for populations with even lower-literacy skills. A formative evaluation was conducted to ensure that the content and structure were accurate, clear, realistic, readable, appropriate, and likely to be used as intended. ^