NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION – AN EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGE FOR URBAN COMMUNITIES

The continuous growth of the urban traffic threats cities with “thrombosis“, generating social, economic and ecological long term problems. The paper outlines the positive externalities induced by the non-motorized transportation (walking, bicycling or small-wheeled transport) at individual, social and environmental level. This kind of transportation meets the requests of the urban sustainable development, being used stand-alone or as a part of an intermodal chain. Local authorities, education institutes, corporate and non-governmental organizations should be involved in challenging perceptions and attitudes toward non-motorized trips. Beside the infrastructure construction, the early education is mandatory for creating a civic culture regarding the use of non-motorized transportation. The case study in Bucharest shows out the present state concerning the use of non-motorized transportation and the barriers in using it.urban mobility, non-motorized transportation, sustainable transport barriers.

Finite-key analysis on the 1-decoy state QKD protocol

It has been shown that in the asymptotic case of infinite-key length the 2-decoy state QKD protocol outperforms the 1-decoy state protocol. Here, we present a finite-key analysis of the 1-decoy method. Interestingly, we find that for practical block sizes of up to $10^8$ bits, the 1-decoy protocol achieves for almost all experimental settings higher secret key rates than the 2-decoy protocol. Since using only one decoy is also easier to implement, we conclude that it is the best choice for practical QKD.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, Pape

Disseny i ajust d'una nova xarxa geodèsica a l'Hospitalet de Llobregat

A través del present projecte, col·laborant amb l’Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya i els responsables de l’Ajuntament de l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, s’ha mesurat una nova xarxa utilitària mitjançant tècniques GPS a l’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Per aconseguir el màxim rendiment del sistema GPS, optimitzant el millor possible el temps invertit a camp i assegurant un bon control de qualitat de la xarxa, s’han escollit els criteris de disseny i observació apropiats. Donant preferència a l’accessibilitat dels vèrtexs, estudiant rigorosament, la seva ubicació. L’ús de quatre receptors GPS per realitzar les mesures ha estat essencial per aportar redundància a la xarxa i aconseguir fiabilitat dels resultats. Per referenciar la xarxa al sistema WGS84, s’ha utilitzat l’estació de referència de l’EPSEB i el vèrtex de la plaça d’Espanya de Barcelona, pertanyent a la xarxa utilitària de Catalunya. Utilitzant el programa Ski-pro, de Leica Geosystem, s’ha calculat l’ajust de la xarxa a través del mètode per mínims quadrats. Podent, d’aquesta manera, analitzar els resultats obtinguts mitjançant l’estudi de les el·lipses d’error de cada vèrtex i la qualitat dels test estadístics. S’han realitzat dos ajustos addicionals utilitzant estacions de referència diferents. D’aquesta manera, aplicant diferents alternatives per referenciar la xarxa al sistema WGS84, es podran analitzar i comparar la solució de cada un dels ajustos. Finalment, s’han transformat les coordenades definitives al mateix sistema de referència que es troba la cartografia

De colònia d'estiueig a resort turisticoresidencial. Gentrificació turística de petits nuclis costaners al litoral d'Artà (Mallorca)

El present estudi vol demostrar com la funció residencial dels nuclis del litoral d'Artà està sent alterada per la forta pressió turística dels darrers anys. El desplaçament de la població resident, els canvis a l'oferta complementària i la proliferació de la modalitat d'allotjament turístic a habitatges són factors que ens permeten considerar el turisme com un element gentrificador sobre aquests nuclis litorals. La metodologia utilitzada per demostrar aquest impacte estudia els efectes de la turistització sobre la zona mitjançant el treball de camp, entrevistes, l'anàlisi de fonts estadístiques, del procés d'urbanització i de la distribució dels habitatges turístics de vacances a partir de les dades que ofereixen plataformes com Airbnb i Insideairbnb. La proliferació dels habitatges turístics de vacances i la seva desregulació accelera aquest procés de gentrificació, que comporta segregació socioespacial. Ens trobem així davant d'un nou model de turistització residencial que també afecta a les colònies d'estiueig.This paper aims to demonstrate how the increasing tourist pressure is transforming the residential function of the coastal settlements of Arta. The analysis of population displacements, changes in commercial activities and the expansion of tourist commodification of houses are factors that allow us to consider tourism as a gentrification driving force in these summer colonies.The used methodology has been based on: fieldwork with surveys and localpeople interviews, statistical analysis, and mapping of urban developmentand renting holiday homes, using data from the websites of Airbnb and its analysis in Insideairbnb. The proliferation of the tourist holiday homesand the lack of regulation has resulted into the acceleration of thetourist gentrification process with its consequent spatial segregation. Thus, we could define this new type of tourism as a gentrification forcein summer colonies, such as those in Arta's seaside.El presente estudio quiere demostrar como la función residencial de los núcleos litorales de Artà está siendo alterada por la fuerte presión turística de los últimos años.El desplazamiento de la población residente, los cambios en la oferta complementaria y la proliferación de la modalidad de alojamiento turístico en viviendas son factores que nos permiten considerar el turismo como un elemento gentrificador sobre estos núcleos litorales. La metodología utilizada para demostrar este impacto estudia los efectos de la turistización sobre la zona mediante el trabajo de campo, entrevistas, el análisis de fuentes estadísticas, del proceso de urbanización y de la distribución de las viviendas turísticas de vacaciones a partir de los datos que ofrecen plataformas como Airbnb e Insideairbnb. La proliferación de las viviendas turísticas de vacaciones i su desregulación acelera este proceso de gentrificación, que comporta segregación socio-espacial. Así, nos encontramos ante un nuevo modelo de turistización residencial que también afecta a las colonias de veraneo

Practical self-testing quantum random number generator based on an energy bound

We present a scheme for a self-testing quantum random number generator. Compared to the fully device-independent model, our scheme requires an extra natural assumption, namely that the mean energy per signal is bounded. The scheme is self-testing, as it allows the user to verify in real-time the correct functioning of the setup, hence guaranteeing the continuous generation of certified random bits. Based on a prepare-and-measure setup, our scheme is practical, and we implement it using only off-the-shelf optical components. The randomness generation rate is 1.25 Mbits/s, comparable to commercial solutions. Overall, we believe that this scheme achieves a promising trade-off between the required assumptions, ease-of-implementation and performance

Effects of bioaerosol exposure on work-related symptoms among Swiss sawmill workers

Objective: Exposure to bioaerosols in the occupational environment of sawmills could be associated with a wide range of health effects, in particular respiratory impairment, allergy and organic dust toxic syndrome. The objective of the study was to assess the frequency of medical respiratory and general symptoms and their relation to bioaerosol exposure. Method: Twelve sawmills in the French part of Switzerland were investigated and the relationship between levels of bioaerosols (wood dust, airborne bacteria, airborne fungi and endotoxins), medical symptoms and impaired lung function was explored. A health questionnaire was distributed to 111 sawmill workers. Results: The concentration of airborne fungi exceeded the limit recommended by the Swiss National Insurance (SUVA) in the twelve sawmills. This elevated fungi level significantly influenced the occurrence of bronchial syndrome (defined by cough and expectorations). No other health effects (irritations or respiratory effects) could be associated to the measured exposures. We observed that junior workers showed significantly more irritation syndrome (defined by itching/running nose, snoring and itching/red eyes) than senior workers. Lung function tests were not influenced by bioaerosol levels nor dust exposure levels. Conclusion: Results suggest that occupational exposure to wood dust in a Swiss sawmill does not promote a clinically relevant decline in lung function. However, the occurrence of bronchial syndrome is strongly influenced by airborne fungi level

Disposition of voriconazole during continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) in a single patient

Objectives: To determine whether voriconazole dosage adjustment is required during continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF). Methods: Voriconazole pharmacokinetics were studied in a critically ill patient under CVVHDF. The analysis was carried out for 12 h following a 6 mg/kg dose. Voriconazole concentrations were measured by HPLC in blood inlet and outlet lines and in dialysate. Results: The total body clearance of voriconazole was 20.3 L/h, with a terminal half-life of 13.7 h and a distribution volume of 399 L. The estimated sieving coefficient was 0.53 and the filtration-dialysis clearance 1.2 L/h. Conclusions: CVVHDF does not significantly affect voriconazole disposition and requires no dosage adjustmen

Gli atteggiamenti degli insegnanti di scuola elementare nelle scienze biologico-naturalistiche

This paper stresses the need of coherence between the science teachers training and the emergent constructivist model of science learning