The NASA Lewis Research Center's Expendable Launch Vehicle Program: An Economic Impact Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austrian, Ziona

1996-01-01

This study investigates the economic impact of the Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) Expendable Launch Vehicle Program (ELVP) on Northeast Ohio's economy. It was conducted by The Urban Center's Economic Development Program in Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs. The study measures ELVP's direct impact on the local economy in terms of jobs, output, payroll, and taxes, as well as the indirect impact of these economic activities when they "ripple" throughout the economy. The study uses regional economic multipliers based on input-output models to estimate the effect of ELVP spending on the Northeast Ohio economy.

The NASA Lewis Research Center's Expendable Launch Vehicle Program: An Economic Impact Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austrian, Ziona

1996-01-01

This study investigates the economic impact of the Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) Expendable Launch Vehicle Program (ELVP) on Northeast Ohio's economy. It was conducted by The Urban Center's Economic Development Program in Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs. The study measures ELVP's direct impact on the local economy in terms of jobs, output, payroll, and taxes, as well as the indirect impact of these economic activities when they 'ripple' throughout the economy. The study uses regional economic multipliers based on input-output models to estimate the effect of ELVP spending on the Northeast Ohio economy.

[Response of primary care teams to manage mental health problems after the 2010 earthquake].

PubMed

Vitriol, Verónica; Minoletti, Alberto; Alvarado, Rubén; Sierralta, Paula; Cancino, Alfredo

2014-09-01

Thirty to 50% of people exposed to a natural disaster suffer psychological problems in the ensuing months. To characterize the activities in mental health developed by Primary Health Care centers after the earthquake that affected Chile on february 27th, 2010. A cross-sectional study analyzing 16 urban centers of Maule Region, was carried out. A questionnaire was developed to know the preparatory and supportive activities directed to the community and the training and self-care activities directed to Health Care personnel that were made during the 12 months following the catastrophe. In addition, a questionnaire evaluating structural aspects was designed. Only 1/3 of the centers made some preparatory activity and none of them made a diagnosis of population vulnerability. The average of protective Mental Health interventions coverage reached 35% of the population estimated to be most affected. The activities lasted 31 to 62% of the optimal duration standards set by experts (according to the type of action). Important differences between centers in economic and geographical accessibility, construction and professional resources were found. This study shows the difficulties faced by urban centers of Maule Region to deal with mental health problems caused by the earthquake, which were attributable to the absence of local planning and drills, and to the lack of intra and inter sectorial coordination.

Environmental applications activity at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paludan, C. T. N.

1972-01-01

MSFC environmental applications demonstration projects have emphasized application of aerospace technology to community needs of southeastern U.S. Some of the typical projects underway are: hydrological parameter determination; land use surveys; agricultural stress detection; new community site surveys; pollution monitoring; urban transportation studies; and urban environmental quality.

Islamic representation and urban space in Banda Aceh: Linking the social and spatial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Istiqamah; Herlily

2018-03-01

Post conflict and tsunami; the city of Banda Aceh is experiencing a massive development as an effort to represent an Islamic city. Some strategic points have been chosen by the municipality to build architectural objects that are considered to represent Islam in the urban space. The issue of such representational practice is the development of neglecting the activities of local communities as users of urban public spaces. The purpose of this design study is to provide an alternative to the urban design of Banda Aceh to represent Islam that is not moving from physical development but by involving community activities. Establish and rediscover the relationship between Islam and urban life in Banda Aceh. This design study uses mental maps of 50 inhabitants of Banda Aceh city of various ages who live in 10 villages around the city center. We use mental maps as a tool to read the daily activities of the community and determine the familiar urban territory with the community. The results of this study will be used to form a Muslim community and present community activities to represent Islam in the urban space.

Final Environmental Assessment for National Air & Space Intelligence Center and US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Field Training Activities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-14

characteristics in many locations and consequently most of the base has been mapped as disturbed urban land complexes. Major soil complexes represented...at WPAFB include: Warsaw-Fill land complex, Sloan-Fill land complex, Miamian- Urban land complex, Fox- Urban land complex, Linwood Muck, Westland- Urban ...land complex, and Warsaw- Urban land complex. 3.6.1 Proposed Action The project area for the alternative includes approximately 3.7 acres of property

Foundation Resource Guide. A Compilation of Major Foundations That Sponsor Activities Relevant to Community Outreach Partnership Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Kevin

This publication highlights national and regional foundations that are most likely to fund colleges and universities to perform activities similar to those undertaken by the Office of University Partnerships' Community Outreach Partnership Center Program (COPC) of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The COPC Program provides…

78 FR 54679 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Evaluation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-05

... characteristics of AJCs (e.g., affiliate vs. comprehensive, or rural vs. urban) or the nature of AJC services... Request; Evaluation the Accessibility of American Job Centers for People With Disabilities AGENCY: Office... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background: American Job Centers (AJCs), formerly called One- Stop Career Centers...

Technology utilization in a non-urban region: Further impact and technique of the technology use studies center (3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gold, H. C.; Moore, A. M.; Dodd, B. (Compiler); Dittmar, V. (Compiler)

1972-01-01

The activities of the Technology Utilization Center are reported. Data concerning the searches, and the types of firms requesting information are presented along with the dissemination and assistance by TUSC.

The Things they Carry: Ideology in an Urban Teacher Professional Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbate-Vaughn, Jorgelina

2004-01-01

This article provides an opportunity to extend the discussion about teacher communities as part of complex school reform models, specifically centered on those communities whose membership is drawn on a semi-voluntary basis. Through a sixteen-month long ethnography, I document the activities of an urban teacher professional community (TPC) at a…

Defining and predicting urban-wildland interface zones using a GIS-based model

Treesearch

Lawrence R. Gering; Angel V. Chun; Steve Anderson

2000-01-01

Resource managers are beginning to experience a deluge of management conflicts as urban population centers expand into formerly wildland settings. Fire suppression, recreational, watershed management, and traditional forest management practices are activities that have become contentious in many locales. A better understanding of the interface zone between these two...

Metropolization Process for enhancing local and regional planning : an experience of cirebon metropolitan, West Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriyadi Rustidja, E.

2018-03-01

Metropolitan develops in line with resource utilization, investment, and transactions of regional activities. Metropolization of an area gives emerge urban economy that changes the situation, form, and pattern of urban space interactions. On the other hand, metropolism concerns the strategy of changing variation of urban space, so that metropolitan invasion not only form of urban space but also the process of interaction among stakeholders in developing metropolitan area. Based on participatory research, this article explores metropolitan invasion process for enhancing local and regional planning, both indigenous and intrusive cataclysmic. The study find that the primeval, rural, and urban as elemental environment must be considered in developing metropolitan, not merely form the structure and pattern of urban space. The metropolization process also requires the strategic of rural urban linkage, context setting and local assessment, strategic community investment, and interculturalist approach. The other findings of the study show that metropolization in Cirebon Metropolitan, West Java emphasizing on promotion of competitiveness strategy, value chain urban activities, and networking of urban areas. Cirebon Metropolitan must promote the realization of growth centers and connect the interregional activities of metropolitan area for providing sustainable economic growth.

Influence Of Advertisments On Changes In The Urban Structure Of Cites On The Example Of Poznan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonenberg, Agata

2015-09-01

The article presents the results of studies on the influence of outdoor advertisements on the activation of selected areas in the spatial structure of the city of Poznań. The contents of advertisements were analyzed in terms of the places which advertisements placed on signs, billboards and advertising displays located in public spaces direct us to. The results of studies indicated that the majority of advertisements located in the city center of Poznań promote suburban locations, encouraging its inhabitants to make use of trade and services outside of the strict city center. At the same time, it was indicated that outside advertisements due to the content of the advertising message are a factor degrading the city center, directing potential customers away into the suburbs. In practice, it was noted that the phenomenon significantly decreases the effectiveness of actions directed towards revitalizing the city center and the urban activation of this region.

Gender and the professional career of primary care physicians in Andalusia (Spain)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although the proportion of women in medicine is growing, female physicians continue to be disadvantaged in professional activities. The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the professional activities of female and male primary care physicians in Andalusia and to assess the effect of the health center on the performance of these activities. Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional, and multicenter study. Setting: Spain. Participants: Population: urban health centers and their physicians. Sample: 88 health centers and 500 physicians. Independent variable: gender. Measurements: Control variables: age, postgraduate family medicine specialty (FMS), patient quota, patients/day, hours/day housework from Monday to Friday, idem weekend, people at home with special care, and family situation. Dependent variables: 24 professional activities in management, teaching, research, and the scientific community. Self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and multilevel logistic regression analyses. Results Response: 73.6%. Female physicians: 50.8%. Age: female physicians, 49.1 ± 4.3 yrs; male physicians, 51.3 ± 4.9 yrs (p < 0.001). Female physicians with FMS: 44.2%, male physicians with FMS: 33.3% (p < 0.001). Female physicians dedicated more hours to housework and more frequently lived alone versus male physicians. There were no differences in healthcare variables. Thirteen of the studied activities were less frequently performed by female physicians, indicating their lesser visibility in the production and diffusion of scientific knowledge. Performance of the majority of professional activities was independent of the health center in which the physician worked. Conclusions There are gender inequities in the development of professional activities in urban health centers in Andalusia, even after controlling for family responsibilities, work load, and the effect of the health center, which was important in only a few of the activities under study. PMID:21356111

Teaching Tradition: Diverse Perspectives on the Pilot Urban American Indian Traditional Spirituality Program.

PubMed

Gone, Joseph P; Blumstein, Katherine P; Dominic, David; Fox, Nickole; Jacobs, Joan; Lynn, Rebecca S; Martinez, Michelle; Tuomi, Ashley

2017-06-01

Many urban American Indian community members lack access to knowledgeable participation in indigenous spiritual practices. And yet, these sacred traditional activities remain vitally important to their reservation-based kin. In response, our research team partnered with an urban American Indian health center in Detroit for purposes of developing a structured program to facilitate more ready access to participation in indigenous spiritual knowledge and practices centered on the sweat lodge ceremony. Following years of preparation and consultation, we implemented a pilot version of the Urban American Indian Traditional Spirituality Program in the spring of 2016 for 10 urban AI community participants. Drawing on six first-person accounts about this program, we reflect on its success as a function of participant meaningfulness, staff support, mitigated sensitivities, and program structure. We believe that these observations will enable other community psychologists to undertake similar program development in service to innovative and beneficial impacts on behalf of their community partners. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

A Model For Defining and Predicting The Urban-Wildland Interface For The Piedmont of South Carolina

Treesearch

Mary L. Webb Marek; Lawrence R. Gering

2002-01-01

Resource managers continue to experience a deluge of management conflicts as urban population centers expand into areas that were formerly wildland settings. Traditional forest management practices, fire suppression, recreational opportunities and wildlife management are activities that have become contentious in many locales. A better understanding of the interface...

Technology utilization in a non-urban region: Further impact and technique of the Technology Use Studies Center (6)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gold, H. C.; Moore, A. M.; Dodd, B.; West, S. G.

1976-01-01

The activities of the TU Center are reported. Areas reported include: TUSC clientele informaton, dissemination and assistance, faculty information service, and cooperation with other agencies. The general aviation news letter is included along with transfer and impact reports.

Invasive wisteria in the Southeastern United StateS: genetic diversity, hybridization and the role of urban centers

Treesearch

Jennifer L. Trusty; Leslie R. Goertzen; Wayne C. Zipperer; B Graeme Lockaby

2007-01-01

The increasing numbers and negative impacts of invasive species have prompted research on the relationship between human activities and the success of invasive horticultural plants. In this study, we use population genetic relationships to model the escape of a common garden vine, exotic Wisteria, into natural habitats. Urban and naturalized Wisteria populations in...

76 FR 54345 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

... some areas on the east side of U.S. Highway 101. These urban centers consist almost exclusively of... parcels within a matrix of urban development. We do not consider the remnant open space within these city... the 75-ac (30-ha) parcel is frequently disturbed by regular farming activities, such as frequent...

Gender, migration and urban development in Costa Rica: the case of Guanacaste.

PubMed

Chant, S

1991-01-01

Factors fueling urbanization in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica are explored and how the pattern of urban growth reflects gender divisions of labor is considered. Urbanization in Latin America has been due largely to the expansion of economic activities in urban centers, but in Guanacaste, rural employment persists among the poor. Towns in this peripheral province have witnessed no major expansion in urban-based employment opportunities. On the basis of an in-depth survey of urban dwellers in the province's 3 leading towns (Liberia, Canas, and Santa Cruz), an attempt is made to explain Guanacaste's urbanization. The 1st section discusses the migration, urbanization, and economic development in Costa Rica, as well as Guanacaste. The 2nd section provides the findings of the survey of 350 low-income, urban households in Guanacaste, focusing on the households' reported reasons for moving. Section 3 examines household survival strategies in the areas surveyed, paying close attention to gender and age selectivity of short-term out-migration to external labor markets. Section 4 interprets the apparent connection between gender-differentiated labor migration and the dominance of reproductive factors in household decisions to move to urban centers. Section 5 considers the implications of the migration patterns on women, while section 6 discusses the wider implications of the study. The study reveals that in Guanacaste, urbanization is more strongly linked to the reproductive (e.g., housing and welfare) needs of household survival than to productive (employment and income) needs.

Changing industrial patterns in the metroplitan Chicago area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allardice, D.

1994-12-31

The industrial base of Chicago, and most Midwestern cities, continues to change. These changes are particularly visible in the manufacturing sector where the exodus of companies has left behind abandoned factories and industrial sites that now blight the urban landscape. As urban centers have seen a steady decline in their ability to attract and maintain their manufacturing base, great interest has been placed in seeing what can be done to attract economic activity back into the urban center. For most Midwestern cities, this often means trying to either replace or stem the tide of manufacturing facilities that have left themore » city for {open_quotes}greenfields{close_quotes} in suburban or rural locations or have simply moved overseas. On the replacement front, to compensate for the loss of manufacturing, some cities such as Chicago have managed to expand other areas of their economies, such as business services, finance, and tourism and recreation to maintain their vitality. This paper discusses three aspects of the changing economic landscape of Chicago and other Midwestern urban areas. First, some historical perspective will be provided on how Chicago came to be a manufacturing center and what factors since World War II have led manufacturing facilities to move away from the urban center. Second, the future prospects for manufacturing in the central city will be examined. Finally, what policies may help increase (or at the very least maintain) the concentration of manufacturing in Chicago will be discussed.« less

Violence Prevention at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School. Summary Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontaine, Jocelyn; Debus-Sherrill, Sara; Downey, P. Mitchell; Lowry, Samantha S.

2010-01-01

This summary brief is based on research conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center on the violence prevention activities taking place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School during the 2008-2009 school year. Researchers from the Justice Policy Center conducted an assessment of the school's violence prevention…

Analysis of long-term trends (1950–2009) in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient in major urban watersheds in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Velpuri, N.M.; Senay, G.B.

2013-01-01

This study investigates the long-term trends in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient in major urban watersheds in the United States. The seasonal Mann–Kendall trend test was performed on monthly precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient data from 1950 to 2009 obtained from 62 urban watersheds covering 21 major urban centers in the United States. The results indicate that only five out of 21 urban centers in the United States showed an uptrend in precipitation. Twelve urban centers showed an uptrend in runoff coefficient. However, six urban centers did not show any trend in runoff coefficient, and three urban centers showed a significant downtrend. The highest rate of change in precipitation, runoff and runoff coefficient was observed in the Houston urban watershed. Based on the results obtained, we also attributed plausible causes for the trends. Our analysis indicated that while a human only influence is observed in most of the urban watersheds, a combined climate and human influence is observed in the central United States.

Population migration and the spread of types 1 and 2 human immunodeficiency viruses.

PubMed Central

Quinn, T C

1994-01-01

Over 14 million people are estimated to be infected with the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), with nearly three-fourths of the infected persons residing in developing countries. One factor responsible for dissemination of both HIV-1 and HIV-2 worldwide was the intense migration of individuals, from rural to urban centers with subsequent return migration and internationally due to civil wars, tourism, business purposes, and the drug trade. In sub-Saharan Africa, between 1960 and 1980, urban centers with more than 500,000 inhabitants increased from 3 to 28, and more than 75 military coups occurred in 30 countries. The result was a massive migration of rural inhabitants to urban centers concomitant with the spread of HIV-1 to large population centers. With the associated demographic, economic, and social changes, an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV-1 was ignited. Migratory patterns were also responsible for the spread of endemic HIV-2 to neighboring West African countries and eventually to Europe, the Americans, and India. Although Southeast Asia was the last region in which HIV-1 was introduced, it has the greatest potential for rapid spread due to population density and inherent risk behaviors. Thus, the migration of poor, rural, and young sexually active individuals to urban centers coupled with large international movements of HIV-infected individuals played a prominent role in the dissemination of HIV globally. The economic recession has aggravated the transmission of HIV by directly increasing the population at risk through increased urban migration, disruption of rural families and cultural values, poverty, and prostitution and indirectly through a decrease in health care provision. Consequently, social and economic reform as well as sexual behavior education need to be intensified if HIV transmission is to be controlled. Images PMID:8146131

A Comparative Land Use-Based Analysis of Noise Pollution Levels in Selected Urban Centers of Nigeria.

PubMed

Baloye, David O; Palamuleni, Lobina G

2015-09-29

Growth in the commercialization, mobility and urbanization of human settlements across the globe has greatly exposed world urban population to potentially harmful noise levels. The situation is more disturbing in developing countries like Nigeria, where there are no sacrosanct noise laws and regulations. This study characterized noise pollution levels in Ibadan and Ile-Ife, two urban areas of Southwestern Nigeria that have experienced significant increases in population and land use activities. Eight hundred noise measurements, taken at 20 different positions in the morning, afternoon, and evening of carefully selected weekdays, in each urban area, were used for this study. Findings put the average noise levels in the urban centers at between 53 dB(A) and 89 dB (A), a far cry from the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits in all the land use types, with highest noise pollution levels recorded for transportation, commercial, residential and educational land use types. The result of the one-way ANOVA test carried out on the dependent variable noise and fixed factor land use types reveals a statistically significant mean noise levels across the study area (F(3,34) = 15.13, p = 0.000). The study underscores noise pollution monitoring and the urgent need to control urban noise pollution with appropriate and effective policies.

A Comparative Land Use-Based Analysis of Noise Pollution Levels in Selected Urban Centers of Nigeria

PubMed Central

Baloye, David O.; Palamuleni, Lobina G.

2015-01-01

Growth in the commercialization, mobility and urbanization of human settlements across the globe has greatly exposed world urban population to potentially harmful noise levels. The situation is more disturbing in developing countries like Nigeria, where there are no sacrosanct noise laws and regulations. This study characterized noise pollution levels in Ibadan and Ile-Ife, two urban areas of Southwestern Nigeria that have experienced significant increases in population and land use activities. Eight hundred noise measurements, taken at 20 different positions in the morning, afternoon, and evening of carefully selected weekdays, in each urban area, were used for this study. Findings put the average noise levels in the urban centers at between 53 dB(A) and 89 dB (A), a far cry from the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits in all the land use types, with highest noise pollution levels recorded for transportation, commercial, residential and educational land use types. The result of the one-way ANOVA test carried out on the dependent variable noise and fixed factor land use types reveals a statistically significant mean noise levels across the study area (F(3,34) = 15.13, p = 0.000). The study underscores noise pollution monitoring and the urgent need to control urban noise pollution with appropriate and effective policies. PMID:26426033

Examining the relationship between social support availability, urban center size, and self-perceived mental health of recent immigrants to Canada: a mixed-methods analysis.

PubMed

Chadwick, Kathryn A; Collins, Patricia A

2015-03-01

The experiences of settlement in a new country (e.g., securing housing and employment, language barriers) pose numerous challenges for recent immigrants that can impede their health and well-being. Lack of social support upon arrival and during settlement may help to explain why immigrant mental health status declines over time. While most urban centers in Canada offer some settlement services, little is known about how the availability of social supports, and the health statuses of recent immigrants, varies by city size. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to examine the relationship between self-perceived mental health (SPMH), social support availability, and urban center size, for recent immigrants to Canada. The quantitative component involved analysis of 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Survey data, selecting for only recent immigrants and for those living in either large or small urban centers. The qualitative component involved in-depth interviews with managers of settlement service organizations located in three large and three small urban centers in Canada. The quantitative analysis revealed that social support availability is positively associated with higher SPMH status, and is higher in small urban centers. In support of these findings, our interviews revealed that settlement service organizations operating in small urban centers offer more intensive social supports; interviewees attributed this difference to personal relationships in small cities, and the ease with which they can connect to other agencies to provide clients with necessary supports. Logistic regression analysis revealed, however, that recent immigrants in small urban centers are twice as likely to report low SPMH compared to those living in large urban centers. Thus, while the scope and nature of settlements services appears to vary by city size in Canada, more research is needed to understand what effect settlement services have on the health status of recent immigrants to Canada, especially in smaller urban centers. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

View from the center: Supercities conference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, J. B.

The Supercities Conference (26-30 October 1992) was the initial activity planned and executed by the Pacific Basin Study Center (PBSC), a research center founded by San Francisco State University and the University of California, Davis. The Conference focused on issues of environmental quality and the quest for sustainable development in the great urban centers—Supercities—of the Pacific. The Conference, with its working group process, highlighted the long-term commitment of the PBSC to education, training, and research in regard to environmental, energy, and resource utilization issues that challenge society now and the coming century. We define a "Supercity" as a large metropolitan area of about eight million population currently undergoing rapid growth in population and urbanization. Some of the cities considered at the conference are emerging "Supercities"—large urban complexes destined to soon be "Supercities". Supercities in both the developing and developed nations are at critical stages of development, with the size and number of Supercities appearing to be unstoppable. These urban centers and their surrounding areas are large users of resources and energy. In many cases, the national demand for energy and materials will be largely patterned by the strategies, management, and actions taken within the Supercities. It is for this reason that our focus is on these dynamic, urban entities of the Pacific. Appropriate technology transfer, sharing of common concerns and knowledge, and the seeking of workable conservation and remediation efforts within Supercities could improve living conditions within these centers, and address regional and global environmental issues in parallel. The Conference focused on urban air quality conditions in 14 metropolitan areas, common health impacts, and projected emissions; a working group process defined needed areas for research and development of key information. Through the medium of panels, the progress of several major cities in addressing urban air quality issues was reported, as well as the rationale for the documented successes of environmental improvement. The Conference played a key role in the definition of the early research directions of the PBSC, and in the establishment of a Pacific Basin network of researchers and planners committed to the pursuit of sustainable development.

UMBC CENTER FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

EPA Science Inventory

This was a multi-year project to establish the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE) at UMBC. The Center was founded to advance understanding of the environmental, social and economic consequences of changes to the urban and suburban landscape.

Managing rapid urbanization in the third world: some aspects of policy.

PubMed

Hope, K R

1989-01-01

A priority task for developing countries is the formulation of national urbanization policies that: 1) foster the full development of national resources; 2) promote cohesion among regions, especially where there are striking inequities in per capita output; 3) prevent or correct the overconcentration of economic activity in a few urban centers; and 4) create a more efficient, equitable management of growth within cities. Although urban households tend to be served better by the health and educational sectors than their rural counterparts, the urban poor are denied these benefits in the absence of special programs to ensure universal access. The urban poor are further denied access to the benefits of urban centers through a transportation policy that is oriented more toward roads and cars than public transit systems. Of major concern are the overcrowded squatter settlements that have developed in response to massive rural-urban migration. Since the landlessness, joblessness, and demoralization in rural areas and the consequent urban influx are at the root of the urban crisis in the Third World, integrated rural development is essential to retain substantial new additions to the urban labor force in rural areas. Land reform is the single strategy with the greatest potential to improve the quality of life of the landless poor and small holders. Other needs include programs of labor-intensive rural public works to provide supplementary income-earning opportunities and improve the rural infrastructure and more widespread participation of the rural poor in the development process. Increasingly sophisticated administrative and financing systems will be required to carry out a national urbanization policy, and current politicized bureaucracies must be replaced by a reliance on technically skilled professional administrators.

An Annual Report of the Urban Internship Program-Urban Extension Service Conducted by Florida State University's Urban Research Center During the 1966-67 Fiscal Year.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Inst. for Social Research.

Florida State University's Urban Research Center serves a rapidly growing seven county area in east central Florida; under Title I of the Higher Education Act, the Center increased its service through a uniquely designed research-education program for public administrators, the purpose being to identify and alleviate community problems. The 2,000…

Best Practices for Emergency Rerouting : Research and Findings Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Michigan is a geographically diverse state with some metropolitan or urban centers and vast rural areas : that attract recreational and tourist activities. Each of the States seven MDOT regions present unique : incident management challenges as we...

Identifying the local and regional travel effects of activity centers in the Austin, Texas area.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-02-01

Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have become increasingly interested in : incorporating innovated land use planning and design into transportation plan-making. Many : design ideas are recommended under the umbrella of the New Urbanism; yet ...

New cooperative seismograph networks established in southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, D.P.

1974-01-01

Southern California has more active faults located close to large, urban population centers than any other region in the United States. Reduction of risk to life and property posed by potential earthquakes along these active faults is a primary motivation for a cooperative earthquake research program between the U.S Geological Survey and major universities in Southern California. 

Effects of Green Space and Land Use/Land Cover on Urban Heat Island in a Subtropical Mega-city in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, G. Y.; Li, X.; Li, H.; Guo, Q.

2014-12-01

With the quick expansion of urban in size and population, its urban heat island intensity (UHII, expressed as the temperature difference between urban and rural areas) increased rapidly. However, very few studies could quantitatively reveal the effects of green space and land use/land cover (LULC) on urban thermal environment because of lacking of the detailed measurement. This study focuses on quantifying the effects of green space and LULC on urban Heat Island (UHI) in Shenzhen, a mega subtropical city in China. Extensive measurements (air temperature and humidity) were made by mobile traverse method in a transect of 8 km in length, where a variety of LULC types were included. Measurements were carried out at 2 hours interval for 2 years (totally repeated for 7011 times). According to LULC types, we selected 5 different LULC types for studying, including water body, village in the city, shopping center (commercial area), urban green space (well-vegetated area) and suburb (forest). The main conclusions are obtained as follows: (1) The temperature difference between the 5 different urban landscapes is obvious, i.e. shopping center > village in the city > urban water body > urban green space > suburb; (2) Air temperature and UHII decreases linearly with the increase of green space in urban; (3) Green space and water body in urban have obvious effects to reduce the air temperature by evapotranspiration. Compared to the commercial areas, urban water body can relieve the IUHI by 0.9℃, while the urban green space can relieve the IUHI by 1.57℃. The cooling effect of the urban green space is better than that of the urban water body; (4) Periodic activity of human being has obvious effects on urban air temperature. The UHII on Saturday and Sunday are higher than that from Monday to Friday, respectively higher for 0.65, 0.57, 0.26 and 0.21℃. Thursday and Friday have the minimum air temperature and UHII. These results indicate that increase in urban evapotranspiration by increasing green space could be a useful way to improve urban thermal environment and mitigation of UHI.

In Situ Air Temperature and Humidity Measurements Over Diverse Land Covers in Greenbelt, Maryland, November 2013-November 2015

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, Mark L.; Brown, Molly E.; Wooten, Margaret R.; Donham, Joel E.; Hubbard, Alfred B.; Ridenhour, William B.

2016-01-01

As our climate changes through time there is an ever-increasing need to quantify how and where it is changing so that mitigation strategies can be implemented. Urban areas have a disproportionate amount of warming due, in part, to the conductive properties of concrete and asphalt surfaces, surface albedo, heat capacity, lack of water, etc. that make up an urban environment. The NASA Climate Adaptation Science Investigation working group at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, conducted a study to collect temperature and humidity data at 15 min intervals from 12 sites at the center. These sites represent the major surface types at the center: asphalt, building roof, grass field, forest, and rain garden. The data show a strong distinction in the thermal properties of these surfaces at the center and the difference between the average values for the center compared to a local meteorological station. The data have been submitted to Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL-DAAC) for archival in comma separated value (csv) file format (Carroll et al.,2016) and can be found by following this link: http:daac.ornl.govcgi-bindsviewer.pl?ds_id1319.

Converging social classes through humanized urban edges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abuan, M. V.; Galingan, Z. D.

2017-10-01

Urban open spaces are created to be used by people. It is a place of convergence and social activity. However, these places have transformed into places of divergence. When spaces become dehumanized, it separates social classes. As a result, underused spaces contribute to urban decay. Particularly an urban edge, the JP Rizal Makati Waterfront Area is the center of this paper. The JP Rizal Makati Waterfront Area is a waterfront development situated along the banks of one of Metro Manila’s major water thoroughfare --- Pasig River. The park and its physical form, urban design and landscape tend to deteriorate over time --- creating a further division of social convergence. Social hostility, crime, negligent maintenance and poor urban design are contributing factors to this sprawling decay in what used to be spaces of bringing people together. Amidst attempts to beautify and renew this portion of Makati City’s edge, the urban area still remains misspent.This paper attempts to re-humanize the waterfront development. It uses the responsive environment design principles to be able to achieve this goal.

Urban distribution centers : a means to reducing freight vehicle miles traveled.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-01

The present study examines the model of freight consolidation platforms, and urban distribution centers (UDCs) in particular, as a means to solve the last mile problem of urban freight while reducing vehicle miles traveled and associated environmenta...

Handbook on Marketing Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, William R.

Compiled after interviews with vocational educators at urban and rural joint vocational schools, comprehensive high schools, and career centers considered to be successful at marketing vocational education locally in Ohio, this handbook contains information on successful marketing activities that other local educators can undertake. Section I…

More than a pretty place: assessing the impact of environmental education on children's knowledge and attitudes about outdoor play in nature.

PubMed

Beyer, Kirsten M M; Heller, Elizabeth F; Bizub, Jessica M; Kistner, Amy J; Szabo, Aniko; Shawgo, Erin E; Zetts, Corey J

2015-02-12

Our work assessed the influence of an urban environmental education program on children's attitudes toward outdoor play, as well as knowledge of neighborhood features that can facilitate this type of activity. The project team engaged 6 schools near the newest Urban Ecology Center location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, through a community-academic partnership entitled More Than a Pretty Place. Intervention classrooms participated in programming over the 2012-2013 academic year and pre and post surveys were implemented in classrooms. Data were analyzed using multilevel regression models. The intervention group reported reduced fears of outdoor play in nature and increased frequency of visits to the Urban Ecology Center. The proportion of students who acknowledged knowing of a place to play outside in nature increased significantly in both groups. Our findings indicate an important role for environmental education in addressing fears that may dissuade children from engaging in outdoor play in natural areas.

More than a Pretty Place: Assessing the Impact of Environmental Education on Children’s Knowledge and Attitudes about Outdoor Play in Nature

PubMed Central

Beyer, Kirsten M. M.; Heller, Elizabeth F.; Bizub, Jessica M.; Kistner, Amy J.; Szabo, Aniko; Shawgo, Erin E.; Zetts, Corey J.

2015-01-01

Our work assessed the influence of an urban environmental education program on children’s attitudes toward outdoor play, as well as knowledge of neighborhood features that can facilitate this type of activity. The project team engaged 6 schools near the newest Urban Ecology Center location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, through a community-academic partnership entitled More Than a Pretty Place. Intervention classrooms participated in programming over the 2012–2013 academic year and pre and post surveys were implemented in classrooms. Data were analyzed using multilevel regression models. The intervention group reported reduced fears of outdoor play in nature and increased frequency of visits to the Urban Ecology Center. The proportion of students who acknowledged knowing of a place to play outside in nature increased significantly in both groups. Our findings indicate an important role for environmental education in addressing fears that may dissuade children from engaging in outdoor play in natural areas. PMID:25685953

Islam in Indonesia’s Political Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

former and active military officials. These militias have threatened to attack Americans, staged actions against alleged centers of vice (discothèques... activity ; 3 ! The impact of trends in Islam on Indonesia’s relationship with the United States, Indonesia’s neighbors, and regional and global...rise to a new class of Islamic preachers and forms of Islamic activism consistent with social and educational aspirations of the urban middle class

42 CFR 136.351 - Application and selection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... factors: (1) The extent of the unmet health care needs of the urban Indians in the urban center involved..., in the urban center. Factors to be considered in determining relative accessibility include: (i...; (vi) Technical barriers created by State and local health agencies; (vii) Availability of...

Teachers, Technology, and Policy: What Have We Learned?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, N. A.; Nichols, P.

This paper summarizes Technology Integration Project efforts in four urban elementary schools that were involved in Professional Development Schools (PDSs). Project activities centered on: supporting the rooting of technology integration into school culture and teachers' efforts to integrate technology into their classrooms and strengthening the…

Landslide and slope stability evaluation in the historical town of Kruja, Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muceku, Y.; Korini, O.

2014-03-01

This paper describes landslides and slope stability evaluation in the urban area of Kruja, Albania. Kruja is a historical and heritage center, due to the existence of many important cultural monuments, including "Skanderbeg" castle and Bazaar square, etc. The urban area of Kruja has been affected by landslide effects, in the past and also the present. From this phenomenon many engineering objects such as buildings, roads, etc., are damaged and demolished. From engineering geological mapping at scale 1:5000 it is observed that many active landslides have dramatically increased in activity since the 1980s. The landslide types found in the studied area are earthslides, debris flow, as well as rockfall and rock rolling. Also, from field works and laboratory analysis, the slope stability of the whole urban area has been determined; for this purpose the studied zone is divided into stable and unstable areas, which helps to better understand mass movement activity as one of the most harmful hazards of geodynamic phenomena.

Landslides and slope stability evaluation in the historical town of Kruja, Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muceku, Y.; Korini, O.

2013-07-01

This paper describes the landslides and slope stability evaluation in the urban area of Kruja town, Albania. Kruja is a~historical and heritage center, due to the existence of many important cultural monuments including Skanderbeg castle and Bazaar square etc. The urban area of Kruja town has been affected from the Landslides effects, in the past and also present. From this phenomenon many engineering objects such as buildings, roads etc. are damaged and demolished. From the engineering geological mapping at scale 1 : 5000 it is observed that many active landslides have dramatically increased in activity after 1980s. The landslide types found in the studied area are earth slides, debris flow, as well as rock fall and rock rolling. Also, from field works and laboratory analysis, the slope stability of whole urban areas has been determined; for this purpose the studied zone is divided into the stable and unstable areas, which helps to better understand the mass movement's activity as one of the most harmful hazards of the geodynamics' phenomena.

Exposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) in Childcare Centers of Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jitlada, C.; Pentamwa, P.

2018-03-01

This study aims to characterize airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as of particulate and vapor phases variation. The samples were collected from the childcare centers where divided into urban and rural areas in Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand. The airborne samples were collected from five childcare centers during the dry season in the year 2017. The PAHs species were determined by the gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GS/MS) method. Results show that the total concentrations of PAHs were higher than vapor phase that both similar in urban area and rural area. The dominant PAHs compounds of both urban and rural areas were benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of PAHs in municipality (urban) childcare centers were higher than rural childcare centers area of Nakhon Ratchasima province. The risks associated with exposure to PAHs were evaluated using the TEF approach. The estimated value of lifetime lung cancer risks children in urban were significantly (p < 0.05) 2 times of children in rural, thus demonstrating that exposure to PAHs at levels found at urban site may be cause potential health risks.

CCN activity of thermodenuded aerosol particles downwind of the Sacramento area urban plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiranuma, N.; Cziczo, D. J.; Nelson, D.; Zhang, Q.; Setyan, A.; Song, C.; Shrivastava, M.; Shilling, J. E.

2010-12-01

This study focuses on the characterization of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) properties of aerosol particles measured during the Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) near Sacramento, CA in June 2010. Supersaturation-dependant CCN activity (0.07 - 0.5% supersaturation) was measured with DMT CCN counters at two locations; one near the city center (T0) and the other in Cool, CA, a small town located ~40 kilometers downwind of the urban plume in the Sierra Nevada foothills (T1). The T1 CCN counter was operated behind a thermodenuder to study volatility-dependant CCN activity of the urban aerosol plume as it was transported into the biogenically influenced foothills. Preliminary analysis indicated that activated fraction was inversely proportional to the thermodenuder temperature, suggesting that the more-volatile fraction of the aerosol might have played an important role in the CCN activity of the aerosol. The relationship between the chemical composition and CCN activity of the aerosol will be discussed. The physical and chemical transformations of particles aged in the foothills as well as the diurnal profiles of CCN both at T0 and T1 will also be discussed for the transport event of 15 June 2010.

Spatial distribution and potential sources of trace metals in insoluble particles of snow from Urumqi, China.

PubMed

Li, Xiaolan; Jiang, Fengqing; Wang, Shaoping; Turdi, Muyesser; Zhang, Zhaoyong

2015-01-01

The purpose of this work is to characterize trace elements in snow in urban-suburb gradient over Urumqi city, China. The spatial distribution patterns of 11 trace metals in insoluble particulate matters of snow were revealed by using 102 snow samples collected in and around urban areas of Urumqi, a city suffering from severe wintertime air pollution in China. Similar spatial distribution for Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb was found and their two significant high-value areas located in the west and east, respectively, and a high-value area in the south, which were correlated with factory emissions, traffic activities, and construction fugitive dust. The high-value areas of Cr, Ni, and V occurred in the northeast corner and along main traffic paths, which were linked to oil refinery and vehicular emissions. High value of Be presented in the west of the city. The high-value area of Co in the northeast could be related to local soil. Cd and U displayed relatively even spatial patterns in the urban area. In view of distance from the urban center, e.g., from the first circular belt to the fourth circular belt, except Be, V, Cd, and U, the contents of other metals generally decreased from the first circular belt to the forth circular belt, implying the effect of human activity clearly. Additionally, prevailing northwesterly winds and occasionally southeasterly winds in winter were associated with decreased, generally, concentrations of trace metal in snow from the urban center to the southern suburb along a northwest and southeast transect. The information on concentrations and spatial distributions of these metals in insoluble particles of snow in winter will be valuable for further environmental protection and planning.

Impacts of Roadway Emissions on Urban Fine Particle Exposures: the Nairobi Area Traffic Contribution to Air Pollution (NATCAP) Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatari, Michael; Ngo, Nicole; Ndiba, Peter; Kinney, Patrick

2010-05-01

Air quality is a serious and worsening problem in the rapidly growing cities of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), due to rapid urbanization, growing vehicle fleets, changing life styles, limited road infrastructure and land use planning, and high per-vehicle emissions. However, the absence of ambient monitoring data, and particularly urban roadside concentrations of particulate matter in SSA cities, severely limits our ability to assess the real extent of air quality problems. Emitted fine particles by on-road vehicles may be particularly important in SSA cities because large concentrations of poorly maintained vehicles operate in close proximity to commercial and other activities of low-income urban residents. This scenario provokes major air quality concerns and its investigation should be of priority interest to policy makers, city planners and managers, and the affected population. As part of collaboration between Columbia University and the University of Nairobi, a PM2.5 air monitoring study was carried out over two weeks in July 2009. The objectives of the study were 1) to assess average daytime PM2.5 concentrations on a range of Nairobi streets that represent important hot-spots in terms of the joint distribution of traffic, commercial, and resident pedestrian activities, 2) to relate those concentrations to motor vehicle counts, 3) to compare urban street concentrations to urban and rural background levels, and 4) to assess vertical and horizontal dispersion of PM2.5 near roadways. Portable, battery-operated PM2.5 samplers were carried by field teams at each of the five sites (three urban, one commuter highway, and one rural site), each of which operated from 7 AM to 7 PM during 10 weekdays in July 2009. Urban background monitoring took place on a rooftop at the University of Nairobi. Preliminary findings suggest highly elevated PM2.5 concentrations at the urban sites where the greatest pedestrian traffic was observed. These findings underscore the need for air quality and transportation planning and management directed at mitigating roadway pollution. Reducing PM emissions from motor vehicles would have direct health benefits for residents of Nairobi and other SSA cities. However, further studies are required to depict the seasonal variations, include gaseous pollution aspect, and strengthen the knowledge on air quality in the region as well as improving the data base for health impact assessment. Acknowledgement This study was initiated and funded by Columbia University's Earth Institute's Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD). CSUD is a Volvo Research and Educational Foundations Center of Excellence for Future Urban Transport. International Science Programs (ISP), Uppsala University, Sweden is recognized for its research support to Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology. Additional technical support for air monitoring and analysis was provided by the Exposure Assessment Facility Core of the Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (NIEHS P30 ES09089).

Classification of Global Urban Centers Using ASTER Data: Preliminary Results From the Urban Environmental Monitoring Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanov, W. L.; Stefanov, W. L.; Christensen, P. R.

2001-05-01

Land cover and land use changes associated with urbanization are important drivers of global ecologic and climatic change. Quantification and monitoring of these changes are part of the primary mission of the ASTER instrument, and comprise the fundamental research objective of the Urban Environmental Monitoring (UEM) Program. The UEM program will acquire day/night, visible through thermal infrared ASTER data twice per year for 100 global urban centers over the duration of the mission (6 years). Data are currently available for a number of these urban centers and allow for initial comparison of global city structure using spatial variance texture analysis of the 15 m/pixel visible to near infrared ASTER bands. Variance texture analysis highlights changes in pixel edge density as recorded by sharp transitions from bright to dark pixels. In human-dominated landscapes these brightness variations correlate well with urbanized vs. natural land cover and are useful for characterizing the geographic extent and internal structure of cities. Variance texture analysis was performed on twelve urban centers (Albuquerque, Baghdad, Baltimore, Chongqing, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Lisbon, Madrid, Phoenix, Puebla, Riyadh, Vancouver) for which cloud-free daytime ASTER data are available. Image transects through each urban center produce texture profiles that correspond to urban density. These profiles can be used to classify cities into centralized (ex. Baltimore), decentralized (ex. Phoenix), or intermediate (ex. Madrid) structural types. Image texture is one of the primary data inputs (with vegetation indices and visible to thermal infrared image spectra) to a knowledge-based land cover classifier currently under development for application to ASTER UEM data as it is acquired. Collaboration with local investigators is sought to both verify the accuracy of the knowledge-based system and to develop more sophisticated classification models.

The need for a national urbanization policy in Nepal.

PubMed

Ertur, O

1994-09-01

There is a need for a national urbanization policy in Nepal as a means of redressing regional disparities in development between the hills, the Kathmandu Valley, and the Terai versus rural and urban areas. A settlement system would complement urban and rural development and reduce dependency on India. An urbanization policy would be both systematic and guided by public and private investment in existing urban and rural settlements. Regional investment in development would contribute to commercialization and agricultural industrialization (development and linkage of market towns and service centers, strengthening of basic infrastructure and land use patterns, strengthening of urban areas around transportation centers, promoting nonfarm employment opportunities, establishing strong financial and technical institutions in middle-sized cities, and strengthening municipalities' mobilization of local resources and financing). Nepal has been one of the least developed countries in its region. The agricultural economy provides economic support for 80% of total population. In 1991, density was 130 person per sq. km. 9% of the total population live in urban areas, but the rate of urban growth is the highest among South Asian Regional Cooperation countries (7.3% in Nepal compared to 6.1% in Bangladesh and 3.7% in India). Rural markets and towns are rapidly becoming urbanized but without basic infrastructure. The spatial component of urbanization must be emphasized. Total population increased in the Terai from 37% in 1971 to 47% in 1991, which increased population density by 31% but not cultivation. Harsh physical conditions in mountainous regions and lack of cultivable land are push factors. Pull factors are employment opportunities in emerging urban centers and the availability of agricultural employment in the Terai. Movement to lowlands is enhanced by the eradication of malaria. 53% of the urban population is in the Terai in 1991, which also has 65% of cultivable land, 35% of roads, and 63% of industry. Urban settlements increased from 10 in 1951 to 33 in 1987 and 36 in 1991. In the Terai, the increases are from five to 21 urban centers. The central and eastern region have experienced faster urban growth than the other three regions. Kathmandu is the most populated urban center followed by Biratnagar, Pokhara, and Birganj. Government ministries are ill-equipped to handle the technical and manpower needs in the process of urbanization.

Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 1: A Guide to Survival, Success, and Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frierson-Campbell, Carol, Ed.

2006-01-01

The change needed in urban music education not only relates to the idea that music should be at the center of the curriculum; rather, it is that culturally relevant music should be a creative force at the center of reform in urban education. Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom: A Guide to Survival, Success, and Reform is the start of a…

'Picture me healthy': a pilot study using photovoice to explore health perceptions among migrant youth in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Leung, May May; Jun, Jing; Tseng, Anna; Bentley, Margaret

2017-09-01

Globalization has resulted in an influx of migrant families from rural provinces into the urban areas of China. Although the migrant population may live in the same cities as urban residents, they experience different lives because of restricted access to job opportunities, social services, and schools for children. Limited research exists with Chinese rural-to-urban migrant youth, particularly using community-based approaches. This study explored migrant youths' perceptions of their nutrition, physical activity, and health environment, using the community-based participatory research method of photovoice. Twelve migrant youth (6 boys and 6 girls) in Beijing, China, participated in two photovoice assignments focused on personal safety, nutrition, and physical activity. The photographs taken by the youth guided group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Inductive and deductive processes were used to identify codes (ideas emerging from text); similar codes were grouped into themes. Pedestrian safety was the most common personal safety concern. Another safety issue was the excess garbage in the community. Garbage was also a barrier to nutrition and physical activity as it was a food sanitation concern and limited the physical environments where children could play. Schools and community recreation centers were perceived as facilitators of physical activity. However, community centers were also a barrier as a limited number of them caused overcrowding, resulting in safety concerns. Photovoice enables youth to express their health perceptions. Our data provide interesting preliminary insight into the lives of Chinese migrant youth, which could help inform the development of interventions and advocate for positive environmental changes for this marginalized population.

Assessment of Landscape Fragmentation Associated With Urban Centers Using ASTER Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanov, W. L.

2002-12-01

The role of humans as an integral part of the environment and ecosystem processes has only recently been accepted into mainstream ecological thought. The realization that virtually all ecosystems on Earth have experienced some degree of human alteration or impact has highlighted the need to incorporate humans (and their environmental effects) into ecosystem models. A logical starting point for investigation of human ecosystem dynamics is examination of the land cover characteristics of large urban centers. Land cover and land use changes associated with urbanization are important drivers of local geological, hydrological, ecological, and climatic change. Quantification and monitoring of urban land cover/land use change is part of the primary mission of the ASTER instrument on board the NASA Terra satellite, and comprises the fundamental research objective of the Urban Environmental Monitoring (UEM) Program at Arizona State University. The UEM program seeks to acquire day/night, visible through thermal infrared data twice per year for 100 global urban centers (with an emphasis on semi-arid cities) over the nominal six-year life of the Terra mission. Data have been acquired for the majority of the target urban centers and are used to compare landscape fragmentation patterns on the basis of land cover classifications. Land cover classifications of urban centers are obtained using visible through mid-infrared reflectance and emittance spectra together with calculated vegetation index and spatial variance texture information (all derived from raw ASTER data). This information is combined within a classification matrix, using an expert system framework, to obtain final pixel classifications. Landscape fragmentation is calculated using a pixel per unit area metric for comparison between 55 urban centers with varying geographic and climatic settings including North America, South America, Europe, central and eastern Asia, and Australia. Temporal variations in land cover and landscape fragmentation are assessed for 9 urban centers (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA; Baghdad, Iraq; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Lisbon, Portugal; Madrid, Spain; San Francisco, California, USA; Tokyo, Japan; and Vancouver, Canada). These data provide a useful baseline for comparison of human-dominated ecosystem land cover and associated regional landscape fragmentation. Continued collection of ASTER data throughout the duration of the Terra mission will enable further investigation of urban ecosystem trends.

Comparison of Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss) water and leachate dynamics between urban and pristine barrier island maritime oak forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Stan, J. T.; Stubbins, A.; Reichard, J. S.; Wright, K.; Jenkins, R. B.

2013-12-01

Epiphyte coverage on forest canopies can drastically alter the volume and chemical composition of rainwater reaching soils. Along subtropical and tropical coastlines Tillandisa usneoides L. (Spanish moss), in particular, can envelop urban and natural tree crowns. Several cities actively manage their 'moss' covered forest to enhance aesthetics in the most active tourist areas (e.g., Savannah GA, St. Augustine FL, Charleston SC). Since T. usneoides survives through atmospheric water and solute exchange from specialized trichomes (scales), we hypothesized that T. usneoides water storage dynamics and leachate chemistry may be altered by exposure to this active urban atmosphere. 30 samples of T. usneoides from managed forests around the tourist center of Savannah, Georgia, USA were collected to compare with 30 samples from the pristine maritime live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.) forests of a nearby undeveloped barrier island (St. Catherines Island, Georgia, USA). Maximum water storage capacities were determined via submersion (for all 60 samples) along with dissolved ion (DI) and organic matter (DOM) concentrations (for 15 samples each) after simulated throughfall generation using milliQ ultrapurified water. Further, DOM quality was evaluated (for 15 samples each) using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy (EEMS). Results show significant alterations to water storage dynamics, DI, DOM, and DOM quality metrics under urban atmospheric conditions, suggesting modified C and water cycling in urban forest canopies that may, in turn, influence intrasystem nutrient cycles in urban catchment soils or streams via runoff.

In situ air temperature and humidity measurements over diverse land covers in Greenbelt, Maryland, November 2013-November 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, Mark L.; Brown, Molly E.; Wooten, Margaret R.; Donham, Joel E.; Hubbard, Alfred B.; Ridenhour, William B.

2016-09-01

As our climate changes through time there is an ever-increasing need to quantify how and where it is changing so that mitigation strategies can be implemented. Urban areas have a disproportionate amount of warming due, in part, to the conductive properties of concrete and asphalt surfaces, surface albedo, heat capacity, lack of water, etc. that make up an urban environment. The NASA Climate Adaptation Science Investigation working group at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, conducted a study to collect temperature and humidity data at 15 min intervals from 12 sites at the center. These sites represent the major surface types at the center: asphalt, building roof, grass field, forest, and rain garden. The data show a strong distinction in the thermal properties of these surfaces at the center and the difference between the average values for the center compared to a local meteorological station. The data have been submitted to Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL-DAAC) for archival in comma separated value (csv) file format (Carroll et al., 2016) and can be found by following this link: http://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=1319.

76 FR 62144 - Environmental Impact Statement for Implementation of Passenger Rail Service Between Tucson, AZ...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-06

... characterized by urban densities at the northern and southern limits of the study area (Phoenix Metropolitan... communities located between these urban centers (primarily located in Pinal County). Historic rapid employment.... There are no public transportation services that directly connect the Phoenix and Tucson urban centers...

Implementing sustainable development programs in Chicago

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henderson, H.

1994-12-31

Achieving sustainable development requires a revision of the present view of the nature of the city as an environment, and its relation to a larger ecosystem of which it is an essential part. The environmental health of a wilderness area is inextricably related to the environmental, and economic, health of the great urban centers. The vitality of dense metropolitan areas, where population and economic activities are concentrated, is key to the preservation of productive farm lands, wildlife habitat, and open spaces. The social and economic crisis which grips many metropolitan centers, with attendant flight of industry and development to themore » so-called {open_quotes}greenfields,{close_quotes} fundamentally spreads a broader crisis to our common ecosystem. This crisis is marked by the obliteration of habitat necessary for biodiversity, loss of fertile farm land, and the contamination of air, water and land, as an unescapable effect of the sprawl created by flight from the urban centers. The removal of false conceptual distinctions between the city and nature, distinctions that are unfortunately at the heart of so much of American environmental philosophy, is key to the concept of `sustainable development.` This article sets forth how the City of Chicago is implementing this understanding of the nature of the urban environment, in pursuit of sustainable development within the city.« less

The Child Care Challenge: Models for Child Care Services. Neighborhood Networks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC. Office of Multifamily Housing.

Neighborhood Networks is a community-based initiative established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide residents of HUD-assisted or insured properties with programs, activities, and training promoting economic self-sufficiency. This booklet provides Neighborhood Networks centers information on successful models…

Modeling of urban growth using cellular automata (CA) optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalilnia, M. H.; Ghaemirad, T.; Abbaspour, R. A.

2013-09-01

In this paper, two satellite images of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, which were taken by TM and ETM+ for years 1988 and 2010 are used as the base information layers to study the changes in urban patterns of this metropolis. The patterns of urban growth for the city of Tehran are extracted in a period of twelve years using cellular automata setting the logistic regression functions as transition functions. Furthermore, the weighting coefficients of parameters affecting the urban growth, i.e. distance from urban centers, distance from rural centers, distance from agricultural centers, and neighborhood effects were selected using PSO. In order to evaluate the results of the prediction, the percent correct match index is calculated. According to the results, by combining optimization techniques with cellular automata model, the urban growth patterns can be predicted with accuracy up to 75 %.

Blood Product Utilization Among Trauma and Nontrauma Massive Transfusion Protocols at an Urban Academic Medical Center.

PubMed

Patel, Eshan U; Ness, Paul M; Marshall, Christi E; Gniadek, Thomas; Efron, David T; Miller, Peter M; Zeitouni, Joseph A; King, Karen E; Bloch, Evan M; Tobian, Aaron A R

2017-09-01

Hospital-wide massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) primarily designed for trauma patients may lead to excess blood products being prepared for nontrauma patients. This study characterized blood product utilization among distinct trauma and nontrauma MTPs at a large, urban academic medical center. A retrospective study of blood product utilization was conducted in patients who required an MTP activation between January 2011 and December 2015 at an urban academic medical center. Trauma MTP containers included 6 red blood cell (RBC) units, 5 plasma units, and 1 unit of apheresis platelets. Nontrauma MTP containers included 6 RBC and 3 plasma units. There were 334 trauma MTP activations, 233 nontrauma MTP activations, and 77 nontrauma MTP activations that subsequently switched to a trauma MTP ("switched activations"). All nontrauma MTP activations were among bleeding patients who did not have a traumatic injury (100% [233/233]). Few patients with a nontrauma activation required ad hoc transfusion of RBC units (1.3% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.3%-3.7%]) or plasma (3.4% [95% CI, 1.5%-6.7%]), and only 45.5% (95% CI, 39.0%-52.1%) required ad hoc transfusion of apheresis platelets. Compared to trauma and switched activations, nontrauma activations transfused a lower median number of RBC, plasma, and apheresis platelet units (P < .001 for all comparisons). There was also a lower median number of prepared but unused plasma units for nontrauma activations (3; [interquartile range {IQR}, 3-5]) compared to trauma (7; [IQR, 5-10]; P < .001) and switched activations (8; [IQR, 5-11]; P < .001). The median number of unused apheresis platelet units was 1 (IQR, 1-2) for trauma activations and 0 (IQR, 0-1) for switched activations. There was a high proportion of trauma and switched activations in which all of the prepared apheresis platelet units were unused (28.1% [95% CI, 23.4%-33.3%] and 9.1% [95% CI, 3.7%-17.8%], respectively). The majority of initial nontrauma MTP activations did not require a switch to a trauma MTP. Patients remaining under a nontrauma MTP activation were associated with a lower number of transfused and unused plasma and apheresis platelet units. Future studies evaluating the use of hospital-wide nontrauma MTPs are warranted since an MTP designed for nontrauma patient populations may yield a key strategy to optimize blood product utilization in comparison to a universal MTP for both trauma and nontrauma patients.

Some structural aspects of urbanization in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Rafiq, M; Hailemariam, A

1987-07-01

This article studies the emerging patterns of urbanization in Ethiopia. Over the period from 1967-1984, a number of structural changes have occurred which are likely to play a dominant role in the future urban growth in Ethiopia. In spite of its long history of settled population, Ethiopia did not witness sustained growth of urban centers. Ethiopia is 1 of the least urbanized areas in the Third World. A 3rd aspect of urbanization in Ethiopia is the wide range of regional differentials in the level of urbanization. Most of the urban population is concentrated in 2 administrative regions--Shoa and Eritrea. A more balanced urban growth may, inter alia, involve a better spread in terms of higher education, industrialization, provision of health and social services, and the development of communication and commercial infrastructure. Another striking feature of urbanization in Ethiopia is that growth has not been disproportionately concentrated in the largest urban centers. The largest urban centers have not assumed an inordinately higher level of primacy. The basic form of the curve depicting the relationship between the size of a locality and its rank has remained unchanged over the period. The post-revolution land reforms and the new socioeconomic structure emerging from reorganization of the society appear to have a rural-urban migration inhibiting effect. Some of the country's regional differentials may be associated with environmental factors.

Health behaviors and occupational stress of Brazilian civil servants living in an urban center.

PubMed

Goston, Janaina Lavalli; Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira; de Souza Andrade, Amanda Cristina; Vlahov, David

2013-01-01

Occupational stress and unhealthy lifestyles are common characteristics of urban workers. The association between health behaviors and job stress of urban Brazilian civil servants was studied. A cross-sectional study included 893 workers. Health markers, the dependent variables, were: Fruit/vegetable (FV) and alcohol (A) intake, physical activity (PA), including at work (PAW), smoking (S), BMI ≥ 25 Kg/m(2). Occupational stress, assessed by Job Stress Scale-Brazilian version, classified employees into: High-strain, Low-strain, Active, and Passive. Prevalence rates and multivariate Poisson models were adopted. On average, employees (mean age = 40.2 years; 69.1% female) reported healthy lifestyle factors: FV (56%); PA (59.7%); S (13.3%); however, 49.4% were overweight. Compared to low-strain, high-strain workers reported higher PAW; passive workers lesser PA and higher PAW. After adjusting for socio-demographics and work characteristics, the occupational stress dimensions were no longer associated to health behaviors. Our results do not support the hypothesis of an effect for occupational stress on urban employees' health behaviors. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Promoting and developing a trail network across suburban, rural, and urban communities.

PubMed

Schasberger, Michele G; Hussa, Carol S; Polgar, Michael F; McMonagle, Julie A; Burke, Sharon J; Gegaris, Andrew J

2009-12-01

The Wyoming Valley Wellness Trails Partnership received an Active Living by Design grant late in 2003 for a project centered on a growing trail network linking urban, suburban, and rural communities in northeast Pennsylvania, a former coal region, in order to increase physical activity among residents. The partnership conducted research, collected information, created promotional documents, worked with partners on events and programs, and participated in trail planning. Local trail organizations continued planning and construction toward developing a trail network. Other partners spearheaded policy change in schools and worksites and worked toward downtown revitalization. The partnership assisted these efforts by providing a forum in which organizations could meet. The partnership became a central resource for information about local parks, trails, and outdoor recreational activities. The partnership increased awareness and use of recreational facilities. Trail partners constructed 22 miles of walking and biking trails. The partnership took advantage of an allied effort that created organizational capacity for wellness in schools and worksites. Messages promoting social and entertainment benefits of physical activity were more successful than those promoting health benefits. The existence of multiple small, independent trail organizations can help advance trail development through concurrent development efforts. Urban, suburban, and rural residents' conceptions of walkability may differ. Trails provide options for recreational and transportation-related physical activity across urban, suburban, and rural landscapes that are supported by all constituents. Trail builders can be strong allies in bringing active living to suburban and rural places.

High-rise construction in historical cities through the example of Saint Petersburg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granstrem, Maria; Zolotareva, Milena; Slavina, Tatyana

2018-03-01

The article sets forth results of the landscape visual analysis of the interaction of high-rise construction facilities with the environment of historical urban spaces. A toxic connection of high-rise construction facilities with the established urban landscape was analyzed and recorded. One of the latest stages of the reconstruction of historical cities, which penetrated many European countries at the end of the 20th century, also started in the beginning of the 21st century in Russia, where the reconstruction of historical facilities and territories became one of the leading trends of architectural activity. Therefore, problems of the interaction between the old city and new high-rise construction nearby historical centers are extremely relevant for Russian architects. Specific features of Russian high-rise construction within visual borders of historical cities, developed at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries, repeat past urban-planning mistakes spread in Europe in the second half of the 20th century. High-rise construction in close proximity to historical centers of cities violates an established scale and destroys a historical city silhouette.

Uncovering urban human mobility from large scale taxi GPS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jinjun; Liu, Fang; Wang, Yinhai; Wang, Hua

2015-11-01

Taxi GPS trajectories data contain massive spatial and temporal information of urban human activity and mobility. Taking taxi as mobile sensors, the information derived from taxi trips benefits the city and transportation planning. The original data used in study are collected from more than 1100 taxi drivers in Harbin city. We firstly divide the city area into 400 different transportation districts and analyze the origin and destination distribution in urban area on weekday and weekend. The Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is used to cluster pick-up and drop-off locations. Furthermore, four spatial interaction models are calibrated and compared based on trajectories in shopping center of Harbin city to study the pick-up location searching behavior. By extracting taxi trips from GPS data, travel distance, time and average speed in occupied and non-occupied status are then used to investigate human mobility. Finally, we use observed OD matrix of center area in Harbin city to model the traffic distribution patterns based on entropy-maximizing method, and the estimation performance verify its effectiveness in case study.

Innovation-diffusion: a geographical study of the transition of family limitation practice in Taiwan.

PubMed

Ting, T Y

1984-09-01

This paper uses map analysis to study the transition of family limitation practice in Taiwan between 1961-80. The innovation-diffusion perspective emphasizes that birth control, particularly contraception, is a recent innovation and is essentially new in human culture. The innovation-diffusion theory assumes that the decline of fertility began in a setting where there was no, or at most very limited, previous practice of birth control. The theory emphasizes the importance of the spread of information. It also assumes that innovation starts in metropolitan centers, diffuses to other urban places with some delay, and penetrates to rural areas still later. Innovation behavior also diffuses from 1 area to another which is culturally and linguistically similar. Although there was some urban to rural diffusion from the Taiwan family planning program, the government supported program provided services more evenly between urban and rural areas, thus somewhat limiting the diffusion effect from the program. For the diffusion of family practice in Taiwan, it is expected that the availability of of information about and means of family limitation practice may effect the rate of the increase of small m values -- an index of family limitation -- in an area. The case study of Pingtung county shows that the demand-side diffusion from urban to rural areas was important in the earlier decade of the transition of family plimitation practice, but distance from urban center was less important as practice became more uniform through diffusion. Ethnicity, whether or not the township was dominated by Hakka or Fukienese, also seems to have played an important role in determining the pace at which the local residents adopted family practice limitation. Hakka townships seem to have adopted family limitation practice more slowly than Fukienese townships about the same distance from the urban center. The map analysis of Pingtung county provides descriptive evidence to support the diffusion of family limitation from urban centers to distant areas, while ethnic variables like Hakka population tend to delay the adoption of family limitation practice. In general, the urban center had higher m values than the surrounding rural areas in Pingtung county and for areas other than the urban center the the level of m values is a negative function of the distance to the urban center.

Construction Land Expansion and Transfer of Gravity Center from 1984 to 2016 : A study on Beijing - Tianjin - Hebei Urban Agglomeration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Jinxia; Jiang, Weiguo

2017-04-01

With the economic development and technological innovation, urban planning and construction has already broken through the shackles of the natural conditions such as topography and geomorphology, and the social factors such as politics and location have been affected by the urbanization process in the process of urbanization. At the same time, the synergies between urban development and local economy, national policy, industrial distribution and so on are also paid more attention. As the third pole of Chinese economy after the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolis Circle has attracted extensive attention on experts and scholars in its urban development and location. In recent years, studies on urban development have not only analyzed the spatial characteristics of urban or urban agglomerations, but also discussed the relationship between urban development and certain elements or phenomena. This paper presents a multi-threshold and multi-feature extraction method for building land using the optical characteristics of different landforms, based on Landsat remote sensing images from 1984 to 2016. The method selected Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Extraction Index (SOEI) and Normalized Difference Built-up Index (BUEI) to extract the construction land. It is an example study area of Beijing to extract the construction land in 30 years and to do a examine research. Using the ArcGIS software to calculate, we can get the coordinates of the city center of gravity in Beijing in various years. It can be seen that the center of gravity of built-up area and the movement of the center of gravity in Beijing. The results showed that the construction land in Beijing has an increasing tendency in recent 30 years. The main characteristic of expansion is the way of high-speed outward development. From 1984 to 1999, the center of gravity of the city shifted to the northeast, and from 2000 to 2016 the center of gravity shifted to the southeast. In the further study, we would do a research in the whole area in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and pay more attention to built-up land expansion prediction.

Freshwater mussels in an urban watershed: Impacts of anthropogenic inputs and habitat alterations on populations.

PubMed

Gillis, Patricia L; McInnis, Rodney; Salerno, Joseph; de Solla, Shane R; Servos, Mark R; Leonard, Erin M

2017-01-01

The substantial increase in urbanization worldwide has resulted in higher emissions of wastewater to riverine systems near urban centers, which often impairs aquatic populations and communities. This study examined the effect of urbanization on freshwater mussel populations, including Species at Risk in two rivers receiving wastewater. The influence of anthropogenic activities was assessed in a watershed in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, one that historically supported one of the most diverse mussel faunas in Canada. In the Grand River (ON), four sites along a 60km reach spanning from an upstream reference site to an urban-impacted downstream area were examined. In the Speed River, mussel populations at six sites along a 10km reach, selected to bracket specific anthropogenic inputs and structures were assessed. A semi-quantitative visual search method revealed that catch per unit effort in the Grand River declined by >60% from the upstream reference site to the area downstream of an urban center. The size (length) frequency distribution of the most abundant species, Lasmigona costata, was significantly (p≤0.008) different upstream of the majority of urban inputs (45-130mm) compared to downstream of the cities (85-115mm). In the Speed River, impoundments and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) reduced both the diversity and catch per effort. Most striking were 84 and 95% changes in the number of mussels found on either side of two impoundments, and a 98% drop in mussels immediately downstream of a WWTP outfall. These population level effects of decreased abundance and underrepresentation of smaller mussels downstream of the urban area correspond to previously documented impacts at the biochemical and whole organism level of biological organization in wild mussels at this location. Our results demonstrate that poor water quality and physical barriers in urban environments continue to impair susceptible populations and communities of aquatic animals. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Malaria in Urban Ahmedabad (Gujarat), India: Identification of Hot Spots and Risk Factors for Targeted Intervention

PubMed Central

Parizo, Justin; Sturrock, Hugh J. W.; Dhiman, Ramesh C.; Greenhouse, Bryan

2016-01-01

The world population, especially in developing countries, has experienced a rapid progression of urbanization over the last half century. Urbanization has been accompanied by a rise in cases of urban infectious diseases, such as malaria. The complexity and heterogeneity of the urban environment has made study of specific urban centers vital for urban malaria control programs, whereas more generalizable risk factor identification also remains essential. Ahmedabad city, India, is a large urban center located in the state of Gujarat, which has experienced a significant Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum disease burden. Therefore, a targeted analysis of malaria in Ahmedabad city was undertaken to identify spatiotemporal patterns of malaria, risk factors, and methods of predicting future malaria cases. Malaria incidence in Ahmedabad city was found to be spatially heterogeneous, but temporally stable, with high spatial correlation between species. Because of this stability, a prediction method utilizing historic cases from prior years and seasons was used successfully to predict which areas of Ahmedabad city would experience the highest malaria burden and could be used to prospectively target interventions. Finally, spatial analysis showed that normalized difference vegetation index, proximity to water sources, and location within Ahmedabad city relative to the dense urban core were the best predictors of malaria incidence. Because of the heterogeneity of urban environments and urban malaria itself, the study of specific large urban centers is vital to assist in allocating resources and informing future urban planning. PMID:27382081

Assessing surface albedo change and its induced radiation budget under rapid urbanization with Landsat and GLASS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yonghong; Jia, Gensuo; Pohl, Christine; Zhang, Xiaoxuan; van Genderen, John

2016-02-01

Radiative forcing (RF) induced by land use (mainly surface albedo) change is still not well understood in climate change science, especially the effects of changes in urban albedo due to rapid urbanization on the urban radiation budget. In this study, a modified RF derivation approach based on Landsat images was used to quantify changes in the solar radiation budget induced by variations in surface albedo in Beijing from 2001 to 2009. Field radiation records from a Beijing meteorological station were used to identify changes in RF at the local level. There has been rapid urban expansion over the last decade, with the urban land area increasing at about 3.3 % annually from 2001 to 2009. This has modified three-dimensional urban surface properties, resulting in lower albedo due to complex building configurations of urban centers and higher albedo on flat surfaces of suburban areas and cropland. There was greater solar radiation (6.93 × 108 W) in the urban center in 2009 than in 2001. However, large cropland and urban fringe areas caused less solar radiation absorption. RF increased with distance from the urban center (less than 14 km) and with greater urbanization, with the greatest value being 0.41 W/m2. The solar radiation budget in urban areas was believed to be mainly influenced by urban structural changes in the horizontal and vertical directions. Overall, the results presented herein indicate that cumulative urbanization impacts on the natural radiation budget could evolve into an important driver of local climate change.

From Churches to Pavements: Urban Geology and Paleontology in Algarve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azevedo Rodrigues, Luis

2015-04-01

Urban environments were and are tremendous consumers of geologic resources, offering excellent places for Geosciences outreach activities. Since 2011, three distinct science outreach activities were planned, produced and performed in three Algarve cities - Faro (GeoStories of Faro's Downtown), Lagos (Geology at the Corner) and Tavira (From the Museum to the Convent). Urban structures - churches, monuments, buildings and urban equipments were the starting point of the geological and paleontological stories that constitute the core of these informal education visits which also combine Art History and Heritage aspects. The urban buildings were the narrative tool to these Geosciences stories being the characters the rocks and/or the fossils as well as the city itself. Beyond the natural science element, the analyzed objects have relevant esthetical, historical or symbolic dimensions, conferring this way two levels of interpretation to the stories: the geosciences level; the other, the Historical and Architectural Heritage. The nineteen visits had 350 participants - Tavira (6; 100), Faro (4; 70) e Lagos (9; 180). Promoting and contribute to the Geosciences (Geology and Paleontology) outreach was the main objective of these walks, as well as: - modify the way that the general population looks at urban buildings; - contribute to the informal education of a general public especially among the public which is interested in Architecture, History and Heritage; - integrate different areas of human knowledge - Geosciences and Architecture, History and Heritage. The visits were tested and implemented and presently constitute one of the science outreach activities of the Ciência Viva Centers in the Algarve. As a result of these visits three bilingual books (Portuguese and English) of the Geosciences walks were edited. The guides, with 120 pages each, focus on the geological and paleontological characteristics of the visited places as well as the art history framework of the different monuments and urban areas.

Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom Set

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frierson-Campbell, Carol Ed.

2006-01-01

The change needed in urban music education not only relates to the idea that music should be at the center of the curriculum; rather, it is that culturally relevant music should be a creative force at the center of reform in urban education. This set is the start of a national-level conversation aimed at making that goal a reality. In both…

Remembering to Laugh and Explore: Improvisational Activities for Literacy Teaching in Urban Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Katy; McKnight, Katherine S.

2009-01-01

In an effort to push back against contextual factors that have constrained arts instruction and integration while recognizing that schools have limited resources, The Second City Training Center in Chicago has developed several educational programs that bring the art of improvisation to teachers and students. This article specifically focuses on…

Automation of the Reporting and Tracking Requirements of Architect-Engineering Type Contracts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

Electrical Eng 03 Oceano rahers 04 -- 10 Architect 05 Estimatcrs 06-- Urban Planners 07 Chemical Eng 08 -- Geologists 09--3 Sanitary Eng 10 -25 Civil Eng...geographic dispersicn of the activities, cc:tzal centers for information exchange should L idert iEd (newsletters, regional periodic meetizgs, sol r

Urban remote sensing applications: TIMS observations of the City of Scottsdale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, Philip R.; Melendrez, David E.; Anderson, Donald L.; Hamilton, Victoria E.; Wenrich, Melissa L.; Howard, Douglas

1995-01-01

A research program has been initiated between Arizona State University and the City of Scottsdale, Arizona to study the potential applications of TIMS (Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner) data for urban scene classification, desert environmental assessment, and change detection. This program is part of a long-term effort to integrate remote sensing observations into state and local planning activities to improve decision making and future planning. Specific test sites include a section of the downtown Scottsdale region that has been mapped in very high detail as part of a pilot program to develop an extensive GIS database. This area thus provides excellent time history of the evolution of the city infrastructure, such as the timing and composition of street repavement. A second area of study includes the McDowell intensive study by state and local agencies to assess potential sites for urban development as well as preservation. These activities are of particular relevance as the Phoenix metropolitan area undergoes major expansion into the surrounding desert areas. The objectives of this study in urban areas are aimed at determining potential applications of TIMS data for classifying and assessing land use and surface temperatures. Land use centers on surface impermeability studies for storm runoff assessment and pollution control. These studies focus on determining the areal abundance of urban vegetation and undeveloped soil. Highly experimental applications include assessment and monitoring of pavement condition. Temperature studies focus on determining swimming pool area and temperature for use in monitoring evaporating and urban water consumption. These activities are of particular relevance as the Phoenix metropolitan area undergoes major expansion into the surrounding desert area.

THE CENTER FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION - UMBC

EPA Science Inventory

EPA GRANT NUMBER: R831058
Title: The Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education - UMBC
Investigator: Claire Welty
Institution: University of Maryland - Baltimore County
EPA Project Officer: Brandon Jones
Project...

Polycentrism, commuting, and residential location in the San Francisco Bay area.

PubMed

Cervero, R; Wu K--

1997-05-01

"The San Francisco Bay Area has taken on a distinct polycentric metropolitan form, with three tiers of hierarchical employment centers encircling downtown San Francisco.... In this paper it is found that polycentric development is associated with differentials in suburban and urban commute trip times: commute trips made by employees of suburban centers are shorter in duration than commute trips made by their counterparts in larger and denser urban centers. Differentials were even greater, however, with respect to commuting modal splits. Lower density, outlying employment centers averaged far higher rates of drive-alone automobile commuting and insignificant levels of transit commuting....The effects of housing availability and prices on the residential locational choices of those working both in urban and in suburban employment centers are also investigated...." excerpt

Workers' Housing Estates In Postindustrial Cities - Modernization Or Revitalization?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaweł, Dariusz

2015-09-01

The article presents a part of the results on the physiognomy of a postindustrial city under conditions of economic transformation in Poland. The study area encompasses industrial centers located in the region of the Central Industrial District (Centralny Okręg Przemysłowy - COP) in the Świętokrzystkie and Mazowieckie voivodeships (districts). The specific urban structure of the industrial city and unemployment among its inhabitants resulting from ownership transformations generate various problems. The workers' neighborhoods and colonies, which sprouted up so quickly at the beginning of the XX century, were a supply base for the rapidly developing industrial centers. Their clear urban structure and cultural potential they possess predispose them to developing necessary repair programs. Thus, the article draws attention to this form of settlement on the one hand, and on the other characterizes the activities assumed by gminas (municipalities) in the scope of modernizing and revitalizing these areas.

A Spatial Approach to Identify Slum Areas in East Wara Sub-Districts, South Sulawesi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anurogo, W.; Lubis, M. Z.; Pamungkas, D. S.; Hartono; Ibrahim, F. M.

2017-12-01

Spatial approach is one of the main approaches of geography, its analysis emphasizes the existence of space that serves to accommodate human activities. The dynamic development of the city area brings many impacts to the urban community’s own life patterns. The development of the city center which is the center of economic activity becomes the attraction for the community that can bring influence to the high flow of labor both from within the city itself and from outside the city area, thus causing the high flow of urbanization. Urbanization has caused an explosion in urban population and one implication is the occurrence of labor-clumping in major cities in Indonesia. Another impact of the high urbanization flow of cities is the problem of urban settlements. The more populations that come in the city, the worse the quality of the existing settlements in the city if not managed properly. This study aims to determine the location of slum areas in East Wara Sub-Districts using remote sensing technology tools and Geographic Information System (GIS). Parameters used to identify slum areas partially extracted using remote sensing data and for parameters that cannot be extracted using remote sensing data, information obtained from field surveys with information retrieval based on reference data. Analysis results for slum settlements taken from the parameters indicate that the East Wara Sub-District has the largest slum areas located in Pontap village. The village of Pontap has two classes of slums that are very shabby and slums. Slum classes are also in Surutangga Village. The result of the analysis shows that the slum settlement area has 46,324 Ha, which is only located in Pontap Village, whereas for the slum class are found in some villages of Pontap and Surutangga Urban Village, there are 37.797 Ha area. The class of slum settlement areas has the largest proportion of the area among other classes in East Wara Subdistrict. The class of slum settlement areas has an area of 74,481 Ha. This class is located in Kelurahan Salekoe and Kelurahan Benteng. The less grungy and quite shabby class is the rest which each has an area of 29,144 Ha and 18,228 Ha. There is quite a slum class in Kelurahan Ponjale and Less Slum Class Available in Malatunrung Urban Village.

Smart urban design to reduce transportation impact in city centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fezzai, Soufiane; Mazouz, Said; Ahriz, Atef

2018-05-01

Air pollution is one of the most serious problems facing human being; urban wastes are in first range of energy consumption and emission of greenhouse gasses. Transportation or car traffic is one of the most consumer sectors of fuel, and most pollutant. Reducing energy consumption in transportation and the emission of pollutant gasses becomes an important objective for urban designers; many solutions may be proposed to help solving this problem in future designs, but it depend on other factors in existing urban space especially in city centers characterized with high occupation density. In this paper we investigate traffic rate in the city center of the case study, looking for the causes of the high traffic using gate count method and estimating fuel consumption. We try to propose some design solutions to reduce distances so fuel consumption and emission of pollutant gasses. We use space syntax techniques to evaluate urban configuration and verify the proposed solutions.

Understanding the Relationship between Activity and Neighbourhoods (URBAN) Study: research design and methodology.

PubMed

Badland, Hannah M; Schofield, Grant M; Witten, Karen; Schluter, Philip J; Mavoa, Suzanne; Kearns, Robin A; Hinckson, Erica A; Oliver, Melody; Kaiwai, Hector; Jensen, Victoria G; Ergler, Christina; McGrath, Leslie; McPhee, Julia

2009-07-10

Built environment attributes are recognized as being important contributors to physical activity (PA) engagement and body size in adults and children. However, much of the existing research in this emergent public health field is hindered by methodological limitations, including: population and site homogeneity, reliance on self-report measures, aggregated measures of PA, and inadequate statistical modeling. As an integral component of multi-country collaborative research, the Understanding the Relationship between Activity and Neighbourhoods (URBAN) Study seeks to overcome these limitations by determining the strengths of association between detailed measures of the neighborhood built environment with PA levels across multiple domains and body size measures in adults and children. This article outlines the research protocol developed for the URBAN Study. The URBAN Study is a multi-centered, stratified, cross-sectional research design, collecting data across four New Zealand cities. Within each city, 12 neighborhoods were identified and selected for investigation based on higher or lower walkability and Māori demographic attributes. Neighborhoods were selected to ensure equal representation of these characteristics. Within each selected neighborhood, 42 households are being randomly selected and an adult and child (where possible) recruited into the study. Data collection includes: objective and self-reported PA engagement, neighborhood perceptions, demographics, and body size measures. The study was designed to recruit approximately 2,000 adults and 250 children into the project. Other aspects of the study include photovoice, which is a qualitative assessment of built environment features associated with PA engagement, an audit of the neighborhood streetscape environment, and an individualized neighborhood walkability profile centered on each participant's residential address. Multilevel modeling will be used to examine the individual-level and neighborhood-level relationships with PA engagement and body size. The URBAN Study is applying a novel scientifically robust research design to provide urgently needed epidemiological information regarding the associations between the built environment and health outcomes. The findings will contribute to a larger, international initiative in which similar neighborhood selection and PA measurement procedures are utilized across eight countries. Accordingly, this study directly addresses the international priority issues of increasing PA engagement and decreasing obesity levels.

Understanding the Relationship between Activity and Neighbourhoods (URBAN) Study: research design and methodology

PubMed Central

Badland, Hannah M; Schofield, Grant M; Witten, Karen; Schluter, Philip J; Mavoa, Suzanne; Kearns, Robin A; Hinckson, Erica A; Oliver, Melody; Kaiwai, Hector; Jensen, Victoria G; Ergler, Christina; McGrath, Leslie; McPhee, Julia

2009-01-01

Background Built environment attributes are recognized as being important contributors to physical activity (PA) engagement and body size in adults and children. However, much of the existing research in this emergent public health field is hindered by methodological limitations, including: population and site homogeneity, reliance on self-report measures, aggregated measures of PA, and inadequate statistical modeling. As an integral component of multi-country collaborative research, the Understanding the Relationship between Activity and Neighbourhoods (URBAN) Study seeks to overcome these limitations by determining the strengths of association between detailed measures of the neighborhood built environment with PA levels across multiple domains and body size measures in adults and children. This article outlines the research protocol developed for the URBAN Study. Methods and design The URBAN Study is a multi-centered, stratified, cross-sectional research design, collecting data across four New Zealand cities. Within each city, 12 neighborhoods were identified and selected for investigation based on higher or lower walkability and Māori demographic attributes. Neighborhoods were selected to ensure equal representation of these characteristics. Within each selected neighborhood, 42 households are being randomly selected and an adult and child (where possible) recruited into the study. Data collection includes: objective and self-reported PA engagement, neighborhood perceptions, demographics, and body size measures. The study was designed to recruit approximately 2,000 adults and 250 children into the project. Other aspects of the study include photovoice, which is a qualitative assessment of built environment features associated with PA engagement, an audit of the neighborhood streetscape environment, and an individualized neighborhood walkability profile centered on each participant's residential address. Multilevel modeling will be used to examine the individual-level and neighborhood-level relationships with PA engagement and body size. Discussion The URBAN Study is applying a novel scientifically robust research design to provide urgently needed epidemiological information regarding the associations between the built environment and health outcomes. The findings will contribute to a larger, international initiative in which similar neighborhood selection and PA measurement procedures are utilized across eight countries. Accordingly, this study directly addresses the international priority issues of increasing PA engagement and decreasing obesity levels. PMID:19589175

Characteristics of urban transportation systems. A handbook for transportation planners

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1975-05-01

The objective of the handbook, specifically for use by transportation planners in the evaluation of alternative systems, is to provide a single simplified reference source which characterizes the most important performance characteristics of the following contemporary urban transportation systems: (1) rail (commuter, rapid, and light); (2) local bus and bus rapid transit; (3) automobile-highway system (automobiles and other vehicles); (4) pedestrian assistance systems; and (5) activity center systems--people mover systems that have been installed at airports, zoos, amusement parks, etc. The handbook assesses the supply or performance aspect of urban transportation dealing with passenger demand implicitly. Seven supply parameters studiedmore » are: speed, capacity (service volume), operating cost (vehicle), energy consumption (vehicle or source), pollution, capital cost, and accident frequency.« less

Human induced coastal changes and their impact on the coastal urban landscape. The case of Heraklion, Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rempis, Nikolaos; Alexandrakis, George; Kampanis, Nikolaos

2017-04-01

Coastal zone is a vital part of human society due to sea activities. Α variety of activities and uses are present and are further developing in the coastal and marine are. Coastal ecosystems and landscape are under severe pressure due to population growth and continuous expansion of human activities and supplemented from the effects of climate change (e.g. coastal flooding, erosion). Heraklion is the largest urban center in Crete. Its suburban and coastal area receives intensive urban sprawl pressures, changing the urban landscape and resulting negative impacts on the human and natural environment. The saturation of coastal area of Heraklion creates the need for new development interventions (e.g. new marina, coastal protection, urban regeneration). This study examine the impacts of the new programmed coastal development intervention in the coastal landscape of Heraklion. A decision analytic approach was implemented, based on the need of stakeholders for the protection and further development of coastal area of Heraklion. In this direction, local authorities have proposed the realization of several development interventions which include a new marina, expansion of bathing beaches and coastal regeneration project in a large beach. The results indicate that the realization of any coastal development projects, also increases the negative effects that are related to land-sea interaction. The negative effects are a result of the interaction between different human activities but also between human activities and the environment. The development of the marina in the selected location, increases the pressure on the sea area as the navigation will increase, but also increases the pressure on land space, as traffic flows will change, creating new pressures in urban areas. The extension of bathing beaches implies larger number of bathers, thus creating greater needs for infrastructures in land area for their service. Coastal protection projects, as planned, will upgrade the inland section of the city coastal walls and upgrade them as tourist attraction.

A New Chapter: Elderly Urban Indians and Political Activism in Phoenix.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebow, Edward B.

Life history interviews with 22 elderly Indians (16 women, 6 men, aged 60 to 81) in Phoenix suggest that for many of them the Indian Senior Center offers a sociable arena where they assume activist roles, directly addressing aging-related issues concerning health care, transportation, and emotional stress management. They engage in fund-raising…

Addressing Urban Health in Detroit, New York City, and Seattle Through Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships

PubMed Central

Metzler, Marilyn M.; Higgins, Donna L.; Beeker, Carolyn G.; Freudenberg, Nicholas; Lantz, Paula M.; Senturia, Kirsten D.; Eisinger, Alison A.; Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A.; Gheisar, Bookda; Palermo, Ann-Gel; Softley, Donald

2003-01-01

Objective. This study describes key activities integral to the development of 3 community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships. Methods. We compared findings from individual case studies conducted at 3 urban research centers (URCs) to identify crosscutting adaptations of a CBPR approach in the first 4 years of the partnerships’ development. Results. Activities critical in partnership development include sharing decisionmaking, defining principles of collaboration, establishing research priorities, and securing funding. Intermediate outcomes were sustained CBPR partnerships, trust within the partnerships, public health research programs, and increased capacity to conduct CBPR. Challenges included the time needed for meaningful collaboration, concerns regarding sustainable funding, and issues related to institutional racism. Conclusions. The URC experiences suggest that CBPR can be successfully implemented in diverse settings. PMID:12721148

[Health education and people's participation in health in Nicaragua: research on the profile, role and function of the "brigadistas populares" in health].

PubMed

Leonardi, L; Mori, M

1989-01-01

The Nicaraguan democratic government has been building, since the defeat of somozism in 1979, a very extensive and uniform health system in the whole country, giving special attention to the problems of prevention and health education, promoting and utilizing a wide participation of the population. The most emblematic representative of the Nicaraguan model of participation is the Brigadista Popular en Salud, a voluntary figure in urban and rural areas, working along side the Sole National Health System. The work and role of the Brigadista is integrated in a health education action defined "Educaciòn Popular en Salud", intended as a dialogue through which the educator and educated, beginning with the specific political and economical social reality, accomplish work of observation, analysis and syntesis of the different phenomena that deal with health-sickness. The Brigadista is a member of the community that works voluntarily for the community to carry out health actions, in coordination with the "Puesto de Salud" of the community. The authors refer to a research study done in the field in 1987, geared to study the profile, role and activities of the Brigadista. The research was done in the "Las Segovias" Region, in the Northern part of the country, in two Health Areas, involving three urban centers and six rural communities: 73 Brigadistas were interviewed, of which 50 (predetermined) of urban centers and 23 (total population) in rural communities. The article represents in a comparative manner the operative Brigadista respectively, in urban areas on the one hand and in rural areas on the other. The article examines: sex; age; schooling; work activity; social-cultural background; collective systems background; participation in Literacy Campaigns; motivation; length and continuity of activities; relationship with the territory; activities done. The Brigadista that works in rural areas seems actually to be more attached, even to the formal image of his role, that the urban Brigadista. This is shown by the reduced turn-over, the wider span of functions, the closer relationship with collective systems that represent categories, a more intense relationship with colleagues of the health system as well as with other Brigadistas, the operative reference to specificity defined territories, more continuity in the functions of the Brigadista Popular en Salud.

Urbanization alters communities of flying arthropods in parks and gardens of a medium-sized city.

PubMed

Lagucki, Edward; Burdine, Justin D; McCluney, Kevin E

2017-01-01

Urbanization transforms undeveloped landscapes into built environments, causing changes in communities and ecological processes. Flying arthropods play important roles in these processes as pollinators, decomposers, and predators, and can be important in structuring food webs. The goal of this study was to identify associations between urbanization and the composition of communities of flying (and floating) arthropods within gardens and parks in a medium-sized mesic city. We predicted that flying arthropod abundance and diversity would respond strongly to percent impervious surface and distance to city center, measurements of urbanization. Flying arthropods were sampled from 30 gardens and parks along an urbanization gradient in Toledo, Ohio, during July and August 2016, using elevated pan traps. A variety of potential predictor variables were also recorded at each site. We collected a total of 2,369 individuals representing nine orders. We found that flying arthropod community composition was associated with percent impervious surface and canopy cover. Overall flying arthropod abundance was negatively associated with percent impervious surface and positively associated with distance to city center. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants), Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies), and Araneae (spiders) were positively associated with distance to city center. Hemiptera (true bugs), Diptera (flies), and Araneae were negatively associated with percent impervious surface. Both distance to city center and percent impervious surface are metrics of urbanization, and this study shows how these factors influence flying arthropod communities in urban gardens and city parks, including significant reductions in taxa that contain pollinators and predators important to urban agriculture and forestry. A variety of environmental factors also showed significant associations with responses (e.g. canopy cover and soil moisture), suggesting these factors may underlie or modulate the urbanization effects. More research is needed to determine mechanisms of change.

Urbanization alters communities of flying arthropods in parks and gardens of a medium-sized city

PubMed Central

Lagucki, Edward

2017-01-01

Urbanization transforms undeveloped landscapes into built environments, causing changes in communities and ecological processes. Flying arthropods play important roles in these processes as pollinators, decomposers, and predators, and can be important in structuring food webs. The goal of this study was to identify associations between urbanization and the composition of communities of flying (and floating) arthropods within gardens and parks in a medium-sized mesic city. We predicted that flying arthropod abundance and diversity would respond strongly to percent impervious surface and distance to city center, measurements of urbanization. Flying arthropods were sampled from 30 gardens and parks along an urbanization gradient in Toledo, Ohio, during July and August 2016, using elevated pan traps. A variety of potential predictor variables were also recorded at each site. We collected a total of 2,369 individuals representing nine orders. We found that flying arthropod community composition was associated with percent impervious surface and canopy cover. Overall flying arthropod abundance was negatively associated with percent impervious surface and positively associated with distance to city center. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants), Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies), and Araneae (spiders) were positively associated with distance to city center. Hemiptera (true bugs), Diptera (flies), and Araneae were negatively associated with percent impervious surface. Both distance to city center and percent impervious surface are metrics of urbanization, and this study shows how these factors influence flying arthropod communities in urban gardens and city parks, including significant reductions in taxa that contain pollinators and predators important to urban agriculture and forestry. A variety of environmental factors also showed significant associations with responses (e.g. canopy cover and soil moisture), suggesting these factors may underlie or modulate the urbanization effects. More research is needed to determine mechanisms of change. PMID:28890848

Prescribing Outdoor Play: Outdoors Rx.

PubMed

James, Aisha K; Hess, Pam; Perkins, Meghan E; Taveras, Elsie M; Scirica, Christina S

2017-06-01

Studies support the use of exercise prescriptions in adults, but few studies have evaluated their use in children. One common barrier to effective physical activity counseling is lack of resources. Outdoors Rx is a collaboration between the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children that pairs exercise prescriptions with guided outdoor programs to increase physical activity among children. This article describes the design and implementation of Outdoors Rx at 2 community health centers serving ethnically diverse, low-income, urban families, as well as evaluates feedback from participating pediatricians regarding the utility of the program, barriers to success, and suggestions for improvement. Our results illustrate the feasibility of implementing a pediatric physical activity prescription program in community health centers serving traditionally underserved populations. Our data suggest that physical activity prescription programs are well received by both pediatricians and families and are a useful tool for facilitating physical activity counseling.

The Urban Heat Island Phenomenon: How Its Effects Can Influence Environmental Decision Making in Your Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Quattrochi, Dale; Stasiak, Elizabeth

2003-01-01

Reinvestment in urban centers is breathing new life into neighborhoods that have been languishing as a result of explosive suburban development over the past several decades. In cities all over the country, adaptive reuse, brownfields redevelopment, transforming urban landscapes, economies, and quality of life. However, the way in which this development occurs has the potential to exacerbate the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon, an existing problem in many areas and one which poses a threat to the long-term sustainability and environmental quality of cities. The UHI phenomenon is rooted in the science of how the land covers respond to solar heating and can adversely effect the environment. This phenomenon is responsible for urban centers having higher air temperatures and poorer air quality than suburban areas. In addition, the UHI phenomenon causes metrological occurrences, degrades water quality, increases energy demands, poses threats to public health and contributes to global warming. While the name of the phenomenon implies that is solely an urban issue, research has shown that the effects of the UHI are becoming prevalent in suburbs, as well. The UHI phenomenon can plague regions - urban centers and their suburbs. Furthermore, heat islands have been found to exist in both city centers and suburban communities. As suburban areas increasingly develop using land covers and building materials common to urban areas, they are inheriting urban problems - such as heat islands. In this way, it may be necessary for non-urban communities to engage in heat island mitigation. The good news is that through education and planning, the effects of the UHI phenomenon can be prevented and mitigated. Heat islands are more a product of urban design rather than the density of development. Therefore, cities can continue to grow and develop without exacerbating the UHI by employing sustainable development strategies.

Ozone levels in European and USA cities are increasing more than at rural sites, while peak values are decreasing.

PubMed

Paoletti, Elena; De Marco, Alessandra; Beddows, David C S; Harrison, Roy M; Manning, William J

2014-09-01

Ground-level ozone (O3) levels are usually lower in urban centers than nearby rural sites. To compare trends in O3 levels during the period 1990-2010, we obtained monitoring data from paired urban and rural sites from the European Environment Agency and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone peaks decreased at both station types, with no significant differences between urban and rural stations. Ozone annual averages increased at both urban and rural sites, with a faster rate of increase for urban centers. The overall trend was for convergence between urban and rural O3 data. Ozone levels exceeded the criteria established for the protection of human and vegetation health at both urban and rural sites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An analogy on assessment of urban air pollution in Turkey over the turn of the millennium (1992-2001).

PubMed

Ozdilek, Hasan Goksel

2006-11-01

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in Turkey, especially over the last twenty five years, has provided better living standards to its residents, but it also caused a decrease in environmental quality. In late 1970's, air quality monitoring activities were started in some major cities by individual researchers in Turkey. It was just around the 1990's that a countrywide program on continuous air pollution monitoring in major province centers and selected large towns was launched. The impact of air pollution on people depend on various factors, such as existence and magnitude of coal powered energy generation plants, type of urban heating and their efficiency, and the numbers and specifications of vehicles. In this study, current Turkish urban air quality over the turn of the Millennium (1992-2001) is studied in the light of the country's worst cities in terms of outdoor air quality, the number of upper respiratory diseases, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia cases in these provinces reported by the state medical treatment facilities in 2001. The population that is under outdoor urban air pollution hazard was computed. A comparative analysis between the provinces that use natural gas and others that use fossil fuels was also completed in order to project monetary gains if the studied provinces will transform their indoor heating and industrial operations to be run by natural gas or other cleaner energy sources. If natural gas use in air polluted urban centers could be realized in the near future, approximately 212 to 350 million US dollars per annum could to be saved just by reducing health related problems caused by outdoor air pollution.

[Changes in urban development: is the globalization era one of urban deconcentration?].

PubMed

Rivera, S

1997-01-01

Urbanization patterns in Mexico during the past five decades clearly reflect trends in the country's capitalist development. Accelerated industrialization with protectionism; redistributive policies with unlimited expansion of public expenditures; industrial conversion attended by economic crisis and structural adjustment during the "lost decade" of the 1980s; and indiscriminate opening, currency instability, and anti-inflation measures in the stage of globalization represent four successive phases. This work argues that the commercial opening and application of a neoliberal model are likely to renew tendencies toward concentration of population and economic activity in a few metropolitan areas. There are indications that manufacturing is again tending to concentrate in the older industrial cities, especially Mexico City. The 1995 census suggests that, beginning in 1988, the metropolitan areas again began to attract population growth, after a cycle of outflow from the center city to the metropolitan periphery in the 1970s and 1980s. The trend toward deconcentration, thus, may not represent a linear and long-term tendency. Instead, fluctuations over time are intimately related to macroeconomic forces and regulatory mechanisms that influence the urban system. No consensus has been reached concerning the theoretical explanations of effects on regional or urban systems when international restrictions on commerce are eliminated. The neoclassical perspective predicts a homogenizing effect, assuming that key conditions are met, while a competing theory predicts that increasing competition will inevitably be met by increases in the scale of production. Incentives to focus production in a small number of places would lead to economic and demographic concentration in the urban centers or regions enjoying better infrastructure, more qualified labor forces, and more extensive markets for labor and consumption. A renewed cycle of locus in Mexico's largest metropolitan zones may currently be underway.

Nineteenth Century Harbors: Accounting for Coastal Urban Development in Hydrologic Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlichting, K. M.; Ruffing, C. M.; McCormack, S. M.; Urbanova, T.; Powell, L. J.; Hermans, C. M.

2009-12-01

Harbors complicate the analytical framework of quantifying nineteenth-century hydrologic change in the northeastern United States. The hydrology of the region was fundamentally altered by the growth of water engineering such as canals as well as by land cover changes as deforestation in the region peaked and urban centers grew. Urban coastal growth epitomized nineteenth-century development as northeastern colonial ports evolved into manufacturing and industrial centers. Coastal urban industrial development concentrated tanneries, machineries, and paper processing companies along cities’ trading rivers. Additionally, the populations of cities such as Boston, New Haven, New York, Newark, and Baltimore reached unprecedented numbers, forcing urban municipalities to confront sewerage and drinking water infrastructure in the face of shortages and waterborne disease. We discuss how the concentration of industry and population at river mouths complicates the process of quantifying the effects of municipal drinking water and sewage infrastructure on regional hydrology and how the growth of nineteenth-century urban centers shaped regional hydrologic hinterlands. Additionally, harbors oblige a reconsideration of hydrologic boundaries by forcing hydrologists and environmental historians to account for fisheries and harbor engineering alongside population and industry as factors in changes to water quality and quantity in and human response to urban nineteenth-century hydrologic change.

The effect of urban and rural habitats and resource type on activity budgets of commensal rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Jaman, M Firoj; Huffman, Michael A

2013-01-01

Macaques are characterized by their wide distribution and ability to adapt to a variety of habitats. Activity budgets are affected by habitat type, season, and food availability in relation to differing age-sex class and individual requirements. We conducted a comparative study on two commensal rhesus groups, one living in a rural village and the other in the center of urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study was conducted in three different seasons between 2007 and 2009 in order to evaluate how habitat type and season affects their behavioral activities. Differences in food type and its availability between these two habitats were mainly responsible for the variations in activity budgets between groups. Feeding time in the rural group was significantly longer than that in the urban group. In contrast, grooming and object manipulation/play were significantly greater in the urban than the rural group. Seasonal variations in all major behaviors were significantly affected by group, with more time spent feeding in summer than in winter/dry season, and more time spent grooming and moving in winter/dry season than summer in the rural group. In contrast, time spent resting was greater in the monsoon and summer seasons than the winter/dry season in the urban group. Grooming time was greater in the winter/dry season than the monsoon and summer seasons. In both groups, immature of both sexes spent significantly more time on feeding and object manipulation/playing and less time resting than adults. Adult females spent more time grooming than males and immatures, of both sexes, in both groups. Moreover, the rural group spent most of their time feeding on garden/crop produce and wild plant food resources, while the urban group spent more time feeding on provisioned foods. These results showed that differences in the activity budgets of rural and urban dwelling macaques were due largely to the differences in available food resources. Commensal rhesus macaques show a high degree of behavioral flexibility in response to habitat and resource variability, and knowledge of these differences is important for the conservation and management of highly commensal primates.

Variations in inpatient pediatric anesthesia in California from 2000 to 2009: a caseload and geographic analysis.

PubMed

Mudumbai, Seshadri C; Honkanen, Anita; Chan, Jia; Schmitt, Susan; Saynina, Olga; Hackel, Alvin; Gregory, George; Phibbs, Ciaran S; Wise, Paul H

2014-12-01

Regional referral systems are considered important for children hospitalized for surgery, but there is little information on existing systems. To examine geographic variations in anesthetic caseloads in California for surgical inpatients ≤6 years and to evaluate the feasibility of regionalizing anesthetic care. We reviewed California's unmasked patient discharge database between 2000 and 2009 to determine surgical procedures, dates, and inpatient anesthetic caseloads. Hospitals were classified as urban or rural and were further stratified as low, intermediate, high, and very high volume. We reviewed 257,541 anesthetic cases from 402 hospitals. Seventeen California Children's Services (CCS) hospitals conducted about two-thirds of all inpatient anesthetics; 385 non-CCS hospitals accounted for the rest. Urban hospitals comprised 82% of low- and intermediate-volume centers (n = 297) and 100% of the high- and very high-volume centers (n = 41). Ninety percent (n = 361) of hospitals performed <100 cases annually. Although potentially lower risk procedures such as appendectomies were the most frequent in urban low- and intermediate-volume hospitals, fairly complex neurosurgical and general surgeries were also performed. The median distance from urban lower-volume hospitals to the nearest high- or very high-volume center was 12 miles. Up to 98% (n = 40,316) of inpatient anesthetics at low- or intermediate-volume centers could have been transferred to higher-volume centers within 25 miles of smaller centers. Many urban California hospitals maintained low annual inpatient anesthetic caseloads for children ≤6 years while conducting potentially more complex procedures. Further efforts are necessary to define the scope of pediatric anesthetic care at urban low- and intermediate-volume hospitals in California. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Climate Change and Impacts Research Experiences for Urban Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchese, P.; Carlson, B. E.; Rosenzweig, C.; Austin, S. A.; Peteet, D. M.; Druyan, L.; Fulakeza, M.; Gaffin, S.; Scalzo, F.; Frost, J.; Moshary, F.; Greenbaum, S.; Cheung, T. K.; Howard, A.; Steiner, J. C.; Johnson, L. P.

2011-12-01

Climate change and impacts research for undergraduate urban students is the focus of the Center for Global Climate Research (CGCR). We describe student research and significant results obtained during the Summer 2011. The NSF REU site, is a collaboration between the City University of New York (CUNY) and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). The research teams are mentored by NASA scientists and CUNY faculty. Student projects include: Effects of Stratospheric Aerosols on Tropical Cyclone Activity in the North Atlantic Basin; Comparison of Aerosol Optical Depth and Angstrom Exponent Retrieved by AERONET, MISR, and MODIS Measurements; White Roofs to the Rescue: Combating the Urban Heat Island Effect; Tropospheric Ozone Investigations in New York City; Carbon Sequestration with Climate Change in Alaskan Peatlands; Validating Regional Climate Models for Western Sub-Sahara Africa; Bio-Remediation of Toxic Waste Sites: Mineral Characteristics of Cyanide-Treated Mining Waste; Assessment of an Ocean Mixing Parameterization for Climate Studies; Comparative Wind Speed through Doppler Sounding with Pulsed Infrared LIDAR; and Satellite Telemetry and Communications. The CGCR also partners with the New York City Research Initiative (NYCRI) at GISS. The center is supported by NSF ATM-0851932 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The Changing Face of the of Former Soviet Cities: Elucidated by Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poghosyan, Armen

2017-04-01

Despite remote sensing of urbanization emerged as a powerful tool to acquire critical knowledge about urban growth and its effects on global environmental change, human-environment interface as well as environmentally sustainable urban development, there is lack of studies utilizing remote sensing techniques to investigate urbanization trends in the Post-Soviet states. The unique challenges accompanying the urbanization in the Post-Soviet republics combined with the expected robust urban growth in developing countries over the next several decades highlight the critical need for a quantitative assessment of the urban dynamics in the former Soviet states as they navigate towards a free market democracy. This study uses total of 32 Level-1 precision terrain corrected (L1T) Landsat scenes with 30-m resolution as well as further auxiliary population and economic data for ten cities distributed in nine former Soviet republics to quantify the urbanization patterns in the Post-Soviet region. Land cover in each urban center of this study was classified by using Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning algorithm with overall accuracies ranging from 87 % to 97 % for 29 classification maps over three time steps during the past twenty-five years in order to estimate quantities, trends and drivers of urban growth in the study area. The results demonstrated several spatial and temporal urbanization patterns observed across the Post-Soviet states and based on urban expansion rates the cities can be divided into two groups, fast growing and slow growing urban centers. The relatively fast-growing urban centers have an average urban expansion rate of about 2.8 % per year, whereas the slow growing cities have an average urban expansion rate of about 1.0 % per year. The total area of new land converted to urban environment ranged from as low as 26 km2 to as high as 780 km2 for the ten cities over the 1990 - 2015 period, while the overall urban land increase ranged from 11.3 % to 96.6 % over the study period. Thus, after some initial developments following the breakup of the Soviet Union the growth rate in the urban core decreased gradually constrained by the availability of suitable land, while the urban expansion rates in the outer peripheral region were characterized with a robust urban growth rates across the study area. The rapid urban expansion observed in the former Soviet cities impairs environmentally sustainable characteristics such as compactness, better integrated land uses with abundant parks and greenbelts, low social polarization, as well as reliable public transit systems in some urban centers after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The urban expansion rates considerably outpaced the urban population growth rates in all ten cities during the last quarter of a century, thus indicating that the urban growth is becoming more expansive with all cities experiencing significant decreases in overall urban population densities.

Polar pesticide contamination of an urban and peri-urban tropical watershed affected by agricultural activities (Yaoundé, Center Region, Cameroon).

PubMed

Branchet, Perrine; Cadot, Emmanuelle; Fenet, Hélène; Sebag, David; Ngatcha, Benjamin Ngounou; Borrell-Estupina, Valérie; Ngoupayou, Jules Remy Ndam; Kengne, Ives; Braun, Jean-Jacques; Gonzalez, Catherine

2018-04-18

Urban agriculture is crucial to local populations, but the risk of it contaminating water has rarely been documented. The aim of this study was to assess pesticide contamination of surface waters from the Méfou watershed (Yaoundé, Cameroon) by 32 selected herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides (mainly polar) according to their local application, using both grab sampling and polar organic compounds integrative samplers (POCIS). Three sampling campaigns were conducted in the March/April and October/November 2015 and June/July 2016 rainy seasons in urban and peri-urban areas. The majority of the targeted compounds were detected. The quantification frequencies of eight pesticides were more than 20% with both POCIS and grab sampling, and that of diuron and atrazine reached 100%. Spatial differences in contamination were evidenced with higher contamination in urban than peri-urban rivers. In particular, diuron was identified as an urban contaminant of concern because its concentrations frequently exceeded the European water quality guideline of 0.200 μg/L in freshwater and may thus represent an ecological risk due to a risk quotient > 1 for algae observed in 94% of grab samples. This study raises concerns about the impacts of urban agriculture on the quality of water resources and to a larger extent on the health of the inhabitants of cities in developing countries. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Third-world development: urbanizing for the future.

PubMed

Mcilwaine, C

1997-01-01

This article reviews some issues reflected in the 1996 UN Habitat II agenda and recent research on urbanization. The themes of the 1996 Habitat conference were urban development, urban poverty, and governance, civil society, and social capital. It is expected that over 50% of total world population will live in cities in the year 2000. Cities are viewed both as engines of economic growth and centers of severe economic, environmental, and social problems. There is some disagreement about whether cities are rational economic structures or what the World Bank's urban agenda is and its relationship with macroeconomic policy. Discussions of global urban issues are criticized for their neglect of issues of equity and poverty, cultural diversity, and identity and representation. Habitat II also stressed urban sustainability. There is growing recognition that urban management involves more than the "Brown Agenda" of environmental and physical aspects of urban growth. Recent studies identify how politics and power affect people's access to basic urban services. Urban economic activity can also contribute to environmental problems. Urban growth affects the provision of health services. Although there is not a consensus on the role of cities in expanding economic and social development and the best management practices, there is sufficient evidence to indicate that urban processes are varied throughout the developing world. The links between urban and rural areas differentiate cities and expose the need to understand the role of intermediate urban areas surrounding and between larger cities. Poverty has become increasingly urbanized, but the extent of poverty is unknown. Habitat II was an unprecedented effort to engage nongovernment groups, local government staff, trade unions, and the private sector and to emphasize community participation. Networks of trust and reciprocity are key to solving poverty, inequality, and disempowerment problems.

Profiles of lead in urban dust and the effect of the distance to multi-industry in an old heavy industry city in China.

PubMed

Yu, Yang; Li, Yingxia; Li, Ben; Shen, Zhenyao; Stenstrom, Michael K

2017-03-01

Lead (Pb) concentration in urban dust is often higher than background concentrations and can result in a wide range of health risks to local communities. To understand Pb distribution in urban dust and how multi-industrial activity affects Pb concentration, 21 sampling sites within the heavy industry city of Jilin, China, were analyzed for Pb concentration. Pb concentrations of all 21 urban dust samples from the Jilin City Center were higher than the background concentration for soil in Jilin Province. The analyses show that distance to industry is an important parameter determining health risks associated with Pb in urban dust. The Pb concentration showed an exponential decrease, with increasing distance from industry. Both maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian analysis were used to estimate the exponential relationship between Pb concentration and distance to multi-industry areas. We found that Bayesian analysis was a better method with less uncertainty for estimating Pb dust concentrations based on their distance to multi-industry, and this approach is recommended for further study. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Systems Models for Transportation Problems : Volume 3. A Computable Command-Control System for a Social System.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-03-01

The spectral characteristics of the urban center -- at the level of the family, the functional organized units of society, and the essential compartment balances of the urban center -- are spelled out in greater detail. These compartments are food, m...

Focus for Area Development Analysis: Urban Orientation of Counties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bluestone, Herman

The orientation of counties to metropolitan systems and urban centers is identified by population density and percentage of urban population. This analytical framework differentiates 6 kinds of counties, ranging from most urban-oriented (group 1) to least urban-oriented (group 6). With this framework, it can be seen that the economic well-being of…

Neighborhood Factors Relevant for Walking in Older, Urban, African American Adults

PubMed Central

Gallagher, Nancy Ambrose; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A.; Robinson, Jennifer C.; Torres, Elisa R.; Murphy, Susan L.; Martyn, Kristy K.

2010-01-01

Focus-group and photo-voice methodology were used to identify the salient factors of the neighborhood environment that encourage or discourage walking in older, urban African Americans. Twenty-one male (n = 2) and female (n = 19) African Americans age 60 years and older (M = 70 ± 8.7, range = 61–85) were recruited from a large urban senior center. Photographs taken by the participants were used to facilitate focus-group discussions. The most salient factors that emerged included the presence of other people, neighborhood surroundings, and safety from crime, followed by sidewalk and traffic conditions, animals, public walking tracks and trails, and weather. Future walking interventions for older African Americans should include factors that encourage walking, such as the presence of other friendly or active people, attractive or peaceful surroundings, and a sense of safety from crime. PMID:20181997

[Live-birth rates by age of mother and total fertility rates by urban and rural areas].

PubMed

Kaneko, T; Shiraishi, N; Kasahara, R

1983-07-01

Live birth rates by age of mother and total fertility rates by urban and rural areas in Japan are generally decreasing. Japanese women ages 15-49 were studied. Graphs presenting fertility rates according to age in 1975 and 1980 in urban and rural areas show that fertility rates are considerably higher in rural areas than in urban centers (by as much as 20% for the 25-29 age group). In a table showing urban/rural total fertility rates and distributions among prefectures in 1975 and 1980, the prefecture with the highest total fertility rate (2.88495 in 1975 and 2.37804 in 1980) is Okinawa and the lowest total fertility rate is found in Tokyo (1.62287 in 1975 and 1.43693 in 1980). The average total fertility rate in 1980 was 1.82849; in urban centers it was 1.78919 and rural areas, 1.92105. Finally, a comparison of total fertility rates by urban and rural areas and by age shows that in 1975 the rural fertility rate was .16 higher than that of urban areas, and that in 1980 all fertility rates (total, urban, and rural) were lower, with the rural fertility rate decreasing at the same rate as did the urban fertility rate in 1975. It is interesting to note that between 1975-1980 birth rates have been decreasing in both urban and rural areas in all age groups except for the 30-34 year old group which in urban centers was higher in 1980 than in rural areas. This can be attributed to the recent trend among Japanese women of delaying childbirth.

The Benefits of Collaborative Processes for Establishing All Hazard Incident Management Teams in Urban Area Security Initiative Regions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

incidents beyond wild land fires.15 This journal article also noted that national IMTs provided command functions at the World Trade Center on September...11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and search and recovery efforts following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.16 Because of the utility and...Management Team SWA Southwest Area SWCC Southwest Coordination Center UASI Urban Area Security Initiative UAWG Urban Area Working Group

Clients’ Willingness to Pay for Immunization Services in the Urban and Rural Primary Health Centers of Enugu State, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ossai, Edmund Ndudi; Fatiregun, Akinola Ayoola

2015-01-01

Our study aims at determining the pattern of willingness of clients to pay for childhood immunization services in urban and rural primary health centers of Enugu state, Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional design, 800 clients who presented with their children/wards to receive childhood immunization services were selected at the primary health center in rural and urban local government areas of the state. The mean age was 28.9±4.5 and 26.7±5.1 years in the urban and rural areas respectively. About 54.5% of clients in the urban and 55.3% in the rural area were willing to pay for immunization services. The clients willingness to pay was influenced by: non satisfaction with immunization services, (OR=0.3, 95%CI: 0.2-0.5), younger age, (OR=1.4, 95%CI: 1.0-2.0) marital status (OR=2.8, 95%CI: 1.2-6.5), proximity to health centers (OR=0.6, 95%CI: 0.4-0.8), and delivering in a private health facility (OR=0.4, 95%CI: 0.1-0.9). The study suggests that the economic value that clients give to immunization services was similar in the rural and urban areas, and this could be increased by improving the level of clients’ satisfaction for the services among others. PMID:28299135

Introducing Basic Molecular Biology to Turkish Rural and Urban Primary School Children via Hands-on PCR and Gel Electrophoresis Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selli, Cigdem; Yildirim, Gokce; Kaymak, Aysegul; Karacicek, Bilge; Ogut, Deniz; Gungor, Turkan; Erem, Erdem; Ege, Mehmet; Bümen, Nilay; Tosun, Metiner

2014-01-01

This study includes the results of a 2-day education project titled "Molecular Biology Laboratory Summer School, MoBiLYO." The project was held at a University Research Center by scientists from Department of Pharmacology and graduate students. The project was composed of introductory lectures, model construction, DNA isolation,…

The Commuting Student; A Study of Facilities at Wayne State University. The Final Report of the Commuter Centers Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Richard F.; Kurz, Theodore E.

The urban university campus is studied through a comprehensive view of student patterns. Following an analysis of the life patterns of the commuting student with regard to schedule, environment, and adequacy of educational facilities, recommendations are presented for a number of campus facilities to house activities considered beneficial to the…

Active Solidarity: Centering the Demands and Vision of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayorga, Edwin; Picower, Bree

2018-01-01

In the era of Black Lives Matter (#BLM), urban teacher education does not exist in isolation. The White supremacist, neoliberal context that impacts all aspects of Black lives also serves to support antiblackness within the structures of teacher education. In this article, the authors, who are grounded in a race radical analytical and political…

Violence Prevention in Schools: A Case Study of the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontaine, Jocelyn; Debus-Sherrill, Sara; Downey, P. Mitchell; Lowry, Samantha S.

2010-01-01

This report is based on research conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center on the violence prevention activities taking place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School during the 2008-2009 school year. Based on an assessment of the school's violence prevention approach using qualitative and quantitative data from…

Mealtime Interactions and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in Shanghai.

PubMed

Ye, Minzhi; Chen, Lin; Kahana, Eva

2017-06-01

We examined the association between older adults' mealtime interactions at senior centers in Shanghai and their life satisfaction. Competing hypotheses, derived from socioemotional selectivity theory and activity theory, were tested. Data were obtained from the 2011 Shanghai senior center service utilization survey ( N = 320). Relationships between respondents' mealtime interactions and life satisfaction were tested using multilevel regression modeling. After adjusting for demographics, interactions with tablemates (companionship, self-disclosure, and instrumental support) were positively associated with respondents' life satisfaction. These associations varied by senior centers. However, the number of tablemates was not significantly associated with respondents' life satisfaction. Findings support the activity-theory-based hypothesis that mealtime interactions are related to older adults' life satisfaction independent of the number of tablemates. This study illuminates the value of social interactions in the context of community dining programs for the rapidly increasing older population in urban China.

Differences in the use of spirometry between rural and urban primary care centers in Spain.

PubMed

Márquez-Martín, Eduardo; Soriano, Joan B; Rubio, Myriam Calle; Lopez-Campos, Jose Luis

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability and practice of spirometry, training of technicians, and spirometry features in primary care centers in Spain, evaluating those located in a rural environment against those in urban areas. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 by a telephone survey in 970 primary health care centers in Spain. The centers were divided into rural or urban depending on the catchment population. The survey contacted technicians in charge of spirometry and consisted of 36 questions related to the test that included the following topics: center resources, training doctors and technicians, using the spirometer, bronchodilator test, and the availability of spirometry and maintenance. Although the sample size was achieved in both settings, rural centers (RCs) gave a lower response rate than urban centers (UCs). The number of centers without spirometry in rural areas doubled those in the urban areas. Most centers had between one and two spirometers. However, the number of spirometry tests per week was significantly lower in RCs than in UCs (4 [4.1%] vs 6.9 [5.7%], P<0.01). The availability of a specific schedule for conducting spirometries was higher in RCs than in UCs (209 [73.0%] vs 207 [64.2%], P=0.003). RCs were more satisfied with the spirometries (7.8 vs 7.6, P=0.019) and received more training course for interpreting spirometry (41.0% vs 33.2%, P=0.004). The performance of the bronchodilator test showed a homogeneous measure in different ways. The spirometer type and the reference values were unknown to the majority of respondents. This study shows the differences between primary care RCs and UCs in Spain in terms of performing spirometry. The findings in the present study can be used to improve the performance of spirometry in these areas.

Differences in the use of spirometry between rural and urban primary care centers in Spain

PubMed Central

Márquez-Martín, Eduardo; Soriano, Joan B; Rubio, Myriam Calle; Lopez-Campos, Jose Luis

2015-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability and practice of spirometry, training of technicians, and spirometry features in primary care centers in Spain, evaluating those located in a rural environment against those in urban areas. Methods An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 by a telephone survey in 970 primary health care centers in Spain. The centers were divided into rural or urban depending on the catchment population. The survey contacted technicians in charge of spirometry and consisted of 36 questions related to the test that included the following topics: center resources, training doctors and technicians, using the spirometer, bronchodilator test, and the availability of spirometry and maintenance. Results Although the sample size was achieved in both settings, rural centers (RCs) gave a lower response rate than urban centers (UCs). The number of centers without spirometry in rural areas doubled those in the urban areas. Most centers had between one and two spirometers. However, the number of spirometry tests per week was significantly lower in RCs than in UCs (4 [4.1%] vs 6.9 [5.7%], P<0.01). The availability of a specific schedule for conducting spirometries was higher in RCs than in UCs (209 [73.0%] vs 207 [64.2%], P=0.003). RCs were more satisfied with the spirometries (7.8 vs 7.6, P=0.019) and received more training course for interpreting spirometry (41.0% vs 33.2%, P=0.004). The performance of the bronchodilator test showed a homogeneous measure in different ways. The spirometer type and the reference values were unknown to the majority of respondents. Conclusion This study shows the differences between primary care RCs and UCs in Spain in terms of performing spirometry. The findings in the present study can be used to improve the performance of spirometry in these areas. PMID:26316737

Partnerships for Career-Centered High School Reform in an Urban School System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacIver, Martha Abele; Legters, Nettie

2001-01-01

A case study of a large urban school district analyzed partnerships that brought together career-centered high school reforms. The initiative regularly convened partners and generated important conversations about educational options. Environmental conditions limited change efforts, including tensions between the school system and employment…

Financial performance and managed care trends of health centers.

PubMed

Martin, Brian C; Shi, Leiyu; Ward, Ryan D

2009-01-01

Data were analyzed from the 1998-2004 Uniform Data System (UDS) to identify trends and predictors of financial performance (costs, productivity, and overall financial health) for health centers (HCs). Several differences were noted regarding revenues, self-sufficiency, service offerings, and urban/rural setting. Urban centers with larger numbers of clients, centers that treated high numbers of patients with chronic diseases, and centers with large numbers of prenatal care users were the most fiscally sound. Positive financial performance can be targeted through strategies that generate positive revenue, strive to decrease costs, and target services that are in demand.

Care management process of breast cancer in primary health-care system, Golestan Province, Iran, 2013-2014.

PubMed

Hajiebrahimi, Zahra; Mahmoodi, Ghahraman; Abedi, Ghasem

2017-01-01

Health-care service processes need to be assessed over time. We aimed to assess the breast cancer care process in primary health system of Golestan Province, North Iran. To perform a descriptive cross-sectional study, information on breast cancer care processes in primary health-care system was collected using a "collecting form" from 234 health houses, 29 health posts, 44 urban health centers, and 80 rural health centers in Golestan Province. Registered data in the centers and patients' journal were used in data collection. Moreover, we collected data on all women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 to know the characteristics of the patients. Around 50% of health workers at rural or urban area were trained on breast cancer. Moreover, 2% of women from general population in rural area and around 6% of them in urban area have been trained on breast cancer. Mean age of women diagnosed with breast cancer was 48 ± 10 years and 40.2% of them were affected at age between 43 and 52 years. The results showed that 18.9% of women have received their information through self-study before the diagnosis of breast cancer while 53.8% of them received their information from the private clinics after diagnosis of breast cancer. The process of breast cancer care in Golestan Province needs to be improved in the primary health-care level. Both inter- and multi-disciplinary activities are needed.

Chapter 11: City-Wide Collaborations for Urban Climate Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Steven; Hoffstadt, Rita Mukherjee; Allen, Lauren B.; Crowley, Kevin; Bader, Daniel A.; Horton, Radley M.

2014-01-01

Although cities cover only 2 percent of the Earth's surface, more than 50 percent of the world's people live in urban environments, collectively consuming 75 percent of the Earth's resources. Because of their population densities, reliance on infrastructure, and role as centers of industry, cities will be greatly impacted by, and will play a large role in, the reduction or exacerbation of climate change. However, although urban dwellers are becoming more aware of the need to reduce their carbon usage and to implement adaptation strategies, education efforts on these strategies have not been comprehensive. To meet the needs of an informed and engaged urban population, a more systemic, multiplatform and coordinated approach is necessary. The Climate and Urban Systems Partnership (CUSP) is designed to explore and address this challenge. Spanning four cities-Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC-the project is a partnership between the Franklin Institute, the Columbia University Center for Climate Systems Research, the University of Pittsburgh Learning Research and Development Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, New York Hall of Science, and the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. The partnership is developing a comprehensive, interdisciplinary network to educate urban residents about climate science and the urban impacts of climate change.

Culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention programs for urban Native youth.

PubMed

Aguilera, Solis; Plasencia, Ana Vanesa

2005-09-01

This article will examine HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention for urban Native youth in Oakland, California. It will highlight the Native American Health Center's Youth Services programs. These programs incorporate solutions based on a traditional value system rooted in Native culture and consisting of youth empowerment, leadership training, prevention activities, traditional cultural activities and wellness and life skills education. They aim to reduce HIV/AIDS and substance abuse risk for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth through structured, community-based interventions. The Youth Services Program's events, such as the Seventh Native American Generation and the Gathering of Native Americans, offer effective and culturally relevant ways of teaching youth about American Indian/Alaska Native history, intergenerational trauma, and traditional Native culture. Satisfaction surveys gathered from these youth provide invaluable data on the positive effects of these prevention efforts. The need for culturally relevant and culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention programs for urban AI/AN youth is apparent. These prevention efforts must be creatively integrated into the multidimensional and complex social structures of Native American youth.

Swarm Intelligence for Urban Dynamics Modelling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghnemat, Rawan; Bertelle, Cyrille; Duchamp, Gerard H. E.

2009-04-16

In this paper, we propose swarm intelligence algorithms to deal with dynamical and spatial organization emergence. The goal is to model and simulate the developement of spatial centers using multi-criteria. We combine a decentralized approach based on emergent clustering mixed with spatial constraints or attractions. We propose an extension of the ant nest building algorithm with multi-center and adaptive process. Typically, this model is suitable to analyse and simulate urban dynamics like gentrification or the dynamics of the cultural equipment in urban area.

Swarm Intelligence for Urban Dynamics Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghnemat, Rawan; Bertelle, Cyrille; Duchamp, Gérard H. E.

2009-04-01

In this paper, we propose swarm intelligence algorithms to deal with dynamical and spatial organization emergence. The goal is to model and simulate the developement of spatial centers using multi-criteria. We combine a decentralized approach based on emergent clustering mixed with spatial constraints or attractions. We propose an extension of the ant nest building algorithm with multi-center and adaptive process. Typically, this model is suitable to analyse and simulate urban dynamics like gentrification or the dynamics of the cultural equipment in urban area.

Urban Growth Modeling Using AN Artificial Neural Network a Case Study of Sanandaj City, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammady, S.; Delavar, M. R.; Pahlavani, P.

2014-10-01

Land use activity is a major issue and challenge for town and country planners. Modelling and managing urban growth is a complex problem. Cities are now recognized as complex, non-linear and dynamic process systems. The design of a system that can handle these complexities is a challenging prospect. Local governments that implement urban growth models need to estimate the amount of urban land required in the future given anticipated growth of housing, business, recreation and other urban uses within the boundary. There are so many negative implications related with the type of inappropriate urban development such as increased traffic and demand for mobility, reduced landscape attractively, land use fragmentation, loss of biodiversity and alterations of the hydrological cycle. The aim of this study is to use the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to make a powerful tool for simulating urban growth patterns. Our study area is Sanandaj city located in the west of Iran. Landsat imageries acquired at 2000 and 2006 are used. Dataset were used include distance to principle roads, distance to residential areas, elevation, slope, distance to green spaces and distance to region centers. In this study an appropriate methodology for urban growth modelling using satellite remotely sensed data is presented and evaluated. Percent Correct Match (PCM) and Figure of Merit were used to evaluate ANN results.

Determination of Destructed and Infracted Forest Areas with Multi-temporal High Resolution Satellite Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seker, D. Z.; Unal, A.; Kaya, S.; Alganci, U.

2015-12-01

Migration from rural areas to city centers and their surroundings is an important problem of not only our country but also the countries that under development stage. This uncontrolled and huge amount of migration brings out urbanization and socio - economic problems. The demand on settling the industrial areas and commercial activities nearby the city centers results with a negative change in natural land cover on cities. Negative impacts of human induced activities on natural resources and land cover has been continuously increasing for decades. The main human activities that resulted with destruction and infraction of forest areas can be defined as mining activities, agricultural activities, industrial / commercial activities and urbanization. Temporal monitoring of the changes in spatial distribution of forest areas is significantly important for effective management and planning progress. Changes can occur as spatially large destructions or small infractions. Therefore there is a need for reliable, fast and accurate data sources. At this point, satellite images proved to be a good data source for determination of the land use /cover changes with their capability of monitoring large areas with reasonable temporal resolutions. Spectral information derived from images provides discrimination of land use/cover types from each other. Developments in remote sensing technology in the last decade improved the spatial resolution of satellites and high resolution images were started to be used to detect even small changes in the land surface. As being the megacity of Turkey, Istanbul has been facing a huge migration for the last 20 years and effects of urbanization and other human based activities over forest areas are significant. Main focus of this study is to determine the destructions and infractions in forest areas of Istanbul, Turkey with 2.5m resolution SPOT 5 multi-temporal satellite imagery. Analysis was mainly constructed on threshold based classification of multi-temporal vegetation index data derived from satellite images. Determined changes were exported to GIS environment and spatial overlay and intersection analyses were performed with use of forest type maps and authorized area maps in order to demonstrate the actual situation of destructions and infractions.

Flywheel/Diesel Hybrid Power Drive: Urban Bus Vehicle Simulation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-05-01

This report describes the results of a Transportation Systems Center investigation conducted under Urban Mass Transportation Administration sponsorship, of the practicality of a flywheel/diesel hybrid power drive for urban transit bus propulsion. The...

The contribution of multidimensional spatial analysis to a waste management policy: implementation of the ELECTRE method for characterizing transfer centers in the region of Oran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saidi, A.; Trache, M. A.; Khelfi, M. F.

2016-08-01

The social and economic activity steadily growing in our cities creates a significant waste production in constantly evolving. The management of this waste is problematic because it is the center of many issues and interests. Indeed, any action or decision to the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste should be considered in the economic, social, political and especially environmental aspect. A global Geomatic solution requires implementing a GIS with powerful multidimensional spatial analysis tools that support really waste management problem. Algeria has adopted a solution of waste landfill for all urban cities. In the Oran region, it exists three Centers Controlled landfill (CET) which the most important is that of Hassi-Bounif. This center currently meeting the needs of the region is unsustainable solution at the long-term because of its rapid saturation and its geographic location, which is still far from city centers (20-30 km) implying a negative impact on the vehicle park collecting such frequent breakdowns, the rapid degradation, slow delivery time and especially the high cost of the maintenance operation. This phenomenon is aggravated by the absence of real and actual initiatives targeting the recycling and recovery of waste, which makes the CET an endpoint for all types of waste. We present in this study, the use of the ELECTRE method (Multicriteria Analysis) integrated into a GIS to characterize the impact of the implementation of transfers centers at Oran region. The results of this study will accentuate the advantages of the activation of waste warehouse closer to the city, and relieving considerably the volume of transfer towards CET. The objective of our presentation is to show the leading role of the new Geomatics tools and the multidimensional spatial analysis in the apprehension of an environmental problem such the waste management and more generally in the urban management.

A qualitative evaluation of the 2005-2011 National Academic Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention Program.

PubMed

Holland, Kristin M; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Dela Cruz, Jason; Massetti, Greta M; Mahendra, Reshma

2015-12-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) funded eight National Academic Centers of Excellence (ACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2005 to 2010 and two Urban Partnership Academic Centers of Excellence (UPACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2006 to 2011. The ACEs and UPACEs constitute DVP's 2005-2011 ACE Program. ACE Program goals include partnering with communities to promote youth violence (YV) prevention and fostering connections between research and community practice. This article describes a qualitative evaluation of the 2005-2011 ACE Program using an innovative approach for collecting and analyzing data from multiple large research centers via a web-based Information System (ACE-IS). The ACE-IS was established as an efficient mechanism to collect and document ACE research and programmatic activities. Performance indicators for the ACE Program were established in an ACE Program logic model. Data on performance indicators were collected through the ACE-IS biannually. Data assessed Centers' ability to develop, implement, and evaluate YV prevention activities. Performance indicator data demonstrate substantial progress on Centers' research in YV risk and protective factors, community partnerships, and other accomplishments. Findings provide important lessons learned, illustrate progress made by the Centers, and point to new directions for YV prevention research and programmatic efforts. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Neighborhood Environment: Perceived Fall Risk, Resources, and Strategies for Fall Prevention.

PubMed

Chippendale, Tracy; Boltz, Marie

2015-08-01

To explore the experience of older adults in their neighborhood in relation to perceived fall risk, fear of falling (FOF), and resources/strategies for fall prevention. Fourteen older adults, 65 years of age and older from 3 urban senior centers, participated in this qualitative study. The semistructured interview guidelines and background questionnaire were developed by the researchers based on the literature and an existing measure of walkability. Both tools were refined based on pilot interviews with seniors. Collaizzi's phenomenological method was used for data analysis. Five themes emerged from the data: (a) The built environment contributes to perceived fall risk and FOF, (b) personal strategies used to adapt to perceived neighborhood fall risks-behavioral approaches, (c) resources for physical activity and safety, (d) barriers to physical activity and exercise, and (e) neighborhood features as a motivator. Urban-dwelling seniors perceive that neighborhood features contribute to or mitigate fall risk and FOF. Behavioral strategies are used by seniors to prevent outdoor falls. The findings can help clinicians develop targeted fall prevention interventions for well elders and help urban planners to design and retrofit urban environments to reduce fall risk. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Morphology and mixing of black carbon particles collected in central California during the CARES field study

DOE PAGES

Moffet, Ryan C.; O'Brien, Rachel E.; Alpert, Peter A.; ...

2016-11-23

Aerosol absorption is strongly dependent on the internal heterogeneity (mixing state) and morphology of individual particles containing black carbon (BC) and other non-absorbing species. Here, we examine an extensive microscopic data set collected in the California Central Valley during the CARES 2010 field campaign. During a period of high photochemical activity and pollution buildup, the particle mixing state and morphology were characterized using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the carbon K-edge. Observations of compacted BC core morphologies and thick organic coatings at both urban and rural sites provide evidence of the aged nature of particles, highlighting the importance ofmore » highly aged particles at urban sites during periods of high photochemical activity. Based on the observation of thick coatings and more convex BC inclusion morphology, either the aging was rapid or the contribution of fresh BC emissions at the urban site was relatively small compared to background concentrations. Most particles were observed to have the BC inclusion close to the center of the host. However, host particles containing inorganic rich inclusions had the BC inclusion closer to the edge of the particle. Furthermore, these measurements of BC morphology and mixing state provide important constraints for the morphological effects on BC optical properties expected in aged urban plumes.« less

Morphology and mixing of black carbon particles collected in central California during the CARES field study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moffet, Ryan C.; O'Brien, Rachel E.; Alpert, Peter A.

Aerosol absorption is strongly dependent on the internal heterogeneity (mixing state) and morphology of individual particles containing black carbon (BC) and other non-absorbing species. Here, we examine an extensive microscopic data set collected in the California Central Valley during the CARES 2010 field campaign. During a period of high photochemical activity and pollution buildup, the particle mixing state and morphology were characterized using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the carbon K-edge. Observations of compacted BC core morphologies and thick organic coatings at both urban and rural sites provide evidence of the aged nature of particles, highlighting the importance ofmore » highly aged particles at urban sites during periods of high photochemical activity. Based on the observation of thick coatings and more convex BC inclusion morphology, either the aging was rapid or the contribution of fresh BC emissions at the urban site was relatively small compared to background concentrations. Most particles were observed to have the BC inclusion close to the center of the host. However, host particles containing inorganic rich inclusions had the BC inclusion closer to the edge of the particle. Furthermore, these measurements of BC morphology and mixing state provide important constraints for the morphological effects on BC optical properties expected in aged urban plumes.« less

Model for equitable care and outcomes for remote full care hemodialysis units.

PubMed

Bernstein, Keevin; Zacharias, James; Blanchard, James F; Yu, B Nancy; Shaw, Souradet Y

2010-04-01

Remotely located patients not living close to a nephrologist present major challenges for providing care. Various models of remotely delivered care have been developed, with a gap in knowledge regarding the outcomes of these heterogeneous models. This report describes a satellite care model for remote full-care hemodialysis units managed homogenously in the province of Manitoba, Canada, without onsite nephrologists. Survival in remotely located full-care units is compared with a large, urban full-care center with onsite nephrologists. Data from a Canadian provincial dialysis registry were extracted on 2663 patients between 1990 and 2005. All-cause mortality after initiation of chronic hemodialysis was assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression. Both short-term (1 year) and long-term (2 to 5 years) survival were analyzed. Survival for patients receiving remotely delivered care was shown to be better than for those receiving care in the urban care center with this particular Canadian model of care. Furthermore, there was no difference when assessing short- and long-term survival. This was independent of distance from the urban center. Chronic hemodialysis patients receiving remotely delivered care in a specialized facility attain comparable, if not better survival outcomes than their urban counterparts with direct onsite nephrology care. This model can potentially be adapted to other underserviced areas, including increasingly larger urban centers.

Native Avatars, Online Hubs, and Urban Indian Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada, Gabriel S.

2011-01-01

Teaching American Indian literature with online resources can help diverse urban Indian and multicultural students connect with American Indian cultures, histories, and Nations. This online-enriched pedagogy adopts Susan Lobo's sense of the city as an "urban hub," or activist community center, an urban area linked to reservations in which Native…

Leadership for Social Justice: Authentic Participation in the Case of a Community Center in Caracas, Venezuela.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldfarb, Katia Paz; Grinberg, Jaime

2002-01-01

Describes the leadership conditions that encouraged authentic participation of community members in a Venezuelan community center to advance social justice. Argues that urban educational transformation might succeed in terms of practicing social justice, if leadership facilitates and creates urban sanctuaries and creates a trusting environment…

Downtown Study Centre: An Open-Ended ABE Program in an Urban Shopping Mall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, David

1976-01-01

Describes an adult basic education facility after one year of operation in an urban shopping mall in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. The center is an informal open-ended classroom and advising center where part-time adult learners study an individualized curriculum. Summarizes the major findings of a program evaluation. (EM)

The Pratt Center for Community Improvement: A University Urban Action Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymond, George M.; Shiffman, Ronald

The Pratt Center for Community Improvement was founded in Brooklyn in 1963 by Pratt Institute. Its aim was to help equalize the knowledge level of city and community representatives concerning issues in urban renewal, and to gain the confidence of local residents and enhance their participation in decision making. Participant education and…

Impact of Urbanization on Precipitation Distribution and Intensity over Lake Victoria Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudoshava, M.; Semazzi, F. H. M.

2014-12-01

In this study, sensitivity simulations on the impact of rapid urbanization over Lake Victoria Basin in East Africa were done using a Regional Climate Model (RegCM4.4-rc29) with the Hostetler lake model activated. The simulations were done for the rainy seasons that is the long rains (March-April-May) and short rains (October-November-December). Africa is projected to have a surge in urbanization with an approximate rate of 590% in 2030 over their 2000 levels. The Northern part of Lake Victoria Basin and some parts of Rwanda and Burundi are amongst the regions with high urbanization projections. Simulations were done with the land cover for 2000 and the projected 2030 urbanization levels. The results showed that increasing the urban fraction over the northern part of the basin modified the physical parameters such as albedo, moisture and surface energy fluxes, aerodynamic roughness and surface emissivity, thereby altering the precipitation distribution, intensity and frequency in the region. The change in the physical parameters gave a response of an average increase in temperature of approximately 2oC over the urbanized region. A strong convergence zone was formed over the urbanized region and thereby accelerating the lake-breeze front towards the urbanized region center. Precipitation in the urbanized region and regions immediate to the area increased by approximately 4mm/day, while drying up the southern (non-urbanized) side of the basin. The drying up of the southern side of the basin could be a result of divergent flow and subsidence that suppresses vertical development of storms.

Spatial analyses identify the geographic source of patients at a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center.

PubMed

Su, Shu-Chih; Kanarek, Norma; Fox, Michael G; Guseynova, Alla; Crow, Shirley; Piantadosi, Steven

2010-02-01

We examined the geographic distribution of patients to better understand the service area of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, a designated National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center located in an urban center. Like most NCI cancer centers, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center serves a population beyond city limits. Urban cancer centers are expected to serve their immediate neighborhoods and to address disparities in access to specialty care. Our purpose was to learn the extent and nature of the cancer center service area. Statistical clustering of patient residence in the continental United States was assessed for all patients and by gender, cancer site, and race using SaTScan. Primary clusters detected for all cases and demographically and tumor-defined subpopulations were centered at Baltimore City and consisted of adjacent counties in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey and New York, and the District of Columbia. Primary clusters varied in size by race, gender, and cancer site. Spatial analysis can provide insights into the populations served by urban cancer centers, assess centers' performance relative to their communities, and aid in developing a cancer center business plan that recognizes strengths, regional utility, and referral patterns. Today, 62 NCI cancer centers serve a quarter of the U.S. population in their immediate communities. From the Baltimore experience, we might project that the population served by these centers is actually more extensive and varies by patient characteristics, cancer site, and probably cancer center services offered.

Commuting Mode Choice in a High-Density City: Do Land-Use Density and Diversity Matter in Hong Kong?

PubMed Central

Sun, Guibo; Sarkar, Chinmoy; Xiao, Yang

2018-01-01

Hong Kong is a densely populated and transit-oriented Chinese city, which provides an ideal urban environment with which to study the various successful facets of land use policy as a model for potential replication to curb increasing car use in other Chinese cities. We examine the commuting mode choice of 203,900 households living in 4768 street blocks in Hong Kong from 2011 census. A street block is the smallest planning unit, made up of one or more housing estates with a homogenous built environment and socioeconomic status. The built environment is measured using the five Ds framework, an international dimensioning framework for classifying and measuring attributes of the built environment for physical activity and travel behaviors. Generalized, multi-level mixed models were applied to detect the associations between travel choice and built environment characteristics, while adjusting for socioeconomic status. Design and destination accessibility had greater effects on the choices to walk and take public transport than on the choice to drive. Density and diversity had only marginal effects on mode choice. Unexpectedly, distance to the urban center had the opposite effect on automobile use to that found in Western studies. Hong Kong residents living close to the urban center were more likely to drive for commuting trips. The contrasting findings between our study and Western studies suggest that the associations between a high-density built environment and travel choice vary with urban context. PMID:29734721

Using a noise monitoring station in a small quarry located in an urban area.

PubMed

Wichers, Michiel; Iramina, Wilson Siguemasa; de Eston, Sérgio Médici; Ayres da Silva, Anna Luiza Marques

2017-12-22

Mining plays an important role in Brazilian exports. On the other hand, large urban centers like São Paulo, with approximately 21 million inhabitants, also demand an increasing domestic consumption of natural resources, such as construction aggregate. There are many quarries located in the surroundings of urban centers in Brazil, competing with the growth of urbanized areas. Such proximity leads to a series of conflicts involving quarries and surrounding communities, where the increase in noise levels is highlighted. Operations in quarries, in general, are intermittent. Noisier equipment, such as drilling rigs and primary crushers, operates only a few hours during the day, while other operations, such as screening and secondary and tertiary crushing, are more constant. This paper presents a study carried out in a quarry located near São Paulo, where in addition to conventional short term noise measurements at surrounding receptors, one noise monitoring station was installed, allowing to identify the noisiest moments during the quarry operating time. Through data transmitted by wireless technology, it was possible to follow the noise variations emitted from mining activities in real time and observe the noisiest events that were recorded for events that exceeded the established standards. A mobile application associated to this monitoring station facilitated the quarry's manager and employees to access immediately the monitoring information. Therefore, by using this system, it was possible to evaluate the effectiveness of noise reduction measures already taken and indicate what steps still need to be held.

Assessing increasing susceptibility to wildfire at the wildland-urban fringe in the western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, A. M.; Hogue, T. S.

2013-05-01

Much of the western U.S. is increasingly susceptible to wildfire activity due to drier conditions, elevated fuel loads, and expanding urbanization. As population increases, development pushes the urban boundary further into wildlands, creating more potential for human interaction at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), primarily from human ignitions and fire suppression policies. The immediate impacts of wildfires include vulnerability to debris flows, flooding, and impaired water quality. Fires also alter longer-term hydrological and ecosystem behavior. The current study utilizes geospatial datasets to investigate historical wildfire size and frequency relative to the WUI for a range of cities across western North America. California, the most populous state in the U.S., has an extensive fire history. The decennial population and acres burned for four major counties (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta) in California show that increasing wildfire size and frequency follow urbanization trends, with high correlation between the last decade of burned area, urban-fringe proximity, and increasing population. Ultimately, results will provide information on urban fringe communities that are most vulnerable to the risks associated with wildfire and post-fire impacts. In light of evolving land use policies (i.e. forest management and treatment, development at the urban-fringe) and climate change, it is critical to advance our knowledge of the implications that these conditions pose to urban centers, communicate risks to the public, and ultimately provide guidance for wildfire management.

Connecting to the Art Market from Home: An Exploration of First Nations Artists in Alert Bay, British Columbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neufeld, Margaret R. M.

2009-01-01

Historically, Northwest Coast First Nations artists have been active participants in local and external economic markets. In Alert Bay, British Columbia, home of the 'Namgis People of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation, artists have sold their work in urban centers since the 1950s. Now they are more rigorously involved in selling their work to local shops…

Urban Intensification and Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa: Impacts on Urban Agriculture and Food Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzokwe, V. N. E. N.; Muchelo, R. O.; Odeh, I. A.

2015-12-01

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), urban intensification and expansion are increasing at alarming rates due to rapid population growth and rural-to-urban migration. This has led to the premise that the proportion of SSA urban residents most vulnerable to food insecurity is the highest in the world. Using a focused survey and multi-temporal (decadal) land use/cover classification of Landsat images, we explored the effect of urban intensification and expansion on urban agriculture and food security, focusing on a megacity and a regional center in Uganda: Kampala and Mbarara, respectively. We found that food insecurity arose due to a number of reasons, among which are: i) expansion and intensification of of urban settlements into previously productive agricultural lands in urban and peri-urban areas; ii) loss of predominantly young (rural agricultural) adult labor force to urban centers, leading to decline in rural food production; iii) lack of proper urban planning incorporating green and agricultural development leading to low productive market garden systems. We discussed these outcomes in light of existing studies which estimated that urban agriculture alone supports over 800 million people globally and accounts for 15-20% of world food supply. In spite of this relatively low contribution by urban/peri-urban agriculture, it probably accounts for higher proportion of food supply to urban poor in SSA and thus are most vulnerable to the loss of urban and peri-urban agricultural land. Further recommendations require policy makers and urban planners to team up to design a suitable framework for sustainable urban planning and development.

Policy and Practice-Relevant Youth Physical Activity Research Center Agenda.

PubMed

Botchwey, Nisha; Floyd, Myron F; Pollack Porter, Keshia; Cutter, Carmen L; Spoon, Chad; Schmid, Tom L; Conway, Terry L; Hipp, J Aaron; Kim, Anna J; Umstattd Meyer, M Renee; Walker, Amanda L; Kauh, Tina J; Sallis, Jim F

2018-06-08

The Physical Activity Research Center developed a research agenda that addresses youth physical activity (PA) and healthy weight, and aligns with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health. This paper summarizes prioritized research studies with a focus on youth at higher risk for inactive lifestyles and childhood obesity in urban and rural communities. Systematic literature reviews, a survey, and discussions with practitioners and researchers provided guidance on research questions to build evidence and inform effective strategies to promote healthy weight and PA in youth across race, cultural, and economic groups. The research team developed a matrix of potential research questions, identified priority questions, and designed targeted studies to address some of the priority questions and inform advocacy efforts. The studies selected examine strategies advocating for activity-friendly communities, Play Streets, park use, and PA of youth in the summer. A broader set of research priorities for youth PA is proposed. Establishing the Physical Activity Research Center research agenda identified important initial and future research studies to promote and ensure healthy weight and healthy levels of PA for at-risk youth. Results will be disseminated with the goal of promoting equitable access to PA for youth.

Intra-Urban Mobility and its Potential Impact on the Spread of Blood-Borne Infections among Drug Injectors in Tijuana, Mexico

PubMed Central

Brouwer, Kimberly C.; Lozada, Remedios; Weeks, John R.; Magis-Rodríguez, Carlos; Firestone-Cruz, Michelle; Strathdee, Steffanie A.

2013-01-01

We explored intra-urban mobility of Tijuana, Mexico injection drug users (IDUs). In 2005, 222 IDUs underwent behavioral surveys and infectious disease testing. Participants resided in 58 neighborhoods, but regularly injected in 30. From logistic regression, “mobile” IDUs (injecting ≥3 km from their residence) were more likely to cross the Mexico/U.S. border, share needles, and get arrested for carrying syringes - but less likely to identify hepatitis as an injection risk. Mobile participants lived in neighborhoods with less drug activity, treatment centers, or migrants, but higher marriage and home ownership rates. Mobile IDUs should be targeted for outreach and further investigation. PMID:22136446

Sex education and family planning services for young adults: alternative urban strategies in Mexico.

PubMed

Townsend, J W; Diaz de May, E; Sepúlveda, Y; Santos de Garza, Y; Rosenhouse, S

1987-01-01

In Mexico, youth face difficulties in obtaining reliable information on sex education and family planning through existing community programs. Two alternative strategies to provide these services are being tested in poor urban areas of Monterrey. In one experimental area, Integrated Youth Centers were established, which provide sex education and family planning services as well as counseling, academic tutoring, and recreational activities. In another area, trained young adults and community counselors work through informal networks to provide sex education and family planning information. Both utilization and the cost of these services are examined in the context of plans for expanding coverage in Mexico-U.S. border areas.

Impact factors on expansion of built-up areas in Zhejiang Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dong; Zhu, Qiankun; Li, Yan; Gong, Fang

2017-10-01

Built-up areas are the results of human activities. Not only are they the real reflection of human and society activities, but also one of the most important input parameters for the simulation of biogeochemical cycle. Therefore, it is very necessary to map the distribution of built-up areas and monitor their changes by using new technologies and methods at high spatiotemporal resolution. By combining technologies of GIS (Geographic Information System) and RS (Remote Sensing), this study mainly explored the expansion and driving factors of built-up areas at the beginning of the 21st century in Zhejiang Province, China. Firstly, it introduced the mapping processes of LULC (Land Use and Land Cover) based on the method which combined object-oriented method and binary decision tree. Then, it analyzed the expansion features of built-up areas in Zhejiang from 2000 to 2005 and 2005 to 2010. In addition to these, potential driving factors on the expansion of built-up areas were also explored, which contained physical geographical factors, railways, highways, rivers, urban centers, elevation, and slop. Results revealed that the expansions of built-up areas in Zhejiang from 2000 to 2005 and from 2005 to 2010 were very obvious and they showed high levels of variation in spatial heterogeneity. Except those, increased built-up areas with distance to railways, highways, rivers, and urban centers could be fitted with power function (y = a*xb ), with minimum R2 of 0.9507 for urban centers from 2000 to 2005; the increased permillages of built-up areas to mean elevation and mean slop could be fitted with exponential functions (y = a*ebx), with minimum R2 of 0.6657 for mean slop from 2005 to 2010. Besides, government policy could also impact expansion of built-up areas. In a nutshell, a series of conclusions were obtained through this study about the spatial features and driving factors of evolution of built-up areas in Zhejiang from 2000 to 2010.

Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air pollution.

PubMed

Marshall, Julian D; Brauer, Michael; Frank, Lawrence D

2009-11-01

The built environment may influence health in part through the promotion of physical activity and exposure to pollution. To date, no studies have explored interactions between neighborhood walkability and air pollution exposure. We estimated concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), a marker for direct vehicle emissions), and ozone (O(3)) and a neighborhood walkability score, for 49,702 (89% of total) postal codes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. NO concentrations were estimated from a land-use regression model, O(3) was estimated from ambient monitoring data; walkability was calculated based on geographic attributes such as land-use mix, street connectivity, and residential density. All three attributes exhibit an urban-rural gradient, with high walkability and NO concentrations, and low O(3) concentrations, near the city center. Lower-income areas tend to have higher NO concentrations and walkability and lower O(3) concentrations. Higher-income areas tend to have lower pollution (NO and O(3)). "Sweet-spot" neighborhoods (low pollution, high walkability) are generally located near but not at the city center and are almost exclusively higher income. Increased concentration of activities in urban settings yields both health costs and benefits. Our research identifies neighborhoods that do especially well (and especially poorly) for walkability and air pollution exposure. Work is needed to ensure that the poor do not bear an undue burden of urban air pollution and that neighborhoods designed for walking, bicycling, or mass transit do not adversely affect resident's exposure to air pollution. Analyses presented here could be replicated in other cities and tracked over time to better understand interactions among neighborhood walkability, air pollution exposure, and income level.

University/City Partnerships: Creating Policy Networks for Urban Transformation in Nairobi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klopp, Jacqueline; Ngau, Peter; Sclar, Elliot

2011-01-01

This paper describes an innovative collaboration between the Center for Sustainable Urban Development at Columbia University and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Nairobi. By bringing universities into urban policy networks, this partnership aims to re-shape pedagogy, policy and research action for sustainable…

Promoting Active Urban Aging: A Measurement Approach to Neighborhood Walkability for Older Adults

PubMed Central

Weiss, Rachael L.; Maantay, Juliana A.; Fahs, Marianne

2011-01-01

Understanding the role of the built environment on physical activity behavior among older adults is an important public health goal, but evaluating these relationships remains complicated due to the difficulty of measuring specific attributes of the environment. As a result, there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between perceived and objectively measured walkability and physical activity among urban-dwelling older adults. This suggests that both actual environmental features and perceptions of these attributes influence walking behavior. The purpose of this pilot project is to create an Objective Walkability Index (OWI) by census block using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and supplement the results with resident perceptions thus more accurately characterizing the context of walkability. Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking (ComNET) was used to systematically assess environmental risks impacting activity patterns of older adults in two New York City neighborhoods. In addition, the Senior Center Evaluation of the Neighborhood Environment (SCENE) survey was administered to older adults attending two senior centers located within the target neighborhoods. The results indicate that there is substantial variation in OWI score both between and within the neighborhoods suggesting that residence in some communities may increase the risk of inactivity among older adults. Also, low walkability census blocks were clustered within each neighborhood providing an opportunity for targeted investigation into localized threats to walkability. A lack of consensus regarding the association between the built environment and physical activity among older adults is a consequence of the problems inherent in measuring these determinants. Further empirical evidence evaluating the complex relationships between the built environment and physical activity is an essential step towards creating active communities. PMID:21874149

Gender and Community Organization Leadership in the Chicago Indian Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straus, Anne Terry; Valentino, Debra

2003-01-01

This article concerns eight decades (1920-2000) of community organization in the American Indian community in Chicago. While the trends discussed may be particular to that community or time frame, the authors expect that there are parallels in other urban Indian communities. The Chicago American Indian Center was the first urban Indian center in…

Community as client: reaching an underserved urban community and meeting unmet primary health care needs.

PubMed

Aponte, Judith; Nickitas, Donna M

2007-01-01

In a collaborative effort to address the health disparities within 1 urban underserved community, the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, Hunter College, and the Mount Sinai Medical Center organized a health fair. Nursing faculty worked side by side with undergraduate nursing students to offer several health promotion activities, screening, and educational sessions for residents of East Harlem, New York. In addition, nursing students provided individual patient education on nutrition, hand washing hygiene, medication review, and glucometer usage. Educational materials on lifestyle issues (sample meals, maintaining normal blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and smoking cessation) were provided. To help bridge the gap between health education and health promotion activities, nursing students, many of whom were bilingual, served as translators for non-English speaking Spanish and Chinese residents. In addition to the new professional partnerships developed, new clinical placements for nursing students were established.

The urban built environment and associations with women's psychosocial health.

PubMed

Messer, Lynne C; Maxson, Pamela; Miranda, Marie Lynn

2013-10-01

The determinants that underlie a healthy or unhealthy pregnancy are complex and not well understood. We assess the relationship between the built environment and maternal psychosocial status using directly observed residential neighborhood characteristics (housing damage, property disorder, tenure status, vacancy, security measures, violent crime, and nuisances) and a wide range of psychosocial attributes (interpersonal support evaluation list, self-efficacy, John Henryism active coping, negative partner support, Perceived Stress Scale, perceived racism, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression) on a pregnant cohort of women living in the urban core of Durham, NC, USA. We found some associations between built environment characteristic and psychosocial health varied by exposure categorization approach, while others (residence in environments with more rental property is associated with higher reported active coping and negative partner support) were consistent across exposure categorizations. This study outlines specific neighborhood characteristics that are modifiable risk markers and therefore important targets for increased research and public health intervention.

Urban ergonomics: an ongoing study of city signs and maps.

PubMed

Alves, Patricia; Arezes, Pedro

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess whether the existing signals in three European cities were developed according usability principles and ergonomic aspects for the citizen. City maps and signals will be tested using efficiency, effectiveness and user's satisfaction criteria. Among the urban areas are the center of Paris-FR, assumed to be well signalized, the historical center of Guimarães-PT and Chorweiler, Cologne-DE, a residential neighborhood of modern urbanism characterized by the extensive use of vegetation, the landscape homogeneity, and, consequently, by the difficult navigation.

Does a More Centrally Located School Promote Walking to School? Spatial Centrality in School-Neighborhood Settings.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Jin; Lee, Chanam

2016-05-01

A public elementary school has traditionally functioned as an important center of a neighborhood, but this role has diminished with sprawling urban developments. Despite the large number of studies of children's walking to/from school (WTS), the school's location in relation to the larger neighborhood context has not been fully explored. This study is to examine the relationship between school's spatial centrality and children's WTS in urban, suburban and rural settings. this study used school travel tally (11,721 students), environment audit, GIS and census data from 71 elementary school/neighborhoods in Texas, and employed the closeness centrality index to estimate a school's spatial centrality. Data were collected from 2009-2012. After controlling for neighborhood characteristics, it was found that more centrally located schools are likely to have higher proportions of WTS in the neighborhoods. And, among urban, suburban and rural settings, urban schools were the most and rural schools were the least likely to be centrally-located in the neighborhoods. The findings offer implications on school and community planning policies that can help promote WTS. Spatial centrality measures can be effective tools to identify environmental factors in complex urban networks related to human behaviors and community-based activities.

Evaluation of daily time spent in transportation and traffic-influenced microenvironments by urban Canadians.

PubMed

Matz, Carlyn J; Stieb, David M; Egyed, Marika; Brion, Orly; Johnson, Markey

2018-01-01

Exposure to traffic and traffic-related air pollution is associated with a wide array of health effects. Time spent in a vehicle, in active transportation, along roadsides, and in close proximity to traffic can substantially contribute to daily exposure to air pollutants. For this study, we evaluated daily time spent in transportation and traffic-influenced microenvironments by urban Canadians using the Canadian Human Activity Pattern Survey (CHAPS) 2 results. Approximately 4-7% of daily time was spent in on- or near-road locations, mainly associated with being in a vehicle and smaller contributions from active transportation. Indoor microenvironments can be impacted by traffic emissions, especially when located near major roadways. Over 60% of the target population reported living within one block of a roadway with moderate to heavy traffic, which was variable with income level and city, and confirmed based on elevated NO 2 exposure estimated using land use regression. Furthermore, over 55% of the target population ≤ 18 years reported attending a school or daycare in close proximity to moderate to heavy traffic, and little variation was observed based on income or city. The results underline the importance of traffic emissions as a major source of exposure in Canadian urban centers, given the time spent in traffic-influenced microenvironments.

Designing a New Urban Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lauren

2002-01-01

Discusses Web site design and information architecture in light of principles of New Urbanism that are being applied in urban planning situations. Topics include networked electronic environment design; user-centered network design; multidisciplinary approaches; knowledge access and collaboration; and the Global Information Infrastructure…

Rates, trends, causes, and consequences of urban land-use change in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Acevedo, William; Taylor, Janis L.; Hester, Dave J.; Mladinich, Carol S.; Glavac, Sonya

2006-01-01

Over the past 200 years, changes to the Nation's urban areas have been dramatic. Changes that have occurred relate both to the location of urban centers, as well as to the spatial extent of land dedicated to urban uses. Urban areas at the beginning of the 19th century were located primarily along major rivers or bodies of water, as waterways provided the most efficient means for transporting goods and people. As railroads became prominent, urban areas were able to expand or develop away from the water's edge.Geographic features such as steep slopes, wetlands, and lack of freshwater impeded settlement. In 1902, the National Reclamation Act was passed and with it came funding for the construction of water storage and transportation systems. This encouraged urban expansion in the arid west. After World War II, the Nation's urban areas continued to expand outward away from the city center as populations migrated to the margins of urban areas, where land was less expensive and the environment was less polluted. In 1956, the Federal Highway Act and the building of Interstate highways further facilitated urban expansion across the Unite States. Rural towns, small industrial centers, and farmland were engulfed by expanding urban centers.Over the past 200 years, numerous social, cultural, economic, and political incentives have encouraged urban expansion. In the 1800s, the industrial revolution influenced where people lived and worked. Many people shifted from agricultural production in rural areas to factory work in urban centers. Advances in transportation systems, such as rail transport in the 19th and early 20th centuries, followed by the mass production of the automobile and convenient air travel, facilitated a mobile society and a national economy. Economic growth and a population boom after World War II spurred increased suburbanization-the shifting of residential areas to the outlying section of a city or to a separate municipality-on the fringe of urban areas. Other economic and political incentives that shaped the urban environment included Federally backed home loans, credit and tax mechanisms that encouraged new development, and less restrictive municipal ordinances regarding building codes, environmental laws, and zoning regulations.Throughout the past two centuries land use changes associated with increasing urbanization have had impacts that resonate at local, regional, and even national scales. Landscape changes resulting from urbanization can be mapped and studied over time. Understanding these changes requires a study of the causes of change as related to social, economic, and political influences. Understanding these changes also requires analysis of how urbanization physically spreads across the landscape. The knowledge gained from studying urban land-use change can be helpful when it flows into local, regional, and national decisionmaking that relates to land-use decisions that impact the people, the economy, and the environment. Deriving a correlation between physical change and the explanations of the causes of change can help anticipate and mitigate the impacts of future change.Throughout the past two centuries changes to the Nation's urban areas are inextricably linked to population changes. The Nation's population started growing slowly along the eastern seaboard during the 17th and 18th centuries, accelerated in the second half of the 19th century, and then continued steadily spreading westward throughout the next hundred years. Currently, nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population resides in urban areas. Land area dedicated to urban use continues to expand, although differently than it has in the past. Most newly urbanized areas are much less densely populated and less intensively developed than they were 50 to 100 years ago.

What's for lunch? An analysis of lunch menus in 83 urban and rural Oklahoma child-care centers providing all-day care to preschool children.

PubMed

Frampton, Ashley M; Sisson, Susan B; Horm, Diane; Campbell, Janis E; Lora, Karina; Ladner, Jennifer L

2014-09-01

More than half of 3- to 6-year-old children attend child-care centers. Dietary intakes of children attending child-care centers tend to fall short of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Our aim was to examine macro-/micronutrient content of child-care center menus, compare menus to one third of DRIs, and determine menu differences by population density. A stratified, random, geographically proportionate sample of Oklahoma child-care centers was obtained. Child-care centers providing all-day care for 2- to 5-year-old children were contacted to complete a telephone questionnaire and asked to send in that month's menus for the 3- to 4-year-old children. Overall means and standard deviations of the nutrient content of 5 days of lunch menus were calculated. Comparisons were made to both the 1- to 3-year-old and 4- to 8-year-old DRIs. One-sample t tests compared mean nutrient content of lunches to one third of the DRIs for the overall sample and urban/rural classification. Independent t tests compared nutrient content of urban and rural lunches. One hundred sixty-seven child-care centers were contacted; 83 completed the study (50% response). Menus provided statistically significantly insufficient carbohydrate, dietary fiber, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Calcium was higher than the 1- to 3-year-old DRI, but lower than the 4- to 8-year-old DRI. Folate was higher than the 1- to 3-year-old DRI, but not different from the 4- to 8-year-old DRI. Sodium was higher than the DRI for both age groups. Thirty-four child-care centers (41%) were classified as urban and 49 (59%) as rural. Urban menus provided less than the 4- to 8-year-old DRI for folate, but rural child-care center menus did not. Oklahoma child-care center menus appear to provide adequate protein, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C, but may be deficient in key nutrients required for good health and proper development in preschool-aged children. These issues can be addressed by including food and nutrition practitioners in the process to ensure child-care center menus are a useful resource and nutritionally appropriate for preschool children. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbon dioxide reduction through urban forestry: guidelines for professional and volunteer tree planters

Treesearch

E. Gregory McPherson; James R. Simpson

1999-01-01

Carbon dioxide reduction through urban forestry—Guidelines for professional and volunteer tree planters has been developed by the Pacific Southwest Research Station’s Western Center for Urban Forest Research and Education as a tool for utilities, urban foresters and arborists, municipalities, consultants, non-profit organizations and others to...

Urbanization in Venezuela. An International Urbanization Survey Report to the Ford Foundation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robin, John P.; Terzo, Frederick C.

This study investigates the effects that the abundance of resources in this country has had on the urban development of the country, upon its pattern of population distribution, and upon the conscious effort of the Venezuelan government to reshape its population pattern by the planning of new urban centers and by the opening of previously…

Urban Redevelopment and the Structure of Power: The Impact of Private Interests on the Policy-Making Process in Columbus, Ohio.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

the southwest by Runtinqton Bank, and the northeast by an attorney and a pharmacist . While some miqht 5 contend that the center of town was at Third...projects load to a breaking up of racial bogenelty of the black omunity? black camin Ity?[, UtI tne stetl’s or e*hbnco *oomc activity in the r. mat do

Timing Discrepancies of Early Intervention Hearing Services in Urban and Rural Cochlear Implant Recipients

PubMed Central

Bush, Matthew L.; Burton, Mary; Loan, Ashley; Shinn, Jennifer B.

2013-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of early intervention diagnostic and therapeutic services in cochlear implant recipients from rural and urban areas. Study design Retrospective case series review Setting Tertiary referral center Patients Cochlear implant recipients from a single comprehensive hearing institute born with severe congenital sensorineural hearing loss were examined. Timing of diagnostic and therapeutic services was examined. Intervention(s) Diagnosis, amplification, and eventual cochlear implantation for all patients in the study Main outcome measure(s) Time points of definitive diagnosis, amplification, and cochlear implantation for children from urban and rural regions were examined. Correlation analysis of distance to testing center and timing of services was also assessed. Results 40 children born with congenital hearing loss were included in the study and were diagnosed at a median age of 13 weeks after birth. Children from rural regions obtained amplification at a median age of 47.7 weeks after birth, while urban children were amplified at 26 weeks after birth. Cochlear implantation was performed at a median age of 182 weeks after birth in those from rural areas and at 104 weeks after birth in urban-dwelling patients. A linear relationship was identified between distance to the implant center and timing of hearing aid amplification (r=0.5, p=0.033) and cochlear implantation (r=0.5, p=0.016). Conclusions Children residing outside of metro areas may be at higher risk of delayed rehabilitative services and cochlear implantation than those residing in urban areas that may be closer in proximity to tertiary care centers. PMID:24136305

IMPLEMENTATION OF AN URBAN CANOPY PARAMETERIZATION IN MM5

EPA Science Inventory

The Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) (Grell et al. 1994) has been modified to include an urban canopy parameterization (UCP) for fine-scale urban simulations (~1-km horizontal grid spacing). The UCP accounts for drag ...

Rural-urban migration in Nigeria: consequences on housing, health-care and employment.

PubMed

Johnnie, P B

1988-01-01

This article explores the results of an on-going longitudinal study in selected high-density areas of Port Harcourt metropolis involving 240 respondents from 4 groups. When respondents in the 1st cohort (watchnights, laborers, and messengers) were asked what motivated them to move from rural areas to the city, 94% said to get better jobs and increase their earnings. 98% of the clerks migrated to Port Harcourt for better jobs and to find employment. All 40 school leavers confirmed that they had moved to the city to find jobs. In spite of the various statutory provisions and policy statements relating to housing in Nigeria there still exists an acute and noticeable shortage both in rural and urban housing. There not only exists a dearth of residential accommodation in these urban centers, but there is also a seemingly atrocious disparity in housing conditions between a large majority of poor urban dwellers and a negligible number of urban residents who are reasonably wealthy. With the growing number of persons migrating from the rural areas to the urban centers, there are also likely to be problems of overcrowding which would exacerbate the problems of communicable diseases and pollution. In terms of the allocation of medical personnel, equipment, and drugs, there is a disproportionately skewed distribution in favor of urban dwellers. 1 important cause of urban employment problems is the phenomenal growth in urbanization and the inability of these urban centers to be able to utilize or absorb the urban labor that was created through the process of urbanization. The other problem is the extremely slow pace of industrialization as compared to urbanization . A serious malady responsible for urban unemployment is the staggering rate at which young school leavers migrate to the city. Nigeria as a nation state has assumed the most dangerous dimensions of capitalism by deliberately erecting inequality and poverty in society. 1 way by which the state, controlled by the bourgeosie, has institutionalized poverty is through the process of generating unemployment. Recently, the government has attempted to create jobs by establishing the Directorate of Employment, but most of its schemes have already existed under other names.

The impact of urban operations on helicopter noise requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spector, S. R.

1978-01-01

The interrelationship of urban helicopter operations, helicopter noise, and the establishment of urban public-use heliports is discussed. Public resistance to urban helicopter operations due to concern for safety and noise is shown to negatively impact the establishment of public-use heliports in urban centers. It is indicated that increased government and industry effort to reduce helicopter noise is needed to ensure continued growth in the helicopter industry.

Improving the School, Family, and Community Partnership Through Increased Awareness and Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangum, Deborah Clarke

2006-01-01

Background: This applied dissertation was designed to increase the awareness of a parent resource center located in an urban community. The center had been in existence for 10 years. Due to a massive urban renewal project, the original residents were relocated to other areas of the city. When the replacement housing was constructed, a different,…

An Evaluation of Self-Learning Centers in Adult Education: A Research Report of a Ph.D. Dissertation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lifer, Charles W.; And Others

This report presents a study undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of contacting previously unreached urban audiences through the use of films at automatic self-learning centers. To accomplish this, the study attempted to determine: (1) the extent to which people in an urban business (a large insurance company) would look at agricultural films…

The Contribution of Children's Advocacy Centers to Felony Prosecutions of Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Aaron; Rubin, David

2009-01-01

Objective: To describe trends of felony sexual abuse prosecutions between 1992 and 2002 for two districts of a large urban city that differed primarily in their use of children's advocacy centers (CACs) for sexual abuse evaluations in children. Methods: Aggregate data for two districts of a large urban city were provided from 1992 to 2002 from the…

Comparing Baltimore and Phoenix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The 'zoom lens' aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft acquired these views of two U.S. cities: Baltimore, Maryland (left), and Phoenix, Arizona (right). Acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), red in these false-colored images indicates vegetation. The turquoise pixels show paved areas while darker greens and browns show bare earth and rock surfaces. The 'true' constructed nature of these cities is not easy to see. Ecologists now accept human beings and our activities as a significant factor in studying the Earth's ecology. ASTER data are being used to better understand urban ecology, in particular how humans build their cities and affect the surrounding environment. At the recent American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in Boston, Will Stefanov of Arizona State University presented the first set of ASTER images of the urban 'skeletons' of the amount of built structures in twelve cities around the world. He also discussed the Urban Environmental Monitoring project, in which scientists are examining 100 urban centers to look for common features (or lack of them) in global city structure as well as to monitor their changes over time.

Fluid Mechanics of Urban Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernando, Harindra J.

2008-11-01

The rapid urbanization of the Earth has led to highly populated cities that act as concentrated centers of anthropogenic stressors on the natural environment. The degradation of environmental quality due to such stressors, in turn, greatly impacts human behavior. Anthropogenic stressors largely originate as a result of coupling between man-made urban elements (i.e., networks of engineering and socio-economic infrastructures) and the environment, for which surrounding fluid motions play a key role. In recent years, research efforts have been directed at the understanding and modeling of fluid motions in urban areas, infrastructure dynamics and interactions thereof, with the hope of identifying environmental impacts of urbanization and complex outcomes (or ``emergent properties'') of nominally simple interactions between infrastructures and environment. Such consequences play an important role in determining the ``resilience'' of cities under anthropogenic stressors, defined as maintaining the structure and essential functions of an urbanity without regime shifts. Holistic integrated models that meld the dynamics of infrastructures and environment as well as ``quality of life'' attributes are becoming powerful decision-making tools with regard to sustainability of urban areas (continuance or even enhancement of socio-economic activities in harmony with the environment). The rudimentary forms of integrated models are beginning to take shape, augmented by comprehensive field studies and advanced measurement platforms to validate them. This presentation deals with the challenges of modeling urban atmosphere, subject to anthropogenic forcing. An important emergent property, the Urban Heat Island, and its role in determining resilience and sustainability of cities will be discussed based on the prediction of a coupled model.

Modeling Hydrologic Processes after Vegetation Restoration in an Urban Watershed with HEC-HMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, K.; Kinoshita, A. M.

2017-12-01

The San Diego River Watershed in California (USA) is highly urbanized, where stream channel geomorphology are directly affected by anthropogenic disturbances. Flooding and water quality concerns have led to an increased interest in improving the condition of urban waterways. Alvarado Creek, a 1200-meter section of a tributary to the San Diego River will be used as a case study to understand the degree to which restoration efforts reduce the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities on hydrologic processes and water quality in urban stream ecosystems. In 2016, non-native vegetation (i.e. Washingtonia spp. (fan palm), Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island palm)) and approximately 7257 kilograms of refuse were removed from the study reach. This research develops the United States Army Corp of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydraulic Modeling System (USACE HEC-HMS) using field-based data to model and predict the short- and long-term impacts of restoration on geomorphic and hydrologic processes. Observations include cross-sectional area, grain-size distributions, water quality, and continuous measurements of streamflow, temperature, and precipitation. Baseline and design storms are simulated before and after restoration. The model will be calibrated and validated using field observations. The design storms represent statistical likelihoods of storms occurrences, and the pre- and post-restoration hydrologic responses will be compared to evaluate the impact of vegetation and waste removal on runoff processes. Ultimately model parameters will be transferred to other urban creeks in San Diego that may potentially undergo restoration. Modeling will be used to learn about the response trajectory of rainfall-runoff processes following restoration efforts in urban streams and guide future management and restoration activities.

Social determinants of childhood asthma symptoms: an ecological study in urban Latin America.

PubMed

Fattore, Gisel L; Santos, Carlos A T; Barreto, Mauricio L

2014-04-01

Asthma is an important public health problem in urban Latin America. This study aimed to analyze the role of socioeconomic and environmental factors as potential determinants of asthma symptoms prevalence in children from Latin American (LA) urban centers. We selected 31 LA urban centers with complete data, and an ecological analysis was performed. According to our theoretical framework, the explanatory variables were classified in three levels: distal, intermediate, and proximate. The association between variables in the three levels and prevalence of asthma symptoms was examined by bivariate and multivariate linear regression analysis weighed by sample size. In a second stage, we fitted several linear regression models introducing sequentially the variables according to the predefined hierarchy. In the final hierarchical model Gini Index, crowding, sanitation, variation in infant mortality rates and homicide rates, explained great part of the variance in asthma prevalence between centers (R(2) = 75.0 %). We found a strong association between socioeconomic and environmental variables and prevalence of asthma symptoms in LA urban children, and according to our hierarchical framework and the results found we suggest that social inequalities (measured by the Gini Index) is a central determinant to explain high prevalence of asthma in LA.

The Integrated WRF/Urban Modeling System: Development, Evaluation, and Applications to Urban Environmental Problems

EPA Science Inventory

To bridge the gaps between traditional mesoscale modelling and microscale modelling, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in collaboration with other agencies and research groups, has developed an integrated urban modelling system coupled to the weather research and fore...

Exploring Urban Literacy & Developmental Education. CRDEUL Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundell, Dana Britt, Ed.; Higbee, Jeanne L., Ed.

This collection of papers includes: "Introduction: Why Should We Discuss 'Urban Literacy' in Developmental Education?" (Dana Britt Lundell and Jeanne L. Higbee); "History of the Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy: 1996-2002" (Dana Britt Lundell); "The Traveling City: The Hudson's Store, Urban…

24 CFR 964.300 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false General. 964.300 Section 964.300 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED) OFFICE OF... PARTICIPATION AND TENANT OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING Family Investment Centers (FIC) Program § 964.300...

IMPLEMENTATION OF AN URBAN CANOPY PARAMETERIZATION FOR FINE-SCALE SIMULATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) (Grell et al. 1994) has been modified to include an urban canopy parameterization (UCP) for fine-scale urban simulations ( 1 - km horizontal grid spacing ). The UCP accounts for dr...

Inhalable desert dust, urban emissions, and potentially biotoxic metals in urban Saharan-Sahelian air

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrison, Virginia H.; Majewski, Michael S.; Konde, Lassana; Wolf, Ruth E.; Otto, Richard D.; Tsuneoka, Yutaka

2014-01-01

Saharan dust incursions and particulates emitted from human activities degrade air quality throughout West Africa, especially in the rapidly expanding urban centers in the region. Particulate matter (PM) that can be inhaled is strongly associated with increased incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Air samples collected in the capital of a Saharan–Sahelian country (Bamako, Mali) between September 2012 and July 2013 were found to contain inhalable PM concentrations that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) PM2.5 and PM10 24-h limits 58 – 98% of days and European Union (EU) PM10 24-h limit 98% of days. Mean concentrations were 1.2-to-4.5 fold greater than existing limits. Inhalable PM was enriched in transition metals, known to produce reactive oxygen species and initiate the inflammatory response, and other potentially bioactive and biotoxic metals/metalloids. Eroded mineral dust composed the bulk of inhalable PM, whereas most enriched metals/metalloids were likely emitted from oil combustion, biomass burning, refuse incineration, vehicle traffic, and mining activities. Human exposure to inhalable PM and associated metals/metalloids over 24-h was estimated. The findings indicate that inhalable PM in the Sahara–Sahel region may present a threat to human health, especially in urban areas with greater inhalable PM and transition metal exposure.

Inhalable desert dust, urban emissions, and potentially biotoxic metals in urban Saharan-Sahelian air.

PubMed

Garrison, V H; Majewski, M S; Konde, L; Wolf, R E; Otto, R D; Tsuneoka, Y

2014-12-01

Saharan dust incursions and particulates emitted from human activities degrade air quality throughout West Africa, especially in the rapidly expanding urban centers in the region. Particulate matter (PM) that can be inhaled is strongly associated with increased incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Air samples collected in the capital of a Saharan-Sahelian country (Bamako, Mali) between September 2012 and July 2013 were found to contain inhalable PM concentrations that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) PM2.5 and PM10 24-h limits 58 - 98% of days and European Union (EU) PM10 24-h limit 98% of days. Mean concentrations were 1.2-to-4.5 fold greater than existing limits. Inhalable PM was enriched in transition metals, known to produce reactive oxygen species and initiate the inflammatory response, and other potentially bioactive and biotoxic metals/metalloids. Eroded mineral dust composed the bulk of inhalable PM, whereas most enriched metals/metalloids were likely emitted from oil combustion, biomass burning, refuse incineration, vehicle traffic, and mining activities. Human exposure to inhalable PM and associated metals/metalloids over 24-h was estimated. The findings indicate that inhalable PM in the Sahara-Sahel region may present a threat to human health, especially in urban areas with greater inhalable PM and transition metal exposure. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modeling urban expansion in Yangon, Myanmar using Landsat time-series and stereo GeoEye Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sritarapipat, Tanakorn; Takeuchi, Wataru

2016-06-01

This research proposed a methodology to model the urban expansion based dynamic statistical model using Landsat and GeoEye Images. Landsat Time-Series from 1978 to 2010 have been applied to extract land covers from the past to the present. Stereo GeoEye Images have been employed to obtain the height of the building. The class translation was obtained by observing land cover from the past to the present. The height of the building can be used to detect the center of the urban area (mainly commercial area). It was assumed that the class translation and the distance of multi-centers of the urban area also the distance of the roads affect the urban growth. The urban expansion model based on the dynamic statistical model was defined to refer to three factors; (1) the class translation, (2) the distance of the multicenters of the urban areas, and (3) the distance from the roads. Estimation and prediction of urban expansion by using our model were formulated and expressed in this research. The experimental area was set up in Yangon, Myanmar. Since it is the major of country's economic with more than five million population and the urban areas have rapidly increased. The experimental results indicated that our model of urban expansion estimated urban growth in both estimation and prediction steps in efficiency.

Refining The Grain: Using Resident-Based Walkability Audits To Better Understand Walkable Urban Form.

PubMed

Schlossberg, Marc; Johnson-Shelton, Deb; Evers, Cody; Moreno, Geraldine

Researchers use measures of street connectivity to assess neighborhood walkability and many studies show a relationship between neighborhood design and walking activity. Yet, the core of those connectivity measures are based on constructs designed for analyzing automobile mobility - the street network - not pedestrian movement. This paper examines the effect of a finer grained characterization of street connectivity and illustrates the idea using parent ratings of street and intersection walkability for children throughout a suburban school district in Oregon. Several policy and practice recommendations are presented, including a discussion that extends Michael Southworth's (1993; 2005) foundational representation of streets and the walkable city using a refined, more pedestrian-centered approach to visualizing connectivity and walkable urban form.

Finding topological center of a geographic space via road network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Liang; Miao, Yanan; Qin, Yuhao; Zhao, Xiaomei; Gao, Zi-You

2015-02-01

Previous studies show that the center of a geographic space is of great importance in urban and regional studies, including study of population distribution, urban growth modeling, and scaling properties of urban systems, etc. But how to well define and how to efficiently extract the center of a geographic space are still largely unknown. Recently, Jiang et al. have presented a definition of topological center by their block detection (BD) algorithm. Despite the fact that they first introduced the definition and discovered the 'true center', in human minds, their algorithm left several redundancies in its traversal process. Here, we propose an alternative road-cycle detection (RCD) algorithm to find the topological center, which extracts the outmost road-cycle recursively. To foster the application of the topological center in related research fields, we first reproduce the BD algorithm in Python (pyBD), then implement the RCD algorithm in two ways: the ArcPy implementation (arcRCD) and the Python implementation (pyRCD). After the experiments on twenty-four typical road networks, we find that the results of our RCD algorithm are consistent with those of Jiang's BD algorithm. We also find that the RCD algorithm is at least seven times more efficient than the BD algorithm on all the ten typical road networks.

Holocene phreatomagmatic eruptions alongside the densely populated northern shoreline of Lake Kivu, East African Rift: timing and hazard implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppe, Sam; Smets, Benoît; Fontijn, Karen; Rukeza, Montfort Bagalwa; De Marie Fikiri Migabo, Antoine; Milungu, Albert Kyambikwa; Namogo, Didier Birimwiragi; Kervyn, François; Kervyn, Matthieu

2016-11-01

The Virunga Volcanic Province (VVP) represents the most active zone of volcanism in the western branch of the East African Rift System. While the VVP's two historically active volcanoes, Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo, have built scoria cones and lava flows in the adjacent lava fields, several small phreatomagmatic eruptive centers lie along Lake Kivu's northern shoreline, highlighting the potential for explosive magma-water interaction. Their presence in the densely urbanized Sake-Goma-Gisenyi area necessitates an assessment of their eruptive mechanisms and chronology. Some of these eruptive centers possess multiple vents, and depositional contacts suggest distinct eruptive phases within a single structure. Depositional facies range from polymict tuff breccia to tuff and loose lapilli, often impacted by blocks and volcanic bombs. Along with the presence of dilute pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits, indicators of magma-water interaction include the presence of fine palagonitized ash, ash aggregates, cross-bedding, and ballistic impact sags. We estimate that at least 15 phreatomagmatic eruptions occurred in the Holocene, during which Lake Kivu rose to its current water level. Radiocarbon dates of five paleosols in the top of volcanic tuff deposits range between ˜2500 and ˜150 cal. year bp and suggest centennial- to millennial-scale recurrence of phreatomagmatic activity. A vast part of the currently urbanized zone on the northern shoreline of Lake Kivu was most likely impacted by products from phreatomagmatic activity, including PDC events, during the Late Holocene, highlighting the need to consider explosive magma-water interaction as a potential scenario in future risk assessments.

Fertility and female employment in Lagos, Nigeria.

PubMed

Feyisetan, B J

1985-01-01

This paper investigates the relationship between fertility and female employment in a Nigerian urban center, Lagos. The study is built upon the data derived from the Survey of Household Structure, Family Employment, and the Small Family Ideal carried out in 1974. The study centered around currently married women aged 15-49, living in 2 residential areas chosen to include wage-earning and non wage-earning workers. It is principally a test of the maternal role incompatibility hypothesis, whose major tenet is that the maternal role and function of worker are incompatible with each other. On the basis of the assumption, the fertility and female employment equations are estimated by the 2 stage least squares procedure and estimated results compared to those derived from the ordinary least squares procedure. The results demonstrate that mothering and working tend to conflict only if employment is undertaken in the formal sector of the labor market; a positive association is discernable between the proclivity to engage in non-domestic but irregular activities of the informal sector and the bearing and rearing of children. While the conflict between fertility and female employment in the formal sector suggests possible trade-offs between the number of children and employment, the positive association between fertility and female employment in the informal sector suggests the compatibility of the roles of a mother and of a worker in that sector. The results further demonstrate the inadequacy of using a mere rural-urban dichotomy in the examination of the maternal role incompatibility hypothesis as done in some earlier works. The urban labor market, especially in a less developed country like Nigeria, needs formal disaggregation into formal and informal sectors on the basis of the activities being undertaken.

The NASA Lewis Research Center: An Economic Impact Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austrian, Ziona

1996-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC), established in 1941, is one of ten NASA research centers in the country. It is situated on 350 acres of land in Cuyahoga County and occupies more than 140 buildings and over 500 specialized research and test facilities. Most of LeRC's facilities are located in the City of Cleveland; some are located within the boundaries of the cities of Fairview Park and Brookpark. LeRC is a lead center for NASA's research, technology, and development in the areas of aeropropulsion and selected space applications. It is a center of excellence for turbomachinery, microgravity fluid and combustion research, and commercial communication. The base research and technology disciplines which serve both aeronautics and space areas include materials and structures, instrumentation and controls, fluid physics, electronics, and computational fluid dynamics. This study investigates LeRC's economic impact on Northeast Ohio's economy. It was conducted by The Urban Center's Economic Development Program in Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs. The study measures LeRC's direct impact on the local economy in terms of jobs, output, payroll, and taxes, as well as the indirect impact of these economic activities when they 'ripple' throughout the economy. To fully explain LeRC's overall impact on the region, its contributions in the areas of technology transfer and education are also examined. The study uses a highly credible and widely accepted research methodology. First, regional economic multipliers based on input-output models were used to estimate the effect of LERC spending on the Northeast Ohio economy. Second, the economic models were complemented by interviews with industrial, civic, and university leaders to qualitatively assess LeRC's impact in the areas of technology transfer and education.

Building on Years of Parent and Student Activism to Place a New Education Agenda at the Center of a Mayoral Election

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernández, María C.; Williams, Ocynthia

2014-01-01

For over a decade, students and parents in New York City have organized in coalitions across boroughs to fight for an equitable, just school system for all public school students. In a time when the Department of Education (DOE) centralized all power in the hands of one mayor and one schools chancellor, the Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) and the…

Rural access to clinical pharmacy services.

PubMed

Patterson, Brandon J; Kaboli, Peter J; Tubbs, Traviss; Alexander, Bruce; Lund, Brian C

2014-01-01

To examine the impact of rural residence and primary care site on use of clinical pharmacy services (CPS) and to describe the use of clinical telepharmacy within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care system. Using 2011 national VHA data, the frequency of patients with CPS encounters was compared across patient residence (urban or rural) and principal site of primary care (medical center, urban clinic, or rural clinic). The likelihood of CPS utilization was estimated with random effects logistic regression. Individual service types (e.g., anticoagulation clinics) and delivery modes (e.g., telehealth) were also examined. Of 3,040,635 patients, 711,348 (23.4%) received CPS. Service use varied by patient residence (urban: 24.9%; rural: 19.7%) and principal site of primary care (medical center: 25.9%; urban clinic: 22.5%; rural clinic: 17.6%). However, in adjusted analyses, urban-rural differences were explained primarily by primary care site and less so by patient residence. Similar findings were observed for individual CPS types. Telehealth encounters were common, accounting for nearly one-half of patients receiving CPS. Video telehealth was infrequent (<0.2%), but more common among patients of rural clinics than those receiving CPS at medical centers (odds ratio [OR] = 9.7; 95% CI 9.0-10.5). We identified a potential disparity between rural and urban patients' access to CPS, which was largely explained by greater reliance on community clinics for primary care than on medical centers. Future research is needed to determine if this disparity will be alleviated by emerging organizational changes, including expanding telehealth capacity and integrating pharmacists into primary care teams, and whether lessons learned at VHA translate to other settings.

Lessons Learned about Urban Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Lorrie C.

This paper examines research on urban education, looking at what works and what does not. It introduces a theme issue of the "Illinois Schools Journal" that examines various interventions from the perspectives of members of the Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE) and tenure-track professors from Chicago State University's College of…

APPLICATIONS OF CFD SIMULATIONS OF POLLUTANT TRANSPORT AND DISPERSION WITHIN AMBIENT URBAN BUILDING ENVIRONMENTS: INCLUDING HOMELAND SECURITY

EPA Science Inventory

There is presently much focus on Homeland Security and the need to understand how potential sources of toxic material are transported and dispersed in the urban environment. Material transport and dispersion within these urban centers is highly influenced by the buildings. Compu...

Recreation in urban-proximate natural areas

Treesearch

P.L. Winter; D.J. Chavez

1999-01-01

Recreation in urban proximate wildland and wilderness areas and resulting management concerns and challenges have proven a fertile ground for social science research. As the demand for recreation opportunities adjacent to large urban centers has increased, so has the variety of recreational interests, patterns, and preferences, a reflection of the diverse...

SPATIAL VARIATION OF THE EVOLUTION AND STRUCTURE OF THE URBAN BOUNDARY LAYER

EPA Science Inventory

The spatial variation of the nocturnal urban boundary layer structure and the time variation of the mixing height, the nocturnal inversion top and strength after sunrise are presented for urban sites located upwind, downwind, and near the center of the heat island and for upwind ...

Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence Associated With Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Young Adult Men

PubMed Central

Raj, Anita; Santana, M. Christina; La Marche, Ana; Amaro, Hortensia; Cranston, Kevin; Silverman, Jay G.

2006-01-01

Objective. We assessed the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and sexual risk behaviors and fatherhood (having fathered children) among young men. Methods. Sexually active men aged 18 to 35 years who visited an urban community health center and who reported having sexual intercourse with a steady female partner during the past 3 months (N = 283) completed a brief self-administered survey about sexual risk behaviors, IPV perpetration, and demographics. We conducted logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographics to assess associations between IPV and sexual risk behaviors and fatherhood. Results. Participants were predominantly Hispanic (74.9%) and Black (21.9%). Participants who reported IPV perpetration during the past year (41.3%) were significantly more likely to report (1) inconsistent or no condom use during vaginal and anal sexual intercourse, (2) forcing sexual intercourse without a condom, (3) having sexual intercourse with other women, and (4) having fathered 3 or more children. Conclusion. IPV perpetration was common among our sample and was associated with increased sexual risk behaviors. Urban community health centers may offer an important venue for reaching this at-risk population. PMID:16670216

Advocating for active living on the rural-urban fringe: a case study of planning in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.

PubMed

Adler, Sy; Dobson, Noelle; Fox, Karen Perl; Weigand, Lynn

2008-06-01

This case study is about the politics of incorporating active-living elements into a concept plan for a new community of about 68,000 people on the edge of the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Development on the rural-urban fringe is ongoing in metropolitan areas around the United States. In this article, we evaluate the product of the concept-planning process from the standpoint of the extent to which environmental elements conducive to active living were included. We also analyze four issues in which challenges to the incorporation of active-living features surfaced: choices related to transportation facilities, the design and location of retail stores, the location of schools and parks, and the location of a new town center. Overall, the Damascus/Boring Concept Plan positions the area well to promote active living. Analyses of the challenges that emerged yielded lessons for advocates regarding ways to deal with conflicts between facilitating active living and local economic development and related tax-base concerns and between active-living elements and school-district planning autonomy as well as the need for advocates to have the capacity to present alternatives to the usual financial and design approaches taken by private- and public-sector investors.

The Urban Environmental Monitoring/100 Cities Project: Legacy of the First Phase and Next Steps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanov, William L.; Wentz, Elizabeth A.; Brazel, Anthony; Netzband, Maik; Moeller, Matthias

2009-01-01

The Urban Environmental Monitoring (UEM) project, now known as the 100 Cities Project, at Arizona State University (ASU) is a baseline effort to collect and analyze remotely sensed data for 100 urban centers worldwide. Our overarching goal is to use remote sensing technology to better understand the consequences of rapid urbanization through advanced biophysical measurements, classification methods, and modeling, which can then be used to inform public policy and planning. Urbanization represents one of the most significant alterations that humankind has made to the surface of the earth. In the early 20th century, there were less than 20 cities in the world with populations exceeding 1 million; today, there are more than 400. The consequences of urbanization include the transformation of land surfaces from undisturbed natural environments to land that supports different forms of human activity, including agriculture, residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure such as roads and other types of transportation. Each of these land transformations has impacted, to varying degrees, the local climatology, hydrology, geology, and biota that predate human settlement. It is essential that we document, to the best of our ability, the nature of land transformations and the consequences to the existing environment. The focus in the UEM project since its inception has been on rapid urbanization. Rapid urbanization is occurring in hundreds of cities worldwide as population increases and people migrate from rural communities to urban centers in search of employment and a better quality of life. The unintended consequences of rapid urbanization have the potential to cause serious harm to the environment, to human life, and to the resulting built environment because rapid development constrains and rushes decision making. Such rapid decision making can result in poor planning, ineffective policies, and decisions that harm the environment and the quality of human life. Slower, more thought-out, decision making could result in more favorable outcomes. The harm to the environment includes poor air quality, soil erosion, polluted rivers and aquifers, and loss of wildlife habitat. Human life is then threatened because of increased potential for disease spreading, human conflict, environmental hazards, and diminished quality of life. The built environment is potentially threatened when cities are built in areas that can be impacted by events such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, and landslides. Our goals include assessing the threat of such events on cities and the people living there.

Do school-based health centers improve adolescents' access to health care, health status, and risk-taking behavior?

PubMed

Kisker, E E; Brown, R S

1996-05-01

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the School-Based Adolescent Health Care Program, which provided comprehensive health-related services in 24 school-based health centers. The outcomes evaluation compared a cohort of students attending 19 participating schools and a national sample of urban youths, using logit models to control for observed differences between the two groups of youths. Outcome measures included self-reports concerning health center utilization, use of other health care providers, knowledge of key health facts, substance use, sexual activity, contraceptive use, pregnancies and births, and health status. The health centers increased students' access to health care and improved their health knowledge. However, the estimated impacts on health status and risky behaviors were inconsistent, and most were small and not statistically significant. School-based health centers can increase students' health knowledge and access to health-related services, but more intensive or different services are needed if they are to significantly reduce risk-taking behaviors.

Higher Education and Health Care Institutions as Stimuli for the Revitalization of Camden, New Jersey, through Capital Expansion, Collaboration, and Political Advocacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giles-Gee, Helen; Rozewski, Mark

2006-01-01

Camden, New Jersey, a city of 80,000 located directly across the Delaware River from center-city Philadelphia, is, by any index of urban decay, one of the nation's most distressed urban centers. While severely ineffective, the city houses the essential building blocks of future recovery: branches of four colleges and universities and two major…

The impact of managed care and current governmental policies on an urban academic health care center.

PubMed

Rodriguez, J L; Peterson, D J; Muehlstedt, S G; Zera, R T; West, M A; Bubrick, M P

2001-10-01

Managed care and governmental policies have restructured hospital reimbursement. We examined reimbursement trends in trauma care to assess the impact of this market driven change on an urban academic health center. Patients injured between January 1997 and December 1999 were analyzed for Injury Severity Score (ISS), length of hospital stay, hospital cost, payer, and reimbursement. Between 1997 and 1999, the volume of patients with an ISS less than 9 increased and length of stay decreased. In addition, overall cost, payment, and profit margin increased. Commercially insured patients accounted for this margin increase, because the margins of managed care and government insured patients experienced double-digit decreases. Patients with ISS of 9 or greater also experienced a volume increase and a reduction in length of stay; however, costs within this group increased greater than payments, thereby reducing profit margin. Whereas commercially insured patients maintained their margin, managed care and government insured patients did not (double- and triple-digit decreases). Managed care and current governmental policies have a negative impact on urban academic health center reimbursement. Commercial insurers subsidize not only the uninsured but also the government insured and managed care patients as well. National awareness of this issue and policy action are paramount to urban academic health centers and may also benefit commercial insurers.

Diverse urban plantings managed with sufficient resource availability can increase plant productivity and arthropod diversity

PubMed Central

Muller, Jonathon N.; Loh, Susan; Braggion, Ligia; Cameron, Stephen; Firn, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

Buildings structures and surfaces are explicitly being used to grow plants, and these “urban plantings” are generally designed for aesthetic value. Urban plantings also have the potential to contribute significant “ecological values” by increasing urban habitat for animals such as arthropods and by increasing plant productivity. In this study, we evaluated how the provision of these additional ecological values is affected by plant species richness; the availability of essential resources for plants, such as water, light, space; and soil characteristics. We sampled 33 plantings located on the exterior of three buildings in the urban center of Brisbane, Australia (subtropical climatic region) over 2, 6 week sampling periods characterized by different temperature and rainfall conditions. Plant cover was estimated as a surrogate for productivity as destructive sampling of biomass was not possible. We measured weekly light levels (photosynthetically active radiation), plant CO2 assimilation, soil CO2 efflux, and arthropod diversity. Differences in plant cover were best explained by a three-way interaction of plant species richness, management water regime and sampling period. As the richness of plant species increased in a planter, productivity and total arthropod richness also increased significantly—likely due to greater habitat heterogeneity and quality. Overall we found urban plantings can provide additional ecological values if essential resources are maintained within a planter such as water, light and soil temperature. Diverse urban plantings that are managed with these principles in mind can contribute to the attraction of diverse arthropod communities, and lead to increased plant productivity within a dense urban context. PMID:25400642

Seasonally dynamic fungal communities in the Quercus macrocarpa phyllosphere differ between urban and nonurban environments.

PubMed

Jumpponen, A; Jones, K L

2010-04-01

*The fungal richness, diversity and community composition in the Quercus macrocarpa phyllosphere were compared across a growing season in trees located in six stands within and outside a small urban center using 454-sequencing and DNA tagging. The approaches did not differentiate between endophytic and epiphytic fungal communities. *Fungi accumulated in the phyllosphere rapidly and communities were temporally dynamic, with more than a third of the analyzed operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and half of the BLAST-inferred genera showing distinct seasonal patterns. The seasonal patterns could be explained by fungal life cycles or environmental tolerances. *The communities were hyperdiverse and differed between the urban and nonurban stands, albeit not consistently across the growing season. Foliar macronutrients (nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and sulfur (S)), micronutrients (boron (B), manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se)) and trace elements (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)) were enriched in the urban trees, probably as a result of anthropogenic activities. Because of correlations with the experimental layout, these chemical elements should not be considered as community drivers without further empirical studies. *We suggest that a combination of mechanisms leads to differences between urban and nonurban communities. Among those are stand isolation and size, nutrient and pollutant accumulation plus stand management, including fertilization and litter removal.

An environmental intervention aimed at increasing physical activity levels in low-income women.

PubMed

Speck, Barbara J; Hines-Martin, Vicki; Stetson, Barbara A; Looney, Stephen W

2007-01-01

Regular physical activity is a health promotion and disease prevention behavior. Of all demographic groups, low-income women report the lowest levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to test an intervention aimed at reducing community environmental barriers to physical activity in low-income women. The research design was mixed methodology: (1) quantitative (quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, cohort design in which no treatment partitioning was possible) and (2) qualitative (focus groups). The setting was a church-sponsored community center centrally located in a low-income urban neighborhood. The comparison group was recruited first followed by the intervention group to control for setting. The sample consisted of 104 women (comparison group, n = 53; intervention group, n = 51) between the ages of 18 and 63 years who were residents of neighborhoods served by the community center. No between-group differences were found for physical activity behavior. Significant between-group differences in cholesterol (P = .007) and perception of physical activity (P = .033) were observed. Significant intervention group increases from pretest to posttest were found related to advanced registered nurse practitioner support, friend support, and more positive physical activity environment at the community center. Qualitative data supported and enriched the quantitative data. Physical activity levels were not significantly different between the groups. In a sample of low-income women who have multiple barriers, improving attitudes, expanding their knowledge of community resources, and providing physical activity opportunities in their neighborhoods are important intermediate steps toward initiation and maintenance of regular physical activity.

Metallic elements and isotope of Pb in wet precipitation in urban area, South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migliavacca, Daniela Montanari; Teixeira, Elba Calesso; Gervasoni, Fernanda; Conceição, Rommulo Vieira; Raya Rodriguez, Maria Teresa

2012-04-01

The atmosphere of urban areas has been the subject of many studies to show the atmospheric pollution in large urban centers. By quantifying wet precipitation through the analysis of metallic elements (ICP/AES) and Pb isotopes, the wet precipitation of the Metropolitan Area of the Porto Alegre (MAPA), Brazil, was characterized. The samples were collected between July 2005 and December 2007. Zn, Fe and Mn showed the highest concentration in studied sites. Sapucaia do Sul showed the highest average for Zn, due to influence by the steel plant located near the sampling site. The contribution of anthropogenic emissions from vehicular activity and steel plants in wet precipitation and suspended particulate matter in the MAPA was identified by the isotopic signatures of 208Pb/207Pb and 206Pb/207Pb. Moreover the analyses of the metallic elements allowed also to identify the contribution of other anthropic sources, such as steel plants and oil refinery.

The role of Australian mosquito species in the transmission of endemic and exotic West Nile virus strains.

PubMed

Jansen, Cassie C; Ritchie, Scott A; van den Hurk, Andrew F

2013-08-19

Recent epidemic activity and its introduction into the Western Hemisphere have drawn attention to West Nile virus (WNV) as an international public health problem. Of particular concern has been the ability for the virus to cause outbreaks of disease in highly populated urban centers. Incrimination of Australian mosquito species is an essential component in determining the receptivity of Australia to the introduction and/or establishment of an exotic strain of WNV and can guide potential management strategies. Based on vector competence experiments and ecological studies, we suggest candidate Australian mosquito species that would most likely be involved in urban transmission of WNV, along with consideration of the endemic WNV subtype, Kunjin. We then examine the interaction of entomological factors with virological and vertebrate host factors, as well as likely mode of introduction, which may influence the potential for exotic WNV to become established and be maintained in urban transmission cycles in Australia.

The changing psychology of culture from 1800 through 2000.

PubMed

Greenfield, Patricia M

2013-09-01

The Google Books Ngram Viewer allows researchers to quantify culture across centuries by searching millions of books. This tool was used to test theory-based predictions about implications of an urbanizing population for the psychology of culture. Adaptation to rural environments prioritizes social obligation and duty, giving to other people, social belonging, religion in everyday life, authority relations, and physical activity. Adaptation to urban environments requires more individualistic and materialistic values; such adaptation prioritizes choice, personal possessions, and child-centered socialization in order to foster the development of psychological mindedness and the unique self. The Google Ngram Viewer generated relative frequencies of words indexing these values from the years 1800 to 2000 in American English books. As urban populations increased and rural populations declined, word frequencies moved in the predicted directions. Books published in the United Kingdom replicated this pattern. The analysis established long-term relationships between ecological change and cultural change, as predicted by the theory of social change and human development (Greenfield, 2009).

From Information to Urban Sustainability through Innovations in Citizen Centered Transparency Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, A.

2017-12-01

Current urban information mechanisms in developing countries operate only through linear exchanges between institutions and users and therefore reinforce hierarchical relationships. Coupled with conflicting interests and perspectives of stakeholders in multilevel climate-governance and absence of grassroots information-networking for adaptation decision-making, there are therefore, existing information gaps. Central to urban sustainability is the need for citizen centered transparency (CCT) mechanisms that encompass and address the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable communities in developing countries especially. The study discloses the existing information gaps through information-needs assessment of stakeholders, and attempts to chart the desired course for responsible action within frame-work of Citizen Centered Transparency (CCT) mechanism. This involved analysis of several urban development projects for Indian metropolitans that mainly involved end-user association, and the parameters considered for breaking complexity for assessment included: a. Feedback: Ends-user feedback to improve resource consumption literacy and consequently urban behaviour and sustainable lifestyles(feedback technology, consumption displays, eco-labeling, billing, advisory services, sensor technology), and b. Administrative Traditions and Institutional Policy: Rewarding-punishing to enforce desired action(subsidies, taxation). The research thus answered: 1.Who gets the information whereas who requires it (Equity in Information Distribution)? and 2. How can information translate to responsible action in future (Transparency of Execution)? Findings suggested that, how, by using the CCT innovations it is practically possible to embed responsibilities in urban development planning, and manifesting environmental goals in municipal policies so that they bear clear potential short-term benefits, short-term costs, and have maximum compliance with the objectives of sustainable urban development.

Response interval comparison between urban fire departments and ambulance services.

PubMed

Jermyn, B D

1999-01-01

To measure the response intervals of fire departments compared with ambulance services in three urban centers to determine whether defibrillators should be added to fire vehicles. A prospective sample of 1,882 code 4 (life-threatening) tiered calls were collected over a six-month period from March 1, 1994, to August 31, 1994. A matched pairs experimental design compared the response interval of the fire department with that of the ambulance service for each call. This emergency medical services (EMS) system encompasses three urban centers with populations of 80,000, 95,000, and 170,000. In two of three of the urban centers, the fire department arrived on scene more than a minute sooner than the ambulance service: Cambridge (n = 571, mean = 2.22 min, p < 0.0001); Kitchener (n = 1,011, mean = 1.24 min, p < 0.003); and Waterloo (n = 300, mean = 0.69 min, p < 0.98). The shorter response interval of fire departments suggests placing defibrillators on fire response vehicles in an effort to decrease the time to defibrillation for cardiac arrest victims in this EMS system.

Using ISERV and Commercial Satellite Imagery to Assess and Monitor Recovery Efforts in Urban Damaged Areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Jordan R.; Molthan, Andrew L.; Burks, Jason E.; McGrath, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

NASA's Short-term Prediction, Research, and Transition (SPoRT) Center uses a wide array of satellites to monitor and assess the impacts of natural disasters, with support from NASA's Applied Sciences Program. One of the newest sensors SPoRT is utilizing in these activities is the International Space Station (ISS) SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV) instrument. ISERV provides a unique view of the areas impacted and will play a big role in monitoring the recovery these areas. High-resolution commercial satellite data is also used to monitor urban areas that have been impacted by natural disasters. SPoRT is developing techniques to measure the extent of these disasters and to monitor recovery. Several of these techniques include semi-automatic feature detection and change as well as developing an experimental damage assessment based upon the visible damage observed by the satellites. Furthermore, throughout these activities SPoRT hopes to provide additional data to the NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit, which will help to supplement those activities being performed in the field.

Urban retail location: Insights from percolation theory and spatial interaction modeling

PubMed Central

Molinero, Carlos; Wilson, Alan

2017-01-01

Characterising road networks has been the focus of a large body of research due to it being the main driver of activities in an urban ecosystem and the structuring factor in the dynamics of the city. One of these activities, and one with the largest economical impact in a city, is retail dynamics and its evolution. Therefore, the mathematical modeling of the location of retail activities and of the emergence of clustering in retail centers has as well generated a large number of works. Despite these two interwoven components strongly depending on one another and their fundamental importance in understanding cities, little work has been done in order to compare their local and global properties. Here we compare the road network’s hierarchical structure, unveiled through a percolation analysis of the network, with the retail location distribution defined by exploiting a gravity-based retail model. We interpret the great agreement in the city’s organizations as it emerges from both methodologies as new evidence of the interdependence of these two crucial dimensions of a city’s life. PMID:28977032

Urban retail location: Insights from percolation theory and spatial interaction modeling.

PubMed

Piovani, Duccio; Molinero, Carlos; Wilson, Alan

2017-01-01

Characterising road networks has been the focus of a large body of research due to it being the main driver of activities in an urban ecosystem and the structuring factor in the dynamics of the city. One of these activities, and one with the largest economical impact in a city, is retail dynamics and its evolution. Therefore, the mathematical modeling of the location of retail activities and of the emergence of clustering in retail centers has as well generated a large number of works. Despite these two interwoven components strongly depending on one another and their fundamental importance in understanding cities, little work has been done in order to compare their local and global properties. Here we compare the road network's hierarchical structure, unveiled through a percolation analysis of the network, with the retail location distribution defined by exploiting a gravity-based retail model. We interpret the great agreement in the city's organizations as it emerges from both methodologies as new evidence of the interdependence of these two crucial dimensions of a city's life.

Transforming City Schools through Art: Approaches to Meaningful K-12 Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutzel, Karen; Bastos, Flavia M. C.; Cozier, Kimberly J.

2012-01-01

This anthology places art at the center of meaningful urban education reform. Providing a fresh perspective on urban education, the contributors describe a positive, asset-based community development model designed to tap into the teaching/learning potential already available in urban cities. Rather than focusing on a lack of resources, this…

77 FR 14558 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Public and Indian Housing Resident Opportunity and Self...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5500-FA-08] Announcement of Funding... the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the... Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street SW., B133 Potomac Center...

Functional Limitations, Depression, and Cash Assistance are Associated with Food Insecurity among Older Urban Adults in Mexico City.

PubMed

Vilar-Compte, Mireya; Martínez-Martínez, Oscar; Orta-Alemán, Dania; Perez-Escamilla, Rafael

2016-01-01

To examine factors associated with food insecurity among urban older adults (65 years and older). Three hundred and fifty two older adults attending community centers in a neighborhood of Mexico City were surveyed for food insecurity, functional impairments, health and mental health status, cash-transfer assistance, socio-demographic characteristics, social isolation, and the built food environment. Having at least primary education and receiving cash-transfers were significantly associated with a lower probability of being moderately-severely food insecure (OR=0.478 and 0.597, respectively). The probability of moderate-severe food insecurity was significantly higher among elderly at risk of depression (OR=2.843), those with at least one activity of daily living impaired (OR=2.177) and those with at least one instrumental activity of daily living impaired (OR=1.785). Higher educational attainment and cash-transfers may have a positive influence on reducing food insecurity. Depression and functional limitations may increase the likelihood of food insecurity among older adults.

Community Life as a Motive for Migration from the Urban Center to the Rural Periphery in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnon, Sara; Shamai, Shmuel

2010-01-01

A white house topped by a red roof, set in a garden, surrounded by a lawn dotted with trees and shrubs--this is not just a child's naive drawing. It is the aspiration of many in the modern world, Israelis among them. This case study deals with the inner migration of families, mainly from the urban center of Israel, to rural communities in its…

Urban Warfare at the Operational Level: Identifying Centers of Gravity and Key Nodes

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-01

less than the major urban centers, making their lot even worse. Consider these other statistics and the implications they can have for US national...Command and Staff College coursebook ; Maxwell AFB, AL: Department of War Theory and Campaign Studies, Air Command and Staff College, Sep 1998), 288. 24...College coursebook ; Maxwell AFB, AL: Department of War Theory and Campaign Studies, Air Command and Staff College, Sep 1998) World Resources

The Army National Guard Annual Financial Report, Fiscal Year 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

disciplines. Specific skills include agronomy (soil and seed science), irrigation, horticulture (plant cultivation), pest control, veterinary techniques...UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter at the Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind. Photo by Capt. Tim Irvin Sprinting from an ambulance after a simulated... Urban Training Center. Photo by Sgt. David Bruce MAxIMIzE EffECTIvE TRAINING AND INCREASE DOMESTIC RESPONSE Figure 7. Train The Way We Fight 20 tR a

Principles of urban transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1951-07-01

ONE of the predominant characteristics of modern life in the United States has been the increasing proportion of the population concentrated in metropolitan areas. This growth of large urban centers within relatively narrow geographic areas would hav...

[Reseau Migrations et Urbanisation en Afrique de l'Ouest (REMUAO): a long and exacting job].

PubMed

Traore, S

1999-12-01

The First Ministerial Conference on Migration and Urbanization in West Africa held in Bamako, Mali, during November 1-5, 1999, marked the end of the first phase of a research program launched in 1993 in Burkina Faso, Ctte d¿Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal, organized under the Western Africa Migration and Urbanization Network (REMUAO). Created in 1989 with the financial support of the Research Center for International Development (CRDI), REMUAO is the result of the will of a number of African researchers and Africanists to provide the subregion with pertinent data on relevant phenomena. REMUAO was established through the combination of the following factors: the rarity of migration and urbanization data while Africa countries are experiencing considerable human migration and rapid urbanization; concern over the multidisciplinary research approach in social sciences, especially in the field of demography; and concern over how to address questions of international migration. Data collection activities began only 5 years after REMUAO was created. The data collection process is described. As REMUAO network coordinator, CERPOD gained valuable experience that will allow the organization to strengthen its role as an implementing agency in the subregion.

Analysis of physical parameters related with water infiltration in tropical soils located in edges forest in urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márcia Longo, Regina; Cunha, Jessica C. M.; Lammoglia, Rafaella; Mendes, Deborah R.; Mungilioli, Sarah S.; Damame, Desiree B.; Demamboro, Antônio C.; Bettine, Sueli C.; Ribeiro, Admilson I.; Fengler, Felipe H.

2015-04-01

A very important factor for water infiltration into the soil in urban forest systems and suffering constant anthropogenic pressures is the analysis of soil compaction where these forests are or will be established. In this context, this work aimed to promote studies on physical parameters related to distribution of pores, compaction and soil biological activity in forest remnants border areas located in urban watersheds in Campinas / SP - Brazil. The Forest of Santa Genebra (22°49'45 "S and 47°06'33" W) has an average altitude of 680m and tropical climate of altitude, has an area of 251 ha and a nine kilometer perimeter. It constitutes 85% of Semideciduos forests and 15% swamp forest. Due to its location close to urban centers, roads and agricultural areas under direct influence of the anthropic means. For the present study analyzes were performed: particle size, soil density, porosity, matters organic, of biopores, and root distribution (primary, secondary and tertiary) and seedlings in 40 points on the perimeter of the forest equidistant 200m remaining edge. The analysis of the results allowed us to observe that areas suffer direct influence of human activities surrounding. With the results set correlations between the different parameters in order to allow a better understanding of the dynamics of water infiltration into the soil under these conditions and the quantity of tertiary roots, biopores and soil density were the best indicator of environmental quality as suffer direct influence of the surrounding areas, especially those near the most urbanized regions. In general, it can be observed that human activities such as deforestation and vehicle traffic, animals and people, promoted soil compaction and consequent changes in water infiltration into the soil in areas of edges of this remnant of these consequences affect direct numerous parameters that directly influence the dynamics of an ecosystem restoration that is now significantly affected by the occupation of their surroundings.

A qualitative evaluation of the 2005–2011 National Academic Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention Program☆

PubMed Central

Holland, Kristin M.; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M.; Cruz, Jason Dela; Massetti, Greta M.; Mahendra, Reshma

2018-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) funded eight National Academic Centers of Excellence (ACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2005 to 2010 and two Urban Partnership Academic Centers of Excellence (UPACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2006 to 2011. The ACEs and UPACEs constitute DVP’s 2005–2011 ACE Program. ACE Program goals include partnering with communities to promote youth violence (YV) prevention and fostering connections between research and community practice. This article describes a qualitative evaluation of the 2005–2011 ACE Program using an innovative approach for collecting and analyzing data from multiple large research centers via a web-based Information System (ACE-IS). The ACE-IS was established as an efficient mechanism to collect and document ACE research and programmatic activities. Performance indicators for the ACE Program were established in an ACE Program logic model. Data on performance indicators were collected through the ACE-IS biannually. Data assessed Centers’ ability to develop, implement, and evaluate YV prevention activities. Performance indicator data demonstrate substantial progress on Centers’ research in YV risk and protective factors, community partnerships, and other accomplishments. Findings provide important lessons learned, illustrate progress made by the Centers, and point to new directions for YV prevention research and programmatic efforts. PMID:26319174

Development of a tool to measure person-centered maternity care in developing settings: validation in a rural and urban Kenyan population.

PubMed

Afulani, Patience A; Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Golub, Ginger; Sudhinaraset, May

2017-09-22

Person-centered reproductive health care is recognized as critical to improving reproductive health outcomes. Yet, little research exists on how to operationalize it. We extend the literature in this area by developing and validating a tool to measure person-centered maternity care. We describe the process of developing the tool and present the results of psychometric analyses to assess its validity and reliability in a rural and urban setting in Kenya. We followed standard procedures for scale development. First, we reviewed the literature to define our construct and identify domains, and developed items to measure each domain. Next, we conducted expert reviews to assess content validity; and cognitive interviews with potential respondents to assess clarity, appropriateness, and relevance of the questions. The questions were then refined and administered in surveys; and survey results used to assess construct and criterion validity and reliability. The exploratory factor analysis yielded one dominant factor in both the rural and urban settings. Three factors with eigenvalues greater than one were identified for the rural sample and four factors identified for the urban sample. Thirty of the 38 items administered in the survey were retained based on the factors loadings and correlation between the items. Twenty-five items load very well onto a single factor in both the rural and urban sample, with five items loading well in either the rural or urban sample, but not in both samples. These 30 items also load on three sub-scales that we created to measure dignified and respectful care, communication and autonomy, and supportive care. The Chronbach alpha for the main scale is greater than 0.8 in both samples, and that for the sub-scales are between 0.6 and 0.8. The main scale and sub-scales are correlated with global measures of satisfaction with maternity services, suggesting criterion validity. We present a 30-item scale with three sub-scales to measure person-centered maternity care. This scale has high validity and reliability in a rural and urban setting in Kenya. Validation in additional settings is however needed. This scale will facilitate measurement to improve person-centered maternity care, and subsequently improve reproductive outcomes.

[Urban dynamics in the decade of the 1980s: concentration of in-migration, spatial segregation and social exclusion].

PubMed

Contreras, A M

1991-01-01

The effects of 2 basic socioeconomic processes of the 1980s on urban dynamics in the Dominican Republic are described. The 2 processes were the restructuring of the national productive apparatus following anew model of accumulation that stressed external markets, and the urban political economy of the years 1986-90, in which priority was given to public investment in construction as an activity favoring economic growth and employment. The interest in urban remodeling and transit renovation implied neglect of other basic sectors including education, agriculture, energy,and health. A series of fiscal measures was necessary to finance the investment program, and the inflation resulting from the investment program had significant effects on real income of the population. The new economic model encountered its competitive edge in wage depression and constant devaluations. The process of inflation-devaluation reinforced the regressive effects of the model on income, resulting in price increases for urban land and exclusion of the majority of the population from the urban housing market. The new economic model has led to dismantling of the national productive apparatus and consolidation of so-called "productive extroversion," with free economic zones and tourism the focus of accumulation related to the international market. The informal sector has grown because of inflation and because of the crisis in industrial activities destined for the internal market. Agricultural production for internal consumption declined over the decade, encouraging rural-urban migration and further swelling of the informal sector. Growth of Santo Domingo's suburbs and surrounding rural areas is 1 of the main effects of the model. By the year 2000, it is estimated that metropolitan Santo Domingo will contain 45% of the total population of the Dominican Republic. Although no exact functional correspondence can be established between urban policy and the model of accumulation, there are 3 aspects in which the dynamics of the 2 processes complement each other synergistically and perniciously: income concentration, social exclusion, and spatial segregation. Income concentration is increased by inflation and the repeated devaluations, the dismantling of small and medium-sized enterprises, and declining social expenditures. Social exclusion and spatial segregation are furthered by rising urban land prices and exclusion of most of the population from the urban land and housing market and demographic consolidation of periurban centers and rural sectors of the National District.

The analysis of clean water demand for land use optimization based on water resource balance in Balikpapan city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghozali, Achmad; Yanti, Rossana Margaret Kadar

2017-11-01

Balikpapan city has transformed from oil city to trade and industry center. In the last 5 years, industry and trade sectors experienced annual economic growth by more than 25%, while mining had only 0.05%. This condition raised a strong economic attraction which increased urban activities and population growth, especially urbanization process. Nevertheless, the growth of the city had a challenge in the urban water supply. Due to natural condition of the city, Balikpapan does not have a large river, making water supply conducted by reservoirs relying on rainfall intensity. In line with population growth and conversion of green open space, the city government should consider to the allocation of land use effectively based on sustainable water resources. As the associated pressure on water resources continued to increase, it is crucial to identify the water demand future in Balikpapan City related to domestic and non-domestic activities as the first step to optimize land use allocation. Domestic's activities is defined as household and public hydrant, while non-domestic sectors are public facilities, offices, trade and services, and industrial areas. Mathematical calculations, population projections and water consumption estimation, were used as analysis methods. Analysis result showed that the total the city population in 2025 amounted to 740.302 people, increasing by 14.5% from 2016. Population growth increased the urban water needs. From the calculations, the amount of water consumption in 2016 amounted to 5075.77 liter/s, and in 2025 to 7528.59 liter/s. Thus, the water needs of the population of Balikpapan from 2016-2025 year increased by 32.58%.

The City as a Teaching Device

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegert, Richard

1976-01-01

Hong Kong International School has made extensive use of city resources in teaching concepts of government, world affairs, urban geography, economic geography, and macro-economics, in ways that may be replicated in other urban centers. (MB)

Meaning-Making and Motivation in Urban Zones of Marginalization: Mapping the Ecocultural Context of Educational Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eksner, H. Julia

2015-01-01

This article explores how achievement motivation is framed by the larger context of the devaluation of educational capital that is currently underway in urban centers in Europe. The article elucidates the shared cultural meaning working-class German Turkish youths living in urban marginalized zones in Berlin, Germany create about the decreasing…

Urban MEMS based seismic network for post-earthquakes rapid disaster assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Alessandro, Antonino; Luzio, Dario; D'Anna, Giuseppe

2014-05-01

Life losses following disastrous earthquake depends mainly by the building vulnerability, intensity of shaking and timeliness of rescue operations. In recent decades, the increase in population and industrial density has significantly increased the exposure to earthquakes of urban areas. The potential impact of a strong earthquake on a town center can be reduced by timely and correct actions of the emergency management centers. A real time urban seismic network can drastically reduce casualties immediately following a strong earthquake, by timely providing information about the distribution of the ground shaking level. Emergency management centers, with functions in the immediate post-earthquake period, could be use this information to allocate and prioritize resources to minimize loss of human life. However, due to the high charges of the seismological instrumentation, the realization of an urban seismic network, which may allow reducing the rate of fatalities, has not been achieved. Recent technological developments in MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology could allow today the realization of a high-density urban seismic network for post-earthquakes rapid disaster assessment, suitable for the earthquake effects mitigation. In the 1990s, MEMS accelerometers revolutionized the automotive-airbag system industry and are today widely used in laptops, games controllers and mobile phones. Due to their great commercial successes, the research into and development of MEMS accelerometers are actively pursued around the world. Nowadays, the sensitivity and dynamics of these sensors are such to allow accurate recording of earthquakes with moderate to strong magnitude. Due to their low cost and small size, the MEMS accelerometers may be employed for the realization of high-density seismic networks. The MEMS accelerometers could be installed inside sensitive places (high vulnerability and exposure), such as schools, hospitals, public buildings and places of worship. The waveforms recorded could be promptly used to determine ground-shaking parameters, like peak ground acceleration/velocity/displacement, Arias and Housner intensity, that could be all used to create, few seconds after a strong earthquakes, shaking maps at urban scale. These shaking maps could allow to quickly identify areas of the town center that have had the greatest earthquake resentment. When a strong seismic event occur, the beginning of the ground motion observed at the site could be used to predict the ensuing ground motion at the same site and so to realize a short term earthquake early warning system. The data acquired after a moderate magnitude earthquake, would provide valuable information for the detail seismic microzonation of the area based on direct earthquake shaking observations rather than from a model-based or indirect methods. In this work, we evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of such seismic network taking in to account both technological, scientific and economic issues. For this purpose, we have simulated the creation of a MEMS based urban seismic network in a medium size city. For the selected town, taking into account the instrumental specifics, the array geometry and the environmental noise, we investigated the ability of the planned network to detect and measure earthquakes of different magnitude generated from realistic near seismogentic sources.

Enhancing community capacity to support physical activity: the development of a community-based indoor-outdoor walking program.

PubMed

Riley-Jacome, Mary; Gallant, Mary P; Fisher, Brian D; Gotcsik, Frances S; Strogatz, David S

2010-04-01

The University at Albany Prevention Research Center, guided by a needs assessment in two underserved communities (one urban, one rural), initiated a pilot project that opened a public school for community walking in a rural setting. This study examined a 9-week program for potential barriers, benefits, influential factors, and the physical activity levels of program participants. Evaluation was based on daily logs, pedometer diaries, participant surveys, and focus groups. Results indicated that rural schools provide a useful resource for residents and increase participants' physical activity levels. A more comprehensive rural community walking program has been implemented as a result of these findings.

Environmental risk factors of childhood asthma in urban centers.

PubMed

Malveaux, F J; Fletcher-Vincent, S A

1995-09-01

Asthma morbidity and mortality are disproportionately high in urban centers, and minority children are especially vulnerable. Factors that contribute to this dilemma include inadequate preventive medical care for asthma management, inadequate asthma knowledge and management skills among children and their families, psychosocial factors, and environmental exposure to allergens or irritants. Living in substandard housing often constitutes excess exposure to indoor allergens and pollutants. Allergens associated with dust mites (DM) and cockroaches (CR) are probably important in both onset and worsening of asthma symptoms for children who are chronically exposed to these agents. Young children spend a great deal of time on or near the floor where these allergens are concentrated in dust. Of children (2 to 10 years of age) living in metropolitan Washington, DC, 60% were found to be sensitive to CR and 72% were allergic to DM. Exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to onset of asthma earlier in life and is a risk factor for asthma morbidity. Since disparity of asthma mortality and morbidity among minority children in urban centers is closely linked to socioeconomic status and poverty, measures to reduce exposure to environmental allergens and irritants and to eliminate barriers to access to health care are likely to have a major positive impact. Interventions for children in urban centers must focus on prevention of asthma symptoms and promotion of wellness.

World Trade Center disaster: assessment of responder occupations, work locations, and job tasks.

PubMed

Woskie, Susan R; Kim, Hyun; Freund, Alice; Stevenson, Lori; Park, Bo Y; Baron, Sherry; Herbert, Robin; de Hernández, Micki Siegel; Teitelbaum, Susan; de la Hoz, Rafael E; Wisnivesky, Juan P; Landrigan, Phillip

2011-09-01

To date there have been no comprehensive reports of the work performedby 9/11 World Trade Center responders. 18,969 responders enrolled in the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program were used to describe workers’ pre-9/11 occupations, WTC work activities and locations from September 11, 2001 to June 2002. The most common pre-9/11 occupation was protective services (47%); other common occupations included construction, telecommunications, transportation, and support services workers. 14% served as volunteers. Almost one-half began work on 9/11 and >80% reported working on or adjacent to the ‘‘pile’’ at Ground Zero. Initially,the most common activity was search and rescue but subsequently, the activities of most responders related to their pre-9/11 occupations. Other major activities included security; personnel support; buildings and grounds cleaning; and telecommunications repair. The spatial, temporal, occupational, and task-related taxonomy reported here will aid the development of a job-exposure matrix, assist in assessment of disease risk, and improve planning and training for responders in future urban disasters.

Land cover controls on summer discharge and runoff solution chemistry of semi-arid urban catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, Erika L.; Brooks, Paul D.; Lohse, Kathleen A.; McLain, Jean E. T.

2013-04-01

SummaryRecharge of urban runoff to groundwater as a stormwater management practice has gained importance in semi-arid regions where water resources are scarce and urban centers are growing. Despite this trend, the importance of land cover in controlling semi-arid catchment runoff quantity and quality remains unclear. Here we address the question: How do land cover characteristics control the amount and quality of storm runoff in semi-arid urban catchments? We monitored summertime runoff quantity and quality from five catchments dominated by distinct urban land uses: low, medium, and high density residential, mixed use, and commercial. Increasing urban land cover increased runoff duration and the likelihood that a rainfall event would result in runoff, but did not increase the time to peak discharge of episodic runoff. The effect of urban land cover on hydrologic responses was tightly coupled to the magnitude of rainfall. At distinct rainfall thresholds, roads, percent impervious cover and the stormwater drainage network controlled runoff frequency, runoff depth and runoff ratios. Contrary to initial expectations, runoff quality did not vary in repose to impervious cover or land use. We identified four major mechanisms controlling runoff quality: (1) variable solute sourcing due to land use heterogeneity and above ground catchment connectivity; (2) the spatial extent of pervious and biogeochemically active areas; (3) the efficiency of overland flow and runoff mobilization; and (4) solute flushing and dilution. Our study highlights the importance of the stormwater drainage systems characteristics in controlling urban runoff quantity and quality; and suggests that enhanced wetting and in-stream processes may control solute sourcing and retention. Finally, we suggest that the characteristics of the stormwater drainage system should be integrated into stormwater management approaches.

Validation of the Martilli's Urban Boundary Layer Scheme with measurements from two mid-latitude European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdi, R.; Schayes, G.

2005-07-01

The Martilli's urban parameterization scheme is improved and implemented in a mesoscale model in order to take into account the typical effects of a real city on the air temperature near the ground and on the surface exchange fluxes. The mesoscale model is run on a single column using atmospheric data and radiation recorded above roof level as forcing. Here, the authors validate the Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme using measurements from two mid-latitude European cities: Basel, Switzerland and Marseilles, France. For Basel, the model performance is evaluated with observations of canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes obtained during the Basel urban boundary layer experiment (BUBBLE). The results show that the urban parameterization scheme is able to reproduce the generation of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect over urban area and represents correctly most of the behavior of the fluxes typical of the city center of Basel, including the large heat uptake by the urban fabric and the positive sensible heat flux at night. For Marseilles, the model performance is evaluated with observations of surface temperature, canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes collected during the field experiments to constrain models of atmospheric pollution and transport of emissions (ESCOMPTE) and its urban boundary layer (UBL) campaign. At both urban sites, vegetation cover is less than 20%, therefore, particular attention was directed to the ability of the Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme to reproduce the observations for the Marseilles city center, where the urban parameters and the synoptic forcing are totally different from Basel. Evaluation of the model with wall, road, and roof surface temperatures gave good results. The model correctly simulates the net radiation, canyon temperature, and the partitioning between the turbulent and storage heat fluxes.

Computer Simulation of an Electric Trolley Bus

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

This report describes a computer model developed at the Transportation Systems Center (TSC) to simulate power/propulsion characteristics of an urban trolley bus. The work conducted in this area is sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administra...

Help-Seeking Behavior among Urban Black Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Hendricks, Leo E.

1981-01-01

Data were gathered from adult urban Blacks to identify and describe sources of help in dealing with serious problems. Results indicated that the most frequently consulted sources of help were hospitals, community mental health centers, and hotlines. (RC)

Exploring the patterns and evolution of self-organized urban street networks through modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rui, Yikang; Ban, Yifang; Wang, Jiechen; Haas, Jan

2013-03-01

As one of the most important subsystems in cities, urban street networks have recently been well studied by using the approach of complex networks. This paper proposes a growing model for self-organized urban street networks. The model involves a competition among new centers with different values of attraction radius and a local optimal principle of both geometrical and topological factors. We find that with the model growth, the local optimization in the connection process and appropriate probability for the loop construction well reflect the evolution strategy in real-world cities. Moreover, different values of attraction radius in centers competition process lead to morphological change in patterns including urban network, polycentric and monocentric structures. The model succeeds in reproducing a large diversity of road network patterns by varying parameters. The similarity between the properties of our model and empirical results implies that a simple universal growth mechanism exists in self-organized cities.

Physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors among rural and urban groups and rural-to-urban migrants in Peru: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Creber, Ruth M. Masterson; Smeeth, Liam; Gilman, Robert H.; Miranda, J. Jaime

2010-01-01

Objectives To compare physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns of rural-to-urban migrants in Peru versus lifetime rural and urban residents and to determine any associations between low physical activity and four cardiovascular risk factors: obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Methods The PERU MIGRANT (PEru’s Rural to Urban MIGRANTs) cross-sectional study was designed to measure physical activity among rural, urban, and rural-to-urban migrants with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results The World Health Organization (WHO) age-standardized prevalence of low physical activity was 2.2% in lifetime rural residents, 32.2% in rural-to-urban migrants, and 39.2% in lifetime urban residents. The adjusted odds ratios for low physical activity were 21.43 and 32.98 for migrant and urban groups respectively compared to the rural group. The adjusted odds ratio for being obese was 1.94 for those with low physical activity. There was no evidence of an association between low physical activity and blood pressure levels, hypertension, or metabolic syndrome. Conclusions People living in a rural area had much higher levels of physical activity and lower risk of being overweight and obese compared to those living in an urban area of Lima. Study participants from the same rural area who had migrated to Lima had levels of physical inactivity and obesity similar to those who had always lived in Lima. Interventions aimed at maintaining higher levels of physical activity among rural-to-urban migrants may help reduce the epidemic of obesity in urban areas. PMID:20857014

Physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors among rural and urban groups and rural-to-urban migrants in Peru: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Masterson Creber, Ruth M; Smeeth, Liam; Gilman, Robert H; Miranda, J Jaime

2010-07-01

To compare physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns of rural-to-urban migrants in Peru versus lifetime rural and urban residents and to determine any associations between low physical activity and four cardiovascular risk factors: obesity (body mass index > 30 kg/m²), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. The PERU MIGRANT (PEru's Rural to Urban MIGRANTs) cross-sectional study was designed to measure physical activity among rural, urban, and rural-to-urban migrants with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The World Health Organization (WHO) age-standardized prevalence of low physical activity was 2.2% in lifetime rural residents, 32.2% in rural-to-urban migrants, and 39.2% in lifetime urban residents. The adjusted odds ratios for low physical activity were 21.43 and 32.98 for migrant and urban groups respectively compared to the rural group. The adjusted odds ratio for being obese was 1.94 for those with low physical activity. There was no evidence of an association between low physical activity and blood pressure levels, hypertension, or metabolic syndrome. People living in a rural area had much higher levels of physical activity and lower risk of being overweight and obese compared to those living in an urban area of Lima. Study participants from the same rural area who had migrated to Lima had levels of physical inactivity and obesity similar to those who had always lived in Lima. Interventions aimed at maintaining higher levels of physical activity among rural-to-urban migrants may help reduce the epidemic of obesity in urban cities.

Design Dilemma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Nory

1980-01-01

Two projects, the Milford (Pennsylvania) Reservation Solar Conservation Center and Prototype Passive Solar Townhouses, are designed for solar energy--one as a learning center, the other as urban infill housing. (Author/MLF)

Bullying among adolescents in a Brazilian urban center – “Health in Beagá” Study

PubMed Central

da Costa, Michelle Ralil; Xavier, César Coelho; Andrade, Amanda Cristina de Souza; Proietti, Fernando Augusto; Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze the prevalence of bullying and its associated factors in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS Data were used from a population-based household survey conducted by the Urban Health Observatory (OSUBH) utilizing probability sampling in three stages: census tracts, residences, and individuals. The survey included 598 adolescents (14-17 years old) who responded questions on bullying, sociodemographic characteristics, health-risk behaviors, educational well-being, family structure, physical activity, markers of nutritional habits, and subjective well-being (body image, personal satisfaction, and satisfaction with their present and future life). Univariate and multivariate analysis was done using robust Poisson regression. RESULTS The prevalence of bullying was 26.2% (28.0% among males, 24.0% among females). The location of most bullying cases was at or on route to school (70.5%), followed by on the streets (28.5%), at home (9.8%), while practicing sports (7.3%), at parties (4.6%), at work (1.7%), and at other locations (1.6%). Reports of bullying were associated with life dissatisfaction, difficulty relating to parents, involvement in fights with peers and insecurity in the neighborhood. CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of bullying among participating adolescents was found, and the school serves as the main bullying location, although other sites such as home, parties and workplace were also reported. Characteristics regarding self-perception and adolescent perceptions of their environment were also associated with bullying, thus advancing the knowledge of this type of violence, especially in urban centers of developing countries. PMID:26274869

Bullying among adolescents in a Brazilian urban center - "Health in Beagá" Study.

PubMed

da Costa, Michelle Ralil; Xavier, César Coelho; Andrade, Amanda Cristina de Souza; Proietti, Fernando Augusto; Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira

2015-01-01

To analyze the prevalence of bullying and its associated factors in Brazilian adolescents. Data were used from a population-based household survey conducted by the Urban Health Observatory (OSUBH) utilizing probability sampling in three stages: census tracts, residences, and individuals. The survey included 598 adolescents (14-17 years old) who responded questions on bullying, sociodemographic characteristics, health-risk behaviors, educational well-being, family structure, physical activity, markers of nutritional habits, and subjective well-being (body image, personal satisfaction, and satisfaction with their present and future life). Univariate and multivariate analysis was done using robust Poisson regression. The prevalence of bullying was 26.2% (28.0% among males, 24.0% among females). The location of most bullying cases was at or on route to school (70.5%), followed by on the streets (28.5%), at home (9.8%), while practicing sports (7.3%), at parties (4.6%), at work (1.7%), and at other locations (1.6%). Reports of bullying were associated with life dissatisfaction, difficulty relating to parents, involvement in fights with peers and insecurity in the neighborhood. A high prevalence of bullying among participating adolescents was found, and the school serves as the main bullying location, although other sites such as home, parties and workplace were also reported. Characteristics regarding self-perception and adolescent perceptions of their environment were also associated with bullying, thus advancing the knowledge of this type of violence, especially in urban centers of developing countries.

Resilience of Historical Urban Multi-ethnic Settlement: Entrepreneurship and Religiosity Concept of Gresik City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariestadi, Dian; Antariksa; Dwi Wulandari, Lisa; Surjono

2017-12-01

Important aspects in continual development include economic and social developments, as well as environment protection. Social development aspect should concern political aspiration and local socio-culture as resilience of their local wisdom features. A review on urban resilience is more focused on economic and physical concepts, without developing the social concept. Objective of the study was to find out the resilience concept of Gresik City, which was the earliest description of a big trade port city in Indonesia, for example, Jakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang. The study applied morphology approach on spatial settings at historical urban multi-ethnic settlement through physical and non-physical observations, as well as validation through historical records and archives. The descriptive analysis of morphological pattern relates to activities on social, economic, and cultural aspects in order to obtain basic concept of social life. Morphological pattern of Gresik, which is dominated by multi-ethnic settlements, such as Arabs, Chinese, ex-Dutch-colonial, and the natives of Javanese and Madurese, has attracted traders from various nations and ethnics. History of the city as the center of Islamic learning and dissemination has formed the public of Gresik to have basic religious life, which is reflected on Islamic rituals. Settlement domination, which functions as household industries, craftsmanship, and small-scale trading, shows that entrepreneurship activities as socio-economy activities have highly supported daily religious ritual activities. Entrepreneurship and religiosity concept, which is formed and developed through long history of Gresik, represent the resilience of multi-ethnic societies at cities along the North Coast of Java.

The application of remote sensing techniques to selected inter and intra urban data acquisition problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, F. E.

1970-01-01

The utility of remote sensing techniques to urban data acquisition problems in several distinct areas was identified. This endeavor included a comparison of remote sensing systems for urban data collection, the extraction of housing quality data from aerial photography, utilization of photographic sensors in urban transportation studies, urban change detection, space photography utilization, and an application of remote sensing techniques to the acquisition of data concerning intra-urban commercial centers. The systematic evaluation of variable extraction for urban modeling and planning at several different scales, and the model derivation for identifying and predicting economic growth and change within a regional system of cities are also studied.

Federal microcomputer software for urban hydrology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jennings, Marshall E.; Smith, Roger H.; Jennings, Ross B.

1988-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, availability, and general use of selected urban hydrology microcomputer software developed by: U.S. Soil Conservation Service (SCS); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The discussion is limited to software used for design and planning for urban stormwater flows.

Poverty and elimination of urban health disparities: challenge and opportunity.

PubMed

Thomas, Stephen B; Quinn, Sandra Crouse

2008-01-01

The aim of this article is to examine the intersection of race and poverty, two critical factors fueling persistent racial and ethnic health disparities among urban populations. From the morass of social determinants that shape the health of racial and ethnic communities in our urban centers, we will offer promising practices and potential solutions to eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities.

Computerized Coordinated Service Center: A Comparison of Service Methodologies and Costs in the Urban and Rural Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldman, Risa J.; And Others

Ten parallel human service agencies (five urban and five rural) were compared to identify variations in the service delivery system and to compare the costs of service provision. The agencies responded to approximately 36 questions covering eight major areas and were compared and contrasted, urban versus rural, according to the type of agency. All…

Quality of Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rural and Urban US Hospitals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Laura-Mae; MacLehose, Richard F.; Hart, L. Gary; Beaver, Shelli K.; Every,Nathan; Chan,Leighton

2004-01-01

Context: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common and important cause of admission to US rural hospitals, as transport of patients with AMI to urban settings can result in unacceptable delays in care. Purpose: To examine the quality of care for patients with AMI in rural hospitals with differing degrees of remoteness from urban centers.…

Rural-Urban Differences in Consumer Governance at Community Health Centers

PubMed Central

Wright, David Bradley

2017-01-01

Context Community health centers (CHCs) are primary care clinics that serve mostly low-income patients in rural and urban areas. They are required to be governed by a consumer majority. What little is known about the structure and function of these boards in practice, suggests that CHC boards in rural areas may look and act differently than CHC boards in urban areas. Purpose To identify differences in the structure and function of consumer governance at CHCs in rural and urban areas. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 30 CHC board members from 14 different states. Questions focused on board members’ perceptions of board composition and the role of consumers on the board. Findings CHCs in rural areas are more likely to have representative boards, are better able to convey confidence in the organization, and are better able to assess community needs than CHCs in urban areas. However, CHCs in rural areas often have problems achieving objective decision-making, and may have fewer means for objectively evaluating quality of care due to the lack of patient board member anonymity. Conclusions Consumer governance is implemented differently in rural and urban communities, and the advantages and disadvantages in each setting are unique. PMID:23551642

Hyperspectral Sensor Data Capability for Retrieving Complex Urban Land Cover in Comparison with Multispectral Data: Venice City Case Study (Italy)

PubMed Central

Cavalli, Rosa Maria; Fusilli, Lorenzo; Pascucci, Simone; Pignatti, Stefano; Santini, Federico

2008-01-01

This study aims at comparing the capability of different sensors to detect land cover materials within an historical urban center. The main objective is to evaluate the added value of hyperspectral sensors in mapping a complex urban context. In this study we used: (a) the ALI and Hyperion satellite data, (b) the LANDSAT ETM+ satellite data, (c) MIVIS airborne data and (d) the high spatial resolution IKONOS imagery as reference. The Venice city center shows a complex urban land cover and therefore was chosen for testing the spectral and spatial characteristics of different sensors in mapping the urban tissue. For this purpose, an object-oriented approach and different common classification methods were used. Moreover, spectra of the main anthropogenic surfaces (i.e. roofing and paving materials) were collected during the field campaigns conducted on the study area. They were exploited for applying band-depth and sub-pixel analyses to subsets of Hyperion and MIVIS hyperspectral imagery. The results show that satellite data with a 30m spatial resolution (ALI, LANDSAT ETM+ and HYPERION) are able to identify only the main urban land cover materials. PMID:27879879

PARCS: A Safety Net Community-Based Fitness Center for Low-Income Adults

PubMed Central

Keith, NiCole; de Groot, Mary; Mi, Deming; Alexander, Kisha; Kaiser, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) and fitness are critical to maintaining health and avoiding chronic disease. Limited access to fitness facilities in low-income urban areas has been identified as a contributor to low PA participation and poor fitness. Objectives This research describes community-based fitness centers established for adults living in low-income, urban communities and characterizes a sample of its members. Methods The community identified a need for physical fitness opportunities to improve residents’ health. Three community high schools were host sites. Resources were combined to renovate and staff facilities, acquire equipment, and refer patients to exercise. The study sample included 170 members ≥ age 18yr who completed demographic, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life surveys and a fitness evaluation. Neighborhood-level U.S. Census data were obtained for comparison. Results The community-based fitness centers resulted from university, public school, and hospital partnerships offering safe, accessible, and affordable exercise opportunities. The study sample mean BMI was 35 ± 7.6 (Class II obesity), mean age was 50yr ± 12.5, 66% were black, 72% were female, 66% completed some college or greater, and 71% had an annual household income < $25K and supported 2.2 dependents. Participants had moderate confidence for exercise participation and low fitness levels. When compared to census data, participants were representative of their communities. Conclusion This observational study reveals a need for affordable fitness centers for low-income adults. We demonstrate a model where communities and organizations strategically leverage resources to address disparities in physical fitness and health. PMID:27346764

Improving diabetes care: Multi-component CArdiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Strategies for People with Diabetes in South Asia - The CARRS Multi-center Translation Trial

PubMed Central

Shah, Seema; Singh, Kavita; Ali, Mohammed K.; Mohan, V.; Kadir, Muhammad Masood; Unnikrishnan, A.G.; Sahay, Rakesh Kumar; Varthakavi, Premlata; Dharmalingam, Mala; Viswanathan, Vijay; Masood, Qamar; Bantwal, Ganapathi; Khadgawat, Rajesh; Desai, Ankush; Sethi, Bipin Kumar; Shivashankar, Roopa; Ajay, Vamadevan S; Reddy, K. Srinath; Narayan, K.M. Venkat; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Tandon, Nikhil

2012-01-01

Aims Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in people with diabetes in South Asia. The CARRS translation trial tests the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of a clinic-based multi-component CVD risk reduction intervention among people with diabetes in India and Pakistan. Methods We randomly assigned 1,146 adults with diabetes recruited from 10 urban clinic sites, to receive usual care by physicians or to receive an integrated multi-component CVD risk reduction intervention. The intervention involves electronic health record management, decision-support prompts to the healthcare team, and the support of a care coordinator to actively facilitate patient and provider adherence to evidence-based guidelines. The primary outcome is a composite of multiple CVD risk factor control (blood glucose and either blood pressure or cholesterol, or all three). Other outcomes include control of the individual CVD risk factors, process and patient-centered measures, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability/feasibility. Conclusion The CARRS translation trial tests a low-cost diabetes care delivery model in urban South Asia to achieve comprehensive cardio-metabolic disease case-management of high-risk patients (clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT01212328). PMID:23084280

Risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among urban school children and adolescents in Bangladesh: a case-control study.

PubMed

Bhuiyan, Mejbah Uddin; Zaman, Shahaduz; Ahmed, Tahmeed

2013-05-08

Childhood obesity has become an emerging urban health problem in urban cities in Bangladesh, particularly in affluent families. Risk factors for obesity in this context have not been explored yet. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among school children and adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh. From October through November 2007, we conducted a case-control study among children aged 10-15 years in seven schools in Dhaka. We assessed body mass index (weight in kg/height in sq. meter) to identify the cases (overweight/obese) and controls (healthy/normal weight) following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age and sex specific growth chart. We used a structured questionnaire to collect demographic information and respondent's exposure to several risk factors such as daily physical activity at home and in school, hours spent on computer games and television watching, maternal education level and parents' weight and height. We enrolled 198 children: 99 cases, 99 controls. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that having at least one overweight parent (OR = 2.8, p = 0.001) and engaging in sedentary activities for >4 hours a day (OR = 2.0, p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for childhood overweight and/or obesity while exercising ≥ 30 minutes a day at home was a protective factor (OR = 0.4, p = 0.02). There were no significant associations between childhood overweight and sex, maternal education or physical activity at school. Having overweight parents along with limited exercise and high levels of sedentary activities lead to obesity among school children in urban cities in Bangladesh. Public health programs are needed to increase awareness on risk factors for overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in order to reduce the future burden of obesity-associated chronic diseases.

Technology utilization in a non-urban region: Further impact and technique of the Technology Use Studies Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Updated information is given pertaining to Technology Use Studies Center (TUSC) clients who are those that receive/use information as disseminated by the center. The client information is presented as a continuation of client data as set forth in the center's previous annual report.

[A new urban typology applicable to Black Africa: the case of towns in the Ivory Coast].

PubMed

Saint-vil, J

1981-12-01

A new typology of African urban areas is presented using the example of the Ivory Coast. The impact of demographic factors on education in the towns is considered, with attention to the number of inhabitants per secondary school class, the median age of urban residents, the percentage aged 10 to 20 and 15 to 20, and the sex ratio of the school-age population. The importance of education-related migration to urban centers is noted.

Temperature, ozone, and mortality in urban and non-urban counties in the northeastern United States.

PubMed

Madrigano, Jaime; Jack, Darby; Anderson, G Brooke; Bell, Michelle L; Kinney, Patrick L

2015-01-07

Most health effects studies of ozone and temperature have been performed in urban areas, due to the available monitoring data. We used observed and interpolated data to examine temperature, ozone, and mortality in 91 urban and non-urban counties. Ozone measurements were extracted from the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System. Meteorological data were supplied by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Observed data were spatially interpolated to county centroids. Daily internal-cause mortality counts were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics (1988-1999). A two-stage Bayesian hierarchical model was used to estimate each county's increase in mortality risk from temperature and ozone. We examined county-level associations according to population density and compared urban (≥1,000 persons/mile(2)) to non-urban (<1,000 persons/mile(2)) counties. Finally, we examined county-level characteristics that could explain variation in associations by county. A 10 ppb increase in ozone was associated with a 0.45% increase in mortality (95% PI: 0.08, 0.83) in urban counties, while this same increase in ozone was associated with a 0.73% increase (95% PI: 0.19, 1.26) in non-urban counties. An increase in temperature from 70°F to 90°F (21.2°C 32.2°C) was associated with a 8.88% increase in mortality (95% PI: 7.38, 10.41) in urban counties and a 8.08% increase (95% PI: 6.16, 10.05) in non-urban counties. County characteristics, such as population density, percentage of families living in poverty, and percentage of elderly residents, partially explained the variation in county-level associations. While most prior studies of ozone and temperature have been performed in urban areas, the impacts in non-urban areas are significant, and, for ozone, potentially greater. The health risks of increasing temperature and air pollution brought on by climate change are not limited to urban areas.

Effect of Torsional Fastener Resistance on the Lateral Response of a Rail-Tie Structure

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-09-01

This report describes the results of a Transportation Systems Center investigation conducted under Urban Mass Transportation Administration sponsorship, of the practicality of a flywheel/diesel hybrid power drive for urban transit bus propulsion. The...

Comprehensive social equity study for the Baltimore Urban League.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-04-01

This report was commissioned by the Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) to the : Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning and the National Transportation Center : at Morgan State University. The purpose of the report is to answer two broad re...

Urban Watershed Research Facility at Edison Environmental Center

EPA Science Inventory

The Urban Watershed Research Facility (UWRF) is an isolated, 20-acre open space within EPA’s 200 acre Edison facility established to develop and evaluate the performance of stormwater management practices under controlled conditions. The facility includes greenhouses that allow ...

Enterprise Zones: Restoring Economic Vitality to Inner-City Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Robert

1982-01-01

Discusses how the proposed urban enterprise zones would solve problems of inner-city areas. The zones are designed to provide tax incentives which would attract new businesses to the inner city, create new jobs, and revitalize urban centers. (AM)

75 FR 2107 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for the Urban Stream...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... discloses any potential significant impacts to the quality of the human environment that may arise from the... augmentation. The Urban Stream Research Center will propagate and augment the population densities and increase...

A multilevel intervention to increase physical activity and improve healthy eating and physical literacy among young children (ages 3-5) attending early childcare centres: the Healthy Start-Départ Santé cluster randomised controlled trial study protocol.

PubMed

Bélanger, Mathieu; Humbert, Louise; Vatanparast, Hassan; Ward, Stéphanie; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Chow, Amanda Froehlich; Engler-Stringer, Rachel; Donovan, Denise; Carrier, Natalie; Leis, Anne

2016-04-12

Childhood obesity is a growing concern for public health. Given a majority of children in many countries spend approximately 30 h per week in early childcare centers, this environment represents a promising setting for implementing strategies to foster healthy behaviours for preventing and controlling childhood obesity. Healthy Start-Départ Santé was designed to promote physical activity, physical literacy, and healthy eating among preschoolers. The objectives of this study are to assess the effectiveness of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention in improving physical activity levels, physical literacy, and healthy eating among preschoolers attending early childcare centers. This study follows a cluster randomized controlled trial design in which the childcare centers are randomly assigned to receive the intervention or serve as usual care controls. The Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention is comprised of interlinked components aiming to enable families and educators to integrate physical activity and healthy eating in the daily lives of young children by influencing factors at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, physical environment and policy levels. The intervention period, spanning 6-8 months, is preceded and followed by data collections. Participants are recruited from 61 childcare centers in two Canadian provinces, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. Centers eligible for this study have to prepare and provide meals for lunch and have at least 20 children between the ages of 3 and 5. Centers are excluded if they have previously received a physical activity or nutrition promoting intervention. Eligible centers are stratified by province, geographical location (urban or rural) and language (English or French), then recruited and randomized using a one to one protocol for each stratum. Data collection is ongoing. The primary study outcomes are assessed using accelerometers (physical activity levels), the Test of Gross Motor Development-II (physical literacy), and digital photography-assisted weighted plate waste (food intake). The multifaceted approach of Healthy Start-Départ Santé positions it well to improve the physical literacy and both dietary and physical activity behaviors of children attending early childcare centers. The results of this study will be of relevance given the overwhelming prevalence of overweight and obesity in children worldwide. NCT02375490 (ClinicalTrials.gov registry).

Noise in large cities in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerges, Samir N. Y.

2004-05-01

Large cities' noise is considered by the World Health Organization to be the third most hazardous pollution, preceded by air and water pollution. In urban centers, in general, and especially in developing countries such as Brazil, large populations are affected by excessive noise due mainly to traffic flow. The Brazilian Federal Government specifies noise limits, but each state can enforce its own set of noise limits, providing they are lower. The rapid economic growth, together with large migration of northern Brazilians to the developing southern urban areas in search of more lucrative jobs in construction and industrial sectors, resulted in a fast increase in activities such as vehicle and bus traffic, home construction, and development of all necessary infrastructures to support this growth. Urban noise in Brazil has been receiving the attention of national authorities only since 1990, when the Federal Government approved the first ``Program of Community Silence,'' based on ISO R 1996-1971. This paper highlights the noise situation in the five largest and most populated cities in Brazil: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and Curitiba [Zannin et al., Appl. Acoust. 63, 351-358 (2002)].

Network structure of subway passenger flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Q.; Mao, B. H.; Bai, Y.

2016-03-01

The results of transportation infrastructure network analyses have been used to analyze complex networks in a topological context. However, most modeling approaches, including those based on complex network theory, do not fully account for real-life traffic patterns and may provide an incomplete view of network functions. This study utilizes trip data obtained from the Beijing Subway System to characterize individual passenger movement patterns. A directed weighted passenger flow network was constructed from the subway infrastructure network topology by incorporating trip data. The passenger flow networks exhibit several properties that can be characterized by power-law distributions based on flow size, and log-logistic distributions based on the fraction of boarding and departing passengers. The study also characterizes the temporal patterns of in-transit and waiting passengers and provides a hierarchical clustering structure for passenger flows. This hierarchical flow organization varies in the spatial domain. Ten cluster groups were identified, indicating a hierarchical urban polycentric structure composed of large concentrated flows at urban activity centers. These empirical findings provide insights regarding urban human mobility patterns within a large subway network.

Exploring Relationships between North American Urban Form and Rates of Urban CO2 Emissions: A System Dynamics Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emmi, P. C.; Forster, C. B.; Mills, J. I.; Call, B. D.; Sabula, J.; Klewicki, J. C.; Pataki, D. E.; Peterson, T. R.

2004-12-01

Cities are the locus of North America's most intense consumption of fossil fuels. Thus the rate and character of urbanization influence the rate of urban CO2 released into the global atmosphere. The rate of rural-to-urban land conversion, and changes in the population density of urban land, are influenced by coupled changes in urban demographics and the local economy. Urban sprawl (a rapid expansion of urban land with low population densities) is governed by a self-reinforcing feedback effect between urban transportation infrastructure investments (road building) and urban land development where road building begets new urban neighborhoods that, in turn, induce more road building that begets additional new neighborhoods. If unrestrained, this feedback effect leads to the unrestrained expansion of urban sprawl, urban vehicular travel and traffic congestion. This self-reinforcing feedback loop forms a key dynamic that controls the rate at which CO2-emitting fossil fuels are burned for transportation, electricity production, heating, and commercial/industrial processes. In a rapidly sprawling city residents must travel increasingly greater distances between work, shopping, and home while commercial service vehicles must travel to increasingly remote residential locations. The increasing number of vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled, combined with the growing prevalence of ever-lower density urban land development, leads to a rapid increase in mobile and stationary CO2 emissions. A more compact and punctuated form of urban development with higher-density and mixed-use urban activity centers leads to reduced CO2 emissions. Those who shape urban development policy are often unconcerned by increasing CO2 emissions unless they can be linked to: (1) local concerns about criteria air pollutant emissions and air quality, (2) the dependency of federal infrastructure funding on meeting ambient air quality standards, and (3) the consequences of human exposure to health risks associated with declining air quality. The dynamic simulation of urban systems demonstrates that a suite of policies can be found to diminish sprawl and defeat traffic congestion thereby safeguarding the vitality a city. A systems thinking approach, facilitated by a community engagement process, has further enabled community opinion leaders and policy makers to map the key features, linkages and feedbacks of a complex, CO2-emitting urban ecosystem. A corresponding lumped-parameter, simulation model provides a framework for decision makers and stakeholders to explore the consequences of alternative options for managing urban growth, sprawl and congestion while also reducing CO2 emissions.

Ecology-centered experiences among children and adolescents: A qualitative and quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Judy

The present research involved two studies that considered ecology-centered experiences (i.e., experiences with living things) as a factor in children's environmental attitudes and behaviors and adolescents' ecological understanding. The first study (Study 1) examined how a community garden provides children in an urban setting the opportunity to learn about ecology through ecology-centered experiences. To do this, I carried out a yearlong ethnographic study at an urban community garden located in a large city in the Southeastern United States. Through participant observations and informal interviews of community garden staff and participants, I found children had opportunities to learn about ecology through ecology-centered experiences (e.g., interaction with animals) along with other experiences (e.g., playing games, reading books). In light of previous research that shows urban children have diminished ecological thought---a pattern of thought that privileges the relationship between living things---because of their lack of ecology-centered experiences (Coley, 2012), the present study may have implications for urban children to learn about ecology. As an extension of Study 1, I carried out a second study (Study 2) to investigate how ecology-centered experiences contribute to adolescents' environmental attitudes and behaviors in light of other contextual factors, namely environmental responsibility support, ecological thought, age and gender. Study 2 addressed three research questions. First, does ecological thought---a pattern of thought that privileges the relationship between living things---predict environmental attitudes and behaviors (EAB)? Results showed ecological thought did not predict EAB, an important finding considering the latent assumptions of previous research about the relationship between these two factors (e.g., Brugger, Kaiser, & Roczen, 2011). Second, do two types of contextual support, ecology-centered experiences (i.e., experiences with living things) and environmental responsibility support (i.e., support through the availability of environmentally responsible models) predict EAB? As predicted, results showed that ecology-centered experiences predicted EAB; yet, when environmental responsibility support was taken into consideration, ecology-centered experiences no longer predicted EAB. These findings suggested environmental responsibility support was a stronger predictor than ecology-centered experiences. Finally, do age and gender predict EAB? Consistent with previous research (e.g., Alp, Ertepiner, Tekkaya, & Yilmaz, 2006), age and gender significantly predicted EAB.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders: samples taken from attendees of medical health-care centers in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

PubMed

Balke, Zibandeh; Rammelsberg, Peter; Leckel, Michael; Schmitter, Marc

2010-01-01

To determine the prevalence of facial pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in people located in urban and rural areas in a newly industrialized country (Iran). Two-hundred twenty-three subjects between 18 and 65 years of age (mean: 32.07; SD: 10.83) were randomly selected from an urban area and a rural area. One-hundred nineteen subjects from Mashhad (major city) and 104 subjects from Zoshk (village) were voluntarily recruited from medical health-care centers. Subjects who consulted the health-care center for dental, ear, nose, or throat issues were excluded. The monitoring of public health attendance of all citizens at designated health-care centers is compulsory by local law. All subjects were examined in accordance with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD). Facial pain was assessed by using a questionnaire; the prevalence of myofascial pain, disc displacement, and degenerative disorders was determined by clinical examination. Nonparametric tests were used to assess group differences (ie, between village and city). Subjects in urban areas suffered less from facial pain (20.2% versus 46.2%; P < .01 [Mann-Whitney U test]) than subjects in rural areas. The frequency of TMD, disc displacement, and degenerative disorders was greater in the rural area. The symptoms under investigation were significantly more widespread in rural than in urban areas. With regard to TMD per se, the place of residence appears to be unimportant. However, the rural population was significantly affected by facial pain.

Social responsibility and the academic medical center: building community-based systems for the nation's health.

PubMed

Foreman, S

1994-02-01

Academic medical centers have fulfilled several of their missions with immense success but have failed to fulfill others. They have responded only modestly to the needs of the nation's underserved rural and urban communities. The author calls on academic medical centers to take an aggressively active role in building the medical infrastructure now missing in these communities and outlines a multi-part agenda for institutional commitment. It includes developing community-based systems of primary care, outreach programs, and social supports; training professionals committed to serving isolated and poor communities; and performing research that will extend the knowledge base to include the health and social issues of the disadvantaged. (Examples are given of institutions that have pioneered these kinds of community-based activities.) To build the new infrastructure, financing must be secured (various sources are discussed), a community-based faculty must be developed, and each institution's leadership--the medical school dean, the hospital executive, and the department chairmen--must come together around a new agenda and support it materially and psychologically, making whatever changes are needed in the corporate culture. The author warns that if centers do not undertake this responsibility for the health of the underserved, a critical job will go undone, a huge opportunity will have been missed, and American society will be the poorer.

Spatial analysis of concentrations of multiple air pollutants using NASA DISCOVER-AQ aircraft measurements: Implications for exposure assessment.

PubMed

Lee, Hyung Joo; Chatfield, Robert B; Bell, Michelle L

2018-01-01

In recent years, multipollutant approaches have been employed to investigate the association with health outcomes to better represent real-world conditions than more traditional analysis that considers a single pollutant. With regard to the exposure assessment of a mixture of air pollutants, it is critical to understand the spatial variability in multipollutant relations in order to assess their potential health implications. In this study, we investigated the spatial relations of multiple pollutant concentrations (i.e., NO x , NO y , black carbon, carbon monoxide, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, xylenes/ethylbenzene, ozone, water-soluble organic carbon, and aerosol extinction) observed from the P-3B aircraft in the 2011 NASA field campaign in Baltimore/Washington D.C. areas during July 2011. The between-pollutant Pearson correlations and Z-scores (calculated from log-transformed concentrations) between near-highways and non-highways and between near-urban centers and non-urban centers varied by pollutant pair and space. We found generally lower correlations between NO x and other pollutants for near-highways (average r = 0.36) than for non-highways (average r = 0.41) and also for non-urban centers (average r = 0.37) than for near-urban centers (average r = 0.41). This indicated that the temporal associations between NO x and health outcomes might be less affected by other pollutants, which were also related to same health outcomes, for near-highways and non-urban centers. The analysis of between-pollutant Z-scores showed varying spatial relations for popular traffic-related pollutants with the Z-score differences of 0.43 (NO x -carbon monoxide), 0.29 (NO x -black carbon), and 0.17 (black carbon-carbon monoxide) between near-highways and non-highways. This result exhibited heterogeneous traffic-related pollutant mixtures with the proximity to highways, potentially leading to the diverse extent of health associations. Furthermore, a mixed effects model presented pollutant-specific associations between the concentrations and the proximity to highways and urban centers, showing larger declines for NO x , xylenes/ethylbenzene, toluene, and NO y than those for the pollutants related to secondary pollutant formation. The model also demonstrated the different sensitivity of each pollutant to meteorological parameters, which may modify the spatial and temporal variability in the relations between the pollutants. Our findings provide insights for exposure assessment studies to better understand the cumulative health consequences associated with multiple air pollutants simultaneously. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Landscape pattern gradient dynamics and desakota features in rapid urbanization area: a case study in Panyu of Guangzhou].

PubMed

Yu, Long-Sheng; Fu, Yi-Fu; Yu, Huai-Yi; Li, Zhi-Qin

2011-01-01

In order to understand the landscape pattern gradient dynamics and desakota features in rapid urbanization area, this paper took the rapidly urbanizing Panyu District of Guangzhou City as a case, and analyzed its land use and land cover data, based on four Landsat TM images from 1990 to 2008. With the combination of gradient analysis and landscape pattern analysis, and by using the landscape indices in both class and landscape scales, the spatial dynamics and desakota feature of this rapidly urbanizing district were quantified. In the study district, there was a significant change in the landscape pattern, and a typical desakota feature presented along buffer gradient zones. Urban landscape increased and expanded annually, accompanied with serious fragmentation of agricultural landscape. The indices patch density, contagion, and landscape diversity, etc., changed regularly in the urbanization gradient, and the peak of landscape indices appeared in the gradient zone of 4-6 km away from the urban center. The landscape patterns at time series also reflected the differences among the dynamics in different gradient zones. The landscape pattern in desakota region was characterized by complex patch shape, high landscape diversity and fragmentation, and remarkable landscape dynamics. The peaks of landscape indices spread from the urban center to border areas, and desakota region was expanding gradually. The general trend of spatiotemporal dynamics in desakota region and its driving forces were discussed, which could be benefit to the regional land use policy-making and sustainable development planning.

Does Core Area Theory Apply to STIs in Rural Environments?

PubMed Central

Gesink, Dionne C; Sullivan, Ashleigh B; Norwood, Todd; Serre, Marc L; Miller, William C

2012-01-01

Background Our objective was to determine the extent to which geographical core areas for gonorrhea and syphilis are located in rural areas, as compared to urban areas. Methods Incident gonorrhea (January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2010) and syphilis (January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2010) rates were estimated and mapped by census tract and quarter. Rurality was measured using percent rural and rural-urban commuting area (RUCA; rural, small town, micropolitan, or urban). SaTScan was used to identify spatiotemporal clusters of significantly elevated rates of infection. Clusters lasting five years or longer were considered core areas; clusters of shorter duration were considered outbreaks. Clusters were overlaid on maps of rurality and qualitatively assessed for correlation. Results Twenty gonorrhea core areas were identified; 65% in urban centers, 25% in micropolitan areas, and the remaining 10% were geographically large capturing combinations of urban, micropolitan, small town and rural environments. Ten syphilis core areas were identified with 80% in urban centers and 20% capturing two or more RUCAs. All ten of the syphilis core areas (100%) overlapped with gonorrhea core areas. Conclusions Gonorrhea and syphilis rates were high for rural parts of North Carolina; however, no core areas were identified exclusively for small towns or rural areas. The main pathway of rural STI transmission may be through the interconnectedness of urban, micropolitan, small town and rural areas. Directly addressing STIs in urban and micropolitan communities may also indirectly help address STI rates in rural and small town communities. PMID:23254115

Rural–Urban Differences in Objective and Subjective Measures of Physical Activity: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006

PubMed Central

Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2014-01-01

Introduction Lower levels of physical activity among rural relative to urban residents have been suggested as an important contributor to rural–urban health disparity; however, empirical evidence is sparse. Methods We examined rural–urban differences in 4 objective physical activity measures (2 intensity thresholds by 2 bout lengths) and 4 subjective measures (total, leisure, household, and transportation) in a nationally representative sample of participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006. The sample comprised 5,056 adults aged 20 to 75 years. Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes were matched with NHANES subjects to identify urban status and 2 types of rural status. Rural–urban and within–rural differences in physical activity were estimated without and with controls for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results Rural residents were less active than urban residents in high-intensity long bout (2,020 counts per minute threshold and 10 miniutes or longer bout length) accelerometer-measured physical activity (42.5 ± 6.2 min/wk vs 55.9 ± 2.8 min/wk) but the difference disappeared with a lower-intensity threshold (760 counts per minute). Rural residents reported more total physical activity than urban residents (438.3 ± 35.3min/wk vs 371.2 ± 12.5 min/wk), with differences primarily attributable to household physical activity. Within rural areas, micropolitan residents were less active than residents in smaller rural areas. Controlling for other variables reduced the size of the differences. Conclusion The direction and significance of rural–urban difference in physical activity varied by the method of physical activity measurement, likely related to rural residents spending more time in low-intensity household physical activity but less time in high-intensity physical activity. Micropolitan residents were substantially less active than residents in smaller rural areas, indicating that physical activity did not vary unidirectionally with degree of urbanization. PMID:25144676

Rural-urban differences in objective and subjective measures of physical activity: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006.

PubMed

Fan, Jessie X; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2014-08-21

Lower levels of physical activity among rural relative to urban residents have been suggested as an important contributor to rural-urban health disparity; however, empirical evidence is sparse. We examined rural-urban differences in 4 objective physical activity measures (2 intensity thresholds by 2 bout lengths) and 4 subjective measures (total, leisure, household, and transportation) in a nationally representative sample of participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006. The sample comprised 5,056 adults aged 20 to 75 years. Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes were matched with NHANES subjects to identify urban status and 2 types of rural status. Rural-urban and within-rural differences in physical activity were estimated without and with controls for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Rural residents were less active than urban residents in high-intensity long bout (2,020 counts per minute threshold and 10 miniutes or longer bout length) accelerometer-measured physical activity (42.5 ± 6.2 min/wk vs 55.9 ± 2.8 min/wk) but the difference disappeared with a lower-intensity threshold (760 counts per minute). Rural residents reported more total physical activity than urban residents (438.3 ± 35.3min/wk vs 371.2 ± 12.5 min/wk), with differences primarily attributable to household physical activity. Within rural areas, micropolitan residents were less active than residents in smaller rural areas. Controlling for other variables reduced the size of the differences. The direction and significance of rural-urban difference in physical activity varied by the method of physical activity measurement, likely related to rural residents spending more time in low-intensity household physical activity but less time in high-intensity physical activity. Micropolitan residents were substantially less active than residents in smaller rural areas, indicating that physical activity did not vary unidirectionally with degree of urbanization.

A Disadvantaged Advantage in Walkability: Findings from ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Urban form-the structure of the built environment-can influence physical activity, yet little is known about how walkable design differs according to neighborhood sociodemographic composition. We studied how walkable urban form varies by neighborhood sociodemographic composition, region, and urbanicity across the United States. Using linear regression models and 2000-2001 US Census data, we investigated the relationship between 5 neighborhood census characteristics (income, education, racial/ethnic composition, age distribution, and sex) and 5 walkability indicators in almost 65,000 census tracts in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Data on the built environment were obtained from the RAND Corporation's (Santa Monica, California) Center for Population Health and Health Disparities (median block length, street segment, and node density) and the US Geological Survey's National Land Cover Database (proportion open space and proportion highly developed). Disadvantaged neighborhoods and those with more educated residents were more walkable (i.e., shorter block length, greater street node density, more developed land use, and higher density of street segments). However, tracts with a higher proportion of children and older adults were less walkable (fewer street nodes and lower density of street segments), after adjustment for region and level of urbanicity. Research and policy on the walkability-health link should give nuanced attention to the gap between perso

[Spatial distribution characteristics of urban potential population in Shenyang City based on QuickBird image and GIS].

PubMed

Li, Jun-Ying; Hu, Yuan-Man; Chen, Wei; Liu, Miao; Hu, Jian-Bo; Zhong, Qiao-Lin; Lu, Ning

2012-06-01

Population is the most active factor affecting city development. To understand the distribution characteristics of urban population is of significance for making city policy decisions and for optimizing the layout of various urban infrastructures. In this paper, the information of the residential buildings in Shenyang urban area was extracted from the QuickBird remote sensing images, and the spatial distribution characteristics of the population within the Third-Ring Road of the City were analyzed, according to the social and economic statistics data. In 2010, the population density in different types of residential buildings within the Third-Ring Road of the City decreased in the order of high-storey block, mixed block, mixed garden, old multi-storey building, high-storey garden, multi-storey block, multi-storey garden, villa block, shanty, and villa garden. The vacancy rate of the buildings within the Third-Ring Road was more than 30%, meaning that the real estate market was seriously overstocked. Among the five Districts of Shenyang City, Shenhe District had the highest potential population density, while Tiexi District and Dadong District had a lower one. The gravity center of the City and its five Districts was also analyzed, which could provide basic information for locating commercial facilities and planning city infrastructure.

Impact of the Dubai Coastline Intensive Urbanization on the Atmosphere Employing MODIS Data (2001-2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhacham, Emily; Alpert, Pinhas

2017-04-01

Over the last 20 years Dubai landscape has dramatically changed - artificial islands have been constructed as well as residential and industrial facilities along with roads systems. This rapid and massive construction placed Dubai urban growth rate at the top of the global list. Here, we investigate the impact of those constructions on the local atmosphere, both in land and sea based on MODIS data. It was found that, over the tested time period, temperature decreases and albedo increases were observed in the sea area of the artificial islands. In land, albedo decreases along with temperature increases of up to 2C were observed in the areas along the coast where intensive constructions occurred. In addition, the coast of Dubai was found to have urban heat island characteristics, where the urban center point at Deira area exhibits higher temperature than surrounding points along the coast. Nonetheless, the largest temperature trends were observed in the coastal area in between Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali, where massive construction was performed during the tested time frame. Reference: E.Elhacham and P. Alpert ,"Impact of coastline-intensive anthropogenic activities on the atmosphere from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data in Dubai (2001-2014)", Earth's Future, 4, 2016.

The impact of center city economic and cultural vibrancy on greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

Urban planners and scholars have focused a great deal of attention on understanding the relationship between the built environment and transportation behavior. However, other aspects of the urban environment--including the vibrancy and quality of lif...

Systems Models for Transportation Problems : Volume 2. An Introduction to Urban Center Modeling.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-03-01

Our thermodynamic theory considers the problem of attempting to formalize in a modeling sense what might be done in an urban economy, wherein transportation planning and other institutionalized requirements of the domain are also to be satisfied, and...

Setting Goals for Urban Scale Climate Governance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, J. K.; Brunner, E.

2007-12-01

The impacts of climate change on temperate urban areas may include the increase in frequency and intensity of damaging extreme weather events, such as heat waves, hurricanes, heavy rainfall or drought, and coastal flooding and erosion, and potential adverse impacts on infrastructure, energy systems, and public health. Warmer average summertime temperatures are also associated with environmental and public health liabilities, such as decreased air quality and increased peak electrical demand. Simultaneously, a strong global trend towards urbanization of poverty exists, with increased challenges for local governments to protect and sustain the well-being of growing cities and populations currently stressed by poverty, health and economic inequities. In the context of these trends, research at the city scale has sought to understand the social and economic impacts of climate change and variability and to evaluate strategies in the built environment that might serve as adaptive and mitigative responses to climate change. We review the goals and outcomes of several municipal climate protection programs, generally categorized as approaches based on technological innovation (e.g., new materials); changes in behavior and public education (e.g., neighborhood watch programs and cooling centers); improvements in urban design (e.g., zoning for mixed land-use; the use of water, vegetation and plazas to reduce the urban heat island effect); and efforts to incentivize the use of non-fossil-fuel based energy sources. Urban initiatives in European and American cities are assessed within the context of the global collective efforts enacted by the Kyoto Protocol and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Our concern is to understand the active networked role of urban managers in climate policies and programs in relation to supranational objectives and non-state actors.

When the African-Centered Paradigm Is Not Enough: Lessons from an Urban Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarkson, Lesa M. Covington; Johnstone, Jerika R.

2011-01-01

This article reflects on processes and characteristics that had a positive impact on improving mathematics achievement at an African-centered charter school. In doing so, an exploratory look into organizational culture provides the basis for a discussion on African-centered school culture. African-centered education played a major role in…

Safety assessment in primary Mycobacterium tuberculosis smear microscopy centres in Blantyre Malawi: a facility based cross sectional survey.

PubMed

Majamanda, J; Ndhlovu, P; Shawa, I T

2013-12-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is transmitted mainly through aerosolization of infected sputum which puts laboratory workers at risk in spite of the laboratory workers' risk of infection being at 3 to 9 times higher than the general public. Laboratory safety should therefore be prioritized and optimized to provide sufficient safety to laboratory workers. To assess the safety for the laboratory workers in TB primary microscopy centres in Blantyre urban. TB primary microscopy centers in Blantyre urban were assessed in aspects of equipment availability, facility layout, and work practice, using a standardized WHO/AFRO ISO 15189 checklist for the developing countries which sets the minimum safety score at ≥80%. Each center was graded according to the score it earned upon assessment. Only one (1) microscopy center out nine (9) reached the minimum safety requirement. Four (4) centers were awarded 1 star level, four (4) centers were awarded 2 star level and only one (1) center was awarded 3 star level. In Blantyre urban, 89% of the Tuberculosis microscopy centers are failing to provide the minimum safety to the laboratory workers. Government and other stake holders should be committed in addressing the safety challenges of TB microscopy centres in the country to ensure safety for the laboratory workers. It is recommended that the study be conducted at the regional or national level for both public and private laboratories in order to have a general picture of safety in Tb microscopy centres possibly across the country.

Validation of Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme with measurements from two mid-latitude European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdi, R.; Schayes, G.

2007-08-01

Martilli's urban parameterization scheme is improved and implemented in a mesoscale model in order to take into account the typical effects of a real city on the air temperature near the ground and on the surface exchange fluxes. The mesoscale model is run on a single column using atmospheric data and radiation recorded above roof level as forcing. Here, the authors validate Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme using measurements from two mid-latitude European cities: Basel, Switzerland and Marseilles, France. For Basel, the model performance is evaluated with observations of canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes obtained during the Basel urban boundary layer experiment (BUBBLE). The results show that the urban parameterization scheme represents correctly most of the behavior of the fluxes typical of the city center of Basel, including the large heat uptake by the urban fabric and the positive sensible heat flux at night. For Marseilles, the model performance is evaluated with observations of surface temperature, canyon temperature, surface radiation, and energy balance fluxes collected during the field experiments to constrain models of atmospheric pollution and transport of emissions (ESCOMPTE) and its urban boundary layer (UBL) campaign. At both urban sites, vegetation cover is less than 20%, therefore, particular attention was directed to the ability of Martilli's urban boundary layer scheme to reproduce the observations for the Marseilles city center, where the urban parameters and the synoptic forcing are totally different from Basel. Evaluation of the model with wall, road, and roof surface temperatures gave good results. The model correctly simulates the net radiation, canyon temperature, and the partitioning between the turbulent and storage heat fluxes.

Influence of Urban Residence on Use of Psychotropic Medications in Pennsylvania, USA: Cross-sectional Comparison of Older Adults Attending Senior Centers

PubMed Central

Edelstein, Offer; Pater, Karen; Sharma, Ravi; Albert, Steven M.

2014-01-01

Background Differences in medication use by geographic region may indicate differences in access to specialist medical care, especially in the case of prescriptions for psychotropic medications. We assessed the effect of more or less urbanized residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use in a large cohort of older adults in Pennsylvania, USA. Methods Community-dwelling older adults were recruited from senior centers across PA. Participant residences were geocoded and categorized according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. We used the codes to identify respondents who live in relatively urban counties with 250,000 or more residents (n=1360) or less urban counties with fewer than 250,000 residents (n=401). Participants reported prescription medications in a clinical interview. Psychotropic medications were categorized by class. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess the independent effect of residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use. Results Geographic region was significantly associated with use of psychotropic medications. Psychotropic medication use was higher in less urban areas (19.7%) relative to more urban areas (14.2%), p =.007. In adjusted models, degree of urban residence was a significant correlate in models that adjusted for sociodemographic features and medical status (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.13–2.31, p < .01). Use of psychotropic medications on the Beers list also increased with less urban residence (13.0% vs. 8.3%, p = .005). Conclusions Older adults living in less urbanized areas are more likely to be prescribed psychotropic drugs. This difference may indicate a health disparity based on access to geriatric specialists or mental health care. PMID:24357135

Influence of urban residence on use of psychotropic medications in Pennsylvania, USA: cross-sectional comparison of older adults attending senior centers.

PubMed

Edelstein, Offer; Pater, Karen; Sharma, Ravi; Albert, Steven M

2014-02-01

Differences in medication use by geographic region may indicate differences in access to specialist medical care, especially in the case of prescriptions for psychotropic medications. We assessed the effect of more or less urbanized residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use in a large cohort of older adults in Pennsylvania, USA. Community-dwelling older adults were recruited from senior centers across Pennsylvania. Participant residences were geocoded and categorized according to US Department of Agriculture Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. We used the codes to identify respondents who live in relatively urban counties with 250,000 or more residents (n = 1,360) or less urban counties with fewer than 250,000 residents (n = 401). Participants reported prescription medications in a clinical interview. Psychotropic medications were categorized by class. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess the independent effect of residence on likelihood of psychotropic medication use. Geographic region was significantly associated with use of psychotropic medications. Psychotropic medication use was higher in less urban areas (19.7%) relative to more urban areas (14.2%), p = 0.007. In adjusted models, degree of urban residence was a significant correlate in models that adjusted for sociodemographic features and medical status (odds ratio 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.31, p < 0.01). Use of psychotropic medications on the Beers list also increased with less urban residence (13.0 vs. 8.3%, p = 0.005). Older adults living in less urbanized areas are more likely to be prescribed psychotropic drugs. This difference may indicate a health disparity based on access to geriatric specialists or mental health care.

Urbanization in 21st century.

PubMed

Altarejos, R G

1990-01-01

Due to a combination of rapid population growth and high levels of rural-urban migration, overcrowding will be common in many cities around the world in the 21st century. Currently at 5.3 billion, the global population is expected to increase to 6 billion by the year 2000, and to 9 billion by 2025. Experts predict that urban centers will bear the brunt of the population growth. Rural areas have seen declines in the standard of living, partly due to natural disasters, civil war, and economic policies favoring urban centers. In search of jobs, better access to education, and health services, rural populations will flock to cities. But the rapid growth of cities will inevitably lead to the creation of slums, which will hamper urban development. Urban demographers predict that by the end of the century, 1/2 of the world's population will be urban, and 1/5 of these people will be concentrated in "mega cities," populations of 4 million or more. International migration will play a significant role, as people cross borders in search of opportunity. But contrary to the traditional model of urban growth, much of it will take place in developing countries. According to a 1985 study, developed nations had an urbanization level of 71%, compared to 31% in developing countries. However, experts calculate that by 2025, these levels will practically even out, with an urbanization level of 74% for developing countries and 77% for developed countries. By 2025, 25 cities will have populations of over 9 million, including Mexico City (25.8), Sao Paulo (24.0), Tokyo (20.2), Calcutta (16.5), Greater Bombay (16.0), and New York (15.8).

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center - Dartmouth College

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health - Columbia University

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

Space Radar Image of San Francisco, California

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-15

This image of San Francisco, California shows how the radar distinguishes between densely populated urban areas and nearby areas that are relatively unsettled. Downtown San Francisco is at the center and the city of Oakland is at the right across the San Francisco Bay. Some city areas, such as the South of Market, called the SOMA district in San Francisco, appear bright red due to the alignment of streets and buildings to the incoming radar beam. Various bridges in the area are also visible including the Golden Gate Bridge (left center) at the opening of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge (right center) connecting San Francisco and Oakland, and the San Mateo Bridge (bottom center). All the dark areas on the image are relatively smooth water: the Pacific Ocean to the left, San Francisco Bay in the center, and various reservoirs. Two major faults bounding the San Francisco-Oakland urban areas are visible on this image. The San Andreas fault, on the San Francisco peninsula, is seen in the lower left of the image. The fault trace is the straight feature filled with linear reservoirs which appear dark. The Hayward fault is the straight feature on the right side of the image between the urban areas and the hillier terrain to the east. The image is about 42 kilometers by 58 kilometers (26 miles by 36 miles) with north toward the upper right. This area is centered at 37.83 degrees north latitude, 122.38 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01791

Using a Birth Center Model of Care to Improve Reproductive Outcomes in Informal Settlements-a Case Study.

PubMed

Wallace, Jacqueline

2018-06-04

The world is becoming increasingly urban. For the first time in history, more than 50% of human beings live in cities (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, ed. (2015)). Rapid urbanization is often chaotic and unstructured, leading to the formation of informal settlements or slums. Informal settlements are frequently located in environmentally hazardous areas and typically lack adequate sanitation and clean water, leading to poor health outcomes for residents. In these difficult circumstances women and children fair the worst, and reproductive outcomes for women living in informal settlements are grim. Insufficient uptake of antenatal care, lack of skilled birth attendants and poor-quality care contribute to maternal mortality rates in informal settlements that far outpace wealthier urban neighborhoods (Chant and McIlwaine (2016)). In response, a birth center model of maternity care is proposed for informal settlements. Birth centers have been shown to provide high quality, respectful, culturally appropriate care in high resource settings (Stapleton et al. J Midwifery Women's Health 58(1):3-14, 2013; Hodnett et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev CD000012, 2012; Brocklehurst et al. BMJ 343:d7400, 2011). In this paper, three case studies are described that support the use of this model in low resource, urban settings.

Rural and urban park visits and park-based physical activity.

PubMed

Shores, Kindal A; West, Stephanie T

2010-01-01

A physical activity disparity exists between rural and urban residents. Community parks are resources for physical activity because they are publicly provided, available at a low cost, and accessible to most residents. We examine the use of and physical activity outcomes associated with rural and urban parks. Onsite observations were conducted using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) at four rural and four urban parks. Momentary sampling scans were conducted four times per day for seven days at each site. A total of 6,545 park visitors were observed. Both rural and urban park visitors were observed more often at larger parks with paved trails and attended most often on weekends. Rural park visits were more frequent than urban park visits but rural visits were less physically active. Although similarities were observed between rural and urban park visits, differences suggest that findings from park and physical activity studies in urban areas should not be considered representative of their rural counterparts. Given that the majority of existing park and physical activity research has been undertaken in urban settings, the need for complementary research in rural settings has been made evident through this presentation of baseline descriptive data.

Association of Distance from Transplantation Center and Place of Residence on Outcomes after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

PubMed

Khera, Nandita; Gooley, Ted; Flowers, Mary E D; Sandmaier, Brenda M; Loberiza, Fausto; Lee, Stephanie J; Appelbaum, Frederick

2016-07-01

Regionalization of specialized health services can deliver high-quality care but may have an adverse impact on access and outcomes because of distance from the regional centers. In the case of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), the effect of increased distance between the transplantation center and the rural/urban residence is unclear because of conflicting results from the existing studies. We examined the association between distance from primary residence to the transplantation center and rural versus urban residence with clinical outcomes after allogeneic HCT in a large cohort of patients. Overall mortality (OM), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), and relapse in all patients and those who survived for 200 days after HCT were assessed in 2849 patients who received their first allogeneic HCT between 2000 and 2010 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC)/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Median distance from FHCRC was 263 miles (range, 0 to 2740 miles) and 83% of patients were urban residents. The association between distance and the hazard of OM varied according to conditioning intensity: myeloablative (MA) versus nonmyeloablative (NMA). Among MA patients, there was no evidence of an increased risk of mortality with increased distance, but for NMA patients, the results did show a suggestion of increased risk of mortality for some distances, although globally the difference was not statistically significant. In the subgroup of patients who survived 200 days, there was no evidence that the risks of OM, relapse, or NRM were increased with increasing distance. We did not find any association between longer distance from transplantation center and urban/rural residence and outcomes after MA HCT. In patients undergoing NMA transplantations, this relationship and how it is influenced by factors such as age, payers, and comorbidities needs to be further investigated. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the International Congress/Actes du 6eme Congres International (6th) Held in Nice, France on 5-9 July 1993: Noise as a Public Health Problem. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-09

exploratory field stud ........................................................................ 389 Leobon A The cartography of a urban center soundscape ...Inter-Noise 91, Sydney 2-4 december 1991. 392 THE CARTOGRAPHY OF A URBAN CENTER SOUNDSCAPE LEOBON Alain C.N.R.S. U.R.A 879 LABORATOIRE DE MECANIQUE...GROUPE "ACOUSTIQUE ARCHITECTURALE ET URBAINE" LE VAL JOYEUX CD.1M - 78450 VILLEPREUX. Tel: (33) (1).30.56.04.16 Summery: While using a town soundscape

A Computer Learning Center for Environmental Sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mustard, John F.

2000-01-01

In the fall of 1998, MacMillan Hall opened at Brown University to students. In MacMillan Hall was the new Computer Learning Center, since named the EarthLab which was outfitted with high-end workstations and peripherals primarily focused on the use of remotely sensed and other spatial data in the environmental sciences. The NASA grant we received as part of the "Centers of Excellence in Applications of Remote Sensing to Regional and Global Integrated Environmental Assessments" was the primary source of funds to outfit this learning and research center. Since opening, we have expanded the range of learning and research opportunities and integrated a cross-campus network of disciplines who have come together to learn and use spatial data of all kinds. The EarthLab also forms a core of undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research on environmental problems that draw upon the unique perspective of remotely sensed data. Over the last two years, the Earthlab has been a center for research on the environmental impact of water resource use in and regions, impact of the green revolution on forest cover in India, the design of forest preserves in Vietnam, and detailed assessments of the utility of thermal and hyperspectral data for water quality analysis. It has also been used extensively for local environmental activities, in particular studies on the impact of lead on the health of urban children in Rhode Island. Finally, the EarthLab has also served as a key educational and analysis center for activities related to the Brown University Affiliated Research Center that is devoted to transferring university research to the private sector.

Urban Indians: Hope and Hopelessness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Mark

1999-01-01

Describes problems faced by Americans Indians and Alaska Natives in U.S. urban centers with large Native populations. Describes social services, health and employment services, job training, and cultural events provided by nonprofit community groups to Native communities in Anchorage, Los Angeles, and New York City. (CDS)

High-Speed Rail and Local Land Development : Case Studies in London and Las Vegas

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-01

The efficacy of a high-speed rail system depends, in part, upon locating rail stations close to urban centers and integrating them into broader transportation networks and the urban realm. In addition, through economies of agglomeration, successful h...

Down Home, Downtown: Urban Appalachians Today.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obermiller, Phillip J., Ed.

This book contains selected presentations from a conference on urban Appalachians held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in September 1995. The papers present diverse perspectives on the migration from rural Appalachia to industrial centers, questions of Appalachian culture and identity, community development in Appalachian neighborhoods, and rural Appalachian…

UNDERSTANDING POLLUTANT DISPERSION IN AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD

EPA Science Inventory

Work has been focused on urban air quality and homeland security issues, modeling the complex airflow patterns in cities and around buildings (e.g. the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, and the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C.). These experimental studies have con...

Remote estimation of the surface characteristics and energy balance over an urban-rural area and the effects of surface heat flux on plume spread and concentration. M.S. Thesis; [St. Louis, Missouri, the Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicristofaro, D. C. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

A one dimensional boundary layer model was used in conjunction with satellite derived infrared surface temperatures to deduce values of moisture availability, thermal inertia, heat and evaporative fluxes. The Penn State satellite image display system, a sophisticated image display facility, was used to remotely sense these various parameters for three cases: St. Louis, Missouri; the Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky; and Clarksville, Tennessee. The urban centers displayed the maximum daytime surface temperatures which correspond to the minimum values of moisture availability. The urban center of St. Louis and the bodies of water displayed the maximum nighttime surface temperatures which correspond to the maximum thermal inertia values. It is shown that moisture availability and thermal inertia are very much responsible for the formation of important temperature variations over the urban rural complex.

Urban Renewal Mega Projects and Residents' Quality of Life: Evidence from Historical Religious Center of Mashhad Metropolis.

PubMed

Forouhar, Amir; Hasankhani, Mahnoosh

2018-04-01

Urban decay is the process by which a historical city center, or an old part of a city, falls into decrepitude and faces serious problems. Urban management, therefore, implements renewal mega projects with the goal of physical and functional revitalization, retrieval of socioeconomic capacities, and improving of quality of life of residents. Ignoring the complexities of these large-scale interventions in the old and historical urban fabrics may lead to undesirable consequences, including an additional decline of quality of life. Thus, the present paper aims to assess the impact of renewal mega projects on residents' subjective quality of life, in the historical religious district of the holy city of Mashhad (Samen District). A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of impact assessment, including questionnaires, semi-structured personal interviews, and direct observation, is used in this paper. The results yield that the Samen Renewal Project has significantly reduced the resident's subjective quality of life, due to its undesirable impacts on physical, socio-cultural, and economic environments.

Small-town migration to metropolitan centres: a case in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Lee Boon Thong

1979-12-01

In Malaysia small towns are an important source of population gowth in metropolitan areas. To provide empirical evidence of the magnitude and roles of small urban centers as complementary sources of population growth in metropolitan areas, a small survey was conducted in 10 small towns in the State of Selangor. Criteria for the selection of these towns include a fair geographical spread over the State, and each area must characteristically possess a dominant urban center. The questionnaires were directed to the heads of 300 households with the intention of investigating the socioeconomic background of the households and the magnitude and characteristics of those members of the households who have migrated elsewhere. The total number of outmigrants from each area varied from 27-57, giving an overall average figure of 1.53 outmigrants/household. About 77% of the outmigrants had moved to the metropolitan centers. As the majority of the metropolitan migrants were more attracted to Kuala Lumpur, Klang, and Petaling Jaya, it may be assumed that the total outmigrants from small towns as derived would have consitituted about 39% of the population in the Klang Valley region. Based on this estimate, the role of small towns in metropolitan population growth is important. In the survey conducted, 2 broad categories of movements were involved: "economic movers," i.e., those who migrated to work or to establish businesses in the metropolitan areas; and "noneconomic movers," i.e., those who moved to continue their studies or to follow their spouses, and so forth. The economic mover stream made up 71% of the total metropolitan migrants. 2 variables--marital status and sex--were significantly related to the economic or noneconomic nature of the metropolitan migrants. The movement of males tended to be associated with economic motives whereas noneconomic reasons for movement tended to be the case among females migrants. The most important occupational group of the economically active migrants to the metropolitan areas was the production workers, comprising mostly laborers, building construction workers, and factory operators. 2 other important groups were sales workers and service workers. Rather than concentrating total emphasis on large urban centers, authorities should divert a portion of their developmental efforts to small towns as part of overall comprehensive urban planning. Economic revitalization of the small towns can take many forms, such as encouraging craft industries, investing labor intensive industries, or offering incentives to industries. Small towns should be given a unifying role within the city rural framework.

Nocturnal Propagating Thunderstorms May Favor Urban "Hot-Spots": A Model-Based Study over Minneapolis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganeshan, Manisha; Murtugudde, Raghu

2015-01-01

High-resolution WRF model sensitivity experiments are carried out (with and without urban land cover) to study urban impacts on nocturnal propagating thunderstorms over the city of Minneapolis. It is found that the storm spatial characteristics, especially the position of the storm cell, are appreciably altered by the presence of urban land cover. The most robust urban instability during stormy conditions is the enhanced surface convergence due to increased frictional drag. No urban impact is visible on the rainfall intensity simulated by the model. The frictional convergence, aided by the nocturnal Urban Heat Island (UHI), appears to be responsible for attracting propagating storms towards the urban center. Advanced modeling experiments are needed to quantify the mechanical and thermal influence along with similar studies in other cities to further investigate the urban impact on the frequency and trajectory of nocturnal propagating storms.

Has climate change driven urbanization in Africa?

PubMed

Henderson, J Vernon; Storeygard, Adam; Deichmann, Uwe

2017-01-01

This paper documents strong but differentiated links between climate and urbanization in large panels of districts and cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has dried substantially in the past fifty years. The key dimension of heterogeneity is whether cities are likely to have manufacturing for export outside their regions, as opposed to being exclusively market towns providing local services to agricultural hinterlands. In regions where cities are likely to be manufacturing centers (25% of our sample), drier conditions increase urbanization and total urban incomes. There, urban migration provides an "escape" from negative agricultural moisture shocks. However, in the remaining market towns (75% of our sample), cities just service agriculture. Reduced farm incomes from negative shocks reduce demand for urban services and derived demand for urban labor. There, drying has little impact on urbanization or total urban incomes. Lack of structural transformation in Africa inhibits a better response to climate change.

Has climate change driven urbanization in Africa?

PubMed Central

Henderson, J. Vernon; Storeygard, Adam; Deichmann, Uwe

2017-01-01

This paper documents strong but differentiated links between climate and urbanization in large panels of districts and cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has dried substantially in the past fifty years. The key dimension of heterogeneity is whether cities are likely to have manufacturing for export outside their regions, as opposed to being exclusively market towns providing local services to agricultural hinterlands. In regions where cities are likely to be manufacturing centers (25% of our sample), drier conditions increase urbanization and total urban incomes. There, urban migration provides an “escape” from negative agricultural moisture shocks. However, in the remaining market towns (75% of our sample), cities just service agriculture. Reduced farm incomes from negative shocks reduce demand for urban services and derived demand for urban labor. There, drying has little impact on urbanization or total urban incomes. Lack of structural transformation in Africa inhibits a better response to climate change. PMID:28458445

Urbanization in Africa since independence.

PubMed

Tarver, J D

1994-01-01

Over 185 million inhabitants were added to the urban areas of Africa between 1950 and 1990. Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland is the most highly urbanized, with 55% in 1990; while less than a quarter of Eastern Africa's population is living in urban centers. By the year 2015 more than half of Africa's population will be living in urban areas. Many parts of Africa have suffered prolonged droughts, overgrazing, locust infestations, and desertification. Millions have become refugees from natural disasters, political oppression, and rural poverty. The large exodus from Africa's rural areas has gone to cities but the large cities have attracted disproportionately large numbers of destitute migrants. Alexandria (1 million), Cairo (2.4 million) and the Witwatersrand in South Africa were the only African urban agglomerations with at least one million inhabitants in 1950. By 1990 the two Egyptian cities together had 12.7 million inhabitants and the Witwatersrand some 5 million, whereas the other 25 urban agglomerations with a million inhabitants each in 1990 had a total population of about 51 million. Lagos, Kinshasa, and Algiers ranged from 3 to 7.7 million. The capitals are the largest cities in at least 54 of the 59 countries and territories. Lagos, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam are disproportionately larger than the next most populous cities in their countries. The 28 urban agglomerations with at least one million inhabitants had a total population of 70 million in 1990, and are projected to reach 100 million in the year 2000. Overall, Africa's urban population is projected to increase by approximately 135 million in the 1990-2000 decade (from 217 million to 352 million). About 105 million of the growth probably will occur in the smaller urban centers. The total African urban population is likely to reach one billion inhabitants within the next 50 years. It stood at 32 million in 1950. Presently, the United Nations projects 912 million urban residents (57% of the total population) by 2025.

Overview of the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center's Urban Research and Development Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundquist, J. K.; Sugiyama, G.; Nasstrom, J.

2007-12-01

This presentation describes the tools and services provided by the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for modeling the impacts of airborne hazardous materials. NARAC provides atmospheric plume modeling tools and services for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear airborne hazards. NARAC can simulate downwind effects from a variety of scenarios, including fires, industrial and transportation accidents, radiation dispersal device explosions, hazardous material spills, sprayers, nuclear power plant accidents, and nuclear detonations. NARAC collaborates on radiological dispersion source terms and effects models with Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NARAC was designated the interim provider of capabilities for the Department of Homeland Security's Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center by the Homeland Security Council in April 2004. The NARAC suite of software tools include simple stand-alone, local-scale plume modeling tools for end-user's computers, and Web- and Internet-based software to access advanced modeling tools and expert analyses from the national center at LLNL. Initial automated, 3-D predictions of plume exposure limits and protective action guidelines for emergency responders and managers are available from the center in 5-10 minutes. These can be followed immediately by quality-assured, refined analyses by 24 x 7 on-duty or on-call NARAC staff. NARAC continues to refine calculations using updated on-scene information, including measurements, until all airborne releases have stopped and the hazardous threats are mapped and impacts assessed. Model predictions include the 3-D spatial and time-varying effects of weather, land use, and terrain, on scales from the local to regional to global. Real-time meteorological data and forecasts are provided by redundant communications links to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force, as well as an in-house mesoscale numerical weather prediction model. NARAC provides an easy-to-use Geographical Information System (GIS) for display of plume predictions with affected population counts and detailed maps, and the ability to export plume predictions to other standard GIS capabilities. Data collection and product distribution is provided through a variety of communication methods, including dial-up, satellite, and wired and wireless networks. Ongoing research and development activities will be highlighted. The NARAC scientific support team is developing urban parameterizations for use in a regional dispersion model (see companion paper by Delle Monache). Modifications to the numerical weather prediction model WRF to account for characteristics of urban dynamics are also in progress, as is boundary-layer turbulence model development for simulations with resolutions greater than 1km. The NARAC building-resolving computational fluid dynamics capability, FEM3MP, enjoys ongoing development activities such as the expansion of its ability to model releases of dense gases. Other research activities include sensor-data fusion, such as the reconstruction of unknown source terms from sparse and disparate observations. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48. The Department of Homeland Security sponsored the production of this material under the Department of Energy contract for the management and operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. UCRL-PROC-234355

Inventory & analysis of Advanced Public Transportation Systems in Florida

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-09-01

Through its National Center for Transit Research, and under contract with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Center for Urban Transportation Research has conducted an inventory of current and planned Advanced Public Transportation Systems ...

Analysis of Florida transit bus accidents

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-06-01

Through its National Center for Transit Research, and under contract with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Center for Urban Transportation Research was tasked with reviewing a sample of transit bus crash occurrence data from selected Flo...

Analysis of Florida transit bus crashes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-06-01

Through its National Center for Transit Research, and under contract with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Center for Urban Transportation Research was tasked with reviewing a sample of transit bus crash occurrence data from selected Flo...

NIEHS/EPA Children’s Environmental Health Centers: Lifecourse Exposures & Diet: Epigenetics, Maturation & Metabolic Syndrome

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

Risk factors of falls among elderly living in Urban Suez - Egypt

PubMed Central

Kamel, Mohammed Hany; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed Ahmed; Ismail, Sally El-Sayed

2013-01-01

Introduction Falling is one of the most common geriatric syndromes threatening the independence of older persons. Falls result from a complex and interactive mix of biological or medical, behavioral and environmental factors, many of which are preventable. Studying these diverse risk factors would aid early detection and management of them at the primary care level. Methods This is a cross sectional study about risk factors of falls was conducted to 340 elders in Urban Suez. Those are all patients over 60 who attended two family practice centers in Urban Suez. Results When asked about falling during the past 12 months, 205 elders recalled at least one incident of falling. Of them, 36% had their falls outdoors and 24% mentioned that stairs was the most prevalent site for indoor falls. Falls were also reported more among dependant than independent elderly. Using univariate regression analysis, almost all tested risk factors were significantly associated with falls in the studied population. These risk factors include: living alone, having chronic diseases, using medications, having a physical deficit, being in active, and having a high nutritional risk. However, the multivariate regression analysis proved that the strongest risk factors are low level of physical activity with OR 0.6 and P value 0.03, using a cane or walker (OR 1.69 and P value 0.001) and Impairment of daily living activities (OR 1.7 and P value 0.001). Conclusion Although falls is a serious problem among elderly with many consequences, it has many preventable risk factors. Health care providers should advice people to remain active and more research is needed in such an important area of Family Practice. PMID:23504298

Risk factors of falls among elderly living in urban Suez--Egypt.

PubMed

Kamel, Mohammed Hany; Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed Ahmed; Ismail, Sally El-Sayed

2013-01-01

Falling is one of the most common geriatric syndromes threatening the independence of older persons. Falls result from a complex and interactive mix of biological or medical, behavioral and environmental factors, many of which are preventable. Studying these diverse risk factors would aid early detection and management of them at the primary care level. This is a cross sectional study about risk factors of falls was conducted to 340 elders in Urban Suez. Those are all patients over 60 who attended two family practice centers in Urban Suez. When asked about falling during the past 12 months, 205 elders recalled at least one incident of falling. Of them, 36% had their falls outdoors and 24% mentioned that stairs was the most prevalent site for indoor falls. Falls were also reported more among dependant than independent elderly. Using univariate regression analysis, almost all tested risk factors were significantly associated with falls in the studied population. These risk factors include: living alone, having chronic diseases, using medications, having a physical deficit, being in active, and having a high nutritional risk. However, the multivariate regression analysis proved that the strongest risk factors are low level of physical activity with OR 0.6 and P value 0.03, using a cane or walker (OR 1.69 and P value 0.001) and Impairment of daily living activities (OR 1.7 and P value 0.001). Although falls is a serious problem among elderly with many consequences, it has many preventable risk factors. Health care providers should advice people to remain active and more research is needed in such an important area of Family Practice.

Evidence of Urban-Induced Precipitation Variability in Arid Climate Regimes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. Marshall

2005-01-01

Water is essential to life in the Earth system. The water cycle components that sustain life are becoming more scarce and polluted. The most recent (1999-2004) drought experienced in the southwestern United States is the seventh worst in the approximately 500-year proxy tree-ring record. As a result, many regions contemplated drought emergencies in which severe water restrictions are implemented. Though larger weather and climate processes likely control drought processes, there is increasing evidence that anthropogenic or human-related activities can significantly alter precipitation processes. Urbanization is an example of anthropogenic forcing. Recent studies continue to provide evidence that urban environments can modify or induce precipitation under a specific set of conditions. Arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and other parts of the world are rapidly developing and placing greater demands on the environmental system. In the past fifty years, Phoenix has expanded from a predominantly agricultural center to an urbanized region with extent 700 percent larger than its size in the middle of the twentieth century. Riyadh's population grew from about a half million people in 1972 to almost two million by 2000. Saudi Arabia experienced urbanization later than many other countries; in the early 1970s its urban-rural ratio was still about 1:3. By 1990 the ratio had reversed to about 3:l. In the mid-1970s Riyadh's population was increasing by about 10 percent a year. Irrigation also significantly increased between 1972 and 1990 southeast of Riyadh. The study employs a 108-year precipitation historical data record, global climate observing network observations and satellite data to identify possible anomalies in rainfall in and around two major arid urban areas, Phoenix, Arizona and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It provides statistically sound evidence that rainfall distribution and magnitude is statistically different in post-urban than in pre-urban (1900-1950) Phoenix. The study hypothesis that a complex interaction between the city landscape, irrigated lands, and nearby mountains have created preferred regions for rainfall development. The study also provides early evidence that rapidly urbanizing parts of the arid Middle East may also be experiencing different precipitation regimes in response to urbanization and irrigation.

The American College of Surgeons Needs-Based Assessment of Trauma Systems: Estimates for the State of California.

PubMed

Uribe-Leitz, Tarsicio; Esquivel, Micaela M; Knowlton, Lisa M; Ciesla, David; Lin, Feng; Hsia, Renee Y; Spain, David A; Winchell, Robert J; Staudenmayer, Kristan L

2017-05-01

In 2015, the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma convened a consensus conference to develop the Needs-Based Assessment of Trauma Systems (NBATS) tool to assist in determining the number of trauma centers required for a region. We tested the performance of NBATS with respect to the optimal number of trauma centers needed by region in California. Trauma center data were obtained from the California Emergency Services Authority Information Systems (CEMSIS). Numbers of admitted trauma patients (ISS > 15) were obtained using statewide nonpublic admissions data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), CEMSIS, and data from local emergency medical service agency (LEMSA) directors who agreed to participate in a telephone survey. Population estimates per county for 2014 were obtained from the U.S. Census. NBATS criteria used included population, transport time, community support, and number of discharges for severely injured patients (ISS > 15) at nontrauma centers and trauma centers. Estimates for the number of trauma centers per region were created for each of the three data sources and compared to the number of existing centers. A total of 62 state-designated trauma centers were identified for California: 13 (21%) Level I, 36 (58%) Level II, and 13 (11%) Level III. NBATS estimates for the total number of trauma centers in California were 27% to 47% lower compared to the number of trauma centers in existence, but this varied based on urban/rural status. NBATS estimates were lower than the current state in 70% of urban areas but were higher in almost 90% of rural areas. All data sources (OSHPD, CEMSIS, local data) produced similar results. Estimates from the NBATS tool are different from what is currently in existence in California, and differences exist based on whether the region is rural or urban. Findings from the current study can help inform future iterations of the NBATS tool. Economic, level V.

Orientation program for hospital-based nurse practitioners.

PubMed

Bahouth, Mona N; Esposito-Herr, Mary Beth

2009-01-01

The transition from student to practicing clinician is often a challenging and difficult period for many nurse practitioners. Newly graduated nurse practitioners commonly describe feelings of inadequacy in assuming clinical responsibilities, lack of support by team members, unclear expectations for the orientation period, and role isolation. This article describes the formal nurse practitioner orientation program implemented at the University of Maryland Medical Center, a large urban academic medical center, to facilitate the transition of new nurse practitioners into the workforce. This comprehensive program incorporates streamlined administrative activities, baseline didactic and simulation-based critical care education, ongoing and focused peer support, access to formalized resources, and individualized clinical preceptor programs. This formalized orientation program has proven to be one of the key variables to successful integration of nurse practitioners into our acute care clinical teams.

Predictors of senior center use among older adults in New York City public housing.

PubMed

Schneider, Amanda E; Ralph, Nancy; Olson, Carolyn; Flatley, Anne-Marie; Thorpe, Lorna

2014-12-01

Despite agreement among stakeholders that senior centers can promote physical and mental health, research on senior center use in urban populations is limited. Our objective was to describe demographic and health factors associated with senior center use among urban, low-income older adults in order to inform programming and outreach efforts. We used data from a 2009 telephone survey of 1036 adults randomly selected from rosters of New York City public housing residents aged 65 and older. We analyzed senior center use by race/ethnicity, age, gender, health, housing type, and income, and used a forward selection approach to build best-fit models predicting senior center use. Older adults of all ages and of both genders reported substantial use of senior centers, with nearly one third (31.3%) reporting use. Older adults living alone, at risk of depression, or living in specialized senior housing had the greatest use of centers. Senior center use varied by race/ethnicity, and English-speaking Hispanics had a higher prevalence of use than Spanish-speaking Hispanics (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR]=1.69, 95% CI: 1.11-2.59). Spanish-speaking communities and older adults living in non-senior congregate housing are appropriate targets for increased senior center outreach efforts.

Seaside Resorts in the Dominican Republic: A Typology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer-Arendt, Klaus J.; And Others

1992-01-01

Addresses the beachfront urbanization of the Dominican Republic's coastline resulting from domestic and international tourism. Explains that the distribution of beach resorts reflects both quality and quantity of natural resources, proximity of urban centers, and intensity of development efforts. Describes five discrete types of coastal resorts.…

Traffic data collection for transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Interim research report, January 1994-July 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perkinson, D.G.; Dresser, G.B.

1995-07-01

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), under a contract with the Dallas District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), provided traffic data for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTOG) for their transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This effort included volume counts, vehicle classification counts, and speed data for 23 urban corridors in the area. In addition, external station volume counts were collected for 32 external stations, and journey travel time data were collected for nine activity centers.

The crisis of urbanization in Asia: finding alternatives to megalopolitan growth.

PubMed

Rondinelli, D A

1985-01-01

The rapid expansion of large Asian cities generates serious social, economic, and physical problems, and has thereby forced these areas to create alternative expansion plans, such as the idea of building up secondary cities and towns. The result of the rapid expansion of large cities, combined with poor urban management, accentuates the mass poverty in many Asian cities. This large urban population is expected to double or triple in size between 1970 and 2000. Because substantial resources are required to manage these megalopolitan areas, it is reasonable to deduce that millions of these city dwellers will be living in absolute poverty by 2000. It is the prospect of continued rapid growth over the next 2 decades that presents the most serious problem for Asian countries. Most metropolises cannot provide enough jobs for the current work force. In addition, public facilities, housing, transportation, and health services are examples of other problems threatened by a heavy concentration of people. Attempts to control this growth have been unsuccessful, mainly due to the 1950s and 1960s emphasis on productive investment, which left rural regions underdeveloped and poor. Secondary cities and regional centers in Asia perform important functions in promoting widespread economic and social development: 1) they stimulate rural economies and therefore establish a pattern of step-wise migration, and 2) they absorb population and therefore, relieve some of the pressure put on the largest metropolitan areas. Studies of secondary cities and their attempts at controlling growth of large metropolitan centers suggest broad guidelines for strategies. Some of these are: 1) the existence of large metropolises has little effect on the growth of primate cities; 2) few controls on growth of large areas are likely to be effective unless there are viable alternative locations at which high threshold economic activities can operate; 3) secondary cities must be closely related to the agricultural economies of their rural hinterlands; and 4) attention must be given to improving transportation and other communication between large metropolitan centers, secondary cities, and smaller cities and towns. The continued concentration of people and economic activities in vast megalopolitan areas will continue to generate serious economic and social problems that may help stimulate the evolution of some of these strategies.

Rural-to-Urban Migrants' Experiences with Primary Care under Different Types of Medical Institutions in Guangzhou, China

PubMed Central

Zeng, Jiazhi; Shi, Leiyu; Zou, Xia; Chen, Wen; Ling, Li

2015-01-01

Objectives China is facing the unprecedented challenge of rapidly increasing rural-to-urban migration. Migrants are in a vulnerable state when they attempt to access to primary care services. This study was designed to explore rural-to-urban migrants’ experiences in primary care, comparing their quality of primary care experiences under different types of medical institutions in Guangzhou, China. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional survey of 736 rural-to-urban migrants in Guangzhou, China in 2014. A validated Chinese version of Primary Care Assessment Tool—Adult Short Version (PCAT-AS), representing 10 primary care domains was used to collect information on migrants’ quality of primary care experiences. These domains include first contact (utilization), first contact (accessibility), ongoing care, coordination (referrals), coordination (information systems), comprehensiveness (services available), comprehensiveness (services provided), family-centeredness, community orientation and culturally competent. These measures were used to assess the quality of primary care performance as reported from patients’ perspective. Analysis of covariance was conducted for comparison on PCAT scores among migrants accessing primary care in tertiary hospitals, municipal hospitals, community health centers/community health stations, and township health centers/rural health stations. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore factors associated with PCAT total scores. Results After adjustments were made, migrants accessing primary care in tertiary hospitals (25.49) reported the highest PCAT total scores, followed by municipal hospitals (25.02), community health centers/community health stations (24.24), and township health centers/rural health stations (24.18). Tertiary hospital users reported significantly better performance in first contact (utilization), first contact (accessibility), coordination (information system), comprehensiveness (service available), and cultural competence. Community health center/community health station users reported significantly better experience in the community orientation domain. Township health center/rural health station users expressed significantly better experience in the ongoing care domain. There were no statistically significant differences across settings in the ongoing care, comprehensiveness (services provided), and family-centeredness domains. Multiple linear regression models showed that factors positively associated with higher PCAT total scores also included insurance covering parts of healthcare payment (P<0.001). Conclusions This study highlights the need for improvement in primary care provided by primary care institutions for rural-to-urban migrants. Relevant policies related to medical insurance should be implemented for providing affordable healthcare services for migrants accessing primary care. PMID:26474161

Promoting physical activity, healthy eating and gross motor skills development among preschoolers attending childcare centers: Process evaluation of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention using the RE-AIM framework.

PubMed

Ward, Stéphanie; Chow, Amanda Froehlich; Humbert, M Louise; Bélanger, Mathieu; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Vatanparast, Hassan; Leis, Anne

2018-06-01

The Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention was developed to promote physical activity, gross motor skills and healthy eating among preschoolers attending childcare centers. This process evaluation aimed to report the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention. The RE-AIM framework was used to guide this process evaluation. Data were collected across 140 childcare centers who received the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention in the provinces of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, Canada. Quantitative data were collected through director questionnaires at 10 months and 2 years after the initial training and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected throughout the intervention. The intervention was successful in reaching a large number of childcare centres and engaging both rural and urban communities across Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Centres reported increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating, which were generally low-cost, easy and quick to implement. However, these changes were rarely transformed into formal written policies. A total of 87% of centers reported using the physical activity resource and 68% using the nutrition resource on a weekly basis. Implementation fidelity of the initial training was high. Of those centers who received the initial training, 75% participated in the mid-point booster session training. Two year post-implementation questionnaires indicated that 47% of centers were still using the Active Play Equipment kit, while 42% were still using the physical activity resource and 37% were still using the nutrition resource. Key challenges to implementation and sustainability identified during the evaluation were consistent among all of the REAIM elements. These challenges included lack of time, lack of support from childcare staff and low parental engagement. Findings from this study suggest the implementation of Healthy Start-Départ Santé may be improved further by addressing resistance to change and varied levels of engagement among childcare staff. In addition, further work is needed to provide parents with opportunities to engage in HSDS with their children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What do health coaches do? Direct observation of health coach activities during medical and patient-health coach visits at 3 federally qualified health centers.

PubMed

Johnson, Christopher; Saba, George; Wolf, Jessica; Gardner, Heather; Thom, David H

2018-05-01

To examine activities of health coaches during patient medical visits and when meeting one-on-one with patients at 3 urban federally qualified health centers. Encounters were videotaped and transcribed. Data was analyzed using a matrix analysis approach that allowed a priori identification of expected categories of activity, based on the health coach training model and previously developed conceptual framework, which were modified based on activities observed. A total of 10 medical visits (patient, clinician and health coach), and 8 patient-coach visits were recorded. We identified 9 categories common to both medical and patient-coach visits and 2 categories unique to the medical visit. While observed activities were generally consistent with expected categories, some activities were observed infrequently or not at all. We also observed additional activity categories, including information gathering and personal conversation. The average amount of time spent on some categories of coaching activities differed substantially between medical visits and patient-coach visits. Health coaching activities observed differed in several respects to those expected, and differed between medical visits and coaching only visits. These results provide insights into health coaching behaviors that can be used to inform training and improve utilization of health coaches in practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultivating a Network For Messaging About Climate Change Across an Urban System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wertheim, J.

2014-12-01

Currently, some of the most promising efforts to address climate change are taking place at the scale of cities and municipalities. Large urban areas host an active population of organizations working to influence local environmental policies more rigorous than those at the state and national level. The composition of these groups is broadening as impacts of climate change are being recognized as relevant to more sectors within urban systems, from health centers to community leaders, leading more organizations to consider how they can raise awareness and gain support for their needs. The National Geographic Society, as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Climate and Urban Systems Partnership (CUSP), has convened a pilot "community of practice" (CoP) consisting of organizations working at the local level in Washington, DC to communicate with audiences, from the general public to local government agencies, about ways that climate change is predicted to affect the city and what can be done about it. The purpose of the CoP was initially to help these groups coordinate their activities, share knowledge and resources, and to create a platform for ongoing collaborative learning. While the CoP is still evolving, it is clear that it has potential to provide even deeper and more meaningful support to these groups' efforts. Developing effective messaging about climate change across an urban system depends on the valuable insight these groups have into their audience's interests, beliefs, and knowledge, but it also requires a set of competencies that few members of the CoP hold. As conveners of the CoP, we have identified and prioritized those competencies and are developing a process for training CoP members to apply their expertise to implement empirically-based best practices in climate change messaging, public communication, and integration of data and visualizations. The process of training the group has the potential to both create a CoP that becomes a trusted resource for climate messaging activities in DC and an enduring network of professionals who identify participating in the group's ongoing work as essential to their own professional development

Urban sprawl and its relationship with active transportation, physical activity and obesity in Canadian youth.

PubMed

Seliske, Laura; Pickett, William; Janssen, Ian

2012-06-01

Urban sprawl is a potential environmental influence on youth overweight/obesity. However, little is known about the association between urban sprawl and behaviours that influence obesity such as active transportation and physical activity. The study population consisted of 7,017 respondents aged 12 to 19 to the 2007/2008 Canadian Community Health Survey, living in Canada's 33 census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Factor analysis was used to obtain an urban sprawl score for each CMA, incorporating dwelling density, percentage of single or detached dwelling units, and percentage of the population living in the urban core. Multi-level logistic regression examined whether urban sprawl was associated with frequent active transportation (30 or more minutes a day), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (60 or more minutes a day), and overweight/obesity. Urban sprawl was associated with active transportation among 12- to 15-year-olds, with the relative odds of engaging in at least 30 minutes of active transportation per day increasing by 24% (95% CI: 10-39%) for each standard deviation (SD) increase in the urban sprawl score. For the entire sample aged 12 to 19, higher urban sprawl was associated with MVPA (odds ratio per SD increase = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20), but not with overweight/obesity (odds ratio per SD increase = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.94-1.18). Urban sprawl was associated with active transportation and MVPA in Canadian youth, although in the opposite direction to what has been reported in the literature for adults.

Guideline-conforming timing of invasive management in troponin-positive or high-risk ACS without persistent ST-segment elevation in German chest pain units. Urban university maximum care vs. rural regional primary care.

PubMed

Breuckmann, F; Remberg, F; Böse, D; Lichtenberg, M; Kümpers, P; Pavenstädt, H; Waltenberger, J; Fischer, D

2016-03-01

This study aimed to analyze guideline adherence in the timing of invasive management for myocardial infarction without persistent ST-segment elevation (NSTEMI) in two exemplary German centers, comparing an urban university maximum care facility and a rural regional primary care facility. All patients diagnosed as having NSTEMI during 2013 were retrospectively enrolled in two centers: (1) site I, a maximum care center in an urban university setting, and (b) site II, a primary care center in a rural regional care setting. Data acquisition included time intervals from admission to invasive management, risk criteria, rate of intervention, and medical therapy. The median time from admission to coronary angiography was 12.0 h (site I) or 17.5 h (site II; p = 0.17). Guideline-adherent timing was achieved in 88.1 % (site I) or 82.9 % (site II; p = 0.18) of cases. Intervention rates were high in both sites (site I-75.5 % vs. site II-75.3 %; p = 0.85). Adherence to recommendations of medical therapy was high and comparable between the two sites. In NSTEMI or high-risk acute coronary syndromes without persistent ST-segment elevation, guideline-adherent timing of invasive management was achieved in about 85 % of cases, and was comparable between urban maximum and rural primary care settings. Validation by the German Chest Pain Unit Registry including outcome analysis is required.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 38 crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-12

ISS038-E-016506 (12 Dec. 2013) --- A nighttime view of Salt Lake City, Utah is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 38 crew member on the International Space Station. The Salt Lake City metropolitan area is located along the western front of the Wasatch Range in northern Utah. Viewed at night from the vantage point of the space station, the regular north-south and east-west layout of street grids typical of western U.S. cities is clearly visible. Known as "the crossroads of the West", the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church and informally as the Mormon Church), and the state capital of Utah, Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young together with other followers of the Mormon faith. The Salt Lake City metropolitan area today is included in the larger urban Wasatch Front region of Utah which includes over two million people (approximately 80 percent of the population of the state). Both the color of the city lights and their density provide clues to the character of the urban fabric -- yellow gold lights generally indicate major roadways such as Interstate Highway 15 that passes through the center of the metropolitan area (center, left to right), while bright white clusters of lights are associated with city centers, commercial, and industrial areas. In contrast, residential and suburban areas are recognizable due to diffuse and relatively dim lighting (center left). The Wasatch Range to the east is largely dark, as are several large urban parks and golf courses located within the illuminated urban areas.

The future is urban.

PubMed

1992-05-01

Urban centers are growing due to natural increase and the movement of people from rural areas. Urban areas are the traditional centers of trade, science, and culture, but growth over a threshold results in crime, congestion, and pollution. Sustainability is threatened in modern towns that are dependent on other sources for food, fuel, or water. Housing, water, food supplies, and sanitation, communication, and transportation services are threatened in rapidly growing cities. In 1990 45/100 people lived in towns or cities. Hyper-cities have grown in number to 20, of which 14 are in developing countries. 83% of world population increase is expected to occur in cities. In 48 countries with faster population growth cities had growth rates averaging about 6.1% per year, and the urban share of total population averaged 2.8%. In 49 countries with slower population growth, urban growth rates averaged only 3.6% per year, and the urban share of total population averaged about 1.8%. Squatter settlements are endemic to urban areas that are congested and without basic services, limited housing particularly for the poor, and few job opportunities. The number of street children in urban areas has risen. This child population is subjected to low wages, overwork, auto accidents, poor health, and lack of social services. Malnutrition is a more serious issue in urban areas. In the Philippines malnutrition is 3% nationally and 9% in Metro Manila. Rural land reform in the Philippines is no longer a viable solution. In Metro Manila squatters are expected to increase in number to 4 million people by the year 2000, which would be almost 50% of total population. The squatter areas are areas of neglect, decay, and poverty. Cities are viewed as development's "blind alleys."

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Formative Center for the Evaluation of Environmental Impacts on Fetal Development - Brown University

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) suggest that landfills are an important source of bioaccumulative flame retardants to Canadian terrestrial ecosystems.

PubMed

Chen, Da; Martin, Pamela; Burgess, Neil M; Champoux, Louise; Elliott, John E; Forsyth, Douglas J; Idrissi, Abde; Letcher, Robert J

2013-01-01

Landfills are used as the primary means for the disposal of municipal solid waste in Canada. In the present study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other flame retardants (FRs) were determined in fresh European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) eggs collected in 2009, 2010, and 2011 from nest boxes established within, adjacent to, and 10 and 40 km distant to five major urban centers across Canada, i.e., Vancouver, British Columbia (BC); Calgary, Alberta (AB); Hamilton, Ontario (ON); Montréal, Québec (QC); and Halifax, Nova Scotia (NS). Nest boxes were located in several land use types: urban industrial areas (districts of industrial activity within city limits), landfill sites (adjacent to cities), and rural (agricultural) sites located 10 and 40 km distant from the major urban centers, as well as a national reference site. Of the 14 PBDE congeners and 16 non-PBDE FR substances determined in the starling eggs, BDE-17, -28, -47, -49, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, -183, and -209, Dechlorane Plus isomers (anti and syn), and bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP) were most frequently quantifiable. The data revealed orders of magnitude greater PBDE concentrations in eggs from starlings nesting in landfill sites (median: 28-280 ng/g wet weight) relative to those from urban industrial and rural environments. However, the percent fractional composition of the PBDE congener patterns did not vary significantly between the types of land uses or between years. Additionally, the median ∑PBDE concentration in eggs from landfill sites and the human population density of the metropolitan region that the landfill serves were highly correlated (r(2) = 0.998, p < 0.001). As the first transcontinental effort in assessing FR contamination in Canadian terrestrial ecosystems, the present study strongly suggest that landfills are an important FR source to starlings nesting nearby and that other terrestrial organisms could also be similarly exposed.

24 CFR 902.75 - Referral to a Troubled Agency Recovery Center (TARC).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Recovery Center (TARC). 902.75 Section 902.75 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing... § 902.75 Referral to a Troubled Agency Recovery Center (TARC). (a) General. Upon a PHA's designation of... of the preliminary MOA. (d) Maximum recovery period—(1) Expiration of one-year recovery period. Upon...

North Central IPM Center

Science.gov Websites

) solutions, based in the North Central region. North Central IPM Center Invasive Plants in Trade Working webpage to learn about the North Central IPM Center's grants program and other IPM-related funding Tribal IPM Urban Ag IPM Partners In IPM Working Groups Critical Issues Projects North Central IPM

Lessons Learned in Starting and Running a Neighborhood Networks Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC.

This guide shares information about setting up and operating Neighborhood Networks centers. (These centers operate in Department of Housing and Urban Development-assisted or -insured housing nationwide to help low-income people boost their basic skills and find good jobs, learn to use computers and the Internet, run businesses, improve their…

Teachers' Perspectives of Children's Mental Health Service Needs in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, James Herbert; Horvath, Violet E.; Wei, Hsi-Sheng; Van Dorn, Richard A.; Jonson-Reid, Melissa

2007-01-01

This study uses a phenomenological approach to investigate elementary school teachers' perspectives on children's mental health service needs. Focus groups were conducted at two elementary schools with differing levels of available social services in a moderate-sized urban midwestern school district. Data collection centered on six prominent…

Charter School Expansion and within District Equity: Confluence or Conflict?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.; Libby, Ken; Wiley, Kathryn

2015-01-01

This article explores whether two popular policy initiatives are compatible or conflicting strategies for enhancing educational equality in diverse large urban centers. These two initiatives are (1) charter school expansion and (2) improvement of resource equity across urban public school systems through policies often referred to as weighted…

Promoting School Connectedness among Minority Youth through Experience-Based Urban Farming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fifolt, Matthew; Morgan, Amy Ferguson; Burgess, Zoe Ripple

2018-01-01

Background: The public education system in the United States faces significant challenges in understanding and addressing issues of student disengagement among high-poverty youth in urban centers. Academic and community leaders are encouraged to seek new and innovative strategies to engage students in meaningful learning experiences that promote…

Urban pedestrian accident countermeasures experimental evaluation. Volume 2 Appendix A, Review of education and public information materials

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-02-01

This technical appendix presents an overview of the national pedestrian safety effort. The appendix also reports the results of a survey of 48 ongoing educational programs being conducted in eight U.S. urban centers. A final chapter suggests procedur...

Differential Effectiveness of Depression Disease Management for Rural and Urban Primary Care Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Scott J.; Xu, Stanley; Dong, Fran; Fortney, John; Rost, Kathryn

2006-01-01

Context: Federally qualified health centers across the country are adopting depression disease management programs following federally mandated training; however, little is known about the relative effectiveness of depression disease management in rural versus urban patient populations. Purpose: To explore whether a depression disease management…

Building Tomorrow's Higher Education: Leadership, Partnerships, and Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Sandra; Krebs, Paula M.; Buehler, Julie; Phillips, Clarenda M.

2012-01-01

Four members of the ACE Fellows Program class of 2010-2011 share the results of their fellowship projects, all of which were based at urban universities. The projects addressed partnerships between the universities and their urban communities in different contexts, including the creation of college-town developments, establishing a center for…

Segmenting Markets in Urban Higher Education: Community- versus Campus-Centered Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Thomas A.; Scott, Patsy F.; Clark, Joseph L.

2001-01-01

Conducted enrollment analysis and a survey of current students at a large urban institution to examine the segmentation of students into "traditional" and "non-traditional." Found that local traditional students tend to be more like adult students than traditional students with a more distant permanent residence. Proposes…

A Critical Look at Perspectives of Access and Mission at High Latinx-Enrolling Urban Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zerquera, Desiree D.; Ballysingh, Tracy Arámbula; Templeton, Emerald

2017-01-01

This article examines administrators' perspectives related to embracing and fulfilling a diversity- and access-centered mission at urban-serving universities with high Latinx enrollment. Considering today's context of higher education--whereby access and opportunities for Latinx and other marginalized populations has become increasingly…

Hydrologic data for urban storm runoff in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibbs, Johnnie W.; Doefer, John T.

1982-01-01

Urban storm-runoff data collected from April through September 1981 from nine Denver Nationwide Urban Runoff Program sites, urban storm-runoff data collected from April 1980 through September 1981 from ten South Platte River Study sites, and rainfall-runoff simulation data from two sites for June 1980 and May 1981 are presented in this report. The Denver Nationwide Urban Runoff Program sites were two single-family residential areas, two multifamily residential areas, one commercial area (shopping center), one mixed commercial and multifamily residential area, one natural area (open space), and two detention ponds. The South Platte River Study sites were six tributaries of the South Platte River and four instream sites on the South Platte River. The tributary sites were Bear Creek at mouth, at Sheridan; Harvard Gulch at Harvard Park, at Denver; Sanderson Gulch at mouth, at Denver; Weir Gulch at mouth, at Denver; Lakewood Gulch at mouth, at Denver; and Cherry Creek at Denver. The instream sites were South Platte River at Littleton; South Platte River at Florida Avenue, at Denver; South Platte River at Denver; and South Platte River at 50th Avenue, at Denver. The rainfall-runoff simulation sites were North Avenue at Denver Federal Center, at Lakewood and Rooney Gulch at Rooney Ranch, near Morrison. Precipitation, rainfall-runoff, water-quality data, and basin characteristics were collected at the urban storm-runoff sites. The urban storm-runoff data may be used to characterize runoff loading for various land-use types in Denver and other semiarid regions. (USGS)

Assessing opportunities for physical activity in the built environment of children: interrelation between kernel density and neighborhood scale.

PubMed

Buck, Christoph; Kneib, Thomas; Tkaczick, Tobias; Konstabel, Kenn; Pigeot, Iris

2015-12-22

Built environment studies provide broad evidence that urban characteristics influence physical activity (PA). However, findings are still difficult to compare, due to inconsistent measures assessing urban point characteristics and varying definitions of spatial scale. Both were found to influence the strength of the association between the built environment and PA. We simultaneously evaluated the effect of kernel approaches and network-distances to investigate the association between urban characteristics and physical activity depending on spatial scale and intensity measure. We assessed urban measures of point characteristics such as intersections, public transit stations, and public open spaces in ego-centered network-dependent neighborhoods based on geographical data of one German study region of the IDEFICS study. We calculated point intensities using the simple intensity and kernel approaches based on fixed bandwidths, cross-validated bandwidths including isotropic and anisotropic kernel functions and considering adaptive bandwidths that adjust for residential density. We distinguished six network-distances from 500 m up to 2 km to calculate each intensity measure. A log-gamma regression model was used to investigate the effect of each urban measure on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of 400 2- to 9.9-year old children who participated in the IDEFICS study. Models were stratified by sex and age groups, i.e. pre-school children (2 to <6 years) and school children (6-9.9 years), and were adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), education and safety concerns of parents, season and valid weartime of accelerometers. Association between intensity measures and MVPA strongly differed by network-distance, with stronger effects found for larger network-distances. Simple intensity revealed smaller effect estimates and smaller goodness-of-fit compared to kernel approaches. Smallest variation in effect estimates over network-distances was found for kernel intensity measures based on isotropic and anisotropic cross-validated bandwidth selection. We found a strong variation in the association between the built environment and PA of children based on the choice of intensity measure and network-distance. Kernel intensity measures provided stable results over various scales and improved the assessment compared to the simple intensity measure. Considering different spatial scales and kernel intensity methods might reduce methodological limitations in assessing opportunities for PA in the built environment.

Emerging Forms of Climate Protection Governance: Urban Initiatives in the European Union

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, J. K.; Brunner, E.

2006-12-01

Changes in climate patterns are expected to pose increasing challenges for cities in the following decades, with adverse impacts on urban populations currently stressed by poverty, health and economic inequities. Simultaneously, a strong global trend towards urbanization of poverty exists, with increased challenges for local governments to protect and sustain the well-being of growing cities. In the context of these two overarching trends, interdisciplinary research at the city scale is prioritized for understanding the social impacts of climate change and variability and for the evaluation of strategies in the built environment that might serve as adaptive and mitigative responses to climate change. Urban managers, and transnational networks of municipalities and non-state actors, have taken an increasingly active role in climate protection, through research, policies, programs and agreements on adaptation and mitigation strategies. Concerns for urban impacts of climate change include the potential increase in frequency and intensity of damaging extreme weather events, such as heat waves, hurricanes, heavy rainfall or drought, and coastal flooding and erosion, and potentially adverse impacts on infrastructure, energy systems, and public health. Higher average summertime temperatures in temperate zone cities are also associated with environmental and public health liabilities such as decreased air quality and increased peak electrical demand. We review municipal climate protection programs, generally categorized as approaches based on technological innovation (e.g., new materials); changes in behavior and public education (e.g., use of cooling centers); and improvements in urban design (e.g., zoning for mixed land-use; the use of water, vegetation and plazas to reduce the urban heat island effect). Climate protection initiatives in three European cities are assessed within the context of the global collective efforts enacted by the Kyoto Protocol and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Initiatives in Stockholm, London and Milan provide evidence that local actions are inevitable and of central importance to mitigate and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, the urban heat island effect, and extreme weather events.

International student Arctic Field School on Permafrost and urban areas study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suter, L.; Tolmanov, V. A.; Grebenets, V. I.; Streletskiy, D. A.; Shiklomanov, N. I.

2017-12-01

Arctic regions are experiencing drastic climatic and environmental changes. These changes are exacerbated in the Russian Arctic, where active resource development resulted in further land cover transformations, especially near large settlements. There is a growing need in multidisciplinary studies of climate and human- induced changes in the Arctic cities. In order to fill this gap, International Arctic Field Course on Permafrostand Northern Studies was organized in July 2017 to the Russian Arctic. The course was organized under the umbrella of the Arctic PIRE project in cooperation between the George Washington University, Moscow State University, and the Russian Center for Arctic Development. The course attracted twenty undergraduate and graduate students from Russia, USA, and EU countries and involved instructors specializing in Arctic system science, geocryology, permafrost engineering, and urban sustainability. The field course was focused on studying typical natural Arctic landscapes of tundra and forest tundra; transformations of natural landscapes in urban and industrial areas around Vorkuta and Salekhard; construction and planning on permafrost and field methods and techniques, including permafrost and soil temperature monitoring, active layer thickness (ALT) measurements, studying of cryogenic processes, stratigraphic and soil investigations, vegetation and microclimate studies. The students were also engaged in a discussion of climatic change and historical development of urban areas on permafrost,and were exposed to examples of both active and passive construction principles while conducting a field survey of permafrost related building deformations. During the course, students collected more than 800 ALT and soil temperature measurements in typical landscapes around Vorkuta and Salekhard to determine effects of soil and vegetation factors on ground thermal regime; surveyed several hundreds of buildings to determine locations with most deformation related to permafrost degradation. The course represents an ongoing success in international multidisciplinary research through education resulting in building capacity of new generation of scholars with specialization on the Arctic regions.

Urban Wild: A Manual for the Development, Implementation, and Operation of Nature Centers on School Campuses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, James L.

The purpose of this guide is to stimulate the development of nature centers. The guide offers possible solutions for common problems which many schools face when considering an on-campus nature center, for example, lack of readily available open space, minimum knowledge of how to develop and maintain an on-campus nature center, and lack of…

A demand-centered, hybrid life-cycle methodology for city-scale greenhouse gas inventories.

PubMed

Ramaswami, Anu; Hillman, Tim; Janson, Bruce; Reiner, Mark; Thomas, Gregg

2008-09-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting for individual cities is confounded by spatial scale and boundary effects that impact the allocation of regional material and energy flows. This paper develops a demand-centered, hybrid life-cycle-based methodology for conducting city-scale GHG inventories that incorporates (1) spatial allocation of surface and airline travel across colocated cities in larger metropolitan regions, and, (2) life-cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the embodied energy of key urban materials--food, water, fuel, and concrete. The hybrid methodology enables cities to separately report the GHG impact associated with direct end-use of energy by cities (consistent with EPA and IPCC methods), as well as the impact of extra-boundary activities such as air travel and production of key urban materials (consistent with Scope 3 protocols recommended by the World Resources Institute). Application of this hybrid methodology to Denver, Colorado, yielded a more holistic GHG inventory that approaches a GHG footprint computation, with consistency of inclusions across spatial scale as well as convergence of city-scale per capita GHG emissions (approximately 25 mt CO2e/person/year) with state and national data. The method is shown to have significant policy impacts, and also demonstrates the utility of benchmarks in understanding energy use in various city sectors.

RS- and GIS-based study on landscape pattern change in the Poyang Lake wetland area, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaoling; Li, Hui; Bao, Shuming; Wu, Zhongyi; Fu, Weijuan; Cai, Xiaobin; Zhao, Hongmei; Guo, Peng

2006-10-01

As wetland has been recognized as an important component of ecosystem, it is received ever-increasing attention worldwide. Poyang Lake wetlands, the international wetlands and the largest bird habitat in Asia, play an important role in biodiversity and ecologic protection. However, with the rapid economic growth and urbanization, landscape patterns in the wetlands have dramatically changed in the past three decades. To better understand the wetland landscape dynamics, remote sensing, geographic information system technologies, and the FRAGSTATS landscape analysis program were used to measure landscape patterns. Statistical approach was employed to illustrate the driving forces. In this study, Landsat images (TM and ETM+) from 1989 and 2000 were acquired for the wetland area. The landscapes in the wetland area were classified as agricultural land, urban, wetland, forest, grassland, unused land, and water body using a combination of supervised and unsupervised classification techniques integrated with Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Landscape indices, which are popular for the quantitative analysis of landscape pattern, were then employed to analyze the landscape pattern changes between the two dates in a GIS. From this analysis an understanding of the spatial-temporal patterns of landscape evolution was generated. The results show that wetland area was reduced while fragmentation was increased over the study period. Further investigation was made to examine the relationship between landscape metrics and some other parameters such as urbanization to address the driving forces for those changes. The urban was chosen as center to conduct buffer analysis in a GIS to study the impact of human-induced activities on landscape pattern dynamics. It was found that the selected parameters were significantly correlated with the landscape metrics, which may well indicate the impact of human-induced activities on the wetland landscape pattern dynamics and account for the driving forces.

A randomized trial to improve patient-centered care and hypertension control in underserved primary care patients.

PubMed

Cooper, Lisa A; Roter, Debra L; Carson, Kathryn A; Bone, Lee R; Larson, Susan M; Miller, Edgar R; Barr, Michael S; Levine, David M

2011-11-01

African Americans and persons with low socioeconomic status (SES) are disproportionately affected by hypertension and receive less patient-centered care than less vulnerable patient populations. Moreover, continuing medical education (CME) and patient-activation interventions have infrequently been directed to improve the processes of care for these populations. To compare the effectiveness of patient-centered interventions targeting patients and physicians with the effectiveness of minimal interventions for underserved groups. Randomized controlled trial conducted from January 2002 through August 2005, with patient follow-up at 3 and 12 months, in 14 urban, community-based practices in Baltimore, Maryland. Forty-one primary care physicians and 279 hypertension patients. Physician communication skills training and patient coaching by community health workers. Physician communication behaviors; patient ratings of physicians' participatory decision-making (PDM), patient involvement in care (PIC), reported adherence to medications; systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and BP control. Visits of trained versus control group physicians demonstrated more positive communication change scores from baseline (-0.52 vs. -0.82, p = 0.04). At 12 months, the patient+physician intensive group compared to the minimal intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in patient report of physicians' PDM (β = +6.20 vs. -5.24, p = 0.03) and PIC dimensions related to doctor facilitation (β = +0.22 vs. -0.17, p = 0.03) and information exchange (β = +0.32 vs. -0.22, p = 0.005). Improvements in patient adherence and BP control did not differ across groups for the overall patient sample. However, among patients with uncontrolled hypertension at baseline, non-significant reductions in systolic BP were observed among patients in all intervention groups-the patient+physician intensive (-13.2 mmHg), physician intensive/patient minimal (-10.6 mmHg), and the patient intensive/physician minimal (-16.8 mmHg), compared to the patient+physician minimal group (-2.0 mmHg). Interventions that enhance physicians' communication skills and activate patients to participate in their care positively affect patient-centered communication, patient perceptions of engagement in care, and may improve systolic BP among urban African-American and low SES patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

77 FR 43337 - Drugs for Human Use; Drug Efficacy Study Implementation; Certain Prescription Drugs Offered for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

.... (now part of Kremers-Urban Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 902 Carnegie Center, Suite 360, Princeton, NJ 08540...-687) and Spasmolin (ANDA 86-655); Sandoz, Inc., 506 Carnegie Center, Suite 400, Princeton, NJ 08540...

NIEHS/EPA Children’s Environmental Health Centers: Novel Methods to Assess Effects of Chemicals on Child Development

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

National Center for Transit Research annual report : July 2001

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-07-01

The National Center for Transit Research is fully engaged in its mission of enhancing the performance and relevance of public transportation and alternative forms of transportation in urban areas. Research faculty at NCTR already have completed eight...

Case studies of traffic monitoring programs in large urban areas

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-01

This is one of two documents prepared by the Center for Transportation Information of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in support of the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Highway Information Management. This report presents t...

School services pattern in urban and rural areas: A comparatives study (Case study: Elementary school in Malang City and Malang Regency)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyono, D. A.; Cahyo, D. D.

2017-06-01

Availability of public facilities are important to support community needs and activities, such as educational facilities (school). Those facilities was needed to endorse the development program implementation which are conducted both of local and national government especially to boost the human resources qualities. This study aims to measures service rates of elementary school in the Malang City and Malang Regency based on supply aspect especially on availability of school unit and also configures the spatial pattern of the school services. Theses study conducted based on the disparity of facility services hypotheses especially on school service provision between urban and rural areas, which are Malang City considered as urban areas and Malang Regency as rural areas. According to the analysis results, rate of elementary school services in the Malang City defined by CGC method about 272% while in Malang the Regency are slightly higher at 319%. The pattern of school services in Malang City relatively similar between its districts, except Klojen District as the growth center of Malang City has the highest rate of services. Meanwhile in the Malang Regency has unique pattern which are high service rates located in the Kepanjen District areas as the growth center of Malang Regency and also several districts that located surrounding the Malang City areas which has impact of city developments. Another district has the lowest service rates due to physical limitations, such as those districts/villages located in the forest areas, coastal areas, or mountainous areas. It is means that students in Malang Regency can access elementary school freely as students in Malang City, they are not only can choose the school in their residential areas but also they can access school everywhere especially from their neighboring areas. It also noticed that there are significant differences of elementary school services between urban center areas and suburban or peripheral areas so that appropriate policy measures are needed to provide equal and balance of educational facilities development throughout each areas. The policy should be arranged appropriately especially in Malang Regency in accordance to the special characteristics of each areas in aims to promote adequate school services and reach all areas equally.

An Argument for the Keyhole Template for Close Air Support on the Urban Battlefield

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-04

An Argument for the Keyhole Template for Close Air Support on the Urban Battlefield Captain BT Taggart Major RC... Keyhole Template for Close Air Support on the Urban Battlefield 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...graphic (GRG). Using the target building as the keyhole , or center of the engagement area, Lightning 62 requested a laser guided Maverick to destroy

Evaluating the impact and risk of pluvial flash flood on intra-urban road network: A case study in the city center of Shanghai, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Jie; Yu, Dapeng; Yin, Zhane; Liu, Min; He, Qing

2016-06-01

Urban pluvial flood are attracting growing public concern due to rising intense precipitation and increasing consequences. Accurate risk assessment is critical to an efficient urban pluvial flood management, particularly in transportation sector. This paper describes an integrated methodology, which initially makes use of high resolution 2D inundation modeling and flood depth-dependent measure to evaluate the potential impact and risk of pluvial flash flood on road network in the city center of Shanghai, China. Intensity-Duration-Frequency relationships of Shanghai rainstorm and Chicago Design Storm are combined to generate ensemble rainfall scenarios. A hydrodynamic model (FloodMap-HydroInundation2D) is used to simulate overland flow and flood inundation for each scenario. Furthermore, road impact and risk assessment are respectively conducted by a new proposed algorithm and proxy. Results suggest that the flood response is a function of spatio-temporal distribution of precipitation and local characteristics (i.e. drainage and topography), and pluvial flash flood is found to lead to proportionate but nonlinear impact on intra-urban road inundation risk. The approach tested here would provide more detailed flood information for smart management of urban street network and may be applied to other big cities where road flood risk is evolving in the context of climate change and urbanization.

Soundscape of Urban Open Spaces in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Hui

This study aims to investigate the soundscape of urban open spaces in Hong Kong. Open space in densely populated cities has been considered as an important asset for urban inhabitants in that they afford opportunities for leisure, recreation and an active involvement with nature. For quite a long time, visual aesthetic was the dominant consideration in open space design and other senses were given less concern. Continuous stream of attention-demanding sounds from the noisy environment may bombard these open spaces, rendering them no longer able to satisfy the eye alone. Sound and consequently the acoustic environment are receiving increasing attention. This study used noise mapping technique supplemented by GIS spatial analysis tools to delineate quiet open spaces with traffic noise exposure less than 60 dB (A) L10, 1h and conducted field observations to determine their usages. The identified quiet open spaces are either concentrated in hilly and remote areas with low accessibility, or sporadically scattered among tall buildings. Some large urban parks and small sitting-out areas are even located in the center of the city. Larger open spaces serve group visits, such as hiking and sightseeing, while smaller ones are easily accessible to local residents for social and recreational purposes. The acoustic environment III urban open spaces varies with space and time. To characterize the acoustic quality of soundscapes in the quiet open spaces, sound walk and field recording were undertaken place in 25 selected study sites. Despite the dominance of traffic noise, soundscapes in the urban open spaces are also shaped by natural sounds. Sounds from birds and water are common and prevalent particularly in gardens and playgrounds. Soundscape approach is a human-centered point of view. How the visitors perceive and evaluate sounds and the acoustic quality has great implication for soundscape design. On-site interview of 1,610 visitors unravels human preference of individual sounds and evaluation of the acoustic quality. Sounds from bird, wind and water are most preferred, while mechanical sounds and road traffic noise are least favored. Human voice is rated in between. Brown's soundscape evaluation framework was substantiated by data collected in this study highlighting tbe importance of context and presence of wanted and unwanted sounds on subjective evaluation of the acoustic quality. Ordinal Logistic Regression models were developed with significant independent variables, including social-demographic factors, acoustic parameters, visiting habits and presence of wanted and unwanted sounds. Research findings have great implications for soundscape design of open spaces in compact cities. A properly designed open space offers a comfortable setting for relief, retreat and rejuvenation from tbe urban life. Endeavors to improve the acoustic quality in the urban open spaces will make cities more livable and sustainable.

Urban Malaria: Understanding its Epidemiology, Ecology, and Transmission across Seven Diverse ICEMR Network Sites

PubMed Central

Wilson, Mark L.; Krogstad, Donald J.; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Arevalo-Herrera, Myriam; Chery, Laura; Ferreira, Marcelo U.; Ndiaye, Daouda; Mathanga, Don P.; Eapen, Alex

2015-01-01

A major public health question is whether urbanization will transform malaria from a rural to an urban disease. However, differences about definitions of urban settings, urban malaria, and whether malaria control should differ between rural and urban areas complicate both the analysis of available data and the development of intervention strategies. This report examines the approach of the International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) to urban malaria in Brazil, Colombia, India (Chennai and Goa), Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda. Its major theme is the need to determine whether cases diagnosed in urban areas were imported from surrounding rural areas or resulted from transmission within the urban area. If infections are being acquired within urban areas, malaria control measures must be targeted within those urban areas to be effective. Conversely, if malaria cases are being imported from rural areas, control measures must be directed at vectors, breeding sites, and infected humans in those rural areas. Similar interventions must be directed differently if infections were acquired within urban areas. The hypothesis underlying the ICEMR approach to urban malaria is that optimal control of urban malaria depends on accurate epidemiologic and entomologic information about transmission. PMID:26259941

Are Remotely Sensed Trends in the Built Environment and Urban Vegetation Predictive of Changes in Metropolitan Housing Markets?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endsley, K. A.

2017-12-01

In the midst of a global urbanization trend, residential neighborhoods are undergoing a variety of changes, including neighborhood turnover, the re-location of employment centers, and, recently, the increasing social and economic isolation of the suburbs. In the U.S., where residential lawns account for more area than any other irrigated crop (Polsky et al. 2014, in PNAS), coeval changes in residential populations, the built environment, and vegetation have serious implications for urban sustainability. To date, detailed studies of dynamic neighborhood changes have been hampered by the lack of fine time-series data on neighborhood composition. Most notably, the U.S. Census is conducted only once every decade leading to the likely inaccurate assumption of linear change between Census years. To the extent that human activities alter the built environment and urban ecology, can remotely sensed biophysical changes serve as a good proxy for neighborhood socio-economic changes? In this study, I apply time series data on spectral reflectance, spectral indices, and land-cover abundances from 15-to-25 years of Landsat data to fine-scale data on residential property transactions in two metropolitan areas with different regional economic and environmental contexts: Detroit and Los Angeles. The real estate record provides parcel-level, monthly data on sale prices and tax foreclosures; taken together, these provide a good description of the housing market and an acceptable proxy for neighborhood stability. By comparing lagged features from the remote sensing (RS) archive at different time scales in a non-parametric statistical learning algorithm, I identify which RS features best predict changes in the housing market and compare these associations between the two metropolitan areas and across multiple spatial and temporal scales along an urban to peri-urban gradient.

Focus on: Washington Hospital Center, Biomedical Engineering Department.

PubMed

Hughes, J D

1995-01-01

The Biomedical Engineering Department of the Washington Hospital Center provides clinical engineering services to an urban 907-bed, tertiary care teaching hospital and a variety of associated healthcare facilities. With an annual budget of over $3,000,000, the 24-person department provides cradle-to-grave support for a host of sophisticated medical devices and imaging systems such as lasers, CT scanners, and linear accelerators as well as traditional patient care instrumentation. Hallmarks of the department include its commitment to customer service and patient care, close collaboration with clinicians and quality assurance teams throughout the hospital system, proactive involvement in all phases of the technology management process, and shared leadership in safety standards with the hospital's risk management group. Through this interactive process, the department has assisted the Center not only in the acquisition of 11,000 active devices with a value of more than $64 million, but also in becoming one of the leading providers of high technology healthcare in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Pharmacy density in rural and urban communities in the state of Oregon and the association with hospital readmission rates.

PubMed

Bissonnette, Sarah; Goeres, Leah M; Lee, David S H

2016-01-01

To characterize the pharmacy density in rural and urban communities with hospitals and to examine its association with readmission rates. Ecologic study. Forty-eight rural and urban primary care service areas (PCSAs) in the state of Oregon. All hospitals in the state of Oregon. Pharmacy data were obtained from the Oregon Board of Pharmacy based on active licensure. Pharmacy density was calculated by determining the cumulative number of outpatient pharmacy hours in a PCSA. Oregon hospital 30-day all-cause readmission rates were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and were determined with the use of claims data of patients 65 years of age or older who were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days from July 2012 to June 2013. Readmission rates for Oregon hospitals ranged from 13.5% to 16.5%. The cumulative number of pharmacy hours in PCSAs containing a hospital ranged from 54 to 3821 hours. As pharmacy density increased, the readmission rates decreased, asymptotically approaching a predicted 14.7% readmission rate for areas with high pharmacy density. Urban hospitals were in communities likely to have more pharmacy access compared with rural hospitals. Future research should determine if increasing pharmacy access affects readmission rates, especially in rural communities. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Degree of Urbanization and Lifetime Longest-Held Occupation on Cognitive Impairment Prevalence in an Older Spanish Population

PubMed Central

Lorenzo-López, Laura; Millán-Calenti, José C.; López-López, Rocío; Diego-Diez, Clara; Laffon, Blanca; Pásaro, Eduardo; Valdiglesias, Vanessa; Maseda, Ana

2017-01-01

Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of cognitive impairment in rural and urban elderly populations and to examine the relationship between lifetime occupation and general cognitive performance. A cross-sectional study was carried out covering a representative sample (n = 749) of adults aged ≥65 years. Two categories were created to define the degree of urbanization using a criterion of geographical contiguity in combination with a minimum population threshold: densely populated (urban) areas and intermediate-thinly populated (rural) areas. Occupational histories were ranked by skill level requirements according to the Spanish National Classification of Occupations. Prevalence estimates of cognitive impairment were measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Results show that rural residence was not significantly associated with higher risk of cognitive impairment. A protective effect of cognitive demands at work against age-related cognitive decline was observed. However, this effect was not independent of confounder factors, such as age and education. A low overall prevalence of cognitive impairment was observed (6.5%), compared with previous estimates, possibly due to the sample selection in senior centers. Occupation during active life is not an isolated protective factor against cognitive impairment, and it is closely related to educational level. In future geriatric programs, description of both factors should be taken into consideration in screening older adults at increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. PMID:28243214

Advances on interdisciplinary approaches to urban carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero-Lankao, P.

2015-12-01

North American urban areas are emerging as climate policy and technology innovators, urbanization process laboratories, fonts of carbon relevant experiments, hubs for grass-roots mobilization, and centers for civil-society experiments to curb carbon emissions and avoid widespread and irreversible climate impacts. Since SOCCR diverse lines of inquiry on urbanization, urban areas and the carbon cycle have advanced our understanding of some of the societal processes through which energy and land uses affect carbon. This presentation provides an overview of these diverse perspectives. It suggests the need for approaches that complement and combine the plethora of existing insights into interdisciplinary explorations of how different urbanization processes, and socio-ecological and technological components of urban areas affect the spatial and temporal patterns of carbon emissions, differentially over time and within and across cities. It also calls for a more holistic approach to examining the carbon implications of urbanization and urban areas as places, based not only on demographics or income, but also on such other interconnected features of urban development pathways as urban form, economic function, economic growth policies and climate policies.

[Spatial tendency of urban land use in new Yinzhou Town of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province of East China].

PubMed

Jiang, Wen-Wei; Guo, Hui-Hui; Mei, Yan-Xia

2012-03-01

By adopting gradient analysis combining with the analysis of urban land use degree, this paper studied the spatial layout characteristics of residential and industrial lands in new Yinzhou Town, and explored the location characters of various urban land use by selecting public green land, public facilities, and road as the location advantage factors. Gradient analysis could effectively connect with the spatial layout of urban land use, and quantitatively depict the spatial character of urban land use. In the new town, there was a new urban spatial center mostly within the radius of 2 km, namely, the urban core area had obvious location advantage in the cross-shaft direction urban development. On the south of Yinzhou Avenue, the urban hinterland would be constructed soon. In the future land use of the new town, the focus would be the reasonable vicissitude of industrial land after the adjustment of industrial structure, the high-efficient intensive use of the commercial land restricted by the compulsive condition of urban core area, and the agricultural land protection in the southeastern urban-rural fringe.

Urban Environmental Education Project, Curriculum Module III: Urban Transportation - Where Are We Going?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Ellen

Included in this module are five activities dealing with modes of transportation in the urban environment. The activities include: (1) a discussion of transportation considerations in urban areas; (2) discussion of bikeways and their desirability in the urban environment; (3) the bikeway and the environment; (4) designing a bikeway; and (5)…

Physical activity counseling intervention at a federally qualified health center: improves autonomy-supportiveness, but not patients' perceived competence.

PubMed

Carroll, Jennifer K; Fiscella, Kevin; Epstein, Ronald M; Sanders, Mechelle R; Winters, Paul C; Moorhead, S Anne; van Osch, Liesbeth; Williams, Geoffrey C

2013-09-01

To assess the effect of a pilot intervention to promote clinician-patient communication about physical activity on patient ratings of their perceived competence for physical activity and their clinicians' autonomy-supportiveness. Family medicine clinicians (n=13) at two urban community health centers were randomized to early or delayed (8 months later) communication training groups. The goal of the training was to teach the 5As (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) for physical activity counseling. Outcome measures were changes in patient perceptions of autonomy support (modified Health Care Climate Questionnaire, mHCCQ) and perceived competence (Perceived Competence Scale for physical activity, PCS) completed via surveys at baseline, post-intervention and six-month follow-up. Patients (n=326) were mostly female (70%) and low income. Using a generalized estimating equations model (GEE) with patients nested within clinician, patient perceived autonomy support increased at post-intervention compared to baseline (mean HCCQ scores 3.68-4.06, p=0.03). There was no significant change in patient perceived competence for physical activity. A clinician-directed intervention increased patient perceptions of clinician autonomy support but not patient perceived competence for physical activity. Clinicians working with underserved populations can be taught to improve their autonomy supportiveness, according to patient assessments of their clinicians. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Outcomes and Initial Self-Report of Client Motivation in a College Counseling Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilagan, Guy; Vinson, Michael L.; Sharp, Julia L.; Ilagan, Jill; Oberman, Aaron

2015-01-01

Objective: To explore the association between college counseling center clients' initial self-report of motivation and counseling outcome. Participants: The sample was composed of 331 student clients who utilized a college counseling center from August 2007 to August 2009. The college is a public, mid-size, urban university in the Southeast.…

Defense.gov Special Report: Civilian Expeditionary Workforce

Science.gov Websites

TRAINING CENTER, Ind., March 10, 2011 - Civilian Expeditionary Workforce members provide a vital service to Training Center, Ind., and nearby Camp Atterbury, strive for realism to prepare civilians for service in undergo rigorous training on Muscatatuck Urban Training Center and Camp Atterbury, Ind., where they learn

Preparing Teachers To Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners in Urban Schools: The Learner-Centered Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCombs, Barbara L.

This paper suggests the need for a research-validated framework to help preservice and inservice teachers and higher education faculty understand fundamental learner needs that must be met in any setting and any reform effort. It describes a learner-centered framework based on the research-validated "Learner-Centered Psychological…

Site Planning: Auraria Higher Education Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auraria Higher Education Center, Denver, CO.

This book presents the site master plan for the Auraria Higher Education Center, which is dedicated to the offering of an urban-oriented program in higher education and is made up of three institutions -- the Denver Center of the University of Colorado, Metropolitan State College, and the Community College of Denver located on a single site in the…

24 CFR 1006.220 - Crime prevention and safety activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... activities. 1006.220 Section 1006.220 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... URBAN DEVELOPMENT NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM Eligible Activities § 1006.220 Crime prevention and safety activities. NHHBG funds may be used for the provision of safety, security, and law...

24 CFR 570.456 - Ineligible activities and limitations on eligible activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ineligible activities and limitations on eligible activities. 570.456 Section 570.456 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND...

NIEHS/EPA CEHCs: Southern Center on Environmentally-Driven Disparities in Birth Outcomes (SCEDDBO) - University of Michigan and Duke University

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University studies long-term health of urban pollutants on children raised in minority neighborhoods in inner-city communities.

High-Rising Rec Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitney, Tim

2000-01-01

Examines how tight urban sites can yield sports spaces that favorably compare to their more rural campus counterparts. Potential areas of concern when recreation centers are reconfigured into high-rise structures are highlighted, including building codes, building access, noise control, building costs, and lighting. (GR)

Local source impacts on primary and secondary aerosols in the Midwestern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayarathne, Thilina; Rathnayake, Chathurika M.; Stone, Elizabeth A.

2016-04-01

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) exhibits heterogeneity in composition across urban areas, leading to poor representation of outdoor air pollutants in human exposure assessments. To examine heterogeneity in PM composition and sources across an urban area, fine particulate matter samples (PM2.5) were chemically profiled in Iowa City, IA from 25 August to 10 November 2011 at two monitoring stations. The urban site is the federal reference monitoring (FRM) station in the city center and the peri-urban site is located 8.0 km to the west on the city edge. Measurements of PM2.5 carbonaceous aerosol, inorganic ions, molecular markers for primary sources, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers were used to assess statistical differences in composition and sources across the two sites. PM2.5 mass ranged from 3 to 26 μg m-3 during this period, averaging 11.2 ± 4.9 μg m-3 (n = 71). Major components of PM2.5 at the urban site included organic carbon (OC; 22%), ammonium (14%), sulfate (13%), nitrate (7%), calcium (2.9%), and elemental carbon (EC; 2.2%). Periods of elevated PM were driven by increases in ammonium, sulfate, and SOA tracers that coincided with hot and dry conditions and southerly winds. Chemical mass balance (CMB) modeling was used to apportion OC to primary sources; biomass burning, vegetative detritus, diesel engines, and gasoline engines accounted for 28% of OC at the urban site and 24% of OC at the peri-urban site. Secondary organic carbon from isoprene and monoterpene SOA accounted for an additional 13% and 6% of OC at the urban and peri-urban sites, respectively. Differences in biogenic SOA across the two sites were associated with enhanced combustion activities in the urban area and higher aerosol acidity at the urban site. Major PM constituents (e.g., OC, ammonium, sulfate) were generally well-represented by a single monitoring station, indicating a regional source influence. Meanwhile, nitrate, biomass burning, food cooking, suspended dust, and biogenic SOA were not well-represented by a single site and demonstrated local influences. For isoprene SOA, product distributions indicated a larger role for the high-NOx pathway at the urban site. These local sources are largely responsible for differences in population exposures to outdoor PM in the study domain located within the Midwestern US.

Differences in the social patterning of active travel between urban and rural populations: findings from a large UK household survey.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Jayne; White, Piran C L; Graham, Hilary

2014-12-01

To determine the social patterning of active travel of short journeys for urban and rural residents in a large UK representative sample. Associations between frequently walking or cycling short journeys and socio-demographic factors in the UK Household Longitudinal Study were determined using logistic regression. Urban residents were 64 % more likely to frequently engage in active travel than rural residents (95 % CI 1.52, 1.77). Being younger, male, without full-time employment and having a lower income independently predicted greater active travel for both urban and rural residents. Degree level education and not having children were independent predictors for urban, but not rural residents. Actively travelling short journeys is less common and independently associated with fewer socio-demographic factors in rural than in urban populations.

Preschool Developmental Screening with Denver II Test in Semi-Urban Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eratay, Emine; Bayoglu, Birgül; Anlar, Banu

2015-01-01

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and reliability of screening semi-urban preschool children with Denver II, developmental and neurological status was examined in relation with one-year outcome. Methodology: Denver II developmental screening test was applied to 583 children who visited family physicians or other health centers in a province of…

Ecobelts: reconnecting agriculture and communities - case studies

Treesearch

Gary Bentrup; Michele Schoeneberger; Scott Josiah; Charles Francis

2001-01-01

Historically, landscapes graded from urban centers to scattered villages, to a diverse mosaic of farmlands and natural areas (Figure 1). This gradient allowed both a visual and physical transition while maintaining ecologic, economic, and social connections within the larger landscape. Conflicts between urban and rural residents were minimal, in part due to the limited...

Adiposity and Quality of Life: A Case Study from an Urban Center in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akinpelu, Aderonke O.; Akinola, Odunayo T.; Gbiri, Caleb A.

2009-01-01

Objective: To determine relationship between adiposity indices and quality of life (QOL) of residents of a housing estate in Lagos, Nigeria. Design: Cross-sectional survey employing multistep random sampling method. Setting: Urban residential estate. Participants: This study involved 900 randomly selected residents of Abesan Housing Estate, Lagos,…

Co-Constructing Identities, Literacies, and Contexts: Sustaining Critical Meta-Awareness with/in Urban Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caraballo, Limarys; Souto-Manning, Mariana

2017-01-01

Mariana Souto-Manning calls for educational researchers to move beyond traditional/oppressive forms of research toward frameworks and methods that center the concerns of participants. Such critical research represents attempts to honor and support participants' cultures, knowledge, and emerging identities in diverse urban educational contexts,…

Urban Youth Public Education for the African American Community. Technical Assistance Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

The Urban Youth Public Education campaign was a Center for Substance Abuse Prevention initiative that embodied the concept of targeted programming in terms of cultural sensitivity and community participation. The Campaign, which began in 1990, targeted inner-city African American children, youth, and families in 14 initial sites. Other sites were…

Laying the Groundwork: The Journey of an Urban High School District Implementing a College Readiness Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franco, Antonia O.

2012-01-01

National and state education reforms are centered on developing higher academic expectations and standards to ensure students transitions into postsecondary options, college and career ready. What does this national emphasis signify for urban school districts that are educating a significant proportion of first-generation students and that…

Resiliency to Success: Supporting Novice Urban Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huisman, Sarah; Singer, Nancy Robb; Catapano, Susan

2010-01-01

Each year, the National Center for Educational Statistics, through the US Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences, publishes information about the need for millions of new teachers in the USA. Many of these positions are in urban schools. What makes new teachers beat the odds and remain in challenging schools? This study…

Fresno in Transition: Urban Impacts of Rural Migration. Working Paper No. 26.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Bert; Alvarado, Andrew; Palacio, Robert

This paper examines the social and economic impacts of Mexican immigration on Fresno (California). Since the early 1980s, immigration to California has been dominated by illegal immigrants from rural Mexico seeking agricultural jobs in rural California. This rural migration impacts urban centers in agricultural regions; these impacts lag the…

Contesting the Magic of the Market-place: Black Employment and Business Concentration in the Urban Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Major G.

2002-01-01

Examines the relationship between market concentration/competition and black employment in urban centers, using Equal Employment Opportunity Commission data. Overall, black employment positively relates to greater market concentration, not competition. There is little support for the contention that economic forces at work in competitive markets…

Shared Space, Liminal Space: Five Years into a Community-University Place-Based Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barajas, Heidi Lasley; Martin, Lauren

2016-01-01

This article explores shared space at the University of Minnesota's Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center (UROC), located four miles off campus in a community strong in assets, but facing inequality, disinvestment and racism. UROC's mission promotes university-community collaboration to solve critical urban challenges. We…

RURAL-URBAN DIFFERENCES IN REPORTED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ALSTON, JON P.; GLENN, NORVAL D.

TO EXAMINE A NUMBER OF STEREOTYPES AND IMPRESSIONS HELD BY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS ABOUT DIFFERENCES IN RURAL-URBAN ATTITUDES, THIS RESEARCH ANALYZED THE RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS FROM 20 NATIONAL OPINION POLLS CONDUCTED BY THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION AND THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER FROM 1953 TO 1965. COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN THE RESPONSES OF…

Benefits of restoring ecosystem services in urban areas

Treesearch

T. Elmqvist; H. Setala; S.N. Handel; S. van der Ploeg; J. Aronson; J.N. Blignaut; E. Gomez-Baggethun; D.J. Nowak; J. Kronenberg; R. de Groot

2015-01-01

Cities are a key nexus of the relationship between people and nature and are huge centers of demand for ecosystem services and also generate extremely large environmental impacts. Current projections of rapid expansion of urban areas present fundamental challenges and also opportunities to design more livable, healthy and resilient cities (e.g. adaptation to climate...

The Urban Complex in Cattolica, Italy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PEB Exchange, 2003

2003-01-01

The Italian city of Cattolica has developed an urban complex, the Piazza della Repubblica, that offers a wide range of public services. In renovated facilities it provides a modern architectural setting based on the idea of a traditional town square. It houses a primary school, cultural center (including a library), and theater, and it is an…

Politics and Paradox! The Case of an Urban Alternative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tallerico, Marilyn; Burstyn, Joan N.

2005-01-01

In recent decades, a number of factors have contributed to the growth of alternative educational programs in urban settings. Public perception of cities as dangerous places and national media attention to high profile incidents of school violence are two influences. Here, Tallerico and Burstyn center on a subset of in-depth interview data provided…

Resisting Charters: A Comparative Policy Development Analysis of Washington and Kentucky, 2002-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Joseph B.

2014-01-01

Over the past two decades, most states have adopted laws enabling charter schools, as charter advocates successfully presented charters as the solution to core problems in urban public education. Yet some states with large urban centers, notably Washington and Kentucky, resisted this seemingly inexorable trend for years. What explains their…

Programming by Choice: Urban Youth Learning Programming with Scratch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, John; Peppler, Kylie; Kafai, Yasmin B.; Resnick, Mitchel; Rusk, Natalie

2008-01-01

This paper describes Scratch, a visual, block-based programming language designed to facilitate media manipulation for novice programmers. We report on the Scratch programming experiences of urban youth ages 8-18 at a Computer Clubhouse--an after school center--over an 18-month period. Our analyses of 536 Scratch projects collected during this…

Gecekondu Settlements in Turkey: Rural-Urban Migration in the Developing European Periphery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tas, Halil I.; Lightfoot, Dale R.

2005-01-01

Squatter settlements or "shanty towns" are often viewed as a problem confined to poorer countries of the developing world. Turkey is centered neither in the impoverished Third World nor the industrialized West, but has experienced rapid urban growth and related modernizing social tensions attendant with its headlong pitch into the…

Quantifying urban growth patterns in Hanoi using landscape expansion modes and time series spatial metrics.

PubMed

Nong, Duong H; Lepczyk, Christopher A; Miura, Tomoaki; Fox, Jefferson M

2018-01-01

Urbanization has been driven by various social, economic, and political factors around the world for centuries. Because urbanization continues unabated in many places, it is crucial to understand patterns of urbanization and their potential ecological and environmental impacts. Given this need, the objectives of our study were to quantify urban growth rates, growth modes, and resultant changes in the landscape pattern of urbanization in Hanoi, Vietnam from 1993 to 2010 and to evaluate the extent to which the process of urban growth in Hanoi conformed to the diffusion-coalescence theory. We analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics of the built-up land in Hanoi using landscape expansion modes, spatial metrics, and a gradient approach. Urbanization was most pronounced in the periods of 2001-2006 and 2006-2010 at a distance of 10 to 35 km around the urban center. Over the 17 year period urban expansion in Hanoi was dominated by infilling and edge expansion growth modes. Our findings support the diffusion-coalescence theory of urbanization. The shift of the urban growth areas over time and the dynamic nature of the spatial metrics revealed important information about our understanding of the urban growth process and cycle. Furthermore, our findings can be used to evaluate urban planning policies and aid in urbanization issues in rapidly urbanizing countries.

Urban farming activity towards sustainable wellbeing of urban dwellers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, N.; Mohamad, M.; Latip, R. A.; Ariffin, M. H.

2018-02-01

In Malaysia, urban farming is viewed as a catalyst towards achieving the well-being of urban dwellers and natural environment. Urban farming is a strategy for Malaysia’s food and economic security, and as one of the foci in the agriculture transformation whereby urban dwellers are encouraged to participate in this activity. Previous study proved that urban farming can help to address social problems of food security, urban poverty and high living cost, also provides leisure and recreation among urban dwellers. Thus, this study investigates the best urban farming practices suitable for urban setting, environment and culture of urban dwellers. Data collection was done via questionnaire survey to urban farmers of a selected community garden in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Meanwhile, on-site observations were carried out on gardening activities and the gardens’ physical attributes. The study sample encompasses of 131 urban farmers of 22 community gardens in Subang Jaya. It was found that most of the community gardens practiced crops planting on the ground or soil base planting and dwellers in the lower income group with monthly low household income constitutes the majority (83.2%) of the respondents. Social and health benefits are the highest motivating factors for urban farmers. This study provides unprecedented insights on urban farming practices and motivations in a Malaysian setting.

Summer in the City - Assessing and Communicating the Richmond, VA Urban Heat Island to the Public and Policymakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, J. S.; Maurakis, E. G.; Shandas, V.

2017-12-01

The local impacts of global climate change are generally underestimated or misunderstood by the public and policymakers as far-off, future problems. However, differential and regional surface warming trends are exacerbated in urban areas due to the radiative properties of impervious surfaces like buildings and roads relative to natural landscapes. Decades of research illustrate that this unnatural radiative imbalance in the built environment gives rise to the well-studied urban heat island effect, whereby air temperatures in urban areas are several degrees warmer than in surrounding non-urbanized areas. In this way, the urban heat island effect presents a unique opportunity to highlight the human influence on Earth systems and at the same time mobilize local community-scale action to mitigate and become resilient to climate change impacts on tangible, experiential time scales. However, public stakeholders, city planners, and policymakers may view the urban heat island effect and its mitigation strategies through varying degrees of climatological, public health, and urban development knowledge and interest. This variation in stakeholder engagement highlights the need for individualized science communication strategies for each audience in order to maximize understanding of the scientific outcomes and tactics for mitigating the urban heat island effect. The City of Richmond, Virginia is currently developing a climate action plan as part of their greenhouse gas emission reduction initiative, RVAgreen 2050, and its recently announced "Richmond 300," a 20-year city development master plan. These initiatives provide the policy backdrop for a public and stakeholder education campaign centered on communicating urban heat island effects and resilience strategies. As such, the Science Museum of Virginia led the city's first urban heat island assessment using citizen science and leveraging a network of local university, non-profit, and city government stakeholders. Here, we will share our tactics for public- and policymaker-centered dissemination of urban heat island science, findings, and mitigation strategies using a variety of techniques including local news stations, 3D visualization technology, NOAA-funded museum media pieces, and policymaker/stakeholder engagement opportunities.

Cholera Vaccination in Urban Haiti

PubMed Central

Rouzier, Vanessa; Severe, Karine; Juste, Marc Antoine Jean; Peck, Mireille; Perodin, Christian; Severe, Patrice; Deschamps, Marie Marcelle; Verdier, Rose Irene; Prince, Sabine; Francois, Jeannot; Cadet, Jean Ronald; Guillaume, Florence D.; Wright, Peter F.; Pape, Jean W.

2013-01-01

Successful and sustained efforts have been made to curtail the major cholera epidemic that occurred in Haiti in 2010 with the promotion of hygiene and sanitation measures, training of health personnel and establishment of treatment centers nationwide. Oral cholera vaccine (OCV) was introduced by the Haitian Ministry of Health as a pilot project in urban and rural areas. This paper reports the successful OCV pilot project led by GHESKIO Centers in the urban slums of Port-au-Prince where 52,357 persons received dose 1 and 90.8% received dose 2; estimated coverage of the at-risk community was 75%. This pilot study demonstrated the effort, community mobilization, and organizational capacity necessary to achieve these results in a challenging setting. The OCV intervention paved the way for the recent launching of a national cholera vaccination program integrated in a long-term ambitious and comprehensive plan to address Haiti's critical need in water security and sanitation. PMID:24106194

Aiding cities in their work on climate change adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, P.

2013-12-01

Urban areas around the world are at the frontlines of climate change because of their enormous aggregate populations and because of their vulnerability to multiple climate change stressors. Half of our planet's 7.1 billion inhabitants currently reside in cities with six billion people projected to call cities home by 2050. In the U.S. and much of the rest of the world, cities are warming at twice the rate of the planet. Superimposed on urban climate changes driven by global warming are the regional effects of urban heat domes driven by large differences in land use, building materials, and vegetation between cities and their rural surroundings. In megacities - those with populations exceeding 10 million people - such as Tokyo - urban heat domes can contribute to daytime temperatures that soar to more than 11°C higher than their rural surroundings. In addition, the localized warming can alter patterns of precipitation in metropolitan regions and perhaps even influence the frequency and severity of severe weather. Municipal officials need to accelerate their efforts to prepare and implement climate change adaptation strategies but what are the institutions that can help enable this work? Informal science education centers can play vital roles because they are overwhelmingly in urban settings and because they can act as ';competent outsiders.' They are neither responsible for conducting climate change research nor accountable for implementing public policies to address climate change. They instead can play an essential role of ensuring that solid science informs the formulation of good practices and policies. It is incumbent, therefore, for informal science education centers to accelerate and enhance their abilities to help translate scientific insights into on-the-ground actions. This session will explore the potential roles of informal science education centers to advance climate change adaptation through a review of the urban climate change education initiatives for municipal officials that the Science Museum of Minnesota has implemented over the past two years.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 17 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-08-19

ISS017-E-013769 (19 Aug. 2008) --- Tunis, Tunisia is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 17 crewmember on the International Space Station. The city of Tunis, capital of Tunisia, is a rapidly modernizing city located along the Mediterranean coast of northern Africa. Sharing much of its history with famous Carthage to the north, Tunis was also destroyed by Rome in approximately 146 BC. Tunis, however, was rebuilt by the Romans and became an important agricultural center. Modern Tunis serves as the administrative center for the whole of Tunisia, and as a commercial hub for trade in the northern part of the country. The urban area of Tunis is located on a flat coastal plain, and is distinguished in this view from the surrounding desert by the pattern of grey to tan buildings and darker street grid. The city is bordered by an evaporating saline lake to the northeast known as Sebkhet Arina (upper left) -- evaporite minerals such as halite (table salt) and gypsum produce the white deposits surrounding the darker lake center where there is more moisture. To the southeast of the city is Lake Tunis, a lagoon that has been significantly altered by human activities -- such as closing off water exchange with the Mediterranean Sea - dating back to Roman times. The general lack of water circulation and input of nutrients from sewage has lead to the establishment of marine worm reefs, and occasional fish kills. The western urban-rural fringe is defined by a range of low hills (lower left); dark green agricultural fields are visible on the western side of these hills.

Republic of Botswana. Country profile.

PubMed

Tarver, J

1985-08-01

A summary of Botswana's population characteristics, population distribution, labor force characteristics, health situation, and transportation and communication facilities is provided. 87% of the country's 941,027 inhabitants live in the catchment area of the Limpopo River in the eastern region of the country. Much of the remaining area is covered by the Kalahari Desert. The population is growing at an annual rate of 3.6%, the birth rate is 50 and the total fertility rate is 6.6. The government has no official population policy. Major ethnic groups are the cattle raising Tswanas, which make up 50% of the population, the Herero, and the Basarwa, or Bushmen, of the Kalahri Desert. Urban areas are officially defined as population centers which contain 5000 or more residents and in which at least 75% of the inhabitants are engaged in nonagricultural work. According to this classification, 84% of the population is rural; however, most rural inhabitants live in agrotowns and temporarily move to outlying cattle and land posts during part of the year. Some of the agrotowns have almost 25,000 inhabitants. Major urban centers include 1) Gaborone, the capital and major administrative center, with a popualtion of 59,657; 2) Francistown, a large commercial center, with a population of 31,065; 3) Selebi-Phikwe, a mining center, populated by 29,469; and 4) Lobatse, a livestock marketing and processing center, with 19,034 residents. The urban population increased from 54,416 to 150,021 between 1971-81. The population has a young age structure. A large number of working aged males migrate temporarily to the Republic of South Africa to work in the gold mines. 37% of the economically active population is engaged in government services, 26% in mining, manufacturing, and construction, 21% in trade and finance, 6% in transportation, utilities, and communication, and 4.5% in agriculture. Only 1.3% of the land is cultivatable. The working age population is expected to double by the end of the 20th century. Per capita income is US$392 (1982). English is the official language, but Setswana is the national language. 35% of the population, 10 years of age or older, is literate. Education is not compulsory, and 40% of those 5 years of age or older have no schooling. Recently, school enrollments increased, and 1/2 of those aged 5-19 years are currently enrolled in school. There are 170,000 housing units. In urban areas, most housing units have piped water, 1/3 have flush toilets, and 27% have either electircity or gas for lighting and cooking. In 1983, there were 15 hospitals, 7 health centers, 127 clinics, 684 health posts or mobile units, 146 doctors, 9 dentists, and 1440 nurses. The infant mortality rate declined from 102-79 between 1971-84, and life expectancy increased from 53-56 between 1971-81. The government places a high priority on improving the health status of the population, and hospital facilities are being expanded. Botswana has 13,500 kilometers of roads, of which 23% are paved. There is 1 daily newspaper with a circulation of 25,000 and a weekly newspaper with a circulation of 14,000. In 1983, the country imported 38,000 radios and televisions. There are 6,800 telephone subscribers in the country. Government sources of statistical information on Botswana are listed and an age and sex distribution pyramid is provided.

24 CFR 245.115 - Protected activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Protected activities. 245.115 Section 245.115 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... TENANT PARTICIPATION IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS Tenant Organizations § 245.115 Protected activities...

24 CFR 245.115 - Protected activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Protected activities. 245.115 Section 245.115 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... TENANT PARTICIPATION IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS Tenant Organizations § 245.115 Protected activities...

24 CFR 245.115 - Protected activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Protected activities. 245.115 Section 245.115 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... TENANT PARTICIPATION IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS Tenant Organizations § 245.115 Protected activities...

24 CFR 245.115 - Protected activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Protected activities. 245.115 Section 245.115 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... TENANT PARTICIPATION IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS Tenant Organizations § 245.115 Protected activities...

Update to permeable pavement research at the Edison Environmental Center - slides

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: The EPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB) has been monitoring the permeable pavement demonstration site at the Edison Environmental Center, NJ since 2010. This site has three different types of permeable pavement including: interlocking concrete permeable paver...

Update to Permeable Pavement Research at the Edison Environmental Center - abstract

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract The EPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB) has been monitoring the permeable pavement demonstration site at the Edison Environmental Center, NJ since 2010. This site has three different types of permeable pavement including: interlocking concrete permeable pavers...

Permeable Pavement Monitoring at the Edison Environmental Center Demonstration Site - Abstract

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB) is monitoring an instrumented, working, 110-space pervious pavement parking at EPA’s Edison Environmental Center (EEC). Permeable pavement systems are classified as stormwater best management practices (BMPs) which reduce runo...

24 CFR 1000.101 - What is affordable housing?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is affordable housing? 1000.101 Section 1000.101 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... URBAN DEVELOPMENT NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ACTIVITIES Affordable Housing Activities § 1000.101 What is...

24 CFR 92.358 - Consultant activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Consultant activities. 92.358 Section 92.358 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.358 Consultant activities. No...

24 CFR 92.358 - Consultant activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Consultant activities. 92.358 Section 92.358 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.358 Consultant activities. No...

24 CFR 92.358 - Consultant activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Consultant activities. 92.358 Section 92.358 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.358 Consultant activities. No...

24 CFR 92.358 - Consultant activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Consultant activities. 92.358 Section 92.358 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.358 Consultant activities. No...

24 CFR 92.358 - Consultant activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Consultant activities. 92.358 Section 92.358 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM Other Federal Requirements § 92.358 Consultant activities. No...

24 CFR 4100.3 - Field activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Field activities. 4100.3 Section 4100.3 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND CHANNELING OF FUNCTIONS § 4100.3 Field activities. The...

24 CFR 4100.3 - Field activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Field activities. 4100.3 Section 4100.3 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND CHANNELING OF FUNCTIONS § 4100.3 Field activities. The...

Lidar system for air-pollution monitoring over urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskalenko, Irina V.; Shcheglov, Djolinard A.; Molodtsov, Nikolai A.

1997-05-01

The atmospheric environmental situation over the urban area of a large city is determined by a complex combination of anthropogenic pollution and meteorological factors. The efficient way to provide three-dimensional mapping of gaseous pollutants over wide areas is utilization of lidar systems employing tunable narrowband transmitters. The paper presented describes activity of RRC 'Kurchatov Institute' in the field of lidar atmospheric monitoring. The project 'mobile remote sensing system based on tunable laser transmitter for environmental monitoring' is developed under financial support of International Scientific and Technology Center (Moscow). The objective of the project is design, construction and field testing of a DIAL-technique system. The lidar transmitter consists of an excimer laser pumping dye laser, BBO crystal frequency doubler, and scanning flat mirror. Sulfur dioxide and atomic mercury have been selected as pollutants for field tests of the lidar system under development. A recent large increase in Moscow traffic stimulated taking into consideration also the remote sensing of lower troposphere ozone because of the photochemical smog problem. The status of the project is briefly discussed. The current activity includes also collecting of environmental data relevant to lidar remote sensing. Main attention is paid to pollutant concentration levels over Moscow city and Moscow district areas.

Understanding Sexual Abstinence in Urban Adolescent Girls

PubMed Central

Morrison-Beedy, Dianne; Carey, Michael P.; Côté-Arsenault, Denise; Seibold-Simpson, Susan; Robinson, Kerry Anne

2008-01-01

Objectives To gain insight into the context of sexual abstinence and identify potential determinants of abstinence in this population. Design Four focus groups. Participants and Setting Twenty-four, predominantly African American (88%) girls aged 14 to 19 years were recruited from urban health centers and youth development programs in Rochester, New York, between September and December 2006. Data Analysis Content analysis was used to analyze the four verbatim transcripts. Using analytic induction, groups were compared and contrasted at the micro (within-group) and macro (between-group) levels to identify themes. Results Four themes were identified that provided insight into how and why these girls remain abstinent despite being in sexually active social climates. They focused on the following: self-respect (I'm worth it), impact of mothers (Mama says … think before you let it go), influence of boys and other peers (Boys will be boys), and potential negative consequences of sex (Hold on, there's a catch). Conclusions Developing interventions to maintain abstinence, delay onset of sexual activity, and promote protected first and subsequent sexual contact in abstinent girls are key to decreasing future sexual risk. These findings suggest opportunities to develop HIV prevention strategies tailored to the needs of abstinent girls. PMID:18336442

Sports Facilities, Shopping Centers or Homes: What Locations are Important for Adults' Physical Activity? A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Jansen, Marijke; Ettema, Dick; Pierik, Frank; Dijst, Martin

2016-03-04

Physical activity (PA) is influenced by the built environment. However, little is known about the types of built environment where adults spend their time, and at what levels of PA they engage in those environments. Understanding the effect of the built environment on PA requires insight into PA behavior at different types of locations (e.g., home, work, shopping centers, and sports facilities). Therefore, this study describes where adults aged 45-65 years were active with moderate-to-vigorous intensity (MVPA), and examines associations of socio-demographic factors and neighborhood with MVPA at these locations. Participants' (N = 308) PA was measured for seven days using accelerometers and GPS-devices. Adults spent most minutes of MVPA at home and work. Highest MVPA-ratios of total time spent at a location were achieved in sports facilities and during transport. Neighborhood characteristics and socio-demographic factors such as work status, health status and household structure, had significant effects on MVPA at various locations and on total MVPA. Understanding PA behavior at various locations may provide insights that allow professionals in different domains (e.g., health, landscaping, urban planning) to develop strategies to stimulate PA.

Sports Facilities, Shopping Centers or Homes: What Locations are Important for Adults’ Physical Activity? A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Jansen, Marijke; Ettema, Dick; Pierik, Frank; Dijst, Martin

2016-01-01

Physical activity (PA) is influenced by the built environment. However, little is known about the types of built environment where adults spend their time, and at what levels of PA they engage in those environments. Understanding the effect of the built environment on PA requires insight into PA behavior at different types of locations (e.g., home, work, shopping centers, and sports facilities). Therefore, this study describes where adults aged 45–65 years were active with moderate-to-vigorous intensity (MVPA), and examines associations of socio-demographic factors and neighborhood with MVPA at these locations. Participants’ (N = 308) PA was measured for seven days using accelerometers and GPS-devices. Adults spent most minutes of MVPA at home and work. Highest MVPA-ratios of total time spent at a location were achieved in sports facilities and during transport. Neighborhood characteristics and socio-demographic factors such as work status, health status and household structure, had significant effects on MVPA at various locations and on total MVPA. Understanding PA behavior at various locations may provide insights that allow professionals in different domains (e.g., health, landscaping, urban planning) to develop strategies to stimulate PA. PMID:26959041

Urban forms, physical activity and body mass index: a cross-city examination using ISS Earth Observation photographs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Ge

2005-01-01

Johnson Space Center has archived thousands of astronauts acquired Earth images. Some spectacular images have been widely used in news media and in k-12 class room, but their potential utilizations in health promotion and disease prevention have relatively untapped. The project uses daytime ISS photographs to define city forms and links them to city or metropolitan level health data in a multicity context. Road connectivity, landuse mix and Shannon's information indices were used in the classification of photographs. In contrast to previous remote-sensing studies, which tend to focus on a single city or a portion of a city, this project utilized photographs of 39 U.S. cities. And in contrast to previous health-promotion studies on the built environment, which tend to rely on survey respondents' responses to evaluate road connectivity or mixed land use for a single study site, the project examined the built environments of multiple cities based on ISS photos. It was found that road connectivity and landuse mix were not statistically significant by themselves, but the composite measure of the Shannon index was significantly associated with physical activity, but not BMI. Consequently, leisure-time physical activity seems to be positively associated with the urban complexity scale. It was also concluded that unless they are planned or designed in advance, photographs taken by astronauts generally are not appropriate for a study of a single-site built environment nor are they appropriate for a study of infectious diseases at a local scale. To link urban built environment with city-wide health indicators, both the traditional nadir view and oblique views should be emphasized in future astronauts' earth observation photographs.

24 CFR 1003.205 - Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. 1003.205 Section 1003.205... planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. (a...

24 CFR 1003.205 - Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. 1003.205 Section 1003.205... planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. (a...

Transforming a High School Media Center into a Library Learning Commons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiara, Nancy A.

2014-01-01

This study outlines a planned action based research project focused on studying the transformation of an urban high school media center to a learning commons model. This study includes a descriptive account as well as the impact of steps taken to match the media center to the needs of the 21st century learner. The research focuses on shifting…

Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology (Technologie Avancee d’Entrainement au Combat Urbain)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

JRTC Joint Readiness Training Center JRTC-MOUT-IS Joint Readiness Training Center Military Operations in Urbanised Terrain Instrumentation System...did not support or identify joint or multi-national requirements for conducting effective military operations in an urbanised environment. Very few...Requirements Document (ORD) for the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Military Operations on Urbanised Terrain (MOUT) Instrumentation System

Study for urbanization corresponding to socio-economic activities in Savannaket, Laos using satellite remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimijiama, S.; Nagai, M.

2014-06-01

In Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), economic liberalization and deregulation facilitated by GMS Regional Economic Corporation Program (GMS-ECP) has triggered urbanization in the region. However, the urbanization rate and its linkage to socio-economic activities are ambiguous. The objectives of this paper are to: (a) determine the changes in urban area from 1972 to 2013 using remote sensing data, and (b) analyse the relationships between urbanization with respect to socio-economic activities in central Laos. The study employed supervised classification and human visible interpretation to determine changes in urbanization rate. Regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the urbanization rate and socio-economic variables. The result shows that the urban area increased significantly from 1972 to 2013. The socio-economic variables such as school enrollment, labour force, mortality rate, water source and sanitation highly correlated with the rate of urbanization during the period. The study concluded that identifying the highly correlated socio-economic variables with urbanization rate could enable us to conduct a further urbanization simulation. The simulation helps in designing policies for sustainable development.

Variability of surface and underwater nocturnal spectral irradiance with the presence of clouds in urban and peri-urban wetlands.

PubMed

Secondi, Jean; Dupont, Valentin; Davranche, Aurélie; Mondy, Nathalie; Lengagne, Thierry; Théry, Marc

2017-01-01

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasing phenomenon worldwide. It causes a wealth of biological and ecological effects that may eventually affect populations and ecosystems. Despite the growing concern about ALAN, little is known about the light levels species are exposed to at night, especially for wetlands and underwater habitats. We determined nocturnal irradiance in urban and peri-urban wetlands above and under water, and assessed the effect of cloud cover on the variability of ALAN across the urban gradient. Even in aquatic habitats, cloud cover could increase irradiance beyond values observed during clear full moon nights. We report a negative relationship between baseline irradiance and the increase in irradiance during overcast nights. According to this result and previous studies, we propose that the change in the variation regime of ALAN between the urban center and rural land at its periphery is a usual feature. We discuss the ecological and evolutionary implications of this spatial variation in the urban and peri-urban environment.

Social problems and health in urbanization.

PubMed

Talib, R; Agus, M R

1992-01-01

One of the main characteristics of urbanization in Asia is the very rapid increase in population movement from rural to urban centers. This phenomenon has led to changing population structure, its composition and lifestyles in the cities and its fringes. As a consequent of population pressure on urban system and infrastructure, compounded by the nature of the composition of the in-migrant population, the urban concentrates are faced with several social and socio-economic problems. Although there has been a lot of interests among researchers to study the causes and effects or urbanization, there is a vacuum in the area of health implications. Planners and administrators usually give priority to the physical aspects of the urban and urbanities. Social problems and health implications thereof receives very little attention either at the level of administration or research. This paper therefore is a brave attempt to focus and draw some attention to this neglected area by looking at selected social problems and the health consequences.

Urban infrastructure and water management—Science capabilities of the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Shawn C.; Fanelli, Rosemary M.; Selbig, William R.

2016-04-29

Managing the urban-water cycle has increasingly become a challenge for water-resources planners and regulators faced with the problem of providing clean drinking water to urban residents. Sanitary and combined sanitary and storm sewer networks convey wastewater to centralized treatment plants. Impervious surfaces, which include roads, parking lots, and buildings, increase stormwater runoff and the efficiency by which runoff is conveyed to nearby stream channels; therefore, impervious surfaces increase the risk of urban flooding and alteration of natural ecosystems. These challenges will increase with the expansion of urban centers and the probable effects of climate change on precipitation patterns. Understanding the urban-water cycle is critical to effectively manage water resources and to protect people, infrastructure, and urban-stream ecosystems. As a leader in water-supply, wastewater, and stormwater assessments, the U.S. Geological Survey has the expertise and resources needed to monitor, model, and interpret data related to the urban-water cycle and thereby enable water-resources managers to make informed decisions.

Disparities in home health service providers among Medicare beneficiaries with stroke.

PubMed

Iyer, Medha; Bhavsar, Grishma P; Bennett, Kevin J; Probst, Janice C

2016-01-01

This study examined the intensity of home health services, as defined by the number of visits and service delivery by rehabilitation specialists, among Medicare beneficiaries with stroke. A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted using 2009 home health claims data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Research Data Assistance Center. There were no significant rural-urban differences in the number of home health visits. Rural beneficiaries were significantly less likely than urban beneficiaries to receive services from rehabilitation specialists. Current home health payment reform recommendations may have unintended consequences for rural home health beneficiaries who need therapy services.

HIV Risk Perception and Behavior among Sex Workers in Three Major Urban Centers of Mozambique

PubMed Central

Langa, Judite; Sousa, César; Sidat, Mohsin; Kroeger, Karen; McLellan-Lemal, Eleanor; Belani, Hrishikesh; Patel, Shama; Shodell, Daniel; Shodell, Michael; Benech, Irene; Needle, Richard

2014-01-01

HIV risk perceptions and behaviors of 236 commercial sex workers from three major Mozambican urban centers were studied using the International Rapid Assessment, Response and Evaluation (I-RARE) methodology. All were offered HIV testing and, in Maputo, syphilis testing was offered as well. Sixty-three of the 236 opted for HIV testing, with 30 (48%) testing positive for HIV. In Maputo, all 30 receiving HIV tests also had syphilis testing, with 6 (20%) found to be positive. Results include interview excerpts and qualitative results using I-RARE methodology and AnSWR-assisted analyses of the interviews and focus group sessions. PMID:24736653

"Persons That Live Remote from London": Apothecaries and the Medical Marketplace in Seventeenth-and Eighteenth-Century Wales

PubMed Central

Withey, Alun

2011-01-01

Summary This article uses evidence from Welsh apothecary shops as a means to access the mechanisms of the "medical marketplace" in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Wales. As a country physically remote from large urban medical centers, and with few large towns, Wales has often been overlooked in terms of medical commerce. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that Welsh apothecaries participated in broad and sophisticated networks of trade with London suppliers. Moreover, their shops contained a wide range of medicines from herbal simples to exotic ingredients and chemical preparations, highlighting the availability of such goods far from large urban centers. PMID:21804184

Patterns and correlates of objectively measured free-living physical activity in adults in rural and urban Cameroon.

PubMed

Assah, Felix; Mbanya, Jean Claude; Ekelund, Ulf; Wareham, Nicholas; Brage, Soren

2015-07-01

Urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa is changing lifestyles and raising non-communicable disease burden. Understanding the underlying pattern of physical activity and its correlates may inform preventive interventions. We examined correlates of objectively-measured physical activity in rural and urban Cameroon. Participants were 544 adults resident in rural (W-156, M-89) or urban (W-189, M-110) regions. Physical activity was measured using individually-calibrated combined heart rate and movement sensing over seven continuous days. Sociodemographic data were collected by self-report. Independent associations of sociodemographic correlates with physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were analysed in multivariate regression models. Rural dwellers were significantly more active than their urban counterparts (PAEE: 58.0 vs 42.9 kJ/kg/day; MVPA: 107 vs 62 min/day; MVPA of 150 min/week in >10 min bouts: 62 vs 39%) and less sedentary (923 vs 1026 min/day); p<0.001. There was no significant seasonal difference (dry vs rainy) in activity in urban dwellers whereas in rural dwellers activity was higher during dry seasons compared to rainy seasons (p<0.001). Age, obesity and education showed significant inverse associations with activity. Urban dwellers who considered themselves adequately active were only as active as rural dwellers who thought they were not adequately active. This is the first study providing data on sociodemographic patterning of objectively-measured physical activity in rural and urban sub-Saharan Africa. Age, urban residence, obesity and higher educational level are important correlates of lower levels of physical activity. These suggest targets for public health interventions to improve physical activity in Cameroon. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

[The urbanized societies of Latin America and the Caribbean: some dimensions and observations].

PubMed

Ebanks, G E

1993-06-01

A demographic perspective on urbanization patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean is provided. The level and rate of urbanization and the hierarchies of urban places are considered, along with the determinants and consequences of these trends. Latin America and the Caribbean are the most urbanized of the developing regions, with almost 70% of the population classified as urban in 1991. Most Latin American and Caribbean countries have rural populations capable of maintaining continuous growth of the urban population for some time through internal migration and reclassification of localities. Latin American societies are urban in nature, and it is unlikely that decentralization and deconcentration policies will have significant repercussions. The Latin American urban population is estimated to have increased from 164 million in 1970 to 320 million in 1990, while the rural population increased from 122 to 128 million in the same years. Most governments of the region are preoccupied by the size of the urban population. There are too many urban residents to be absorbed in productive activities, but all require public services generally financed through taxation. The small tax bases result in frequent decisions to finance services through deficit spending. The size of the population and the level of urbanization may not be the principal agents of ecological deterioration or the greatest obstacles to development, but they play a significant role in these problems. Incorporating millions of urban residents into the productive sector of the economy is an important challenge for the development of these societies. The urban population in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to continue growing at significant rates until well into the next century. In most countries of the region, internal migration accounted for 30-40% of urban growth between 1950 and 1970, but its contribution loses importance as the level of urbanization exceeds 70% or so. The number of urban places as well as the sizes of cities have been increasing. From the end of World War II to the 1970s, the principal urban centers grew most rapidly, but in the 1980s and early 1990s the medium sized cities experienced the most rapid growth. Latin America and the Caribbean are a region of high urban primacy, in which one city, generally the capital, is several times larger than the second city or cities. Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro are megalopolises. Latin America's population is excessively concentrated in three ways: into urban localities, into a small area of the national territory, and into megalopolises. Excessive concentration is associated with severe environmental problems. Most have possible solutions, but costs will be high and great political will is required. The quality of life is poor for a large segment of urban dwellers and poverty is pervasive. Urgent action is needed to improve the quality of life and protect the environment.

Understanding Urban Communication in Information Era: Analyzing Development Progress of Coastal Territories in the Context of West Java’s Metropolitan Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutriadi, Ridwan; Indriyani Kurniasari, Meta

2017-07-01

This paper explores a consequence of metropolitan and development centers policy to the development progress of coastal territories by analyzing municipal website base on urban communication functions of communicative city concept. In terms of coastal territories as a part of development center, efforts have to be made in enhancing the role and function of municipal website to show their development progress. Perceptual analysis is taken as a method to measure their position, especially kabupaten/kota as coastal territories in regional context (West Java Province). The results indicate that the availability of public information in coastal territories cities lower than other cities in metropolitan area. Innovation in specifying coastal features has to be promoted in illustrating development progress of coastal territories as a part of development centers in West Java Province.

Urban Malaria: Understanding its Epidemiology, Ecology, and Transmission Across Seven Diverse ICEMR Network Sites.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark L; Krogstad, Donald J; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Arevalo-Herrera, Myriam; Chery, Laura; Ferreira, Marcelo U; Ndiaye, Daouda; Mathanga, Don P; Eapen, Alex

2015-09-01

A major public health question is whether urbanization will transform malaria from a rural to an urban disease. However, differences about definitions of urban settings, urban malaria, and whether malaria control should differ between rural and urban areas complicate both the analysis of available data and the development of intervention strategies. This report examines the approach of the International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) to urban malaria in Brazil, Colombia, India (Chennai and Goa), Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda. Its major theme is the need to determine whether cases diagnosed in urban areas were imported from surrounding rural areas or resulted from transmission within the urban area. If infections are being acquired within urban areas, malaria control measures must be targeted within those urban areas to be effective. Conversely, if malaria cases are being imported from rural areas, control measures must be directed at vectors, breeding sites, and infected humans in those rural areas. Similar interventions must be directed differently if infections were acquired within urban areas. The hypothesis underlying the ICEMR approach to urban malaria is that optimal control of urban malaria depends on accurate epidemiologic and entomologic information about transmission. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A work sampling study of provider activities in school-based health centers.

PubMed

Mavis, Brian; Pearson, Rachel; Stewart, Gail; Keefe, Carole

2009-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe provider activities in a convenience sample of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs). The goal was to determine the relative proportion of time that clinic staff engaged in various patient care and non-patient care activities. All provider staff at 4 urban SBHCs participated in this study; 2 were in elementary schools, 1 in a middle school, and 1 in a school with kindergarten through grade 8. The study examined provider activity from 6 days sampled at random from the school year. Participants were asked to document their activities in 15-minute intervals from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A structured recording form was used that included 35 activity categories. Overall, 1492 records were completed, accounting for 2708 coded activities. Almost half (48%) of all staff activities were coded as direct patient contact, with clinic operations the second largest category. Limited variations in activities were found across clinic sites and according to season. A significant amount of provider activity was directed at the delivery of health care; direct patient care and clinic operations combined accounted for approximately 75% of clinic activity. Patient, classroom, and group education activities, as well as contacts with parents and school staff accounted for 20% of all clinic activity and represent important SBHC functions that other productivity measures such as billing data might not consistently track. Overall, the method was acceptable to professional staff as a means of tracking activity and was adaptable to meet their needs.

Urban Sanctuary Schools for Diverse Populations: Examining Curricular Expectations and School Effectiveness for Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Daniel D.; Marsh, Tyson E. J.; Antrop-González, René

2017-01-01

This ethnographic case study problematizes the current high stakes accountability efforts that have led many school leaders to inadvertently maintain a school environment in which deficit perspectives and low academic expectations in the classroom persist. Drawing from an urban sanctuary school framework, this study works to center the voices of…

After-School Programs: A Potential Partner to Support Urban Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Ashley; Leung, Brian P.

2012-01-01

After-school programs (ASPs) are learning centers that provide enrichment opportunities after regular school hours. This article examines the value these programs can add to a child's educational day, especially for urban youth who are vulnerable during after-school hours. Quality ASPs can be part of the solution to help mitigate the effects of…

Children, nature, and the urban environment: proceedings of a symposium-fair

Treesearch

Northeastern Forest Experiment Station

1977-01-01

A report on the symposium-fair held 19-23 May, 1975 at the C. H. Marvin Center, the George Washington University, Washington, D.C., containing 33 papers. Sections are devoted to defining the role of natural environments and human development, research on urban children and the natural environment, and community and institutional response to fostering desirable...

Reading African-American Literature to Understand the World: Critical Race Praxis in Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsarou, Eleni

2009-01-01

Teacher preparation programs have come under close scrutiny and teacher educators are being called to shift the center of gravity from traditional approaches to more transformative and urban-focused curricula that will better prepare teacher candidates (TCs) to become effective and caring teachers of diverse pupils, particularly in urban sites.…

Resting Lightly on Mother Earth: The Aboriginal Experience in Urban Educational Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Angela; Bouvier, Rita

This book examines the differential educational experiences of Aboriginal peoples in urban centers--primarily in Canada, but also in Australia and the United States. Major themes of the book are maintenance of individual and collective Aboriginal identity, the impact on that identity of disconnection from the land, spirituality as the key to…

Brazil: The Fight for Childhood in the City. Innocenti Studies. The Urban Child in Difficult Circumstances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Anthony

This publication is the second report, tailored to a non-specialist audience, of five country case studies under the Urban Child Program of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) International Child Development Center. The crisis of unprotected children and adolescents in Brazil has developed along with rapid industrialization and great…

(FRANCE) USING THE QUIC MODEL (QUICK URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) TO STUDY AIR FLOW AND DISPERSION PATTERNS IN DESERTS

EPA Science Inventory

As part of its continuing development and evaluation, the QUIC model (Quick Urban & Industrial Complex) was used to study flow and dispersion in complex terrain for two cases. First, for a small area of lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site, comparisons were made bet...

Shaping Patient Education in Rural Hospitals: Learning from the Experiences of Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheckel, Martha; Hedrick-Erickson, Jennifer; Teunis, Jamie; Deutsch, Ashley; Roers, Anna; Willging, Anne; Pittman, Kelly

2012-01-01

Patient education is a crucial aspect of nursing practice, but much of the research about it is quantitative and has been conducted in urban medical centers. These urban-based studies have limited utility for nurses working in rural hospitals where the populations they serve often have unique and challenging health contexts and cultures. Since…

Applied Linguistics and the Responsibilities of the Urban University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Arthur J.; Stewart, William A.

The City University of New York is an ideal home for the doctoral training center in urban and applied linguistics since it is located in an area with a large number of non-English speakers demonstrating varied dialect forms, immigrant groups from many countries, and individuals representing all economic and social levels. In addition, there are…

Associations of Preschool Type and Teacher-Child Relational Quality with Young Children's Social-Emotional Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Pamela W.; Mahatmya, Duhita; Moses, Laurence Kimberly; Bolt, Elizabeth N.

2014-01-01

Research Findings: This study examined associations of preschool type (i.e., urban and suburban Head Start and university-affiliated center) and teacher-child variables with positive and negative child outcomes among 145 preschoolers (74 boys). Differences emerged across preschools, with urban Head Start children scoring lowest on the emotional…

USING THE QUIC MODEL (QUICK URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) TO STUDY AIR FLOW AND DISPERSION PATTERNS IN DESERTS

EPA Science Inventory

As part of its continuing development and evaluation, the QUIC model (Quick Urban & Industrial Complex) was used to study flow and dispersion in complex terrain for two cases. First, for a small area of lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site, comparisons were made bet...

Violence Exposure and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents and Young Adults Disconnected from School and Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendelson, Tamar; Turner, Alezandria K.; Tandon, S. Darius

2010-01-01

The psychological effects of exposure to different types of violence among urban adolescents and young adults are not yet well understood. This study investigated exposure to neighborhood violence, relationship violence, and forced sex among 677 urban African Americans aged 16-23 enrolled at an employment and training center. We assessed…

Population Growth in New Hampshire during the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Studies in New England Geography, Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobart, Christine L.

This paper traces the shifts in New Hampshire's state and county population during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing on the growth of urban centers and industry. From 1790 to 1840 most of New Hampshire's population growth was agricultural despite the beginnings of industrialization and urbanization. These processes greatly…

Evaluating the Impact of CUE's Equity Scorecard Tools on Practitioner Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguirre, Tomas A.

2012-01-01

This study examines the experiences of a number of participants from urban community colleges with high percentages of students from underrepresented populations in Central California. The participants were involved in action research with the Center for Urban Education (CUE) at the University of Southern California. The purpose of the study is to…

Teaching Educational Philosophy: A Response to the Problem of First-Year Urban Teacher Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellsasser, Christopher Ward

2008-01-01

Our least-served students are taught by our least-experienced teachers. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, teachers in high-poverty public schools are twice as likely to transfer to another school as their colleagues in low-poverty public schools. Consequently, many students in high-poverty, urban public schools spend…

Effects of byproducts amended lead contaminated urban soils on carrot yield and lead uptake

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lead (Pb) has been used to produce a large number of materials and manufactured products. In areas with a history of lead paint use, high vehicular traffic and/or areas close to urban and industrial centers, atmospheric lead deposition may be very high. Consequently, a high deposition of lead in u...

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on an Urban Pediatric Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Nadine J.; Hellman, Julia L.; Scott, Brandon G.; Weems, Carl F.; Carrion, Victor G.

2011-01-01

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in youth in a low-income, urban community. Study design: Data from a retrospective chart review of 701 subjects from the Bayview Child Health Center in San Francisco are presented. Medical chart documentation of ACEs as defined in previous studies were…

Contrasting Urban Lifestyles in Brazil. A Precollegiate Curriculum Unit: Grades Six-Twelve.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford Univ., CA. Stanford Program on International and Cross Cultural Education.

This unit, designed for use with students in grades 6-12, concerns the diverse and unifying forces that characterize life in Brazil's urban centers. Comprised of seven lessons and used with a set of slides, lesson 1, "Geography," distinguishes Brazil from other South American countries through an examination of the country's geographic…

"This Is Not Representation!": A Study of Urbanization, Alienation, and Tolerance through a Vietnamese Heritage Language and Culture Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguy?n, Thu Suong Th?; Anderson, Jantina

2017-01-01

This case centers on a Vietnamese language and culture program situated within an urban context. It illustrates how sociohistorical and geopolitical contexts interplay in understanding relations within schools as well as school-community relations. A new ethnoburb creates both opportunities and challenges for the Vietnamese community related to…

THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF URBANIZATION, PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN COMMUNITY ACTION. KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY SHORT COURSE SERIES IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MCGRAW, EUGENE T.

PART OF A KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY SERIES ON COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, THIS MONOGRAPH DESCRIBES AND DEFINES THE NATURE OF URBAN CENTERS AS PHYSICAL ENTITIES. BASIC LAND USE CATEGORIES AND SUBDIVISIONS, FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES (MANUFACTURING, RETAIL, WHOLESALE, DIVERSIFIED, TRANSPORTATION, MINING,…

Urbanization, Water Pollution, and Public Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, George W.; And Others

Reviewed in this report is a study concerned with water pollution as it relates to urbanization within the Regional Plan Association's set of 21 contiguous New York, New Jersey and Connecticut counties centered upon the numerous bay and estuarial reaches of the Port of New York and New Jersey. With a time frame covering a decade of water quality…

Learning to Unlearn: Transformative Education in the City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritsema, Mieka; Knecht, Barbara; Kruckemeyer, Kenneth

2011-01-01

While urban settlements have been an integral part of human life for millennia, cities today are arguably at the heart of survival on, and of, this planet. More than half of the world's population now lives in cities, and urban centers present some of the greatest social and environmental challenges of their time. Though students may study in or…

Only STEM Can Save Us? Examining Race, Place, and STEM Education as Property

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullock, Erika C.

2017-01-01

The rhetoric about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in urban schools reflects a desire to imagine a new city that is poised to compete in a STEM-centered future. Therefore, STEM has been positioned as a critical part of urban education reform efforts. In various US cities, schools labeled as "failing"…

An Outdoor Education Guide for Urban Teachers of the Emotionally Handicapped. Proceedings: Special Study Institute (June 1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Div. for Handicapped Children.

Traditionally program strategies such as special classes, resource rooms, and itinerant teaching have been employed to meet the unique needs of the emotionally handicapped child. Urban outdoor education is presented as an additional curriculum concept in this resource guide for elementary students. Since the outdoor education method centers on…

Assessing volcanic hazard at the most populated caldera in the world: Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somma, R.; de Natale, G.; Troise, C.; Kilburn, C.; Moretti, R.

2017-12-01

Naples and its hinterland in Southern Italy are one of the most urbanized areas in the world under threat from volcanic activity. The region lies within range of three active volcanic centers: Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, and Ischia. The Campi Flegrei caldera, in particular, has been in unrest for six decades. The unrest followed four centuries of quiescence and has heightened concern about an increased potential for eruption. Innovative geochemical and geophysical analysis, combined with scientific drilling, are being used to investigate Campi Flegrei. Results highlight key directions for better understanding the mechanisms of caldera formation and the respective roles of magma intrusion and hydrothermal activity in determining the volcano's behavior. They also provide a framework for evaluating and mitigating the risk from this caldera and other large ones worldwide.

Defining urban and rural areas: a new approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arellano, Blanca; Roca, Josep

2017-10-01

The separation between the countryside and the city, from rural and urban areas, has been one of the central themes of the literature on urban and territorial studies. The seminal work of Kingsley Davis [10] in the 1950s introduced a wide and fruitful debate which, however, has not yet concluded in a rigorous definition that allows for comparative studies at the national and subnational levels of a scientific nature. In particular, the United Nations (UN) definition of urban and rural population is overly linked to political and administrative factors that make it difficult to use data adequately to understand the human settlement structure of different countries. The present paper seeks to define a more rigorous methodology for the identification of rural and urban areas. For this purpose it uses the night lights supplied by the SNPP satellite, and more specifically by the VIIRS sensor for the determination of the urbanization gradient, and by means of the same construct a more realistic indicator than the statistics provided by the UN. The arrival of electrification to nearly every corner of the planet is certainly the first and most meaningful indicator of artificialization of land. In this sense, this paper proposes a new methodology designed to identify highly impacted (urbanized) landscapes worldwide based on the analysis of satellite imagery of night-time lights. The application of this methodology on a global scale identifies the land highly impacted by light, the urbanization process, and allows an index to be drawn up of Land Impacted by Light per capita (LILpc) as an indicator of the level of urbanization. The methodology used in this paper can be summarized in the following steps: a) a logistic regression between US Urban Areas (UA), as a dependent variable, and night-time light intensity, as an explanatory variable, allows us to establish a nightlight intensity level for the determination of Areas Highly Impacted by Light (AHIL); b) the delimitation of the centers and peripheries is made by setting a threshold of night-time light intensity that allows the inclusion of most of the centers and sub-centers; c) once identified urbanized areas, or AHIL, it is necessary to delimit the rural areas, or Areas Little Impacted by Light (ALIL), which are characterized by low intensity night light; d) finally, rurban landscapes are those with nightlight intensities between ALIL and AHIL. The developed methodology allows comparing the degree of urbanization of the different countries and regions, surpassing the dual approach that has traditionally been used. This paper enables us to identify the different typologies of urbanized areas (villages, cities and metropolitan areas), as well as "rural", "rurban", "periurban" and "central" landscapes. The study identifies 186,134 illuminated contours (urbanized areas). 404 of these contours have more than 1,000,000 inhabitants and can be considered real "metropolitan areas"; on the other hand there are 161,821 contours with less than 5,000 inhabitants, which we identified as "villages". Finally, the paper shows that 40.26% live in rural areas, 15.53% in rurban spaces, 26.04% in suburban areas and only 18.16% in central areas.

Comparison of different methods for the assessment of the urban heat island in Stuttgart, Germany.

PubMed

Ketterer, Christine; Matzarakis, Andreas

2015-09-01

This study of the urban heat island (UHI) aims to support planning authorities by going beyond the traditional way of urban heat island studies. Therefore, air temperature as well as the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) were applied to take into account the effect of the thermal atmosphere on city dwellers. The analysis of the urban heat island phenomenon of Stuttgart, Germany, includes a long-term frequency analysis using data of four urban and one rural meteorological stations. A (high resolution map) of the UHI intensity and PET was created using stepwise multiple linear regression based on data of car traverses as well as spatial data. The mapped conditions were classified according to the long-term frequency analysis. Regarding climate change, the need for adaptation measures as urban greening is obvious. Therefore, a spatial analysis of quantification of two scenarios of a chosen study area was done by the application of a micro-scale model. The nocturnal UHI of Stuttgart is during 15 % stronger than 4 K in the city center during summer when daytime heat stress occurs during 40 %. A typical summer condition is mapped using statistical approach to point out the most strained areas in Stuttgart center and west. According to the model results, the increase in number of trees in a chosen area (Olga hospital) can decrease PET by 0.5 K at 22:00 CET but by maximum 27 K at 14:00 CET.

On Rainfall Modification by Major Urban Areas. Part 1; Observations from Space-borne Rain Radar on TRMM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. Marshall; Pierce, Harold; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This study represents one of the first published attempts to identify rainfall modification by urban areas using satellite-based rainfall measurements. Data from the first space-based rain-radar, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission's (TRMM) Precipitation Radar, are employed. Analysis of the data enables identification of rainfall patterns around Atlanta, Montgomery, Nashville, San Antonio, Waco, and Dallas during the warm season. Results reveal an average increase of -28% in monthly rainfall rates within 30-60 kilometers downwind of the metropolis with a modest increase of 5.6% over the metropolis. Portions of the downwind area exhibit increases as high as 51%. The percentage chances are relative to an upwind CONTROL area. It was also found that maximum rainfall rates in the downwind impact area can exceed the mean value in the upwind CONTROL area by 48%-116%. The maximum value was generally found at an average distance of 39 km from the edge of the urban center or 64 km from the center of the city. These results are consistent with METROMEX studies of St. Louis almost two decades ago and more recent studies near Atlanta. Future work will investi(yate hypothesized factors causing rainfall modification by urban areas. Additional work is also needed to provide more robust validation of space-based rain estimates near major urban areas. Such research has implications for urban planning, water resource management, and understanding human impact on the environment.

Timing and Impact of Hearing Healthcare in Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients: A Rural-Urban Comparison

PubMed Central

Hixon, Brian; Chan, Stephen; Adkins, Margaret; Shinn, Jennifer B.; Bush, Matthew L.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to compare the timing and impact of hearing healthcare of rural and urban adults with severe hearing loss who use cochlear implants (CI). Study Design Cross-sectional questionnaire study Setting Tertiary referral center Patients Adult cochlear implant recipients. Main Outcome Measures Data collected included county of residence, socioeconomic information, impact of hearing loss on education/employment, and timing of hearing loss treatment. The benefits obtained from cochlear implantation were also evaluated. Results There were 91 participants (32 from urban counties, 26 from moderately rural counties, and 33 for extremely rural counties). Rural participants have a longer commute time to the CI center (p<0.001), lower income (p<0.001) and higher percentage of Medicaid coverage (p=0.004). Compared with urban-metro participants, rural participants with gradually progressive hearing loss had a greater time interval from the onset of hearing loss to obtaining hearing aid amplification (10 years versus 5 years, p=0.04). There was also a greater time interval from onset of hearing loss to the time of cochlear implantation in rural participants (p=0.04). Reported job loss was higher in rural participants than in urban participants (p=0.05). Both groups reported comparable benefit from cochlear implantation. Conclusions Rural CI recipients differ from urban residents in socioeconomic characteristics and may be delayed in timely treatment of hearing loss. Further efforts to expand access to hearing healthcare services may benefit rural adult patients. PMID:27636389

Timing and Impact of Hearing Healthcare in Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients: A Rural-Urban Comparison.

PubMed

Hixon, Brian; Chan, Stephen; Adkins, Margaret; Shinn, Jennifer B; Bush, Matthew L

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the timing and impact of hearing healthcare of rural and urban adults with severe hearing loss who use cochlear implants (CI). Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Tertiary referral center. Adult cochlear implant recipients. Data collected included county of residence, socioeconomic information, impact of hearing loss on education/employment, and timing of hearing loss treatment. The benefits obtained from cochlear implantation were also evaluated. There were 91 participants (32 from urban counties, 26 from moderately rural counties, and 33 for extremely rural counties). Rural participants have a longer commute time to the CI center (p < 0.001), lower income (p < 0.001), and higher percentage of Medicaid coverage (p = 0.004). Compared with urban-metro participants, rural participants with gradually progressive hearing loss had a greater time interval from the onset of hearing loss to obtaining hearing aid amplification (10 yr versus 5 yr, p = 0.04). There was also a greater time interval from onset of hearing loss to the time of cochlear implantation in rural participants (p = 0.04). Reported job loss was higher in rural participants than in urban participants (p = 0.05). Both groups reported comparable benefit from cochlear implantation. Rural CI recipients differ from urban residents in socioeconomic characteristics and may be delayed in timely treatment of hearing loss. Further efforts to expand access to hearing healthcare services may benefit rural adult patients.

Remote Sensing of Urban Microclimate Change in L’Aquila City (Italy) after Post-Earthquake Depopulation in an Open Source GIS Environment

PubMed Central

Baiocchi, Valerio; Zottele, Fabio; Dominici, Donatella

2017-01-01

This work reports a first attempt to use Landsat satellite imagery to identify possible urban microclimate changes in a city center after a seismic event that affected L’Aquila City (Abruzzo Region, Italy), on 6 April 2009. After the main seismic event, the collapse of part of the buildings, and the damaging of most of them, with the consequence of an almost total depopulation of the historic city center, may have caused alterations to the microclimate. This work develops an inexpensive work flow—using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) scenes—to construct the evolution of urban land use after the catastrophic main seismic event that hit L’Aquila. We hypothesized, that, possibly, before the event, the temperature was higher in the city center due to the presence of inhabitants (and thus home heating); while the opposite case occurred in the surrounding areas, where new settlements of inhabitants grew over a period of a few months. We decided not to look to independent meteorological data in order to avoid being biased in their investigations; thus, only the smallest dataset of Landsat ETM+ scenes were considered as input data in order to describe the thermal evolution of the land surface after the earthquake. We managed to use the Landsat archive images to provide thermal change indications, useful for understanding the urban changes induced by catastrophic events, setting up an easy to implement, robust, reproducible, and fast procedure. PMID:28218724

Remote Sensing of Urban Microclimate Change in L'Aquila City (Italy) after Post-Earthquake Depopulation in an Open Source GIS Environment.

PubMed

Baiocchi, Valerio; Zottele, Fabio; Dominici, Donatella

2017-02-19

This work reports a first attempt to use Landsat satellite imagery to identify possible urban microclimate changes in a city center after a seismic event that affected L'Aquila City (Abruzzo Region, Italy), on 6 April 2009. After the main seismic event, the collapse of part of the buildings, and the damaging of most of them, with the consequence of an almost total depopulation of the historic city center, may have caused alterations to the microclimate. This work develops an inexpensive work flow-using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) scenes-to construct the evolution of urban land use after the catastrophic main seismic event that hit L'Aquila. We hypothesized, that, possibly, before the event, the temperature was higher in the city center due to the presence of inhabitants (and thus home heating); while the opposite case occurred in the surrounding areas, where new settlements of inhabitants grew over a period of a few months. We decided not to look to independent meteorological data in order to avoid being biased in their investigations; thus, only the smallest dataset of Landsat ETM+ scenes were considered as input data in order to describe the thermal evolution of the land surface after the earthquake. We managed to use the Landsat archive images to provide thermal change indications, useful for understanding the urban changes induced by catastrophic events, setting up an easy to implement, robust, reproducible, and fast procedure.

Urban-rural differences in physical activity in Belgian adults and the importance of psychosocial factors.

PubMed

Dyck, Delfien Van; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2011-02-01

Recent research in urban planning and public health has drawn attention to the associations between urban form and physical activity in adults. Because little is known on the urban-rural differences in physical activity, the main aims of the present study were to examine differences in physical activity between urban and rural adults and to investigate the moderating effects of the physical environment on the relationship between psychosocial factors and physical activity. In Flanders, Belgium, five rural and five urban neighborhoods were selected. A sample of 350 adults (20-65 years of age; 35 adults per neighborhood) participated in the study. Participants wore a pedometer for 7 days, and self-reported physical activity and psychosocial data were also collected. Results showed that urban adults took more steps/day and reported more walking and cycling for transport in the neighborhood, more recreational walking in the neighborhood, and more walking for transportation outside the neighborhood than rural adults. Rural adults reported more recreational cycling in the neighborhoods. The physical environment was a significant moderator of the associations between several psychosocial factors (modeling from family, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers) and physical activity. In rural participants, adults with psychosocial scores above average were more physically active, whereas there were no differences in physical activity according to psychosocial factors in urban participants. These results are promising and plead for the development of multidimensional interventions, targeting specific population subgroups. In rural environments, where changing the environment would be a very challenging task, interventions focusing on modifiable psychosocial constructs could possibly be effective.

Leisure time physical activity in Saudi Arabia: prevalence, pattern and determining factors.

PubMed

Amin, Tarek Tawfik; Al Khoudair, Ali Salah; Al Harbi, Mohammad Abdulwahab; Al Ali, Ahmed Radi

2012-01-01

Identification of reliable predictors of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) will enable healthcare providers to intervene and change the patterns of LTPA in the population to improve community health. The objectives of this study were to determine prevalence and pattern of LTPA among adult Saudis aged 18-65 years, and to define the socio-demographic determinants that correlate with LTPA in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study of 2176 adult Saudis attending urban and rural primary health care centers were selected using a multistage proportionate sampling method. Participants were personally interviewed to gather information regarding socio-demographics, physical activity pattern using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Physical activity (PA) in each domain was expressed in metabolic equivalents (METs). The median total METs minutes/week for LTPA for both genders was 256, higher for men (636 METs minutes/week) compared to women (249 METs minutes/week). Overall, only 19.8% of the total PA was derived from LTPA. Of the sampled population 50.0% reported doing no leisure activity. Using the cut off of 600 METs-minutes/day or 150 minutes of moderate intensity over 5 or more days/week, only 21.0% of the included sample were considered as being sufficiently active and 10.4% were in the high active category with beneficial health effects. Multivariate regression analysis showed that male, younger age (<35 years), absence of chronic disease conditions and moderate level of total PA were significant predictors for being active in the LTPA domain. The prevalence and intensity of LTPA among the included sample demonstrated low levels. Nearly 80% of the included sample population did not achieve the recommended LTPA level with beneficial health effects. Female gender, urban residence and associated chronic diseases correlated with a low LTPA.

Urban-rural contrasts in fitness, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour in adolescents.

PubMed

Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides M; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J; Mota, Jorge; Padez, Cristina; Martins, Raul A; Cumming, Sean P; Riddoch, Chris; Malina, Robert M

2014-03-01

Research considering physical activity (PA), physical inactivity and health outcomes among urban and rural youth has produced equivocal findings. This study examined PA, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviours and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adolescents from urban and rural communities in the Portuguese Midlands. The sample included 362 adolescents (165 males, 197 females) of 13-16 years of age. CRF was assessed by the PACER test. A GT1M accelerometer was used to record 5 consecutive days of PA and time spent sedentary. Analyses of covariance (chronological age as co-variate) were performed to test the effect of the area of residence on sedentary behaviour, PA and CRF. Urban youth of both sexes spent less time in sedentary activities than rural youth. Urban males were more active than rural peers at the weekend, whereas urban females were significantly less active than rural females on week days and across all days assessed. Rural youth of both sexes had higher levels of CRF than urban youth. Area of residence was related to aerobic fitness, PA and time spent in sedentary behaviours among Portuguese youth. Interventions seeking to enhance health and active lifestyles in Portuguese youth should consider the potential impact of socio-geographic factors.

24 CFR 598.400 - HUD grants for planning activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false HUD grants for planning activities. 598.400 Section 598.400 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... DESIGNATIONS Post-Designation Requirements § 598.400 HUD grants for planning activities. (a) HUD will award...

24 CFR 598.400 - HUD grants for planning activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2014-04-01 2013-04-01 true HUD grants for planning activities. 598.400 Section 598.400 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... DESIGNATIONS Post-Designation Requirements § 598.400 HUD grants for planning activities. (a) HUD will award...

24 CFR 598.400 - HUD grants for planning activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false HUD grants for planning activities. 598.400 Section 598.400 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... DESIGNATIONS Post-Designation Requirements § 598.400 HUD grants for planning activities. (a) HUD will award...

Quantifying urban growth patterns in Hanoi using landscape expansion modes and time series spatial metrics

PubMed Central

Lepczyk, Christopher A.; Miura, Tomoaki; Fox, Jefferson M.

2018-01-01

Urbanization has been driven by various social, economic, and political factors around the world for centuries. Because urbanization continues unabated in many places, it is crucial to understand patterns of urbanization and their potential ecological and environmental impacts. Given this need, the objectives of our study were to quantify urban growth rates, growth modes, and resultant changes in the landscape pattern of urbanization in Hanoi, Vietnam from 1993 to 2010 and to evaluate the extent to which the process of urban growth in Hanoi conformed to the diffusion-coalescence theory. We analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics of the built-up land in Hanoi using landscape expansion modes, spatial metrics, and a gradient approach. Urbanization was most pronounced in the periods of 2001–2006 and 2006–2010 at a distance of 10 to 35 km around the urban center. Over the 17 year period urban expansion in Hanoi was dominated by infilling and edge expansion growth modes. Our findings support the diffusion-coalescence theory of urbanization. The shift of the urban growth areas over time and the dynamic nature of the spatial metrics revealed important information about our understanding of the urban growth process and cycle. Furthermore, our findings can be used to evaluate urban planning policies and aid in urbanization issues in rapidly urbanizing countries. PMID:29734346

Physical activity, energy intake, and obesity prevalence among urban and rural schoolchildren aged 11-12 years in Japan.

PubMed

Itoi, Aya; Yamada, Yosuke; Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Kimura, Misaka

2012-12-01

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has been shown to differ among regions, including rural-urban regional differences within nations. This study obtained simultaneous accelerometry-derived physical activity, 24 h activity, and food records to clarify the potential contributing factors to rural-urban differences in childhood overweight and obesity in Japan. Sixth-grade children (n = 227, 11-12 years old) from two urban elementary schools in Kyoto and four rural elementary schools in Tohoku participated in the study. The children were instructed to wear a pedometer that included a uniaxial accelerometer and, assisted by their parents, keep minute-by-minute 24 h activity and food records. For 12 children, the total energy expenditure was measured by the doubly labeled water method that was used to correct the Lifecorder-predicted activity energy expenditure and physical activity level. The overweight and obesity prevalence was significantly higher in rural than in urban children. The number of steps per day, activity energy expenditure, physical activity level, and duration of walking to school were significantly lower in rural than in urban children. In contrast, the reported energy intake did not differ significantly between the regions. The physical activity and duration of the walk to school were significantly correlated with body mass index. Rural children had a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity, and this may be at least partly caused by lower physical activity, especially less time spent walking to school, than urban children.

Playing Together: The Physical Activity Beliefs and Behaviors of Urban Aboriginal Youth.

PubMed

Kerpan, Serene; Humbert, Louise

2015-10-01

Urban Aboriginal youth are a rapidly growing segment of the Canadian population that unfortunately bears a disproportionate level of illness. One way to improve the health of urban Aboriginal youth is to increase their physical activity. It is important to understand what this group's beliefs and behaviors are on physical activity so that programs that meet their needs can be developed. This ethnographic study engaged 15 urban Aboriginal youth to understand what their physical activity beliefs and behaviors were. Results revealed 4 themes: "group physical activity preference," "focus on the family," "traditional physical activity," and "location of residence as a barrier." These themes illustrated that urban Aboriginal youth have a preference for group physical activity and enjoy traditional Aboriginal forms of activity. Results also showed that the family plays a critical role in their physical activity patterns. Lastly, participants in this study believed that their location of residence was a barrier to physical activity. Community leaders need to be sensitive to the barriers that this cultural group faces and build on the strengths that are present among this group when developing physical activity programming.

Prevalence and Correlates of HIV Testing among Young People Enrolled in Non-Formal Education Centers in Urban Chiang Mai, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Musumari, Patou Masika; Tangmunkongvorakul, Arunrat; Srithanaviboonchai, Kriengkrai; Yungyuankul, Sawang; Techasrivichien, Teeranee; Suguimoto, S Pilar; Ono-Kihara, Masako; Kihara, Masahiro; Chariyalertsak, Suwat

2016-01-01

HIV testing is the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Despite the established vulnerability of young Thai people to HIV infection, studies examining the prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among the general population of Thai youth are still very limited. This study investigates socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors associated with HIV testing among young Thai people enrolled in Non-formal Education Centers (NFEC) in urban Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted among young unmarried Thai youth--between the ages of 15 and 24--who were enrolled in NFEC in urban Chiang Mai. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify correlates of "ever tested for HIV" among the sexually active participants. Of the 295 sexually active participants, 27.3% reported "ever tested for HIV;" 65.4% "did not consistently use condom;" and 61.7% "had at least 2 lifetime partners." We found that "self-efficacy" (AOR, 4.92; CI, 1.22-19.73); "perception that it is easy to find a location nearby to test for HIV" (AOR, 4.67; CI, 1.21-18.06); "having at least 2 lifetime sexual partners" (AOR, 2.05; CI, 1.09-3.85); and "ever been pregnant or made someone pregnant" (AOR, 4.06; CI, 2.69-9.15); were associated with increased odds of having ever been tested. On the other hand, "fear of HIV test results" (AOR, 0.21; CI, 0.08-0.57) was associated with lower odds of ever having been tested for HIV. The main finding is that a substantially high proportion of Thai youth is engaged in risky sexual behaviors--yet reports low rates of ever having been tested for HIV. This highlights an urgent need to develop appropriate interventions--based on the identified correlates of HIV testing. There is also an urgent need to enhance HIV testing and to promote safer sexual behaviors among young Thai people--particularly those who are out-of-school.

Prevalence and Correlates of HIV Testing among Young People Enrolled in Non-Formal Education Centers in Urban Chiang Mai, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Musumari, Patou Masika; Tangmunkongvorakul, Arunrat; Srithanaviboonchai, Kriengkrai; Yungyuankul, Sawang; Techasrivichien, Teeranee; Suguimoto, S. Pilar; Ono-Kihara, Masako; Kihara, Masahiro; Chariyalertsak, Suwat

2016-01-01

Background HIV testing is the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Despite the established vulnerability of young Thai people to HIV infection, studies examining the prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among the general population of Thai youth are still very limited. This study investigates socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors associated with HIV testing among young Thai people enrolled in Non-formal Education Centers (NFEC) in urban Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Methods This was a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted among young unmarried Thai youth—between the ages of 15 and 24—who were enrolled in NFEC in urban Chiang Mai. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify correlates of “ever tested for HIV” among the sexually active participants. Findings Of the 295 sexually active participants, 27.3% reported “ever tested for HIV;” 65.4% “did not consistently use condom;” and 61.7% “had at least 2 lifetime partners.” We found that “self-efficacy” (AOR, 4.92; CI, 1.22–19.73); “perception that it is easy to find a location nearby to test for HIV” (AOR, 4.67; CI, 1.21–18.06); “having at least 2 lifetime sexual partners” (AOR, 2.05; CI, 1.09–3.85); and “ever been pregnant or made someone pregnant” (AOR, 4.06; CI, 2.69–9.15); were associated with increased odds of having ever been tested. On the other hand, “fear of HIV test results” (AOR, 0.21; CI, 0.08–0.57) was associated with lower odds of ever having been tested for HIV. Conclusion The main finding is that a substantially high proportion of Thai youth is engaged in risky sexual behaviors—yet reports low rates of ever having been tested for HIV. This highlights an urgent need to develop appropriate interventions—based on the identified correlates of HIV testing. There is also an urgent need to enhance HIV testing and to promote safer sexual behaviors among young Thai people—particularly those who are out-of-school. PMID:27070553

Permeable Pavement Monitoring at the Edison Environmental Center Demonstration Site - presentation

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch has been monitoring an instrumented 110-space pervious pavement parking lot. The lot is used by EPA personnel and visitors to the Edison Environmental Center. The design includes 28-space rows of three permeable pavement types: asphal...

CURA Reporter. Volume 37, Number 1, Spring 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greco, Michael D., Ed

2007-01-01

The "CURA Reporter" is published quarterly to provide information about the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), an all-University applied research and technical assistance center at the University of Minnesota that connects faculty and students with community organizations and public institutions working on significant public…

Simulations with COSMO-CLM over Turin including TERRA-URB parameterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucchignani, Edoardo; Mercogliano, Paola; Milelli, Massimo; Raffa, Mario

2017-04-01

The increase of built surfaces constitutes the main reason for the formation of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs), since urban canyons block the release of the reflected radiation. The main contribution to the formation of UHIs is the missing night-cooling of horizontal surfaces, together with cloudless sky and light winds. Of course, there is also a contribution from indoor heating, vehicles presence, and waste heat from air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The COSMO-CLM model, even at high resolution, is currently not able to cope with this effect. Nevertheless, the increase of applications in which a high number of grid points is located over urban areas, requires that COSMO-CLM becomes able to take into account also urban climate features. In fact, they are crucial for better forecast of temperature and for a better characterization of the local patterns of several atmospherical variables (wind, surface fluxes). Recently TERRA-URB, a bulk parameterisation scheme with a prescribed anthropogenic heat flux, has been incorporated into COSMO-CLM for the standard land-surface module TERRA-ML. It offers an intrinsic representation of the urban physics with modifications of input data, soil module and land atmospheric interactions. In the first half of July 2015, Piemonte region and Turin in particular experienced extreme temperature values and uncomfortable conditions for the population. In Turin, the maximum temperature since 1990 (38.5°) has been recorded in July 2015. Ground stations data highlighted the presence of a UHI effect over Turin. This is the reason why this area and this period represent a suitable benchmark to test the capabilities of COSMO-CLM, and in particular of the urban parameterization. The computational domain considered is centered over Turin, discretized with 100 x 100 grid-points, employing a spatial resolution of 0.009° (about 1 km). The ECMWF IFS analysis at 0.075° have been used as forcing data. Two simulations have been performed over the period 1 to 7 July 2015, respectively activating and deactivating TERRA-URB, in order to highlight its effects on the model results. Moreover, a third simulation has been performed with TERRA-URB activated, but employing an optimized model configuration. Validation has been carried out against an observational dataset for daily values of temperature, provided by ARPA Piemonte. More specifically, Consolata and Bauducchi stations have been considered, respectively representative of urban and rural areas. Results have highlighted that in Consolata the minimum temperature is simulated better when TERRA-URB is activated, while in Bauducchi no significant differences have been recorded among the simulations. The daily maximum temperature is always overestimated in both stations. Finally, the usage of an optimized configuration allowed a slight improvement of the results.

Developing a Blueprint for Successful Private Partnership Programs in Small Fusion Centers: Key Program Components and Smart Practices

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

The Baseline Capabilities for State and Major Urban Area Fusion Centers required fusion centers to establish programs to interact with the private...sector. These programs took the form of Public and Private Sector outreach programs. This requirement had a profound budgetary and operational impact on...fusion centers, but agencies received very little guidance about how to plan, organize, and sustain these programs. The goal of this thesis was to

Community Opinion and Satisfaction with the Leadership at an Urban Community Educational Learning Center during an Organizational Transformation Process: A Frontline Perspective from Community Stakeholders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Joseph Lee

2013-01-01

This study examined selected community stakeholders' perception of the current leadership at their local community educational learning center during an organizational transformation and cultural change process. The transition from a community college to an educational learning center, mandated in 2006 by the Accredition Commission and agreed on…

Mercury contamination from artisanal gold mining in Antioquia, Colombia: The world's highest per capita mercury pollution.

PubMed

Cordy, Paul; Veiga, Marcello M; Salih, Ibrahim; Al-Saadi, Sari; Console, Stephanie; Garcia, Oseas; Mesa, Luis Alberto; Velásquez-López, Patricio C; Roeser, Monika

2011-12-01

The artisanal gold mining sector in Colombia has 200,000 miners officially producing 30tonnes Au/a. In the Northeast of the Department of Antioquia, there are 17 mining towns and between 15,000 and 30,000 artisanal gold miners. Guerrillas and paramilitary activities in the rural areas of Antioquia pushed miners to bring their gold ores to the towns to be processed in Processing Centers or entables. These Centers operate in the urban areas amalgamating the whole ore, i.e. without previous concentration, and later burn gold amalgam without any filtering/condensing system. Based on mercury mass balance in 15 entables, 50% of the mercury added to small ball mills (cocos) is lost: 46% with tailings and 4% when amalgam is burned. In just 5 cities of Antioquia, with a total of 150,000 inhabitants: Segovia, Remedios, Zaragoza, El Bagre, and Nechí, there are 323 entables producing 10-20tonnes Au/a. Considering the average levels of mercury consumption estimated by mass balance and interviews of entables owners, the mercury consumed (and lost) in these 5 municipalities must be around 93tonnes/a. Urban air mercury levels range from 300ng Hg/m(3) (background) to 1million ng Hg/m(3) (inside gold shops) with 10,000ng Hg/m(3) being common in residential areas. The WHO limit for public exposure is 1000ng/m(3). The total mercury release/emissions to the Colombian environment can be as high as 150tonnes/a giving this country the shameful first position as the world's largest mercury polluter per capita from artisanal gold mining. One necessary government intervention is to cut the supply of mercury to the entables. In 2009, eleven companies in Colombia legally imported 130tonnes of metallic mercury, much of it flowing to artisanal gold mines. Entables must be removed from urban centers and technical assistance is badly needed to improve their technology and reduce emissions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laboratory-confirmed HIV and sexually transmitted infection seropositivity and risk behavior among sexually active transgender patients at an adolescent and young adult urban community health center.

PubMed

Reisner, Sari L; Vetters, Ralph; White, Jaclyn M; Cohen, Elijah L; LeClerc, M; Zaslow, Shayne; Wolfrum, Sarah; Mimiaga, Matthew J

2015-01-01

The sexual health of transgender adolescents and young adults who present for health care in urban community health centers is understudied. A retrospective review of electronic health record (EHR) data was conducted from 180 transgender patients aged 12-29 years seen for one or more health-care visits between 2001 and 2010 at an urban community health center serving youth in Boston, MA. Analyses were restricted to 145 sexually active transgender youth (87.3% of the sample). Laboratory-confirmed HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) seroprevalence, demographics, sexual risk behavior, and structural and psychosocial risk indicators were extracted from the EHR. Analyses were descriptively focused for HIV and STIs. Stratified multivariable logistic regression models were fit for male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) patients separately to examine factors associated with any unprotected anal and/or vaginal sex (UAVS). The mean age was 20.0 (SD=2.9); 21.7% people of color, 46.9% white (non-Hispanic), 21.4% race/ethnicity unknown; 43.4% MTF, and 56.6% FTM; and 68.3% were on cross-sex hormones. Prevalence of STIs: 4.8% HIV, 2.8% herpes simplex virus, 2.8% syphilis, 2.1% chlamydia, 2.1% gonorrhea, 2.8% hepatitis C, 1.4% human papilloma virus. Only gonorrhea prevalence significantly differed by gender identity (MTF 2.1% vs. 0.0% FTM; p=0.046). Nearly half (47.6%) of the sample engaged in UAVS (52.4% MTF, 43.9% FTM, p=0.311). FTM more frequently had a primary sex partner compared to MTF (48.8% vs. 25.4%; p=0.004); MTF more frequently had a casual sex partner than FTM (69.8% vs. 42.7% p=0.001). In multivariable models, MTF youth who were younger in age, white non-Hispanic, and reported a primary sex partner had increased odds of UAVS; whereas, FTM youth reporting a casual sex partner and current alcohol use had increased odds of UAVS (all p<0.05). Factors associated with sexual risk differ for MTF and FTM youth. Partner type appears pivotal to understanding sexual risk in transgender adolescents and young adults. HIV and STI prevention efforts, including early intervention efforts, are needed in community-based settings serving transgender youth that attend to sex-specific (biological) and gender-related (social) pathways.