City Area Research Articles

Demographic and Clinical Features of Allergic Rhinitis Presenting at a Postgraduate Teaching Hospital

Allergic rhinitis is a common disorder that affects millions worldwide and it represents a global concern. Objective: To determine the frequency of clinical variables, and demographic pattern of the allergic rhinitis patients in the otorhinolaryngology outpatient department in a Teaching Hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat of Kulsumbai Valik Site Postgraduate Teaching Hospital Karachi from 1st July 2022 to 31st December 2023. The study comprised allergic rhinitis patients. A total of 750 patients were included in this study after diagnosing allergic Rhinitis mentioned on their prescription. Data were collected properly on a predesigned questionnaire. Variables included age, gender, socioeconomic status, residence, sneezing, itching in the eye and nose, rhinorrhea, nasal discharge, bluish pale nasal mucosa (Nasal Congestion), edematous turbinate, and headache. Data were entered in SPSS software version 23.0 and analyzed. Results: The mean age of patients were 39 ± 13 years. Male were reported 447 (59.6%) and female patients were 303 (40.4%). 390 (52%) patients have resided in Industrial areas while 360 (48%) patients were in city areas. The most common symptom was nasal itching 522 (69.6%) followed by rhinorrhea 492 (65%) and nasal discharge 465(62%). Conclusions: It was concluded that allergic rhinitis patients presenting at the ENT outpatient department showed that males were commonly affected with the productive age group 59% of males suffered from Allergic Rhinitis. The most frequent and common symptom was nasal itching (69.6%) followed by rhinorrhea (65%) and nasal discharge (62%).

Menyusun Display Barang dengan Data Mining Assosiation Rule Menggunakan Rapid Miner Algoritma FP-GROWTH

A cosmetic cheerful shop located in the Marelan area of Medan city is a shop that sells women's cosmetic equipment. The owner of a cheerful cosmetics shop is very disciplined in recording sales and purchases of goods. Every transaction is always recorded and stored in the Microsoft Excel application. Meanwhile, the Ceria Cosmetics store has been running since 2015 and has recorded lots of transactions, both sales and purchases. From 2015 until now the data has been increasing, and so far this data has only been a record and stored in a folder on the store's computer. From the piles of transaction data at the cheerful cosmetics store, the authors took the idea of research to utilize this pile of data. One of the applications of information technology that can be used to utilize the pile of data is the data mining technique. By using data mining, a pile of data from a cheerful cosmetic store can be used to find association patterns. And the application of data mining with association rules can use the FP-Growth algorithm. The FP-Growth algorithm can be used as an alternative to determine the most frequently occurring data set (frequent itemset) in a data set. Later, the combination patterns obtained in this study can be used to arrange the layout of goods (cosmetics) at the Ceria Cosmetics store in Medan Marelan.

Assessing the Relationship between Urban Heat Islands and Local Climate Zones during a Winter Period in the Coastal City of Balneário Camboriú/SC, Brazil

This research seeks to understand the link between urban heat island and urban cool island, which are the Local Climatic Zones (LCZ) and atmospheric systems during the winter season in the city of Balneário Camboriú, Southern Brazil. First, meteorological data on the urban environment was collected at 11 permanent points in the Balneário Camboriú metropolitan region. Next, a synoptic analysis of the dates was performed to understand the atmospheric systems operating in the region. Finally, the LCZs map created for the city in the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools was used to correlate the magnitudes of the heat and cool islands found in Balneário Camboriú in the winter period. The results indicate that the increasing verticalization as a result of the construction of skyscrapers in Balneário Camboriú has a significant influence on local conditions for the occurrence of heat and cold islands. The findings indicate that LCZs with sparsely distributed buildings (LCZs 6, 8 and 9) and LCZs with dense vegetation (LCZ A) have lower intensity magnitudes of heat and cool conditions. The biggest magnitudes of heat and cool islands were reported in LCZs 1 and 3 during the timeframe. The synoptic analysis supports earlier research that points to atmospheric stability (Anticyclonic domain) as a favorable atmospheric setting for the emergence of urban heat and coolness islands.

Developing a model for measuring the spatial disability level of cities within the framework of barrier-free pedestrian accessibility: the case of Kırklareli City centre

The problem of disability is directly related to the physical barriers encountered in urban spaces. Pedestrian accessibility performance is a notable urban quality indicator. Universal design principles and barrier-free design standards are important in making urban spaces usable for everyone. However, projects in this context generally cover specific areas of cities. Bringing an entire city into compliance with barrier-free design standards requires high cost and time. Therefore, determining the spatial disability level of the urban texture and planning project stages constitute a critical process for local governments. This study proposes a model to measure the pedestrian accessibility performance of medium-sized cities with relatively walkable distances within the framework of spatial barriers and to identify priority intervention points. In this context, Kırklareli city centre was selected as a case study area. According to the model developed with the support of GIS, the “ideal accessibility network” is determined for the citizens, and the performance level is calculated by identifying the spatial barriers on this network. The model was developed using components that can be applied to any city and tested in a sample urban environment. This conceptual model contributes to urban science and local government policy by providing a monitoring mechanism for spatial disability that can be constantly tracked by citizens, and by supplying an information base for projects to be developed by local governments. It is hoped that this study will popularise pedestrian-oriented spatial design and control in cities where walkability is postponed due to the focus on wheeled vehicle mobility and where spatial barriers are felt only by disabled individuals.

Корректировка проекта планировки территории в целях комплексного развития

Land use in urban areas has been undergoing significant changes in recent years. The practical implementation of Law No. 494-FZ on the integrated development of urban areas, adopted in 2020, faces difficulties of both an objective and subjective nature. Public authorities continue to improve the mechanism of integrated development of territories on an ongoing basis for the successful implementation of the project. Amendments are made in respect of those territories whose borders have not been established and, accordingly, are not displayed on the urban zoning map. Often, the integrated development of territories is understood as the reconstruc-tion or demolition of dilapidated emergency housing, whereas this concept has a much broader meaning. In areas free from dilapidated housing, it means the design and construction of not only modern residential premises, but the construction of the entire infrastructure, starting from schools, kindergartens, clinics, pharmacies, etc. Territories and residential neighborhoods have been established on the territory of Krasnoyarsk, which fall into the zone of integrated development. Solving prob-lems related to the implementation of this project is relevant.

Safety Factor Analysis on the Stability of the Retaining Wall Structure in Cimahi City, Indonesia

Retaining wall is a construction built to hold the ground on the slopes. Retaining wall can be said to be safe if its safety factors have been taken into account.In this study will be calculated the security factor based on SNI 8640:2017 on the location to be built retaining wall located in the area of Cimahi City, West Java using the help of software with two-dimensional finite element method.Based on the soil type map, the majority of the Cimahi City area consist of Tuffaceous Clay and Sandy Clay soils, which are alluvial fan deposits of volcanic origin, with soil thickness ranging from 1 m to 5 m. Retaining wall structures using cyclopean concrete appear to be slimmer compared to those using stone masonry. The use of dolken wood piles as additional reinforcement in locations using cyclopean concrete can strengthen the structure on the sliding plane, thus preventing overturning. Based on the modeling, the use of this structure resulted in a safety factor value greater than 1.5, with a displacement of 20 cm.

The Importance Of Implementing Financial Reporting Based On Sak EMKM In Improving MSMES Performance

One way to measure micro-small-medium enterprises’ (MSMEs) performance is by analyzing how they manage their financial reporting, that comply with the accounting standard for micro, small, medium entity (MSMEs), i.e. the Standar Akuntansi Keuangan Entitas Mikro Kecil Menengah (SAK EMKM). The standard performance was published in january 1, 2018. MSMEs in Madiun city area are one of MSME’s should implement this SAK. This research attempts to find the relationship between MSEMs financial management based on SAK EMKM and MSEMs performance. This study based on observation, survey, interview, and questionnaire. The questionnaire were distributed of 100 MSMEs owners in the City of Madiun, East Java, Indonesia. The analysis method use descriptive analysis and simple linier regresion. The results show that MSMEs owners believe that adherence to SAK-EMKM is very important for their business conducts. The analysis also shows that there is a significant effect of reporting and performance.

Implementation of K-Means Clustering to Human Development Indicators in East Nusa Tenggara

K-Means has been adopted to group various cases related to the quality of humanresources and economic growth. This study aims to apply K-Means to thecharacteristics based on selected Human Development Index (HDI) indicators,namely the average length of schooling, the expectation of length of schooling andlife expectancy in Province of East Nusa Tenggara. The optimal cluster obtainedis 6 clusters. The cluster with the highest average value of all variables is in cluster1 which is Kupang City area. Meanwhile, condition cluster 6 provides the smallestlife expectancy value compared to other clusters. The smallest average variable ofschool length is in cluster 2. The regions that provide the smallest numberexpectation of length of schooling is in cluster 5.

Assessent of tree diversity in the vegetation of ramna areas of dhaka city for better management

The present article deals with the evaluation of the existing tree species diversity in the Ramna areas of Dhaka city. Both random and stratified random quadrat sampling were used for the data collection from July 2021 to June 2022. The study identified a total of 156 tree species in 46 families. Among the sampling areas, 115 tree species were found in Ramna Park, 61 tree species in Suhrawardy Udyan, and 98 tree species in the Dhaka University area. The sampling areas overlapped significantly with many tree species. Among the species, 33% of the species were of ornamental value, followed by timber (24%), medicinal (21%), fruit (19%), and wildlife-supporting (3%). 51% of the species belonged to exotics and 49% were native. The most abundant species were Swietenia mahagoni in Ramna Park and Dhaka University and Eucalyptus camaldulensis in Suhrawardy Udyan. Based on the important value index, the most dominant species were S mahagoni in Ramna Park and Dhaka University and Ficus elastica in Suhrawardy Udyan. Among the top 15 most abundant and dominant trees, nine belonged to exotics, and the rest were native. The Shannon diversity index value ranged from 3.83 to 4.39. Ramna Park showed the highest index value (4.39), followed by Dhaka University (3.91) and Suhrawardy Udyan (3.83). Stakeholder’s consultations revealed that on average 90% of the support was found for management strategies such as native enrichment, reducing exotic dominance, planting purposeful trees, heritage plantations, and expert consultation during plantation. Identified threats included construction works, exotic presence, lack of native seedlings, and low awareness. Recommendations include promoting the dominance of native species, gradual exotic replacement, enhancing wildlife-supporting species, increasing public awareness, and integrating expert opinions into urban plantation programs. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(3): 605-617, 2024 (September)

Spatio-temporal analysis of urbanization effects: unravelling land use and land cover dynamics and their influence on land surface temperature in Aligarh City

ABSTRACT Rapid urbanization causes significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC), contributing to Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) and environmental challenges. This study analyzes two decades of Landsat satellite imagery to examine LULC changes and their impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) in Aligarh City, India. Supervised classification using maximum likelihood techniques produced LULC maps with 85% accuracy. The results show a 21.10% increase in built-up areas, from 2338.83 hectares in 2001 to 2832.66 hectares in 2021, alongside a 24.55% decline in vegetation, from 620.28 hectares to 467.91 hectares. LST increased by 11.35°C, with a total maximum rise of 10.70°C between 2001 and 2021. Regression analysis revealed strong correlations between LST and spectral indices, with NDVI showing a negative correlation (R² = 0.89, 0.83, 0.78) and NDBI a positive one (R² = 0.87, 0.89, 0.79). The Aligarh main city area consistently recorded higher LST values than the AMU campus, with 88.60% of the city area in the 40–45°C range by 2021, compared to 52.87% for the campus. This study underscores the need for sustainable urban strategies to mitigate UHI effects and promote climate resilience.

Exploring Port City Porosity and Flows within Port Regions: The Case Study of Port of Malaga and Port of Beirut

The term “porosity” refers to the idea of interconnectedness between the spaces and institutions of ports, cities, and their surrounding areas. While porosity refers to the overall interconnectedness between different entities, an interface specifically refers to the point of contact and interaction between the same two entities. This paper goes beyond the idea of an interface and emphasizes a continuous network of port-related spaces and practices that shape the port cityscape. It also provides a historical perspective on the evolution of port/city boundaries. Additionally, this paper explores maps and conceptualizes port city porosity on both sea and land sides, measures, and reconsiders porosity in these regions. The thematic issue opens questions for further research such as: Can the interconnectedness between port and city areas, along with maritime pockets in the city and surrounding territory, enhance the resilience of port city activities? Does the existence of porous borders between port and city allow for easier transitions? The idea of transitions is particularly relevant in the context of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of port and city activities. As economic, social, or environmental conditions shift, there may be a need for both the port and city to adapt and evolve. The degree of porosity between them can play a role in facilitating or hindering these transitions.

Life cycle carbon emission assessment and carbon payback period analysis for the regeneration of old residential areas in cold regions: Case study in Qingdao, China

Communities urgently need to explore green and low-carbon transformation pathways due to high energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, existing studies lack a comprehensive assessment of carbon emissions and analysis regarding carbon reduction during renovation of old residential areas in cold regions. Therefore, this study employs a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the payback period method to evaluate carbon emissions throughout the life cycle comprehensively. It constructs a carbon-emission calculation model based on LCA, specifically tailored to the retrofitting of old residential areas in cold cities. Additionally, it investigates the effectiveness of three typical retrofit measures undertaken in Qingdao, a region located in the cold A zone, focusing on whole-life-cycle energy savings and carbon reduction. The findings reveal that the average annual carbon emission intensity per unit area for Cases 1, 2, and 3 is 12.59 kg-CO2 e/(m2·a), 27.05 kg-CO2 e/(m2·a), and 23.39 kg-CO2 e/(m2·a), respectively. Their corresponding carbon payback periods were 6.06, 7.23, and 16.00 years, respectively, which could be further shortened through material recycling. The environmental impact assessment of typical retrofitting measures contributes to the promotion of sustainable development. Furthermore, this study offers guidance for establishing an effective assessment system that supports the design of energy-saving retrofits.

Spectro-environmental factors integrated ensemble learning for urban river network water quality remote sensing

Remote sensing water quality monitoring technology can effectively supplement the shortcomings of traditional water quality monitoring methods in spatiotemporal dynamic monitoring capabilities. At present, although the spectral feature-based remote sensing water quality inversion models have achieved many successes, there could still be a problem of insufficient generalization ability in monitoring the water quality of complex river networks in large cities. In this paper, we propose a spectro-environmental factors integrated ensemble learning model for urban river network water quality inversion. We analyzed the correlation between water quality parameters, spectral reflectance, and environmental factors based on an in-situ dataset collected in the northern part of Shanghai. Using the Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*), we found that river network water quality parameters have different patterns in different urban functional zones. Furthermore, daily average temperature, total rainfall within the seven days, and several band combinations were also selected as the environmental and spectral features using factor analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. After the feature analysis, the spectro-environmental factors integrated ensemble learning model was trained. Compared with the spectral-based machine learning inversion models, the coefficients of determination R2 increased by about 0.50. Our model was also tested in three different test areas within and outside the in-situ sampling areas in Shanghai based on low-altitude multispectral remote sensing images. The R2 results for total phosphorus (TP), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) within the in-situ sampling areas were 0.52, 0.58, and 0.56 respectively. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) results were 53.36%, 63.95%, and 22.46% respectively. After adding the area outside the in-situ sampling areas, the R2 results for TP, NH3-N, and COD were 0.47, 0.47, and 0.53. The MAPE were 49.38%, 74.46%, and 20.49%. Our research provided a new remote sensing water quality inversion method to be utilized in complex urban river networks which exhibited solid accuracy and generalization ability.

Spatial Expansion, Planning, and Their Influences on the Urban Landscape of Christian Churches in Canton (1582–1732 and 1844–1911)

Canton (present-day Guangzhou, China) has a long history as a trading port and serves as a window for studying the history of Sino-Western cultural exchanges. Canton was a city built under Confucian orders, leading to significant differences (when compared to Christian cities) in urban functional zoning, layout, urban landscape, and methods for shaping spatial order. Therefore, the churches constructed by Christian missionary societies in Canton merit particular attention in missionary history research and urban planning history. Based on local gazetteers, historical maps, export paintings, Western travelogues, and archives at that time, from a cultural landscape perspective, this article compares and analyzes the spatial expansion of Christian churches and their influences on the urban landscape in Canton in two stages. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the spatial layout of the churches indicated an active integration into Canton City. After the Opium War, churches were not only used for religious purposes but also served as symbols asserting the presence of Christians and Western powers (which made the situation more complicated). Missionary societies attracted believers through the construction of public facilities, building Christian communities centered around churches, thereby competing with authorities for spatial power and influencing the urban functional system and spatial layout controlled by the authorities. Comparatively, the Roman Catholic Cathedral has profoundly changed the traditional landscape order in Canton, while the Protestant Dongshan Church interacted more closely with the city.

Multifaceted analysis of microplastic pollution dynamics in the Yamuna river: Assessing anthropogenic impacts and ecological consequences

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive contaminants that pose significant ecological and human health risks, emerging as one of the most widespread anthropogenic pollutants in natural environments. This study investigates the abundance, characteristics, and distribution of microplastics (MPs) in the Yamuna River, encompassing 29 sampling points across urban, rural, and industrial zones in and around Delhi, Mathura, Haryana, and Agra. Microplastics were identified and quantified using Nile red dye staining and Micro-Raman spectroscopy, with particle size distribution predominantly between 2 μm to 80 μm and the largest detected particle measuring 256.5 μm. The average MPs concentration was 14,717 ± 4444 L−1, with a significant abundance of hazardous polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). The study found that MPs were predominantly fragments and films (65.6 %) and fibers (30.6 %), with transparent particles being the most prevalent. The Pollution Load Index (PLI) consistently indicated high-risk levels (PLI > 100) at all sampling sites, highlighting substantial MP contamination. These results underscore the urgent need for continuous monitoring and the development of robust management strategies to address microplastic pollution in the Yamuna River. This study provides valuable insights into MPs spatial distribution and persistence, contributing to an improved understanding of their environmental impacts and guiding future mitigation and regulatory efforts.

‘Al-Hay As-Sini’ explored: the linguistic and semiotic landscape of Dubai Mall ‘Chinatown’ as a translated space and transnational contact zone

ABSTRACT Dubai in the UAE is a poster child of the region. The ‘Chinatown’ within Dubai Mall is an artificially-made theme-park-style place and a commodified space designed for consumption, which stands in contrast to traditional and naturally-occurring Chinatowns in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia. A new addition to the luxurious Dubai Mall, the ‘Chinatown’ features shops and restaurants in a China-inspired environment. Representing a different ethnolinguistic ecology, the ‘Chinatown’ is a unique existence in a superdiverse and mobile country made up of local Arabs and foreign workers/expats from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and beyond. This study explores how various linguistic and multimodal elements participate in the making of the linguistic/semiotic landscape of Dubai Mall ‘Chinatown’. This study highlights that both linguistic (Chinese characters) and non-linguistic elements (e.g. red colour and neon lights) are strategically combined as meaning-making resources to give the area authenticity and a unique image and identity. Conceptually, this ‘Chinatown’ is theorised as a case of ‘translation’ and cultural (re)contextualisation, where cultural elements from a far-away land are localised/recontextualised to adopt new social meanings. This study contributes to scholarship in sociolinguistics and applied linguistics, especially in commodified man-made spaces in transnational urban zones in our globalised world.

Epidemiology and genetic diversity of bocavirus in wild rodents in urban areas of Guangzhou, Southern China

Members of the genus Bocaparvovirus have a significant impact on human health and can infect a wide range of hosts, increasing the likelihood of crossing species barriers. Among the various mammalian hosts, rodents are widely recognized as important reservoirs for emerging and zoonotic viruses. However, despite recent reports of bocavirus infections in rodents, our current understanding of rat bocavirus (RBoV) genetic diversity and evolution is limited. In this study, rodent samples were collected from the urban areas of Guangzhou city, Southern China, to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of RBoV. Through PCR-based screening of 296 rodent spleens, 54 samples were determined to be positive for RBoV infection, and 12 nearly complete genome sequences of RBoV were recovered. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct lineages and sub-lineages of RBoV, and six recombination events with strong statistical support were identified, with five of these events involving sequences obtained from this study. These results highlight the genetic diversity of RBoV circulating in rodents in Guangzhou city and emphasize the importance of extensive surveillance to gain a better understanding of RBoV epidemiology, evolutionary characteristics, and potential for cross-species transmission.

Identification of surface thermal environment differentiation and driving factors in urban functional zones based on multisource data: a case study of Lanzhou, China

Identification of surface thermal environment differentiation and driving factors in urban functional zones based on multisource data: a case study of Lanzhou, China

Impact on the Mental Health of Children Aged 8-13, Differentiating Between Children with or Without Green Space in Selected Areas of Pune City

This research explores the intricate relationship between green spaces and the mental well-being of children aged 8-13 in the context of global urbanization, with a focus on selected areas in Pune city. The study employs a comparative descriptive design to differentiate between children with and without access to green spaces. Findings indicate a significant difference in mental well-being based on the presence or absence of green spaces. Implications underscore the importance of urban planning integrating green spaces, promoting outdoor education, and raising community awareness. The study advocates for public health initiatives, safety measures, and a balanced approach to technology and outdoor play. The long-term impact on public health, support for green initiatives, and interdisciplinary collaboration are discussed, urging policymakers to consider green spaces in global urbanization plans.

Spatial distribution of air pollutants in different urban functional zones based on mobile monitoring and CFD simulation

Spatial distribution of air pollutants in different urban functional zones based on mobile monitoring and CFD simulation