Case Study Sites Research Articles

Feedback for Emergency Ambulance Staff: A National Review of Current Practice Informed by Realist Evaluation Methodology.

Research suggests that feedback in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) positively affects quality of care and professional development. However, the mechanisms by which feedback achieves its effects still need to be better understood across healthcare settings. This study aimed to understand how United Kingdom (UK) ambulance services provide feedback for EMS professionals and develop a programme theory of how feedback works within EMS, using a mixed-methods, realist evaluation framework. A national cross-sectional survey was conducted to identify feedback initiatives in UK ambulance services, followed by four in-depth case studies involving qualitative interviews and documentary analysis. We used qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics to analyse survey responses from 40 prehospital feedback initiatives, alongside retroductive analysis of 17 interviews and six documents from case study sites. Feedback initiatives mainly provided individual patient outcome feedback through "pull" initiatives triggered by staff requests. Challenges related to information governance were identified. Our programme theory of feedback to EMS professionals encompassed context (healthcare professional and organisational characteristics), mechanisms (feedback and implementation characteristics, psychological reasoning) and outcomes (implementation, staff and service outcomes). This study suggests that most UK ambulance services use a range of feedback initiatives and provides 24 empirically based testable hypotheses for future research.

Implications of Changing Urban Land Use on the Livelihoods of Local People in Northwestern Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the emerging economies in the Global South, and rapid urbanization is the driving force behind its economic development. Urban growth and development are closely associated with land use/land cover changes in any area, which sometimes negatively affect the livelihood and wellbeing of local people. We investigated the impacts of urban land use changes on the local people of northwestern Bangladesh using Nilphamari Sadar as a case study site. In order to identify land use patterns and variations in land cover, a 10-year period of land use/land cover changes from 2000 to 2020 was monitored using satellite imagery and the supervised classification method. Primary data were collected through household surveys and focus group discussions. Our analysis suggests that land use has changed over the past 20 years in the study area. As a result, the land area under settlements has substantially increased from 19 square kilometers in 2000 to 48 square kilometers in 2020. Waterbodies were 24 square kilometers in 2010, dropping to 4 square kilometers in 2020, whereas croplands decreased to 218 square kilometers in 2020 from 259 square kilometers in 2000. These changes have proportionately and adversely affected the lives and livelihoods of the local people by altering their longstanding traditional livelihood options, limiting their access to common resources, failing to adapt to new environmental arrangements and economic structures, and creating new forms of vulnerability. We suggest that urban planning processes should consider local people’s interests with the entitlement of local and marginalized people to the benefits generated by urbanization.

The evolution of spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors of high-level tourist attractions in the Yellow River Basin

Introduction: High-level tourist attractions (HLTAs) are essential components of high-quality tourism development in the Yellow River Basin. In the context of holistic tourism and mass tourism, it is necessary to re-examine the spatial pattern of HLTAs.Methods: Selecting the Qing–Gan–Ning region of the Yellow River Basin as a case study site, based on the data on 590 high-level tourist attractions in 2009, 2015, and 2021, and with the help of ArcGIS10.8 spatial analysis tools, the nearest neighbor index, kernel density analysis, and standard deviation ellipse methods, such as ellipse and ESDA spatial exploratory analysis, were used to analyze the spatiotemporal pattern of the spatial distribution of high-level tourist attractions in the study area from the aspects of type, density, and spatial autocorrelation. Overlay analysis, buffer analysis, and other methods were used to select the influencing factors, and finally, the influencing factors were verified with the help of GeoDetector.Conclusions: The conclusions are as follows: the NNI values for the Qing–Gan–Ning area of the Yellow River Basin are 0.699, 0.7, and 0.618, and the spatial structure type was clustered. The distribution density showed an evolutionary trend of point-like agglomeration and linear expansion, with the provincial capital as the core and the Yellow River as the axis. The distribution density of high-level tourist attractions is 27, 44, and 74 per 10,000 km2. In terms of the dynamic distribution direction of the center of mass, there was little interannual variation, showing a northeast–southwest direction, which is consistent with the flow direction of the Yellow River in the region. Furthermore, the analysis of Moran’s I index showed clear spatial autocorrelation at the county scale. HLTAs exhibited clustering and wider distribution in H–H and L–L zones, while the L–H and H–L zones displayed a more dispersed and narrower distribution. The order of factors affecting the spatial distribution of HLTAs was economic factors (0.5257) > social factors (0.5235) > natural factors (0.491), and interactive detection showed that there were two-factor enhancements and nonlinear enhancements in the factors.Dicussions: This study contributes to the conservation development and sustainable development of ecotourism resources in the Yellow River Basin.

Valuing Nonuse Value of a National Forest Park with Consideration of the Local Residents’ Environmental Attitudes

Valuing the nonuse value of a national forest park (NFP) is critically important to obtain a better understanding of its total economic value, beyond focusing solely on the recreation value. This paper estimates the nonuse value of an NFP based on the relationship between the local public’s environmental attitudes and their willingness to pay (WTP). The data collected on the local residents’ environmental attitudes relied on the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP). Residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the national forest parkland protection was collected using the contingent valuation method (CVM). The nonuse value WTP was estimated using a bivariate dichotomous choice model. This model analyzed the relationship between the environmental attitude scores and WTP in order to estimate the nonuse value of the NFP of our case study site, Dalian Xijiao National Forest Park (DXNFP) in northeastern China. The results showed that DXNFP provides 20.26 CNY (3.02 USD) in nonuse value per household per year in Dalian city, which can then be translated into 140 CNY (21 USD) million annually in total.

Impacts of shrimp aquaculture on the local communities and conservation of the world’s largest protected mangrove forest

Mangrove forests are highly productive, biodiverse, and carbon-dense ecosystems that support the wellbeing of millions of people. Policies that seek to protect mangroves must, therefore, aim to ensure the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities. A clear example of this challenge is found in the Bangladesh Sundarbans—the world’s largest protected mangrove. The Sundarbans faces several anthropogenic challenges, including overharvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and expansion of shrimp aquaculture. Several initiatives have aimed to protect the diversity and extent of the Sundarbans, but little is known about the impacts of the shrimp industry on its forest-dependent communities. This study used a mixed-methods research approach to assess the: a) trends in economic, social, and environmental policy and legislative measures in Bangladesh from 1980 to 2020; b) areal expansion of shrimp aquaculture in a case study site, the Village Kalinchi, since 1980; and c) socio-economic profile of local community members. Despite recent governance trends aimed at simultaneously promoting economic, social, and environmental outcomes, approximately 91% of the agricultural lands in Village Kalinchi have been flooded to expand shrimp aquaculture. Income data shows that a small number of shrimp farm owners earn – on average – 22, 14 and 4 times more annual income than that of shrimp farm labourers, agricultural workers, and NTFP collectors, respectively. The combined loss of agricultural land and income disparity has created conditions that promote NTFPs overharvesting from the Sundarbans. Policy and legislative measures must address the shrimp industry’s impacts on local communities to reduce resource overharvesting and promote mangrove conservation.

Methodological innovations within the RAWES framework for use in development scenarios.

Built development changes the nature of land and its ecosystems, with diverse ramifications for human well-being and the resilience of the socioecological system. Robust and replicable approaches are required to assess ecosystem services generated by sites both predevelopment and for evaluation of postdevelopment options, to assess change and to support a paradigm shift from a "do less harm" to a "regenerative" approach. The Rapid Assessment of Wetland Ecosystem Services (RAWES) approach provides an internationally recognized methodology for systemic assessment of the ecosystem services generated by a site, taking account of all ecosystem services and service categories across multiple spatial scales. The RAWES assessments of constituent ecosystem services can be combined into Ecosystem Service Index scores. This article outlines innovations in RAWES methods to assess changes in ecosystem services likely to result from differing development scenarios in the context of a case study site in eastern England. These adaptations of the RAWES approach include revised methods for the analysis of ecosystem service beneficiaries across multiple spatial scales, the establishment of a common baseline against which to compare likely ecosystem service outcomes under a range of development scenarios, and a standardized method for accounting for supporting services through their contributions to other more directly exploited services. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:189-200. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

A qualitative study of the experiences of nurses working in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for future practice.

General practice experienced significant challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been little exploration of the experiences of nurses working in general practice and the impact on care delivery, job satisfaction, workload, stress and professional support. Understanding these experiences can inform future practice. To explore how nurses working in general practices in England experienced delivering care during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate the impact of working practices on professional wellbeing. Qualitative design incorporating three case study sites in the north of England plus semi-structured interviews with nurses working in general practice across England and national nurse leaders (participants n = 40). The study was funded by the General Nursing Council Trust. Five interconnected themes were generated: 1) the challenge of change; 2) the space to nurse; 3) professional identity, value, and visibility; 4) layers of wellbeing, stress, and burnout; and 5) challenges and opportunities for retention. The pandemic exacerbated many challenges for nurses working in general practice. To address their needs post pandemic, key factors include: nurse involvement in key decision-making at senior levels; recognition of value of nurses working in general practice; equal access to opportunities to work differently; strategic attention to recruitment and retention; action from employers and professional associations to support nurses' wellbeing; and adaptation of HEI teaching to reflect new and hybrid ways of working. The pandemic has laid bare challenges faced by nurses in general practice. Nurses require specific support to maintain professional wellbeing and to aid retention.

Creative (en)counterspaces: Engineering valuable contact for young refugees via solidarity arts workshops in Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract This article explores the role of non-formal arts education in Thessaloniki, Greece for fostering contact considered valuable by the young refugee community. Drawing on accounts of their daily life, gathered over eight months of ethnographic fieldwork for a project on their post-15 educational participation, the article details how around the city, young refugees (aged 15–25 years) experience conflicted encounters involving both hostility and solidarity. While this hostility impacts their aspirations, self-image, and feelings of inclusion, a large solidarity movement attempts to counteract these challenges by offering educational activities for ‘inclusion’ such as arts workshops in temporary spaces. These offers were popular among youth in the study, as they constituted a welcoming opportunity for building social connections, language skills, and self-confidence—outcomes that extended beyond the physical space of the workshops. As such, they functioned as valuable, creative ‘(en)counterspaces’. Based on observations from one case study site, this article unpacks the key processes that promoted these valued outcomes—including collaboration, mediation, and informal contact—as well as the role played by arts materials and arts-making practices in these processes. This article also offers key considerations for designing similar activities, such as being sensitive to inclusivity and power relations. It aims to build on the literature on both ‘counterspaces’ and ‘encounters’ by documenting the outcomes young refugees value from contact in these sites of solidarity, and how and why they proactively seek them out; as well as analysing the other actors and specific activities involved in them.

Building a Practical Multi-Sensor Platform for Monitoring Vessel Activity near Marine Protected Areas: Case Studies from Urban and Remote Locations

Monitoring vessel activity is an important part of managing marine protected areas (MPAs), but small-scale fishing and recreational vessels that do not participate in cooperative vessel traffic systems require additional monitoring strategies. Marine Monitor (M2) is a shore-based, multi-sensor platform that integrates commercially available hardware, primarily X-band marine radar and optical cameras, with custom software to autonomously track and report on vessel activity regardless of participation in other tracking systems. By utilizing established commercial hardware, the radar system is appropriate for supporting the management of coastal, small-scale MPAs. Data collected in the field are transferred to the cloud to provide a continuous record of activity and identify prohibited activities in real-time using behavior characteristics. To support the needs of MPA managers, both hardware and software improvements have been made over time, including ruggedizing equipment for the marine environment and powering systems in remote locations. Case studies are presented comparing data collection by both radar and the Automatic Identification System (AIS) in urban and remote locations. At the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve near San Diego, CA, USA, 93% of vessel activity (defined as the cumulative time vessels spent in the MPA) was identified exclusively by radar from November 2022 through January 2023. At the Caye Bokel Conservation Area, within the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve offshore of Belize, 98% was identified exclusively by radar from April through October 2022. Spatial and temporal patterns of radar-detected and AIS activity also differed at both sites. These case study site results together demonstrate the common and persistent presence of small-scale vessel activity near coastal MPAs that is not documented by cooperative systems. Therefore, an integrated radar system can be a useful tool for independent monitoring, supporting a comprehensive understanding of vessel activity in a variety of areas.

Estimation of hydraulic conductivity in a watershed using sparse multi-source data via Gaussian process regression and Bayesian experimental design

Enhanced water management systems depend on accurate estimation of subsurface hydraulic properties. However, geologic formations can vary significantly, so information from a single source (e.g., widely spaced boreholes) is insufficient in characterizing subsurface aquifer properties. Therefore, multiple sources of information are needed to complement the hydrogeology understanding of a region. This study presents a numerical framework in which information from different measurement sources is combined to characterize the 3D random field in a multi-fidelity prediction model. Coupled with the model, a Bayesian experimental design was used to determine the best future sampling locations. The Upper Sangamon watershed in east-central Illinois was selected as the case study site, where the multi-fidelity Gaussian process model was used to estimate the hydraulic conductivity in the region of interest. Multi-source observation data were obtained from electrical resistivity and borehole pumping tests. The accuracy of the model prediction is dependent on the locations and the distribution of both high- and low-fidelity data. Furthermore, the multi-fidelity model was compared with the single-fidelity model. The uncertainties and confidence in the measurements and parameter estimates were quantified and used to design future cycles of data collection to further improve the confidence intervals.

Protecting the built environment in a barrier beach and marsh system: A case study of the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary, New Hampshire

Many barrier beaches in the U.S. are areas of high socioeconomic activity that some stakeholders want to maintain despite being increasingly vulnerable to tidal and storm surge coastal flooding due to climate change and associated sea level rise (SLR). Here we examine how this can be accomplished using a hybrid of nature-based solutions and grey infrastructure under present and short-term future climates. Our case study site of the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary in New Hampshire has a barrier beach that is densely developed with residential, tourist, and commercial facilities and buildings; it is a major economic engine for the state. It also has extensive back-barrier tidal wetlands. Given the few options available for flood protection with present land uses, it was found that at least in the short term primarily gray approaches would have to be used to maintain the socioeconomic activities of this barrier beach system, such as elevating key roads and fortifying (but greening) existing seawalls. In some locations, however, dune maintenance programs could be expanded, and in other locations living shorelines could be constructed to increase resilience to storm flooding. In addition, many assets would have to rely upon purely site-specific protection measures such as elevating and flood proofing. Socioeconomically vulnerable residents would be afforded some benefits due to the built environment and anchor institutions being protected, but the costs of flood-proofing individual homes (or choosing to relocate) would likely be borne by individual homeowners. Adding public greenspace and walkable areas may afford the greatest health benefits to people in lower socioeconomic groups who typically have the least access. The reduction in flood risk can be accomplished with minimal environmental impacts compared to those the region will face from SLR alone. In the longer term, more consideration may need to be given to the concept of managed retreat. Unfortunately, the environmental benefits of retreat would not be recognized if short-term gray actions were successfully implemented.

The attitude of students and teachers towards MOOC usage for their academic and professional development: A comparative study of two case study sites

The massive open online course (MOOC) and online learning concepts have received a lot of attention from educational stakeholders all around the world as a result of COVID-19. Initial studies demonstrated that people may use MOOCs as a tool for academic and professional advancement. This micro-study was conducted at two adjacent national higher educational institutions (HEIs) in India as case study sites (CSS) to learn more about the attitude of the students and faculties there. The research strategy used for the study was a mixed-method approach. To collect data, a tool that was created by the researchers was used. There was a type of atypical relationship between the institutions and the professionals. Comparing CSS2 students and CSS1 teachers to their peers from other institutions, it was discovered that they both displayed more optimistic attitude. The attitude of all four groups were discovered to be favorable. The study served as an example of some educational ramifications in the neighborhoods.
 Received: 9 June 2022Accepted: 15 April 2023

Contribution of seagrass productivity to waste treatment in a highly oligotrophic urbanised coast

Seagrass inhabit a large proportion of the world’s coastal waters, but these waters are used as a sink for vast loads of nitrogen pollution from many sources. Seagrass assimilate nitrogen, an essential nutrient, for growth, some is stored in sinks, while a proportion is transformed and lost from the system. When anthropogenic nitrogen is discharged into coastal waters, seagrass (and other vegetated coastal ecosystems) will assimilate nitrogen and treat wastes providing a critical ecosystem service. However, nutrient over enrichment will result in degradation and eventually loss of seagrass habitats and loss of services.The monetary value of the waste treatment ecosystem service provided by Posidonia seagrass has been valued using Adelaide, South Australia as a case study site. Posidonia leaf nitrogen content was used to estimate the nitrogen assimilation capacity across the Adelaide coastal waters, a highly oligotrophic system. By establishing a Posidonia baseline measured nutrient requirement for the region, coupled with estimates of nitrogen retention and export, the study demonstrates that nitrogen assimilation above the baseline, can be considered waste treatment ecosystem service. This waste treatment has been valued with a replacement cost model using monetary values determined from nitrogen reduction technology from wastewater treatment plants, stormwater and industry. The Posidonia seagrass along Adelaide’s coast has the potential waste treatment value of $729 – 1784 per hectare per year for Posidonia seagrass depending on three different treatment scenarios tested. Importantly, this work shows that when seagrass area or density declines, the waste treatment value also declines.This method of calculating waste treatment service for seagrass can be applied for seagrass meadows throughout the world, but consideration of waste treatment needs to be closely coupled to a long term and comprehensive monitoring program to ensure that any discharges are sustainable for the seagrass meadows and do not result in irreversible impacts to biodiversity, ecosystem services and value to society.

'It is still coming from the centre and coming out': The material conditions adding to over-bureaucratised patient and public involvement for commissioning health and care in England.

To understand how materiality affects patient and public involvement (PPI) for commissioning and leading health and care services in the English National Health Service (NHS) context. From April 2013 groups of general practitioners (GPs) became members of NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to assess needs and procure core health services for and with local communities. Since July 2022, integrated care systems (ICSs) have subsumed this responsibility. NHS reorganisations have been driven by the promise of more effective and efficient health care and have led to a long history of PPI on economic, political, and moral grounds. Few studies researching PPI in clinical commissioning exist and fewer still have explored a more agentic understanding of materiality and its impact on PPI. A focused ethnography was used to examine PPI for clinical commissioning within two CCG case study sites in England. Three CCG Governing Body lay representatives, nine GP commissioners and seven service user representatives took part in focus groups and/or were interviewed. Fifteen nonparticipant observations were also carried out at CCG meetings and the associated materiality was examined. The materiality of activities involved in clinical commissioning influences and shapes the nature of PPI. These forms of materiality may dilute and subvert meaningful engagement and involvement that relies on trust, leadership, learning, and partnership working. System leaders in ICSs should consider the significance of materiality in centrally driven processes involved in PPI commissioning to reduce barriers and ensure meaningful partnerships within local communities. The study design ensured PPI throughout the research process in keeping with contemporary research practice guidance. The project steering committee included service users with current or recent PPI clinical commissioning experience outside of the study sites. There was PPI involvement in the original study proposal and its development including the bid for doctoral funds on which this study is based. All were involved in assessing the rigour of the data collection, interpretation of the findings and ensuring the project remained true to the aims of the study. Two members have also participated in presentation of the study findings.

Integrating GIS, Remote Sensing, and Citizen Science to Map Oak Decline Risk across the Daniel Boone National Forest

Oak decline is a general term used for the progressive dieback and eventual mortality of oak trees due to many compounding stressors, typically a combination of predisposing, inciting, and contributing factors. While pinpointing individual causes of decline in oak trees is a challenge, past studies have identified site and stand characteristics associated with oak decline. In this study, we developed a risk map of oak decline for the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF), combining GIS, remote sensing (RS), and public reporting (citizen science, CS). Starting with ground reports of decline (CS), we developed a site-scale model (GIS and RS) for oak decline based on four previously identified predisposing factors: elevation, slope, solar radiation, and topographic wetness. We found that areas identified in the model as having a high oak decline risk also reflected areas of observed oak decline (CS). We then optimized and expanded this risk model to the entire range of the DBNF, based on both site characteristics (as piloted for the case study site) and stand inventory data. The stand inventory data (including species composition and age) further improved the model, resulting in a risk map at the landscape level. This case study can serve as a planning tool and highlights the potential usefulness of integrating GIS, remote sensing, and citizen science.

Practical Tool for the Design and Cost Optimization of Permeable Pavements in the Planning Stage of Stormwater Management

To address issues created by increased stormwater runoff, there is growing interest in sustainable tools such as permeable pavement (PP), which is a green infrastructure (GI) practice. This paper outlines the development and application of a design tool called the “cost optimization tool for permeable pavements (COTPP).” This tool aims to help states, municipalities, and consultants design PPs using reliable hydrological and structural pavement design methods. The COTPP uses a cost optimization algorithm similar to a heuristic search that helps identify which combination of PPs, conventional pavement, and other GIs provides the most economic value. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using the tool, which consisted of designing the three main types of PP using varying design inputs and comparing the COTPP’s results to results from an existing design tool or guidelines. The average percent differences between the COTPP’s results and that of other methods were below 10% for the structural designs and around 15% for the hydrological designs. The differences were caused by the use of a safety factor in the hydrological design and other adjustments to design methods. It was concluded that the tool is reliable and can be confidently used by designers. The tool was then used for a representative case study site (PP parking lot) in which the actual design and cost estimates of on-site components were known. The COTPP was able to identify other design alternatives that helped reduce the actual construction cost of the existing parking lot from $305,918 to as low as $238,790.

The legacy of COVID-19 in dementia community support: ongoing impacts on the running of meeting centres

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption in community support for vulnerable older people and is thought to have exacerbated existing issues within UK adult social care. This study aims to examine the legacy of that disruption on how meeting centres for people affected by dementia have been impacted in continually evolving circumstances.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted at three meeting centre case study sites. Ninety-eight participants, including people living with dementia, family carers, staff, volunteers, trustees and external partners, were asked about the impact and legacy of the pandemic upon meeting centres. A thematic analysis was carried out on the data.FindingsTen themes were identified: ability to re-open venues; increased health decline and loss of members due to isolation; closure or halting of linking services and dementia community support; disruption to diagnosis and referrals; increase in outreach, building communities and overall reach; digital access and use of technology (boom and decline); changes to carer involvement and engagement; continued uncertainty and changes to funding, resources and governance; staff and volunteer recruitment issues; and relief at/wish for return to pre-pandemic norms.Originality/valueThis paper offers new insight into a still-developing situation, namely, the legacy effects of the pandemic upon third-sector community support for people affected by dementia and the health and social care services that support it. The reduction in maintenance of pandemic-era technological innovations is a key finding.

An exploration of hospital pharmacists' attitudes and opinions towards undertaking research.

This research aimed to explore the attitudes and opinions of hospital pharmacists to undertaking research to understand the drivers, drawbacks, barriers and enablers to engagement and explore the characteristics of research-active pharmacy departments. A qualitative approach was employed using case study methodology where interviews were undertaken with the chief pharmacist and a cohort of research-active pharmacists at four secondary care NHS Trusts. Each of the four case study sites had high levels of research activity among pharmacists and a model of support for them to undertake research. Research experience was identified as a significant driver, as was a pharmacy department having a research culture. Drawbacks identified related to the impact of research on service delivery, and the difficulty associated with backfilling posts with funding from grants. Lack of time, difficulty obtaining funding, lack of personal competence and research not being prioritised were identified as barriers to engagement, as were a lack of understanding and awareness of research and a lack of appreciation of its value. Key enablers included having time to conduct research and having access to individuals with research expertise. Research-active pharmacy departments all had a supportive chief pharmacist, a culture for research and mechanisms of support in place. To increase research engagement among pharmacists in the hospital sector, there needs to be cultural change at a professional level to drive engagement and give individuals the time and skills to be undertake research.

Probabilistic ecotoxicological risk assessment of heavy metal and rare earth element mixtures in aquatic biota using the DGT technique in coastal sediments

Heavy metals (HMs) are routine contaminants due to their extensive use worldwide. Rare earth elements (REEs) are emerging contaminants because of their global exploitation for use in the high-tech sector. Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) are an effective method for measuring the bioavailable component of pollutants. This study represents the first assessment of the mixture toxicity of HMs and REEs in aquatic biota using the DGT technique in sediments. Xincun Lagoon was chosen as the case study site because it has been contaminated by pollutants. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis reveals that a wide variety of pollutants (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, InHg, Co, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb) are primarily impacted by sediment characteristics. Appraisal of single HM-REE toxicity reveals that the risk quotient (RQ) values for Y, Yb and Ce notably exceeded 1, demonstrating that the adverse effects of these single HMs and REEs should not be ignored. The combined toxicity of HM-REE mixtures in terms of probabilistic ecological risk assessment shows that the Xincun surface sediments had a medium probability (31.29%) of toxic effects on aquatic biota.

The Adaptability of Cities to Climate Change: Evidence from Cities’ Redesign towards Mitigating the UHI Effect

The urban heat island effect can be studied through satellite imaging, field measurements, or analytical and numerical tools. However, the latter methods are considered more comprehensive due to the complexity of the built environment and the large quantity of data required for an adequate analysis. This study aims to investigate the extent to which specific urban bioclimatic design concepts and strategies affect the urban heat island intensity in Mediterranean semi-arid environmental conditions, classified as subtropical. The case study site chosen was Kaimakli, an urban district in Nicosia, Cyprus, known for high urban heat island intensities due to its location and rapid growth characterized by more impervious materials and less green vegetation. The analysis of the specific site considers parameters such as urban density, vegetation, soil sealing effect, building age and materials, land coverage ratio, and orientation. A design scenario consisting of three mitigation policies of different building types, heights, and vegetated types was developed and investigated. The study found that under semi-arid conditions, the use of extensive vegetation in an urban block of a 200 × 200 m² area and the reduction of the built area by about 10% resulted in an air temperature reduction of 1.5 °C during the summer solstice at 3:00 pm. These findings quantify the impact of specific urban heat island mitigation practices on decreasing the intensity of the effect under subtropical climatic conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of specific urban bioclimatic design concepts and strategies to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The use of extensive vegetation and a reduction in the built area have been shown to be effective in reducing air temperatures, which can have significant implications for public health, energy consumption, and overall urban sustainability.