Features Of Physical Environment Research Articles

Integrating street view imagery and taxi trajectory for identifying urban function of street space

ABSTRACT Street space is a crucial component of public space, serving as a site for a variety of human activities. However, prior studies have primarily focused on the traffic function of street space, neglecting other functional types, such as residential and commercial. To address this gap, this study proposes a classification method for street space by integrating taxi trajectory and street view imagery. The dynamic travel features of the residents are extracted from taxi trajectory data and the multi-level physical environment features of the streets are constructed based on street view imagery data. Then, the street space with same urban functions is assigned to the same cluster based on the dynamic travel features of the residents, the multi-level physical environment features of streets and K-means method. The proposed method is empirically applied to the Futian District of Shenzhen to demonstrate its validity, and the street space is successfully classified into five types, namely public, traffic, commercial, residential, and mixed commercial and residential. This work contributes to the evaluation of street space quality, facilitating scientific planning and efficient governance of street space.

Physical working environments: how they affect our wellbeing and performance

The surroundings in which employees spend their working lives are an important source of job satisfaction, and have an impact on work motivation and patterns of interaction with others. On the other hand, they can be as much of a source of pressure as a heavy workload, poor work‐life balance or significant organisational change. This article provides an overview of the impact of elements of the physical working environment on staff wellbeing, including the building design, workspace, materials, furniture, lighting, temperature, noise and how much control the team have over their work environment. These factors need to be considered to ensure that the physical characteristics of the veterinary environment do not have a negative effect on engagement, productivity and wellbeing, but instead promote job satisfaction, improved performance and team cohesiveness.

Exploring emotions in relation to neighborhood environmental characteristics among older adults with low socioeconomic position: A qualitative study using walk-along interviews

Cities are challenged to provide older adults with high-quality neighborhoods that foster their mental health. Older adults with low socioeconomic position (SEP) are at risk for poor mental health, but research in this group is scarce. The neighborhood may have an impact on older adults' mental health through the elicitation of emotions. Qualitative on-site research can provide detailed and context-sensitive information on the experienced emotions. The aim of this walk-along study was to identify which emotions older adults with low SEP experience when they walk in their neighborhood and the physical and social neighborhood environmental characteristics that influence these emotions. Twenty-four older adults with low SEP were interviewed and content analysis was performed using NVivo 12 software. Participants experienced various positive emotions (e.g., calmness) in green and blue spaces, spaces with historical buildings, and open spaces. They experienced negative emotions (e.g., frustration) in spaces with heavy traffic and crime, paths with uneven surfaces, and areas with a lack of services, infrastructure and maintenance. The presence of public transport, renovations, graffiti, and cultural diversity evoked mixed emotions. Insights from this study could be used to develop specific hypotheses in quantitative studies and by urban planners and policy makers when (re-)designing neighborhoods.

ENHANCEMENT OF UNDERWATER IMAGES WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract. Camera systems using optical sensors have made great progress in recent years in obtaining underwater images. Very high-resolution images can be obtained with underwater cameras. However, it becomes difficult to process the image obtained due to many distorting factors such as inhomogeneous underwater lighting, low contrast, blur, sea snow. For this purpose, image enhancement algorithms are used to minimise the problems in the captured images. The physical characteristics of the underwater environment cause degradation effects that are not found in normal images captured in air. Due to the effects such as colour distortion, low contrast and brightness, blurred details in images captured in this type of environment, the usage area of these images is very limited. This project aims to use artificial intelligence methods for colour enhancement of underwater images. In addition, one of the main objectives of the project is to examine the effect of colour enhancement applied to images on other areas of use. Within the scope of the project, An Underwater Image Enhancement Benchmark Dataset and Beyond Dataset and Large Scale Underwater Image Dataset datasets were used. In our study, U-Shape Transformer architecture and Pix2Pix architecture were tested for their usability for image enhancement. According to the results obtained, Pix2Pix architecture achieved the highest accuracy. Accuracy results were obtained as 22.5884 and 0.8764 for PSNR and SSIM, respectively using UIEB dataset. The accuracy values for LSUI dataset are 25.1010 and 0.8440 for PSNR and SSIM, respectively.

Physical Environment Characteristics With The Presebce Of Aedes Larvae At The Ummul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School Makassar, Indonesia

Objective:  The research aimed to know characteristics of the physical environment with the presence of Aedes larvae at the Ummul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School in Makassar City.   Methods: The type of research used is descriptive, the sample number is 33 containers with exhaustive sampling as a sampling technique. The research instrument used was an observation sheet with univariate analysis using SPSS and Excel program. The study was conducted in June 2022 at the Ummul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School.   Results: A total of 33 containers were found at the study site, 31 (93.9%) containers were not found to have larvae (negative) and 2 (6.1%) containers were positive for Aedes larvae. Plastic container base material with 100% presentation. There are 24 (72.7%) containers were water reservoir (TPA) and 9 (27,3%) containers were non-water reservoir, 27 (81,8%) containers were located indoor and 6 (18,2%) containers were located outdoor.   Conclusions: The larva-free dormitory program by the school health post (poskestren) should be continued and if possible the frequency of activities is increased, as well as toilets that are rarely used and in dark conditions are still considered because they have the potential to be Aedes larva breeding place.   Research Implications: Such findings are expected to be a source of information for the community, especially the teachers and students of the Ummul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School regarding the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the mosquito breeding environment, especially regarding the presence of Aedes larvae and efforts to prevent dengue incidents. And can be an information material for the Makassar City Health Office, especially in overcoming dengue problems and can be a source of reference and comparison for further research.   Originality / value: This study discusses some characteristics of water reservoirs (containers) that have the potential to become breeding sites for Aedes larvae, as one of the references in efforts to eradicate Aedes mosquito nests as vectors for dengue fever transmission.

Investigating the diurnal effects of on-street population and streetscape physical environment on street theft crime: A machine learning and negative binomial regression approach using street view images

Street theft crime remains a significant public safety concern in China and a central focus of urban crime prevention initiatives. Recent studies have combined street view images and deep learning networks to detect on-street population and streetscape physical environment features, highlighting their significance in comprehending the occurrence of street crime. However, the question of whether on-street population better represents the ‘true risk population of street crime’ compared to previous static (residential) and dynamic (ambient) measures, and whether this advantage persists across different times of the day, remains unexplored. Additionally, the association between streetscape physical environment features and street theft crime, as established in the existing literature, has not been thoroughly examined with respect to temporal variations throughout the day. To address these gaps, this study employed a machine learning model and a simultaneous negative binomial regression model to explore the influence of on-street population and streetscape physical environment on street theft counts. Specifically, we assessed whether their effects exhibit noticeable variations between day and night. Furthermore, we controlled for potential effects of crime attractors, generators, and sociodemographic variables. Our findings demonstrate, firstly, that on-street population extracted from street view images outperforms other measures in assessing the risk population for street theft due to its superior ability to indicate outdoor activities. Moreover, this advantage of on-street population holds true during both daytime and nighttime hours. Secondly, differences in the impact of streetscape physical environment variables and control variables on street theft counts are observed across daytime and nighttime hours. On-street population proves to be a promising alternative for measuring the risk population of street crime victimization, and temporal variations should not be overlooked in future research endeavors.

Effectiveness of Heatwave Emergency Alert Messages through Analysis of Floating Population

Heatwave emergency alert messages (EAM) not only provide objective information on heatwave occurrences but also include behavioral guidelines, such as avoiding outdoor activities or going out to respond to heatwaves and minimize damage. To investigate the EAM's effectiveness, we analyzed the changes in the floating population during 2021 using Seoul dong-unit and hourly location-based mobile big data. We also examined what socioeconomic and physical environmental characteristics could cause differences in the effectiveness, focusing on the fact that EAM may have different effects depending on regional factors. The findings revealed a notable reduction in the overall floating population of Seoul, ranging from 0.1 to 3.4%. When examined by region, an average decrease of 2.4 to 5.6% was observed, indicating the different effects of EAM by region. Further analysis of regional characteristics highlighted that areas with low EAM effectiveness were characterized by a lower ratio of senior residents, higher employment concentration, and higher accessibility to public transportation. Additionally, the number of household members, gender distribution, average age, and presence of green spaces can contribute to the gap in the effectiveness of EAM between regions.

Restoration Effect Through VR Soundscape and Traditional Music Contents Experience

It was conducted to verify the psychophysiological restoration effect caused by the experience of the so-called Gugak soundscape, which is a combination of Korean natural VR soundscape contents and Korean traditional music, Gugak. Visual stimulation was provided through the VR CAVE environment, and auditory stimulation was provided through 4-channel microphone recording and closed type headphones for immersive and practical experience. The subjects experienced the content in a comfortable capsule-shaped chair, and experienced the content three times a week for 6 weeks, each time for 15 minutes. Psychological and physiological responses were measured before and after the experience in the 1st and 6th weeks and 4 weeks after all experiences. Through this, subjective evaluation scores such as mental health status and satisfaction, physiological response such as HRV and EEG data were collected. The correlation among physical characteristics of the soundscape environment, subjective evaluation and physiological response was investigated, and through the parameters related to restoration, statistical verification of the effect of the experience was conducted. The psychophysiological restoration effect and the persistence of the effect were investigated according to the long-term experience for 6 weeks.

Physical Environment, Socio-Psychological Health, and Residential Satisfaction: A Link across Housing Types in the Unique Chinese Context

Housing plays a critical role in health and has real consequences on people’s wellbeing. Numerous studies have provided extensive insights into the housing–health–wellbeing association. However, in the Chinese context, the unique housing allocation system with institutional force may present a distinct picture from that based on international knowledge. Using sample data from housing surveys, this study employs statistical analysis and the Tobit model to explore the links between the physical environment, socio-psychological dispositions, and residential satisfaction at the neighborhood level across different housing types in the unique Chinese context. The analyses reveal that (1) residents’ socio-psychological dispositions and residential satisfaction vary remarkably across different housing types, with residents in replacement housing experiencing particularly low levels of residential satisfaction, presenting a regionalization trend; (2) housing types appear to have a significant effect on socio-psychological dispositions; and (3) physical environment characteristics in conjunction with socio-psychological dispositions significantly affect residential satisfaction. These findings suggest that social housing development should integrate socio-psychological initiatives with physical environment improvement, particularly for disadvantaged groups in public and replacement housing, to achieve more livable communities with better residential satisfaction and higher social resiliency and sustainability.

Integrating perceived physical environments and the theory of planned behaviors when explaining adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines in Chinese adolescents.

Most adolescents worldwide do not meet 24-h movement guidelines, which recommend specific level of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep for optimal health. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of understanding regarding how social cognitive and physical environmental factors influence adolescents' compliance with these guidelines. This prospective study aimed to examine the associations between perceived physical environments, constructs of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), habit strength, and adherence to 24-h movement guidelines in Chinese adolescents over a three-month period. A total of 629 Chinese adolescents (Mage  = 14.59 years, SD = 0.64) completed a set of questionnaires comprising perceived physical environmental characteristics, constructs of the TPB, habit strength, and 24-h movement behaviors at baseline and 3 months later. Data analysis was conducted using variance-based structural equation modeling. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control had a direct effect on intention and intention had a direct effect on number of the guidelines being met. Habit strength was a significant predictor of adherence to the guidelines, although its moderating effect on the intention-behavior relationship was not significant. Perceived neighborhood facility accessibility, school facility availability, and home physical activity equipment had significant indirect effects on intention through attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. However, constructs of the TPB did not serve as mediators in the relationship between perceived physical environments and the number of guidelines being met. This study offers preliminary evidence supporting the integration of perceived physical environments and the TPB in predicting adolescents' adherence to 24-h movement guidelines. Future research should consider using experimental study designs with rigorous measures of 24-h movement behaviors to establish causal relationships.

Using Street View Images to Examine the Impact of Built Environment on Street Property Crimes in the Old District of CA City, China

Property crimes on the street are common in cities, posing a certain threat to people’s daily life safety and social stability. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the characteristics and spatial patterns of street property crimes in the built environment to make cities safe. Based on environmental criminological theories, this study takes the MC old district in CA City as a case study and uses a negative binomial regression model to analyze the influencing factors of street property crimes in different periods. The results show the temporal and spatial differentiation in street property crimes. In terms of time, the number of crime cases presents the features of “three peaks and two troughs.” In terms of space, crime cases show spatial clustering patterns, mainly concentrated in the commercial and prosperous areas where the main roads of the city are located. During the whole day, openness, banks, bars, and restaurants have a significant positive effect on crime occurrence; closeness, police cameras, grocery stores, and distance to the nearest police patrol station had a significant negative effect on crime occurrence. There are two explanations for the positive and negative correlations of some environmental variables with a crime before dawn, daytime, and nighttime. This study explored the spatial-temporal distribution and factors that influence the old district street property crimes by extracting physical environmental characteristics from street view images using deep learning algorithms and providing a reference base for police departments to prevent and combat crime.

Physical environment features that predict outdoor active play can be measured using Google Street View images

BackgroundChildrens’ outdoor active play is an important part of their development. Play behaviour can be predicted by a variety of physical and social environmental features. Some of these features are difficult to measure with traditional data sources.MethodsThis study investigated the viability of a machine learning method using Google Street View images for measurement of these environmental features. Models to measure natural features, pedestrian traffic, vehicle traffic, bicycle traffic, traffic signals, and sidewalks were developed in one city and tested in another.ResultsThe models performed well for features that are time invariant, but poorly for features that change over time, especially when tested outside of the context where they were initially trained.ConclusionThis method provides a potential automated data source for the development of prediction models for a variety of physical and social environment features using publicly accessible street view images.

Associations of neighbourhood environmental attributes and socio-economic status with health-related quality of life in urban mid-aged and older adults: Mediation by physical activity and sedentary behaviour

This study examined the associations of objectively assessed physical features of the neighbourhood environment with physical and mental aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by the SF-36, and the roles of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in these associations. We used data from a national sample of Australian mid-aged and older adults living in urban areas (N = 4141). Environmental attributes were computed for 1-km-radius areas surrounding participants' residential addresses. Neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) and average annual concentrations of PM2.5 were the only attributes related to HRQoL in the expected direction in the total- and direct-effect regression models. All other environmental attributes were related to HRQoL via physical activity behaviours and leisure-time sitting. The associations of most environmental features with HRQoL mediated by physical activity and sedentary behaviours were inconsistent, positive through some pathways and negative through others. This study suggests that neighbourhood SES may in part benefit HRQoL by helping promote an active lifestyle. Neighbourhood attributes defining walkability may benefit HRQoL by providing opportunities for walking and resistance training and, through these, by helping reduce leisure-time sitting. However, the same attributes also may limit opportunities for household activities and gardening and negatively impact on HRQoL through these pathways.

Birth environment interventions and outcomes: A scoping review.

The physical environments in which women give birth can contribute positively to meeting both physiologic and psychosocial needs during labor. Most studies on the labor and delivery processes have focused on mitigating pain and providing psychological support. Fewer have explored the influence of the physical birth environment. In this study, we performed a scoping review to compile and examine qualitative and quantitative studies related to the characteristics of physical birth environments and their effects on labor outcomes. We searched the PubMed, CINHAL, Cochrane, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases from inception to May 2022. A total of 13 studies met the criteria for inclusion in our review. Two reviewers screened the titles and full-text articles and extracted data from the included studies. We used summary statistics and narrative summaries to describe the study characteristics, intervention implementation guidelines, intervention selection and tailoring rationale, and intervention effects. In previous research, several elements of birth environments have been shown to provide physical and psychological support to birthing people and to improve outcomes related to the experience of care and pain management. We identified five main themes in the included studies: (1) "hominess;" (2) whether spaces are comfortable for activity; (3) demedicalization of the birth environment; (4) accommodations for birth partners; and (5) providing women with a sense of control over their birth environment. Birth environments should be designed to promote positive birthing experiences, both physiologically and psychologically. Facilities and those who manage them can improve the experiences and outcomes of service users by modifying or designing spaces that are "homey," comfortable for activity, demedicalized, and include natural elements. In addition, policies that allow the birthing person to control her own environment are key to promoting positive outcomes and satisfaction with the birth experience.

Yaşlı Kullanıcılar İçin Yerinde Yaşlanması Destekleyen Konutlarda İç Mekân

One of the effective factors in enabling individuals to age in place and to spend their old age periods more actively and with better quality is the physical environmental characteristics of the dwelling and its immediate surroundings. In this study, which is based on the assertion that individuals prefer to live in their own homes in old age, it is aimed to determine the features that should be carried by the houses that will support the aging in place of elderly individuals and to reveal the design principles. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 70 elderly users aged 65 and over in their residences. General frequency distributions and chi-square test analyses of the obtained data were performed in SPSS statistical program and descriptive content analysis was performed on open-ended questions and the data were examined with the comparison tables created. Then, all the data obtained from the field study are evaluated together with the literature information and the principles that should be considered in the renovation of the houses for the use of elderly users in line with the new needs are presented. With the design principles presented, it is envisaged that elderly users will continue their lives in a better quality and active way in their residences by extending the time they can be self-sufficient. This work was supported by Office of Scientific Research Projects of Karadeniz Technical University. Project number: FYL-2020-8518.

Mapping, trends, and factors associated with anemia among children aged under 5 y in East Africa

Child anemia is a severe public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. Identifying anemia change over time, its spatial heterogeneity, and the influencing factors is critical to monitoring and prioritizing successful interventions.This analysis uses nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys administrated in 11 East African countries, which included 149 864 children. Trend analysis, interpolation, and Kulldorff scan statistics were used. Trend and hotspot areas were identified and multilevel (three-level) ordinal logistic regression analyzed.More than half of the children in East Africa suffer from anemia. In all but two countries, the prevalence of child anemia was considered a severe public health problem; no country had an anemia prevalence < 35%. Anemia reduction efforts and the prevalence of anemia exhibit fluctuations over time in East African countries. Zimbabwe has shown a more consistent reduction in all forms of anemia. Most countries have experienced a significant reduction in the severe form of anemia in recent years. Community-based spatial analysis indicates that child anemia is heterogeneous within and between countries. Many communities are experiencing a high prevalence of anemia among children, with a maximum of four of five and a minimum one of five of their children infected by any anemia. Nutrition, genetic hemoglobin disorders, physical environment, poverty, and maternal and community characteristics influence child anemia.Multisectorial interventions that improve maternal and child nutrition are needed. These analyses support the design and prioritization of interventions in high-risk areas and communities.

Pedestrian visual satisfaction and dissatisfaction toward physical components of the walking environment based on types, characteristics, and combinations

An uncomfortable urban environment negatively affects residents' physical and mental health. Creating a high-quality walking environment is increasingly acknowledged as an essential component of promoting walking to improve people's health. Configuring key physical aspects of the walking environment to be more appealing satisfies the needs of pedestrians and encourages walking. However, pedestrians' satisfaction or dissatisfaction, which may vary according to the characteristics and combinations of environmental and landscape components, have rarely been investigated at the detailed street level. This study investigates pedestrians' satisfaction and dissatisfaction with physical environmental components, including types, characteristics, and combinations. This study surveyed 810 pedestrians regarding their visual preferences among 200 walking environment images to identify satisfying and dissatisfying components (i.e., satisfiers and dissatisfiers). Results indicate that, depending on their characteristics, some components can act as either satisfiers (e.g., wood and steel) or dissatisfiers (e.g., plastic). The effects of combinations of components can also be synergistic or antagonistic rather than merely additive, with either positive (e.g., adjacent road with wooden fences) or negative (e.g., adjacent road with curved path) combined impacts. This study informs the creation of a more satisfactory walking environment at the street level by guiding landscape planning, including the addition, removal, and modification of physical environmental components, ultimately contributing to an increase in urban residents' walking activity.

Foraging movements of humpback whales relate to the lateral and vertical distribution of capelin in the Barents Sea

Understanding how individual animals modulate their behaviour and movement patterns in response to environmental variability plays a central role in behavioural ecology. Marine mammal tracking studies typically use physical environmental characteristics that vary, and/or proxies of prey distribution, to explain predator movements. Studies linking predator movements and the actual distributions of prey are rare. Here we analysed satellite tag data from ten humpback whales in the Barents Sea (north-east Atlantic) to examine how their spatial movement and dive patterns are influenced by the geographic and vertical distribution of capelin, which is a key prey species for humpback whales. We used capelin density estimates based on direct observations from a trawl-acoustic survey and sun elevation to explore the drivers of changes in movement patterns. We found that the humpback whales’ exhibited characteristic area restricted search movement where capelin density was the highest. While horizontal movements showed both positive and negative individual relationships with sun elevation, humpback whale dive depth was positively correlated with diurnal variations in the vertical distribution of capelin. This suggests that in addition to whales foraging in regions of high capelin density, they also target the densest shoals of capelin at a range of depths, throughout the day and night. Overall, our findings suggest that regions of high capelin density are important foraging grounds for humpback whales, highlighting the central role capelin plays in the Barents Sea marine ecosystem.

Metal and metallothionein concentrations in mesozooplankton from an oligotrophic offshore area in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Cretan Passage/Levantine Sea)

Spatial variability of Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb and metallothionein (MT) concentrations were determined in mesozooplankton samples along the west-east axis of the Cretan Passage in the western Levantine Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Metal and MT values from the present study are proposed as background levels, due to the lack of substantial anthropogenic activities in the area, where only maritime traffic and atmospheric deposition could be potential sources. Higher concentrations, of both metals and MTs, were recorded mainly at the western stations indicating higher metal bioavailability than in the eastern part. An inverse relationship of the metal zooplankton levels with zooplankton biomass, abundance and vital rates (production, respiration and ingestion rates), as well as salinity, was evident. We discuss the hypothesis that physical and biological characteristics of the marine environment, affecting growth dynamics of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities, may also act on metal uptake in oligotrophic marine systems.

Ecosystem-Based Blue Growth: The Case of the Semi-Enclosed Embayment of the Inner NE Ionian Sea and Adjacent Gulfs

Ecosystem-based Blue Growth reflects the need to develop human activities taking place in the marine environment, under the scope of protecting marine ecosystems. To this end, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive identifies the specific ecological characteristics of a marine area, the human activities taking place in it and the main pressures induced thereof. The present work focuses on the semi-enclosed embayment of the Inner Ionian and adjacent gulfs (the Gulf of Corinth and the Gulf of Patras) in Western Greece, in order to present the type of environmental data and information required to be considered in the framework of ecosystem-based Blue Growth. Such data may include oceanographic and physical environmental features, biological and ecological distributions, areas of importance for species, communities, and habitats, along with spatial and temporal information regarding human activities and pressures caused. Data interpretation shows that future economic development in the study area should follow an ecosystem-based approach to maintain/achieve the Good Environmental Status and regulate existing and immerging anthropogenic activities within the framework of marine spatial planning.