Areas Of High Population Density Research Articles

Hydrologic controls on the accumulation of different sized microplastics in the streambed sediments downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (Catalonia, Spain)

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) act as a point source of microplastics (MPs) to freshwater ecosystems. Although MP abundance has been linked to high-density population areas, the mechanisms of how river hydrodynamics and particle size influence MP accumulation in streams are still largely unknown. This study investigated the spatial distribution of MPs within streambed sediments downstream of a WWTP effluent in Cànoves stream (Montseny, Catalonia) during baseflow conditions. MP concentrations from an upstream control site were compared to the WWTP bypass that added untreated wastewater at times when stream discharge exceeded capacity. The 450 m section investigated downstream of the WWTP consisted of three geomorphically altered sub-reaches interspersed between three unaltered buffer sub-reaches, each ∼75 m that provided a range in hydrologic conditions. Measurements of MP characteristics, hydrogeomorphic variables, and fine particles were simultaneously taken. MPs were quantified following the Nile red fluorescence method for large (>64 µm) and small (10–64 µm) particles. MPs in sediment samples downstream of the WWTP were mainly fragments with a higher abundance of small MPs (85 particles/g of sediment) vs large MPs (9 particles/g of sediment). While the abundance of large MPs in streambed sediments decreased with distance from the WWTP point source, the abundance of small MPs increased. Furthermore, the area of small MPs decreased with distance from the WWTP. MPs were most abundant at the WWTP bypass, suggesting these infrequent inputs during storm events represent an important source of MPs to the stream. Higher MP abundance coincided with increased organic matter content and smaller sediment grain sizes. Overall, our results present significant findings that could help explain differences in transport and accumulation patterns of MPs that influence their retention times in streambeds, suggesting a combination of preferential filtration in the streambed sediments, and fragmentation of larger particles.

Association Between Genetic Risk for Psychiatric Disorders and the Probability of Living in Urban Settings

Urban residence has been highlighted as an environmental risk factor for schizophrenia and, to a lesser extent, several other psychiatric disorders. However, few studies have explored genetic effects on the choice of residence. To investigate whether individuals with genetic predisposition to a range of psychiatric disorders have an increased likelihood to live in urban areas. A cross-sectional retrospective cohort study including genotypes, address history, and geographic distribution of population density in the UK based on census data from 1931-2011 was conducted. Polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses, genome-wide association studies, genetic correlation, and 2-sample mendelian randomization analyses were applied to 385 793 UK Biobank participants with self-reported or general practitioner registration-based address history. The study was conducted from February 2018 to May 2021, and data analysis was performed from April 2018 to May 2021. Population density of residence at different ages and movement during the life span between urban and rural environments. In this cohort study of 385 793 unrelated UK Biobank participants (207 963 [54%] were women; age, 37-73 years; mean [SD], 56.7 [8] years), PRS analyses showed significant associations with higher population density across adult life (age 25 to >65 years) reaching highest significance at the 45- to 55-year age group for schizophrenia (88 people/km2; 95% CI, 65-98 people/km2), bipolar disorder (44 people/km2; 95% CI, 34-54 people/km2), anorexia nervosa (36 people/km2; 95% CI, 22-50 people/km2), and autism spectrum disorder (35 people/km2; 95% CI, 25-45 people/km2). The schizophrenia PRS was also significantly associated with higher birthplace population density (37 people/km2; 95% CI, 19-55 people/km2; P = 8 × 10-5). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder PRS was significantly associated with reduced population density in adult life (-31 people/km2; 95% CI, -42 to -20 people/km2 at age 35-45 years). Individuals with higher PRS for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa, and autism spectrum disorder and lower PRS for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder preferentially moved from rural environments to cities (difference in PRS with Tukey pairwise comparisons for schizophrenia: 0.05; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.60; bipolar disorder: 0.10; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.13; anorexia nervosa: 0.05; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.07; autism spectrum disorder: 0.04; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.06; and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: -0.09, 95% CI, -0.12 to -0.06). Genetic correlation results were largely consistent with PRS analyses, whereas mendelian randomization provided support for associations between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and living in high population-density areas. These findings suggest that a high genetic risk for a variety of psychiatric disorders may affect an individual's choice of residence. This result supports the hypothesis of genetic selection of an individual's environment, which intersects the traditional gene-environment dichotomy.

An evaluation of spatial accessibility to mental health services in Porto, Portugal

Abstract Background Access to mental health service is an important problem globally. The probability of using a particular health service is affected by increased distances to the location of care and reducing this distance can reduce travel time and cost of accessing these services. This study aimed to assess spatial distribution and accessibility to mental health care services in Porto, the second largest city in Portugal. Methods Data regarding the population statistics in Porto was obtained from the Population and Housing census in 2011 while datasets related to all the mental health facilities in Porto were obtained from ACES Porto Oriental and Carta social. Standard distance, Nearest neighbor index, average distance to a mental health service were all computed. All spatial analysis techniques were employed in ARC/GIS environment. Results The study findings indicated that the mental health services were clustered around three municipalities in Porto; Campanhã, Bonfim and Paranhos. The mean time to access a mental health service was 6.47±3.726 minutes and the maximum time to reach a service center among the residents was 19.44 minutes. Pearson correlation showed a significant negative moderate association between the population density and the average near distance to a mental health service (r = -0.617, p = 0.002). 77.7% of the population lived within 1 km of a mental health service. Conclusions Mental health services were clustered in some parishes in Porto. A significant proportion of the residents were living near a mental health service. However, certain areas did not have adequate numbers of mental healthservices. It is important to determine areas of mental health service shortage to help in planning the location of mental health services. Key messages Mental health services are clustered around areas of high population density in Porto. There is need for more mental health services to serve the needs of people living in sparsely populated areas.

Age, Sex, Population Density and COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: A Nationwide Descriptive Correlational Study

Objective: It is reported that age and sex have been identified as potential risk factors for severe outcomes and the distribution of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), although the specifics of these relationships are unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the relationship between age, sex, COVID-19, and population density in Thailand. This study proposed to examine the relationships among age, sex, population density, and the number of COVID-19 patients in Thailand.Material and Methods: In this nationwide descriptive correlational study, the dataset of daily COVID-19 cases in Thailand between January 12, 2020, and November 30, 2020, and population density (people/km2 ) in each province of Thailand was retrieved from the Open Government Data of Thailand, the Registration Office Department of the Interior, the Ministry of the Interior, and the National Statistical Office of Thailand. Chi-square and Pearson product-moment correlation were used to determine the difference and relationships among studied variables. Simple linear regression was used to predict the number of COVID-19 cases based on population density.Results: The findings illustrated a significant difference between male and female patients, in which the number of male patients was higher than female patients across age groups 31-45 years, 40-60 years, and >60 years (p-value<0.010). Further, population density was significantly associated with the number of COVID-19 cases.Conclusion: This investigation would provide intervention planning implications during potential future pandemics, especially in groups at higher risk (males, age 17-46 years old, and people living in high-density population areas).

Overcrowded Housing Increases Risk for COVID‐19 Mortality: An Ecological Study

Research ObjectiveCOVID‐19 has devastated the United States (US) population and exacerbated existing health inequalities. Those residing in areas of high population density are at an elevated risk, suggesting that residence in an overcrowded household may result in heightened vulnerability. However, as the association between residing in an overcrowded household and risk of mortality from COVID‐19 is unknown, the purpose of this study was to analyze this relationship.Study DesignCOVID‐19 data for Los Angeles County was acquired, along with data on housing and demographics. Overcrowded households were defined as having 1.0+ persons per room. Bivariate regression was then performed, followed by backwards stepwise linear regression. This included overcrowded housing as a predictor variable and COVID‐19 death totals as an outcome variable. Collinearity was assessed via the variance inflation factors (VIF); variables were removed if they had a VIF >8.Population StudiedPopulation‐level data was retrieved for each of the 85 cities in Los Angeles county, the region with the highest number of COVID‐19 cases in the US. Data for this population came from the Los Angeles County Government, as well as the US Census Bureau.Principal FindingsBivariate regression indicated that the number of overcrowded households was positively associated with total COVID‐19 deaths (standardized β = 0.844, p < 0.001). COVID‐19 case totals, number of individuals aged 60 or above, and number of overcrowded households met conditions for inclusion in the backwards stepwise linear regression model. This analysis revealed all independent variables were positively associated with number of deaths, with the largest effect being seen with overcrowded housing (standardized β1 = 0.386, p = 0.001), followed by number of cases (standardized β2 = 0.307, p = 0.014), and number of individuals aged 60+ (standardized β3 = 0.282, p < 0.001).ConclusionsOvercrowded housing was found to be a major risk factor for COVID‐19 mortality and served as a better predictor of number of deaths in a city than the number of people 60+, and even the total number of COVID‐19 cases.Implications for Policy or PracticeThese findings have important implications for addressing the COVID‐19 pandemic. While age and comorbidities have frequently been described as risk factors for poor outcomes, these findings indicate a critical need for COVID‐19 control efforts to more thoroughly assess for overcrowded housing. The striking absence of research and data collection on overcrowded housing indicates a clear direction for future studies.

Disparities in Poll Closures in the Age of COVID-19: A Case Study of Wisconsin

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 arose during the presidential primary process and spring elections for states across the U.S. One of the consequences of the pandemic on election administration was the closure of polling locations due to resource constraints and public health concerns. We aim to measure the extent to which disparities in electoral access and participation arose given polling place closures during the April 7, 2020, Wisconsin spring election. We run a spatial probit analysis on the probability of poll closures given population density and nonwhite populations of a given area using poll coordinate data provided by the Wisconsin Electoral Commission. We follow up to take advantage of the exogenous nature of poll closures to measure the impact of closure costs within the counties of Milwaukee and Dane via a multilevel logit analysis of turnout by mode. We find that the pandemic led to a series of poll closures that systematically impacted racial minorities and areas of high population density. Further, these poll closure costs as measured in increased distance to and size of polls are associated with reduced voter turnout, especially within Milwaukee County. We conclude that disparate access to polling places and costs of poll closures present challenges that must be overcome for purposes of election legitimacy and social cohesion.

RETHINKING DENSITY IN URBAN PLANNING: POLICY DIRECTIONS IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA IN MALAYSIA

Since the ‘Coronavirus Disease 2019’ (COVID-19) struck the world and Malaysia, the general attention of the media and leaders has been focused on the high population density areas that have high infection rates and deaths. This article aims to rethink population density in urban development policy, thus providing development for policy direction in the post-COVID-19 era in Malaysia. The available national development planning policies in Malaysia, i.e., the National Physical Plan and the National Urbanisation Policy, and scholarly articles related to the population density topic were investigated through a scoping literature review and a keyword analysis. The findings showed mixed results in terms of the relationship between dense areas causing higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death rates. This article argues that policies related to spatial urban planning should continuously advocate dense city planning in considering how to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability and human quality of life. To this extent, this article contributes to the densification topic in spatial urban planning policies in terms of their application in the post-COVID-19 era, which needs urgent direction and clarification.

Most surgeons' daily elective lists in Florida comprise only 1 or 2 elective cases, making percent utilization unreliable for planning individual surgeons' block time

Study objectiveOperating room (OR) utilization has been shown in multiple studies to be an inappropriate metric for planning OR time for individual surgeons. Among surgeons with low daily caseloads, percentage utilization cannot be measured accurately because confidence limits are extremely wide. In Iowa, a largely rural state, most surgeons performed only 1 or 2 elective cases on their OR days. To assess generalizability, we analyzed Florida, a state with many high-population density areas. DesignObservational cohort study. SettingThe 602 facilities in Florida that performed inpatient or outpatient elective surgery from January 2010 through December 2019. SubjectsThe providers licensed to perform surgery in Florida (physician, oral surgeons, dentists, and podiatrists) were identified by their national provider number. Hospitals were deidentified before analysis. MeasurementsThe primary endpoint was the mean among facilities in percentages of surgeon-day combinations (“lists”) containing 1 or 2 cases. Proportions were calculated using Freeman-Tukey transformation and the harmonic mean of the number of lists at each facility. Comparison to “most” (>50%) used Student's two-sided one-group t-test. Main resultsAveraging among hospitals, most surgeons' lists included 1 or 2 cases (64.4%; 99% confidence interval [CI] 61.3%–67.4%) P < 0.00001). Many lists had 1 case (44.2%, 99% CI 41.2%–47.2%). Nearly all (96.7%) surgeons operated at just one hospital on their OR days. ConclusionsMost surgeons' lists of elective surgical cases comprised 1 or 2 cases in the largely urban state of Florida, as previously found in the largely rural state of Iowa. Results were insensitive to organizational size or county population. Thus, our finding is generalizable in the United States. Consequently, neither adjusted nor raw utilization should be used solely when allocating OR time to individual surgeons. Anesthesia and nursing coverage of cases can be based on maximizing the efficiency of use of OR time.

Disparities in COVID-19 hospitalizations and mortality among black and Hispanic patients: cross-sectional analysis from the greater Houston metropolitan area

BackgroundDisparate racial/ethnic burdens of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be attributable to higher susceptibility to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or to factors such as differences in hospitalization and care provision.MethodsIn our cross-sectional analysis of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases from a tertiary, eight-hospital healthcare system across greater Houston, multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate hospitalization and mortality odds for non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) vs. non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and Hispanics vs. non-Hispanics.ResultsBetween March 3rd and July 18th, 2020, 70,496 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2; 12,084 (17.1%) tested positive, of whom 3536 (29.3%) were hospitalized. Among positive cases, NHBs and Hispanics were significantly younger than NHWs and Hispanics, respectively (mean age NHBs vs. NHWs: 46.0 vs. 51.7 years; p < 0.001 and Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic: 44.0 vs. 48.7 years; p < 0.001). Despite younger age, NHBs (vs. NHWs) had a higher prevalence of diabetes (25.2% vs. 17.6%; p < 0.001), hypertension (47.7% vs. 43.1%; p < 0.001), and chronic kidney disease (5.0% vs. 3.3%; p = 0.001). Both minority groups resided in lower median income (median income [USD]; NHBs vs. NHWs: 63,489 vs. 75,793; p < 0.001, Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic: 59,104 vs. 68,318; p < 0.001) and higher population density areas (median population density [per square mile]; NHBs vs. NHWs: 3257 vs. 2742; p < 0.001, Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic: 3381 vs. 2884; p < 0.001). In fully adjusted models, NHBs (vs. NHWs) and Hispanics (vs. non-Hispanic) had higher likelihoods of hospitalization, aOR (95% CI): 1.42 (1.24–1.63) and 1.61 (1.46–1.78), respectively. No differences were observed in intensive care unit (ICU) utilization or treatment parameters. Models adjusted for demographics, vital signs, laboratory parameters, hospital complications, and ICU admission vital signs demonstrated non-significantly lower likelihoods of in-hospital mortality among NHBs and Hispanic patients, aOR (95% CI): 0.65 (0.40–1.03) and 0.89 (0.59–1.31), respectively.ConclusionsOur data did not demonstrate racial and ethnic differences in care provision and hospital outcomes. Higher susceptibility of racial and ethnic minorities to SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent hospitalization may be driven primarily by social determinants.

Perception Toward Exposure Risk of COVID-19 Among Health Workers in Vietnam: Status and Correlated Factors.

Background: Hospital staff are at the frontline for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Understanding their perception of exposure risk is, therefore, important during the early phase of this pandemic. In this study, we evaluated the perception regarding risk of exposure to COVID-19 among Vietnamese hospital staff in Vietnam.Method: A cross-sectional online study was carried out to collect demographic data and risk exposure perception during the second week of the national lockdown in April 2020 in Vietnam. Seven hundred and forty two hospital staff were recruited using the snowball sampling to answer 5-point Likert scale questions regarding their risk exposure perception. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the construct validity of the questionnaire. Pearson coefficient analysis and multivariable regression models were applied to identify factors associated with the perceived COVID-19 exposure risk.Results: Participants perceived a high risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 (score = 3.4, SD = 0.8). They also perceived the workplace response to COVID-19 as inadequate (score = 2.0, SD = 0.5). In particular, participants who worked in the emergency or intensive care departments were more likely to perceive an exposure risk, compared to those in infectious disease control departments (Coef. = −0.38, 95%CI: −0.74; −0.02). Participants from central regions perceived a lower risk of exposure to COVID-19 than those from northern regions (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.28–0.96). Nurses were less likely than doctors to report being at risk of exposure to COVID-19 (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.33–0.95).Conclusions: We identified a high level of perceived risk regarding COVID-19 exposure among hospital staff during the unprecedented lockdown period in Vietnam. A comprehensive approach, incorporating improved risk communications, safety training and psychological support programs, for all hospital staff, including nurses and those residing in high population density areas, might further strengthen the national effort to control the pandemic.

Limited refugia and high velocity range-shifts predicted for bat communities in drought-risk areas of the Northern Hemisphere

Species occupying semi-arid and dry regions around the globe face an uncertain future due to increases in the frequency and severity of droughts. In this study we modelled the potential effect of climate change on bat communities within two high-drought risk regions of the world and assessed the magnitude and direction of the predicted shifts in climatic suitability, locating climate change refugia and identifying species at greatest risk of population declines. To do this, we compared climate suitability models for 43 species using three global climate models and three emissions scenarios for current (1950–2000) and future (2061–2080) climates within two regions where droughts are predicted to increase, the Western Palaearctic and Western North America. Our models predicted an overall reduction in bat richness with future climates. Areas projected to support high species richness in the current climate coincided with greatest predicted species loss and greatest future drought risk. For species with the potential to extend their range, high velocity range shifts would be required to keep pace with these changes, particularly in the Western Palaearctic, where additional barriers to movement include seas and areas of high human population density. Predicted refugial zones were limited and occurred in similar areas across continents (montane and high latitude with some coastal areas). The area of climate suitability was predicted to contract for around half of study species, with nine identified as species of conservation concern due to low overlap between current and future modelled ranges. The best-case scenario for bat diversity in semi-arid and dry regions in the future is likely to be reduced species richness, with many species facing rapid range expansion over challenging landscapes to access climatically suitable areas. Conservation of bats in high drought risk regions will likely depend on protection of identified refugia and networks of water sources, as well as global measures to protect biodiversity and human wellbeing, such as reduction in global carbon emissions.

Digital twins-based remote semi-physical commissioning of flow-type smart manufacturing systems

The COVID-19 has become a global pandemic that dramatically impacted human lives and economic activities. Due to the high risk of getting affected in high-density population areas and the implementation of national emergency measures under the COVID-19 pandemic, both travel and transportation among cities become difficult for engineers and equipment. Consequently, the costly physical commissioning of a new manufacturing system is greatly hindered. As an emerging technology, digital twins can achieve semi-physical simulation to avoid the vast cost of physical commissioning of the manufacturing system. Therefore, this paper proposes a digital twins-based remote semi-physical commissioning (DT-RSPC) approach for open architecture flow-type smart manufacturing systems. A digital twin system is developed to enable the remote semi-physical commissioning. The proposed approach is validated through a case study of digital twins-based remote semi-physical commissioning of a smartphone assembly line. The results showed that combining the open architecture design paradigm with the proposed digital twins-based approach makes the commissioning of a new flow-type smart manufacturing system more sustainable.

Epidemiological and molecular characteristics of a measles outbreak in northern Vietnam, 2013-2014.

A nationwide measles outbreak occurred in Vietnam between 2013 and 2014. To provide an overview on the 2013-2014 measles outbreak in northern Vietnam using epidemiological and molecular analysis of the measles virus (MeV). Epidemiological information was collected from all suspected cases of measles/rubella. Serum and/or throat swabs were collected for laboratory confirmation of measles. MeV genomes were detected and sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. A total of 9577 confirmed measles cases were reported in northern Vietnam with an incidence rate of 116.4/1,000,000 population. Of these, approximately 76.3% had unvaccinated or unknown vaccination history and 55.7% were under five years old. The outbreak started in a minority population from the mountainous area bordering Lao PDR and China and exploded in high-density population areas. Molecular analysis of MeV revealed co-circulation of genotypes H1 and D8, with H1 as the predominant strain, and divided into two clusters: cluster 1, sharing high similarity with those detected in China and Lao PDR, and cluster 2, circulating locally with unidentified origin. The minor D8 strains belonged to the D8-Frankfurt cluster. The outbreak originated in and spread from a population with limited access to vaccines. Molecular analysis revealed co-circulation of MeVs with three different origins during the outbreak. This is the first report to provide an overview of the 2013-2014 measles outbreak in northern Vietnam, demonstrating the need for vaccination strategies against measles that are tailored to local conditions with enhanced molecular surveillance to achieve measles elimination.

Solar PV Tree: Shade-Free Design and Cost Analysis Considering Indian Scenario

In this paper, the performance and the cost-effectiveness of a solar PV tree for supplying the energy demand of a flood lighting system at a basketball court in the School of Engineering and Technology, Christ (Deemed to be University) at Bangalore, India, are analyzed. Also, the energy demand of a flood lighting system for year 2017 is estimated (16 kWh/day), and the design of 4 individual trees of 1 kWp each is proposed, which saves around 40 sq.m area of land near to the basketball court. The experimental data was collected from June 1st, 2018 to May 31st, 2019, using a data acquisition system and processed to calculate the monthly cost of energy produced by each tree. In order to reduce the complexity in design and allow it to be shade-free, all the panels of a tree were oriented at the same azimuth angle. Based on technical and economical assessments with respect to rooftop systems, the solar PV tree presented reasonable results and could be a future adoptable technology for high population density areas, as well as for remote applications. Later, the adoptability of the proposed solar PV tree was simulated for 2 kWp, considering the climatic conditions of 2020, for different rural and urban locations of India. From the techno-economic-environmental analysis, it is highlighted that the annual energy yield is more with the solar PV tree model than with a land-mounted SPV system. The cost savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction are also higher with the proposed oak tree-based solar PV tree in urban areas than in rural areas recommending it for practical applications.

Occurrence, behaviour and environmental risk assessment of trace metals in stream sediments from southwestern Burkina Faso, West Africa.

In this study, the influence of source area weathering and provenance on the stream sediment geochemistry as well as the environmental impacts of selected potentially toxic trace elements (PTE) were evaluated. Four components derived from the R-mode factor analysis of additive logratio-transformed data pointed to the combined influence of weathering of granitoids, sedimentary rocks and greenstone belts and gold mineralisation on the stream geochemistry. Although 13 PTE were enriched in the majority of the samples, only five elements (As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni) were likely to have adverse biological effects. Based on the geochemical maps, the areas susceptible to produce adverse biological effects due to As enrichments are solely drained by the greenstone belts, whereas enrichment of Pb was pronounced in areas of high population densities. The linear regression between enrichment factor (EF) and adverse effect indices (AEI) indicated that in order for Pb to pose threats to the benthic organisms, EF should be 4.5, whereas EF for sediment toxicity are 1 for Cu, Cr and Ni and 2 for As. Consequently, Cu, Cr, Ni, As and, to a lesser degree, Pb pose serious environmental threats to benthic organisms in southwestern Burkina Faso. The stream sediment geochemical data of this study constitute a baseline for assessing future environmental risks.

Resource Selection by Recolonizing American Black Bears

ABSTRACTAmerican black bears (Ursus americanus) were extirpated from Oklahoma, USA, in the early twentieth century but have since recolonized eastern portions of the state after immigrating from Arkansas, where they were successfully translocated. Within the last 2 decades, a population of black bears was detected in the Oklahoma Ozark region, prompting studies to determine population size, growth rate, and genetic makeup. To understand how black bears were recolonizing the human‐dominated landscape, we investigated resource selection at 2 scales. Between 2011 and 2016, we collected global positioning system collar spatial data for 10 males and 13 females. We calculated average kernel density home ranges on a seasonal scale for all collared bears. We used generalized linear mixed models to calculate resource selection functions at the study area, defined by locations of all radio‐collared black bears (second order) and the scale of individual black bear home ranges (third order). Resource selection did not differ significantly by sex. Black bears across seasons and scales selected riparian forest and moist oak (Quercus spp.) forest land cover types and mostly selected against indicators of human activity (e.g., pasture‐prairie, anthropogenic land cover types, roads, and areas of high human population density). Black bears also selected areas with rugged terrain at high elevations, although not consistently across seasons and scales. Black bear recolonization appeared to be negatively affected by areas and features characterized as human‐altered. Further expansion of the range of black bears may be limited by anthropogenic disturbance in the region. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

The Ecology of Nipah Virus in Bangladesh: A Nexus of Land-Use Change and Opportunistic Feeding Behavior in Bats.

Nipah virus is a bat-borne paramyxovirus that produces yearly outbreaks of fatal encephalitis in Bangladesh. Understanding the ecological conditions that lead to spillover from bats to humans can assist in designing effective interventions. To investigate the current and historical processes that drive Nipah spillover in Bangladesh, we analyzed the relationship among spillover events and climatic conditions, the spatial distribution and size of Pteropus medius roosts, and patterns of land-use change in Bangladesh over the last 300 years. We found that 53% of annual variation in winter spillovers is explained by winter temperature, which may affect bat behavior, physiology, and human risk behaviors. We infer from changes in forest cover that a progressive shift in bat roosting behavior occurred over hundreds of years, producing the current system where a majority of P. medius populations are small (median of 150 bats), occupy roost sites for 10 years or more, live in areas of high human population density, and opportunistically feed on cultivated food resources—conditions that promote viral spillover. Without interventions, continuing anthropogenic pressure on bat populations similar to what has occurred in Bangladesh could result in more regular spillovers of other bat viruses, including Hendra and Ebola viruses.

Understanding unemployment

The primary focus in this paper is on understanding the impact of unemployment in Sandton, Johannesburg. In order to address this, as a starting point, it is noted that unemployment and the crisis of joblessness remains a problem in both low-density as well as high-density population areas. I have emphasised the development initiative to promote employment opportunities for the unemployed to enhance entrepreneurship amongst those with appropriate livelihoods. This could be understood, based on the understanding of the causes of unemployment and could provide relevant intervention strategies within the context of the people intended to be reached. The focus of the article is to suggest ways to provide training, share information, skills development and implement practical contributions to alleviate poverty in the community. It investigates the impact of unemployment in human lives with a view to understand how to balance life and employment. The article found a positive contribution on how to improve human life through job creation. Purpose: The purpose for the article is to explore the impact of unemployment in human lives and to establish strategies to assist unemployed people to create jobs by practicing the skills development to enhance a balanced lifestyle. Findings: An investigation focused on the recognition that the high rate of unemployment in Sandton, Johannesburg, especially among those who are lacking skills and skills mismatch in a labour market, can be best resolved by the promotion of training and the creation of opportunities to start new businesses within the community. The causes of unemployment and its effect on human lives are also discussed.

Study on the Correlation between Community Construction Planning Factors and the Spatial Distribution of COVID-19 Outbreak: Case Study of Main Urban Area of Wuhan

In the context of the global outbreak of COVID-19, this study took Wuhan as an example, using mathematical statistics and spatial analysis, and other methods to explore the distribution characteristics and distribution of COVID-19 in residential spaces in the main city of Wuhan. Based on the above analysis, this study summarized the influencing factors and revealed their internal connection with the spread of the epidemic, and finally proposed corresponding prevention and control strategies. The results show that: 1) The epidemic in Wuhan has significant spatial aggregation characteristics, with epidemic communities concentrated in urban areas with high population density and dense commercial areas along the Changjiang River more likely to be infected; 2) The construction planning factors of epidemic communities are closely related to epidemic density. The results indicated traffic convenience, business services and the accessibility of hospitals are significantly related to the spread of the virus. The epidemic density is highly negatively correlated with community’s land area, base area, number of households, building height, building spacing, and completion time, and may negatively correlated with the number of buildings, greening rate. But it positively correlated with community’s building density. Therefore, the epidemic prevention and control of urban residential spaces should start with improving the built environment of the community. It means, by creating a rich and diverse community flexible space, the community can effectively prevent the epidemic, and then realize the city’s comprehensive anti-epidemic and development growth.

Simulation of the spatial distribution of urban populations based on first-aid call data.

We examined the feasibility of estimating the spatial distribution of urban populations based on first-aid calls based on one high-density place, the Shanghai urban area and one low-density place, the Nanhai District of Foshan City in Guangdong Province. We aggregated the population and the total number of first-aid calls on digital maps divided by grids based on a Geographic Information System (GIS). Geographically weighted regression was applied to test the correlation between the population distribution simulated by first-aid call data and the actual residency. The impact of different population densities, different grid cell sizes and different types of first-aid calls on simulation correlation were tested. We found that the use of first-aid call data could explain 60-95% of the actual population distribution in Shanghai using a grid with 1000*1000 m cell size, while the Nanhai experience was that first-aid calls could only explain 4-76% of the actual population distribution using a grid with 2000*2000 m cell size. Thus, the higher the population density, the better the simulation effect. For a high-population density area, the overall accuracy of simulation can reach as high as 0.878 at the 1-km2 resolution. However, there are different kinds of first-aid calls and for the best estimation of the population distribution in densely populated areas, we suggest using first-aid calls from people requiring acute medical care rather than all first-aid call data.