Municipal Center Research Articles

Simulation-based genetic algorithm for optimizing a municipal cooperative waste supply chain in a pandemic

The quantity of medical waste produced by municipalities is on the rise, potentially presenting significant hazards to both the environment and human health. Developing a robust supply chain network for managing municipal medical waste is important for society, especially during a pandemic like COVID-19. In supply chain network design, factors such as the collection of non-infectious waste, transporting infectious waste from hospitals to disposal facilities, revenue generation from waste-to-energy initiatives, and the potential for pandemic outbreaks are often overlooked. Hence, in this study, we design a model incorporating COVID-19 parameters to mitigate the spread of the virus while designing an effective municipal medical waste supply chain network during a pandemic. The proposed model is multi-objective, multi-echelon, multi-commodity and involves coalition-based cooperation. The first objective function aims to minimize total costs, while the second objective pertains to minimizing the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. We identify optimal collaboration among municipal medical waste collection centers to maximize cost savings. The COVID-19 prevalence risk level by the waste in each zone is calculated pursuant to their inhabitants. Additionally, we analyze a system dynamic simulation framework to forecast waste generation levels amid COVID-19 conditions. A metaheuristic based on the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II is used to solve the problem and is benchmarked against exact solutions. To illustrate our approach, we present a case study focused on Tehran, Iran. The results show that an increase in the amount of generated waste leads to an increase in the total costs of the supply chain.

The Züri Can study: Can regulated cannabis sales promote lower-risk cannabis use? Mini-review and study protocol

Background and AimsRecreational use of cannabis is illegal in most countries. Despite this, it is the third most commonly used psychoactive substance worldwide. As a result of this discrepancy, a growing number of countries have begun to reassess their legal approach to cannabis in recent years. While the health risks of cannabis and potential harm reduction measures are increasingly well understood, there are still significant gaps in knowledge about which regulatory and supply models are effective in promoting lower-risk cannabis use.In this paper, we outline the Züri Can study, which implements and evaluates a regulatory framework for cannabis sales in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, between 2023 and 2026. In addition, we illustrate how the study addresses current knowledge gaps to provide further insight into the potential future regulation of cannabis in Switzerland.To embed the study in the present scientific and political context, we first provide a brief overview of the state of knowledge on cannabis-related health risks and means of reducing them, along with lessons learned from other countries that have implemented varying regulatory systems. Design and Measurements2,100 participants will be able to legally purchase cannabis either at a pharmacy, a cannabis social club, or the municipal drug information center over a three-year period. As part of this observational study, participants will be evaluated regarding their cannabis use habits and motives, their knowledge of lower-risk use, and their mental and physical health, among other parameters.Established harm reduction strategies are implemented as an integral part of the study design. CommentsThe study will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of different cannabis distribution models on cannabis use patterns and related health outcomes. The results are expected to assist Swiss and international policy makers in developing evidence-based and public health-oriented regulatory frameworks for cannabis.

Оценка жизнестойкости сельских сообществ Ненецкого автономного округа

The concept of resilience is applied to complex social systems to describe the ability of a territory (or settlement) or local community to recover from external shocks. In this context, resilience complements the concept of sustainable development by revealing the mechanisms that enable systems to regenerate during crises. In recent decades, various approaches for assessing urban resilience, including that of Arctic cities in high-risk zones, have been developed in scientific literature. However, a comprehensive methodology for assessing the resilience of Arctic rural communities has not yet been fully developed or tested. The goal of this article is to assess the resilience of several rural communities in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO), followed by their comparison and classification. Drawing on Russian researchers' experience in measuring the resilience of Arctic cities, the authors propose their own methodology for assessing the resilience of Arctic rural communities. This methodology involves measuring 11 resilience indicators, which are aggregated into a comprehensive resilience index (R-index). The R-index enables the ranking of Arctic rural communities by their resilience levels. In the course of the study, all surveyed rural communities were classified into four groups based on R-index values: 1) isolated communities with low resilience; 2) vulnerable communities prone to external shocks; 3) administrative centers of rural municipalities with moderate resilience; 4) large and stable rural communities. The primary differentiating factors among these communities include geographical location, transport links and logistics, the structure of local economies, and demographic resources. Overall, Arctic rural communities exhibit a high level of social capital. The novelty of this study lies in its application of the community resilience concept to Arctic rural areas, contributing to a deeper understanding of the factors that shape their development potential. Future research should expand the geographical scope of the study and conduct larger surveys to improve the accuracy and reliability of rural community resilience assessments.

Elementary school closures in Sweden over two decades: Geographical characteristics and the role of distance

School closures have for long often been seen as a ‘rural issue’ and/or as a rural-urban dichotomy. We posit that such crude representations should be nuanced by help of intra- and inter-municipality analysis as there are differences and diversity between and within rural municipality classes. Based on this, we use official Swedish statistics to perform a spatially disaggregated analysis of the geographical characteristics of Swedish municipalities with different experiences of elementary school closures between 1997 and 2017. The results show that rural municipality classes lost considerably more elementary schools, 24,5 % compared to only 0,3 % in urban municipality classes, but also show large differences between and within rural municipality classes and municipalities, both in terms of lost elementary schools, localities who has lost elementary schools, concentration of elementary schools to municipal population centers, and decreases in mean and median distances from elementary schools to municipal population centers. In some cases rural municipality classes fared better, performed at par, or only slightly worse to their urban counterparts. In conclusion, there is a need for a more disaggregated spatial analysis to understand what is happening in different geographical contexts, since the categories of ’urban’ and ’rural’ hide more detailed but still important spatial differences.

AFETIVIDADE E APRENDIZAGEM: A RELAÇÃO PROFESSOR ALUNO EM UMA TURMA DE CRIANÇAS DO CENTRO MUNICIPAL DE EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL IRMÃ LUCILIA, EM ARRAIAS-TO

This article aims to present a study carried out in a group of the Municipal Center of Early Childhood Education (CMEI) Sr. Lucília, located in the municipality of Arraias-TO, highlighting the importance of affectivity in teaching and learning for the development of children. The main aim of this work is to try to make teachers and managers aware of the importance of doing an educational work in the classroom so that affective relations are privileged, both in resolving conflicts and facilitating the teaching and learning process of young children. This study was carried out based on a bibliographical research, dialoguing with some classic and contemporary theorists that approach the question of affectivity. For the development of the research, it was used the observation of the school environment, notes in field diary and interviews with a teacher and with the pedagogical coordinator, both serving in the CMEI Sister Lucília. The work addresses the teacher-student relationship, the importance of the educator in the teaching process, as well as the detailed description of situations observed by the researcher in the class investigated.

Precose Post-Operative Complications of Abdominal Surgery at the Communal Medical Center of Ratoma (CMC Ratoma)

<i>Introduction: </i>Postoperative complications are incidents or accidents that may occur after any surgical intervention. They lead to the aggravation of the previous situation by their morbidity and even their mortality. The objective of this work was to study the early postoperative evolution in the digestive surgery and Maternity departments at the CMC of Ratoma. <i>Methodology</i>: This was a descriptive prospective study over a period of (6) months from July 01, 2021 to December 31, 2021 carried out in the surgery and maternity departments of the Ratoma municipal center. <i>Results</i>: we operated on 403 patients in the surgery and maternity departments of the CMC in Ratoma, of which 50 cases, or 12%, developed early postoperative complications. The age group of 20-30 years was the most affected 22 cases or 44% with an average age of 29.5 years, extremes of 3 years and 85. The female sex was dominant 36 cases or 78% of cases with a sex ratio of 3.5. The majority of patients 26 or 56% were operated on in the maternity ward, where caesarean section was the most performed surgical procedure. Emergencies were represented in 26 cases or 56% of surgical interventions, infection of the surgical site was the most common postoperative complication in 40 cases or 80%. All our suppurated patients benefited from a pus sample for cytobacteriological examination and were treated according to the result of the antibiogram plus local care. 72% of our patients were followed on an outpatient basis. The evolution was favorable in 44 of our patients, i e. 88%, and unfavorable in 6 of our patients, i e. 12%, including ISO, evisceration and death each in 2 cases, i e. a common rate of 4%. <i>Conclusion</i>: Early postoperative complications were frequent at CMC Ratoma. Surgical site infections were the main early OCC presented by the patients. The management was medical and surgical. The evolution was favorable in most cases, however we recorded a few cases of death.

Diversity and seasonality of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Amazon Forest fragments of Monte Negro, Rondônia, Western Amazon.

Tabanidae are considered a nuisance to humans, wild animals, and livestock due to their painful, annoying, and insistent biting. Tabanids transmit some pathogens and parasites biologically and mechanically. In humans, there are relatively few pathogens transmitted regularly. Still, tabanids serve as vectors of a number of disease agents of animals, including viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and nematodes. They are more abundant in tropical and humid regions, and their seasonal patterns are affected by habitat changes such as deforestation and fragmentation. Here, we analyze the tabanid fauna in Monte Negro, a central municipality of Rondônia, Brazil, comparing abundance, richness, and diversity in forest and pasture habitats. Traps were set for 5days a month for 12 consecutive months. We also examined how abiotic factors (humidity, temperature, and rainfall) affected the abundance, diversity, and richness and the effectiveness of Malaise and Nzi traps as sample methods. The influence of climatic variables on the richness and abundance of the species was tested using generalized linear models, and we used non-parametric dimensional scaling (nMDS) for analysis of species composition and diversity in different traps and environments. We collect 1032 specimens of 25 species. The most abundant species were Tabanus antarcticus, Dichelacera tetradelta, Tabanus mucronatus, and Leucotabanus albovarius. Forest habitats had the highest number of tabanids, followed by pasture and the anthropized area, and there was no significant difference regarding the effectiveness of the Malaise and Nzi traps. The study provides new information on the distribution and ecology of tabanids in Brazil.

Developing environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies on evaluation of municipal waste disposal centers: A case of Mexico

Waste disposal systems are crucial components of environmental management, and focusing on this sector can contribute to the development of various other sectors and improve social welfare. Urban waste is no longer solely an environmental issue; it now plays a significant role in the economy, energy, and value creation, with waste disposal centers (WDCs) being a key manifestation. The purpose of this study is to measure the performance of WDCs in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico, with the aim of developing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies to strengthen and prepare the WDCs for the industrial developments in this state. By identifying environmental variables and undesirable factors, the efficiency and managerial capacity of 32 WDCs were assessed. The analysis revealed that 9 out of the 32 WDCs are technically efficient, while the remaining 23 require significant improvements. Using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique, an average efficiency score of 0.91 was found, with a standard deviation of 0.08. The managerial capacity analysis indicated that the highest-ranked WDC achieved an efficiency score of 1, whereas the lowest-ranked WDC scored 0.67. Finally, an operational map of development strategies was developed using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and Matrix Impact Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) approach. The results indicate that four phases of development should be followed for real development and maturity of development in these WDCs, including Groundwork, Structuring, Development and Growth, and Smart Maturity.

Evaluating Intelligent CPTED Systems to Support Crime Prevention Decision-Making in Municipal Control Centers

To maximize its synergetic effect across the cycle from prevention to response to post-crime management, crime prevention requires a balanced combination of spatial urban design and advanced crime prevention technologies for crime prediction and real-time response. This study derived intelligent Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) services and suggested a decision model based on the fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to implement these services in municipal control centers. The analysis results are summarized as follows. First, this study established a fuzzy TOPSIS-based decision-making support model enabling local government control centers to effectively select intelligent CPTED service elements. Second, overall, operator-led Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and platform control technologies were identified as significant components of intelligent CPTED service elements. Third, a comparison by city size revealed that large cities in the Seoul metropolitan area rated system services for control based on advanced crime prevention infrastructure (e.g., the crime monitoring systems and real-time control drones/robots) relatively higher. In contrast, small and medium-sized cities in other provinces rated services that were perceptible to residents and improved crime-prone environments (e.g., artificial intelligence (AI) video analysis for living safety) relatively higher.

“Let’s Just Spend a Ton of Time Together Building This Thing That’s So Important:” Children’s Theory Development in American Jewish Early Childhood Classrooms

ABSTRACT The concept of children’s theories is central to the approach of the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The author investigates children’s theories about Judaism. Methods include semi-structured interviews and pedagogical documentation from American Jewish early childhood centers. Analysis involves open coding toward the development of a grounded theory positing that (1) children hold theories that impact the Jewish education they experience and (2) when the Jewish learning experience aligns with these inherent theories, children develop a new mental model, that they can make their mark on Judaism.

Advancing Sustainable Energy Development: A Study of the Factors Influencing Distributed Photovoltaic Industry in Heilongjiang Province

In today’s energy industry, the development of clean energy has become a global concern. As an important clean energy technology, photovoltaic power generation (PV) is widely used in various countries and regions, helping to reduce the dependence on traditional fossil energy sources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Existing studies have some shortcomings in terms of factors affecting distributed PV grid-connected capacity. First, previous studies tend to focus on the influence of a single factor on the grid-connected capacity of distributed PV, ignoring the interaction effects among multiple factors. Second, the sample scope in existing studies is relatively narrow, often limited to specific regions or countries, and lacks comprehensive regional comparative analysis. In addition, previous studies often do not fully consider the moderating effect of carbon emission intensity on the influencing factors. Based on the above deficiencies, this study aims to build a regression model by analyzing panel data of central municipalities and provinces including Heilongjiang, Shandong and Beijing over the past three years, and construct an interaction model based on the interaction term. The empirical results show that effective sunshine hours, average feed-in tariff and annual electricity consumption are the main factors affecting the grid-connected capacity of distributed PV with a positive effect. The regional heterogeneity analysis also finds that carbon emission intensity enhances the impact of each factor on distributed PV grid-connected capacity. The regulation effect analysis confirms that the average feed-in tariff and annual electricity consumption have a regulation effect. With the results of this study, we fill the knowledge gaps left by previous studies and provide a new perspective to explore the influencing factors of distributed PV. A deeper understanding of the impact of these factors on distributed PV capacity helps us to better understand and optimize the potential of PV generation. In addition, our findings provide policy makers with recommendations and guidance on how to promote distributed PV generation, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the clean energy sector.

Citizens’ Satisfaction with “Citizens’ Initiatives”: The Case of the Municipality of Ljubljana

Abstract Based on a survey, this article analyses the satisfaction with communication between citizens and public servants in the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL). It highlights the potential of a citizen relations management tool to emphasise the importance of effective communication between the municipality and citizens, the role of civic engagement in the development of the municipality and the importance of understanding and managing differences in satisfaction between citizens and public servants. A notable satisfaction gap exists, with citizens generally more satisfied than public servants, except for accessibility to initiatives and problem-solving. The study recommends adopting successful tools, such as those used in Ljubljana, to improve communication, citizen participation and the quality of services. It emphasises the importance of understanding communication dynamics to tailor municipal improvements and promote civic engagement and calls for further research in Central and Eastern European municipalities.

Mobility of care around a municipal daily care center in Cuenca, Ecuador

Historically, there has been an inequality in mobility conditions between men and women, which derives mainly from their gender roles in society. Generally, women are responsible for caregiving activities, such as caring for children. In this context, studying the mobility of care in different areas is vital. To reflect on this issue, the environment around the 27 Febrero Municipal Child Development Center in the city of Cuenca-Ecuador was used as a case study. Four instruments were applied: Case-type surveys to parents, open-source tools for the micro-scale evaluation of eMAPS environments, non-participant direct observation, and semi-structured interviews. It was found that, although the quality of the urban environment influences the mobility conditions for caregiving when traveling to and from the educational center, other factors are more relevant, such as the means of transportation used and personal safety.

Between acute medicine and municipal alcohol treatment: Cross-sectoral collaborations regarding patients with alcohol problems.

Aim: The aim was to examine cross-sectoral collaborations of a Danish emergency department (ED) and two municipal treatment centres in the uptake area regarding patients with alcohol problems. Methods: The study was a qualitative exploratory study. We conducted individual interviews with ED nurses and secretaries (n = 21) and group interviews (n = 2) in municipal alcohol treatment centres with three and four participants, respectively. Interviews were analysed, first with qualitative content analysis, then by applying the analytical concept "boundary object". Results: Three themes emerged: (1) Responsibilities in practice; (2) Professional contrasts; and (3) The social nurse in a unique position. Themes illuminated a low degree of collaboration characterising the intersectoral work. Blurred responsibilities, challenged communication and acute versus long-term focus were some of the factors not supporting cross-sector collaborations. However, the function of the social nurse was highly appreciated in both sectors and plays a central role. Nonetheless, implicit limitations of this function entail that not all patients with alcohol problems are referred and handled within an ED setting. Conclusions: Overall, we found a lack of collaborative work between healthcare professionals in ED and municipalities for patients with alcohol problems. However, the "social nurse" function was greatly valued in both sectors due to a mediating role, since healthcare professionals in both sectors experienced lack of organisational structures supporting collaborative network, perceived temporal barriers, limited knowledge exchange and differences in approaches to patients.

Prospective study of AI-assisted prediction of breast malignancies in physical health examinations: role of off-the-shelf AI software and comparison to radiologist performance.

In physical health examinations, breast sonography is a commonly used imaging method, but it can lead to repeated exams and unnecessary biopsy due to discrepancies among radiologists and health centers. This study explores the role of off-the-shelf artificial intelligence (AI) software in assisting radiologists to classify incidentally found breast masses in two health centers. Female patients undergoing breast ultrasound examinations with incidentally discovered breast masses were categorized according to the 5th edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), with categories 3 to 5 included in this study. The examinations were conducted at two municipal health centers from May 2021 to May 2023.The final pathological results from surgical resection or biopsy served as the gold standard for comparison. Ultrasonographic images were obtained in longitudinal and transverse sections, and two junior radiologists and one senior radiologist independently assessed the images without knowing the pathological findings. The BI-RADS classification was adjusted following AI assistance, and diagnostic performance was compared using receiver operating characteristic curves. A total of 196 patients with 202 breast masses were included in the study, with pathological results confirming 107 benign and 95 malignant masses. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that experienced breast radiologists had higher diagnostic performance in BI-RADS classification than junior radiologists, similar to AI classification (AUC = 0.936, 0.806, 0.896, and 0.950, p < 0.05). The AI software improved the accuracy, sensitivity, and negative predictive value of the adjusted BI-RADS classification for the junior radiologists' group (p< 0.05), while no difference was observed in the senior radiologist group. Furthermore, AI increased the negative predictive value for BI-RADS 4a masses and the positive predictive value for 4b masses among radiologists (p < 0.05). AI enhances the sensitivity of invasive breast cancer detection more effectively than ductal carcinoma in situ and rare subtypes of breast cancer. The AI software enhances diagnostic efficiency for breast masses, reducing the performance gap between junior and senior radiologists, particularly for BI-RADS 4a and 4b masses. This improvement reduces unnecessary repeat examinations and biopsies, optimizing medical resource utilization and enhancing overall diagnostic effectiveness.

Use of locums in the Regular GP Scheme 2016-22.

Under the Regular GP Scheme, locum GPs must be used when GPs are absent or when a patient list has no GP. We have studied the prevalence and development of locum contracts registered in the Regular GP Scheme in the period from 1January 2016 to 31December 2022. In this descriptive registry study, we categorised 21418 locum contracts from the period 1January 2016 to 31December 2022 according to municipality and duration. We divided the municipalities into groups according to Statistics Norway's six centrality classes. Classes 1‒2 are central; 3‒4 are less central; and 5‒6 are the least central municipalities. The analysis is based on frequency tables, contingency tables and rates. In the period studied, the number of registered locum contracts increased in Norway from 916 to 5003 (446%). The increase was largest in centrality group 5‒6. The average duration of the locum positions was 195 days in centrality groups 1‒2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 190‒200), 130 days in centrality groups 3‒4 (95% CI 127‒134) and 67 days in centrality groups 5‒6 (95% CI 64‒69). Centrality groups 5‒6 had twice as many locum contracts for full-time positions compared to centrality groups 1‒2, where part-time positions were more common. Locum contracts per list without a GP increased nationally from 0.5 to 4.7 in the study period. The GP Registry provides increasingly useful, nationwide information on the use of locum GPs. Use of locums in the Regular GP Scheme has increased significantly since 2016, and this may represent a challenge to equal access to health services. Future research should examine the causes and consequences of increased use of locum GPs.

Prevalence of enteroparasitoses in children enrolled in a municipal day care center of São José dos Campos in the neighborhood of Buquirinha

Parasitic diseases represent a major public health problem, affecting people of all ages, but do not arouse medical investigative interest. Children are the most affected due to poor hygiene and poor health education. This work aims to analyze the prevalence of parasitosis in children, correlating it with socioeconomic data. Cross-sectional study, carried out in a rural daycare center in the municipality of São José dos Campos, located in the Paraíba Valley, covering children enrolled from 1 to 6 years old regardless of sex. Totaling 57 children; 5% positive for Giardia duodenalis. It is concluded that although the neighborhood has rural characteristics, the number of positive tests can be masked due to the routine prescription and self-medication of antiparasitic drugs.

Targeting belongingness among older people through engagement in senior centres: intervention development study in Denmark.

Adults often experience a loss of social relations and sense of belonging in later life, leading to the risk of social isolation. Municipal senior centres offer a potential site for intervention, as they provide social communities targeting older people. However, not all older people find it easy to access these social communities due to experiencing physical and/or psychosocial frailties and could therefore continue to experience a decline in social relations and sense of belonging, which potentiates poor physical and psychosocial health and well-being. To date, there are limited evidence-based interventions in Denmark. The present article describes the development of an intervention to increase belongingness and decrease social isolation among older people with frailties who attend Danish municipal senior centres. The development process was conducted with reference to the INDEX (IdentifyiNg and assessing different approaches to DEveloping compleX intervention) guidance. The development process resulted in a 6-month supportive intervention, consisting of four elements: skills development workshops for all staff members; a start conversation including frailty screening; allocation of a 'buddy' among existing service users; and monthly follow-up conversations with staff members. This theory-informed approach can progress to feasibility testing and outcome evaluation in order to generate an evidence base. Concurrently, the article reflects on current guidance for intervention development and how it may be used and optimized to strengthen developmental processes in the future.

In-Formality?: Two Cases of Temporary Uses in Urban Regeneration of South Korea

This paper aims to explore how we can utilize temporary and tactical urbanism in urban regeneration, focusing on its ability to redistribute power relations and foster inclusive processes. The research analysis compares two urban regeneration projects that were implemented under the concept of temporary urbanism in South Korea. The first case involves the transformation of a declining shipbuilding yard area into a cultural and small retail sector, while the second case is a regeneration project of an abandoned municipal cultural center. To identify detailed differences and similarities, this research tracked the project processes and changes in relationships through in-depth interviews and the analysis of related documents. The significance of these cases lies in illustrating two distinct paths of urban transition, from informal to formal and legitimate territory. This research suggests temporary urbanism as a means of introducing new ideas and functions into urban space, especially within the context of formal and informal relations.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria and Primary Myelofibrosis as an Extremely Rare Combination of Clonal Hematological Diseases: A Literature Review and Two Clinical Case Reports

The combinations of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (CMPNs) are extremely rare. All of them refer to clonal hematological diseases and are characterized by high thrombosis risk, which most commonly causes death. This paper provides literature data on 38 combined cases of PNH and Ph-negative/Ph-positive CMPNs mainly in the “case report” format, taken from 22 sources published in 1970–2022. Additionally, the paper reports personal experience with 2 combined cases of PNH and primary myelofibrosis (PMF/PNH) from the archive of the Moscow Municipal Center for Hematology (SP Botkin City Clinical Hospital).