Open Space Research Articles

HUMAN PATHOGENS AMONG BATS

Bats are known to inhabit both caves and open space areas. Bulgaria is among the Еuropean countries with the highest number of bat species. The species found in the country are distributed over a wide area. They range from the Pyrenees and the British Isles to the Pacific region and the Far East. Many bat species are carriers of potential human pathogens. Bats play an important role in agriculture and act as a biological pest crop control agent. Bulgarian bat ecosystem comprises temperate climate and a wide range of abiotic factors, including humidity, darkness, sunlight, and temperature variations. The metabolism of bats and their body temperature vary significantly between the period of activity and the hibernation. Fluctuations in body temperature can potentially impact host microbiome biodiversity. Temperature variations may induce a high level of microbial mutagenesis. Additionally,the existence in large, mixed-species colonies, togeteher with a relatively long individual lifespan (4 – 16 years) and extensive travel distances, enhances the likelihood of encountering multiple pathogens in a single host organism. This, in turn, facilitates genetic variations and re-combinations among those microbial pathogens, thereby raising their potential to breach species barriers. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the available scientific information concerning the potential microbial human pathogens associated with bats, alongside with our preliminary data on the biodiversity of bats blood microbiome. Future research should focus on bats as both pathogens carriers and dynamic models for predicting emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases.

ANALISIS FAKTOR-FAKTOR PENDORONG PERUBAHAN POLA SPASIAL TERHADAP DRAINASE PERKOTAAN DI KECAMATAN DENPASAR BARAT

Changes in spatial patterns, especially the transformation of land from green open spaces to built-up areas, have caused various impacts on the environment and urban drainage systems. This study analyzes the driving factors of spatial pattern change on urban drainage in West Denpasar District, with a special focus on Padangsambian Kelod Village and Pemecutan Kelod Village. This study aims to identify and understand the factors that contribute to changes in the drainage system in the region. The research methods used include collecting spatial data through satellite imagery and thematic maps, field surveys for direct observation, and interviews with residents and related stakeholders. The collected data was then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to identify spatial change patterns and their driving factors. The results show that the change in spatial patterns towards urban drainage in West Denpasar District is driven by several main factors, including rapid population growth, intensive infrastructure development, and land use change from agricultural to residential and commercial. These factors have led to increased surface runoff, decreased drainage capacity, and increased flood risk in the region. This study concludes that a more integrated and sustainable drainage management approach is needed to overcome the challenges posed by changes in spatial patterns. The recommendations submitted include increasing drainage capacity, implementing environmentally friendly development practices, and increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining urban drainage systems.

The Liminal, The Licentious, and the Illicit

Despite the political, economic, social, and cultural importance of piracy, images of Atlantic piracy and privateering are rarely represented in seventeenth century Dutch visual culture. The illustrations created by Herman Padtbrugge for A.O. Exquemelin’s De Americaensche Zee-Roovers are a rare exception. The bestselling book, with its first-hand account of life as a buccaneer, was widely distributed throughout Europe and formed the basis of both our historical understanding of Caribbean piracy and its place in our poetic imagination. The transient distinction between piracy and privateering is linked to the cultural perception of the high seas as a freer, more open space, despite its increasing regulation and militarization. This article explores how the pictorial conventions used in the portrayal of pirates reflect their role as liminal figures – constantly shifting between licit and illicit, Old and New Worlds, and national affiliations – in the multicultural, rapidly evolving, and violent colonial context. Padtbrugge’s portraits borrow the visual language of the cult of naval heroes, only altering a few iconographical markers to indicate on which side of the law the subject and his actions fell upon. The minor nature of these differences reflects how heroic privateering in the service of national interests and criminal piracy in service of the individual were two sides of the same coin, shedding light on the legal paradox of the state-sanctioned right to pillage.

Green spaces in Ghana’s built environment: Analyzing perceptions and urban planning perspectives through the lens of the New Environmental Paradigm

In the busy world of city growth, urban green spaces in Ghana are befallen with destruction due to urbanization. Using a cross-sectional design and case-studying Damongo and Kintampo, this study assessed the perceptions of urban residents and urban planning perspectives about green spaces in enhancing the environmental condition of fast-growing urban areas, and proposed guidelines for the managing green spaces within Ghana’s built environment. The results revealed that underutilization and insufficient funding for greenspace management increase vulnerability to urban encroachment, especially during inward city growth. Again, the exhaustion of the limited resources of the earth could have repercussions for the population of the earth; however, the need for such resources and the level of poverty influences poor environmental decisions. Further, the results showed that planning for urban green and open space ought to be decided at the local level. The study, therefore, recommends a collaborative approach involving city authorities, private sectors, and the public for effective green space management, emphasizing inclusive decision-making and active preservation, and the development of local standards within a national framework, guided by an urban green spaces protection scheme.

Green architecture in tourism sustainable development a case study at Laweyan, Indonesia

ABSTRACT The degradation of local culture is often a consequence of tourist kampung development. However, Laweyan stands out as an example where a tourist village was developed while successfully preserving both the environment and local culture. The research aims to formulate a strategy that promotes a green environment by exploring the potential characteristics of local cultural heritage and emphasizing sustainable preservation. By utilizing an exploratory descriptive method and analyzing the potential and characteristics of the area, the study identified several strategies for developing cultural heritage areas in tourism kampung. These strategies include promoting green communities, establishing green open spaces and infrastructure, implementing green waste management, adopting green transportation, prioritizing green water practices, incorporating green building techniques, and utilizing green energy sources. The implementation of green architecture is one of the key factors for success in sustainable village development. The concept of green architecture involves integrating building design and the environment with the aim of maintaining a balance between quality development and environmental preservation. The successful implementation of these strategies relies on a collaborative social approach that raises awareness and encourages active participation from both the community and the government in preserving the authenticity of the local culture.

The characteristic elements of TeachMeet

A TeachMeet is an informal gathering arranged by teachers to share and discuss practice with peers in a social setting. This paper focuses on reporting one fundamental finding of an in-depth exploration of TeachMeet, relating to the characteristics of the events; other findings are reported independently. TeachMeet originated in 2006, adopting participant-driven unconference practices and exploiting emergent social media channels and becoming a global phenomenon. This paper reports findings from a sensemaking exploration of TeachMeet events (n. = 15) in which analysis of data from observations highlighted elements most commonly present, which characterise the events. Data collected were analysed using Descriptive Statistics and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. This analysis found TeachMeets to be voluntary, open, non-hierarchical events attended by teachers from all levels and sectors, during which the three characteristic elements at play were (i) the catalytic role of the facilitator, (ii) the impact of nanopresentations, and (iii) the Open Space dynamic. The element of connectivity via social media was influential during and between events. We conclude that these elements in combination characterise this novel phenomenon for informal open professional learning among peers, at gatherings convened by and for teachers to share their experiences in the convivial setting of a TeachMeet.

Revitalising indigenous sports in India: an examination of their impact on fostering social and character development of children

ABSTRACT Indigenous sports and games in India, deeply entrenched in traditional practices and cultural heritage, offer diverse physical activities for individuals, particularly children. This review explores the historical origins and contemporary significance of Traditional Indigenous Sporting Games (TISG), emphasising their role in promoting holistic health and character development. This paper represents timeless and nationwide popular traditional indigenous sporting games like Kancha (marbles), Spinning Top, Hide and Seek, Hopscotch, Thoda, Gatka, Kalarippayattu, and Silambam (a kind of staff fencing), offering a unique blend of physical fitness and character cultivation. These activities, often played in open spaces and village settings, provide children with opportunities to engage in physical play while honing essential skills such as coordination, teamwork, and resilience. Embedded within these indigenous sports are fundamental values that echo the moral teachings found in ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. By embracing and revitalising these indigenous sports, a community can nurture a sense of cultural identity and pride while simultaneously promoting the holistic development of children. Through active participation in these traditional indigenous games, children not only improve their physical fitness but also gain valuable character-building experiences that contribute to their overall well-being and personal growth.

Visualizing everydayness, questioning interstitiality

This visual essay explores the possibility of everyday spaces to be theorized as interstices, i.e. in-between or temporary spaces. The images are black-and-white video snapshots of urban spaces in several cities in the German state of Thuringia showing the everyday movement of people and cars, and in some cases, spaces that are used by a limited number of inhabitants. Through these images, the author questions the normal nature of everyday spaces by exploring Rodrigo Vidal’s notion of interfragmentary space, which refers to urban fragments contained within any open space in the city. This article highlights the interplay between everydayness and interstitiality, which can redefine people’s perception of their environment.

The Public Open Space Quality in a Rural Village and an Urban Neighborhood: A Re-Examination after Decades

The Public Open Space Quality in a Rural Village and an Urban Neighborhood: A Re-Examination after Decades

Physical activity habits and associated factors in open green spaces of young adults: A cross-sectional study.

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between green space usage habits and physical activity in young adults. A cross-sectional and correlational design. The study was conducted with 455 young adults who were studying at a faculty between February and May 2023. The research data were collected face-to-face using a form prepared by the researchers in line with the literature and tested before collection. The form includes questions about green space use habits, green exercise levels, and leisure time activities in green spaces. The probability of male young adults to do physical activity in green spaces compared to women aOR: 2.4 (95% CI: 1.4-3.9, p = .001), the probability of young adults with higher family income to do physical activity in green spaces than those with low-income aOR: 5.4 (95% CI: 2.7-10.8, p < .001), the probability of young adults who do physical activity in indoor spaces to do physical activity in green spaces compared to those who do not aOR: 2.4 (95% CI: 1.5-3.6, p < .001), 500 m away from the green space aOR: 2.8 (95% CI: 1.6-4.9, p < .001) is more likely for those living farther away to engage in physical activity in green spaces than those living closer than 100 m. Young adults' gender, income, distance to green spaces, and sports activities under various conditions have an impact on physical activity in open green spaces.

Research on the actual user behavior of small open spaces in office districts (Part 2)

Research on the actual user behavior of small open spaces in office districts (Part 2)

Exploring the Impact of Visual and Aural Elements in Urban Parks on Human Behavior and Emotional Responses

As cities progress into high-quality developments, the demand for urban parks that enhance residents’ well-being and sustainability is increasing. Traditional visual-centric design methods no longer suffice. Given that vision and hearing are the primary sensory pathways through which people perceive their environment, exploring their relationship with landscape experiences offers a novel perspective for optimizing the audiovisual perception quality of urban parks. This study explores the relationship between visual and auditory elements and landscape experiences to optimize urban parks’ sensory quality. Using visual perception, soundscape perception, sound source perception, and behavioral vitality, this study evaluates the audiovisual perception quality of a representative wetland park in Chengdu’s ring ecological zone. By quantifying relationships between audiovisual characteristics, behavioral vitality, and emotional feedback, several emotional assessment models were constructed. The results show that lawns, pavements, and sound pressure levels significantly impact vitality. A sound pressure level of 77 dB has been identified as a critical threshold in emotional perception models. Consequently, distinct emotional prediction models can be employed to enhance landscape design across various sound pressure level zones. This research provides scientific evidence and flexible strategies for designing urban open spaces that improve landscape experiences based on multisensory perception.

Efficient pathways for photogenerated charge transfer induced by Co dopants in WO3/TiO2 nanorod arrays

Modifying the energy band structure in heterostructured photocatalysts enhances charge separation efficiency and improves photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance by decreasing the charge transfer barrier. In this study, cobalt doping into WO3/TiO2 core/shell heterojunction nanorod arrays introduces versatile valence states of cobalt altering the oxygen coordination environment around W atoms in WO3, resulting in an increase in W5+ ions and oxygen vacancy defects in WO3 lattice, facilitating the water splitting reaction. Photogenerated electrons transfer easily from the WO3:Co shell to the TiO2 core due to the lower conduction band minimum (CBM) of WO3:Co shell. Moreover, photogenerated holes transfer from the TiO2 core to the WO3:Co shell efficiently due to the higher valence band maximum (VBM) of TiO2 core. The heterostructure has a high photogenerated carrier density (9.89 × 1018 cm-3), improving photoconversion efficiency (2.55 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE) and reducing charge recombination rates (6.51 × 10–4 s-1). Co doping increases the -OH bond on WO3/TiO2 surface, improves its hydrophilicity, and is more conducive to the reaction in aqueous electrolyte. Additionally, the nanorod array structure facilitates PEC reaction kinetics by providing open spaces for mass exchange. This work proposes a feasible strategy for improving photogenerated charge transport and enhancing PEC by combining regulation of the band structure of WO3/TiO2 heterostructures with morphology design.

The Role of Soundscape on Urban Attractiveness in Traditional Cities

The soundscape is an immanent part of the open spaces in historical cities. This study aims to investigate the role of soundscape in enhancing urban attraction and its effect on intentional behavior. This is based on a questionnaire survey, which is conducted in compliance with ISO/TS 12913-2:2018, of 31 visitors in the Almutanabi and Almurad (alkadhmya) streets in historical blocks in Baghdad city. SPSS software is used to analyze the data. The results indicate that soundscape has a positive significance on urban attraction and the overall response to the sound source identification shows that the sound of human beings is dominant strongly while the sound of technology comes in second place and the sounds of nature are limited. In general, positive soundscape perception may contribute to the urban attraction of open spaces in historical cities.

Geotechnical performance of X-section cast-in-place concrete piles under torsion loads in clay soil – numerical study

ABSTRACT Deep foundations are inexorably subjected to torsional load due to eccentric lateral loads. The conventional piles face shortcoming under torsional loads due to its fair face. So, this study employed an innovative X-section cast in place concrete pile to improvement the torsional capacity of piles. PLAXIS 3D V20 Software was used to study the performance of XCC pile under torsional load, and combined torsional, and vertical loads in clay soil. The numerical results reflect that at the ratio of pile length to pile diameter (Lp/Dp) = 15, and the ratio of the open arc spacing to pile diameter (ap/Dp) = 0.14, open arc degrees (θ°) = 90, the torsional capacity can be improved by 3.96, 5.06, and 5.71 times of torsional capacity of conventional pile with the same cross-sectional area at clay cohesions of 70 KN/m2, 40 KN/m2, and 30 KN/m2, respectively. Also, The XCC pile recorded an increase ratio of 35% in the vertical capacity of piles compared to conventional pile with the same cross-sectional area. It can be concluded that XCC piles exhibit significant resistance to torsional forces due to their cross-sectional geometry which enhances soil-pile interaction.

Campus Commons: Analysis of IIT Patna’s Public open Spaces

The Public open spaces offer amenities including areas for social interaction and physical activity, which are crucial for the overall wellness of society and the enhancement of living quality. Many studies on POSs have been conducted in developed countries (the US, Australia, and Europe, particularly Germany, Spain, and France). POSs for the Indian context haven't been thoroughly studied, though. Using importance-performance analysis (IPA), this study attempts to investigate the role and effectiveness of public open spaces on the campus of National Institute of Technology, Patna, India. It has been noted that stakeholders' perceptions of the importance &amp; satisfaction, from the use of public open spaces within the IIT Patna campus, varies. Consequently, this study could be useful in determining the importance and satisfaction of public open spaces, enabling the prioritization of these areas in order to enhance management and restore them in order to accomplish environmental sustainability locally. Furthermore, this study recommends that public open spaces' benefits to education, recreation, &amp; the environment be taken into account by those in authority over campus planning early on.

Urban Green Space and the Blitz: Constructing New Parks and Gardens in Post-War Southwark

This article illustrates how historical cartographic sources can be analysed using a Geographical Information System to identify green spaces in London with a bombsite genesis in order to enhance the understanding of how the Blitz acted as a catalyst for greening the capital. It describes how temporary wartime green space creation and a desire to memorialise using parks and gardens gave way to ambitious plans to weave hundreds of acres of new green space into London’s urban fabric after the Second World War. The policies of London’s local government show how bomb-damaged land was specifically earmarked as the nuclei around which new green spaces could be assembled to address long-standing deficiencies in open space provision. The analysis of post-war green spaces in the present-day London Borough of Southwark using a Geographical Information System, alongside case studies of Leathermarket Gardens and Burgess Park, illustrates how digital mapping combined with archival research can reveal the processes and policies used by the municipal authorities to assemble new green spaces.

A 3D visible space index for evaluating urban openness based on the digital urban model

The evaluation of urban open spaces plays an important role in landscape design, urban management and public security. However, few three-dimensional openness approaches with high accuracy and applicability to multiple data models have been developed. A method has been developed to measure the openness of an arbitrary location in an urban space accurately. This method is based mainly on the geometric subdivision of 3D space. First, a complete visual sphere was constructed with the viewpoint as the centre. The visual sphere was subsequently uniformly subdivided by multiple lines of sight at certain horizontal and vertical angle intervals, generating multiple discrete visual difference elements (VDEs). Finally, the specific visible volumes in each VDE were calculated separately to accumulate the all-visible volumes. The visible space index (VSI) was defined as the ratio of all visible space volumes to the visual sphere. The results indicate that the proposed method can accurately calculate the volume of visible space at any location, and the corresponding VSI reflects the difference of visible space in urban environments under different terrain conditions. The proposed method is expected to provide technical support for large-scale urban openness mapping, consequently contributing to the unified evaluation of urban space.

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in professional settings, shops, shared transport, and leisure activities in France, 2020–2022

PurposeThe aim of the study was to identify settings associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in France.MethodsCases with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection were matched with controls (4:1 ratio) on age, sex, region, population size, and calendar week. Odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection were estimated for nine periods in models adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, health status, COVID-19 vaccine, and past infection.ResultsBetween October 27, 2020 and October 2, 2022, 175,688 cases were matched with 43,922 controls. An increased risk of infection was documented throughout the study for open-space offices compared to offices without open space (OR range across the nine periods: 1.12 to 1.57) and long-distance trains (1.25 to 1.88), and during most of the study for convenience stores (OR range in the periods with increased risk: 1.15 to 1.44), take-away delivery (1.07 to 1.28), car-pooling with relatives (1.09 to 1.68), taxis (1.08 to 1.89), airplanes (1.20 to 1.78), concerts (1.31 to 2.09) and night-clubs (1.45 to 2.95). No increase in transmission was associated with short-distance shared transport, car-pooling booked over platforms, markets, supermarkets and malls, hairdressers, museums, movie theatres, outdoor sports, and swimming pools. The increased risk of infection in bars and restaurants was no longer present in restaurants after reopening in June 2021. It persisted in bars only among those aged under 40 years.ConclusionClosed settings in which people are less likely to wear masks were most affected by SARS-CoV-2 transmission and should be the focus of air quality improvement.ClinicalTrials.gov (03/09/2022)NCT04607941.

Sensing perceived urban stress using space syntactical and urban building density data: A machine learning-based approach

Human well-being is an essential criterion in achieving smart and sustainable cities. Given the significant influence of stress on individuals physical and mental health, various approaches have been proposed to examine the subjective experience of stress induced by the urban built environment and its effects on human well-being. Nevertheless, conducting assessments on a large scale continues to be a significant obstacle, particularly in today's context of rapid urbanization. This study utilized advancements in Machine Learning (ML) to develop a method for measuring perceived stress by analyzing urban building density, space syntactic characteristics, and visual features of the built environment. Through the utilization of ML models, a predictive approach has been developed that can capture the perceived stress levels of urban dwellers. The results are verified with public survey data, with R2 reaching 0.698 obtained by evaluating the mean stress scores of 25 districts in Seoul city. The findings demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively measure perceived stress, enabling urban planners to analyze the spatial pattern of perceived stress and the influence of the built environment on this perception. This work expands current approaches, which concentrate solely on parks, open spaces, or streetscapes, by developing a more comprehensive predictive model for measuring perceived stress levels in various urban areas.