Population Density Research Articles

Abstract 1048: Unraveling cancer disparities in African Americans: Socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental contributions in UChicago and Baylor catchment areas

Abstract Background: Cancer incidence rates are disproportionately high among African Americans for several cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. Reasons for these disparities may take root from a complex set of social, economic, and environmental factors. This study examines disparities in cancer incidence among African Americans between the University of Chicago and Baylor College of Medicine catchment areas, focusing on identifying modifiable factors. Methods: Data were obtained from SEER, CDC WONDER, ACS, and Policy Map. We used our intelligent Catchment Analysis Tool, or iCAT, to examine the incidence of cancers with demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare utilization variables, environmental factors, pollution, and water quality. iCAT helped precisely delineate catchment areas to analyze referral patterns of hospitals and population density. Statistical analysis using multivariate logistic regression and spatial analysis enabled us to identify clusters of disparities. Data visualizations were developed to illustrate relationships, including geographic heatmaps and scatter plots. Results: Our findings demonstrated that cancer incidence rates were dependent on socioeconomic and environmental inequalities, with distinct differences in patterns at U. Chicago and Baylor catchment areas. Communities characterized by higher poverty levels, lower educational attainment, and limited access to healthcare showed increased cancer incidence rates. Environmental factors, especially air quality, further accentuated these disparities. Conclusions: The findings underscore the urgent need for multilevel interventions to target socioeconomic inequities, improve healthcare access, and reduce environmental risks to decrease the cancer burden among African Americans. This study provides a basis for working toward tailored public health strategies in the U. Chicago and Baylor catchment areas, contributing to health equity and improved cancer outcomes. Citation Format: Ahmed Fadiel, Saleh Fadel, W. Butt, K.D. Eichenbaum, M. Abbasi, A. Elbialy, Kunle Odunsi. Unraveling cancer disparities in African Americans: Socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental contributions in UChicago and Baylor catchment areas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 1048.

The response of avian chewing lice (Psocodea: Phthiraptera) loads to early-1900s urbanization in the Western United States

Urbanization can alter all types of ecological interactions, including parasitism. For urban-associated hosts, two hypotheses predict the response of parasites to urbanization: dense host populations can increase disease transmission, and/or healthy host populations can increase immunity against disease. Using a historical record of bird specimens, we examined the effect of historical urban environments on parasitic interactions by measuring the abundance of ectoparasites on two bird species: House Finch and Hairy Woodpecker. We counted adult chewing lice and their nits from museum study skins of these two species, which were collected in the western United States from 1900 to 1932. Our urbanness metric for each specimen’s collection site and year was extracted from the Built-Up Footprint Area dataset, which measures the area covered by human structures each decade. Despite finding many lice preserved on museum specimens, we found no significant relationship between urbanness and louse loads. This result could be because lice are not sensitive to their external environment, or because the impacts of urbanization on birds were still small in the temporal range documented by our specimens. We also found that House Finches had more nits but fewer adult Ischnocera than Hairy Woodpeckers, and that Ischnocera and nit loads exhibited slight seasonal variation. Our study emphasizes the value of museum collections for understanding the historical process of urbanization in an ecological context, including bird-louse dynamics, and provides an important initial evaluation of how chewing lice may or may not respond to urbanization.

Targeting the Xylella fastidiosa spittlebug vector Neophilaenus campestris in the olive cover crops with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum

IntroductionNeophilaenus campestris (Fallén) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) is among the most abundant, highly dispersible, and widely distributed Xylella fastidiosa Wells (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae) vectors to olive tree in Europe, with emphasis in Andalucía. The development of efficient and environmentally friendly vector management strategies is greatly needed. Entomopathogenic ascomycetes are among the few alternatives for the microbial control of pierce-sucking spittlebugs due to their unique contact mode and ability to endophytically colonize crops. These characteristics allow for several strategic uses aimed at reducing vector populations and/or their disease transmission potential. This study included a two-year field experiment to evaluate the Metarhizium brunneum Petch. (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) strain EAMa 01/58-Su sprayed onto N. campestris population naturally present in the olive grove cover in Cordoba (Spain).MethodsExperiments were conducted in early spring, and efficacy was evaluated using the Henderson-Tilton formula, as well as by analyzing changes in the relative population density of both nymphs and adults.Results and discussionThe fungus was detected in the soil and endophytically in the natural cover throughout the 8 days monitoring period, in which the fungal treatment significantly reduced both the nymph and the adult populations. Notably, the efficacy of the fungal treatment was 100.0% and 85.0% for foams and adults in 2023, and 62.5% and 72.0% for foams and adults in 2024, respectively. Results indicate a significant reduction in the population density of both vector developmental stages, highlighting the potential of this fungal strain for managing X. fastidiosa vectors in olive cover crops.

Brucella suis in feral pigs in Australia: what is the risk?

In Australia, feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are the primary host for Brucella suis. The incidence of B. suis brucellosis in dogs in Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW) has increased, likely due to hunting and consumption of feral pig meat. This study aimed to update estimates of B. suis seroprevalence and spatial distribution in feral pigs and assess the risk of transmission to dogs. Serology results from 686 feral pigs in QLD and NSW were analysed, with seroprevalence correlated to pig population density. Serology results from 3074 dogs in QLD and NSW were mapped to local government areas (LGAs) and compared with pig density. Raw feral pig meat sold for pet consumption was tested for B. suis. Thirty-seven feral pigs were seropositive, with a survey adjusted true seroprevalence of 17% (95% confidence interval [CI] 12% to 22%) in QLD and 11% (95% CI 8% to 14%) in NSW. No positive spatial autocorrelation between positive and negative pigs was identified. Six hundred dogs from 26 QLD LGAs and 37 NSW LGAs were seropositive, showing a positive association with pig density. Brucella suis DNA was detected in commercially sold feral pig meat. This study found an increased prevalence and geographical expansion of infected pig populations potentially increasing the risk for B. suis transmission. The wide distribution and high level of detection in at-risk dogs highlight the links to pig hunting. Investigating human and dog cases could help identify infected pig populations, enabling hunters to reduce contact with infected pigs in those areas.

Forest fire regimes in the Northwestern Himalayas: unravelling microlevel impact of topography, weather, and human activity on fire behaviour

ABSTRACT Global forest fire regimes are synergistically modulated by topography, anthropogenic activities and climatic change. In the current decade, the Northwestern Himalayas, particularly Uttarakhand, have witnessed an escalation in fire incidence and intensity. The fire regime over this terrain is profoundly influenced by the anisotropic characteristics of meteorology, topography, fuel characteristics and human footprint at an urban level. Despite these facts, an in-depth investigation of fire behaviour and its driving mechanisms in Uttarakhand remains conspicuously absent, underscoring the significance of this study. This research delineates the spatiotemporal variation of fire intensity [Fire Radiative Power (FRP)] and occurrences (count) across 13 urban microregions, employing 10 km and 20 km buffer zones, 2018–2023. It examines the influence of vegetation dynamics (NDVI), meteorology [air temperature (AT), wind speed (WS), relative humidity (RH)], topography and human footprint on fire behaviour; also elucidates the association between environmental variables and FRP through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Random Forest. The findings revealed pronounced spatial variability in fire behaviour across the microregions, with the highest FRP (32.55 MW) observed during the peak fire season (April to June). Fire count and FRP exhibited significant variation with elevation gradient, slope, terrain ruggedness, terrain position, slope, aspect, humidity and population density. Higher elevation microregions (≥1500 metres) with steep south-facing slopes had more intense fires compared to flatter south-facing slopes (<1000 metres). PCA and RF SHAP analysis jointly underscore the key determinants of FRP. PCA reveals human modification and population density as negative contributor to FRP; meanwhile, RF SHAP corroborates this by identifying AT and RH as major positive contributors to FRP predictions. This study explained the intricate interactions governing fire regimes in the Northwestern Himalayas and advocates for integrated management strategies to mitigate fire impacts.

Why did ageing countries fare differently amid COVID-19? A configurational analysis

ABSTRACT This study explores how five conditions – a delayed public-health response, the risk of healthcare capacity being overwhelmed, trust in government, individualistic cultural orientation, and population density – have jointly contributed to high versus low older adults’ mortality rates during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic across 39 ageing countries. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) identifies four configurations associated with high and an additional five configurations linked to low older adults’ mortality rates. The study underscores the absence of a one-size-fits-all ‘playbook’ that ageing countries can adopt to protect their seniors. They must customize their pandemic response policies to align with their specific cultural and demographic circumstances.

Anthropogenic disturbance in driving floating marine litter across three coastal interfaces.

Anthropogenic disturbance in driving floating marine litter across three coastal interfaces.

Integrating geospatial technologies and AHP for optimal urban green space development: a case study of Gondar, Ethiopia

Urban green spaces are crucial for improving city dwellers' environmental, social, and health well-being. This study explores how geospatial technologies can be used to identify optimal areas for green space development in Gondar, Ethiopia. Applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the study assesses seven key factors: land use, road access, soil quality, proximity to water sources, population density, historical landmarks, and slope suitability. The data collection approach consisted of field observations, interviews, and existing document analysis; remote sensing data from Sentinel-2A images and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology enhancing this procedure. The land suitability analysis revealed 164.93 hectares as very appropriate, 3227.54 hectares as suitable, and 2949.7 hectares as quite ideal for the development of green space. The study indicates that, among other factors, the development of urban green zones depends mostly on accessibility to roads and streams, moderate slopes, and some land use types and other features. The findings highlight that accessibility to roads and water, moderate slopes, and specific land uses are critical for green space planning. This research offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, providing strategies for sustainable urban development and enhancing the resilience of rapidly growing cities like Gondar. Additionally, it underscores the importance of integrating environmental and community needs in green space planning.

Quorum Sensing and its Inhibition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Molecular Targets and Mode of Action.

Biofilms are complicated microbial communities attached to surfaces, bringing about serious clinical, industrial, and environmental issues due to their resistance to conventional antimicrobial treatments. One critical factor of biofilm formation and persistence is quorum sensing - a mechanism that enables cell-to-cell communication and controls the gene expression pattern depending on the population density. It is based on the constant production, secretion, and response of small signalling molecules, termed auto-inducers. The main role of QS is the regulation of vital processes in the cell, such as biofilm formation and virulence factor production, which intensify pathogenicity, drug resistance, and toxin production. In this respect, interruption of QS can be a potential druggable target, and the discovery of QS-inhibiting agents as anti-virulence compounds may offer an alternative therapeutic approach to conventional antibiotics. Quorum sensing inhibition implies a novel strategy against microbial pathogenicity as it only reduces cell-to-cell communication pathways and thus attenuates various physiological responses coordinated by the QS mechanism. Hence, it qualifies as a suitable target for drug discovery. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Las, Rhl, Pqs, and Iqs quorum sensing cascades in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, elucidating their molecular targets and regulatory roles in virulence. Focusing on therapeutic potential, the review highlights recently identified QS inhibitors and their mechanisms of action, focusing on molecular targets within QS cascades. The review underscores the critical importance of identifying key molecular targets within QS cascades, as their precise knowledge enables the strategic design of inhibitors that disrupt bacterial communication. This work advances innovative therapeutic paradigms by identifying key QS targets, offering promising strategies to disrupt virulence pathways and combat P. aeruginosa infections.

Effects of soil nutrient enrichment on trophic interactions between herbivorous insects and foliage spiders in Patagonian forests.

The addition of nutrients to soil can induce changes through "bottom-up" effects in soil-plant-animal interactions, impacting higher levels in food chains. Changes in foliar nutrient content may influence diets of herbivorous insects, subsequently altering their feeding rates and abundance. Spiders established in foliage rely on these insects for sustenance; therefore, fluctuations in the abundance of herbivorous insect communities ultimately determine the population dynamics of their spider predators. We established a long-term field experiment to investigate the effects of nutrient addition of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus), K (potassium) and their combinations on plant-arthropod interactions. We carried out sampling in 32 plots under different nutrient addition treatments, where we captured herbivorous insects and spiders on Nothofagus antarctica plants, the most abundant plant species in the Patagonian scrubland. Our results showed that foliar nutrient concentrations had cascading effects throughout the forest food chain. Herbivorous insects (Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Lepidoptera orders) exhibited a positive response to the increased foliar phosphorus content, resulting in higher population densities. In addition, we found a strong positive relationship between herbivorous insect abundance and spider abundance. Our findings indicate that variations in the availability of soil nutrients play a crucial role in defining the structure of predator-prey interactions in forest ecosystems.

Geospatial costs and emissions assessment of universal Fiber-To-The-Neighborhood (FTTnb) broadband infrastructure strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Currently, fixed fiber infrastructure is essential for providing universal broadband but has received relatively little research attention in low-income countries compared to other more cost-efficient wireless technologies. Yet, pushing out fiber broadband network to local areas is essential, even if the final access network is still wireless. Here, we design least-cost Fiber-To-The-Neighborhood (FTTnb) architectures using two spatial optimization Steiner Tree algorithms to jointly determine investment costs, environmental emissions, and Social Carbon Costs. We find that the average annualized per user emissions in low population density areas (&lt;9 people per km2) range from 1.9 kg CO2 e and 9.6 kg CO2 e, compared to 0.02kg CO2 e and 0.12 kg CO2 e for high population density areas (&gt;958 people per km2). Moreover, Total Cost of Ownership for building fiber closer to premises is approximately US$ 2.1 billion in high population density areas (&gt;958 people per km2) compared to US$ 64 billion for sparsely populated regions (&lt;21 people per km2). The findings suggest that building a fiber closer to premises in sparsely populated areas will cost 3.1% of the GDP of Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the total emissions from building FTTnb will account for 0.16-0.85% of the region’s cross-sector greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, 48% (about 550 million) of the total Sub-Saharan African population live in areas where FTTnb is viable within the next ten years.

Optimal Hospital Volume to Minimize Postoperative Mortality After Esophagectomy for Cancer in Low Population Density Countries: A Binational Study of Australia and New Zealand.

A relationship between hospital volume and postoperative mortality following esophagectomy for cancer has been reported in Europe and USA, leading to centralization of surgery for esophageal cancer in some countries. It is unclear if this is replicated in countries with low population density such as Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). This study determined the relationship between hospital volume and mortality following esophagectomy in ANZ to define optimal hospital caseload. As the standard of care following esophagectomy in ANZ is admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), the prospective ANZ Intensive Care Society Adult Patient Database was used to identify patients undergoing esophagectomy from 2005 to 2022. In-hospital mortality was first determined for hospitals with annual caseloads defined as high (18+), medium-high (12-17), medium-low (6-11), and low (1-5). To define optimal caseload, mortality was also analyzed against hospital volume using piecewise linear regression and nonlinear (restricted cubic spline) methods. Six thousand two hundred thirty-four patients underwent esophagectomy in 161 hospitals. Twenty-five percent of procedures were performed in low-volume hospitals (n=1558) and 19.9% in high-volume hospitals (n=1239). Overall, in-hospital mortality ranged from 0.73% in the highest volume hospitals to 5.71% in the lowest volume hospitals. High-volume hospitals also had a shorter length of stay in hospital (p<0.001) and ICU (p<0.001). The optimal annual hospital volume for the lowest mortality was identified as 21 cases per year. After adjusting for confounders in multivariable analysis, low-volume hospitals showed the highest risk of mortality with ORs of 3.98 (low), 3.39 (medium-low), and 3.32 (medium-high) versus high-volume (all p<0.05). A positive volume-outcome relationship in ANZ was demonstrated for mortality following esophagectomy, with hospitals performing 21 or more surgeries per year delivering lowest mortality.

Assessing the Impact of Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors on the Body Mass Index of Children Aged 3–6 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study in Assam, India

Abstract Background: In Assam, India, 33% of children under the age of five are underweight, according to the National Family Health Survey-5 statistics. The Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project also discovered that 68% of Assam’s children between the ages of 6 and 59 months are anemic. The goal of this study was to determine how socioeconomic and environmental factors affected the body mass index (BMI) of children in Assam, India, between the ages of 3 and 6 years old. Material and Methods: 385 kids had their anthropometric measurements taken. With a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence interval, this sample size was calculated. To find statistically significant features, the collected data were analyzed using univariate Chi-square tests and multivariate regression analysis. Results: Gender, parental employment status, lifestyle, and socio-economic conditions had statistically significant associations with different factors affecting children’s BMI. In our study, no relationship was observed between BMI and the population density of the child living premises. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of gender, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status as major determinants of nutritional health among children in Assam. Such findings highlight the need for more targeted interventions that may help reduce such influence, hence improving child health in the region. The fact that living area density does not correlate with BMI suggests that future policy efforts may be made more useful when focusing on the quality of the socio-economic environment rather than on features of the physical location of living areas.

Land Reforms and the Evolution of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act: A Critical Analysis

Himachal Pradesh, established on 15 April 1948, by merging 30 princely states, holds Special Category State status due to its hilly terrain, low population density and financial challenges. Renowned for its scenic beauty, the state has become a sought-after destination for land purchases. However, this demand led to exploitation, with outsiders persuading local farmers to sell land at undervalued prices, leaving many landless. To protect local interests, the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, particularly Section 118, prohibits non-agriculturists from acquiring agricultural land in the state. While effective in safeguarding local farmers, the provision has faced criticism for being overly restrictive, allegedly hindering fundamental rights, business opportunities and development. Its inclusion in the Ninth Schedule further shields it from judicial scrutiny, fuelling debate. This article examines the Act’s implications, challenges to economic activity and procedural hurdles, offering a balanced perspective on its necessity and limitations.

Education for sustainable development in Somalia: do economic growth, energy consumption, and population density affect ecological footprints?

Somalia faces severe environmental challenges, including overdependence on nonrenewable energy, deforestation, and rapid population growth, exacerbated by poor governance and weak institutional capacity. As one of the most climate-vulnerable nations, Somalia’s environmental sustainability is crucial for its long-term economic and social stability. Given this background, this study examines the dynamic impact of economic growth, energy consumption, education, and population density on Somalia’s ecological footprint using annual data from 1990 to 2020. Employing ARDL and DOLS models, the findings confirm a long-run cointegration relationship among the scrutinized variables. The results indicate that energy consumption significantly increases ecological pressures. In contrast, education mitigates environmental impacts. Additionally, population density is found to intensify ecological stress in both the short and long run. Unlike many countries, Somalia does not exhibit the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis, highlighting the urgent need for targeted policy interventions. By considering these outcomes, this study proposes adopting renewable energy, integrating environmental education, and implementing sustainable urban and economic strategies to alleviate ecological pressures and ensure long-term environmental sustainability. Moreover, the findings provide critical insights for policymakers in Somalia and other developing economies facing similar environmental challenges.Graphical abstract

Spatial and Temporal Differentiation of Carbon Emission Efficiency and the Impact of Green Technology Innovation in Hubei Province

Green technological innovation is pivotal in advancing the ‘dual carbon’ target and promoting sustainable and low-carbon development. This research examines 17 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province, employing the Super-SBM model for assessing emissions of carbon efficiency from 2010 to 2020. The kernel density estimation and the Dagum coefficient of Gini are also used to examine the spatio-temporal differentiation and the evolution of these efficiencies. A data panel regression model is utilized to evaluate how green technological innovation impacts carbon emission efficiency in Hubei Province. The research revealed that (1) Hubei Province’s carbon emission efficiency first fluctuated and then increased rapidly, and (2) the overall regional difference in carbon emission efficiency in Hubei Province shows a trend of first decreasing and then gradually increasing. The Wuhan metropolitan area and the Xiang-yang-Shiyan-Suizhou-Shennongjia urban area are quite different; the differentiation within the Yichang-Jingzhou-Jing-Enshi urban agglomeration shows a narrowing trend. (3) The innovation elements of green technology are positively correlated with the effectiveness of carbon emissions; the relationship between economic expansion and population density among the control variables also shows a positive correlation, while the industrial structure and government environmental regulations are negatively correlated. (4) In Hubei Province, there is a temporal lag between green technological innovation and its impact on carbon emission efficiency. Capital investment and technical achievement currently enhance carbon emission efficiency, while human capital positively affects carbon emission efficiency during a second lag period. This article proposes countermeasures and recommendations for R&amp;D capital spending, innovative talent cultivation, and regional differentiation, providing specific references to advance the coordinated growth of the whole Hubei Province and green sustainable development.

Trends and inequality of human resource in centers for disease control and prevention in China from 2019 to 2023

BackgroundThe public health workforce plays a crucial role in the development of health systems, particularly in enhancing the capacity of public health infrastructure. Understanding the current status of human resources in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is essential for establishing future development goals. This study aims to assess the quantity and equity of the human resources in China’s CDCs since the outbreak of COVID-19, with the goal of promoting a more equitable distribution of the CDC workforce and enhancing the capacity to respond effectively to major public health emergencies.MethodsUsing nationwide administrative data from China CDC (2019–2023), we conducted a two-stage analysis: First, we conducted a descriptive analysis of the current status and trends of the CDC workforce. Second, we performed an equity assessment through multilevel decomposition (1) Calculated Gini coefficients across three dimensions (geography, Gross Domestic Product per capita, population density); (2) Applied Theil T/L index to partition inequalities into within-region and between-region components.ResultsBetween 2019 and 2023, the CDC workforce in China increased to 230,594 employees, with workforce density rising from 1.3 to 1.64 per 10,000 residents, 76.26% being health professionals, a majority of whom were female, and the 25–34 age group comprising the largest segment (29.06%). Additionally, while the proportion with less than 5 years of service grew, staff with over 30 years of service formed the largest tenure group (30.69%). The Gini coefficient revealed extreme spatial inequality, indicating that geographic distribution was significantly exceeding those based on economic and population distributions, with values of 0.5815, 0.3866, and 0.1843, respectively, in 2023. Decomposition of inequality indicated that both general staff and health professionals were primarily affected by within-region disparities, with an increasing trend of within-region inequity from 2019 to 2023. In 2023, Theil T analysis showed that within-region inequality accounted for 76.67% of staff disparities, while for health professionals, this figure was 64.21%.ConclusionThe human resource landscape in China’s CDCs faces challenges related to both underfunding and an aging workforce. Inequities in workforce distribution persisted from 2019 to 2023, with significant disparities within regions. Strengthening the CDC workforce, particularly in underdeveloped and sparsely populated areas, is essential for addressing these challenges.

Belt and Road Initiative and Urban Landscapes: Quantifying Land Use Changes and Development Strategies in Minsk, Vientiane, and Djibouti

This paper presents a comparative study of land use in different regional types under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through a case study of Minsk, Vientiane, and Djibouti. The BRI has created significant opportunities for economic cooperation between China and participating countries. As key instruments for advancing the BRI and fostering regional economic development, overseas industrial parks play a crucial role in attracting investment, facilitating workforce training, and promoting local infrastructure development. With the growing number of overseas industrial parks, the need for their efficient and scientifically guided development has attracted increasing scholarly attention. However, a pressing issue remains of how to formulate context-specific and scientifically grounded development plans for these parks that account for diverse regional natural conditions and economic foundations. This study examines the China-Belarus Industrial Park in Minsk, the Saysettha Development Zone in Vientiane, and the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone, using remote sensing data and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model to analyze land use changes and driving forces in these three cities from 2000 to 2020, thereby revealing regional land-use patterns and their developmental differences. The findings indicate that population density, transportation infrastructure, and topographic features are the primary driving forces behind land use changes in the areas surrounding the industrial parks, significantly influencing the expansion of construction land and the utilization patterns of adjacent land types. Moreover, variations in natural conditions and economic strategies across regions result in divergent land use changes, giving rise to distinct urbanization characteristics. The coordinated development of ports, industrial parks, and urban areas plays a vital role in advancing regional economic integration. Through quantitative analysis, this study provides theoretical support and practical guidance for the planning and development of overseas industrial parks along the BRI. It advocates for tailored development strategies that align with specific regional contexts, in order to avoid the shortcomings of one-size-fits-all policies under varying natural and economic conditions.

A typology of the engaged university: an empirical investigation into how universities in Europe engage

ABSTRACT The growing recognition of universities’ potential to positively impact their environments has led to increased discussions about their external engagement with stakeholders within the quadruple helix of universities, government, business and society. This research aims to identify the factors that define universities in terms of their external engagement activities and provide a unique exploratory typology of university engagement, including both traditional and emerging forms of engagement. This unique quantitative analysis of international data gathers data from 4,612 academics across 68 universities in Europe and takes into account not only research engagement with industry but also engagement activities in education, management, and regional development with public and social organizations. Drawing from the growing base of literature around the engaged, entrepreneurial, civic university and research-intensive university, this paper identifies four typologies of external university engagement. The study also shows that institutional characteristics (e.g. size, age, type) and those of the external environment (e.g. population size and density, patent applications, R&D investment) are related to universities’ engagement profiles. Implications of these results for policy makers and university leaders include important insights for developing appropriate strategies for university engagement and the necessity of tailored approaches in stimulating external engagement.

Deep-sea reef building hexactinellids (Euretidae) from the Bering Sea abyssal zone

Hexactinellid sponges play an important role as ecosystem engineers through the formation of sponge reefs. Aggregations of sponge skeletons provide the substrata for rich benthic communities including dense populations of suspension feeders. Previously expressive sponge reefs were described from the continental shelf of the northeastern Pacific. Here we describe a new representative participating in the sponge reef construction in the abyssal zone of the Bering Sea, Periphragella spiridonovi sp. nov. and other representatives of hexactinellids from the family Euretidae with rigid skeleton: Periphragella sp., aff. Chonelasma sp. and Pinulasma fistulosum.