Public Transport Areas Research Articles

Support for regulating smoking in private and public places by adults who currently smoke and recently quit smoking in Spain.

While indoor smoking restrictions are common, outdoor restrictions are still rare. We explored opinions and support for regulating smoking in different indoor and outdoor environments among adults who smoke and those who recently quit smoking, in Spain. The 2021 ITC EUREST-PLUS Spain Survey is a cross-sectional study conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1006 adults aged ≥18 years who smoked cigarettes (n=867) or had recently quit smoking (n=139). Using Poisson regression with robust variance, we estimated adjusted prevalence and prevalence ratios of favorable opinions on regulating smoking in different indoor and outdoor environments and support for regulation in unregulated outdoor environments, by sociodemographic and smoking-related characteristics. There were highly favorable opinions for regulating smoking in places with minors (>95% in primary and secondary playgrounds, and cars with pre-school children and minors) and outdoor transportation (60-80%). There were less favorable opinions for regulating smoking in outdoor terraces of bars/pubs and restaurants (15-20%). Support for further total outdoor regulations on smoking was moderate for markets/shopping centers, public building entrances and swimming pools (40-60%), and low for restaurants/bars/pubs (29.2%). Having quit smoking, having no significant others who smoke and/or believing that cigarette smoke is harmful to others, were factors positively associated with favorable opinions and support for regulating smoking. The settings in Spain with the most favorable opinions for regulation among adults who smoke and have recently quit smoking are places with minors, private cars with others and outdoor areas of public transportation, while the settings with the least favorable opinions were outdoor terraces of bars, pubs, and restaurants. Support for further total outdoor smoking bans is generally moderate, but low for restaurants, bars, and pubs. Overall, these findings suggest the feasibility of extending smoke-free policies to other public and private settings to protect others from tobacco smoke exposure.

Prediction model for future OHCAs based on geospatial and demographic data: An observational study.

This study used demographic data in a novel prediction model to identify areas with high risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in order to target prehospital preparedness. We combined data from the nationwide Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry with geographical- and demographic data on a hectare level. Hectares were classified in a hierarchy according to characteristics and pooled to square kilometers (km2). Historical OHCA incidence of each hectare group was supplemented with a predicted annual risk of at least 1 OHCA to ensure future applicability. We recorded 19,090 valid OHCAs during 2016 to 2019. The mean annual OHCA rate was highest in residential areas with no point of public interest and 100 to 1000 residents per hectare (9.7/year/km2) followed by pedestrian streets with multiple shops (5.8/year/km2), areas with no point of public interest and 50 to 100 residents (5.5/year/km2), and malls with a mean annual incidence per km2 of 4.6. Other high incidence areas were public transport stations, schools and areas without a point of public interest and 10 to 50 residents. These areas combined constitute 1496 km2 annually corresponding to 3.4% of the total area of Denmark and account for 65% of the OHCA incidence. Our prediction model confirms these areas to be of high risk and outperforms simple previous incidence in identifying future risk-sites. Two thirds of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were identified in only 3.4% of the area of Denmark. This area was easily identified as having multiple residents or having airports, malls, pedestrian shopping streets or schools. This result has important implications for targeted intervention such as automatic defibrillators available to the public. Further, demographic information should be considered when implementing such interventions.

Urban Transport - Synergies between City and the Port - the Example of the City of Koper

Koper is located in Slovenia near the Italian border and is the fifth largest city in Slovenia with 53,000 inhabitants. The history of the town is interesting because it first flourished during the Venetian Republic, when it became an important administrative and cultural centre of Istria. After the Second World War, the city underwent a different development as a harbour was built next to the old town. Today, Koper is a town that connects the old town centre with the newer surrounding settlements and is closely linked to the port of Luka Koper. The municipality covers an area of 303 km2, 48% of which is protected by Natura. Since 2017, the municipality of Koper has been implementing an integrated transport strategy aimed at ensuring sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility for its citizens. To ensure accessibility and a better quality of life, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport are promoted in particular. Residents of Koper who do not live in the old town still predominantly use private cars to get to work, school, and university. Koper is an old city that has existed since the time of the Roman Republic and has many monuments. To reduce the number of cars, the city centre has been closed to traffic, and residents of Koper's old town can use parking garages or open parking lots for a small fee. For everyone else, parking lots with P+R facilities have been set up, but there is great dissatisfaction among the population. Another problem is the increasing freight traffic coming in and out of the port of Koper. The port and the city live in harmony, but the problem of increasing freight traffic at critical times and on critical days is a big problem. In this paper we will outline the measures that should be taken in the area of public passenger transport and freight transport to ensure that the strategy is implemented.

Cyber Security Challenges and Effective Security Measures for IOT-based Intelligent Healthcare Systems

Aims and Background: In order to keep up with the rapid development of technology, cities must enhance their offerings in the areas of public security, medical care, transportation, and citizen well-being. Healthcare systems rely heavily on patient care. Patients' life and the services offered by doctors, nurses, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, and governments stand to benefit from the implementation of Healthcare IoT. There has been a change in the medical industry, marked by the widespread adoption of wireless healthcare-monitoring-systems (HMS) in hospitals. Objectives and Methodology: However, the Internet-of-Things(IoT) concept frequently ignores security-privacy for linked things. Security and privacy protections must be implemented systematically throughout the entire healthcare and remote health monitoring system, from the creation of equipment to their interconnection, communication, storage, and eventual destruction. This research investigates the risks associated with using smart health devices and provides recommendations for addressing those risks. The present security and privacy of IoT devices in healthcare systems, as well as the difficulties in adopting security frameworks, are discussed, and recommendations for addressing these issues are offered. Results and Conclusions: This study also contributes in two ways to the ongoing effort to investigate security-privacy concerns in the circumstance of smart cities for healthcare purposes. Moreover, this article provides a summary of the many Internet of Things applications and the cyber threats they face. On the other hand, thorough assessments of methods to reduce cyber threats to 60% are presented.

Analysis of accessibility map concept for integrated transfer hub

Transportation accessibility for people with disabilities is the challenge of our time. In Poland, there are more than 3 million people with disabilities who have legal proof of disability. In reality, there are many more - from 4 to as many as 7 million. Thus, there is a need to actively include this group of people in social life, including in the area of public transportation. This work aims to present issues related to the accessibility of integrated interchanges for people with special needs. The work also points to a key issue for transport system managers related to and aggregation of knowledge necessary to implement the changes in transport infrastructure. Information about the needs of people with disabilities is, in turn, a prerequisite for proper universal design, which is already becoming noticeable in many areas of social and economic life. As technology evolves, so do the methods of obtaining information about the needs of people with disabilities. The difficulty here, however, is to develop tools that take into account the degree of disability of the specific people from whom we would like to obtain information. The authors in the paper justify, on the one hand, measures that aim to eliminate the difficulties that a person with special needs may encounter when traveling by various means of transportation, and on the other hand, point to certain solutions and tools that are used to acquire knowledge that will consequently allow the precise adaptation of the current infrastructure to the needs precisely defined by these people. The aggregation of knowledge also has additional significance in terms of increasing transportation accessibility for people with disabilities. It enables the informed design of new facilities and supporting infrastructure to take into account the changing needs of people with disabilities.

Unravelling the Mechanistic Understanding of Metal Nanoparticle-Induced Reactive Oxygen Species Formation: Insights from a Cu Nanoparticle Study.

Humans can be exposed to engineered and nonintentionally formed metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (Me NPs) in occupational settings, in public transportation areas, or by means of contact with different consumer products. A critical factor in the toxic potency of Me NPs is their ability to induce oxidative stress. It is thus essential to assess the potential reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation properties of Me NPs. A common way to assess the relative extent of ROS formation in vitro is to use fluorescence spectroscopy with the DCFH-DA (2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate) probe, with and without HRP (horseradish peroxidase). However, this method does not provide any information about specific ROS species or reaction mechanisms. This study investigated the possibility of using complementary techniques to obtain more specific information about formed ROS species, both the type and reaction mechanisms. Cu NPs in PBS (phosphate buffered saline) were chosen as a test system to have the simplest (least interference from other components) aqueous solution with a physiologically relevant pH. ROS formation was assessed using fluorescence by means of the DCFH-DA method (information on relative amounts of oxygen radicals without selectivity), the Ghormley's triiodide method using UV-vis spectrophotometry (concentrations of H2O2), and electron paramagnetic resonance with DMPO as the spin-trap agent (information on specific oxygen radicals). This approach elucidates that Cu NPs undergo ROS-generating corrosion reactions, which previously have not been assessed in situ. In the presence of H2O2, and based on the type of oxygen radical formed, it was concluded that released copper participates in Haber-Weiss and/or Fenton reactions rather than in Fenton-like reactions. The new combination of techniques used to determine ROS induced by Me NPs provides a way forward to gain a mechanistic understanding of Me NP-induced ROS formation, which is important for gaining crucial insight into their ability to induce oxidative stress.

School-to-Work Transitions under Unequal Conditions: A Regionalised Perspective on the ‘Discouraged Worker’ Hypothesis

Against the background of considerable regional disparities, we test the “discouraged worker” hypothesis, which postulates that poor regional socioeconomic conditions foster students’ aspirations for more education, ultimately leading to an extension of their educational careers. Our two dependent variables are (i) whether students aspire to prolong their general school careers or enter vocational training and (ii) whether they in fact prolong their school careers. To that end, we link regional-level data to individual-level data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). To describe regional conditions adequately, we illustrate geographical patterns in socioeconomic conditions relevant for school-to-work transitions (e.g., labour market conditions and availability of vocational training opportunities). We compare two operationalisations of regional areas: (i) administrative districts and (ii) public transport areas. Our results show that students are more likely to aspire to prolong their general school careers in socioeconomically deprived regions. Moreover, the effects are stronger when school-based vocational training opportunities are scarce. The effects on actual transitions vary according to the school track attended and the availability of educational alternatives in the general school system. Finally, the operationalisation of regions varies regarding effect sizes and corresponding levels of statistical significance.

Public Transportation Strategy in Response to Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public transportation worldwide. At the beginning of the pandemic, public transportation systems reduced their performance by 80-90% in major cities in China, Iran, and the United States, and by 70% in the UK, including a significant decline in Indonesia. Several studies have shown that public transportation contributes significantly to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This study aims to review the use of public transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines was conducted on literature published between 2020-2023 with inclusion criteria of national and international research articles in English related to the title "Public Transportation Strategy in Response to COVID-19". The database sources used were Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Results: Based on the literature review, it is concluded that efforts to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in public transportation include providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for all public transportation crew, implementing strict physical distancing policies among passengers inside the vehicle, ensuring good ventilation, and enforcing the use of masks and hand hygiene. Another solution is to provide non-cash payment options to reduce physical contact between passengers and transportation personnel. The government and public transportation operators should consistently prepare supporting facilities and educate users about physical distancing, using masks, and hand hygiene through posters, social media, and regular announcements in public transportation areas. Implementing strategies in public transportation in response to COVID-19 requires collaboration between the government, transportation operators, and the public.

Investigation of the Microenvironment, Land Cover Characteristics, and Social Vulnerability of Heat-Vulnerable Bus Stops in Knoxville, Tennessee

The urban heat island is a climate, public health, and environmental justice issue. Sustainable urban infrastructure needs improvements in public transport to protect citizens’ health from the urban heat island. This case study investigates the local microenvironment and social vulnerability of heat-vulnerable bus stops in Knoxville, Tennessee, using publicly available data from a variety of sources. These included ground and satellite measurements of heat and humidity from the Knoxville Heat Mapping Campaign, characteristics of land surface from the National Land Cover Dataset 2019 of the United States Geological Survey, and the 2018 Social Vulnerability Index from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A geographic information system and a principal component analysis were used to identify social vulnerability in areas where the bus stops are located. The results show that most heat-vulnerable bus stops are poor microenvironments without trees and shelters. The hottest bus stops are concentrated in the highly developed and densely populated areas of West Knoxville and downtown Knoxville and in South, North, Northeast, and Northwest Knoxville, which are relatively high vulnerability clustered and have poor public infrastructure. The findings provide the foundation for mitigation strategies to better prepare local communities for climate change by identifying public transportation areas negatively impacted by the urban heat island.

EVALUATION OF ACCESSIBILITY COMMUTER-LINE STATION WITH JITNEY TRANSPORTATION MODES BY USING GIS APPLICATION-A CASE STUDY OF DEPOK STATION

This research aims to evaluate the aspects that can increase the Station's service area by maximising the integrated Jitney as the other public transportation modes that can increase reachability for the people near the Station. Evaluating the accessibility of some stations in the Depok area is needed to identify the infrastructure upgrading priorities, such as providing pedestrian roads and giving better access to the Station to increase the Station's service area. The methodology used in this research is analysing method using a GIS application to assess and discover the pattern of travel behaviour for public transport in the Depok municipality area. The GIS Database Design in this research uses the Spatial Database and Attribute Database, which are integrated with the QGIS application to become Maps for the service area of public transportation in the Depok Municipality. The road network in Depok municipality is dominated by the jitney route as intracity public transportation, which travels on the arterial and collector road. Then the railway is located in the central area of Depok that stretches from South to North. There are some areas that do not have access to jitney services due to this residential area being far from the arterial and collector road travelled by Jitney. Looking at its planning for jitneys in the Depok area, the availability of jitneys follows the demand of the passenger population, and there are no travel analyses from the Transportation Department of Depok Municipality or local public transport organisations (ORGANDA) as private jitney operators. The ineffective jitney route planning is the other reason that there are some uncovered residential areas from public transport access. Subsequently, there are different travel time characteristics among four commuter line stations in the Depok Municipality area. The Citayam and New Depok Stations have wider access for pedestrians which these two stations have a more extensive service area than Old Depok Station, whereas Old Depok Station has restricted access to the west area of this Station. The rearrangement of the Station access is needed, especially for Old Depok Station, by adding road access on the west side to increase the service area of the Station.

Modelling the effects of metro and bike-sharing cooperation: Cost-sharing mode vs information-sharing mode

Bike-sharing provides a key role in offering a solution to the first- and last-mile problem, and thus extends the service catchment areas of public transport and facilitates low-carbon travel in urban transport systems. Despite the fact that it has become popular for metro and bike-sharing operators to cooperate to improve their services in recent years, the effect of cooperation modes has largely been neglected in the literature. We thus develop a metro-lead Stackelberg game model to investigate the strategic interaction and potential integration between a bike-sharing operator and a metro operator under different cooperation modes; i.e., the cost-sharing mode (CS mode) and the information-sharing mode (IS mode). We analytically and numerically examine the impact of the CS and IS modes on the participants’ pricing and effort decisions. This paper highlights the value of a carefully designed cooperation mode on benefiting operators (profits) and society (demand for green travel). Specifically, the IS mode enables both operators to gain a profit increment, leading to a win-win situation from the profit point of view. This superior performance of the IS mode remains robust, regardless of whether the bike-sharing operator is fairness-neutral or fairness-concerned. The CS mode benefits the metro operator yet hurts the profitability of the bike-sharing operator. Interestingly, the CS mechanism can effectively promote the demand for connecting travel, which might explain the adoption of the CS mode by bike-sharing operators in practice. That is, the increased demand created by the CS mode caters to bike-sharing operators whose primary goal is to capture markets, commonly for new entrants. Essentially, the IS mode also has a positive effect on increasing demand, and the dominance of these two cooperation modes regarding the promotion of demand is sensitive to the cost efficiency of each operator. Additionally, we find that a greater degree of fairness concern weakens (strengthens) the superiority of the IS (CS) mode in both demand promotion and profit improvement. Our results provide novel insights into how cooperation mechanisms impact the integrated operation of metro and bike-sharing systems.

Sustainable E-scooter parking operation in urban areas using fuzzy Dombi based RAFSI model

Over the last five years, e-scooters have gradually become commonplace in most urban areas. However, shortcomings in infrastructure provision, especially with parking, make it awkward to use these vehicles. This study presents a novel hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model for determining optimal e-scooter parking locations by combining the Logarithmic Methodology of Additive Weights (LMAW) and the RAFSI (Ranking of Alternatives through Functional mapping of criterion sub-intervals into a Single Interval) methods. In the first stage, the fuzzy Aczel-Alsina function based LMAW approach is used to address the uncertainty of experts’ opinions in the decision process and to calculate the weights of the twelve criteria. Afterward, fuzzy Dombi based RAFSI is applied to obtain the ranking of e-scooter parking locations. A case study is presented to propose a solution for the operation of e-scooter parking by taking into consideration three different alternatives based on four different aspects and twelve criteria. According to the findings, the third option, which is a hybrid operation with geo-fencing hubs in primary catchment areas of public transportation, is the most practical choice for a sustainable operation of e-scooter parking. This option also has the potential to be the most environmentally friendly.

Physical integration of the existing condition of intermodal public transportation transfer points in Padang City, Indonesia

Based on Padang City Central Bureau of Statistic (BPS Kota Padang), there was an increase in tbe number of motor vehicles by 4.013% in 2023 from the previous year. It will have a negative impact on congestion and air pollution in the short term and long term. Therefore, intermodal integration is needed in order to optimalize the public transport service system. It is necessary for researching the integration of public transportation facilities and infrastructure to find out the problematic aspects of physical integration. This paper will discuss about the results of observations on physical integration of existing facilities and infrastructure in the intermodal public transportation area.

Understanding Operator Influence in Automated Urban Shuttle Buses and Recommendations for Future Development

The automation of our vehicles is an all-present topic with great benefits for society, particularly in the area of public transport and pilot projects of automated shuttle buses are already underway. However, they do not show the full potential of using them as a supplement to public transport, since single-occupancy registration of the vehicles usually allows only slow speeds and also requires a substitute driver on board. In our study, we aim to (1) examine the status quo of its user acceptance and (2) identify the roles of the operators and their tasks in automated urban shuttle buses. We conducted a mixed-method study including in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and in-the-field observations visiting pilot projects of the two most widespread pilot projects on German streets. Our results uncover the multiple roles and tasks the human operators currently assume. Furthermore, we developed design approaches for a digital companion substituting the operator in a long run and evaluated these concepts. A remote operator or a hologram were preferred solutions and we propose further design requirements for such companions. This work helps to understand the individual roles that operators currently occupy and provides a good basis for concepts of technologies that will perform these tasks in the future.

Does the Public Accept Congestion Pricing System in India in Developing Countries Context

Traffic congestion is the major problem due to rapid urbanization and exponential growth of private vehicles, a decrease in the use of active transport, which results in problems of transport sustainability and public health issues. Generally, commuters often find it challenging to travel along the congested routes in urban areas due to increased travel time or air pollution. The traffic congestion of those congested routes may be minimized using strategies like congestion pricing, but public acceptability is one of the main hurdles in establishing a congestion pricing scheme. The present study attempted to understand the public acceptability of the congestion pricing system in India. To fulfil the objective of the study, a questionnaire survey was conducted to ascertain the public's perception of the congestion pricing system. In order to achieve this objective, a multinomial logistic regression (MNL) model was developed by considering public opinion on support to implement congestion pricing as a dependent variable, and other variables were considered as independent variables. From the model results, it is understood that the travel frequency (viz., 1-2 and 3-4 times) and number of times struck in congestion of commuters are most likely to remain neutral. The revenue generated by congestion pricing is allocated to road infrastructure, car tax reductions, public transportation, and parking areas, which are more likely to remain in neutral and under review after implementation. The study results are more useful to policy makers in urban areas while they relook at congestion pricing strategies in developing countries.

FEATURES OF THE SOCIO-GEOGRAPHIC SPACE OF NELIDOVO, TVER REGION

Статья посвящена крупномасштабному исследованию пространства малого города. Объектом исследования стал город Нелидово Тверской области. Для дательного и всестороннего анализа была использована концепция социально-географического пространства. В работе проанализировано размещение разных типов городской застройки. Проанализировано взаиморасположение ареалов повышенной концентрации населения и объектов обслуживания. Выявлено, что в отличии от исторических городов, в Нелидово, как молодом городе, эти ареалы накладываются друг на друга. Для более дательного анализа городского пространства была проведена социально-географическая оценка качества городской среды. Для этого были рассмотрена обеспеченность основными видами услуг: образованием, здравоохранением, торговлей, общественным транспортом и парковыми зонами. Наивысшую оценку обеспеченности рассмотренными видами услуг получили центральные улицы города. Особое внимание в работе уделено исследованию ментального пространства города. Выделены вернакулярные районы и оценена их престижность. The article is devoted to a large scale study of the space of a small city. The object of the study was the city of Nelidovo, Tver region. For a dative and comprehensive analysis, the concept of socio-geographical space was used. The paper analyzes the placement of different types of urban development. The interposition of the areas of increased concentration of the population and service facilities is analyzed. It was revealed that, unlike historical cities, in Nelidovo, as a young city, these areas overlap each other. For a more detailed analysis of the urban space, a socio-geographical assessment of the quality of the urban environment was carried out. To do this, the provision of the main types of services was considered: education, health care, trade, public transport and park areas. The highest assessment of the availability of the considered types of services was received by the central streets of the city. Particular attention is paid to the study of the mental space of the city. Vernacular areas are identified and their prestige is assessed.

Mobile Application for the Management of Covid-19 Health Measures on Public Transport Lines

The pandemic is currently forcing several countries to take certain restrictions on public transportation to prevent the spread of the virus, Peru is in the aforementioned phase, so many users who continue to use public transportation on a daily basis to get to work, home, supermarkets, among other activities, must stay informed to comply with these requirements. In this context, the mobile application was developed to help the proper management of information of the sanitary measures of the Covid-19 in the area of public transport for the city of Lima, and this is compatible with Android and iOS; likewise, the Mobile-D methodology, helped to make such mobile application and to know the phases to proceed with the implementation, which has an impact on time, information management and user satisfaction. The results of the present document show that the level of user satisfaction increased to 67.5% of a sample of 200 people as the experimental group. It was concluded that the application made it possible to automate the management of information on Covid-19 sanitary measures in the field of public transportation.

The current international situation of Moldova (Relations with the EU, USA, NATO)

Moldova's relations with the European Union, which began in 1994, are currently based on the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU, signed on November 28, 2013 in Vilnius, ratified by the parliaments of all EU countries and the Parliament of Moldova (July 2, 2014), which entered into force July 1, 2016[1]. The agreement contributed to the reorientation of foreign trade and the economy of Moldova as a whole towards the European Union. By 2018, the EU accounted for 70% of all exports and 56% of Moldova's foreign trade. The EU provides Moldova with significant assistance in the areas of public administration, transport and communications, the economy and the environment.Diplomatic relations with the United States, which is the main strategic partner of Moldova, were established on February 28, 1992. Since then, the United States has provided Moldova with colossal political, diplomatic and financial support (the latter by now exceeds 1.4 billion dollars), with the help of which only some Moldovan highways were restored, but it was also possible to continue the reform of agriculture in Moldova. The United States contributed to increasing the competitiveness of Moldovan goods in European markets. In the development of democracy and the rule of law, the United States in Moldova seeks to improve the work of the judiciary, increase the professional level of judges and prosecutors, reduce corruption, strengthen the fight against international crime, in particular, trafficking in live goods and radioactive substances, information crimes. reforming the justice system, ensuring the rule of law, improving the situation in the financial and banking sector. In the field of internal affairs, the cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova and the FBI continued, the representative of which acquainted the Moldovan colleagues with international experience in combating bribery. The US Embassy in Moldova provided support for improving the functionality of the Moldovan police, raising the level of professional training of police officers in accordance with European and international standards, financed the improvement of the laboratories of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the provision of modern equipment for the Border Police, which allows them to quickly identify violators of the state border of the country. Relations between Moldova and Romania date back to the day Moldova declared its independence (August 27, 1991). Romania recognized the independence of Moldova just a few hours after this historical act for our country. On August 29, 1991, diplomatic relations were established between the countries. In January 1992, the Romanian embassy was opened in Chisinau, in March 1992, the Moldovan embassy in Bucharest.Moldovan-Ukrainian diplomatic relations were established on March 10, 1992. More than 220 interstate agreements were signed. Chief among them is the Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, signed in 1992 and entered into force in early 1997.      Russia recognized the independence of Moldova on December 18, 1991. On April 6, 1992, diplomatic relations were established between Moldova and Russia. In June and October 1992, embassies were opened - respectively in Chisinau and Moscow. Relations between Moldova and Russia are based on the treaty of friendship and cooperation between the two countries concluded in 2001 and subsequently extended, which includes the economic

Economic and legal determinants of low-emission economy in local governments: Selected aspects

The development of a low-emission economy in Poland is dictated by the requirement to reduce GHG and other air pollutants in all areas of the economy. The greatest expectations in terms of air quality improvement are related to limiting the use of coal for energy production, implementing new technologies, and increasing energy efficiency. It is the responsibility of local governments to develop appropriate strategies to help achieve these goals, especially in the areas of construction and public transportation. The article presents an analysis of legal regulations in the field of low-carbon economy in Poland. It discusses the role of local government in the development of a low-carbon economy. It also determines main problems and challenges in implementing a low-emission economy.

Application of M-Macbeth software to evaluate the usability of the subway trains

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the usability of the interior of the subway trains according to the perspective of Companhia do Metropolitano do Distrito Federal (METRÔ-DF) users. The theoretical basis of the study was cognitive ergonomics, usability and transportation guidance devices. In order to evaluate the users' perception of this theme, a descriptive research with a qualitative and quantitative approach was developed. The main research method used was the Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique (Macbeth). The data collection was carried out using brainstorming and focus group techniques. Initially, brainstorming was done with the employees of METRÔ-DF; subsequently, the focus group technique was used, mainly with specialists in the area of public transportation from the Federal District, with the purpose of identifying and defining the criteria and sub-criteria, the contribution rates and the effort levels, fundamental items for the construction of the multicriteria model and sensitivity analysis of the model and recommendations. Then, the second part of data collection took place through the application of 500 questionnaires with METRÔ-DF users. Respondents assessed criteria such as: user displacement, signage and accessibility. For data analysis, the M-Macbeth software was used, since it allows analyzing quantitatively a qualitative problem, and, in addition, comparing the view of decision makers (managers) with the view of the users. The research results showed that users evaluated the usability of METRÔ-DF subway trains as positive.