Rational Planning Research Articles

Quantitative measurement of urban spatial vitality by integrating physical built environment and subjective perception dimensions

Urban space vitality is a critical indicator for supporting rational urban spatial planning and updating and formulating sustainable development strategies. However, in many areas (e.g., aging urban areas), there is often a mismatch between the conditions of the physical built environment and its spatial attractiveness. Traditional methods based on physical space design theory often fail to accurately measure the spatial vitality of these areas. Street view images directly reflect the actual construction situation and effectively compensate for the lack of visual, subjective, perception dimension information. This study proposes a novel method that integrates objective and subjective dimensions to measure urban vitality, which is captured by incorporating spatial data of points of interest, building outlines, road networks, and street view images. Then, taking mobile phone signaling data as a source of ground truth validation, we choose Nanjing as a case study to demonstrate that our multidimensional fusion method exhibits higher explanatory power and better alignment with actual conditions by comparing it against single-dimensional methods. The results underscore the importance of integrating subjective and perceptual dimensions in measurements of urban vitality. We believe that the localized samples of the subjective perception survey will further enhance the accuracy and generalizability of this method in the future.

Understanding the evolution of cities through urban stocks: A comparative analysis of Andean and coastal urban areas in Peru

AbstractThe evolution of cities follows distinct patterns that connect to the cultural and socioeconomic aspects of their populations and can be understood by studying their urban stocks. This paper examines the evolution of construction materials stocks (MS) in the building sector in five urban areas in Peru. The study employed a bottom‐up methodology and focused on the city of Abancay in the Peruvian Andes, comparing it to the coastal cities of Chiclayo, Tacna, and San Isidro, as well as Lince. Additionally, regression models were employed to examine the influence of socioeconomic factors associated with urban stock. The research highlights a transition from residential building stock to distinct patterns of socioeconomic development, with urban population and economic growth emerging as pivotal drivers of material stock variation. Notably, large coastal cities like Chiclayo, Tacna, San Isidro, and Lince exhibit significantly higher concrete MS per capita, albeit with varying growth rates. In contrast, Abancay, with lower income levels, displays a higher per capita level of adobe MS, reflecting its historical connection to Peru's heartland. The correlation of urban stock components with the human development index (HDI) emphasizes the latter's significance in understanding the trends of the stocks of the different construction materials that constitute a city. By examining MS in various locations, unique Peruvian traits are unveiled, offering insights for urban development in the Global South. These findings provide valuable guidance for aligning urban stock growth and related environmental burdens with socioeconomic development, fostering sustainability, and promoting rational planning for economic growth.

Drawing up the public national Rational Pharmacotherapy Action Plan as part of social and health services reform in Finland: a bottom-up approach involving stakeholders

BackgroundEnsuring equal access to medicines and their appropriate and safe use at reasonable costs are core functions of health systems. Despite that, few descriptions of national medicines policies' development processes and implementation strategies have been published. This study aimed to describe the government program-based development of the Rational Pharmacotherapy Action Plan in Finland as a part of the undergoing major health and social service system reform, also covering the implementation of rational pharmacotherapy in the reformed system and processes.MethodsThe data of this qualitative study consisted of public reports and Steering Group meeting memos related to the development of the national Rational Pharmacotherapy Action Plan that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coordinated. Qualitative content analysis applying systems theory and the conceptual framework of integrated services as theoretical frameworks was used as an analysis method.ResultsThe national Rational Pharmacotherapy Action Plan covering 2018–2022 was created in a bottom-up development process involving a wide range of stakeholders. Rational pharmacotherapy was redefined by adding equality as the fifth pillar to complement the previously defined pillars of being effective, safe, high-quality, and cost-effective. The Action Plan formed a normative framework for long-term development, with a vision and principles focusing on people-centeredness, better coordination and management of the medication use processes, the continuity of treatment paths and the flow of patient and medicines information through partnerships, and evidence-informed policies and practices.ConclusionThrough intensive stakeholder participation, the bottom-up approach created a national vision and principles of rational pharmacotherapy along with strong commitment to implementing the goals and measures. The concern lies in ensuring the continuity of the Action Plan implementation and achieving a balanced long-term development aligned with the integrated and reformed national social and health services system. The development of the pharmaceutical system has several national and EU-level dependencies requiring political long-term commitment. While the Action Plan differs from the national medicines policy, it forms a good basis for long-term development covering important parts of medicine policy at the micro, meso, and macro levels of the service system.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination and Ecological Risk in Soil within the Zheng–Bian–Luo Urban Agglomeration

As urbanization accelerates, the contamination of urban soil and the consequent health implications stemming from urban expansion are increasingly salient. In recent years, a plethora of cities and regions nationwide have embarked on rigorous soil geological surveys with a focus on environmental quality, yielding invaluable foundational data. This research aims to develop scientifically robust and rational land-use planning strategies while assessing the levels of heavy metal pollution and associated risks. The urban agglomeration encompassing Zhengzhou, Luoyang, and Kaifeng (referred to as Zheng–Bian–Luo Urban Agglomeration) in Henan Province was designated as the study area. Leveraging the Nemerow comprehensive index method alongside the Hakanson potential ecological risk assessment method, this study delved into the pollution levels and potential ecological ramifications of nine heavy metals, namely Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Co. Research indicates that the hierarchy of individual potential ecological risks ranges from most to least significant as follows: Cd > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cu > Zn > As > Mn > Co. The concentrations of Cd in both Zhengzhou and Kaifeng surpassed the established background levels. Furthermore, the mean single-factor pollution index values for the heavy metals Cd and Zn exceeded 1, signifying a state of minor pollution. The Nemerow comprehensive index P of Cd and Zn is between 1 < Pcomp ≤ 2, which is considered mild pollution. The comprehensive P values of the other seven metal elements are all less than 0.7, reaching a clean (alert) level. Predominantly, the primary potential risk factor in the superficial soil of the Zheng–Bian–Luo urban agglomeration is Cd, while the ecological risk implications associated with other heavy metal elements are comparatively minimal. The soil environmental quality within the designated study area remains secure, although certain localized areas pose potential risks of heavy metal pollution. A comprehensive assessment of the current state of soil heavy metal pollution is essential to establish a theoretical foundation and provide technical support for soil environmental protection, pollution mitigation, and sustainable utilization.

The Content of Urban Planning, Design and its Relationship with Urban and Rural Planning

With the acceleration of urbanization, the impact of urban planning anddesign on urban development is becoming more and more important. A reasonable urbanplanning design not only helps to improve the quality of living environment. butalso can promote the sustainable development of urban economy. In the process ofurban planning and design in reality, there are some problems and challenges which are influenced by various factors. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the content, key points and the relationship between urban planning and urban-rural planning, in order to achieve a deeper level of thinking and learning about rational urban planning and design.

The ASPiH Standards – 2023: guiding simulation-based practice in health and care

The ASPiH Standards 2023 provide a common framework within educational and healthcare sectors, bolstering quality assurance for simulation providers, regulators, professional bodies and commissioners. They endeavour to meet the current needs of simulation practitioners and learners, reflect the evolution of simulation practice, and account for emerging technologies. Therefore, they are applicable to any modality of simulation-based education and training as well as to translational and transformative simulation interventions, including the use of simulation for quality improvement processes, whether carried out at education centres, simulation facilities or at the point of care. The standards encourage adherence to core values of safety, equity, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and excellence. They provide guidance for all simulation practitioners, highlighting key principles for planning, facilitation and evaluation of simulation activities, as well as recommendations for optimum resource management. Implementation of these standards will require consideration of how they apply to each individual context, and what outcome measures are most meaningful to demonstrate alignment.

Assessing School District Decision-Making: In-Person Schooling and COVID-19 Transmission

Abstract Recent controversies have highlighted the importance of local school district governance, but little empirical evidence exists evaluating the quality of district policymakers or policies. In this paper, we take a novel approach to assessing school district decision-making. We posit a model of rational decision-making under uncertainty that emphasizes districts learning over time. We test the predictions from the model using data on a set of highly visible and consequential decisions facing school district leaders—the choice of learning mode during the 2020-21 school year. We find that district behavior is consistent with a Bayesian learning process in several key respects. Districts respond on the margin to health risks: all else equal, a marginal increase in new cases reduces the probability that a district offers in-person instruction the next week. This negative response is magnified when the district was in-person the prior week and attenuates in magnitude over the school year, suggesting districts learn from experience about the effect of in-person learning on disease transmission in schools. We also find evidence that districts are influenced by the learning mode decisions of peer districts, but not their peers' experiences with in-person instruction and disease transmission, which implies that some important frictions exist.

Multi-sensor Data Analysis for Aerial Image Semantic Segmentation and Vectorization

Abstract. One of the urgent and constantly in demand problems is updating maps. Maps, representing geo-information in vector form, have undoubted advantages in compactness and ”readability” compared to aerial photographs. The issue of maps actuality is critically important for rational urban planning, precision farming, the relevance of the cadastre and other geospatial applications. Various sources of data are used for maps updating, with aerial imagery being the main and rich source of information. Automatic processing of aerial photographs makes it possible to efficiently extract vector information, providing operational monitoring and accounting for changes that have appeared. The presented study addresses the problem of multi sensor information fusion in order to obtain accurate vector information. We use aerial images as a main data source and additionally the data of laser scanning and ground survey to increase performance of automatic image semantic segmentation and vectorization. The proposed framework is demonstrated on the task of forest monitoring.

Medium- and Long-Term Electric Vehicle Ownership Forecasting for Urban Residents

With the rapid development of electric vehicles (EVs) in Chinese cities, accurately forecasting the number of EVs used by urban residents in the next five years and more long term is beneficial for the government to adjust industrial policies of EVs, guide the rational planning of urban charging facilities and supporting distribution network, and achieve the rational and orderly development of the EV industry. The paper considers the advantages of using the grey GM(1,1) prediction model to predict the short-term ownership of EVs by urban residents. Then, by forecasting the number of EV users in a certain city in the future and predicting the number of private vehicles in the future, the boundary conditions for long-term year ownership of EVs by residents are determined. Combined with historical data and short-term forecast data generated by the grey prediction model, the model parameters that include the innovation coefficient and imitation coefficient of the Bass model are trained using a genetic algorithm. Finally, the Bass model is used for medium- to long-term ownership forecasting from 2023 to 2040. The prediction error for the target year is provided. The simulation results indicate that the ownership of resident EVs in this city will experience rapid growth in the next five years.

Dynamics of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and its response to meteorological drought in the Yellow River Basin

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been used since its discovery to characterize vegetation photosynthesis and is an effective tool for monitoring vegetation dynamics. Its response to meteorological drought enhances our comprehension of the ecological consequences and adaptive mechanisms of plants facing water scarcity, informing more efficient resource management and efforts in mitigating climate change. This study investigates the spatial and temporal patterns of SIF and examines how vegetation SIF in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) responds to meteorological drought. The findings reveal a gradual southeast-to-northwest decline in SIF across the Yellow River Basin, with an overall increase—from 0.1083 W m-2μm−1sr−1 in 2001 to 0.1468 W m-2μm−1sr−1 in 2019. Approximately 96% of the YRB manifests an upward SIF trend, with 75% of these areas reaching statistical significance. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at a time scale of 4 months (The SPEI-4), based on the Liang-Kleeman information flow method, is identified as the most suitable drought index, adeptly characterizing the causal relationship influencing SIF variations. As drought intensified, the SPEI-4 index markedly deviated from the baseline, resulting in a decrease in SIF values to their lowest value; subsequently, as drought lessened, it gravitated towards the baseline, and SIF values began to gradually increase, eventually recovering to near their annual maximum. The key finding is that the variability of SIF with SPEI is relatively pronounced in the early growing season, with forests demonstrating superior resilience compared to grasslands and croplands. The responsiveness of vegetation SIF to SPEI can facilitate the establishment of effective drought early warning systems and promote the rational planning of water resources, thereby mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Learning Material Organization for Disaster Resilient Villages

This study aims to express the best learning material organization for the Disaster Resilient Village Program (Program Desa Tangguh Bencana, DESTANA). It was delivered to the people of Pacitan Regency as a disaster-prone area. Various potential disasters exist in the area of Pacitan Regency. The learning material is organized in line with the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, which applies six levels of thought processes. The learning process starts from a hierarchical structure that identifies lower-level thinking skills to higher levels of skills that are ready for operational implementation. The Lower Order Thinking Skills materials encompass understanding various disaster vulnerabilities based on geographical conditions, the nature of disaster threats and risks, participatory disaster management by the community, principles of evacuation planning, the role of Disaster Management Plans, the paradigm of disaster risk management, principles of the Early Warning System (EWS), the purpose of contingency plans, and principles of first aid in emergencies. The Higher Order Thinking Skills materials include the ability to measure indicators for disaster-resilient villages, establish volunteer working groups, design evacuation stages, develop Disaster Management Plans, Disaster Risk Management, Early Warning Systems (EWS), and Village Contingency Plans. The learning achievement is measured through community understanding and practice, the success of building a disaster response coordination structure, and activities in a disaster simulation. It is organized in seven discussion forums. The program resulted in significant achievements. The Pacitan Regency Government implemented the Disaster Resilient Village Program for the safety of its residents. Keywords: disaster, resilient village, learning material

A Calculation and Optimization Method for the Theoretical Reclamation Timing of Cropland

In mining areas with high groundwater tables, mining subsidence can lead to the inundation of cropland by water, causing damage to cropland and posing a threat to national food security. The implementation of concurrent mining and reclamation techniques can effectively enhance the reclamation rate of cropland. This technique requires engineers to initiate reclamation measures before cropland waterlogging occurs. Therefore, when mining a panel underground, an accurate calculation of the time when cropland becomes waterlogged, known as the theoretical reclamation timing, is crucial. To address this issue, this study proposes a computational method for the theoretical reclamation timing of cropland under the conditions of single-panel mining based on intelligent optimization algorithms. In addition, this paper also proposes an optimization method for the theoretical reclamation timing of cropland within a district based on an intelligent optimization algorithm. Utilizing this method makes optimizing the layout of multiple panels possible, thereby delaying the theoretical reclamation timing for cropland within a district. This approach aims to shorten the duration of reclamation projects and minimize their interference with agricultural activities. Through experimental validation, this paper demonstrates the reliability of these two methods. This study is beneficial for the rational planning of reclamation projects.

Driving Mechanisms of Spatial Differentiation in Ecosystem Service Value in Opencast Coal Mines in Arid Areas: A Case Study in the Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone

The valuation of ecosystem services (ESs) is crucial for preserving ecosystems, assessing natural resources, and making decisions regarding compensation. In this study, we employed the InVEST model’s habitat quality (HQ) module to calculate the HQ and degradation levels in the study area using land use/land cover (LULC) data from 2000 to 2020. Our analysis utilized quantitative methods, including spatial correlation, hotspot analysis, and geo-probing, to determine the value of ESs and identify trends. Furthermore, we examined the spatial and temporal variation in the significance of ESs and their driving factors. The results show the following. (1) The primary LULC types in the Zhundong coalfield from 2000 to 2020 are grassland and barren areas. (2) The average value of the HQ index in the study area exhibited a generally decreasing trend. Between 2000 and 2010, HQ significantly declined, particularly in the region’s large barren industrial and mining zones. However, over time, the proportion of sites with minimal degradation improved steadily, resulting in better overall HQ in the study area by 2020. This pertains to the measures put in place by the local government to safeguard and rehabilitate the ecosystem. (3) The spatial distribution of the ecosystem service value (ESV) aligns with changes in HQ and LULC, with significant hotspots primarily observed in forest and grassland areas, nature reserves, and areas around water sources. (4) LULC, temperature, annual precipitation, and elevation are the main drivers of spatial variation in the ESV in the Zhundong area; the spatial variation in the ESV in the Zhundong coalfield is primarily influenced by the interaction between human factors and natural factors, in which LULC plays a dominant role. This study’s findings can guide the development of rational ecological planning, integrating resource conservation mining with effective zoning management.

Winter Wheat Mapping in Shandong Province of China with Multi-Temporal Sentinel-2 Images

Wheat plays an important role in China’s and the world’s food supply, and it is closely related to economy, culture and life. The spatial distribution of wheat is of great significance to the rational planning of wheat cultivation areas and the improvement of wheat yield and quality. The current rapid development of remote sensing technology has greatly improved the efficiency of traditional agricultural surveys. The extraction of crop planting structure based on remote sensing images and technology is a popular topic in many researches. In response to the shortcomings of traditional methods, this research proposed a method based on the fusion of the pixel-based and object-oriented methods to map the spatial distribution of winter wheat. This method was experimented and achieved good results within Shandong Province. The resulting spatial distribution map of winter wheat has an overall accuracy of 92.2% with a kappa coefficient of 0.84. The comparison with the actual situation shows that the accuracy of the actual recognition of winter wheat is higher and better than the traditional pixel-based classification method. On this basis, the spatial pattern of winter wheat in Shandong was analyzed, and it was found that the topographic undulations had a great influence on the spatial distribution of wheat. This study vividly demonstrates the advantages and possibilities of combining pixel-based and object-oriented approaches through experiments, and also provides a reference for the next related research. Moreover, the winter wheat map of Shandong produced in this research is important for yield assessment, crop planting structure adjustment and the rational use of land resources.

Changes of PK/PD of Meropenem in patients with abdominal septic shock and exploration of clinical rational administration plan: a prospective exploratory study

This study aimed to explore the changes of pharmacokinetic parameters after meropenem in patients with abdominal septic shock after gastrointestinal perforation, and to simulate the probability of different dosing regimens achieving different pharmacodynamic goals. The study included 12 patients, and utilized high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to monitor the plasma concentration of meropenem. The probability of target attainment (PTA) for different minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and %fT > 4MIC was compared among simulated dosing regimens. The results showed that in 96 blood samples from 12 patients, the clearance (CL) of meropenem in the normal and abnormal creatinine clearance subgroups were 7.7 ± 1.8 and 4.4 ± 1.1 L/h, respectively, and the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) was 22.6 ± 5.1 and 17.2 ± 5.8 L, respectively. 2. Regardless of the subgroup, 0.5 g/q6h infusion over 6 h regimen achieved a PTA > 90% when MIC ≤ 0.5 mg/L. 1.0 g/q6h infusion regimen compared with other regimen, in most cases, the probability of making PTA > 90% is higher. For patients at low MIC, 0.5 g/q6h infusion over 6 h may be preferable. For patients at high MIC, a dose regimen of 1.0 g/q6 h infusion over 6 h may be preferable. Further research is needed to confirm this exploratory result.

Molecular Stratification and Treatment Monitoring of Lung Cancer Using a Small Extracellular Vesicle-Activated Nanocavity Architecture.

Development of molecular diagnostics for lung cancer stratification and monitoring is crucial for the rational planning and timely adjustment of treatments to improve clinical outcomes. In this regard, we propose a nanocavity architecture to sensitively profile the protein signature on small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) to enable accurate, noninvasive staging and treatment monitoring of lung cancer. The nanocavity architecture is formed by molecular recognition through the binding of sEVs with the nanobox-based core-shell surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) barcodes and mirrorlike, asymmetric gold microelectrodes. By imposing an alternating current on the gold microelectrodes, a nanofluidic shear force was stimulated that supported the binding of sEVs and the efficient assembly of the nanoboxes. The binding of sEVs further induced a nanocavity between the nanobox and the gold microelectrode that significantly amplified the electromagnetic field to enable the simultaneous enhancement of Raman signals from four SERS barcodes and generate patient-specific molecular sEV signatures. Importantly, evaluated on a cohort of clinical samples (n = 76) on the nanocavity architecture, the acquired patient-specific sEV molecular signatures achieved accurate identification, stratification, and treatment monitoring of lung cancer patients, highlighting its potential for transition to clinical utility.

Basic principles of urban transformation of the suburban zone of a megapolis greater samara. Part 1

The contradictions that exist today between a reasonable balance of planning, communication, industrial, environmental processes and the organization of the urban planning structure of a megapolis are formed in the orbit of current challenges for Russia. The author examines new concepts aimed at creating international transport and logistics corridors and scientific and production clusters in accordance with the strategy of neo-industrialization and the draft Urban Planning Doctrine of Russia developed by the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences. Using the example of the Volga region megapolis Greater Samara, the following are considered: the basic urban planning principles for regulating the transformation of the suburbs of the megapolis; spatial structure of multihub systems. Promising models of the supporting framework of territories with scientific and practical organization of space are proposed, considered according to the spheres of their action: architectural, urban planning, management, environmental, economic. The author relies on the scientific works of architects, urban planners, economic geographers, urban ecologists and other specialists studying urban processes.

Urban forests and their contribution to sustainable urban development in a global context: a case study of Multan, Pakistan

Currently, cities and towns are home to over half of the global population, and this percentage will rise over the coming decades. Cities can be wonderful homes to live in if planned and maintained properly, but most urban developments have noticeably caused environmental destruction, which in turn results in issues like urban heat islands, flooding, and air pollution. Cities require forests as their breathing organs. The study refers to the case of Multan City, where the climate is deteriorating at an alarming rate due to rapid urbanization and the lack of vegetation. The study aims to provide an urban green infrastructure (UGI), which abides by the key proactive resilience principles of effectiveness, diversity, dependence, durability, versatility, autonomy, planning, and adaptability. A strategic literature review has been done to study the effects of urban forests, and various studies were reviewed as per the methodology adopted worldwide. The policy frameworks of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) were considered while selecting sites for implementing urban forests. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was developed for the participation of the community nearby. Ten different sites were selected in the city based on ownership and feasibility, irrespective of SDG, NUA, and community opinions. The study concludes with the design suggestion of one site as a prototype in the given context.

Update on Total Auricular Construction.

After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Understand principles of preoperative planning for microtia repair. 2. Understand key techniques for flap design, skin envelope dissection, framework creation, and donor-site reconstruction. 3. Describe important components of postoperative management. Total auricular construction remains a challenge for reconstructive surgeons. This article describes current surgical strategies and advancements for microtia construction. The authors' focus is to describe the several keys for success that are useful for young surgeons who wish to train themselves to create satisfactory results.

Smart Garden Management System Based on the combination of Internet of Things and Geographic Information System Technology

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology is inevitably forging ahead in a number of areas all among them being the agricultural sector and in particular the affected environment. This paper utilizes the farm's IoT where through an effective analysis, the smart garden is designed and managed. It blends field research, project implementations and theoretical analysis to improve the case implementation. It can be considered as more rigorous and practical. The study intends, first and foremost, to look at agricultural IoT based technologies and how IoT changes the way farmers work and agricultural landscapes look. Different theories have been used in the implementation of these concepts which include agriculture, tourism, and landscape design. The technical side will integrate the Internet of Things technology, the adaptation theory of agricultural industrialization, the formation of the theory of ecotourism, the application of tourism psychological theory in tourism discipline, the ecology theory of landscape and aesthetics theory, and landscape gardening planning and design theory. A comprehensive examination of the smart park has been conducted, including relevant theories and the application of planning and design principles. This systematic research aims to provide scientific direction for the agricultural aspects of the smart park. In order to offer scientific direction for the planning and design of agricultural Internet of Things (IoT) in smart gardens, this study presents a theoretical framework for the planning and design of smart gardens that incorporate agricultural IoT. The framework is comprehensively explained, encompassing its concept, distinguishing features, relevant theories, and guidance approaches.