City Region Research Articles

The effect of pomegranate supplementation on symptom severity and quality of life in women with premenstrual syndrome: A randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to find out how well pomegranate use affects quality of life and PMS symptoms. MethodsThis randomised controlled trial (Clinical trial number: NCT06201702) was conducted in a city in the western region of Turkey, reaching women with PMS through social media announcements. Data were collected between 2 January 2024 and 15 May 2024. In the study of 60 participants (intervention group: 30, control group: 30), the intervention group was given pomegranate exrat supplementation for 2 cycles, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research data were collected through a descriptive information, Premenstrual Syndrome Scale and World Health Organisation Quality of Life Scale. IBM SPSS Version 23 software was used for data analysis. Chi-square test, paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test were used. P-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsWhen the intervention and control groups were compared in terms of premenstrual syndrome scores, a statistically significant difference was found and it was observed that symptoms decreased significantly in the intervention group after the intervention (p < .05). However, no statistically significant change was observed in the control group (p > .05). When the quality of life scores after the intervention were evaluated, it was seen that the social quality of life of the intervention group was higher than the control group (p < .05). ConclusionsThis study shows that pomegranate may be a potential natural solution, especially in reducing PMS symptoms, and may also be effective in improving social quality of life.

Implementation of smart mobility and relationship with transportation planning and regional development: A case study of South Tangerang city

Urbanization and suburbanization have led to high population growth in certain city regions, resulting in increased population density and mobility. Therefore, there is a need for a concept to address congestion, public transportation, information and communication systems, and non-motorized vehicles. Smart mobility is a concept of urban development as part of the smart city concept based on information and communication technology. Through this concept, it is expected that transportation services will be easily accessible, safe, comfortable, fast, and affordable for the community. This research aims to analyze smart mobility and its relationship with regional transportation planning and the development of South Tangerang, as well as to design a policy strategy model for the planning and development of South Tangerang with smart mobility. The research method used in this study is a mixed method, including analyzing the relationships and weighting of relationships between variables using the Cross Impact Multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC) matrix. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with Promethee software is also used to obtain the necessary policies. The results of this research indicate that the measurement of relationships between variables shows that smart mobility influences regional transportation planning, smart mobility affects regional development, and regional planning affects regional development. This research also provides alternative policies that policymakers should implement in a specific order. First, ensure the availability of public transportation; second, improve public transportation safety; third, enhance public transportation security; fourth, improve public transportation routes; fifth, provide real-time information access; sixth, improve transportation schedules; and seventh, increase the number of bicycle lanes.

Scientific and Technological Innovation Effects on High-Quality Agricultural Development: Spatial Boundaries and Mechanisms

This study investigates the spatial boundaries and mechanisms of the effect of scientific and technological innovation (STI) on high-quality agricultural development (HQA) to enhance agricultural practices. By employing a double-fixed spatial Durbin model and analyzing panel data from 167 prefectural-level cities in major grain-producing regions spanning from 2004 to 2021, we revealed significant spatiotemporal variations in the impact of STI on HQA in both local and adjacent cities. Our findings remained robust after rigorous testing. The study identified the spillover range of STI to be 420 km, displaying a distinctive inverted U-shaped trend around 170 km. Mechanism analysis indicates that both agricultural industry upgrades and human capital levels within 420 km amplify the influence of STI on local HQA, with only the latter demonstrating spillover effects. Within 170 km, both factors effectively regulate HQA in adjacent cities, while beyond this distance, only human capital regulatory impact continues to exhibit spillover effects. These insights offer theoretical guidance for designing effective agricultural scientific and technology promotion policies aimed at elevating the quality of HQA.

The Impact of the Circular Economy Pilot Policy on Carbon Emissions in Chinese Cities and Its Underlying Mechanisms

The development of the circular economy is an important way for China to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals on schedule. In this paper, we use the construction of circular economy demonstration cities as a quasi-natural experiment to systematically evaluate the carbon reduction effect of the circular economy pilot policy using the multi-period Differences-in-Differences (DID) model and Spatial-Differences-in-Differences (Spatial-DID) model. The research findings indicate that the circular economy pilot policy may effectively restrain the intensity of carbon emissions and the volume of carbon emissions, primarily driving carbon reduction in resource-based cities, old industrial base cities, and cities in the central regions, rather than universally exerting a significant impact on energy conservation and carbon reduction in all cities. Government investment in technology and the improvement of factor allocation structure play a mediating role in the carbon reduction effect of the circular economy pilot policy, while the intensity of public management plays a moderating role. When considering the externalities of urban networks, it becomes evident that the policy exhibits a notable spatial spillover effect. This not only significantly propels local efforts to reduce carbon emissions but also exerts a “demonstration effect” on the surrounding areas. The spillover effect on carbon emissions volume surpasses that on carbon emission intensity. This study offers empirical evidence for the ongoing promotion of the circular economy pilot policy nationwide, facilitating the achievement of cities’ dual carbon goals.

Construction minerals as part of an urban circular economy? A multi-scalar study of the city of Oslo and its hinterland

Abstract Flows of construction minerals in the Oslo region are studied in a multi-scalar perspective. Urban densification and construction of infrastructure result in large volumes of gravel and stone which according to law is waste. Waste is landfilled in the hinterland putting pressure on socio-ecological qualities. Lack of regional planning promoting circularity implies municipalities in the hinterland have to regulate land for landfills. Norway has a competitive advantage in construction minerals and prices on virgin, compared to recycled construction minerals are relatively low. Combined with a planning regime supporting linear resource governance, the consumption of virgin construction minerals and farmland in the hinterland is de facto stimulated. Differences are identified between the Oslo region and some city regions in the core of Europe concerning the level of progress towards a circular economy. A distinction between resource-rich and resource-strapped regions is proposed as part of an explanation of such differences.

Effects of Industrial Structure on the Green Utilization Efficiency of Urban Land: A Case Study of the Bohai Rim Region, China

The green utilization of urban land is a critical component of regional high-quality development. Enhancing the green utilization efficiency of urban land (GUEUL) is of great significance to improving the quality of ecological environment and achieving a green lifestyle and low-carbon production. With the process of urbanization, the industrial structure is constantly adjusted, which has an impact on the structure and efficiency of urban land utilization. Taking 43 cities in the Bohai Rim region as an example, the super-efficiency slack-based measure model with undesirable outputs (super-SBM-undesirable model) was employed to evaluate the GUEUL from 2006 to 2021, and the panel quantile model was used to explore the impact of industrial structure on GUEUL. The results showed that the GUEUL in the Bohai Rim region appeared a fluctuating upward trend from 0.664 in 2006 to 0.837 in 2021. High-value zones shifted from western Liaoning province and southern Shandong province to a “C”-shaped belt around the coastline and expanded continuously, while low-value zones decreased significantly. Furthermore, the influence of industrial structure on GUEUL was significantly positive, but there were significant differences among different efficiency levels. Industrial structure upgrading exerted the most significant effect on GUEUL improvement in low-value zones, while industrial structure rationalization was dominant in high-value zones, and the influence of industrial structure technologization was more significant in medium-low-value zones. Therefore, differentiated industrial structure adjustment policies should be formulated based on the actual condition of each city to improve GUEUL.

Spatiotemporal Exploration of Ridesharing Services Ridership through Geovisualization: A Case Study of the New York City Region

App-based ridesharing services (RSSs), exemplified by platforms like Uber, play a pivotal role in modern transportation by offering convenient and on-demand services. The exploration of RSSs necessitates a comprehensive consideration of the inherent spatiotemporal variability within the data. Prior research, however, has tended to analyze the spatial and temporal dimensions separately, with many studies omitting the temporal aspect. This study addresses the gap by using geovisualization techniques to illustrate emerging hot spot analysis in New York City in 2022, derived from space–time data mining. Overall, despite temporal variations in overall RSSs ridership, certain taxi zones maintain distinct ridership patterns. Across the five New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island), Midtown Manhattan and the Brooklyn areas adjacent to Queens exhibit saturated intensifying hot spots, signaling a notable increase in RSSs ridership throughout 2022, surrounded by sporadic hot spots. Conversely, peripheral areas of New York City reveal diminishing cold spots, indicating a decrease in their intensity as cold spots. Furthermore, the study conducts separate spatial and temporal profiling. By presenting the spatiotemporal trends of RSSs, this research complements existing literature and provides valuable insights for more informed interventions. The study also highlights certain limitations that could be addressed in future endeavors.

The role of routing in the diagnosis of acute leukemia in children: an observational retrospective non-randomized study

Introduction. Acute leukemia (AL) is the commonest malignancy of childhood. Early diagnosis of AL is difficult due to the non-specificity of primary symptoms, which are often hidden under the "masks" of other diseases. Aim. Assess the delay in diagnosis depending on the areas of residence in the Tver region and area remoteness from the Tver Regional Clinical Children's Hospital. Materials and methods. The analysis included 35 patients hospitalized in the Department of Oncology and hematology of the RCCH for the period from 2018 to 2023. The diagnoses were: ALL - 30 (86%), AML - 3 (9%), and AL of unspecified cell type (ALUCL) - 2 (5%) patients. The mean age was 61 months. Thrombocytopenia and anemia at the time of diagnosis were found in 76% and 78%, respectively. Leukocytosis 20 x 109/L was observed in 58%, leukopenia 3.5 x 109/L in 15% of patients. In 97% of cases blasts (2% to 95%) were detected in peripheral blood. In the city of Tver (group 1) and the Tver region (group 2), 16 (46%) and 19 (54%) patients were identified, respectively. The mean age of patients in group 1 is 28.6 months, and in group 2 - 72.3 months (p = 0.1). Results. In group 1 and 2, ALL was diagnosed in 14 (88%) and 16 (84%), AML in 1 (6%) and 2 (11%) and ALUCL in 1 (6%) and 1 (5%) cases, p = 0.6, 0.7 and 0.95, respectively. Delay of diagnosis in the general group (n = 35) was observed 2 weeks in 21 (60%) cases, 2-4 weeks - in 7 (20%), ≥4 - ≤ 8 weeks - in 4 (11%) and 8 weeks - in 3 (9%) cases. Delayed diagnosis among patients living in the city of Tver and Tver region was observed 2 weeks in 7 (44%) vs. 13 (68%) cases, 2-4 weeks - in 6 (38%) vs 3 (17%), ≥4 - ≤ 8 weeks - in 1 (6%) vs 1 (5%) and 8 weeks - in 2 (12%) vs 2 (10%) cases, respectively (p = 0.37). There was no significant impact of the distance of the residence place from the level 3 children's hospital providing specialized care (RCCH) on the time of diagnosis. Conclusion. The distance from the third-level hospital did not affect the period of diagnosis of AL in children.

Finiq rebirth through digital transformation and “digital nomads”

The topic of shrinking cities is multifaceted and affects cities, regions of cities, or entire metropolitan areas that have seen a rapid decline in their economic and social foundations. Therefore, urban shrinking is frequently a problem for metropolitan regions on a large scale and necessitates that policymakers rethink conventional regional government models. Also, Albania's population overall decreased yearly. This problem is very known in the case of Finiq municipality, which is part of Vlora city. Most of the settlements that are part of the municipality of Finiq present a social framework consisting of a shrinking and always aging population. For various reasons, mainly economic, unemployment and lack of services, the young population of these areas has mostly migrated to Greece. In order to restructure rural areas in response to shrinkage, information and communication technology (ICT), digitaliza- tion, and knowledge intensive activities are essential. It is important to understand the differ- ent aspects of the digital revolution, since the situation is evolving into a new normal where "digital" is not only a response to an emergency but also an ongoing investment against risk. Studies has shown that digital nomads often prefer settlements outside urban areas so they can be a significant contributor to the recovery of the economy in Finiq, which largely depends on ICT infrastructure level of municipality. A lot of researches for digital nomads concluded that digital nomads could be crucial in promoting entrepreneurship and the development of technology clusters all over the world. So, the research question is: how can digital nomads be developed as a new market segment in Finiq and how can digital nomads be utilized in the local digital ecosystem? This study focuses on digital nomads as an emerging market group and the possible knowledge transfer function they might play in the local digital environment.

Probability Distribution Analysis of Annual Maximum Precipitation in the Niger Delta: A Critical Step towards Effective Flood Risk Management

Aims: The study aimed to analyze historical maximum precipitation data from seven cities in the Niger Delta to assess vulnerability to extreme rainfall events, identify optimal probability distribution models for future predictions, and provide insights for flood risk management strategies. Study Design: This is a retrospective analytical study based on historical precipitation data. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted across seven major cities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, utilizing data collected over several decades. Methodology: Historical maximum precipitation data were statistically analyzed to determine the best-fit probability distribution models. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test and Mean Squared Prediction Error (MSPE) were used to validate the suitability of distributions, including Log-Normal, Normal, Log-Pearson III, and Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) for each city. Return periods of 10, 25, 50, and 100 years were calculated to predict future precipitation trends and assess flood risks. Results: Significant variations in annual maximum precipitation were observed across the cities, with Calabar recording the highest peak at 4062.7mm. The Log-Normal distribution was the best fit for Akure and Calabar, while the Normal distribution best described rainfall in Benin City. Log-Pearson III was optimal for Owerri, Umuahia, and Uyo, and GEV best fitted Port Harcourt’s data. High P-values (&gt;0.87) indicated good model fits across the cities. Return period analysis suggested greater risks of extreme precipitation events in coastal cities like Calabar and Port Harcourt. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of tailored, city-specific flood management strategies in the Niger Delta to mitigate the impact of extreme rainfall events, particularly in the face of climate change.

THE PRACTICALITY, EFFICIENCY, POSITIVE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE "MIDWIFERY MANAGER" MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF MIDWIFERY SERVICES AT THE MIDWIFERY'S INDEPENDENT PRACTICE PLACE BANDUNG

Introduction. Health transformation in the digital era has brought fundamental changes in health services, including midwifery. About 80% of Midwife Independent Practices in Bandung City still use manual records. The management information system for Midwife Independent Practices, named "Midwifery Manager", is one of the innovations in the health sector. This study aims to analyze the increase in practicality, efficiency, positive impact, and effectiveness of the "Midwifery Manager" Management Information System in improving the quality of midwifery services at the place of practice of independent midwives. Method. The research was quantitative, with a pre-experimental design in the form of a pre-test and post-test design. The target population in this study were all midwives who had independent practice places in the Bandung City Region, which were 300 TPMB. The sampling technique in this study used proportionate random sampling, which amounted to 40 respondents. The data analysis techniques used are normality test, Wilcoxon test, and chi-square test. Result &amp; Analysis. The results showed an increase in practicality, efficiency, positive impact, and effectiveness of the quality of midwifery services after the use of "Midwifery Manager", respectively with a value of p 0.000; p 0.000; p 0.00; and p 0.001 (&lt;0.05) in the independent practice of midwives. Discussion. Using the Management Information System "Midwifery Manager" increases the practicality, efficiency, positive impact, and effectiveness of midwifery service quality, and effectiveness of midwifery service quality in the independent practice of midwives in the Bandung City area.

Assessment of Demographic Characteristics Among CAD Patients by Ethnicity

Background: This study was carried out to assess the demographic characteristics among CAD by ethnicity. Methods: Retrospective study was performed in (SGNHC) Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. Hospital Database of 837 patients were used to gather the information about the disease during one year period. SPSS version 20 was used for statistical analysis. Results: As the hospital lies in the Capital city and Central Region of the country, most of the population 604 (72.2%) had come from Central region, 126 (15.4%) from Western region, 62(7.6%) from Eastern region, 15(1.8%) from Far-western region and 11(1.3%) from Midwestern region. Conclusion: The study examined 837 CAD patients, primarily Brahmin/Chhetris (44.7%), with an average age of 58.6 years and 71.9% being male. Most patients were from Nepal's Central Region.Acute STEMI was the most common diagnosis, particularly among Newars, while NSTEMI and Angina Pectoris were more prevalent in Dalits. Single vessel disease was frequent in Muslims, with Dalits showing higher rates of triple vessel disease, highlighting demographic and regional variations in CAD severity.CAD has been identified as public health priority in Nepal given the current and predicted burden of all forms of heart disease within the country. This study found that there was a diverse distribution in its well-known traditional risk factors among major Nepalese ethnic groups and demographic characteristics.

Enhancement of the impacts 2050 model to enable a whole system sustainability assessment of rideshare

Emerging concepts, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS), could evolve to provide sustainable mobility, especially in densely populated urban areas. However, recent studies highlight the challenge of evaluating how the complex interactions of user demographics, mode choice, vehicle automation, governance, and efficiency will impact the sustainability of future mobility. Given this challenge, this research identifies a whole system (STEEP - social, technical, economic, environmental, and political) framework as essential to assess the overall sustainability of emergent urban mobility systems such as rideshare. The need is a single tool that can rapidly explore the long-range sustainability impact of such alternative future mobility scenarios for a given city region. This paper documents enhancements made to Impacts 2050, a strategic-level model of urban mobility, to address this need, including updates to the statistical travel behavior model and the addition of rideshare including trip occupancy. Results obtained with the enhanced Impacts 2050 showed that, while rideshare use increased significantly for some scenarios, its overall mode share remained limited. In addition, though rideshare enabled users to shed car ownership, the overall percentage increase of “no car ownership” was low. An urban mobility sustainability scorecard based on STEEP and generated by output from the enhanced Impacts 2050 is presented.

Crime regions in Lithuanian major cities and their suburbs

Crime regions in Lithuanian major cities and their suburbs

PROPOSAL FOR AN EMBRYONIC MODEL TO PROMOTE SMART CITIES, IMPLEMENTED IN A BOTTOM-UP FORMAT, APPLIED TO THE AMAZON REGION

Environmental changes, many of which result from human negligence, have driven managers to adopt sustainable practices that adhere to the concept of Smart Cities, a concept that is becoming popular among administrators of Brazilian metropolises. This movement has been corroborated by ABNT standards and the federal government. However, in less developed regions such as Northern Brazil, where challenges are greater and resources are limited, traditional top-down urban development strategies such as BRTs have proven inefficient as initial solutions. This article investigates the feasibility of implementing projects for Smart Cities in the Amazon region given the scarcity of resources. It proposes an alternative bottom-up model titled Smart Launch, which is shown to be more viable for sustainable development in regions with these characteristics. The model recommends starting with smaller and more manageable projects that can be easily implemented without extensive bureaucracy or significant investments. Once established, the model can be quickly replicated and adapted in other locations. The case of the UsiPaz (Peace Plants) in Pará exemplifies the success of this approach and has been taken as a case study, showing significant reduction in violence rates and an increase in the sense of community belonging, as evidenced by qualitative research through semi-structured interviews with managers from three plants in different neighborhoods of the metropolitan region of Belém.

Unravelling the impacts of stratospheric intrusions on near-surface ozone during the springtime ozone pollution episodes in Lhasa, China

While air pollution due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been effectively controlled in China; the photochemical pollution characterized by elevated ozone (O3) has emerged as a major concern for air quality improvement. Except for ozone, Lhasa is one of the cleanest cities in China with the lowest annual PM2.5 concentration in 2017. The levels of major air pollutants in Lhasa are much lower than those of other cities in the eastern region of China, especially in May, when the O3 concentration peaks. This study was based on multi-source observations in combination with the Goddard Earth Observing System coupled with chemistry (GEOS-Chem) and the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) models to explore the causes of O3 pollution in Lhasa in May 2023. The results indicated that during the high O3 episodes, the concentrations of O3 precursors were low in Lhasa. Surrounding cities in other parts of the Tibetan Plateau also experienced high ozone concentrations despite being in different airsheds, suggesting that the O3 pollution in Lhasa was caused by regional transport rather than purely local emissions. Stratospheric intrusion events modulated by the westerly jet led to elevated ozone in the troposphere above Lhasa City. The results of the GEOS-Chem model indicated that horizontal advection, turbulence, diffusion, and other effects led to high concentrations of ozone in the near-surface above Lhasa. Vertical transport was the dominant factor leading to ozone concentration increases during high ozone days, with a contribution of 6.33 Gg/day. In addition, high-altitude air masses with a maximum altitude of over 8000 m, were observed arriving in Lhasa during the high ozone days. This study revealed that stratospheric intrusions have a greater contribution to the high O3 concentration in Lhasa in spring and provided a scientific basis for mitigating O3 pollution in the plateau cities.

Distinct features of topsoil carbon fractions across urban forests in eastern China

AbstractRapid urbanization has increased the areas of urban forests that store considerable soil carbon (C). Different soil C fractions may show distinctive contents and spatial patterns in view of their contrasting sensitivities to various drivers. However, current studies on soil C fractions are mostly limited to natural ecosystems and little is known about the large‐scale patterns and drivers of soil C fractions in urban forests. Based on a field survey of urban forests across a north–south transect in eastern China, we analysed the spatial variations and main drivers of topsoil (surface layer, 0–10 cm; subsurface layer, 10–20 cm) C fractions (i.e., soil organic C, SOC; soil inorganic C, SIC; particulate organic C, POC; mineral‐associated organic C, MAOC). Our results showed that topsoil contents of POC, MAOC and SOC changed non‐linearly with latitude, with lowest values occurring in the cities in the warm temperate region. In contrast, SIC content showed the highest values in the warm temperate region. POC instead of MAOC was found to be a major fraction of SOC in urban forests. The spatial variation in topsoil POC content was mainly explained by mean annual temperature, soil clay and silt content, and park age. The spatial variation in MAOC content was mainly explained by soil clay and silt content, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature and park age. In contrast, the spatial variation in SIC content was mainly explained by mean annual precipitation and soil pH. These findings demonstrate distinct features of different soil C fractions in urban forests and provide useful implications for urban soil carbon management.

Exploring factors associated with increased suicides during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A study using data from postmortem examinations conducted in an urban area.

The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with increased suicide deaths during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan using primary data from postmortem examinations. We explored factors associated with suicides that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 2020 to December 2021) using data from 115 postmortem examinations of suicides that occurred in one city in the Kanto region between January 2017 and December 2021. Multivariate analysis using graphical modelling and logistic regression analysis showed that both female sex (adjusted odds ratio: 3.732; 95% confidence interval: 1.044-13.345) and multiple mental disorders (adjusted odds ratio: 7.344; 95% confidence interval: 1.316-40.987) were significantly associated with suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic among the young age group (39 years or under). The study results suggest that in addition to the factor of female sex previously identified, morbidity due to multiple mental disorders may be associated with the increased suicides in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this study presented the new methodological possibility of analyzing background factors of suicide using postmortem examination data. In preparation for similar emergencies in the future, it is necessary to establish a system that provides care for multiple mental disorders and a continuous suicide-monitoring system that combines methods such as psychological autopsies with other methods.

Estimation of 137Cs in some surface Soil samples from different localities in Zintan City and Awiniya Region, (Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi ) Mountain, Libya.

Estimation of 137Cs in some surface Soil samples from different localities in Zintan City and Awiniya Region, (Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi ) Mountain, Libya.

Spatial correlations and risk transmission of virtual water flow at city scale: A case study of the Yellow River Basin

By introducing virtual water (VW) flow correlation coefficients and risk indicators, this study examines the VW transmission relationship between urban agglomerations and cities in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and its impact on regional water resources pressure. The results show that: except for the Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration (SPUA) and Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA), the other urban agglomerations primarily act as VW exporting regions, while virtual water-importing cities are concentrated in the eastern regions. Notably, the Ningxia Urban Agglomeration (NUA) demonstrates significantly higher values in VW impact and sensitivity coefficients than the remaining six urban agglomerations. First-tier cities generally display lower virtual water impact and sensitivity coefficients, whereas emerging cities exhibit the opposite trend. Additionally, we observe uneven risk variations between VW importing and exporting regions. Taking NUA as an example, the risk increase resulting from VW exports significantly exceeds the risk reduction associated with VW imports in the corresponding regions. It's important to highlight that first-tier cities consistently decrease water resource risk through VW imports in both study years. However, among second and third-tier cities, only 38.9% experience reduced water resource risk through VW imports. Therefore, we recommend a focused examination of VW imports and exports in western region urban agglomerations, cities, and second and third-tier cities within the watershed. Leveraging virtual water's asymmetric and high-value transfer can alleviate water resource pressure and scarcity risks in high-pressure regions by shifting them to lower-pressure regions, thus mitigating water resource stress across regions.