Residential Sites Research Articles

Community-Engaged Assessment of Soil Lead Contamination in Atlanta Urban Growing Spaces.

Urban agriculture is emerging as a method to improve food security and public health in cities across the United States. However, an increased risk of exposure to heavy metals and metalloids (HMM) exists through interaction with contaminated soil. Community-engaged research (CEnR) is one method that can promote the inclusion of all partners when studying exposures such as HMM in soil. Researchers and community gardeners co-designed this study to measure the concentrations of lead (Pb), using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) verified with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in soils from 19 urban agricultural and residential sites in the Westside of Atlanta and three rural sites in Georgia. Seventeen other HMM were measured but not included in this study, because they did not pose risks to the community comparable to elevated Pb levels. Pb concentrations were compared to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s regional screening levels (RSLs) for residential soil and the University of Georgia (UGA) extension service's low-risk levels (LRLs) for agriculture. Soils from the majority of sites had levels below EPA RSLs for Pb, yet above the UGA LRL. However, soil Pb concentrations were three times higher than the EPA RSL on some sites that contained metal refining waste or slag. Our findings led to direct action by local and federal government agencies to initiate the cleanup of slag residue. Studies involving exposures to communities should engage those affected throughout the process for maximum impact.

Prevalence of multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from selected residential sewages in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria.

The global surge in Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria is an issue of great concern. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been implicated in several nosocomial infections, where it has caused grave complications in immunocompromised patients. This is the first study to report the prevalence of MDR P. aeruginosa isolated from residential sewage in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria. Pseudomonads count, isolation, biochemical characterization and antibiogram were carried out using standard microbiological procedures. This study examined sixty (60) samples from selected residential sewage in the study site collected at different intervals between July and September 2021. A total of 40 (66.7%) P. aeruginosa were isolated from the analyzed sewage samples. The highest (2.84x104) pseudomonad count was recorded from sewage samples collected from Kadangaru. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from this sample site showed the highest (100%) resistance to cephalosporins (cefuroxime) and nitrofurantoin. Similarly, isolates from Miami area also demonstrated the highest (95%) resistance to a cephalosporin (ceftazidime). All (100%) isolates used in this study showed MDR resistance to tested antibiotics. The occurrence of MDR P. aeruginosa from a residential sewage site that may contaminate drinking water sources in the study area is of public health threat to the inhabitants. Surveillance and molecular epidemiology of antibiotics resistant bacteria are urgently needed in the study area.

Modelling past and future land‐use changes from mining, agriculture, industry and biodiversity in a rapidly developing Southeast Asian region

AbstractRapidly developing regions in Southeast Asia, such as Kuantan, Malaysia, require robust spatial analysis to understand changing landscape patterns and their socioenvironmental impacts to guide sustainable development and conservation planning. This study aims to characterise and evaluate the historic and future projections of land‐use and land‐cover (LULC) change patterns to understand the dynamics of the regional development process and identify potential future land‐use conflicts. We first map coarse‐scale land‐cover classes using Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI data and a Random Forest classifier in the Google Earth Engine platform, and then use auxiliary reference data to manually construct fine‐scale LULC for 3 years: 2010, 2015 and 2020. Subsequently, we modelled future LULC change patterns in 2030 using Land Change Modeller, which applies a multilayer perceptron neural network and Markov chain analysis. The study showed that the region's land cover in the last 10 years has been largely altered by human intervention, driven by an increase in oil palm plantations, followed by mining, residential and industrial site expansion, with a consequent decline in forest and vegetation cover. The 2030 land‐use projections revealed a continuation of these land‐use development patterns. The modelling showed that industry, mining and residential LULC are clustered and growing closer in proximity while expanding extensively, likely causing future land‐use conflict and lead to further environmental degradation. Furthermore, our analysis showed extensive decline in forest cover within reserves. Our modelling demonstrated that natural resource management needs to take an integrated approach as the drivers of land‐use changes are complex, competing and dynamic.

Wealth and obesity in pre-adolescents and their guardians: A first step in explaining non-communicable disease-related behaviour in two areas of Nairobi City County.

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing in lower-middle-income countries as these countries transition to unhealthy lifestyles. The transition is mostly predominant in urban areas. We assessed the association between wealth and obesity in two sub-counties in Nairobi City County, Kenya, in the context of family and poverty. This cross-sectional study was conducted among of 9-14 years old pre-adolescents and their guardians living in low- (Embakasi) and middle-income (Langata) sub-counties. The sociodemographic characteristics were collected using a validated questionnaire. Weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, and waist circumference were measured using standard approved protocols. Socioeconomic characteristics of the residential sites were accessed using Wealth Index, created by using Principal Component Analysis. Statistical analyses were done by analysis of variance (continuous variables, comparison of areas) and with logistic and linear regression models.A total of 149 households, response rate of 93%, participated, 72 from Embakasi and 77 from Langata. Most of the participants residing in Embakasi belonged to the lower income and education groups whereas participants residing in Langata belonged to the higher income and education groups. About 30% of the pre-adolescent participants in Langata were overweight, compared to 6% in Embakasi (p<0.001). In contrast, the prevalence of adults (mostly mothers) with overweight and obesity was high (65%) in both study areas. Wealth (β = 0.01; SE 0.0; p = 0.003) and income (β = 0.29; SE 0.11; p = 0.009) predicted higher BMI z-score in pre-adolescents. In, pre-adolescent overweight was already highly prevalent in the middle-income area, while the proportion of women with overweight/obesity was high in the low-income area. These results suggest that a lifestyle promoting obesity is high regardless of socioeconomic status and wealth in Kenya. This provides a strong justification for promoting healthy lifestyles across all socio-economic classes.

Assessment of groundwater potential zones for urban development site suitability analysis in Srivaikundam region, Thoothukudi district, South India

To demarcate groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) for the Srivaikundam region in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India, an effort was made in this study to locate the subsurface basin for groundwater storage and to identify the suitable destination for the urban development, agricultural, and drinking needs. This study using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) with analytical hierarchy process (AHP). According to their respective importance for groundwater occurrence, Saaty's scale was appropriately weighted to give the thematic layers and their attributes. The selected thematic maps were then merged using the weighted linear combination method to produce the final groundwater potential zone map after the layers' assigned weights and their features had been standardized using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and eigenvector approach. Based on Saaty's 9-point scale, each criterion or factor was given the proper weight, and the weights were then normalized using the analytic hierarchy approach (AHP). To create the groundwater potential prediction map for the research area, the method was incorporated into the GIS environment. For the purpose of identifying potential urban residential development sites, the generated GWPZ is combined with eight different thematic layers. Groundwater conditions have been used to define GIS analysis criteria, and each information layer has been assigned an appropriate rank and weightage. Finally, groundwater recharge zones have been selected and classified into low, medium, and high based on cumulative weighted value. The moderate groundwater potential zone covers the majority of the land, with areas of very low 0.5 km2 (0.1%), low 112.3 km2 (17.7%), medium 428.7 km2 (67.6%), high 87.8 km2 (13.8%), and very high 5.1 km2 (0.8%) accordingly. Furthermore, higher groundwater yields are estimated in medium to good zones, indicating greater potentiality of groundwater sources.

Childhood obesity inequality in northeast China: joint effect of social economic status and school neighborhood environment

BackgroundObesogenic environment is important in driving obesity epidemic. Children spend large amount of their time in schools. School neighborhood environment, as well as its interaction with socioeconomic status (SES) needs to be explored to provide evidence for children obesity prevention policies.MethodsObjective anthropometric measurement, a household structured questionnaire, and school geospatial analyses were carried out on 3670 children (aged 9–12 years) of 26 schools in northeast China. Interaction between SES inter-categorical intersectionality group and school neighborhood environment was tested for the effect on children’s body mass index z scores (z-BMI) and waist–hip ratio z scores (z-WHR), following formulation of SES inter-categorical intersectionality group based on household wealth, parental education, and parental occupation.ResultsSES groups formed by household wealth, parental education and parental occupation was associated with z-BMI and z-WHR for girls. Those from moderate wealth & self-employed (M&S) families had the highest adjusted z-BMI and z-WHR among all SES groups. School neighborhood environment factors interacted with SES groups in association with WHR for girls. Number of school neighborhood supermarkets and residential sites were negatively associated with z-WHR for girls from M&S families (β= -0.45 (95%CI: -0.76, -0.15) for supermarkets; β= -0.01 (95%CI: -0.03, 0.00) for residential sites). Number of school neighborhood convenience stores and public transport stops were positively associated with z-WHR for girls from M&S families (β = 0.02 (95%CI: 0.00, 0.03) for convenience stores; β = 0.23 (95%CI: 0.15, 0.31) for public transport stops). While non-significant association was found for number of vegetable stores.ConclusionGirls from moderate wealth & self-employed families may be the group susceptible to school neighborhood environment. Local policies targeted at improving the school neighborhood environment may be one avenue for reducing socioeconomic disparities in obesity especially for girls.

Ecological and health risk assessment of heavy metals: a case study of residential waste sites in Umuahia, South-East Nigeria

This study assessed the human health hazards and ecological risks of heavy metals from waste sites in residential vicinity. The heavy metals analyzed were Cr, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn. A total of 40 soil samples were collected from waste sites in two residential estates located in the urban and suburb areas of Umuahia, Abia state. Results revealed a trend in concentrations of the heavy metals for both sites in the following order: Cu > Ni > Zn > Cr > Cd > Pb. The concentrations of heavy metals were higher in rural soils than in urban soil. The contamination factor (CF) indices for Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were less than 1 for both sites, signifying a low contamination scenario. The contamination factor for Cd (6 > CF) for both sites indicated a very high contamination status. The estimated degree of contamination (Cdeg) was less than the lower threshold of 8.0, denoting a low degree of contamination. Cd was the highest contributor to ecological risk with Er index value of 184.2 among measured heavy metals. The overall potential ecological risk index for urban and rural sites are 187.1 and 196.1 respectively, classifying the sites as moderate risk. The overall non-carcinogenic hazard index values (HI) for adults and children in urban and rural soils are 0.00248, 0.0198 and 0.0028, 0.0223 respectively, which are below the acceptable limit (HI < 1), indicating that the exposed residents are unlikely to experience any apparent adverse health hazards. However, children are more susceptible to non-carcinogenic hazards than adults in the study areas.

Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 concentration and circulation of variants of concern in wastewater of Leuven, Belgium.

Wastewater surveillance plays an important role in the management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic all over the world. Using different wastewater collection points in Leuven, we wanted to investigate the use of wastewater surveillance as an early warning system for an uprise of infections and as a tool to follow the circulation of specific variants of concern (VOCs) in particular geographic areas. Wastewater samples were collected from local neighborhood sewers and from a large regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the area of Leuven, Belgium. After virus concentration, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA was quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and normalized with the human fecal indicator pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). A combination of multiplex RT-qPCR assays was used to detect signature mutations of circulating VOCs. Fecal virus shedding of SARS-CoV-2 variants was measured in feces samples of hospitalized patients. In two residential sampling sites, a rise in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentration preceded peaks in positive cases. In the WWTP, viral load peaks were seen concomitant with the consecutive waves of positive cases caused by the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 strain and subsequent VOCs. During the Omicron BA.1 wave, the wastewater viral load increased to a lesser degree, even after normalization of SARS-CoV-2 concentration using PMMoV. This might be attributable to a lower level of fecal excretion of this variant. Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs Alpha, Delta, Omicron BA1/BA.2, and BA.4/BA.5 could be detected based on the presence of specific key mutations. The shift in variants was noticeable in the wastewater, with key mutations of two different variants being present simultaneously during the transition period. Wastewater-based surveillance is a sensitive tool to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation levels and VOCs in larger regions. In times of reduced test capacity, this can prove to be highly valuable. Differences in excretion levels of various SARS-CoV-2 variants should however be taken into account when using wastewater surveillance to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation levels in the population.

Residential Harmonic Injection Models Based on Field Measurements

In recent years, harmonic current levels have increased in residential distribution networks due to the growing penetration of nonlinear loads at customer premises. To properly model the harmonic current injection of residences, probabilistic models that account for the stochastic behavior of domestic loads are needed. As a part of the study reported in this paper, a field measurement campaign was performed in 24 dwellings during a one-week period with a one-minute resolution. Harmonic current magnitudes and phase angles of odd harmonic orders up to the 25th as well as the active and reactive power demanded were recorded. By applying two different unsupervised learning techniques (i.e., nonparametric density estimation and Gaussian mixture models) to these measurements, two probabilistic models of harmonic injection of individual residential sites have been derived. Statistical probability distributions have been determined for the magnitude and phase of each harmonic order segmented in different power demand intervals. The developed models are validated on a test feeder by comparing harmonic voltages caused by the injection of the synthetically generated currents with those obtained from measurements. Both field measurement results and the detailed data defining the probabilistic harmonic current models are made public in an Open Science database repository.

Periurban Streetscape—Vernacular Front Gardens and Their Potential to Provide Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Warsaw, Poland

At the time of reflection on green justice, when the role of public green spaces is increasing, it is worth paying attention to vernacular greenery, especially in single-family residential areas on city outskirts which property owners arrange in front parts of plots. The paper’s aim is to show that vernacular front gardens (VFG) can act as missing public space and at the same time have the attributes of public green space, providing ecosystem services (ES). In order to confirm these assumptions, we carried out a VFG’s attributes inventory and a survey on garden designers. We identified dominating garden features and conducted a cluster analysis of the gardens based on their characteristics. The basis for building periurban streetscape in single-family housing estates is the visual inclusiveness of VFGs. They provide all the ES groups, playing representational, natural and recreational roles as well as serving as locations of edible plants production. Streets in residential sites, thanks to VFG, can be treated as real green public spaces creating a type of green area accessible not only to owners but also to pedestrian eyes. We conclude that our results can be valuable for city planning but also for the professional garden designers.

International experience of regulation of odourous substances in the ambient air (literature review)

The article provides an overview of the foreign literature data on the justification of permissible content of odourous substances in the ambient air. The process of harmonization of Russian legislation with international norms and rules, including the field of regulating atmospheric air pollution with specific odours, is shown to necessitate significantly expanding approaches to the issues of standardization and assessing environmental pollution by emissions from enterprises - odour sources. Analysis of foreign experience in odour management in the environment shows the main criteria for assessing air quality to include the absence of “annoyance” of the population by odours, maximum permissible concentrations for individual substances, maximum permissible concentrations for ambient odours, permissible odour frequency, minimum distances from the source, odour intensity, the maximum permissible amount of emissions, compliance with technological standards. Accordingly, in different countries recommended or mandatory limiting values were established on the base on which criterion for assessing odour exposure is decisive in this case. Typically, different jurisdictions use more than one approach to odour assessment, as do various regulatory indicators depending on the situation with the type of enterprise, the characteristics of residential sites and other receptor points. According to many authors, the application of various air quality standards for odour and a carefully thought-out approach to odour management can successfully or completely resolve most conflicts when working with the local population. The search for sources devoted to the issues of standardization of odourous substances was carried out in the text databases as PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Research Gate, Springer Link and the scientific electronic library eLibrary.ru. The article analyzes the articles of journals indexed in the RSCI, Scopus, for 2001-2021.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the water quality of the Damodar River, a tributary of the Ganga River in West Bengal.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40899-022-00790-2.

Characteristics and fate of plastic pollution in urban stormwater ponds

Stormwater runoff is often assumed to be an important pathway for microplastics from the terrestrial to the marine environment, although few studies have attempted to quantify the significance of this pathway or the interactions between stormwater infrastructure and plastic pollution. The objective of this study was to determine what factors influence the concentrations and behaviors of microplastics in stormwater ponds. Samples were taken from the water and bottom sediments of six stormwater ponds in Tampa (Florida, USA) using a neuston net and a sediment dredger. They were processed using a combination of density separations, visual sorting, and Raman spectroscopy. Concentrations ranged by several orders of magnitude between sites and rounds of sampling (0.0–55.5 items/m3 in water, 2.5–203.0 items/kg dry weight in sediment) but were comparable to other studies. The sediments of fenced and residential sites had significantly lower plastic count concentrations, compared to unfenced sites with mixed land uses. The ratio of impervious drainage area to pond surface area was found to be positively correlated with sediment concentrations. Particle shapes in water were more variable than those found in sediments, suggesting that regular-shaped plastics tend to settle first. Circularity was identified as an important parameter in determining settling behaviors. Shape characteristics were similar to those observed in a downstream river, suggesting that degradation leading to the observed shapes occurred prior to entering the ponds. This study highlights the importance of stormwater infrastructure in understanding plastic transport and how plastic shape characteristics can impact their behavior in the environment.

Assessment of Technical Capacity and Performance of Local Builders in Residential Building Construction Sites

Abstract This research aims to investigate the technical capability and performance of local builders on residential building construction sites in Gaindakot Municipality, Nepal. The construction industry plays a vital role in the growth of economies worldwide. The quality of construction heavily depends on the technical capacity and performance of builders involved in residential projects. This study aims to assess local builders’ technical competence and performance operating on residential building construction sites. By examining the capabilities of local builders, this research contributes to enhancing the overall quality and efficiency of residential construction projects. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. A comprehensive survey is administered to local builders to evaluate their technical knowledge, skill sets, and utilisation of modern construction techniques. Concurrently, on-site observations and interviews are conducted to gain insights into the actual performance of builders during different construction phases. The findings of this study shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of local builders in residential construction. The on-site observations and interviews offer qualitative insights into the practical application of skills, compliance with safety protocols, and adherence to project timelines. The outcomes of this research are intended to guide policymakers, industry stakeholders, and training institutions in formulating strategies to enhance the technical capacity of local builders. Bridging the identified gaps can improve construction quality, reduce project delays, and increase customer satisfaction. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for ongoing professional development programs to keep builders updated with the latest construction techniques and standards.

An innovative fuzzy parameterized MADM approach to site selection for dam construction based on sv-complex neutrosophic hypersoft set

&lt;abstract&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dams are water reservoirs that provide adequate freshwater to residential, industrial, and mining sites. They are widely used to generate electricity, control flooding, and irrigate agricultural lands. Due to recent urbanization trends, industrialization, and climatic changes, the construction of dams is in dire need, which is planning intensive, quite expensive, and time-consuming. Moreover, finding an appropriate site to construct dams is also considered a challenging task for decision-makers. The dam site selection problem (DSSP) has already been considered a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem under uncertain (fuzzy set) environments by several researchers. However, they ignored some essential evaluating features (e.g., (a) fuzzy parameterized grades, which assess the vague nature of parameters and sub-parameters, (b) the hypersoft setting, which provides multi-argument-based domains for the approximation of alternatives, (c) the complex setting which tackles the periodicity of data, and (d) the single-valued neutrosophic setting which facilitates the decision makers to provide their opinions in three-dimensional aspects) that can be used in DSSP to make it more reliable and trustworthy. Thus this study aims to employ a robust fuzzy parameterized algebraic approach which starts with the characterization of a novel structure "fuzzy parameterized single valued complex neutrosophic hypersoft set ($ \tilde{\lambda} $-set)" that is competent to deal with the above-mentioned features jointly. After that, it integrates the concept of fuzzy parameterization, decision-makers opinions in terms of single-valued complex neutrosophic numbers, and the classical matrix theory to compute the score values for evaluating alternatives. Based on the stages of the proposed approach, an algorithm is proposed, which is further explained by an illustrative example in which DSSP is considered a multiple attributes decision-making (MADM) scenario. The computed score values are then used to evaluate some suitable sites (regions) for dam construction. The computational results of the proposed algorithm are found to be precise and consistent through their comparison with some already developed approaches.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/abstract&gt;

Assessment of Noise Levels in Different Residential, Industrial and Commercial Areas of Jammu City, India

Due to the contemporary mechanical lifestyle noise has been one of the most unwanted by-products. To assess the noise levels in different locations of Jammu city, a study was conducted twice a day i.e., day (6 – 9am) and night (9 pm – 6 am). The present study deals with assessment of noise pollution in different residential, commercial and Industrial areas of Jammu city. The noise level was measured with the help of sound meter (SL 4010) at different locations of Jammu south, north east and west from (June 2016 to May 2017). During the studyperiod, the average noise intensity at various residential sites ranges between 49.8 Leq dB (A) to 68.5Leq dB (A) during day time whereas during the night time ambient noise level ranges between 39.66 dB to 57.3 dB. The results clearly demonstrate that the noise quality at those areas is beyond the permissible limits as specified by Central Pollution Control Board CPCB thus contributing to noise pollution. Moreover, the Leq Max values are also greater than the permissible limits. Major sources of noise pollution are vehicular transport, frequent use of horns in vehicles during the day. Whereas due to traffic jam at night on congested roads and use of loudspeakers and DJ in marriage and banquet halls.

Establishing the measurement properties of the Residential Environment Impact Scale (Version 4.0)

Background Developed as an environment assessment informed by the Model of Human Occupation, the Residential Environment Impact Survey considered the physical, social and activity features of the environment, evaluating the impact of the environment on resident’s quality of life. Clinicians reported that the Residential Environment Impact Survey was a useful tool; however, it had not been structured to be a measurement tool and did not have established psychometric properties. Aims/objectives This study examines the psychometric properties of the restructured Residential Environment Impact Scale Version 4.0 (REIS), which measures the level of environment support provided to residents. Material and methods The REIS was completed across residential sites for people with complex mental health needs. A many facets Rasch analysis was conducted to establish the reliability and validity of the REIS. Results The REIS demonstrated reasonable psychometric properties, with items demonstrating internal scale validity and scale items following an expected pattern of increasingly challenging environment support. Conclusions and significance Initial evidence suggests that the REIS provides a valid and reliable measure of environment support, providing a detailed assessment of how physical, social and activity elements of the environment support or inhibit participation and can be applied across a range of living environments.

Active biomonitoring of potentially toxic elements in urban air by two distinct moss species and two analytical techniques: a pan-Southeastern European study

This is the first study to use moss transplants as a biomonitoring technique and inductively plasma mass spectrometry to investigate airborne potentially toxic element pollution and air quality in urban areas on a regional scale across nine Southeastern European countries. The mosses in bags were exposed for 2 months during the winter season (2019/2020) at five sites in each of the selected urban areas next to air quality (AQ) monitoring stations. The sites were selected concerning different land use classes (typical urban, residential, urban background, and rural sites). The concentrations of 35 elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A comparison with elemental analysis performed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence is also presented. Concentrations of the potentially toxic element in moss bags exposed in urban areas were significantly higher, while those exposed in rural areas did not differ significantly from the initial content of unexposed moss. Linear regression analysis revealed no significant differences between the average concentrations of elements in H. cupressiforme and S. girgensohnii moss bags (linearity R2 = 0.94). It shows similar trends in elements in both moss species. The median values of contamination factors in both moss species ranged mostly from 1.2 to 2.17, indicating the exposure sites show no contamination to slight contamination status (C1 to C2 scales). High values of relative accumulation factors were found for Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sb, and V in moss bags, indicating these elements are the most abundant in most sampling sites, which may increase human exposure through inhalation and could lead to harmful health problems.

The Impact of Land Use on Time-Varying Passenger Flow Based on Site Classification

During the different periods of a day, the imbalanced distribution of inbound ridership, that is related to land use, results in extreme flow, which makes metro management challenging. The causes of imbalanced passenger flow from the perspective of land use in metro station areas are studied in this paper. More specifically, based on site classification, the impact of land use, including the floor area ratio and gross floor area on passenger flow, was explored by using a multiple linear regression model. The results first indicate that the impact intensities of the floor area ratio on peak hourly flow were 0.41, 0.21, and 0.20 around business, residential, and mixed sites, respectively. Second, for the abovementioned sites, the types with the greatest impact intensities of gross floor area on peak hourly flow were commercial and business facilities (B), residential (R), as well as administration and public services (A), which were 0.73, 0.32, and 0.87, respectively. Finally, for the land-development-control schemes for business, residential, and mixed sites, the maximum values of the floor area ratio were roughly 7.2, 5.3, and 8.2, respectively. The results presented in this study provide guidance for land development in metro station areas and contribute to avoiding the emergence of extreme passenger flow.

Proximity to major roads and the incidence of osteoporotic fractures in elderly women: The BONE study in Beijing.

There is growing evidence to suggest that living near major roads (and suffering from the air pollution of urban streets) can have an adverse effect on bone health. However, little is known about its relationship to fractures caused by osteoporosis. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between residents living near major roads and the incidence of osteoporotic fractures. A retrospective cohort of 529 subjects was established based on community populations in older women aged 65-91. All participants lived in Beijing between September 27, 2007 and September 26, 2017. The distance between the residential sites of the subjects and the main roads was determined by the authors. Osteoporotic fracture diagnosis was based on medical histories and imaging examinations (DXA and X-rays). The Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the association between traffic proximity and osteoporotic fractures, with suitable adjustments for individual and background factors. The age range of all participants was 65-91 years, with an average age of 75.8 years (and a standard deviation 6.8 years). Of these, 19 (3.59%) suffered from diabetes, and 48 (9%) had hypertension; 85 (14%) families had annual incomes below US $30,000 and 402 (76%) had received a secondary school education or higher. Nearly 25% of people lived within 50 m of a main road, while 50% lived within 300 m. Between 2007 and 2017, a total of 96 osteoporotic fractures were observed. For people living <50 m from a main road, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for osteoporotic fractures was 2.509 (95% CI 1.345-4.680), while it was 1.830 (95% CI 1.029-3.255) for those living at a distance of 50-300 m from a main road vs. those living further than 300 m away. In this community-based cohort, living near a major road was associated with a higher incidence of osteoporotic fractures.