Urban Lifestyle Research Articles

Exploring Healthy Eating Perceptions, Barriers, and Facilitators among Urban Indigenous Peoples in Saskatchewan.

Urban Indigenous populations encounter distinctive challenges in maintaining traditional dietary practices, compounded by the complexities of socio-economic and environmental factors and the modern urban lifestyle. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of healthy eating, along with the facilitators and barriers to such practices, among urban Indigenous peoples in Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert. Through virtual interviews, we engage 14 participants from these cities. Utilizing NVivo for thematic coding, we apply inductive thematic analysis to reveal relevant themes. The study highlights a preference for nutrient-rich, natural, and minimally processed foods, with a significant emphasis on incorporating traditional Indigenous foods into diets. These preferences are deeply entwined with cultural identity and underscore the importance of traditional foods in maintaining cultural heritage and promoting well-being. Despite the intrinsic value of these traditional foods, participants face several barriers to healthy eating, including economic constraints, limited access to traditional foods, and the psychological impacts of historical trauma. Nevertheless, facilitators such as community and family support, engagement in traditional food practices, and a growing awareness of nutritional knowledge are identified as being crucial in supporting healthy dietary choices. This research underscores the complex interplay of cultural, economic, and environmental factors in shaping the dietary practices of urban Indigenous peoples.

Dressing up the place: Urban lifestyle mobilities and the production of “fashionable” tourism destinations in rural Japan

The past three decades of neoliberal structural reforms in Japan has established tourism policy favoring privatization, deregulation, and flexible mobility of capital to encourage decentralized markets. Within this system, attracting skilled urban migrants to rural regions has emerged as a central component of planning and development. Drawing on Kawamura's theory of fashion-ology, this study details the process of how rural tourism destinations are produced and (re)fashioned by urban-to-rural lifestyle migrants who bring new practices, aesthetics, and meanings to place. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2021/2022 in the rural coastal town of Aoshima, we outline the co-constitutive dynamic between “star migrants”, industry “gatekeepers”, and “consumers as producers” in the production and consumption of “fashionable” rural destinations. The article contributes to literature on how rural tourism destinations are governed in contemporary neoliberal societies and provides insights into the unequal urban-to-rural power relations that continue to define Japan's regional revitalization programs.

Factors Associated with Overweight/Obesity among Rural Secondary School Children in Bangladesh

Background & Objective: Unhealthy dietary patterns in combination with a sedentary lifestyle could be contributing to some major health issues worldwide. Obesity in children and adolescents can have short- and long-term adverse health consequences including early mortality. Although previously limited to urban areas, with the rapid adoption of urban lifestyle by the rural people the problem is now ubiquitous. It is difficult to develop a policy for promoting health and reducing obesity among adolescents living in rural regions since there is a lack of information on the factors that contribute to this problem. The present study was, therefore undertaken to evaluate the factors influencing overweight and obesity among rural adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done based on data collected by students of Rajshahi Medical College as part of their RFST (Rural Field-site Training) in 2019 from a rural area of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. A total of 535 students from two rural secondary schools participated in the study. Every alternate student of those schools from class VI-X was then included in the study as a respondent. The weight and height of the selected students were first taken followed by data collection on variables of interest. Using weight and height data, the body mass index (BMI) of the respondents was first determined and was plotted on a growth chart (recommended by CDC, Atlanta) to find the percentile. Then the nutritional status of the individual respondents was determined based on their percentile status and was classified as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. Results: Almost one-fifth (18.2%) of the respondents was found overweight or obese. Upon comparing respondents’ demographic characteristics, food and exercise behaviour between overweight & obese and normal & underweight groups, the former group was found younger than the latter group. Respondents’ socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with their nutritional status with overweight & obese adolescents being significantly higher in the Middle- and rich SES group (78.4%) than in the poor and lower middle-class (61.4%). Neither dietary nor exercise behaviour was associated with the nutritional status of the respondents. Although the majority (84.2%) of normal & underweight adolescents preferred low to medium-calorie snacks, overweight and obese adolescents were more likely to choose high-calorie snacks. Fast walking and running were the more common forms of exercise behaviour and of longer duration among the overweight & obese cohort than those among normal & underweight cohorts. Conclusion: The study concluded that the period of early adolescence is vulnerable to developing obesity. Adolescents belonging to middle and well-off SES are more prone to be overweight or obese than those belonging to lower middle & poor SES. However, exercise, physical activity, and dietary habits of adolescents do not influence their nutritional status. Ibrahim Card Med J 2023; 13 (1&2): 19-25

Urbanization and Its Influence on Public Health in Southeast Asia

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the urbanization and its influence on public health in Southeast Asia. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Urbanization in Southeast Asia significantly impacts public health through strained healthcare infrastructure, environmental health risks like pollution and inadequate sanitation, and increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases due to urban lifestyles. Infectious disease transmission is amplified in densely populated urban areas, exacerbated by social determinants of health disparities. Effective urban health policies and integrated planning are essential to mitigate these challenges, promoting sustainable development and equitable healthcare access across the region. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Urbanization theory, social determinants of health theory & ecological systems theory may be used to anchor future studies on urbanization and its influence on public health in Southeast Asia. Initiatives should focus on promoting healthy urban environments through sustainable urban planning and design strategies. Policymakers should prioritize the integration of health considerations into urban planning policies and initiatives.

The nature gaze: Eye‐tracking experiment reveals well‐being benefits derived from directing visual attention towards elements of nature

Abstract The urban lifestyle has a profound effect on mental health, contributing significantly to the challenges faced by people who reside in urban areas. Growing empirical evidence underscores the potential of nature to alleviate these mental health burdens. However, we still lack understanding of which specific natural elements provide these benefits. Using eye‐tracking technology, we experimentally explored the relationships between intentional visual attention to natural (green) and human‐made (grey) elements in urban areas and their association with well‐being measures. Participants took a 45‐min outdoor walk that simulates a walk to and from work, in which we examined pre‐ and post‐measures of cognition, affect, anxiety and perceived restorativeness. Participants were prompted to direct their attention to green, grey or a mixture of both elements. By analysing participants' eye movements and patterns, we determined adherence to experimental conditions and related visual attention to natural elements. The experimental groups instructed to direct their visual attention to green, grey or a mix of both infrastructures exhibited differences in negative and positive affect, anxiety and perceived restorativeness, but not in cognition after a walk in an urban environment. The percentage of time spent viewing natural elements showed that people who focused more on green features reported a decrease in anxiety and higher perceived restorativeness. In contrast, those who spent more time viewing grey elements reported increased anxiety and lowered perceived restorativeness. The percentage of time viewing natural elements was not linked to affect or cognition. Viewing trees showed the strongest association with well‐being measures compared to other natural elements. Together, our results indicate that a simple behaviour change (directing visual attention to elements of nature instead of grey elements) can produce mental health benefits in the form of reducing anxiety and perceived restoration for people in urban areas. Thus, efforts to integrate nature, especially trees, in urban areas and promote city dwellers to visually interact with it during their daily routine can improve mental issues associated with urban lifestyle. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Myths of Zimbabwean urban nationalism: Narratives of modernity and exceptionalism in the economic crisis

AbstractZimbabwe has distinct urban nationalist myths stemming from the colonial period—urban modernity and economic exceptionalism. The modernity myth has been constructed from the colonial period and came to be associated with urban order, lifestyle and social mobility. The economic exceptionalism myth refers to Zimbabwe's past exceptional economic performance during the colonial and early postcolonial periods. However, the economic crisis and informalisation from the late 1990s have challenged these myths as neither previous practices of urban modernity nor the feeling of exceptional economic performance is attainable any more. In this context, people in the informal sector reimagine what these nationalist myths mean to them. In particular, they engage in debates about which economic practices are modern enough to be implemented in urban areas, especially in the city centre, and how to identify themselves make a claim to urban modernity. The memory of economic exceptionalism in the meantime acts as a reference point in discussions about future national development. All these translate into the question of legitimacy—of the informal economy and its practices and the government that failed to uphold the modernity and exceptionalism myths.

A participatory foresight approach to envisioning post-pandemic urban development pathways in Tokyo

Ensuring sustainable urban futures demands varied approaches, particularly with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, which presents a unique situation and experience for reimagining urban futures. A considerable number of scientific inquiries have adopted participatory foresight approaches to imagining sustainable urban development pathways. However, not many have used a similar approach to envision urban development pathways in a post-COVID-19 era. Based on available evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 on urban forms and lifestyles and citizens’ experiences during the pandemic, such a study is imperative to better understand how people from different demographic groups envision an ideal post-pandemic city. Using the Greater Tokyo Area as a case study, we adopted the Q methodology to determine post-pandemic urban development pathways from the subjective viewpoints of diverse stakeholders. We identified four development pathways for an ideal post-pandemic city. The first pathway is a resilient city with good neighborhood accessibility and sustainable urban regeneration. The second and third pathways, shared by younger people, focus on pro-environmental climate change mitigation (city compactness, shared mobility) and pro-urban resilience, respectively. The final pathway imagines a post-pandemic city that is accessible, safe, and smart. We found that different age groups perceive their ideal cities differently, especially when emphasizing the nexus between pandemics and cities. The study illustrates the need to adopt more participatory approaches in designing future urban development pathways since varied perspectives of an ideal city exist among different age demographics. These approaches promote equitable, inclusive, and transparent urban planning, advancing community support for policymaking and implementation.

Decline of a national icon: Derogatory representations of the Romanian peasant in recent television programs

Intellectuals and artists have been crafting an image of the Romanian peasant as the building block of the nation since the second half of the 19th century. The process went hand in hand with the modernization of the elites, and the peasant was thus mainly ‘discovered’ within the cultural framework of Romanticism, as the ‘eternal autochthon’ (Mihăilescu,2017, p.173), creator of the specific Kultur of the Romanian people. However, dramatic social transformations such as the difficult transition period of the ʹ90s have shifted the focus from a complimentary representation of the peasant as the national foundation – and all the positive characteristics of his/her habitus in terms of material, spiritual and aesthetic values– to a rather alienated and anachronistic figure coming across as a burden that has to be carried into modernity by the enlightened social strata. This paper uses visual analysis, grounded in Barthesian semiotics, to explore the changes in modes of representation of the peasant in popular media from the depository of national values to a marginal lower class, striving to keep up with the urban lifestyle. Various portrayals of peasants in TV series and sketches, movies and memes point to the degradation of the peasant figure in the public imagination. Images of poverty, bad taste and a lack of hygiene seem to pollute the bodies, garments and home environments of the rural characters, with a toxic effect on their language and behaviour as well. Although there have always been derogatory images of the peasants in the discourse of the elites (Mihăilescu also coined the term ‘domestic primitive’ for the representation associated with the historical tendency to portray the peasants as a backward population incapable of progress), in recent times this tendency has prevailed, especially with the rural-themed successful TV series Las Fierbinți, for mainly ideological reasons which will be discussed. Thus, apart from deconstructing a national myth, I argue that the representation of contemporary peasants and their degenerating habitus also contributes to the polarization in the Romanian society.

“All great warriors have long hair”: Tourism and shifting Indigenous masculinities in Napo, Ecuador

As young Indigenous Kichwa men begin working as local tour guides in the small city of Tena in the Ecuadorian Amazon, they go through complex processes of transition and adjustment navigating entanglements of tourists’ expectations, familial obligations, and desires for socioeconomic mobility. For many, there is the additional challenge of emphasizing their Indigenous identities, given the pervasive anti-Indigenous racism to which they are subjected within Ecuadorian society. I argue that work in tourism has provided young Kichwa men with opportunities for self-transformation, at once attractive and fraught with contradictions. On one hand, they have come to perceive their Indigeneity as an asset rather than a liability and are increasingly able to contest long-standing racism at the local level. On the other hand, their urban lifestyles, pursuit of intimate relationships with foreign tourists and sometimes dismissive attitudes towards rural Kichwa people have distanced them socially from the broader Kichwa population. By exploring these complex affective processes, their impacts on local dynamics, and the multiple and often conflicting understandings of Indigeneity that are constantly being produced and negotiated in these spaces, I seek to broaden the scope of scholarly debates on the impact of cultural tourism in Indigenous communities. I also engage with recent scholarship on Indigenous masculinities to discuss the possibilities and limitations of masculinity as a tool of decolonization for Indigenous peoples.

Urban approach to design in various aspects of design

This article discusses in detail the concept of an urban approach to design in various aspects of design. The design issues associated with the urban lifestyle, as its integral part, urban structure are considered. 10 principles of modern urbanism are considered. The urban approach to design includes consideration of the urban environment as a whole and taking into account its features when creating new objects. One of the important aspects of design in an urban environment is space planning taking into account the principles of urbanism. Many aspects of design take into account the principles of urbanism in full, some partially. Urban environment design and fashion design strive to create a comfortable environment for a person, following an urban approach. Various fields of design, such as urban environment design, graphic and industrial design, as well as fashion design have a common goal - to create functional and aesthetically attractive objects. Designers in all areas must take into account the needs and preferences of users, as well as technical and economic constraints.

Urban comfort and adaptive capacity: an exploratory study of urban life and climate responses in Aachen, Germany

ABSTRACT In outdoor spaces, people can adapt to urban microclimates even if they are outside comfortable standards. This adaptation needs to be triggered by external motivators – enjoying the city, seeing people, meeting friends, and so forth – and these motivators are culture and place dependent. Relationships between socio-cultural values and adaptation to urban microclimate can inform design to promote adaptive capacity, enhance liveability, and improve climate change adaptation. We use the urban comfort concept, which considers human comfort in open spaces as a result of regional identity and local culture; lifestyle, liveability, and urbanity; and adaptation to microclimate. This study adds to the body of emerging case studies by exploring the local meaning of urban comfort in Aachen (Germany), a multi-cultural city. A mixed-method interpretive research design enhances the understanding of meaning and context. Results suggest that urban comfort is associated with (1) regional identity related to local physical and social landscapes; (2) urban lifestyles, liveability and urbanity concepts associated with compact urban living, public green areas, building design and diversity; (3) adaptive strategies associated with mobility, clothing, and company. We argue that the role these preferences play in place-based adaptation is fundamental for urban sustainability and climate change.

Negotiation of Identities: The Case of Aeta Ambala’s Media Engagement

This research explores the impact of media engagement on the identity perceptions of the Aeta Ambala, an indigenous group in the Philippines, particularly after the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. This catastrophic event led to significant displacement and cultural shifts for the Aeta, who were forced to adapt to urban lifestyles. The study focuses on the differences in identity perceptions between the older and younger generations, with the former holding onto pre-eruption cultural norms and the latter aligning more with urban and resettlement community cultures. Employing in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study finds that media representations often negatively portray the Aeta Ambala, leading to discrimination and altering self-perception. Despite this, the community maintains a strong sense of ethnic identity, viewing it as an immutable aspect of their heritage. Media engagement is seen as inevitable for staying informed, particularly in emergencies, but it also influences perceptions of the outside world and reshapes cultural and ethnic identity. Younger generations, more engaged with media, tend to adopt external beauty standards and lifestyles, leading to early marriages and cultural indifference. There is also a noted mistrust towards media organizations due to exploitation concerns. In conclusion, the study highlights the complex relationship between media interaction and self-identification within the Aeta Ambala community, suggesting that while media engagement alters perceptions and behaviors, the core Aeta Ambala culture remains strong and resilient. Keywords: Media engagement, ethnic identity, Aeta Ambala, indigenous peoples, identity negotiation.

Effect of Urban and Rural Population Lifestyle on Quality of Life in Diabetes Miletus Patients by Using Body Composition Device and Quality of Life Instrument for Indian Diabetes Patients (QOLID): A Comparative Study

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major non-communicable diseases in the world. It is a well-recognized cause for premature death and disability as it increases the risk of vascular, renal, retinal and neuropathic complications. Lifestyle modification, changing dietary habits and rapid urbanization may be the most important factors for the increasing prevalence of this disease. In this project we measure the quality of life in diabetes patient by using body composition device. It was calculating the body mass, bone mass, muscle as well as visceral mass. By that we calculate BMR of each individual that will differentiate the effect of urban and rural lifestyle on patients. Aim: To study the Quality of life in Diabetes Miletus patients in urban and rural population. Methodology: After obtaining ethical Committee approval a comparison study was conducted on 100 Diabetic patients between age group 35-60 years. All participants were screen for the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All included participants were explained about this study and they included after consent form signing. Then BMR and QOL are check by using the Body composition device and Quality of life in Indian diabetes patient (QOLID). Result: Result showed that the Quality of life is better in urban population than rural but BMR is better in rural population. p value is >0.001 so study is extremely significant. Conclusion: This study concluded that Rural population has better BMR, Bone mass than Urban population but there is no such difference in Muscle mass of both population Diabetes Patients. This study also concluded that QOL is more in urban population than rural population on basis of emotional/mental health, prevalence of diabetes, general health diet satisfaction, education and treatment satisfaction.

Perubahan Minat Masyarakat Desa Terhadap Mata Pencaharian di Kota

Changes in the livelihood interests of rural communities to urban areas have become an important topic in the field of sociology and economics. This study aims to analyze the factors that influence changes in the livelihood interests of rural communities to urban areas. The research method used is observation, interviews, documentation. The results of the study show that the factors that influence the change in the livelihood interests of rural communities to cities are economic, social and psychological factors. Economic factors include better job opportunities, higher salaries, and opportunities to increase economic well-being. Social factors include the influence of friends and family already working in cities, as well as the desire to pursue an urban lifestyle. Psychological factors include the desire to seek new experiences and challenges in life. This study concludes that changes in rural community interest in livelihoods in the city are driven by a variety of complex factors. Rural communities must be provided with adequate education and training in order to compete in cities. In addition, the government must create enough jobs in rural areas to reduce migration to cities and strengthen the local economy.

Advancing Urban Life: A Systematic Review of Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Urban Design and Planning

The advancement of cutting-edge technologies significantly transforms urban lifestyles and is indispensable in sustainable urban design and planning. This systematic review focuses on the critical role of innovative technologies and digitalization, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in urban planning through geo-design, aiming to enhance urban life. It begins with exploring the importance of AI and digital tools in revolutionizing contemporary urban planning practices. Through the methodology based on the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, this review sifts through relevant literature over the past two decades by categorizing artificial intelligence technologies based on their functionalities. These technologies are examined for their utility in urban planning, environmental modeling, and infrastructure development, highlighting how they contribute to creating smarter and more livable cities. For instance, machine learning techniques like supervised learning excel in forecasting urban trends, whereas artificial neural networks and deep learning are superior in pattern recognition and vital for environmental modeling. This analysis, which refers to the comprehensive evaluation conducted in this Systematic Review, encompasses studies based on diverse data inputs and domains of application, revealing a trend toward leveraging AI for predictive analytics, decision-making improvements, and the automation of complex geospatial tasks in urban areas. The paper also addresses the challenges encountered, including data privacy, ethical issues, and the demand for cross-disciplinary knowledge. The concluding remarks emphasize the transformative potential of innovative technologies and digitalization in urban planning, advocating for their role in fostering better urban life. It also identifies future research avenues and development opportunities. In light of our review findings, this study concludes that AI technologies indeed hold transformative promise for the field of geo-design and urban planning. They have proven instrumental in advancing predictive analytics, refining decision-making, and streamlining complex geospatial tasks. The AI’s capacity to process expansive datasets and improve urban planning accuracy has facilitated more sustainable urban development and enhanced the resilience of urban environments.

Solar-assisted old dwellings renovation: Thermal-economical study and typical application in China

With the continuous development of urbanization in our country, the contradiction between the protection of traditional village heritage architecture and the development of modern urban lifestyle is becoming increasingly prominent. With the introduction of China's rural revitalization strategy, improving the rural living environment, promoting sustainable development, utilizing renewable energy for power supply, and achieving low-carbon architecture have become particularly important. This article investigates the relationship between solar energy system and site layout in illustrative historic buildings, and uses thermal-economic methods for feasibility analysis of such old building retrofitting program toward nearly zero energy construction. The preliminary results indicate that integrating solar panel roof with old building body for renewable energy exploitation can achieve good economic benefits while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This work provides reference insights into the sustainable transformation of traditional rural heritage conservation buildings in our country and proposes feasible solutions to reconcile the contradiction between the preservation of traditional architectural heritage and sustainable modernization demands.

Lifestyle Construction in Coffee Shops in Malang City from the Perspective of Symbolic Violence

The coffee shop industry is experiencing rapid growth as coffee consumption increases in Indonesia. The focus of this research is Malang City, which is the center of coffee shop growth in Indonesia. Through a cultural studies paradigm approach, this research aims to understand the construction process of coffee consumer lifestyles in Malang City. This phenomenon marks a shift in consumer behavior from necessity to a sub-culture where coffee shops are not only a gathering place, but also a symbol of self-identity and an urban lifestyle. The research used visual methods with 6 participants from two different coffee shops. The data collection process focused on coffee shops, interior design, consumers, and visual elements that influence lifestyle. The concept of Pierre Bourdieu's social praxis theory is used as an analytical framework to understand the construction of lifestyle and the role of symbolic power. The research results show that the existence of coffee shops influences culture and lifestyle in Malang City. Starbucks, as the main agent, shapes the values and standards adopted by local coffee shops such as Amstirdam. Patterns of symbolic violence emerge in consumer clothing standards, depicting coffee shops not only as places to buy and sell coffee, but also as public spaces that shape identity and social norms. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of coffee shops in shaping lifestyle and culture in society.

Temporal dynamics of gut microbiomes in non-industrialized urban Amazonia.

Increasing levels of industrialization have been associated with changes in gut microbiome structure and loss of features thought to be crucial for maintaining gut ecological balance. The stability of gut microbial communities over time within individuals seems to be largely affected by these changes but has been overlooked among transitioning populations from low- to middle-income countries. Here, we used metagenomic sequencing to characterize the temporal dynamics in gut microbiomes of 24 individuals living an urban non-industrialized lifestyle in the Brazilian Amazon. We further contextualized our data with 165 matching longitudinal samples from an urban industrialized and a rural non-industrialized population. We show that gut microbiome composition and diversity have greater variability over time among non-industrialized individuals when compared to industrialized counterparts and that taxa may present diverse temporal dynamics across human populations. Enterotype classifications show that community types are generally stable over time despite shifts in microbiome structure. Furthermore, by tracking genomes over time, we show that levels of bacterial population replacements are more frequent among Amazonian individuals and that non-synonymous variants accumulate in genes associated with degradation of host dietary polysaccharides. Taken together, our results suggest that the stability of gut microbiomes is influenced by levels of industrialization and that tracking microbial population dynamics is important to understand how the microbiome will adapt to these transitions.IMPORTANCEThe transition from a rural or non-industrialized lifestyle to urbanization and industrialization has been linked to changes in the structure and function of the human gut microbiome. Understanding how the gut microbiomes changes over time is crucial to define healthy states and to grasp how the gut microbiome interacts with the host environment. Here, we investigate the temporal dynamics of gut microbiomes from an urban and non-industrialized population in the Amazon, as well as metagenomic data sets from urban United States and rural Tanzania. We showed that healthy non-industrialized microbiomes experience greater compositional shifts over time compared to industrialized individuals. Furthermore, bacterial strain populations are more frequently replaced in non-industrialized microbiomes, and most non-synonymous mutations accumulate in genes associated with the degradation of host dietary components. This indicates that microbiome stability is affected by transitions to industrialization, and that strain tracking can elucidate the ecological dynamics behind such transitions.

Влияние урбанизации на развитие современного государства и права

Introduction. Currently, most of the world’s population lives in cities, megacities, and urban agglomerations, since they are the core of progress and create the conditions for comprehensive human development. Theoretical analysis. A study of the history of the development of cities, urbanized and suburbanized structures shows that this particular form of human settlement is the most attractive in modern developed countries. The analysis of the research of scientists on the problems of urban development led to the conclusion that the process of urbanization had gone through several stages. Initially, it was characterized by a significant increase in urban population due to the development of industry and gradual formation of an urban lifestyle. At the second stage, more complex urban structures were created (urban agglomerations, megacities). At the present stage of development of states where cities play a leading role, urbanization has acquired a global character, and formation of an urban civilization has become its result. Empirical analysis. The study of the urban development by representatives of various branches of science showed that urbanization has significant results. It leads, firstly, to an increased role of cities in government; secondly, to the formation of urban culture, mentality and values; thirdly, to the creation of opportunities to increasingly meet the needs of urban residents; fourthly, to the emergence of characteristic urban activities and others. Results. In connection with the introduction of various innovations and constant development of the urban environment, existing social relations are being improved in these territories and new ones are being formed, and they are more formalized in nature. In connection with the globalization of the urbanization process, today we can talk about the existence of an urban civilization, where complex special legal regulation of social relations is the most effective. In this connection, it can be argued that cities and urbanized structures require the development of legal norms that are valid and subject to application specifically in these territories.

Quaternized poly(vinyl toluene-co-α-methyl styrene)/poly(vinyl alcohol) interpenetrating anion exchange membrane for efficient acid reclamation

With increasing urbanization and better lifestyle, more industries are being set up worldwide. Eco-friendly treatment of industrial waste is one of the major challenges to be resolved. Membrane can be a better option to treat industrial waste in sustainable manner. Herein, we report synthesis of anion exchange membrane (AEM) via. interpenetrating type crosslinked-network of N-methyl morpholine functionalized poly(vinyl toluene-co-α-methyl styrene) (PVM) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The composition of QPVM to PVA varied from 1:1, 1:1.25, and 1:1.50 to optimize for better membrane performance in terms of ionic conductivity, proton diffusion coefficient and selectivity towards metal ions. AEM with composition of 1:1.25 PVA:QPVM (PVM-1.25) exhibits overall better physicochemical and electrochemical traits bearing ∼63% of water uptake and ⁓10.5 mS cm-1 of ionic conductivity (IC) with counter-ion transport number of 0.93. The structural and functional group analysis of prepared membranes were performed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. All synthesized AEMs were systematically evaluated for acid reclamation application, and results were corroborated in terms of proton diffusion coefficient (UH+), metal diffusion coefficient (UMn+)and separation factor (Sf) using variable divalent and trivalent metal ions in simulant acidic waste models. PVM-1.25 membrane showed highest proton diffusion coefficient of 39.35 × 10−3 m h−1 with separation factor of 42.57 in presence of Al3+ ions, which is ∼42% and ∼66% higher than Fe2+ (UH+= 27.71 × 10−3 m h−1 and Sf=19.87) and Zn2+ (UH+= 23.62 × 10−3 m h−1 and Sf=12.27), respectively. PVM-1.25 membrane also showed chemical, thermal and mechanical stability. Based on the results, PVM-1.25 can be considered a good candidate for reclamation of acid from industrial waste stream.