Urban Units Research Articles

Landslide risk index map at the municipal scale for Costa Rica

Landslides are a common natural hazard worldwide with greater socioeconomic impacts in developing and tropical countries. In Central America and Costa Rica, this phenomenon is mainly triggered by seismicity and extraordinary rainfall. In order to portray the damaging landslides, that caused human and material losses in Costa Rica, DesInventar disaster database was used to analyze damaging landslides reports from 1970 to 2018. Moreover, different generalized linear models (GLM) were performed to analyze the landslide hazard, vulnerability and risk in all the municipalities of the country. An Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) backward selection was used to contrast and determine the best hazard and vulnerability models. From a total of ten variables, terrain ruggedness index, 5 year intensity-duration-frequency precipitation curves and earthquakes distribution determined the landslide hazard. Otherwise, population, municipality area and Social Development Index are the most suitable variables to explain the landslide vulnerability. Subsequently, the multiplication between alternative landslide hazard and vulnerability indexes produced the risk index. Consequently, the highest risk values were obtained for large and rural municipalities (Pérez Zeledón, San Carlos, and Turrialba) as well as for densely populated and urban units (Alajuela, Desamparados, and Cartago. Results are critical for disaster risk reduction public institutions and academic stakeholders. Therefore, this methodology could be an interesting opportunity for different tropical and developing countries to achieve national or regional analyses of the most important risk component in each municipality and implement risk reduction strategies adapted for each municipality characteristics.

Spatial Conditions Supporting Sustainable Development of Enterprises on Local Level

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) represent more than 99% of enterprises in Europe. Therefore, knowledge about this sector, also in the spatial context is important to understand the patterns of economic and social development. The main goal of this article is an analysis of spatial conditions and the situation of MSMEs on a local level using combined sources of information. This includes data collected in the Social Insurance Institution and Tax registers in Poland, which provides information on the employment, wages, revenues and taxes paid by the MSMEs on a local level as well as contextual statistical information. The data is used for a diagnosis of spatial circumstances and discussion of conditions influencing the status of the MSMEs sector in a selected region (voivodeship) in Poland. Taxonomy methods including factor analysis and clustering methods based on k-means and SOM Kohonen were used for selecting significant information and grouping of the local units according to the situation of the MSMEs. There are eight factors revealed in principal component analysis and five clusters of local units distinguished using these factors. These include two clusters with a high share of rural local units and two clusters with a high share of rural-urban and urban local units. Additionally, there was an outstanding cluster with only two dominant urban local units. Factors show differences between clusters in the situation of MSMEs sector and infrastructure. Different spatial conditions in different regions influence the situation of MSMEs.

Discordance of Tracer Transport and Particulate Matter Fate in a Baffled Clarification System

Abstract Large eddy simulation (LES) and coupled physical laboratory-scale modeling are performed to elucidate tracer transport and particulate matter (PM) fate in a baffled clarification system. Such baffled systems are common for urban water unit operations and processes. Flow hydrodynamic indices of these systems such as short-circuiting are often examined with measurement of inert tracer transport as a surrogate for chemical or PM transport and fate. Results of this study illustrate complex interactions between turbulent flow, tracer, and various PM diameters at the system scale. PM preferential accumulation and the discordance of PM transport with respect to flow hydrodynamics are observed based on the modeling results; otherwise not practical with physical model testing. Results demonstrate that baffling can promote system tracer mixing and improve volumetric utilization by extending the mean flow path through flow separation and bifurcation. The baffle tested produced high turbulence kinetic energy near the sedimentation floor and reduced PM separation (clarification) as compared to the unbaffled system used as a control. The unbaffled system in this study yields the highest PM separation, even though significant short-circuiting occurs during the residence time distribution (RTD) of the tracer. Further analysis demonstrates the mechanistic difference between the tracer transport and the finer suspended PM as compared to larger settleable and sediment PM diameters. Results illustrate that the tracer RTD, residence time (RT) and hydraulic efficiency indices are not reliable surrogates for PM or PM-bound chemical/pathogen separation. In addition, simulations suggest a site, system or condition-specific design approach given the coupled dependence on flow and design geometry.

Localized corrosion of (lean) duplex stainless steels in immersion units of urban wastewater treatment plants

AbstractWith lower alloying cost and higher mechanical properties, lean duplex stainless steels can be an alternative to the more commonly used austenitic stainless steels. However, these alloys are still not the preferred choice, probably due to a lack of field experience. A study was thus initiated in view of defining the limits of use of selected (lean) duplexes for urban wastewater treatment units. The present paper shows the localized corrosion performance of selected lean duplexes in chloride contaminated solutions. The results are compared with austenitic S30403 and S31603 and with the more standard duplexes S82441 and S32205. The effect of welding was also investigated. Exposures in field municipal wastewater plants were conducted for 1 year in low and high chloride content units. The results show that lean duplexes S32101 and S32202 can be used as alternatives to S30403 and S31603 in low chloride electrolytes. At 500 ppm of chloride content, duplex stainless steel S32304 showed better corrosion resistance than S30403 and S31603. For higher chloride contents (1000 ppm and above) the standard duplexes S82441 and S32205 shall be preferred.

Digital Navigation Improves No-Show Rates and Bowel Preparation Quality for Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Quality Improvement Study.

Because of high historical no-show rates and poor bowel preparation quality in our unit, we sought to evaluate whether text message navigation for patients scheduled for colonoscopy would reduce no-show rates and improve bowel preparation quality compared with usual care. We performed a randomized controlled quality improvement study from April to August 2019 in an urban academic endoscopy unit. All patients scheduled for colonoscopy were randomly assigned to a control group that received usual care (paper instructions/nursing precalls) or to the intervention group that received usual care plus the text message program [short message service (SMS)]. The program provided timed-release instructions on dietary modifications and bowel preparation before colonoscopy. The primary outcome was no-shows. Secondary outcomes were no-show/same-day cancellations, no-show/cancellations within 7 days of the procedure, and bowel preparation quality. A total of 1625 patients were randomized (SMS=833, control=792). No-show rates were significantly lower in the SMS group compared with the control group (8% vs. 14%; P<0.0001). Similar results were found for no-show/same-day cancellations (10% vs. 16%; P=0.0003), and no-show/cancellations within 7 days (18% vs. 26%; P=0.0008). There was no difference in adequate bowel preparation for all colonoscopies between the groups (89% vs. 87%; P=0.47). However, rates of adequate bowel preparation for screening/surveillance colonoscopies were significantly higher in SMS versus control groups (93% vs. 88%; P=0.04). Text message navigation for patients scheduled for colonoscopy improved the quality of colorectal cancer screening by decreasing no-show rates and increasing adequate bowel preparation rates in patients undergoing screening colonoscopy compared with usual care.

Slums in India: making sense of place in urban planning

Cities are the growth engine of national wealth and income production; however large number of city dwellers circumvents from the mainstream, are snubbed dwellers called slum population. Existence of slums in the urban units is a challenging issue in urban planning. India experiences a very sharp growth rate of slum population over the decades. Present work focuses on a conundrum of uninterrupted slum growth in spite of the implementation of many slum removal policies in India. The state-level household amenity status reflects a quite debatable agenda as to whether or not slum up-gradation policies are succeeded and works as a significant planning tool. The up-gradation of individual slum unit through the bottom-up approach of plan may act as effective action. This work finally directs a comprehensive planning tool for slum up-gradation as well as overall urban development, by placing the slum issues in urban planning practice.

Research on Differentiated Classification System of Distribution Network Based on Grading and Zoning

In order to cope with multiple pressures such as ensuring the safe operation of the distribution network, promoting market-oriented operation, and satisfying rigid investment needs, power grid companies must implement a lean management approach. In response to the lack of systematic classification and evaluation methods for the distribution network in precise investment and future planning, this paper proposes a multi-dimensional hierarchical sub-regional distribution network differentiation classification system covering provinces, cities (counties), urban power supply units, towns, and villages. In the dimensions of provinces and cities (counties), based on the data fitting analysis of per capita electricity consumption, the classification method of the development stage of the power grids is obtained, and the provinces and cities (counties) are classified into pioneering benefits, steady improvement, and excellence three stages; in the dimension of urban power supply units, based on the combination of “top-down” and “bottom-up”, the urban power supply units are divided into three categories: A+, A, and B; in the dimensions of towns and villages, according to characteristics indicators and construction models, proposed classification schemes for towns and villages. Finally, the results of an example analysis show that the differentiated classification system proposed in this paper can achieve an accurate assessment of the current development status of the distribution network, and provide important guidance for the precise investment of the distribution network in the future.

تصور تخطیطى مقترح للحد من معوقات تطبیق برامج الحمایة الاجتماعیة بالوحدات الاجتماعیة الحضریة

ملخص البحث تمثل الحماية الاجتماعية استثمار في رأس المال البشرى فى التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية على حد سواء،وبالنسبة إلى الدول وشعوبها لا تمثل الحماية الاجتماعية مسألة استحقاق ومسؤولية فحسب وإنما مسألة حقوق حيث أصبحت الحماية الاجتماعية واحدة من المکونات الأساسية لسياسة اجتماعية متکاملة وشاملة,حيث ترکز الاتجاهات الحديثة للحماية الاجتماعية على توسيع نطاق الحماية لتشمل کافة شرائح المجتمع بصفة عامة والفقراء بصفة خاصة، وفى کافة مجالات الحياة المختلفة. وبالرغم من تزايد الوحدات الاجتماعية فى مصر،وما تبذله من جهود فى مجالات مختلفة لتحقيق الحماية الاجتماعية إلا أنه مازال متوقعا من الوحدات الاجتماعية أن تقوم بدور أکثر فعالية فى قضية الحماية الاجتماعية للفقراء والضعفاءوالمهمشين,إلا أنها تواجه العديد من الصعوبات فى تطبيقها لبرامج الحماية الاجتماعية,من هنا جاءت الدراسة الراهنة بعنوان:تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من معوقات تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. حيث إستهدفت تحديد المعوقات التى تواجه الوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية فى تطبيقها لبرامج الحماية الاجتماعية والتوصل إلى تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من هذه المعوقات.وقد تم تطبيق الدراسة على جميع العاملين بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية ببندر الفيوم,حيث بلغت العينة(74) مفردة. وتوصلت الدراسة فى نتائجها الى وجود مجموعة من المعوقات التشريعية والتنظيمية وکذا المعوقات ذات الصلة بالمستفيدين والتى تحد من تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. کما توصلت الدراسة الحالية إلى تصور تخطيطى مقترح للحد من معوقات تطبيق برامج الحماية الاجتماعية بالوحدات الاجتماعية الحضرية. الکلمات المفتاحية الدالة: المعوقات , الحماية الاجتماعية , الوحدات الاجتماعية Search Summary Social protection represents an investment in human capital in both social and economic development, and for states and their peoples, social protection is not only a matter of entitlement and responsibility, but also a question of rights, where social protection has become one of the basic components of an integrated and comprehensive social policy. Despite the increase of social units in Egypt, and their efforts in various areas to achieve social protection, social units are still expected to play a more active role in the issue of social protection for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, but they face many difficulties in applying social protection programs, hence the current study entitled: A proposed planning vision to reduce the obstacles to the application of social protection programs in urban social units. The study was aimed at identifying the obstacles facing urban social units in their application of social protection programs and reaching a proposed planning vision to reduce these obstacles. In its findings, the study found a range of legislative and regulatory constraints as well as barriers related to beneficiaries that limit the application of social protection programs in urban social units The current study also found a proposed planning scenario to reduce the constraints of the application of social protection programs in urban social units. Keywords: Handicaps, Social Protection, Social Units

Large-Scale Classification of Urban Structural Units From Remote Sensing Imagery

Remote sensing in combination with deep learning has become instrumental for efficiently and accurately classifying land-use and land-cover across large geographic areas. These technologies have also been successful in characterizing urban environments in terms of their structural units, structure types, or morphological regions. In these approaches, an urban area is partitioned into regions that exhibit homogeneous physical characteristics. However, existing approaches are typically limited to a single city, use inconsistent typologies, and lack scalability and generalization capacity. In this article, we propose an urban structural units categorization scheme and demonstrate its utility by applying it to 13 cities. Inspired by the lack of scalability and generalization capacity in urban structural units mapping, we extend the reach of deep learning and conduct a set of classification experiments in all 13 cities. These experiments offer insights into the strengths and limitations of deep neural networks for classifying urban structural units over diverse geographic regions and on heterogeneous collections of satellite imagery. The efficacy of the proposed deep learning approach is compared to a baseline method of multiscale image features and support vector machines. Our validation on five cities shows that better performance is achieved with deep neural networks. Additionally, we evaluate the impact of input size, model depth, and spatial pyramid pooling to assess the generalization capacity of deep neural networks.

Compartimentação geoambiental no município de São Vicente do Sul, RS, Brasil

Landscape studies and compartmentalization through shapes, defined by relief, and composition understood as elements of rocky substrate and soils integrate information of use and occupation are fundamental to understand geomorphological dynamics and assist in the management and planning of agricultural and urban areas. The present work aims at the geoenvironmental compartmentalization of the São Vicente do Sul municipality, through combinations of elements in a GIS environment. The study identifies four units and five subunits geoenvironmental defined: Floodplain Units subdivided into Ibicuí floodplain, Jaguari floodplain, Toropi floodplain; Hills Unit with fields and crops and with Forestry; Buttes of the São Vicente do Sul resulting from the regressive erosion and; Urban Unit.

植被群落特征对城市生态系统服务的影响研究进展

生态空间（林地、灌木、草地、水体）所产生的生态系统服务极大的改善了人类的生存环境，在城市绿地破碎化日益严重、绿地质量逐渐降低、乡土植物逐渐减少、入侵风险逐渐加剧等生态背景下，如何维持稳定而持续增长的城市生态系统服务供给，一直困扰着当下从事城市生态学领域研究的学者和城市管理者。植被群落作为城市绿地系统的基本组成单元，在绿地破碎化趋势下，可作为研究内容来探讨城市生态系统服务维持或提升策略；植被群落泛指城市中常见的、具有明显边界的、按照一定分布规则的植物群落单元，既包括道路绿地、居住区绿地、公园绿地等，也包括城市郊野自然林地。但对植被群落生态功能的研究也多停留在对某一生态问题的简单相关性研究，缺乏系统性和整体性。从微观层面的植被群落角度，整合相关文献研究，介绍了受植被群落特征影响的6种典型城市生态系统服务，综述了植被群落特征对这6种城市生态系统服务的影响机理，对植被群落特征因子进行总结、归类，从树种特性、垂直结构、水平结构、其他4个角度构建了"植被群落特征因子对城市生态系统服务影响关系表"。最后面向典型生态系统服务提升提出了城市低质量植被群落地区的营建和更新原则，以期为今后城市园林部门、规划部门制定城市绿地系统规划提供基础性技术支撑。;The ecosystem services generated by ecological spaces (woodlands, shrubs, grasslands, and water bodies) have greatly improved the human living environment. In the context of increasing fragmentation of urban green spaces, decreasing quality of green spaces, diminishing native plants and increasing risk of invasion, how to maintain a stable and sustainable increase in the supply of urban ecosystem services has been troubling scholars and urban managers. As a basic component of urban green space systems, vegetation communities can be used as a research component to explore strategies for maintaining or enhancing urban ecosystem services in the context of green space fragmentation; vegetation communities refer to common urban plant community units with distinct boundaries and according to certain distribution rules, including both road green space, residential green space and park green space, as well as natural woodland in the urban countryside. while studies on the ecological functions of vegetation communities were mostly confined to simple correlation studies of a certain ecological problem, lacking in a systematic and holistic approach. This paper introduces six typical urban ecosystem services that are influenced by vegetation community characteristics from the perspective of urban vegetation communities at the micro level, integrating relevant literature studies. This is followed by an overview of the mechanisms by which vegetation community characteristics affect these six urban ecosystem services, and a summary and categorisation of vegetation community characteristics factors. A table of relationships between vegetation community characteristics and urban ecosystem services was then constructed from four perspectives:tree species characteristics, vertical structure, horizontal structure and others. Finally, the principles for the establishment and renewal of urban low-quality vegetation communities are proposed for the enhancement of typical ecosystem services, with the aim of providing basic technical support for urban landscape departments and planning departments in their future planning of urban green space systems.

Nurse-led PrEP-RN clinic: a prospective cohort study exploring task-Shifting HIV prevention to public health nurses

ObjectiveTo report the results of a nurse-led pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery service.DesignThis was a prospective cohort study conducted from 5 August 2018 to 4 March 2020. It involved manual chart...

A comparative study of factors for interruption of antitubercular treatment among defaulters in urban and rural areas of Kamrup District, Assam.

Background:Defaulting from treatment is an important challenge for tuberculosis (TB) control. As per the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme quarterly reports of Kamrup District (Assam), among the registered cases default rate was 13.3%(2008) & 13.1 % (2009).Objectives:To elicit reasons & factors responsible for interruption of treatment from a cohort of TB defaulters of urban & rural areas in Kamrup District.Methods:The cross-sectional study was conducted among 1/3rd of all defaulters who were put on Directly Observed Treatment Short-course chemotherapy in 2011 under 1 urban Tuberculosis Unit (TU) & 2 rural TUs of Kamrup District. From these 3 TUs, total 210 patients interrupted treatment in 2011; so 70 defaulters (35 from 1 urban TU & 35 from 2 rural TUs) were interviewed in their residences by using a pretested and predesigned schedule. Study was conducted in January - June, 2012.Results:Majority of the defaulters was illiterate (51.4%) in rural areas but in urban areas majority studied upto high school level (37.1%). Maximum defaulters were in the age group 25-44 years (55.7% in urban areas & 62.9% in rural areas). The number of defaulters decreased uniformly with increasing income in the rural areas & but not so in urban areas. More number of new cases defaulted in rural areas (82.8%) compared to urban areas (57.1%). Improvement in symptoms was found to be the most common reason (45.7% in urban areas & 40 % in rural areas), leading to treatment interruption.Conclusions:Early improvement in symptom was the most common reason leading to treatment interruption. Continuous health education should be provided to TB patients emphasizing the need to continue treatment despite early improvement in symptoms.

Noise exposure at the place of residence is associated with atherothrombotic risk. Findings from ENVI-MI (Environment and Myocardial Infarction) study

Environmental factors including noise exposure are primary cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. ENVI MI project aimed to assess the impact of environmental noise at the home address in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). From the Côte d’Or infarction observatory (RICO) database, 867 consecutive MI patients living in an urban unit of Dijon (France), included from 2004 to 2008, without prior MI and discharged alive were analysed. Atherothrombotic risk stratification was performed using the TRS-2P score. Patients were divided in to 3 risk categories: G1 (low-risk, TRS-2P = 0/1); G2 (intermediate-risk, TRS-2P = 2); and G3 (high-risk, TRS-2P ≥ 3). Environmental noise prediction models were used to assess residential exposure. The relationship between TRS-2P categories were analyzed according to noise levels using ordinal logistic regression analysis; crude and adjusted odds ratios were estimated for an increase of 5 dB(A) in L DEN . Most patients were male (64%), with mean age at 68 ± 15 y, and LVEF was 55 ± 13%. Rate of CV risk factors were: smoking (57.2%), obesity (29.4%), hypertension (53.8%), hypercholesterolemia (46.4%), and diabetes (20.8%). TRS-2P categories were split in low (42%), intermediate (25%), and high (32%) risk. Most (51%) men were at low risk, while most women were at high risk (47%). Mean noise exposure was 60 ± 6 (min–max: 33-82) dB(A). Noise exposure was associated with atherothrombotic risk: OR(SD): 1.149(0.0142), P < 0.01). After adjustement, noise remains an independent estimate for atherothrombotic risk (OR(SD): 1.129(0.060), p < 0.05. Interestingly, the relationship was only significant for men (OR(SD): 1.220(0.075), p < 0.01), but not for women (OR(SD): 0.958(0.105), P = NS)). We found a significant association between noise exposure and atherosclerotic CV disease burden. If confirmed, these results could have major consequences in terms of public health, especially on post-MI management.

Transformation of the City in the Byzantine Period: Reuse of Bath and Bath-Gymnasium Buildings

Antik Çağ kentlerinde yerleşim karakterinin tanımlanmasında kamu yapıları önemli yere sahiptir. Kentlerin önem ve kapasitesi hamam, hamam-gymnasium, tiyatro ya da agora gibi kamusal yapılar ile birlikte değerlendirilmektedir. Ancak 4. ve 7. yüzyıllar arasında toplumsal yaşamda ve ekonomide görülen değişimler, kamusal yapıların işlevlerinin devamlılığının sonlanmasına neden olmuş, bu durum da yapıların dönüşümlerine ve yeniden kullanımlarına ilişkin sonuçlar doğurmuştur.&#x0D; &#x0D; Bu çalışmanın konusunu oluşturan hamamlar ve hamam-gymnasium kompleksleri, kentlerde halkın yıkanma gereksinimini karşılayan, ayrıca eğitim, spor etkinlikleri ve kültürel gereksinimlerine de cevap veren kentsel birimlerdir. Arkeolojik kanıtlara dayanarak hamamların ve hamam-gymnasium komplekslerinin kentsel işlevlerinin 5.-6. yüzyıllarda değişmeye başladığı gözlenir. Özellikle Hıristiyanlığın yayılmaya başlaması ile birlikte kilisenin ruhsal temizliğe önem verilmesi gerektiğini vurgulaması söz konusu işlevlerin zamanla azalmasına neden olmuştur.&#x0D; &#x0D; Bu çalışmada hamamların ve hamam-gymnasium komplekslerinin Geç Antik Dönem’de başlayan dönüşümünün yanı sıra Bizans Dönemi’ndeki konumu ve kullanımı incelenmiş; Geç Antik ve Bizans kenti morfolojisinin hamam ve hamam-gymnasium komplekslerinin dönüşümü üzerinden analiz edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. İnceleme kapsamında söz konusu yapılarda meydana gelen dönüşümün nasıl oluştuğu ve sonuçta yeni işlevin ne olduğu sorgulanmaktadır.&#x0D; &#x0D; Bu doğrultuda Aizanoi, Amorium, Aphrodisias, Arykanda, Assos, Elaiussa Sebaste, Ephesos, Hierapolis, Miletos, Myra-Andriake, Olympos, Patara, Priene, Rhodiapolis, Sagalassos, Sardes, Side ve Tralleis kentlerinde yer alan hamamların ve hamam-gymnasium komplekslerinin dönüşümleri incelenmiştir. İşlevsel nedenlerle kentte geniş bir alanı kapsayan bu yapılarda özgün işlevini devam ettiren örnekler olduğu gibi, özgün işlevini kaybedip kullanımdan çıktıktan sonraki dönüşümleri, yapının bir bölümünün ya da yapılardan geriye kalan arsanın kullanılması şeklinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Arkeolojik kazı raporları sonucu hamamların ve hamam-gymnasium komplekslerinin dinsel amaçlı dönüşümün yanı sıra, konut amaçlı, endüstriyel, savunma ve yönetsel amaçlı olarak farklı kullanımlarının olduğu saptanmıştır. Söz konusu yapıların dönüşümünde dinsel örgütlenmenin değişimi başta olmak üzere, kentsel alanın daralması sonucu arsa yetersizliğinin oluşması ve ekonomik hayatın yeni mecralarda gelişmesi gibi etkenlerin rol oynadığı dikkat çekmektedir.

The spatial dimension of the French private rental markets: Evidence from microgeographic data in 2015

This article draws on data collected by local rental observatories in 12 French urban units in 2015 to analyze the spatial dimension of hedonic rental prices in the private rental market through (i) the spatial heterogeneity between urban units and (ii) the wide variety of contextual and locational characteristics (socio-economic, environmental (dis)amenity, and accessibility) and flexible specifications to capture their potential non-linear influence on rent. Based on a joint test of equality of coefficients across all urban units, we find that hedonic prices differ for 75% of the characteristics, thereby justifying a detailed analysis of heterogeneity. Lyon, Nice, and Paris taken individually are the urban units with the most specific valuations of housing characteristics and socio-economic characteristics. Our analysis reveals that housing characteristics, median income, and distance to the center are clearly the variables with the most heterogeneous effects on hedonic prices.

Zonas de amortecimento em Unidades de Conservação urbanas. Dois casos em Salvador-BA-Brasil

&lt;p&gt;A Zona de Amortecimento tem por função criar um espaço-anteparo a fim de minimizar efeitos antrópicos negativos impostos pela ocupação urbana desordenada, sobretudo aquela já consolidada, sobre as áreas protegidas. Unidades de Conservação urbanas precisam ser manejadas de maneira diferenciada das áreas protegidas rurais. Sendo assim, estabelecer uma Zona de Amortecimento em áreas urbanas ou em centros metropolitanos traz, como desafio principal, a mediação entre garantir a integridade dos objetivos da UC e, ao mesmo tempo, oferecer benefícios ambientais e sociais, não apenas no que diz respeito às amenidades proporcionadas pela proximidade com elementos naturais. Deste modo, faz-se de suma importância que uma Zona de Amortecimento de uma Unidade de Conservação em área urbana seja delimitada, considerando-se critérios ambientais, sociais, culturais e institucionais.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Abstract&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Buffer Zone has the function of creating a bulkhead in order to minimize negative anthropic effects imposed by the disorderly urban occupation, especially that already consolidated, on the protected areas. Urban Conservation Units need to be managed differently from rural protected areas. Thus, establishing a Buffer Zone in urban areas or metropolitan centers brings, as a main challenge, the mediation between ensuring the integrity of the objectives of the PA and, at the same time, offering environmental and social benefits, not only as regards the amenities provided by the proximity to natural elements. Thus, it is of utmost importance that a Buffer Zone of a Conservation Unit in an urban area be delimited considering, environmental, social, cultural and institutional criteria.&lt;/p&gt;

Intensity Reassessment of the 2017 Pohang Earthquake Mw = 5.4 (South Korea) Using ESI-07 Scale

The earthquake environmental effects (EEEs) around the epicentral area of the Pohang earthquake (Mw-5.4) that occurred on 15 November 2017 have been collected and classified using the Environmental Seismic Intensity Scale (ESI-07 scale) proposed by the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) focus group. The shallow-focus 15 November Pohang earthquake did not produce any surface rupture, but caused extensive secondary environmental effects and damage to life-line structures. This earthquake was one of the most damaging earthquakes during the instrumental seismic era of the Korean Peninsula. The EEEs included extensive liquefaction, ground cracks, ground settlement, localized rockfall, and variation of the water table. The main objective of this paper was to carry forward a comparative assessment of the Pohang earthquake’s intensity based on traditional macroseismic scales and the ESI-07 scale. With that objective, this study will also make a substantial contribution to any future revision of the ESI-07 scale, which mostly comprises case studies from Europe and South America. The comparison of the ESI-07 scale with traditional intensity scales similar to the intensity scale used by the Korean Meteorological Administration for the epicentral areas showed 1–2-degree differences in intensity. Moreover, the ESI scale provided a clearer picture of the intensity around the epicentral area, which is mostly agricultural land with a lack of urban units or buildings. This study urges the integration of the traditional and ESI-07 scale for such small magnitude earthquakes in the Korean Peninsula as well as around the world in future. This will predict seismic intensity more precisely and hence provide a more-effective seismic hazard estimation, particularly in areas of low seismic activity. The present study will also provide a useful and reliable tool for the seismic hazard assessment of similar earthquakes around the study area and land-use planning at a local scale considering the secondary effects.

Urban Green Spaces—An Underestimated Resource in Third-Tier Towns in Poland

Urban green spaces are frequently presented as being important for urban quality of life and urban development in general, but more detailed interpretations and discussions are typically confined to large urban centers, the so-called first- and second-tier cities. Not enough attention has been paid to smaller urban units, the third-tier towns. The main goal of this article is to investigate the share and types of urban green spaces in five selected towns in Poland. We compare different sources of data based on satellite imagery and land-use maps with those used in public statistics, to check whether town authorities are managing all potential green spaces or only a selected part of them. We find that the predominantly used data, based on what is classified as “urban green space” for the purposes of public statistics, obscure the complexity of urban green spaces and focus on the narrowly understood formally managed public green spaces (which occupy 3.5–5.7% of town areas). Meanwhile, based on other sources, such as the national land-use map (BDOT10k), Urban Atlas, and satellite imagery (Landsat 8), what is considered to be green space turns out to cover 50–80% of the town area. The latter large numbers are associated with the predominance of arable land, grasslands, and forests, overlooked in any green space management practices based on data and definitions adopted for the purposes of public statistics. The situation found in our five case study towns resembles that identified in larger cities in Poland, and it exhibits the inadequacy of public statistics definitions and the related management practices, hindering the management of urban green spaces as an interconnected system of urban green infrastructures.

Differences in the Quantitative Demographic Potential—A Comparative Study of Polish–German and Polish–Lithuanian Transborder Regions

Demographic potential is a particularly important consideration in border areas that are peripheral regions of a country. The aim of this study was to identify differences in the quantitative demographic potential of Polish–German and Polish–Lithuanian transborder regions, as well as the extent to which natural population increase and net migration influence the demographic potential of border regions. An essential element of the research was the analysis of the importance of borders on shaping the quantitative demographic potential. The study relied on the zeroed unitarization method and the method proposed by Webb. The study revealed considerable spatial variation in the quantitative demographic potential of the analyzed regions at LAU 1 (Local Administrative Units) on the background of NUTS 0 (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) and NUTS 2. The highest values were noted in urban units, which accounted for 11.0% of all evaluated units. The areas characterized by the lowest demographic potential represented 16.5% of the total number of the analyzed units, which should be regarded as a positive outcome. Most of these border regions were situated in Germany and Lithuania. Demographic potential is an important determinant of social and economic growth; therefore, the results of this study can be used to diagnose problems in border regions and implement the required regional policies.