Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 230 in total

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  1. Fulltext Seasonal abundance of Aedes albopictus in selected urban and suburban areas in Penang, Malaysia
    Rozilawati H, Zairi J, Adanan CR
    Trop Biomed, 2007 Jun;24(1):83-94.
    PMID: 17568381 MyJurnal
    Ovitrap surveillance was conducted in a selected urban area and suburban area, ie. Taman Permai Indah(TPI) and Kampung Pasir Gebu (KPG) in Penang for 14 months. It was found that Aedes albopictus was the most abundant Aedes species in both study areas, even though a small percentage of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus were found to breed simultaneously in the same ovitrap. This study indicated that the main dengue vector was Ae. albopictus. A strong correlation was found between rainfall and egg population in both of the study sites (r = 0.982 and r = 0.918).
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  2. Dengue, an emerging arboviral infection in Assam, northeast India
    Dev V, Mahanta N, Baruah BK
    Trop Biomed, 2015 Dec 01;32(4):796-799.
    PMID: 33557473
    Dengue is emerging as major public health concern in northeast India and spreading with increased morbidity. Most cases were recorded in Guwahati metropolitan city of the state of Assam during post-monsoon months (September- December). These comprised all age groups of both sexes with significantly higher incidence of cases in adult males aged 26- 60 years.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  3. Analyzing the relationships between travel mode indicators and the number of passenger transport fatalities at the city level
    Asadi-Shekari Z, Moeinaddini M, Sultan Z, Shah MZ, Hamzah A
    Traffic Inj Prev, 2016 08 17;17(6):650-5.
    PMID: 26890058 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2015.1136739
    OBJECTIVE: A number of efforts have been conducted on travel behavior and transport fatalities at the neighborhood or street level, and they have identified different factors such as roadway characteristics, personal indicators, and design indicators related to transport safety. However, only a limited number of studies have considered the relationship between travel behavior indicators and the number of transport fatalities at the city level. Therefore, this study explores this relationship and how to fill the mentioned gap in current knowledge.

    METHOD: A generalized linear model (GLM) estimates the relationships between different travel mode indicators (e.g., length of motorway per inhabitants, number of motorcycles per inhabitant, percentage of daily trips on foot and by bicycle, percentage of daily trips by public transport) and the number of passenger transport fatalities. Because this city-level model is developed using data sets from different cities all over the world, the impacts of gross domestic product (GDP) are also included in the model.

    CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results imply that the percentage of daily trips by public transport, the percentage of daily trips on foot and by bicycle, and the GDP per inhabitant have negative relationships with the number of passenger transport fatalities, whereas motorway length and the number of motorcycles have positive relationships with the number of passenger transport fatalities.

    Matched MeSH terms: Cities/epidemiology
  4. Exploration of motorcyclists' red-light running and helmet use at signalized intersections in Ghana
    Amegah ML, Adanu EK, Kolawole Ojo T, Bukari S, Asare-Akuffo F
    Traffic Inj Prev, 2023;24(1):94-97.
    PMID: 36178858 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2022.2127321
    OBJECTIVE: There is a dearth of empirical studies on motorcyclists' red-light running and helmet use at signalized intersections in low and middle-income countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Malaysia. This study seeks to fill the gap by looking at red-light running and helmet use at signalized intersections in the Cape Coast metropolis, Ghana. The study also identified potential areas of intervention to reduce the dangers posed by motorcyclists' red-light running in the Cape Coast Metropolis without the use of a helmet.

    METHOD: A naturalistic exploratory un-obstructive observational approach was used in assessing this phenomenon. The relationship between motorcyclists' behaviors and motorcyclists' observed demographic characteristics, the locality of the intersection, time of the week and presence of pillion passengers were analyzed. Chi-Square test of independence was used to establish the statistically significant relationships between dependent and independent variables.

    RESULTS: In all, 2,225 motorcyclists and 744 pillion passengers were observed. The results revealed that 33.1% of the motorcyclists ran a red light with 45.4% not using a helmet. Red-light running at signalized intersections was significantly linked to the locality of the intersection, time of the week, and helmet use. The helmet use was low and significantly associated with the presence of a pillion passenger and whether the pillion passenger used a helmet or not.

    CONCLUSION: Red-light running is influenced by locality of intersection, time of the week and helmet use. Efforts to reduce red-light running and improve helmet use should involve road safety education, awareness creation, and enforcement of traffic laws by the officials of the National Road Safety Authority and Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service. City managers in other low and middle-income countries can use the findings in the study to inform policy.

    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  5. Fulltext Land use/cover change detection and urban sprawl analysis in Bandar Abbas city, Iran
    Dadras M, Shafri HZ, Ahmad N, Pradhan B, Safarpour S
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:690872.
    PMID: 25276858 DOI: 10.1155/2014/690872
    The process of land use change and urban sprawl has been considered as a prominent characteristic of urban development. This study aims to investigate urban growth process in Bandar Abbas city, Iran, focusing on urban sprawl and land use change during 1956-2012. To calculate urban sprawl and land use changes, aerial photos and satellite images are utilized in different time spans. The results demonstrate that urban region area has changed from 403.77 to 4959.59 hectares between 1956 and 2012. Moreover, the population has increased more than 30 times in last six decades. The major part of population growth is related to migration from other parts the country to Bandar Abbas city. Considering the speed of urban sprawl growth rate, the scale and the role of the city have changed from medium and regional to large scale and transregional. Due to natural and structural limitations, more than 80% of barren lands, stone cliffs, beach zone, and agricultural lands are occupied by built-up areas. Our results revealed that the irregular expansion of Bandar Abbas city must be controlled so that sustainable development could be achieved.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities*
  6. Identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subgroups in 13 Asian cities
    Kim WJ, Gupta V, Nishimura M, Makita H, Idolor L, Roa C, et al.
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2018 07 01;22(7):820-826.
    PMID: 29914609 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.17.0524
    BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous condition that can differ in its clinical manifestation, structural changes and response to treatment.

    OBJECTIVE: To identify subgroups of COPD with distinct phenotypes, evaluate the distribution of phenotypes in four related regions and calculate the 1-year change in lung function and quality of life according to subgroup.

    METHODS: Using clinical characteristics, we performed factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis in a cohort of 1676 COPD patients from 13 Asian cities. We compared the 1-year change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale score, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score and exacerbations according to subgroup derived from cluster analysis.

    RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed that body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, SGRQ total score and FEV1 were principal factors. Using these four factors, cluster analysis identified three distinct subgroups with differing disease severity and symptoms. Among the three subgroups, patients in subgroup 2 (severe disease and more symptoms) had the most frequent exacerbations, most rapid FEV1 decline and greatest decline in SGRQ total score.

    CONCLUSION: Three subgroups with differing severities and symptoms were identified in Asian COPD subjects.

    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  7. Distributions and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in atmospheric aerosols of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Omar NY, Mon TC, Rahman NA, Abas MR
    Sci Total Environ, 2006 Oct 1;369(1-3):76-81.
    PMID: 16766020
    The concentrations and distributions of particle bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) collected over a 10 month period in ambient environment, at street levels as well as during a hazy episode are reported. Ambient and street level distributions of PAHs were similar and their occurrence was attributed to vehicular emissions. However, in haze particles, a different pattern of PAHs was observed, characterized by relatively low levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and high levels of benzofluoranthenes (BFs). The BaP equivalency results showed that the potential health risk associated with haze smoke particles was 4 times higher than that of street level particles whereas the lowest health risk was associated with ambient atmospheric particles.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  8. Daily roadside BTEX concentrations in East Asia measured by the Lanwatsu, Radiello and Ultra I SKS passive samplers
    Lan TT, Binh NT
    Sci Total Environ, 2012 Dec 15;441:248-57.
    PMID: 23142415 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.08.086
    A new home-made diffusive bag-type passive sampler called Lanwatsu was developed for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene monitoring in roadside air. The passive samplers were outdoor validated and deployed together with two commercial passive samplers, Ultra I SKC Inc. and Radiello, for daily roadside air monitoring in East Asian cities including HoChiMinh, Hanoi, Cantho, Danang, Vungtau, Hue (Vietnam), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kyoto, Osaka (Japan), Nanjing (China) and Singapore in 2011. High daily benzene concentrations of 87, 52, 32, 23, 13, 12 and 48 µg/m³ were observed in HoChiMinh, Hanoi, Cantho, Danang, Hue, Vung Tau (Vietnam), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), respectively. Kyoto and Osaka (Japan) were clean with daily benzene concentrations below 2.3 μg/m³. The daily benzene concentrations in Nanjing (China) and Singapore were 5.6 and 6.9 μg/m³, respectively. The three passive samplers were equivalent. Passive sampling by the Lanwatsu passive sampler is acceptable for daily outdoor benzene monitoring.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  9. Assessing the impacts of climate change in cities and their adaptive capacity: Towards transformative approaches to climate change adaptation and poverty reduction in urban areas in a set of developing countries
    Filho WL, Balogun AL, Olayide OE, Azeiteiro UM, Ayal DY, Muñoz PDC, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2019 Nov 20;692:1175-1190.
    PMID: 31539949 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.227
    Many cities across the world are facing many problems climate change poses to their populations, communities and infrastructure. These vary from increased exposures to floods, to discomfort due to urban heat, depending on their geographical locations and settings. However, even though some cities have a greater ability to cope with climate change challenges, many struggle to do so, particularly in cities in developing countries. In addition, there is a shortage of international studies which examine the links between climate change adaptation and cities, and which at the same time draw some successful examples of good practice, which may assist future efforts. This paper is an attempt to address this information need. The aim of this paper is to analyse the extent to which cities in a sample of developing countries are attempting to pursue climate change adaptation and the problems which hinder this process. Its goal is to showcase examples of initiatives and good practice in transformative adaptation, which may be replicable elsewhere. To this purpose, the paper describes some trends related to climate change in a set of cities in developing countries across different continents, including one of the smallest capital cities (Georgetown, Guyana) and Shanghai, one the world's most populous cities. In particular, it analyses their degree of vulnerability, how they manage to cope with climate change impacts, and the policies being implemented to aid adaptation. It also suggests the use of transformative approaches which may be adopted, in order to assist them in their efforts towards investments in low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure, thereby maximizing investments in urban areas and trying to address their related poverty issues. This paper addresses a gap in the international literature on the problems many cities in developing countries face, in trying to adapt to a changing climate.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  10. Nest site selection for five common birds and their coexistence in an urban habitat
    Han Y, Bai J, Zhang Z, Wu T, Chen P, Sun G, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2019 Nov 10;690:748-759.
    PMID: 31302540 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.508
    Many species of birds gradually adapt to urbanization and colonize cities successfully. However, their nest site selection and competitive relationship in an urban community remain little known. Understanding the impact of urbanization on birds and the competitive relationship has important implications for the conservation and management of wildlife in urban ecosystems. Here, we undertook a systematic study to quantify nests in all species of birds in an urbanizing area of Nanchang, China. A total of 363 nests were detected in surveys including 340 nests of 16 bird species and 23 unidentified species nests. We mainly analyzed 5 dominant breeding birds with a sample size of >10 during the two breeding seasons (From April to July in 2016 and 2017), which included the light-vented bulbul, Chinese blackbird, scaly-breasted munia, spotted dove and grey-capped greenfinch. Most birds (93.66%) nested in the tree of artificial green belts, which seems to be the best breeding habitat for urban birds. Our results suggested that birds' breeding success relies on the trade-off between the benefit and the expense of specific stresses from habitats. The nest site selection of birds is also affected by the life habit of urban predators. Furthermore, competition among species can influence their distributions and utilization of environmental resources when birds nest in cities. We confirmed that the niche differentiation of five bird species in an urban environment makes them coexist successfully by utilizing various resources.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  11. Occurrence and risk assessment of multiclass endocrine disrupting compounds in an urban tropical river and a proposed risk management and monitoring framework
    Wee SY, Aris AZ, Yusoff FM, Praveena SM
    Sci Total Environ, 2019 Jun 25;671:431-442.
    PMID: 30933799 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.243
    Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are an emerging environmental concern and commonly occur as a mixture of compounds. The EDC mixture can be more toxic than any single compound. The present study analyses EDCs in surface water in the case of an urban tropical river, the Langat River, using the multiresidue analytical method of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The Langat River is used as a drinking water source and is treated for Malaysian drinking water supply. A total of 14 EDCs i.e. five hormones, seven pharmaceuticals, one pesticide, and one plasticizer were detected. Caffeine was observed to be highest at 19.33 ng/L, followed by bisphenol A and diclofenac at 8.24 ng/L and 6.15 ng/L, respectively. Using a conservative risk quotient (RQ) method, EDCs were estimated for having negligible risks under acute and chronic exposure (RQ 
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  12. Sources and trends of oxidized and reduced nitrogen wet deposition in a typical medium-sized city of eastern China during 2010-2016
    Cui J, Cui J, Peng Y, Yao D, Chan A, Chen Z, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Jun 27;744:140558.
    PMID: 32711301 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140558
    Fluxes and composition dynamics of atmospheric nitrogen deposition play key roles in better balancing economic development and ecological environment. However, there are some knowledge gaps and difficulties in urban ecosystems, especially for small and medium-sized cities. In this study, both flux and composition (ratio of NH4+-N to NO3--N, RN) of wet-deposited dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, sum of NO3--N and NH4+-N) were estimated and sources were identified at a long-term urban observation station in Tongling, a typical medium-sized city in eastern China during 2010-2016, respectively. Results showed that wet-deposited DIN fluxes were 33.20 and 28.15 kgN ha-1 yr-1 in Tongling city during 2010-2011 and 2015-2016, respectively. Compared to these two periods, both DIN and NO3--N fluxes decreased by 15.2% and 31.8% for a series of NOx abatement measures applied effectively, respectively. At the same time, the NH4+-N flux remained stable and ranged from 19.53 to 20.62 kgN ha-1 yr-1, and the RN increased from 1.7 to 2.2. Seasonally, winds from the southwest and west-southwest with higher frequencies and speeds in spring and summer brought more NH4+-N and DIN wet deposition from an ammonia plant, which could threaten the safety of regional hydrosphere ecosystems. On the whole, the wet-deposited NH4+-N was threatening regional ecosystems of both the hydrosphere and forest. The wet-deposited DIN including NH4+-N in Tongling city stemmed mainly from a combined source of coal combustion and dust from Cu extraction and smelting, ammonia production, and roads. Therefore, production lines should be updated for Cu extraction and smelting industries, thermal power generations and the ammonia plant, old vehicles should be eliminated, and the use of new energy vehicles should be promoted for regional sustainable development and human health in the medium-sized city.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  13. Environmental heat-related health symptoms among community in a tropical city
    Aghamohammadi N, Fong CS, Idrus MHM, Ramakreshnan L, Sulaiman NM
    Sci Total Environ, 2021 Aug 15;782:146611.
    PMID: 33838362 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146611
    Due to the changing climate, more frequent and prolonged heatwaves are expected to have a catastrophic consequence on urban human settlement. In tropical cities such as Kuala Lumpur (KL), the quality of the urban environment is made worse by urban heat island (UHI) phenomena due to poor urban planning practices. The prolonged exposure to urban heat is hypothesized to influence human health and well-being, especially in tropical urban areas with high population density. Therefore, a study was conducted to understand the association of urban heat stress with physical, psychosomatic and psychological (PPP) health symptoms within a tropical urban setting. Continuous urban microclimate monitoring is conducted using an automated weather station to define the level of heat stress in the study area expressed as Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). A cross-sectional approach is used to identify heat-related health symptoms experienced by the urban population. Through exploratory factor analysis, a total of 38 PPP health symptoms are reduced into 8 heat-related health clusters which are sensory organ pain, heat-related illnesses, cardiopulmonary, pain, fatigue, anxiety, somatization, and depression-related symptoms. Heat stress was found to significantly affect psychosomatic pain (p = 0.016) as well as psychological anxiety (p = 0.022) and somatization (p = 0.041) related symptoms. Other health clusters were not significantly associated with heat stress. More studies are needed to unravel the influence of confounding factors and the long-term impact of urban heat on the health and well-being of the urban population in a tropical city.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  14. Source apportionment and health risk assessment among specific age groups during haze and non-haze episodes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Sulong NA, Latif MT, Khan MF, Amil N, Ashfold MJ, Wahab MIA, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2017 Dec 01;601-602:556-570.
    PMID: 28575833 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.153
    This study aims to determine PM2.5concentrations and their composition during haze and non-haze episodes in Kuala Lumpur. In order to investigate the origin of the measured air masses, the Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) and Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) were applied. Source apportionment of PM2.5was determined using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were estimated using the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method. PM2.5samples were collected from the centre of the city using a high-volume air sampler (HVS). The results showed that the mean PM2.5concentrations collected during pre-haze, haze and post-haze periods were 24.5±12.0μgm-3, 72.3±38.0μgm-3and 14.3±3.58μgm-3, respectively. The highest concentration of PM2.5during haze episode was five times higher than World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Inorganic compositions of PM2.5, including trace elements and water soluble ions were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ion chromatography (IC), respectively. The major trace elements identified were K, Al, Ca, Mg and Fe which accounted for approximately 93%, 91% and 92% of the overall metals' portions recorded during pre-haze, haze and post-haze periods, respectively. For water-soluble ions, secondary inorganic aerosols (SO42-, NO3-and NH4+) contributed around 12%, 43% and 16% of the overall PM2.5mass during pre-haze, haze and post-haze periods, respectively. During haze periods, the predominant source identified using PMF was secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) and biomass burning where the NAME simulations indicate the importance of fires in Sumatra, Indonesia. The main source during pre-haze and post-haze were mix SIA and road dust as well as mineral dust, respectively. The highest non-carcinogenic health risk during haze episode was estimated among the infant group (HI=1.06) while the highest carcinogenic health risk was estimated among the adult group (2.27×10-5).
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  15. Airborne particles in the city center of Kuala Lumpur: Origin, potential driving factors, and deposition flux in human respiratory airways
    Khan MF, Hamid AH, Bari MA, Tajudin ABA, Latif MT, Nadzir MSM, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2019 Feb 10;650(Pt 1):1195-1206.
    PMID: 30308807 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.072
    Equatorial warming conditions in urban areas can influence the particle number concentrations (PNCs), but studies assessing such factors are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of size-resolved PNCs, their potential deposition rate in the human respiratory system, and probable local and transboundary inputs of PNCs in Kuala Lumpur. Particle size distributions of a 0.34 to 9.02 μm optical-equivalent size range were monitored at a frequency of 60 s between December 2016 and January 2017 using an optical-based compact scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). Diurnal and correlation analysis showed that traffic emissions and meteorological confounding factors were potential driving factors for changes in the PNCs (Dp ≤1 μm) at the modeling site. Trajectory modeling showed that a PNC <100/cm3 was influenced mainly by Indo-China region air masses. On the other hand, a PNC >100/cm3 was influenced by air masses originating from the Indian Ocean and Indochina regions. Receptor models extracted five potential sources of PNCs: industrial emissions, transportation, aged traffic emissions, miscellaneous sources, and a source of secondary origin coupled with meteorological factors. A respiratory deposition model for male and female receptors predicted that the deposition flux of PM1 (particle mass ≤1 μm) into the alveolar (AL) region was higher (0.30 and 0.25 μg/h, respectively) than the upper airway (UA) (0.29 and 0.24 μg/h, respectively) and tracheobronchial (TB) regions (0.02 μg/h for each). However, the PM2.5 deposition flux was higher in the UA (2.02 and 1.68 μg/h, respectively) than in the TB (0.18 and 0.15 μg/h, respectively) and the AL regions (1.09 and 0.91 μg/h, respectively); a similar pattern was also observed for PM10.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  16. Characteristics and health effect of heavy metals on non-exhaust road dusts in Kuala Lumpur
    Wahab MIA, Razak WMAA, Sahani M, Khan MF
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Feb 10;703:135535.
    PMID: 31767333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135535
    This study aimed to assess the concentrations and health effect of trace metals [cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn)] on the road dust of selected locations in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Sampling was conducted thrice at four locations, namely, Tun Razak Road, Raja Abdullah Road, Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) Road, and Ayer Molek Road. The concentrations of trace metals in road dust were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. TAR Road presented the highest Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb contents compared with the other roads. The pollution level of trace metals in road dust was assessed by pollution index and pollution load index (PLI), showing that all studied locations were highly contaminated except Ayer Molek Road. Based on the PLI value, the sequence of pollution in descending order is as follows: TAR Road > Raja Abdullah Road > Tun Razak Road > Ayer Molek Road. Health risk assessment was performed to assess the health effects of carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic pollutants caused by the exposure to trace metals in road dust on adults and children. Based on the integrated hazard index values for children at all locations, >1 indicates a possible noncarcinogenic effect. All incremental lifetime cancer risk values for adult and children at all locations are within acceptable limits and are considered safe.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  17. Trends in sustainable logistics in major cities in China
    Lan S, Tseng ML, Yang C, Huisingh D
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Apr 10;712:136381.
    PMID: 31940512 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136381
    "Smart cities" have become the development direction pursued by city leaders to address challenges related to rapid growth in urban areas. The sustainable development of the logistics sector has important practical significance for the evolution of smart cities. This study assessed the inefficiency rate and total factor productivity (TFP) of logistics in 36 Chinese cities from 2006 to 2015. The directional distance function (DDF) and Luenberger productivity index analytical approaches were used to assess the relevant parameters. The results revealed that the logistics system inefficiency rate of the eastern region was much higher than that of the central and western regions, while that of the western region was slightly higher than that of the central region. This study identified the main constraints of the logistics TFP in different regions in China. This finding is used to promote policy-making and investment planning to improve China's competitive advantage. The results documented that the central region of China needs to accelerate logistics reforms and use its location advantage of its location to form an organic connection with the eastern and western regions. Countries can use such metrics to take actions to improve their logistics performance, as such an improvement has a causal relationship with economic development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  18. Total vulnerability of the littoral zone to climate change-driven natural hazards in north Brittany, France
    Mathew MJ, Sautter B, Ariffin EH, Menier D, Ramkumar M, Siddiqui NA, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Mar 01;706:135963.
    PMID: 31862602 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135963
    Current worldwide projections of sea-level rise show a staggering increase in water level of up to 2 m by 2100 owing to global warming exacerbated by anthropogenically induced climate change. While amplified rates of sea-level rise is an immense hazard to coastal communities, storm surges are expected to increase in intensity and frequency making it an equally significant threat to coastal populations. In France, these hazards are not uncommon with records of extreme tempests every thousand years in the Holocene. Despite these recurring devastating events, in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, legislated laws for coastal management do not entirely focus on protecting littoral zones from such calamities. 130,739 people are concentrated in 21 municipalities with major cities located at close proximity to the shoreline with numerous socio-economic activities, which increases the vulnerability of the coastal population and infrastructures; thus, affirming the indispensable need of a thorough vulnerability assessment. Here, we conduct a mechanistic appraisal of the vulnerability of the bay considering thirteen parameters within three governing sub-systems that demonstrate the multidimensional dynamics in these municipalities. In the occasion of an extreme climatic event, our results of total vulnerability show risks in the sub-systems highlighting erosional processes due to augmented hydrodynamics, socio-economic and administrative vulnerabilities associated with anthropogenic development. Eight municipalities of the bay portray moderate to very high vulnerability and the remaining exhibits a lower risk; however, not devoid of high vulnerabilities for certain sub-systems. We posit that a more accurate fit for predicting the total vulnerability of the region can be achieved by exclusively integrating physical-natural and administrative sub-system vulnerabilities. We propose generic but requisite recommendations for Integrated Coastal Zone Management such as surveillance of urban development along the coast, implementation of coastal defense systems and appropriate industrial corridors to attenuate and dispose hazardous refuse.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  19. Analyzing the thermal comfort conditions of outdoor spaces in a university campus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Ghaffarianhoseini A, Berardi U, Ghaffarianhoseini A, Al-Obaidi K
    Sci Total Environ, 2019 Jan 26.
    PMID: 30857724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.284
    The rapid urban expansion in East-Asian cities has increased the need for comfortable public spaces. This study presents field measurements and parametric simulations to evaluate the microclimatic characteristics in a university campus in the tropical climate of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The study attempts to identify the thermally uncomfortable areas and their physical and design characteristics while debating on the circumstances of enhancing the outdoor comfort conditions for the campus users. Simulations in Envi-met and IES-VE are used to investigate the current outdoor thermal conditions, using classic thermal metric indices. Findings show high levels of thermal discomfort in most of the studied spaces. As a result, suggestions to improve the design quality of outdoor areas optimizing their thermal comfort conditions are proposed. The study concludes that effective re-design of outdoor spaces in the tropics, through adequate attention to the significant impacts of shading and vegetation, can result in achieving outdoor spaces with high frequency of use and improved comfort level.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
  20. Perceived impacts of Urban Heat Island phenomenon in a tropical metropolitan city: Perspectives from stakeholder dialogue sessions
    Aghamohammadi N, Ramakreshnan L, Fong CS, Noor RM, Hanif NR, Sulaiman NM
    Sci Total Environ, 2022 Feb 01;806(Pt 1):150331.
    PMID: 34571225 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150331
    The stakeholders' perceptions on the impacts of Urban Heat Island (UHI) are critical for reducing exposure and influencing their response to interventions that are aimed at encouraging a behaviour change. A proper understanding of the UHI impacts on the society, economy and environment is deemed an essential motivating factor for the stakeholders to work towards UHI mitigations in the local context. This study adopted an inductive qualitative approach using Stakeholder Dialogue Sessions (SDSs) to assess the perceived impacts of UHI among various stakeholders, comprising policy makers, academicians, developers and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), in a tropical metropolitan city. The results revealed five themes such as deterioration of public health, acceleration of urban migration patterns and spending time in cooler areas, reduction of workers' productivity, increased energy consumption by the households and deterioration of environmental quality and natural resources that were categorized into social, economic and environmental impacts. Although most of the stakeholders were quite unfamiliar with the term UHI, they still display a good understanding of the potential impacts of UHI due to their posteriori knowledge and ability to rationalize the physical condition of the environment in which they live. The findings provide useful insights and valuable information to the local authorities to tailor necessary actions and educational campaigns to increase UHI awareness among the stakeholders. Being among the earlier studies to use a qualitative approach to attain the aforementioned objective, the findings are crucial to determine the level of understanding of the stakeholders on the impact of UHI. Through this study, the authors have highlighted the gaps and needs for knowledge improvements aimed at behaviour change among the stakeholders.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cities
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