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Rural industrial heritage reflects the ongoing changes in natural environmental, socio-economic, and cultural historical processes in the countryside. In the context of urbanization, the study, conservation, and reuse of rural industrial heritage have become necessary to consolidate the local community identity and promote rural development. This study aims at establishing an intervention tool with general applicability to regenerate rural industrial heritage while integrating local sustainable development. Through a diagrammatic analysis of the natural and artificial environment, this paper combines three aspects via a layered approach: landscape analysis, urban morphology, and spatial cognition. A layered model of rural industrial heritage regeneration is established, with space and consciousness as its core. The empirical study, using the example of the Shecun lime kiln, demonstrates that the spatial-consciousness layered model (SCLM) clearly explains the core roles of transforming material elements as spatial power and the evolution of cognitive elements as consciousness power in the regeneration of rural industrial heritage. It is a systemic model with adaptable and sustainable analysis. SCLM not only provides indicative strategies but serves as a management tool for the regeneration practices of rural industrial heritage.

This article describes a part of the POTENTIALS project promoted by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) of the EU, which, in general, has aimed to develop business models for the reuse of former industrial and mining sites in different European regions. The goal of this project focused on the creation of so-called eco-industrial parks to enable sustainable energy production and reduce waste and pollution on coal sites in transition. A key aspect was the development of a suitable territorial impact assessment (TIA), a new and complex policy tool for the assessment of the territorial impacts of EU policies and projects on territorial cohesion. Therefore, the special TEQUILA (Territorial Efficiency, Quality and Identity Layer Assessment) approach is used to describe the TIA for this case and emphasizes its application in assessing ex ante the impacts of the transition from a coal site to an eco-industrial park. It underlines the need for a differentiated understanding of the regional characteristics and potential impacts of transition policies or projects. Furthermore, the process and results of applying the TEQUILA methodology, a multicriteria analysis, in the context of regionalized impact models has shown how important it is to select well-defined, expert-based criteria, but at the same time, to establish a system that is flexible and adaptable to the needs of political decision makers and stakeholders considering the normative weights of the criteria. This has been illustrated by some examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study measures territorial competitiveness at the municipal level in Italy, by proposing a robust composite indicator based on variables not yet used in the literature. The underlying theoretical framework is identified based on the literature on regional competitiveness. The proposed indicator consists of the following seven dimensions of competitiveness: Education, Job, Economic Wellbeing, Territory and Environment, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Infrastructures and Mobility. Data are retrieved mainly from administrative sources, for 2014 and 2015. In the building process, three aggregation methods are compared: a compensatory method, the arithmetic mean, and two partially compensatory methods, the geometric mean and the Adjusted Mazziotta-Pareto Index (AMPI). The arithmetic mean turns out to be the most robust method among the three considered, but the AMPI is the most robust method among the two partially compensatory methods. All the methods considered agree in identifying Innovation and Entrepreneurship as the most influential pillars in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The detailed geographical focus provides specific insights into territorial competitiveness in Italy. It emerges a rather heterogeneous picture of municipal competitiveness within the Italian regions. Highly competitive municipalities are present in every region, though with different concentration levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a part of the POTENTIALS project promoted by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) of the EU, which, in general, has aimed to develop business models for the reuse of former industrial and mining sites in different European regions. The goal of this project focused on the creation of so-called eco-industrial parks to enable sustainable energy production and reduce waste and pollution on coal sites in transition. A key aspect was the development of a suitable territorial impact assessment (TIA), a new and complex policy tool for the assessment of the territorial impacts of EU policies and projects on territorial cohesion. Therefore, the special TEQUILA (Territorial Efficiency, Quality and Identity Layer Assessment) approach is used to describe the TIA for this case and emphasizes its application in assessing ex ante the impacts of the transition from a coal site to an eco-industrial park. It underlines the need for a differentiated understanding of the regional characteristics and potential impacts of transition policies or projects. Furthermore, the process and results of applying the TEQUILA methodology, a multicriteria analysis, in the context of regionalized impact models has shown how important it is to select well-defined, expert-based criteria, but at the same time, to establish a system that is flexible and adaptable to the needs of political decision makers and stakeholders considering the normative weights of the criteria. This has been illustrated by some examples.

Specialized tourism based on investments for the construction of main attractors does not represent an effective generalized regeneration strategy for the recovery of European inland rural areas. Remarking on the expected results of national policies and the relative effectiveness of the investment in tourist carriers through the evaluation of case studies, this research argues that the hypothesis to invert abandonment trends through generalized tourism development strategies may not be considered a suitable option in the decision-making process. Instead, the paper proposes a territorial analysis structure that explores socio-ecological dimensions to build knowledge for sustainable strategic plans. The study identifies territorial values in abandoned settlements in Calabrian Greek Area (southern Italy), and presents a new scenario for tourism development that prioritizes investment in supporting local informal tourism welcoming systems as an alternative to large infrastructural investment. Such investment is expected to produce long-term benefits for resident communities in abandoned inland rural areas. The study concludes with general recommendations to improve tourism development policies in a place-based approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the renewable energy sector is an area of interest for every state. Global regulations and policies encourage the development of these technologies, given the current political context, but also environmental issues. Romania, due to its geographical position and climate, is considered a country with high potential regarding the implementation of alternative sources of renewable energy. This research presents the importance of solar energy and provides a statistical analysis on the sectors influencing the implementation of green energy. At the same time, those counties that are eligible are identified and different scenarios are created for the ineligible counties that lead to their eligibility. The research develops 3 main objectives. To begin with, it is desired to be created an overview of the indicators included in the analysis, in order to develop a detailed statistical analysis of the situation of each county of Romania. Following this extracted information, the second objective is outlined, which is to create an indicator that groups counties into counties eligible for solar energy and counties ineligible for solar energy using the K-Means Cluster-unsupervised learning algorithm. Finally, using the supervised learning algorithm - Logistic Regression, predictions will be made with the help of which those sectors of activity that can be improved in order to implement green energy will be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, urban agriculture (UA) has boomed. A wide variety of forms have developed, from allotment gardens to UA rooftop greenhouses. Yet local authorities often struggle to define the specificities of the urban spaces and territorial dynamics involved. We propose a multi-phase method based on territorial analysis. This framework may be used to help landowners select the most appropriate forms of urban agriculture in the light of overarching territorial characteristics. We have applied our method, stemming from an action research approach, to three case studies: the town of Montrouge, a priority district in Lille, and a new district in Bordeaux. These reveal its potential and its shortcomings. We demonstrate how the structural, technical, and social characteristics of the spaces and agents concerned can rule out certain forms of UA which do not correspond to the territory’s (current) needs.

This study explored the determinants of the massive vote shift that characterised the UK's 2019 elections. To do so, this study firstly investigated opinions expressed by pro-Labour social groups about the hot issues of the political campaign; secondly, it conducted a cross-constituency analysis on the 2019 vote. The present findings reveal that the issues emphasised by the Conservative manifesto tallied with the opinions of traditional left-wing social groups. The cross-constituency statistical analysis confirmed this point and found a significant association between Labour's losses and the territorial distribution of the abovementioned social groups. These findings suggest that the crucial aspect of the vote shift was the Conservatives' appeal to the sociocultural conservativism of part of Labour's traditional voters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of VLC Arquitectura is the property of VLC Arquitectura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The socio-economic development of the Valle del Cauca region has been mainly determined by coffee, sugar and, in addition, agricultural production of inputs for agro-industry. Additionally, the city of Cali has different areas with commercial, residential, academic and health activities, some clustered and others mixed together. Based on the territorial análisis, the concept of urban logistics and with help of the combination of Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) y Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methodology, it is intended to provide a ranking of proposals on areas in the city with current and future possibilities to be considered as a high volume loading and unloading areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last years there has been an increasing interest in measuring well-being at local level. This is mainly due to the fact that socio-economic indicators at country level do not provide a complete picture of the living conditions in a territory. Moreover, the temporal dimension is also a fundamental aspect that allows analysing the trends of local well-being over time. The aim of this paper is to provide a more in-depth analysis of territorial disparities, inequalities and divergences across the Italian territories. In particular, this paper is one of the first attempts to analyse the overtime trend of the Italian well-being at provincial level (NUTS3) using a subset of indicators recently provided by ISTAT to measure the Equitable and Sustainable Well-being (BES) at local level. We apply a Bayesian latent variable model to construct three composite indicators related to the three main pillars of well-being, namely economic, social, and environmental. These composite indicators have been estimated for all the years between 2004 and 2016 for each Italian province. Results suggest that in the period of analysis the economic well-being has worsened in almost all provinces, with weak signs of recovery starting from 2014. On the contrary, social well-being improved in almost all provinces, with some exceptions in the South. The environmental well-being has increased over time as well, more in the Northern and Central provinces than in the South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful airport noise management is based on the effective description and communication of aircraft noise exposure, which can be expressed through a number of noise metrics. The choice of metric is significant, given that noise maps are likely to be used by decision-makers as the main input for land-use planning of areas surrounding airports, and can also be used by the general public as a source of information of interest. The noise contours of Córdoba International Airport, in Argentina, were developed for a future operational scenario in accordance with two noise metrics: Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL or LDN) and A-weighted Equivalent Continuous Sound Level (LAeq). Exposure to aircraft noise in residential areas and educational establishments around the airport was analyzed through GIS. Results indicated that the population numbers exposed to DNL airport noise of 65 dBA in 2028 will be six times greater than the amount constituted by LAeq Day-Afternoon and Night metrics combined. At the same time, the number of educational establishments likely to be affected by DNL aircraft noise (55 dBA) in 2028 will be six times greater than LAeq Day-Evening and Night combined. This demonstrates that the selection of noise metrics has important implications for noise exposure analysis and communication, which in turn could potentially impact airport noise management decisions, noise communication, and even land-use policies in areas surrounding airports.

Since two decades urban agriculture has been booming and a wide range of forms, from urban allotment gardens to rooftop farming under greenhouse are developing. However, local authorities are often powerless to define forms of urban agriculture with regard to the specificity of the urban spaces and the territorial dynamics. We propose a methodological itinerary, based on the territorial analysis. This framework is a useful tool to orient and guide the choice of forms of urban agriculture with regard to the territorial characteristics as a whole. Designed and tested within the framework of a research-action dispositive, this methodological itinerary was implemented on three case studies: the city of Montrouge, a priority district within Lille municipality and a new district in Bordeaux. These applications allowed to test the itinerary and to reveal its potential but also its limits. We demonstrate how the structural, technical and social characteristics of the spaces and actors concerned can lead to the exclusion of certain forms of UA which do not correspond, or not already, to the needs of the territory.

The Spanish tourism sector, and specifically its labor force, has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to official data, the aftermaths are variated concerning diversity of regions, territorial typologies, and segments of the tourism industry. In addition, differential impacts can be observed by sex. This paper deepens into the impacts, both territorial and gendered, in tourism employment as a consequence of the first wave of the pandemic (spring 2020). Selected structural variables related, both to the characteristics of the territories and to the activity, have been considered. The first step in the study has been setting up a database concerning structural and short-term indicators, at the provincial and municipal levels. Thematic cartography and principal component analysis have been carried out, complemented with spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's Index). The study reveals that highly specialized tourist locations (sun and beach places), were very vulnerable, related to the drop of the international demand. On the contrary, rural mountain areas have shown high levels of resilience, according to the preferences of national tourism during the summer of 2020. Female labor in the tourist industry also experienced a significant decrease, although its behavior is quite similar to the activity as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the determinants of the massive vote shift that characterised the UK’s 2019 elections. To do so, this study firstly investigated opinions expressed by pro-Labour social groups about the hot issues of the political campaign; secondly, it conducted a cross-constituency analysis on the 2019 vote. The present findings reveal that the issues emphasised by the Conservative manifesto tallied with the opinions of traditional left-wing social groups. The cross-constituency statistical analysis confirmed this point and found a significant association between Labour’s losses and the territorial distribution of the abovementioned social groups. These findings suggest that the crucial aspect of the vote shift was the Conservatives’ appeal to the sociocultural conservativism of part of Labour’s traditional voters.

The adversities of a globalized economy and the prolonged state of precariousness in which the indigenous peoples in Central America remain, are factors that push towards an imminent disappearance of their cultural identity and traditional livelihoods. Important global summits of sustainable development have declared the importance of preserving the ancestral wisdom of these native peoples as a world heritage site. However, Policies and strategies to respond to their current problems have generally not been very explicit and efficient in achieving long-term results. One problem identified is the limited empirical evidence of the indigenous territorial context, especially those socioeconomic and territorial analyzes that seek self-dependent and inclusive development styles. To address this research gap, an empirical work is explored to diagnose the current potential of the Honduran Lenca territory as a case study. This is combined with a statistical analysis on the spatial influence of poverty and income variables. The aim is to broaden the understanding of those factors that could oppose the current mechanisms of impoverishment. The main result is the construction of an index of development potential in municipalities of Lenca descent. Poverty patterns and modest deposits of community economies associated with space and its cultural pattern were identified. This provides inputs of important value for the planning of public policies that are more sensitive to the study context, with connections towards sustainable development initiatives. •.Arguments are presented to support more explicit development policies in indigenous communities. • This multifactorial analysis highlights a spatially influenced lag in the analyzed territory. • The municipal development potential index offers a contribution towards more explicit policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for waste management planning (WMP) has been applied around the world for fifteen years now. In addition to identifying potential trends in space and the environment by means of WMP, the SEA process contributes to involving the general public in issues relevant to the environment. In turn, the endpoint of the SEA process is a set of results that enable appropriate decisions to be made related to WMP. Bearing this in mind, it is necessary for all the segments of the SEA process to be supported by specific spatial analyses and presentations enabling visual monitoring of the results. In this context, an important role is played by GIS tools, since they offer support to the SEA process and give it a new quality, which, in addition to visualizing the results, also increases objectivity in the evaluation of the planned solutions. This paper presents the deployment of GIS tools in spatial analysis and the support they provide for the SEA process during the development of the Agro-Waste Management Plan for Oplenac Vineyard in Serbia (AWMP). The results indicate the possibility of applying GIS tools to increase objectivity in the Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) of the planned solutions in the SEA process. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 36036: Sustainable spatial development of the Danube area in Serbia]

This study focuses on the characteristics of those grants that are clearly for the purpose of carrying out economic activities. By giving an overview about the very specific nature of State aid rules in the European Union determining the level playing field, a Member State can grant subsidies. The main aim of this article is to identify whether there can be significant similarities and differences across the Visegrad countries, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. As we are facing the next programming period of 2021–2027 it is crucial from the point of view of what can be learned about the current period and, perhaps, what should be changed.

Today, many photogrammetric mapping methods have used drones to retrieve and record data about objects on earth. This is due to the fact that the use of a drone equipped with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) for measurements is very efficient and cheaper compared to renting an aircraft, it also allows flying over hard to reach areas and significantly reduces the time. The development of UAV technology in Romania is still in its infancy, and the legislative framework imposes certain restrictions even for small drones. Thus, in order to use the aircraft, the approval of the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority is required, as well as an approval from the Ministry of National Defense. In this way, flights are regulated in terms of distance, altitude and area. The purpose of the research was the realization and technical detailing of a workflow for the generation of orthophotoplans and threedimensional models, by photogrammetric techniques (UAS/UAV), which can be used in various topocadastral works or as primary geospatial data in overlay analysis, in various other fields: urbanism, agriculture, spatial planning, geomorphology, etc. This paper presents the results of the application of UAV photogrammetry data in the mapping of Labaşinţ locality from Arad County, using a WingtraOne VTOL tailsiter drone, equipped with a Sony RX1RII camera with a 42.4 megapixel CMOS sensor, 35 mm, fullframe and a GNSS system. high precision. The final stage of data processing includes the generation of orthophotoplanes, mosaics, raster images, TIN and DEM formats as well as the generation of point clouds. The use of drones in the field of geospatial science is currently in high demand due to its relatively easy operation and relatively affordable cost compared to satellite systems, especially high resolution images. One of the benefits of using drones is that they take aerial photographs that are then processed for mapping so that they can be used to support the acquisition of spatial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural land use plays a critical role in land planning sustainability. Employing a GIS-based decision-making protocol based on spatial and management data represents an appropriate tool for land planning. The Italian vineyards database presented here describes several spatial and management features of 3686 sample vineyards distributed throughout Italy. The dataset is presented as a centroid shapefile with the attribute table. The features were assessed with a GIS-based geospatial analysis. Parameters such as training system and shape of the vineyard block were attributed through visual assessment of Google Earth images. Row spacing, length-width ratio and headland size were determined using QGIS measuring tools. The mean and maximum slope was derived using a 20 m spatial resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM). This database may help to establish planting criteria of new vineyards which comply with rational and sustainable requirements. Moreover, the dataset could be combined with other agricultural land use data for further analysis of land management. Furthermore, the database could be implemented to support global-scale vineyard management.

This article looks at the change in the Colombian party system, using an electoral analysis perspective. Using a principal component analysis, it identifies the territorial structures in the electoral behaviour of the country for the Senate elections over the past two decades. Results show that the 2003 political reform encouraged the reorganization of the party system among the traditional liberal/conservative cleavage, now expressed by a multi-party system. The 2014 elections suggest a deeper change.

The present article is composed of 5 parts and it aims to characterize the main forms of transport on the territory of the country with an emphasis on the Constanta port. Based on these, a territorial network analysis was carried out by determining the road nodes that were analyzed using quantitative indices. Thus, in the first part the railway transport was analyzed, in the second part the road transport, in the third part the air transport, the fourth part is related to the naval transport, that is to say the fluvial and the maritime transport, and the last part represents the territorial analysis of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovations are key factor for developing of the regions and their competitiveness. There are significant regional discrepancies in the Pilsen region, with specific regions along the border with Bavaria. On one hand, there is economically strong core area around the Pilsen agglomeration, and on the other hand, on contrary with this fact, there are poor borderland regions. The result of those regional discrepancies, having their roots in past, is weakening of the regional cohesion that finally leads to impairing of its competitiveness in terms of current integration process within the EU. Ascertainment of the innovation potential of the Pilsen region and comparing its competitiveness with neighboring Bavarian regions should be a fundamental material that can help to seek tools for efficient regional development of borderland regions. Their innovation potential is expected to be lower in comparison with the core regions, their competitive advantage is, however, their geographical position. They are located near to richer Bavarian regions and thus influences of the borders effects are expected. Diffusion effect and effect of potentially different could positively influence the situation in the Czech borderland. That’s why the authors also measured the innovation potential in neighboring Bavarian region. The goal of this territorial analysis was the socio-economic structure of targeted area, regional discrepancies (in terms of demography, education and employment), innovation potential of local businesses, research and development, and how those issues are interconnected with commercial sector. Results of the research are maps of indexes of innovations in sub regions. It is obvious, that there is a strong concentration of innovative activities to Pilsen and there are different approaches to innovation in the Pilsen region in comparison with Bavaria. The institutions focused on innovation infrastructure within the Pilsen region are mostly located into Pilsen. If there is a stakeholder interested in innovation outside of Pilsen, information innovation centers (which are only a few, though) refer this stakeholder into Pilsen. Innovation information centers in Bavaria are, on the other hand, very dispersed. These centers are closer to the stakeholders of regional development and they are active in disseminating of innovation effort and possibilities in their target area. If we look at the EU globally, we can see that Bavarian regions belong to top innovative regions, however the Pilsen region (the part of NUTS2 Jihozapad) belongs to group of “slightly innovating members”. Based on the research, the Pilsen region could be recommended to focus its attention more to regional innovative centers.

Research and Development services are the first of the services that support the process of innovation, innovation, and eco-innovation, with a special attention from developing countries that invest a significant percentage of GDP in these type of services. Studying the evolution of R & D services in the territorial profile is a major issue in the current context because these services are the first step in any stage of innovation, development, competitiveness, raising the standard of living of the population, increasing the economic well-being and social issues of a country. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature in the field and to analyze the evolution of the main relevant indicators in describing the level at which R & D services in Romania, and at the regional level, indicators for which there are publicly available statistical data in the official databases. The study, based on fundamental research in the field and the results of numerous bibliographic sources on this topic, uses specific statistical methods of territorial analysis. The obtained results outline an overview of the research and development services in Romania, but also at the level of the NUTS2 regions highlighting the gaps between them.

Este trabajo presenta con las técnicas geoespaciales y estadísticas del SIG un análisis territorial del Neolítico de la sierra de Atapuerca y la cuenca del Arlanzón (Burgos) (VI-IV milenio cal BC). El trabajo de campo está basado en excavaciones (cuevas, túmulos y sitios de exterior) y en 10 prospecciones sistemáticas intensivas de cobertura total sobre un área de 314 km2 (10 km de radio de Cueva Mayor). El mapeo de los sitios con Modelos Digitales del Terreno (MDTs), la clasificación funcional con datos tecnoculturales y las técnicas de análisis espacial del SIG han sido las herramientas más útiles para proporcionar nueva información del poblamiento. El Neolítico del territorio (VI-IV milenio cal BC) manifiesta una densa articulación funcional de sitios con una estrategia de subsistencia agropecuaria: cuevas y galerías (zonas habitacionales y de estabulación del ganado, zonas funerarias y espacios simbólicos), estructuras funerarias megalíticas, poblados, campamentos, talleres de sílex y otros sitios con actividades económicas complementarias. __________________ This paper presents with the GIS geospatial and statistical techniques a territorial analysis of the Neolithic sites from Sierra de Atapuerca and the Arlanzón Basin (Burgos) (VI-IV millennium cal BC). The area around Sierra de Atapuerca is a geostrategic territory for knowledge of the neolithisation process on the Northern Iberian Plateau. The Early Neolithic radiocarbon datings on short-life samples from Mayor Cave and El Mirador Cave (Sierra de Atapuerca) are amongst the oldest of this period on the North Plateau (last third of the VI millennium cal BC; ca. 5400/5300 cal BC). Sierra de Atapuerca is the final Cretaceous spur in the north-western part of the Iberian Range, it is close to the Basque-Cantabrian Mesozoic boundary, the nearby Bureba Depression is a natural corridor, there is a diversity of Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic material around Sierra de la Demanda (Iberian Range), and the boundary between the Duero and Ebro River basins all formed a highly propitious geological, geomorphological, edaphic and palaeoecological context for Neolithic settlements. The Neogene and Cretaceous flint outcrops in the study area, of considerable quality for prehistoric technology, are another aspect of geological and palaeoeconomic importance. The fieldwork was based on several systematic excavations (caves, megalithic mounds and open-air sites) and on ten full-coverage intensive systematic surveys in a 314 km2 study area (10 km radius around Mayor Cave). The results of the full-coverage intensive systematic survey project have proven highly successful, with near of 200 archaeological sites from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and the Bronze Age in the 314 km2 study area. The mapping of all Neolithic sites with Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of high resolution (10 m cell size), the site functional classification with techno-cultural data (the Multivariate Analysis of techno-typological variables of the lithic and ceramic tools) and the GIS spatial analysis techniques have been the most useful tools to provide new insights about the Neolithic settlement. The neolithisation process of this territory is one of the oldest on the Northern Iberian Plateau, which refutes the old historiographic claims of settlement gaps and delayed areas. Domestic agrotypes of wheat and barley, ovicaprid livestock, Neolithic pottery, shaped and polished tools are all present in the karst records and the open air sites from the VI millennium cal BC. The Neolithic of this territory shows a dense functional articulation of sites from the VI to the IV millennium cal BC with a subsistence agriculture and livestock strategy: caves and galleries (inhabitation zones and livestock stabling, funerary zones and symbolic spaces), megalithic funerary structures, settlements, campsites, flintknapping workshops and other sites with complementary economic activities.

Planting criteria of new vineyards should comply with rational and sustainable criteria, taking into account the potential mechanisability of existing viticultural areas. However, an established methodology for this assessment is still lacking. This study aimed at analysing the parameters which influence the vineyard mechanisability, with the objective to propose a new mechanisability index. The mechanisability index proposed was based on GIS-analysis of landscape and management parameters such as mean slope, shape of the vineyard block, length-width ratio, headland size, training system and row spacing. We identified a sample of 3686 vineyards in Italy. Based on the above-mentioned parameters, vineyards were categorised by their level of mechanisability (l.m.) into four classes. Moreover, we analysed the correlation between l.m. and economic indicators (area planted with vineyard and wine production). Results showed that the main factors limiting the mechanisability potential of some Italian regions are the elevated slopes, horizontal training systems and narrow vine spacings. The l.m. showed a moderate positive correlation with the size of vineyards and the volume and value of production. The methodology presented in this study may be easily applied to other viticultural areas around the world, serving as a management decision-making tool.

Using the sequence of events in 2020, we study simultaneity between political behavior and pandemics. Capitalizing on spatial quantification to untangle simultaneity between politics and pandemics with county as the basic territorial unit, we examine the politics-on-pandemic impact from the outbreak to Election Day. The relations seem more directional than bidirectional and limited in time. Bigdata for 250 M US citizens and tens of thousands of county-days indicate an initial partisan effect on the R reproduction coefficient via a range of mobility types, which disappeared after the outbreak. Then, we quantify the opposite pandemic-on-politics pattern in the form of COVID-19's effect on the 2020 elections, with data for 150 M voters. Our spatial analyses offer scant support for simultaneity in the relations between political behavior and COVID-19. If there is an effect of pandemics on politics, it is often insignificant and never of meaningful magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first effort to construct a multidimensional index of child well-being in Iran. This index is composed of 26 indicators which cover the following aspects of child well-being: health, material well-being, education, risk and safety, family, personal well-being, and housing and the environment. Indicators were aggregated in special components, and these components eventually construct a single well-being index. The macro data was retrieved from national data centers to compute the province-level child well-being index for Iran. Results show that child well-being and its domains are distributed unequally among the provinces. Southern and eastern provinces have the worst condition while northern and central provinces have the best. Generally, Iranian children have made significant progress in recent years in education (such as literacy rate and high school graduation rate) and health (such as infant mortality rate and underweight children under 5 years of age). However, there are growing problems in the country, including child labor, high levels of exclusion from high school, a shortage of preschool education, and child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of América Latina Hoy is the property of Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In vast areas of scattered population in the NW of Galicia, parishes are less an ecclesiastic division, than a social and geographical item. Within their limits, "igrexarios", (that's to say; the set of: church, graveyard, public grove, stone crosses used as landmarks, and priest house; in the common case close to a hamlet) constitute the core of them. In this area, igrexarios form a network on the cultural landscape and they represent the landmarks of its identity. Most of them were settled during the Middle Age and show traces of even earlier precedents. They often include important pieces of historical architecture, and environmental quality spaces. In this research we analyse 750 rural parishes and their igrexarios, which constitute a more than 6200 square kilometres area in the NW of Galicia, detecting their condition by using the SWOT system, and proposing strategies for their conservation and the renewal of their functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]