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Population-dense urban areas often concentrate high commercial and industrial activity and intricate transportation systems. In crowded cities, extreme events can be even more damaging due to the high population they affect and the social inequalities that are likely to emerge. Extreme heat is a climate hazard that has been linked to high morbidity and mortality, especially in cities with high population densities. The way extreme heat events are felt in the population varies depending on a variety of factors, such as age, employment status, living conditions, air-conditioning, housing conditions, habits, behaviors and other socio-demographic parameters. In this article, we quantify and locate vulnerabilities of populations to extreme heat in order to formulate policy and practice recommendations that will make communities resilient and will shape the transition to a more sustainable future. This work contributes towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities—by developing the tools to make cities and settlements resilient and sustainable. To this end, we analyze socioeconomic data at the NUTS3 level for the national case study of Greece and at the census tract level for the local case study of the city of Athens. The target variable for this study is defined as the average daily mortality during heatwaves per 100,000 individuals, and a methodology is developed for constructing this variable based on socioeconomic data available in public databases. The independent variables were selected based on their contribution to socioeconomic vulnerability; they include the percentage of elderly individuals, retirees, unemployed persons, renters, those living alone, those residing in smaller houses, those living in older houses and immigrants from developing countries. An ensemble gradient boosted tree model was employed for this study to obtain feature importance metrics that was used to construct a composite index of socioeconomic heat vulnerability. The socioeconomic heat vulnerability index (SHVI) was calculated for each prefecture in Greece and for each census tract in the city of Athens, Greece. The unique feature of this SHVI is that it can be applied to any geographical resolution using the same methodology and produces a result that is not only quantifiable, but also facilitates a comparison between vulnerability scores across different regions. This application aimed to map the SHVI of both prefecture and city, to examine the significance of scale, to identify vulnerability hotspots, and rank the most vulnerable areas, which are prioritized by authorities for interventions that protect public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive study explores the influence of aerosols and clouds on solar radiation in the urban environments of nine of Greece's largest cities over the decade from 2014 to 2023. Utilizing a combination of Earth Observation data, radiative transfer models, and geographic information systems, the research undertook digital surface modeling and photovoltaic simulations. The study meticulously calculated the optimal rooftop areas for photovoltaic installation in these cities, contributing significantly to their energy adequacy and achieving a balance between daily electricity production and demand. Moreover, the research provides an in-depth analysis of energy and economic losses, while also highlighting the environmental benefits. These include a reduction in pollutant emissions and a decrease in the carbon footprint, aligning with the global shift towards local energy security and the transformation of urban areas into green, smart cities. The innovative methodology of this study, which leverages open access data, sets a strong foundation for future research in this field. It opens up possibilities for similar studies and has the potential to contribute to the creation of an updated, comprehensive solar potential map for continental Greece. This could be instrumental in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, thereby promoting sustainable urban development and environmental preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study investigates the perspectives of urban Indigenous individuals in Saskatchewan, Canada, regarding their consumption of traditional foods. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 14 participants across Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert, the research aimed to uncover the benefits, risks, and barriers associated with acquiring and consuming traditional foods. Participants emphasized the nutritional advantages of traditional foods, such as higher nutrient density and absence of industrial additives, which they linked to improved health outcomes and alignment with Indigenous biology. The study also highlighted the vital role of traditional foods in maintaining cultural identity and fostering community connections through practices of food sharing and intergenerational knowledge transfer. However, significant challenges were identified, including economic and physical barriers to access, environmental degradation, and regulatory issues that restrict the availability of traditional foods in urban settings. The findings suggest a complex landscape where cultural practices are both preserved and challenged within the urban environment. This study contributes to the broader understanding of how Indigenous populations navigate the preservation of their culinary heritage in the face of modern economic and environmental pressures, providing insights for policy and community-based interventions aimed at supporting Indigenous food sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Penetrating injuries are a rare but recurring emergency situation in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of injuries associated with penetrating violence across a German metropolitan region over a 5-year period. Material and methods: In the retrospective study, a database query of the control center of the Düsseldorf rescue service area was used to identify and descriptively analyze all rescue service operations with penetrating violence-associated injuries in the years 2015, 2017, and 2019. For those patients who were transferred to the major trauma center, a further analysis of the in-hospital course was performed. Results: In the 3 years 2015, 2017 and 2019 a total of 266 patients (age: 33 ± 14 years, male: 79%) could be recorded (2015 vs. 2017 vs. 2019: n = 81 vs. n = 93 vs. n = 92, respectively). The most common age group involved had an age range of 15–34 years. A particularly higher frequency of emergency calls was found for the areas of Old Town, City Center, and one other district (Oberbilk). A high frequency of rescue missions was found in the nights from Saturday to Sunday between 20.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. Rescue missions with emergency physicians on board increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 27 vs. 42%, p = 0.04). The primary weapons used were knives (56%), broken glass bottles (18%) and broken glasses (6%). Out of all patients 71 (27%, injury severity score 11 ± 14) were admitted to the major trauma center. Among these patients, the proportion of immediate surgical care (2015 vs. 2019: 20% vs. 35%, p < 0.05) and positive alcohol detection increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 10% vs. 43%, p < 0.05). The 30-day mortality in the 3 years studied was 1.1% (n = 3). Conclusion: Penetrating injuries associated with violence are relevant but rare rescue missions. Future care strategies should focus on deployment of rescue resources close to the scene of the incident ("old town guard", central station), and prevention strategies should focus on weapon prohibition zones. A control of alcohol consumption should be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the demographics of patients younger than 18 years of age who sought dental emergency visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, the treatment provided, the patients' payment sources and the impact of the pandemic on oral health. Methods: A retrospective electronic chart review was conducted for dental emergency visits between 2020 and 2023 at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, Mich., USA. The data set included the patients' demographics, insurance type, reason(s) for the dental emergency visit and the provider's diagnosis and treatment provided. Results: Six- to 10-year-old children were the most frequently seen group for an emergency dental visit (40 percent). The majority had public insurance. Delta Dental was the most common payment source (47 percent). Diseases of pulp and periapical tissues accounted for the highest proportion of emergency visits (55 percent) and extractions were the most common treatment performed (54 percent). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, children may not have received optimum dental care and lacked regular dental visits and preventive treatment, which probably led to an increase in the severity of dental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The concept of self-rated health (SRH) has widely been studied among the adults and older population in developed as well as developing countries, including India. Also, studies are available in abundance examining the various concepts of SRH among adolescents. However, in India, studies on the SRH of adolescents remain scarce, especially those aiming to understand the correlates of SRH among school-going adolescent girls in an urban setting. Therefore, this study aims to determine the correlates of poor SRH among school-going adolescent girls in the urban setting of Varanasi, India. Methods This study is based on the primary data collected in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, India, from October 2019 to February 2020. Nearly 350 adolescent girls and their mothers were personally interviewed. Self-rated health was the primary outcome variable of this study. The exact wording of the question asked from the adolescent girls was, “In general, how would you say your health is?”. Results Almost one-fifth (19.4%) of the adolescent girls reported poor SRH. Adolescent girls from Other Backward Class (OBC) [OR: 0.39; 95% CI: .18-.85] and Others caste [OR: 0.58; 95% CI: .23–0.87] were less likely to report poor SRH than their Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) counterparts. Girls residing in households where number of daughters were more than sons were more likely to report poor SRH [OR: 7.8; 95% CI: 1.5–39.5] than girls who belonged to the daughters only households. Conclusion Composition of children was one of the important factors as outlined in this study. The role of mothers in improving the overall SRH of the girls is critical as they are involved in caring process of their daughters.

This comprehensive study explores the influence of aerosols and clouds on solar radiation in the urban environments of nine of Greece’s largest cities over the decade from 2014 to 2023. Utilizing a combination of Earth Observation data, radiative transfer models, and geographic information systems, the research undertook digital surface modeling and photovoltaic simulations. The study meticulously calculated the optimal rooftop areas for photovoltaic installation in these cities, contributing significantly to their energy adequacy and achieving a balance between daily electricity production and demand. Moreover, the research provides an in-depth analysis of energy and economic losses, while also highlighting the environmental benefits. These include a reduction in pollutant emissions and a decrease in the carbon footprint, aligning with the global shift towards local energy security and the transformation of urban areas into green, smart cities. The innovative methodology of this study, which leverages open access data, sets a strong foundation for future research in this field. It opens up possibilities for similar studies and has the potential to contribute to the creation of an updated, comprehensive solar potential map for continental Greece. This could be instrumental in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, thereby promoting sustainable urban development and environmental preservation.

Yi Guo,1 Qiujin Zhu,2 Silu Shrestha2 1Institute of Educational Sciences, Hubei University of Education, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Philosophy, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Silu Shrestha, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430072, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18627015179, Email silushrestha@whu.edu.cnBackground: China is comprehensively promoting the construction of social psychological service system. Social organizations provide psychosocial care services to migrant children in China and hold important information and perspectives different from educators and parents on children’s mental health. This study aims to analyze mental health service delivery to migrant adolescents for their psychological well-being, to explore how society responds effectively to their psychological needs and to support in better program implementation of mental health services for migrant children.Methods: Following qualitative approach semi-structured interviews were conducted with community mental health service providers experienced in working with migrant children. The 15 individual interviews were conducted in Hubei province and Guangdong province, including professionals working with different social organization and social psychological service program in communities. The data were analysed through coding, comparing fragments, constant comparison and recognizing patterns.Results: The analysis yielded 3 categories (Stimulate the internal strength, Reconstruct the support systems, Understanding and participate in social activities) and 6 sub-categories (Improve the understanding of “me” and explore excellent qualities, Clearly envision “my” future and clear career planning, Improve the parent-child relationship and understand the family environment, Improve subjective support and actively develop support system, Acquire reasonable cognition and behavior and interact with surrounding ecology, Take greater responsibility and cultivate a sense of ownership). The results found that individual traits, family, communities and multiple factors affect the mental health of migrant children and identified the urgent needs, and ways to improve mental health service in efficiently and economically. Social psychological service providers contribute in strengthening the psychological well-being of the migrant children.Conclusion: Social psychological service sectors need to be strengthened to enhance the psychological well-being of the migrant children. The inherent gaps between the service required and service provided needs to be addressed through further studies on mental health needs of the migrant children.Keywords: urban setting, adaptation, mental health, content analysis, ecological systems theory

Road accidents are a significant cause of death and injuries worldwide, often attributed to risky driving behavior. This article aims to understand the factors contributing to unsafe driving practices in an urban setting in Ecuador using a decision tree. Data was collected through observation of drivers in Loja city, focusing on seat belt compliance and distractions caused by cellphone usage while driving. The study categorized drivers into four conditions based on seat belt use and cellphone distraction: n00 (no seat belt, distracted), n01 (no seat belt, not distracted), nlO (seat belt used, distracted), and ni 1 (seat belt used, not distracted). Results showed that non-compliance with seat belt use and distractions was higher on Mondays, and solo drivers were more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Compliance increased when drivers and passengers were older adults or when transporting multiple passengers. Taxis and private vehicles located farther from the economic center displayed less risky behavior, whereas vehicles from companies/institutions had higher non-compliance with seat belt use. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing laws requiring seat belt use and prohibiting cellphone usage while driving, along with educational campaigns. Additionally, targeted interventions should be designed based on factors influencing seat belt use and distracted driving to promote safer practices. It is crucial to expand data collection to include other risky driving behaviors and multiple cities to enhance the study's generalizability. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the factors contributing to risky driving behavior in an urban Ecuadorian context, highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies to improve road safety and reduce accidents and injuries caused by unsafe driving practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation for food choices is one of the most important determinant of eating behavior, because it comes from within the person. The aim of this study was to observe food choice motivations and estimate differences in demographic and health characteristics towards food choice motives in the adult population (n = 675; 54% women, ≥18 years) from urban setting. Food choice motivations were assessed using an online questionnaire validated by the EATMOT project. Using K-Means cluster analysis, participants were divided into two clusters of six motivational categories for food choices. Regarding the most and least important motivations, participants in cluster 1 chose food based on emotional motivations, and in cluster 2, they chose based on environmental and political motivations. In addition, younger and obese individuals had more pronounced emotional motivations. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the need to address emotional motivations for healthier food choices among overweight and young people. In addition, the prevalence of health motivations and growing awareness of sustainability indicate a willingness to take actions that benefit personal health and the environment. Apart from providing education, it is society's responsibility to create an environment that promotes the implementation of acquired knowledge and changes in dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the reliability of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of wind-driven pollutant dispersion within urban settings, a re-calibration study is conducted to optimize the standard k − ε model. A modified optimization framework based on the genetic algorithm is adapted to alleviate the computational expenses and to further identify ranges for each empirical coefficient to achieve the most reliable and accurate predictions. A robust objective function is defined, incorporating both the flow parameters and pollutant concentration through several linear and logarithmic measures. The coefficients are trained using high-quality and full-scale tracer experiments in a mock urban arrangement simulating a building array. The proposed ranges are 0.14 ≤ C μ ≤ 0.15 , 1.30 ≤ C ε 1 ≤ 1.46 , 1.68 ≤ C ε 2 ≤ 1.80 , 1.12 ≤ σ ε ≤ 1.20 , and 0.87 ≤ σ k ≤ 1.00 . A thorough evaluation of the predicted flow and concentration fields indicates the modified closure is effective. The fraction of predictions within the acceptable ranges from measurements has increased by 8% for pollutant concentration and 27% for turbulence kinetic energy. The generality of the calibrated model is further tested by modeling additional cases with different meteorological conditions, in which the calculated validation metrics attest to the noteworthy improvements in predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area is the city of Zintan, in northwestern Libya, which has grown over the past 30 years. Its current population is roughly 30,000. Although the city is in part commercial, most of the population engages in agriculture and primarily grows cereal crops (wheat and barley). The demand of the growing city for agricultural products has increased, intensifying the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. Consequently, concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in the soil have increased. To assess the soil quality (to provide a snapshot of the condition of the soil), systematic sampling was undertaken across a grid of about 2 km × 2 km. The main objective was to determine the chemical and mineral composition of the area of interest, keeping in mind the geological footprint of the terrain. The geologic framework itself is not conducive to elevated concentrations of elements like U, Th, Mo, As, Hg, Pb, and Cr. Therefore, metal concentrations greater than the amounts in the Earth's crust are most likely of anthropogenic origin. A total of 143 samples were collected and chemical analyses were performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton XL3t GOLDD+ XRF analyzer for the following elements: Mo, Zr, Sr, U, Rb, Th, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn, W, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Sc, Ca, K, S, Ba, Cs, Te, Sb, Sn, Cd, Pd, and Ag. This paper provides examples of elevated concentrations, potentially harmful to the environment, such as those of the following: sulfur of unknown origin (two to three times higher than the Earth's crust average); arsenic, given that there are no related natural phenomena (all the samples measured displayed concentrations higher than those found in the Earth's crust); mercury (concentrations much higher than permissible levels); cesium (additional investigations required to determine the origin); molybdenum; and uranium likely resulting from the use of superphosphates (concentrations nearly always significantly higher than those in the Earth's crust). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Argument (2067-4252) is the property of Universitatea de Arhitectura si Urbanism "Ion Mincu" Bucuresti 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.)

Factors affecting the growth of HIV-exposed-uninfected (HEU) children are multi-factorial, with limited information available on the dietary intake from 6 months. This study compared the dietary intake, micronutrient composition of breastmilk, and growth of HEU and HIV-unexposed-uninfected (HUU) infants aged 6 and 12 months in an urban setting. A repeated cross-sectional study used structured questionnaires to collect socio-demographic, dietary intake, food group data, and anthropometric measurements in the Siyakhula study. The HEU (48%) and HUU (52%) infants were included (total n = 181). At 6 months, HEU infants had lower weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) (-0.6 ± 1.1 vs. 0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), length-for-age z-scores (-0.8 ± 1.4 vs. -0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), and mid-upper-arm circumference-for-age z-scores (MUACAZ) (0.5 ± 1.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9; p < 0.001) than HUU infants. At 12 months, HEU infants had lower WAZ, MUACAZ, and weight-for-length z-scores compared to HUU infants (p < 0.05). Stunting was found at 6 (15%) and 12 (12%) months in HEU infants. The micronutrient composition of breastmilk fed to both groups was similar. Breastfeeding rates were lower in HEU than in HUU infants at 6 (49% vs. 64%; p = 0.005) and 12 (24% vs. 46%; p = 0.002) months. Less than 3% of HEU and HUU infants achieved minimal dietary diversity scores at 12 months. Dietary intake of fat was similar in all breastfed infants, but iron and vitamin B12 were higher in non-breastfed HEU infants at 12 months. HEU infants had lower breastfeeding rates than HUU infants. A lack of dietary diversity was found in all infants. Nutrition education and counselling in the complementary feeding phase are essential for optimal growth., (© 2024 The Author(s). Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Motivation for food choices is one of the most important determinant of eating behavior, because it comes from within the person. The aim of this study was to observe food choice motivations and estimate differences in demographic and health characteristics towards food choice motives in the adult population (n = 675; 54% women, ≥18 years) from urban setting. Food choice motivations were assessed using an online questionnaire validated by the EATMOT project. Using K-Means cluster analysis, participants were divided into two clusters of six motivational categories for food choices. Regarding the most and least important motivations, participants in cluster 1 chose food based on emotional motivations, and in cluster 2, they chose based on environmental and political motivations. In addition, younger and obese individuals had more pronounced emotional motivations. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the need to address emotional motivations for healthier food choices among overweight and young people. In addition, the prevalence of health motivations and growing awareness of sustainability indicate a willingness to take actions that benefit personal health and the environment. Apart from providing education, it is society’s responsibility to create an environment that promotes the implementation of acquired knowledge and changes in dietary habits.

Objective: A recommendation in March 2020 to expand hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening to all adults in the United States will likely increase the need for HCV treatment programs and guidance on how to provide this service for diverse populations. We evaluated a pharmacist-led HCV treatment program within a routine screening program in an urban safety-net health system in Chicago, Illinois. Methods: We collected data on all patient treatment applications submitted from January 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019, and assessed outcomes of and patient retention in the treatment cascade. Results: During the study period, 203 HCV treatment applications were submitted for 187 patients (>1 application could be submitted per patient): 49% (n = 91) were aged 55-64, 62% (n = 116) were male, 67% (n = 125) were Black, and 15% (n = 28) were Hispanic. Of the 203 HCV treatment applications, 87% (n = 176) of patients were approved for treatment, 91% (n = 161) of whom completed treatment. Of the 161 patients who completed treatment, 81% (n = 131) attended their sustained virologic response (SVR) follow-up visit, 98% (n = 129) of whom reached SVR. The largest drop in the treatment cascade was the 19% decline from receipt of treatment to SVR follow-up visit. Conclusion: The pharmacist-led model for HCV treatment was effective in navigating patients through the treatment cascade and achieving SVR. Widespread implementation of pharmacist-led HCV treatment models may help to hasten progress toward 2030 HCV elimination goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to accurately model and predict the dispersion of a passive scalar in the atmospheric wind flow field within an urban setting. The Mock Urban Setting Tests (MUST) experiment was recreated in this work to test and evaluate various modeling settings and to form a framework for reliable representation of dispersion flow in compact urban geometries. Four case studies with distinct source locations and configurations are modeled using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with ANSYS CFX. The performance of three widely suggested closure models of standard k − ε , RNG k − ε , and SST k − ω is assessed by calculating and interpreting the statistical performance metrics with a specific emphasis on the effects of the source locations. This work demonstrates that the overprediction of the turbulent kinetic energy by the standard k − ε counteracts the general underpredictions by RANS in geometries with building complexes. As a result, the superiority of the standard k − ε in predicting the scalar concentration field over the two other closures in all four cases is observed, with SST k − ω showing the most discrepancies with the field measurements. Additionally, a sensitivity study is also conducted to find the optimum turbulent Schmidt number ( S c t ) using two approaches of the constant and locally variable values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Early childhood teachers of color (ECTC) faced severe challenges amidst COVID-19. • ECTCs reported high stress, emotional problems, poor sleep, and low quality of life. • ECTCs spent 73%-90% of awake hours on work-related tasks, or about 12–15 h daily. • Balancing stress, work, and household tasks was hardest for ECTCs with children. • Racialized inequities in ECTC and student trauma exacerbated these stressors. Stress and well-being are known to influence the quality of teacher–student interactions, teachers' delivery of emotional and instructional support, and the social competence and executive function skills of young learners—dynamics that impact the education and development of young children. Even prior to COVID-19, 46% of teachers reported notably high levels of daily stress. Given the additional stressors associated with the pandemic, this multi-methods study explores the well-being of Latinx, Black, and multiracial early childhood teachers in New York City, where communities of Color have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. Via an amalgamation of descriptive and interpretive approaches—a survey, time-use diaries, and qualitative interviews—this study documents early childhood teachers' experiences making sense of and negotiating the impacts of intersecting stressors on their stress, health, quality of life, and sleep amidst COVID-19. Survey findings show reduced well-being across measures among the early childhood teachers in the sample, while qualitative findings illustrate the many layers of challenges that teachers of Color faced during the pandemic. Time-use diaries show extremely high demands and long work hours associated with concerning lack of self-care and attention to mental health. Interviews elucidate how stress is layered across environmental, occupational, and racial factors. This study points to the need to attend to the well-being of Black, Latinx, and multiracial early childhood teachers in urban settings during and after COVID-19 recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City centre areas of many tourism destinations are increasingly overcrowding but two tourism development trends are to some extent counterbalancing the crowding phenomenon. Firstly, the decentralisation of tourists aiming to avoid large crowds and product standardisation and, therefore, visiting sites away from the city centre, including suburban areas. Secondly, the rise of 'new urban tourism' which means that tourists seek to experience authentic city life in local neighbourhoods. However, systematic examination and comparison of the frequency, intensity and quality of tourist-resident interactions in different urban settings is lacking. This paper does so for tourist-resident interactions in Central (as city centre area), Sha Tin (as suburban area) and Mong Kok (as new urban tourism area) in Hong Kong. The results from the tourist perspective are mostly in line with expectations, only co-presence appeared not to take place relatively less in Sha Tin and focussed interaction not relatively more in Mong Kok. From the perspective of residents, as expected, Sha Tin stands out as a place with less co-presence and less focussed interaction with tourists, and a higher quality of interaction. However, the expectation that Mong Kok as a new urban tourism area would involve both more co-presence and focussed interaction and a lower quality of interaction is not substantiated through our study. Overall, tourists experience a higher quality of interactions than residents, but the asymmetry is smaller in the suburban setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Turkey hosts nearly four million refugees and 99% live in urban areas. Research in urban settings pose different challenges and opportunities than research in refugee camps. In this article, we aimed to share the challenges and experiences we encountered in a mixed-methods study to assess mental health problems and barriers to accessing mental health care among refugees in urban areas of Turkey. Discussion In our case, the main challenges in conducting research with refugees were collecting data from a highly traumatized population, difficulties with contacting undocumented asylum seekers including trust issues and the fear of deportation, the risk of secondary traumatization among data collectors, and the bureaucracy during study approval processes. Targeting a representative sample was not feasible, because of the lack of publicly available demographic data on a district level, presence of undocumented asylum seekers and high mobility among the refugees. Although respondents with significant psychological symptoms were routinely referred to available mental health services, we were able to do less for unregistered refugees with problems in accessing health care. Language/alphabet differences and differing dialects of Arabic posed another challenge in both translation and administration of the scales. Based on cultural characteristics, a gender-balanced team was used and the interviewers were gender-matched whenever needed. Also, the research team had to work after work hours and during weekends to be able to interview male refugees, since most refugee men were at work during working hours and most days of the week. Conclusions The research team’s experience showed that refugee population characteristics including level of trauma, language, culture, gender, legal status, and urban setting characteristics including places of living, mobility, availability of publicly available demographic data, and outreach-related barriers lead to different challenges and ethical responsibilities of researchers and affect the research costs in terms of time, human resources and finance. Even in a host country with geographical, religious and cultural proximity to the refugees, profound challenges exist in conducting mental health research in urban settings. Learning from previous experience and collaborating with local researchers and institutions are vital for better public health research and practice outcomes.

Plain language summary After almost 10 years of war, Syria’s neighboring countries are hosting millions of Syrians who were forcibly displaced. Most prominent among these countries is Lebanon. Adolescent refugee girls are exposed to precarious conditions, which make them more prone to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems. This qualitative study was performed in Bourj Hammoud, an urban setting in Lebanon, in order to explore Syrian refugee adolescent girls’ SRH perceptions and experiences. The agenda of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in addition to the Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAFM) and its Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Toolkit for Humanitarian Settings issued by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises (IAWG) formed the framework of this study. Focus group discussions were performed with 40 Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish adolescent girls, each group consisting of five participants aged 13 to 17 years. Different themes were discussed within the groups including menstruation, puberty, and sexual harassment. The participants talked about the social stigma related to menstruation and the social link between puberty, a girl’s readiness for marriage, and her need to be careful about sexual harassment. Most of the girls had insufficient information about the female reproductive system. The girls consulted their mothers to learn about SRH issues; however, they expressed a wish to receive well-informed advice from specialists in a safe atmosphere. All the girls reported incidents of sexual harassment, which happened either to them or to other girls they know; however, they were discouraged to report them because they feared other consequences, such as being blamed or not being allowed to go to school anymore. The outcomes of the study show the girls’ urgent need to have adequate information about SRH issues and appropriate interventions to prevent sexual and gender-based violence within complex urban settings.

Abstract Background Dengue is a mosquito-borne flavivirus present in many metropolitan cities of tropical countries. Methods During and after the dengue season (September 2018 to January 2019), we conducted a case-control study in order to determine the risk factors for dengue fever in Hanoi city, Vietnam. 98 dengue patients and 99 patients with other acute infections, such as Hepatitis B virus infection, were recruited at Department of Infectious Disease of Bach Mai national hospital in Hanoi. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire covering demographic, housing, environmental factors and knowledge, attitude, and practice on dengue prevention and control. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the risk factors of dengue status. Results The mean score of knowledge items and practice items was only 7.9 out of total 19 points and 3.9 out of total 17 points, respectively. While the mean score of attitude items was 4.8 out of total 6 points. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that older patients had lesser risk of getting dengue infection as compared to younger adults aged 16–30, and patients living in peri-urban districts were less likely to suffer of dengue fever than patients living in central urban districts (OR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.13–0.75). This study could not find any association with occupation, water storage habit, knowledge, attitude, or practice on dengue prevention. Conclusions All patients had a relatively low level of knowledge and practice on dengue prevention and control. However, the attitude of the participants was good. We found that age group and living district were the risk factors correlated with the dengue status. Communication programs on raising dengue awareness should be repeated all year round and target particular groups of adolescents, younger adults, landlords and migrants from other provinces to improve their knowledge and encourage them to implement preventive measures against dengue fever.

The use of life cycle assessment (LCA) allows work to go beyond the traditional scope of urban nature-based solutions (NBS), in which ecosystem services are provided to citizens, to include environmental impacts generated over the entire life cycle of the NBS, i.e., from raw material extraction, through materials processing, production, distribution, and use stages, to end-of-life management. In this work, we explored how LCA has been applied in the context of NBS through a critical analysis of the literature. Systems under review were not restricted to one typology of NBS or another, but were meant to cover a broad range of NBS, from NBS on the ground, water-related NBS, building NBS, to NBS strategies. In total, 130 LCA studies of NBS were analysed according to several criteria derived from the LCA methodology or from specific challenges associated with NBS. Results show that studies were based on different scopes, resulting in the selection of different functional units and system boundaries. Accordingly, we propose an innovative approach based on the ecosystem services (ES) concept to classify and quantify these functional units. We also identify and discuss two recent and promising approaches to solve multifunctionality that could be adapted for LCA of NBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pandemics have been known to influence many markers associated with socio-economic status. This is especially true of micronutrients, including zinc. Yet despite the importance of zinc in the human body, there is a paucity of data on the zinc status of Nigerian children. The aim of this study was to determine serum zinc levels, anthropometry, dietary zinc content and socioeconomic status (SES) of school-aged children in the cities of Osogbo and Ogbomoso in South West Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: One hundred and forty-one children (aged 9-17) were recruited for the study, 76 children from Osogbo and 65 children from Ogbomoso. Serum zinc levels were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. Information on SES and dietary zinc content were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric indicators - height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were also measured. Data were analysed statistically using Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Results of the study showed that there were no significant differences in the values of zinc, BMI, and MUAC, when both groups were compared. Majority of the students in each group were of medium SES. Sixty percent (Ogbomoso) and 43% (Osogbo) did not consume food rich in zinc, although calculated BMI-for-age percentiles revealed that 89.23%) (Ogbomoso) and 71.05%) (Osogbo) were of normal weight. Mid-upper arm circumference of <22.0 cm for both groups suggests moderate acute malnutrition despite the fact that a correlation was observed between MUAC and BMI. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that moderate zinc deficiency is still prevalent among school-aged children in South West Nigeria and this requires urgent intervention from different stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background There is a paucity of data regarding acute phase (in-hospital and 30-day) major adverse cardiac events (MACE) following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Bangladesh. This study aimed to document MACE during the acute phase post-STEMI to provide information. Methods We enrolled STEMI patients of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from August 2017 to October 2018 and followed up through 30 days post-discharge for MACE, defined as the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization. Demographic information, cardiovascular risk factors, and clinical data were registered in a case report form. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis to identify potential risk factors for MACE. Results A total of 601 patients, mean age 51.6 ± 10.3 years, 93% male, were enrolled. The mean duration of hospital stay was 3.8 ± 2.4 days. We found 37 patients (6.2%) to experience an in-hospital event, and 45 (7.5%) events occurred within the 30 days post-discharge. In univariate analysis, a significantly increased risk of developing 30-day MACE was observed in patients with more than 12 years of formal education, diabetes mellitus, or a previous diagnosis of heart failure. In a multivariate analysis, the risk of developing 30-day MACE was increased in patients with heart failure (hazard ratio = 4.65; 95% CI 1.64–13.23). Conclusions A high risk of in-hospital and 30-day MACE in patients with STEMI exists in Bangladesh. Additional resources should be allocated providing guideline-recommended treatment for patients with myocardial infarction in Bangladesh.

As malaria elimination efforts continue to show promise, the diagnostic services require constant review to ensure effective treatment. This study was aimed at determining the choice of tools for routine malaria diagnosis in Anambra State. The research was a cross sectional study carried out in 2019 and 2021, using the total population sampling technique to enrol diagnostic centres. Data were collected using pretested questionnaire, and analysed using Mann-Whitney U test, KruskalWallis H test and Chi-square test at a 5% significance level. Microscopy and RDTusage were 73.6% and 68.1% respectively, with 41.8% overlap (p > 0.05). Overall RDT usage was higher, 69.7% than Microscopy usage with 63.6% in Hospital-based Laboratories (p > 0.05). Overall Microscopy usage, ranging from 72.5% to 80.0% was higher than RDT in Private Laboratories, Government-owned Laboratories and Private-owned Laboratories (p > 0.05). SD-Bioline® (38.7%) and Carestat® (35.5%) were the most commonly used RDTs (p < 0.05). Overall usage of thick and thin blood films were: 74.6% and 37.3% respectively, with 11.9% overlap (p < 0.05). Giemsa stain had higher, 78.0% usage in preparing thick blood films than Field stain with 22.0 % (p < 0.05). Usage of Giemsa, Leishman and Field’s stain for thin blood film were: 64.0%, 20.0% and 16.0% respectively (p < 0.05). All the diagnostic centres (100%) report positive and negative results as ‘seen’ and ‘not seen’; with 3.0% of them identifying Plasmodium species while 97.0% report as ‘malaria parasite’ (p < 0.05). Regarding intensity, 1.5% of the diagnostic centres use ‘parasite count / µl of blood’ while 98.5% adopted ‘plus system’ (p < 0.05). Only Microscopy and RDT are used for routine diagnosis of malaria in the study area. However, not all the Microscopy components are used fully and according to standard. Reasons for the choice of tool / their components were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, an increase in precipitation defined as extreme rains has been recorded in many parts of the world. These rains have become a risk factor because of their characteristic duration, intensity, and amount, and the increased hazard of runoff and flooding, especially in urban settings. This study investigated throughfall caused by heavy rains of long duration (>5 h) and in high amounts (>10 mm) under broad-leaved evergreen and coniferous species in urban settings. In the study, throughfall was determined for a total of eight samples, four individuals from two different broad-leaved evergreen tree species and four individuals from two different coniferous tree species. During the eight-month study period, 11 rain events distributed over 20 days were evaluated. Findings showed that 61.88% and 55.24% of the throughfall was measured under the broad-leaved evergreen and coniferous species, respectively. Heavy rains did not make a difference between the throughfall under the broad-leaved evergreen and coniferous species (p>0.05). Likewise, there was no difference in the throughfall in the broad-leaved evergreen and coniferous species after the increase in duration and amount of heavy rains (p>0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a reflection of the imminent change from late Francoism to the Spanish transition, discourses emerged in film narratives which portrayed aspects of society practically unaddressed until then, such as the LGTBIQ+ content, the "quinqui" marginality or the 'S' cinema. Madrid and Barcelona are presented as the main settings for new discursive constructs that portray a generation which differed from the preceding Francoist modes. This research analyses and exposes the synergy between characters and urban settings by which the city acts as an emotional map of the story and a location for change in the first films of Spanish democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that donor human milk is superior to artificial infant formula in situations where the baby cannot feed on the mother’s breastmilk. The purpose of this study was to determine the acceptability of donor human milk banking among health workers in Zimbabwean urban settings. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted among 535 health workers and 15 key informants. Three referral hospitals were purposively selected and systematic random sampling was used to select the health workers. The study was conducted between October 2017 and October 2018. Results The concept of donor human milk banking was acceptable among health workers. One-third (31%) of the study participants reported that they would accept donor breastmilk for their children while 56% of them would encourage their clients to donate breastmilk. Acceptance of donor human milk banking was associated with a high level of knowledge on breastmilk banks (p = 0.009) and the study participants’ health profession (p = 0.001). Clinical staff were more receptive to donor human milk banking compared to non-clinical health workers. Donor human milk banking was not associated with religion (p = 0.498) or marital status (p = 0.714). Conclusions The results showed that health workers and policy informers would accept the establishment of breastmilk banks subject to resource availability. Commitment to the establishment of breastmilk banks was moderately acceptable among opinion leaders responsible for spearheading health and nutrition policies.

Introduction: Penetrating injuries are a rare but recurring emergency situation in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of injuries associated with penetrating violence across a German metropolitan region over a 5-year period., Material and Methods: In the retrospective study, a database query of the control center of the Düsseldorf rescue service area was used to identify and descriptively analyze all rescue service operations with penetrating violence-associated injuries in the years 2015, 2017, and 2019. For those patients who were transferred to the major trauma center, a further analysis of the in-hospital course was performed., Results: In the 3 years 2015, 2017 and 2019 a total of 266 patients (age: 33 ± 14 years, male: 79%) could be recorded (2015 vs. 2017 vs. 2019: n = 81 vs. n = 93 vs. n = 92, respectively). The most common age group involved had an age range of 15-34 years. A particularly higher frequency of emergency calls was found for the areas of Old Town, City Center, and one other district (Oberbilk). A high frequency of rescue missions was found in the nights from Saturday to Sunday between 20.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. Rescue missions with emergency physicians on board increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 27 vs. 42%, p = 0.04). The primary weapons used were knives (56%), broken glass bottles (18%) and broken glasses (6%). Out of all patients 71 (27%, injury severity score 11 ± 14) were admitted to the major trauma center. Among these patients, the proportion of immediate surgical care (2015 vs. 2019: 20% vs. 35%, p < 0.05) and positive alcohol detection increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 10% vs. 43%, p < 0.05). The 30-day mortality in the 3 years studied was 1.1% (n = 3)., Conclusion: Penetrating injuries associated with violence are relevant but rare rescue missions. Future care strategies should focus on deployment of rescue resources close to the scene of the incident ("old town guard", central station), and prevention strategies should focus on weapon prohibition zones. A control of alcohol consumption should be discussed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Slum development has become a major urban planning and management problem due to the challenges they pose to the larger urban environment. Activities of slum dwellers are known to undermine the social, economic and environmental sustainability efforts of city authorities. This makes the slum environment feature highly in urban regeneration programmes as a way of improving the standards of living of slum dwellers. This study analyses the location of some selected slums in the Kumasi Metropolis and assesses the socio-economic and environmental effects of the activities of the slum dwellers. For the purpose of this study, 260 slum households from Aboabo and Ayigya Zongo, all slums in the Kumasi Metropolis, were randomly selected and interviewed. The results showed that the spatial location of slums within the Kumasi Metropolis is influenced by the availability of undesirable vacant lands. Migrants to the city and other poor households squat on these lands, which later develop into slums. The activities of the slum dwellers were associated with environmental problems such as river pollution and poor environmental sanitation. On the socio-economic front, poor state of health, lower educational outcomes and higher noise emission levels were identified. Based on the findings of the study, there is the need for city authorities to formulate green policies that will help transform these unattractive lands into green spaces to halt the development and expansion of slums. The researchers further recommend that, there is the need for city authorities to deepen environmental awareness campaigns in these slums to guarantee uptake of positive attitude towards the management and utilization of environmental resources in the Metropolis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) learners have unique needs, and specific pedagogies, therefore, need to be employed to support the acquisition of their essential skills. A great deal of research has been conducted on the use of music-based pedagogies to teach mathematics, life skills, civics and literacy at various levels of education. In South Africa, where ECCE is a relatively new educational sector, very little structure has been put in place to facilitate using music-based pedagogies to teach communication skills to ECCE learners. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore ECCE educators use music-based pedagogies to positively impact children’s communication skills and language development. Setting: The qualitative case study was conducted at two Urban ECCE centers in Durban, KwaZulu Natal Province, South African. Method: The study was informed by a social constructivist paradigm underpinned by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, focussing on ECCE learners’ interaction with the more knowledgeable other (MKO). Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations with six educators, and through document analysis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The study confirmed that the ECCE educators have some levels of understanding of using music-based pedagogies as a strategy for teaching communication skills to children aged from three to four, but there are constraints. These limitations include insufficient training, a lack of musical resources and the non-inclusion of music-based pedagogies in both the pre-service teachers’ curriculum and the ECCE curriculum. Conclusions: The study recommended a comprehensive review of the content and implementation of the ECCE curriculum in relation to music pedagogy.

Background: Turkey hosts nearly four million refugees and 99% live in urban areas. Research in urban settings pose different challenges and opportunities than research in refugee camps. In this article, we aimed to share the challenges and experiences we encountered in a mixed-methods study to assess mental health problems and barriers to accessing mental health care among refugees in urban areas of Turkey.Discussion: In our case, the main challenges in conducting research with refugees were collecting data from a highly traumatized population, difficulties with contacting undocumented asylum seekers including trust issues and the fear of deportation, the risk of secondary traumatization among data collectors, and the bureaucracy during study approval processes. Targeting a representative sample was not feasible, because of the lack of publicly available demographic data on a district level, presence of undocumented asylum seekers and high mobility among the refugees. Although respondents with significant psychological symptoms were routinely referred to available mental health services, we were able to do less for unregistered refugees with problems in accessing health care. Language/alphabet differences and differing dialects of Arabic posed another challenge in both translation and administration of the scales. Based on cultural characteristics, a gender-balanced team was used and the interviewers were gender-matched whenever needed. Also, the research team had to work after work hours and during weekends to be able to interview male refugees, since most refugee men were at work during working hours and most days of the week.Conclusions: The research team's experience showed that refugee population characteristics including level of trauma, language, culture, gender, legal status, and urban setting characteristics including places of living, mobility, availability of publicly available demographic data, and outreach-related barriers lead to different challenges and ethical responsibilities of researchers and affect the research costs in terms of time, human resources and finance. Even in a host country with geographical, religious and cultural proximity to the refugees, profound challenges exist in conducting mental health research in urban settings. Learning from previous experience and collaborating with local researchers and institutions are vital for better public health research and practice outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initiation of non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPO) during early adolescence is tightly linked to heroin and other drug use disorders and related sequelae in later adolescence and young adulthood. Few studies explore stakeholders' perspectives on the burden and determinants of youth opioid use and barriers and facilitators to engaging youth in opioid use prevention and treatment services in urban settings with longstanding opioid epidemics. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 stakeholders representing health and social service agencies in Baltimore, Maryland from May 2018- February 2019, to examine their perspectives on the burden and context of adolescent opioid use and identify barriers and facilitators to preventing and responding to adolescent opioid use. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparison method to identify themes. Most respondents described a recent uptick in opioid use independently, and in combination with other substances. As compared to heroin, NMPO was perceived to be more frequently used and less stigmatized among youth. Stakeholders perceived the process of transitioning from using NMPO to heroin as more common among White vs. Black youth and was perceived as occurring faster among White vs. Black youth. Some stakeholders believed racial differences in internal stigma against heroin use, and differential health service use among Black youth and White youth may have influenced these differences. Trauma and poverty were noted determinants of youth opioid use. Barriers to service provision included youth cognitive development, stigma and structural factors (e.g., disinvestment, lack of youth-centered and integrated services). Stakeholders perceive prevalent NMPO among Baltimore youth and identify multilevel barriers to delivering prevention, treatment and harm reduction services to this population. These findings encourage further investigation of determinants and consequences of opioid use among diverse racial/ethnic groups of youth in urban settings, and development of multilevel, youth-driven and youth-centered approaches to prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City/urban architecture and design are changing from traditional to modern times. The eye-centered world, which started with the idea of perspectivism based on the Renaissance and accelerated with the invention of the camera, brought along important changes in the urban setting. With the development of means of transportation and the spread of photography, there have been changes in the understanding of travel, and human mobility has increased on a global scale. As one of the requirements of the institutionalization of tourism and its industrialization over time, new tourist-specific experience and practice areas have emerged. The “tourist gaze” conceptualized by John Urry, as one of the most prominent indicators of touristic travel, is distinguished from other gazes due to its character based on pleasure and consumption. The modern and postmodern urban setting, which has devoted itself to visually rearranging every place, area, and space that can be the subject of a human’s gaze, has made holy places and religious buildings such as mosques, madrasahs, social complexes, tombs, cupolas the subject of the tourist’s gaze. This study deals with the relationship between socio-religious buildings and tourist gaze with a descriptive methodical approach. It focuses on the reflections of the tourist gaze on religious buildings, which are pushed to the periphery of life day by day, in the grip of the reproduction of space and its conspicuous consumption. As a result, the study points out that restoration, landscape, and recreation works carried out by taking the tourist gaze into the center face religious buildings away from their histories and identities, and more importantly, consuming their potential to become a living space and a place of memory for new generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Adherence to antihypertensive drugs is very important for controlling blood pressure and preventing its complications. This study aimed to assess the adherence level to antihypertensive drugs in adult hypertensive patients in Erbil city and examine its association with socio-demographic characteristics and access to medications. Methods: A household survey was carried out in 20 quarters of Erbil city using a multi-stage sampling method. Adult patients known to have hypertension were identified. A questionnaire designed for this purpose was used to collect data about the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, access to antihypertensive drugs, and adherence to drugs. Results: Of 373 study participants known to have hypertension, 87.9% were taking their antihypertensive treatment regularly, 5.9% were taking the treatment irregularly, while 6.2% were not taking any treatment. Around 77% of the patients were obtaining their drugs from private pharmacies, and the rest were getting them for free from the public hospitals. A statistically significant association was found between adherence to drugs, and increasing age, duration of having hypertension, and economic status. Conclusion: The antihypertensive drug adherence among our sample was relatively good. Access to free drugs was limited. Drug adherence was significantly associated with increasing age, increased the duration of hypertension, and economic status. Similar studies need to be conducted in rural areas for comparison purposes.

Abstract Background With the rise in prevalence of childhood tuberculosis (TB) globally, contact tracing should be a powerful strategy for early diagnosis and management, especially in children who are household contacts of active TB cases. Here, we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with TB disease in children who are household contacts of TB cases. Methods We used a cross-sectional study with data from the Malaysian TB Information System (TBIS) recorded from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2017. All children aged 0–14 years who were registered in the TBIS with at least one household contact of TB cases were included in the study. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (adj. OR) and for adjusting the confounding factors. Results A total of 2793 children were included in the study. The prevalence of active TB was 1.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31, 1.77%). Children aged 6 weeks [adj. OR 7.48 (95% CI: 2.88, 19.43), p

Child development is affected by the physical and socio-cultural environment, both directly and through parental behavior. This paper examines the characteristics of urban environments in comparison with rural areas, along with their implications for parenting practices. Challenges facing urban parents are discussed, including time scarcity, failure to impart moral values, work/life imbalance, and the lack of emotional bonding. The case of Jakarta as a mega city has been chosen to illustrate these challenges. The paper also suggests some solutions be adopted from experience in more developed countries.

Background: The war in Syria caused the forced displacement of millions of Syrians to neighboring countries. Lebanon is the host country with the largest overall number of Syrian refugees per capita. Adolescent refugee girls experience a unique level of vulnerability during human emergencies and are at increased risk of suffering from poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to learn about the SRH perceptions and experiences of refugee adolescent girls living in Bourj Hammoud, an urban setting in Lebanon. Methods: We employed a qualitative design with eight focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with 40 Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish adolescent girls between January and March 2020. Every FGD consisted of five participants aged 13 to 17 years. A semi-structured guide was used covering multiple themes: menstruation, puberty, SRH awareness, and sexual harassment. FGDs were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The participants discussed adolescent girls' health and named six elements of good health, such as healthy activities and self-protection. The majority of the FGD participants reported a lack of awareness about menstruation when they experienced it for the first time and the social stigma associated with menstruation. When defining puberty, they indicated its social link to a girl's readiness for marriage and her need to become cautious about sexual harassment. Most FGD participants had very poor knowledge of the female reproductive system. Mothers were the most approached persons to receive information on SRH issues; however, the girls indicated a wish to receive advice from specialists in a comfortable and private atmosphere. All the girls reported that either they themselves, or an acquaintance, had experienced some type of sexual harassment. The girls rarely reported those incidents due to fear of being blamed or subjected to mobility restrictions, or forced to drop out of school. Conclusions: The findings show the refugee girls need for satisfactory knowledge on SRH issues and interventions to prevent sexual and gender-based violence that take into consideration the complexity of urban settings. Plain language summary: After almost 10 years of war, Syria's neighboring countries are hosting millions of Syrians who were forcibly displaced. Most prominent among these countries is Lebanon. Adolescent refugee girls are exposed to precarious conditions, which make them more prone to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems. This qualitative study was performed in Bourj Hammoud, an urban setting in Lebanon, in order to explore Syrian refugee adolescent girls' SRH perceptions and experiences. The agenda of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in addition to the Inter-Agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (IAFM) and its Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Toolkit for Humanitarian Settings issued by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises (IAWG) formed the framework of this study. Focus group discussions were performed with 40 Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish adolescent girls, each group consisting of five participants aged 13 to 17 years. Different themes were discussed within the groups including menstruation, puberty, and sexual harassment. The participants talked about the social stigma related to menstruation and the social link between puberty, a girl's readiness for marriage, and her need to be careful about sexual harassment. Most of the girls had insufficient information about the female reproductive system. The girls consulted their mothers to learn about SRH issues; however, they expressed a wish to receive well-informed advice from specialists in a safe atmosphere. All the girls reported incidents of sexual harassment, which happened either to them or to other girls they know; however, they were discouraged to report them because they feared other consequences, such as being blamed or not being allowed to go to school anymore. The outcomes of the study show the girls' urgent need to have adequate information about SRH issues and appropriate interventions to prevent sexual and gender-based violence within complex urban settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue is a mosquito-borne flavivirus present in many metropolitan cities of tropical countries.Methods: During and after the dengue season (September 2018 to January 2019), we conducted a case-control study in order to determine the risk factors for dengue fever in Hanoi city, Vietnam. 98 dengue patients and 99 patients with other acute infections, such as Hepatitis B virus infection, were recruited at Department of Infectious Disease of Bach Mai national hospital in Hanoi. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire covering demographic, housing, environmental factors and knowledge, attitude, and practice on dengue prevention and control. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the risk factors of dengue status.Results: The mean score of knowledge items and practice items was only 7.9 out of total 19 points and 3.9 out of total 17 points, respectively. While the mean score of attitude items was 4.8 out of total 6 points. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that older patients had lesser risk of getting dengue infection as compared to younger adults aged 16-30, and patients living in peri-urban districts were less likely to suffer of dengue fever than patients living in central urban districts (OR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.13-0.75). This study could not find any association with occupation, water storage habit, knowledge, attitude, or practice on dengue prevention.Conclusions: All patients had a relatively low level of knowledge and practice on dengue prevention and control. However, the attitude of the participants was good. We found that age group and living district were the risk factors correlated with the dengue status. Communication programs on raising dengue awareness should be repeated all year round and target particular groups of adolescents, younger adults, landlords and migrants from other provinces to improve their knowledge and encourage them to implement preventive measures against dengue fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to accurately model and predict the dispersion of a passive scalar in the atmospheric wind flow field within an urban setting. The Mock Urban Setting Tests (MUST) experiment was recreated in this work to test and evaluate various modeling settings and to form a framework for reliable representation of dispersion flow in compact urban geometries. Four case studies with distinct source locations and configurations are modeled using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with ANSYS CFX. The performance of three widely suggested closure models of standard k−ε, RNG k−ε, and SST k−ω is assessed by calculating and interpreting the statistical performance metrics with a specific emphasis on the effects of the source locations. This work demonstrates that the overprediction of the turbulent kinetic energy by the standard k−ε counteracts the general underpredictions by RANS in geometries with building complexes. As a result, the superiority of the standard k−ε in predicting the scalar concentration field over the two other closures in all four cases is observed, with SST k−ω showing the most discrepancies with the field measurements. Additionally, a sensitivity study is also conducted to find the optimum turbulent Schmidt number (Sct) using two approaches of the constant and locally variable values.

The use of life cycle assessment (LCA) allows work to go beyond the traditional scope of urban nature-based solutions (NBS), in which ecosystem services are provided to citizens, to include environmental impacts generated over the entire life cycle of the NBS, i.e., from raw material extraction, through materials processing, production, distribution, and use stages, to end-of-life management. In this work, we explored how LCA has been applied in the context of NBS through a critical analysis of the literature. Systems under review were not restricted to one typology of NBS or another, but were meant to cover a broad range of NBS, from NBS on the ground, water-related NBS, building NBS, to NBS strategies. In total, 130 LCA studies of NBS were analysed according to several criteria derived from the LCA methodology or from specific challenges associated with NBS. Results show that studies were based on different scopes, resulting in the selection of different functional units and system boundaries. Accordingly, we propose an innovative approach based on the ecosystem services (ES) concept to classify and quantify these functional units. We also identify and discuss two recent and promising approaches to solve multifunctionality that could be adapted for LCA of NBS.

Background: There is a paucity of data regarding acute phase (in-hospital and 30-day) major adverse cardiac events (MACE) following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Bangladesh. This study aimed to document MACE during the acute phase post-STEMI to provide information.Methods: We enrolled STEMI patients of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from August 2017 to October 2018 and followed up through 30 days post-discharge for MACE, defined as the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization. Demographic information, cardiovascular risk factors, and clinical data were registered in a case report form. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis to identify potential risk factors for MACE.Results: A total of 601 patients, mean age 51.6 ± 10.3 years, 93% male, were enrolled. The mean duration of hospital stay was 3.8 ± 2.4 days. We found 37 patients (6.2%) to experience an in-hospital event, and 45 (7.5%) events occurred within the 30 days post-discharge. In univariate analysis, a significantly increased risk of developing 30-day MACE was observed in patients with more than 12 years of formal education, diabetes mellitus, or a previous diagnosis of heart failure. In a multivariate analysis, the risk of developing 30-day MACE was increased in patients with heart failure (hazard ratio = 4.65; 95% CI 1.64-13.23).Conclusions: A high risk of in-hospital and 30-day MACE in patients with STEMI exists in Bangladesh. Additional resources should be allocated providing guideline-recommended treatment for patients with myocardial infarction in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]