Search Results (128)

This study analyzes 209 dog skeletons from two sites in Wolin (9th–mid-13th century AD) using 100 standard metric variables covering cranial, mandibular, and postcranial elements. Estimated withers height, body mass, age at death, and sex were derived using established methods. The results indicate the presence of at least two to three morphotypes: small spitz-like dogs (40–50 cm, 4–6 kg), medium brachycephalic forms (50–60 cm, 10–15 kg), and larger mesocephalic individuals (up to 65 cm, 20–40 kg). Dogs lived 3–10 years, with both sexes represented. Signs of cranial trauma and dental wear suggest utilitarian roles such as guarding. The size range and morphological diversity point to intentional breeding and trade-based importation. Small dogs likely served as companions or city guards, while medium and large types were used for herding, hunting, or transport. These findings highlight Wolin’s role as a dynamic cultural and trade center, where human–dog relationships were shaped by anthropogenic selection and regional exchange. Full article

Urban traffic congestion poses significant challenges to sustainable development in rapidly growing cities. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of traffic congestion in Enugu, Nigeria, a representative mid-sized sub-Saharan city, through a comprehensive analysis of volumetric traffic flows along three major distributors: Abakpa, Nike, and Trans-Ekulu Road. The research employed direct observation and vehicle counts, conducting a week-long traffic census during peak morning (7:30–9:30 AM) and evening (4:00–8:00 PM) periods. Data was analyzed using peak hour factor (PHF), mean plots, and chi-square tests. The results reveal a daily mean of 2334 vehicles/h. Abakpa/Nike Road demonstrated the highest traffic volumes (mean = 809.2 vehicles/h) and most concentrated peak flows (PHF = 0.79), while Trans-Ekulu Road exhibited lower, more uniformly distributed volumes (mean = 719.4 vehicles/h, PHF = 0.93). Evening peaks (6:00–8:00 PM) consistently surpassed morning volumes, with Abakpa/Nike Road reaching 974 vehicles/hour during the evening rush compared to 620 vehicles/hour in the mornings. Chi-square analysis (χ² = 55.5, df = 8) confirmed statistically significant differences in flow distribution among the routes. The complete absence of Monday traffic due to regional “sit-at-home” orders created a distinctive weekly pattern, with Tuesdays experiencing disproportionate congestion as the de facto first workday. Non-linear relationships between volume increases and congestion severity were observed, where modest volume changes produced amplified system-wide effects. Spatial analysis revealed that evening congestion disparities between distributors (14.9%) significantly exceeded morning differences (8.9%), indicating uneven network utilization. These findings illuminate how socio-political factors, activity patterns, and complex network dynamics shape urban mobility in rapidly developing contexts. This study offers empirical evidence supporting targeted interventions, including Tuesday-specific traffic management, evening-focused congestion mitigation strategies, and corridor-specific infrastructure improvements to enhance mobility in this representative mid-sized sub-Saharan city. Full article

Objectives: This study empirically examined the effects of a digital game-based physical activity program (AI-FIT) on elementary school children’s health-related physical fitness while exploring the role of educational technology (EdTech) as a practical solution to post-pandemic physical inactivity. Methods: This study was conducted over a 12-week period, from September to December 2024, with 40 students (grades 4 to 6) from an elementary school located in a mid-sized city in South Korea. The participants had a mean age of 10.8 years (SD = 0.69). The experimental group (n = 20) participated in the AI-FIT program, while the control group (n = 20) received regular physical education classes. To ensure baseline equivalence between the groups, propensity score matching was employed. Health-related physical fitness was assessed through pre- and post-tests, including flexibility, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, explosive power, and Physical Activity Promotion System (PAPS) grade. Analyses were conducted using both dependent (paired) and independent t-tests, along with effect size calculations (Cohen’s d), to examine within-group and between-group differences. In addition, gender-based subgroup analyses were performed to examine potential differences in responsiveness to the intervention. Intervention: Results indicated that the AI-FIT program had a large effect on flexibility (d = 0.90) and muscular endurance (d = 0.80) and a moderate-to-large effect on PAPS grade (d = 0.69). In contrast, no statistically significant improvements were observed in cardiorespiratory endurance or explosive power. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a digital program integrating AI-based personalized exercise prescriptions and gamification elements can effectively enhance the health-related fitness of elementary students. Moreover, this study supports the educational efficacy of EdTech-based interventions in physical education settings. Full article

The intensification of extreme temperature events driven by climate change has heightened the vulnerability of urban areas to heatwaves, making it a critical environmental challenge. In this study, we investigate the spatial characteristics of urban heatwave vulnerability in Jungang-dong, Gangneung—a representative mid-sized coastal city in South Korea that experiences a strong urban heat island (UHI) effect due to the prevalent land–sea breeze dynamics, high building density, and low green-space ratio. A representative heatwave day (22 August 2024) was selected using AWS data from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), and hourly meteorological conditions were applied to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to model the urban microclimates. The thermal stress levels were quantitatively assessed using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The results indicated that, at 13:00, the surface temperatures reached 40 °C and the UTCI values peaked at 43 °C, corresponding to a “Very Strong Heat Stress” level. Approximately 17.4% of the study area was identified as being under extreme thermal stress, particularly in densely built-up zones, roadside corridors with high traffic, and pedestrian commercial areas. Based on these findings, we present spatial analysis results that reflect urban morphological characteristics to guide the optimal allocation of urban cooling strategies, including green (e.g., street trees, urban parks, and vegetated roofs), smart, and engineered infrastructure. These insights are expected to provide a practical foundation for climate adaptation planning and thermal environment improvement in mid-sized urban contexts. Full article

Urban transportation systems are increasingly strained by population growth, changing mobility patterns, and the need for sustainable infrastructure planning. The accurate modeling of urban trip generation is critical for effective and sustainable transportation planning, especially in the context of rapidly growing urban populations and evolving travel behaviors. This study investigated the application of advanced statistical methods and artificial intelligence-based techniques for forecasting urban travel demand. Erzincan, with a population of approximately 200,000, serves as a representative mid-sized city, offering valuable insights for transportation planning and traffic management. Data collected from various user groups, including households and university students, provide a comprehensive understanding of local travel behavior. Four predictive modeling techniques, linear regression, Poisson regression, negative binomial regression, and artificial neural networks (ANNs), were applied to the dataset, followed by a comparative performance evaluation. Additionally, a macro-level simulation was conducted using VISUM (Release 18.2.22) software to evaluate the current transportation network and assess the potential impacts of proposed improvement scenarios. The results show that the ANN model provided the highest predictive accuracy for household-based data (R² = 0.62), while the linear regression model yielded the best results for dormitory-based data (R² = 0.95). Furthermore, Poisson regression proved most effective in estimating the minimum trip generation time, which was estimated to be 22.77 min under simulated conditions. The study offers practical insights for transport planners and policymakers by demonstrating how predictive analytics and simulation tools can be integrated to address urban mobility challenges. Full article

Accurate and adaptive bus dispatching is vital for medium-sized urban centers, where static schedules often fail to accommodate fluctuating passenger demand. In this work, we propose a dynamic heuristic that integrates machine learning-based demand forecasts into a discrete-time planning horizon, thereby enabling real-time adjustments to dispatch decisions. Additionally, we introduce a tailored mathematical model—grounded in mixed-integer linear programming and space-time flows—that serves as a benchmark to evaluate our heuristic’s performance under the operational constraints typical of traditional public transportation systems in Colombian mid-sized cities. A key contribution of this research lies in combining predictive modeling (using Prophet for passenger demand) with operational optimization, ensuring that dispatch frequencies adapt promptly to varying ridership levels. We validated our approach using a real-world case study in Montería (Colombia), covering eight representative routes over a full day (5:00–21:00). Numerical experiments show that: 1. Our heuristic matches or surpasses 95% of the optimal solution’s operational utility on most routes, with an average gap of 4.7%, relative to the benchmark mathematical model. 2. It maintains high service levels—above 90% demand coverage on demanding corridors—and robust bus utilization, without incurring excessive operating costs. 3. It reduces computation times by up to 98% compared to the optimization model, making it practically viable for daily scheduling where solving large-scale models exactly can be prohibitively time-consuming. Overall, these results underscore the heuristic’s practical effectiveness in boosting profitability, optimizing resource use, and rapidly adapting to demand fluctuations. The proposed framework thus serves as a scalable and implementable tool for transportation operators seeking data-driven dispatch solutions that balance operational efficiency and service quality. Full article

Driven by many factors, the housing affordability landscape in the United States (U.S.) is in crisis. This research examines the potential role of inclusionary zoning (IZ) policies as a tool to alleviate housing cost burdens and deliver affordable housing in the rapidly growing southeastern region of the U.S., with a specific focus on Greenville County, South Carolina. Utilizing data from LawAtlas, this study first conducts a policy scan on the state of IZ policies across seven comparable jurisdictions. This study further employs qualitative semi-structured interviews with stakeholders to assess the current challenges to affordable housing in the county. Our findings suggest that growing regions such as Greenville County face unique challenges as they strive to meet the growing demand for affordable housing that serves a wide range of community members. A major finding from interviewees includes a need for more localized and nuanced metrics of housing affordability, greater density, and mixed-use development. However, the county faces challenges for such developments due to NIMBYism and preference for a more traditional rural and suburban typology of housing in the county. Finally, our study finds that zoning policies that enhance the supply of affordable housing by design can promote equity, trust, economic growth, and quality of life. Full article

This article explores the challenge of developing a sustainable cultural brand for cities that are primarily perceived as tourist destinations. While major urban hubs like Berlin (DE), Edinburgh (UK), and Lisbon (PT) have successfully transitioned from being known mainly for tourism to becoming recognized cultural destinations, the process behind this transformation remains underexplored, especially when it comes to mid-sized cities. How does a town move beyond its touristic image to build a lasting cultural identity? What strategies enable this shift, and what role do different stakeholders play? Focusing on the Romanian city of Brașov, a scenic destination in Transylvania mostly known for its natural environment and medieval architecture, the paper addresses this gap by investigating how a cultural brand can be developed through strategic marketing efforts. Using an integrated approach that combines two qualitative studies and one quantitative analysis, the research provides new insights into (i) cultural marketing strategies that can enhance Brașov’s city brand; (ii) stakeholder perspectives on developing Brașov’s cultural identity; and (iii) the role of Generation Z, whose influence on urban cultural branding has, so far, been minimally researched, in shaping the cultural future of cities, particularly Brașov. Some of the findings highlight key areas for developing Brașov’s cultural brand, including expanding nightlife activities, introducing more contemporary and year-round themed festivals, and tailoring promotional efforts to the short attention spans of the “TikTok generation”. Participants emphasized the need for a more diverse range of cultural events, including experimental and niche performances, alongside stronger educational initiatives to encourage long-term engagement by involving schools and universities. The results offer actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and cultural leaders seeking to develop a city brand centered around culture, focusing on long-term identity and community engagement rather than solely on tourism. Full article

Rapid urbanization and climate impacts have raised concerns about the emergence and aggravation of urban heat island effects. In Africa, studies have focused more on big cities due to their growing populations and high climate impact, while mid-sized cities remain under-studied, with limited comparative insights into their distinct characteristics. This study therefore provided a spatiotemporal analysis of land use land cover change (LULCC) and surface urban heat islands (SUHI) effects in the Nigerian mid-sized cities of Akure and Osogbo from 2014 to 2023. This study used Landsat 8 and 9 imagery (2014 and 2023) and analyzed data via Google Earth Engine and ArcGIS Pro 3.4. Results showed that Akure’s built areas increased significantly from 164.026 km² to 224.191 km² while Osogbo witnessed a smaller expansion from 41.808 km² to 58.315 km² in built areas. This study identified Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and emissivity patterns associated with vegetation and thermal emissions and a positive association between LST and urbanization. The findings across Akure and Osogbo cities established that LULCC has different impacts on SUHI effects. As a result, evidence from a mid-sized city might not be extended to other cities of similar size and socioeconomic characteristics without caution. Full article

This paper details how, in partnership with young people, community workshops centred on queer joy can offer queer and trans youth sexuality education (SE) that is relevant to their experiences, lived realities, and desires. In the data, young people discuss how tailored content, queer pedagogies, youth-centric approaches, and affirming spaces that are responsive to their questions might improve their sexuality knowledge as well as their mental health. A total of 22 youth participants from a mid-size Canadian city, the vast majority of whom identified as queer and/or trans, registered in a weekend workshop to evaluate SE video lessons created by educators enrolled in our partner organization’s sexuality education training program. Through this process, young people leaned on both their expertise and experience to critically reflect on the content and pedagogies employed by the educators. Additionally, 14 youth participated in post-workshop interviews where they continued these conversations and reflected on their SE experiences. In contrast to queer and trans young people’s more violent experiences in classrooms, public spaces, and political discourses, this community intervention workshop cultivated community, knowledge, power, and solidarity between and among youth participants. As they used and created memes to laugh in the face of structures and situations that attempt to erase their bodies and experiences, young people reached for a vision of sexuality education that not only includes them but centres on their desires and curiosities. Full article

Urban livability is becoming an increasingly significant concept in the field of urban planning and design, especially in rapidly urbanizing mid-sized cities of the Global South, where unplanned growth raises concerns about the living condition of city dwellers. With a focus on Khulna City, Bangladesh, this study aims to improve the understanding of how subjective perceptions and objective assessments of urban livability can coexist and foster the effective planning and design of urban environments, in line with broader planning principles. By integrating local community input with expert evaluations and socio-technical analysis at the fine geographic granularity of urban districts, this study reveals a strong alignment between people’s lived experiences and empirical geographic data, but also significant discrepancies. It highlights the importance of inclusive urban planning that considers both human experiences and environmental factors, stressing the need for flexible planning tools that reflect the unique social and cultural contexts of mid-sized cities in addition to objective assessments. The findings underscore the importance of comprehending the factors that influence urban livability for promoting sustainable urban growth and adopting practical land-use plans. Moreover, this study offers valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers in designing inclusive, accessible, and environmentally sustainable cities, tailored to the socio-economic realities of fast-growing urban areas. Full article

African American women living in public housing carry a heavy burden of cardiovascular disease. Eating a heart-healthy diet is crucial to achieving optimal heart health, yet this health disparity population encounters major barriers to healthy eating. This study explored their perceptions of healthy eating and cardiovascular disease. Participants were recruited from public housing in a mid-sized city. Six 2-h focus groups with 32 women were conducted. Focus groups were analyzed using deductive coding. The major focus group findings focused on a limited access to affordable healthy foods. Participants also discussed the use of cost control measures to maximize household food budgets to access healthy foods and the ability to eat healthily. Our findings indicate that food insecurity persists for the populations most at-risk for cardiovascular disease. Plant-based diets may offer a culturally sensitive, innovative, and sustainable approach to reducing heart health risks, alleviating food insecurity, and promoting optimal health outcomes. Full article

In this study, the urban air quality perceptions are explored in the metropolitan area of Târgu Mureș, Romania, emphasizing the interaction between socio-demographic factors, air quality measures, and industrial activity. The research addresses the need to understand how public perceptions align with objective air quality data and industrial influences, aiming to support sustainable urban planning. Data were gathered through a structured survey of 321 respondents and complemented by air quality measurements, including PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, and industrial production data. Statistical analyses, such as regression models and multidimensional scaling (PROXSCAL), were applied to identify patterns and relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, perceived air quality, and environmental factors. The results reveal significant links between demographic factors (e.g., age, awareness of local initiatives) and perceptions of air quality, alongside a nuanced interaction between air quality indicators and industrial activity. Respondents frequently identified traffic and industrial emissions as major contributors to air pollution, which was corroborated by sensor data trends. The findings underline the importance of integrating public perceptions with empirical data to design targeted policies and foster community engagement. This comprehensive approach provides actionable insights for improving urban air quality and advancing sustainable practices in mid-sized cities like Târgu Mureș. Full article

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic created a growing need for insights into the mental health of children and youth and their use of coping mechanisms during this period. We assessed mood symptoms and related factors among children and youth in Saskatchewan. We examined if coping abilities mediated the relationship between risk factors and mood states. Methods: “See Us, Hear Us 2.0”, a cross-sectional study of 563 child–parent dyads, provided the data. The dependent variable, current mood state, was measured by the CoRonavIruS health Impact Survey (CRISIS) scale. Independent variables included sociodemographics, behaviors, household conditions, and coping ability. Multiple linear regression and mediation analyses were conducted, ensuring sample representativeness with sampling weights and addressing missing data through multiple imputations. Results: The participants reported mood symptoms (“moderate” to “extreme”) ranging from 23% to 38% on the CRISIS scale. Factors such as older children, hybrid learning, disrupted activities, and increased screen time worsened moods. The ethnic minority groups (BIPOC) living in mid-sized cities/towns experienced more negative moods compared to Whites residing in cities. Coping ability mediated the relationship between extracurricular activities and mood states. Conclusions: Our results underscore the importance of tailored interventions, recognizing the diverse needs of specific age groups, gender identities, and ethnicities and addressing the adverse effects of the pandemic-related disruptions on the mental health and well-being of school children in Saskatchewan. Our study also suggests prioritizing the diverse needs of children and youth during the planning and implementation of mental health services in the province. Full article

This study explores nature’s role in the spatial development of the local Roman Catholic Church in Kikwit, a mid-size city in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Founded as a mission station by Belgian Jesuits in 1912, the local Church has experienced a peculiar development over the last century. Roman Catholic communities seem grouped spatially according to their function. Communities with apostolic functions are located in the western part of the city, while contemplative and intellectual communities are concentrated in the eastern part. The dividing line appears to be the Kwilu River, which separates the lively commercial and residential center on the left bank from more rural municipalities on the right bank. This paper proposes that this spatial organization results from the interplay of multiple theologies of nature that led to different ways of engaging with the natural surroundings in the region. Moreover, the research suggests that the Catholic Church’s transformation from a missionary institution to a (more or less) independent Church in Kikwit relied heavily on nature because it allowed further development of both the apostolic and contemplative functions of the Church. Full article