Search Results (500)

Increasing the level of livability in cities is a topical area both in EU policies and in local urban development, as well as in scientific studies. The aim of this article is to assess the degree if livability of the large housing estates (LHEs) built during the socialist period in the main regional cities of Romania and how adequately they meet the requirements of current urban life. The research focused on assessing the accessibility of these neighborhoods to green spaces and other types of public facilities and services of interest, also taking into account the typology of LHEs. For this, we used mixed research methods, namely GIS remote sensing, fieldwork, and questionnaire surveys, with the results being digitally processed and mapped. This comparative research allowed us to see to what extent each type of neighborhood lends itself to the application of the European Green Deal principles (EGD). In this sense, we mapped the transformations undergone by urban green spaces, as a major dimension of sustainability, and we created an LHE accessibility index, using eight groups of indicators. Based on this index, we assessed the degree of livability and the compatibility of LHEs with some of the EGD principles. We believe that this study can be applied in other regions with similar characteristics, for the analysis of territorial accessibility of public services, in the creation of quality of life registers, or for the planning of spatial components of green cities. Full article

Our world is rapidly urbanizing, while 2.5 billion people are projected to shift from rural to urban areas by 2050, with close to 90% occurring in Asia and Africa. In Southeast Asia, particularly, the Phnom Penh capital city of Cambodia is experiencing this rapid urbanization, facing significant challenges in improving the quality of urban life and achieving social sustainability. Hence, this research aims to assess this capital on social sustainability dimensions to find out the strong and weak points of its 14 districts in order to reveal the improvement potential. The research developed and applied an urban social sustainability index based on national development priorities, SDG11, the New Urban Agenda, and other SDGs that related to human wellbeing and social inclusiveness. The AHP was used to prioritize indicators to develop a priority index, while the standard score was used to apply the index to assess the 14 districts of Phnom Penh. The data for this index application were sourced from Phnom Penh’s commune database. The results showed that the highest-scoring district for urban social sustainability was Chamkarmon, followed by Boeng Keng Kang and Doun Penh. The findings revealed that Prek Pnov was weak in income generation and welfare, while Kamboul was weak in gender inclusion compared to other districts. Prampir Makara was strong, and Sen Sok was weak in resilience to vulnerability. Boeng Keng Kang was strong in welfare and sanitation, while Kamboul was weak in sanitation. Doun Penh was strong, and Mean Chey was weak in water supply. Full article

Rapid urbanization has exacerbated traffic congestion and associated vehicle emissions, making real-time air quality index (AQI) prediction crucial for urban environmental management. Transportation emissions, including exhaust gases and particulate matter, are the main factors causing urban environmental pollution. Vehicle emission-induced air pollution related to transportation affects public health, quality of life, and well-being on a global scale and impacts socioeconomic development and people’s livelihoods. The air quality index (AQI) is a comprehensive indicator reflecting the degree of air pollution. Understanding the pollution level in a specific area can help decision-makers manage traffic flow, reduce congestion and emissions, and improve traffic efficiency and environmental sustainability. Traditional prediction methods often have problems such as low accuracy and an inability to effectively handle complex data. Therefore, this paper explores a traffic air quality index prediction model based on the sparrow search algorithm (SSA)–variational mode decomposition (VMD)–gated recurrent unit algorithm (GRU) model, based in deep learning. Experimental results on real-world datasets demonstrate that the SSA-VMD-GRU model reduces the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) by approximately 8% compared to the standalone GRU model, offering a robust solution for real-time AQI forecasting and practical insights for current urban traffic air quality index monitoring methods. Full article

Historic districts, as important spatial units that carry urban cultural memory and everyday social life, play a crucial role in shaping residents’ spatial identity, emotional attachment, and perceptual experience. Although quantitative research on built environments and perception has advanced considerably in recent years, the mechanisms through which perception is formed in historic districts, particularly the nonlinear threshold effects and perceptual trade-off patterns that arise under conditions of high-density and mixed land use, remain insufficiently examined. To address this gap, this study develops an analytical framework that integrates spatial attributes with multidimensional subjective perceptions. Focusing on six historic districts in central Shanghai, the study combines micro-scale environmental indicators extracted from street-view imagery, POI data, and public perceptual evaluations and employs an XGBoost model to identify the nonlinear response patterns, threshold effects, and perceptual trade-offs across seven perceptual dimensions. The results show that natural elements such as visual greenery and sky openness generate significant threshold-based enhancement effects, and once reaching a certain level of visibility, they substantially increase positive perceptions including beauty, safety, and cleanliness. By contrast, commercial and traffic-related facilities exhibit dual and competing perceptual influences. Moderate densities enhance liveliness, whereas high concentrations tend to induce perceptual fatigue and intensify negative emotional responses. Overall, perceptual quality in historic districts does not arise from linear accumulation but is shaped by dynamic perceptual trade-offs among natural features, functional elements, and cultural symbolism. Overall, the study reveals the coupling mechanism between spatial renewal and perceptual experience amid the pressures of urban modernization. It also demonstrates that increasing visible greenery (e.g., planting street trees, incorporating micro-green spaces, improving façade greening), enhancing street openness (e.g., optimizing view corridors, reducing visual obstruction, implementing moderate setback adjustments), guiding a moderate mix and spatial distribution of commercial and service functions, and strengthening the perceptibility of cultural landscape elements (e.g., façade restoration, streetscape coordination, and improved signage systems) are concrete and effective planning and design actions for improving landscape quality and enhancing the experiential quality of historic districts. Full article

Challenges to the health and wellbeing of youth refugees in Kenya are well documented, particularly in refugee camps. However, amid protracted crises in the region, changes in refugee camp legislation and reduced funding are driving the further urbanization of refugees, necessitating a greater focus on understanding the hardships, movements, and challenges young urban refugees face. The focus of this paper is to document research on mapping the food supply chains, including points of intersection for young South Sudanese urban refugees in Kenya, and to identify barriers, constraints, and opportunities for procuring, growing, and selling food. This youth-led study, a follow-up to previous findings, included 40 participants aged 19 to 32. Youth food-resilience stories highlight critical areas for strategic intervention and provide insights into the design of spatially just and economically inclusive urban spaces. Applying a multimethod approach, including food diaries, food maps, and survey tools embedded in a learning platform, the paper weaves a narrative that highlights youth ingenuity in food security and provides insights for governments, policymakers, community leaders, and donors to support responsive, economically inclusive community design in addressing social challenges. Our findings indicate that improving the quality of life and food security of refugee youth is complex and requires a holistic approach. Without education and improvements in livelihoods, including urban agricultural opportunities, refugee youth’s health and wellbeing will continue to be affected. Full article

Traffic congestion continues to pose a significant challenge to contemporary urban transportation systems, exerting substantial effects on economic productivity, environmental sustainability, and the overall quality of life. This systematic literature review thoroughly explores the development of traffic congestion forecasting methodologies from 2014 to 2024 by analyzing 100 peer-reviewed publications according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We examine the technological advancements from traditional machine learning (achieving 75–85% accuracy) through deep learning approaches (85–92% accuracy) to recent large language model (LLM) implementations (90–95% accuracy). Our analysis indicates that LLM-based systems exhibit superior performance in managing multimodal data integration, comprehending traffic events, and predicting non-recurrent congestion scenarios. The key findings suggest that hybrid approaches, which integrate LLMs with specialized deep learning architectures, achieve the highest prediction accuracy while addressing the traditional limitations of edge case management and transfer learning capabilities. Nonetheless, challenges remain, including higher computational demands (50–100× higher than traditional methods), domain adaptation complexity, and constraints on real-time implementation. This review offers a comprehensive taxonomy of methodologies, performance benchmarks, and practical implementation guidelines, providing researchers and practitioners with a roadmap for advancing intelligent transportation systems using next-generation AI technologies. Full article

With the rapid pace of urbanization, the public-interest renovation of community spaces has emerged as a critical focus in urban planning and community development. These public spaces not only support residents’ daily activities, social interactions, and cultural endeavors but also play a vital role in shaping their quality of life and fostering community cohesion. The willingness of residents to participate in such renovation projects significantly impacts the effectiveness and success of these initiatives. This study offers a comprehensive review of both domestic and international literature, synthesizing insights from behavioral science and social psychology. It identifies four key categories of factors that influence residents’ willingness to engage in public-interest renovation efforts: external environment, project attributes, residents’ subjective perceptions, and demographic characteristics. Based on this framework, sixteen secondary indicators were selected to construct a model explaining these factors. Drawing on established measurement scales and expert interviews, a survey instrument was developed for data collection. The data, gathered through questionnaire surveys, were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the study hypotheses. The results revealed several significant findings: Among demographic factors, age, household size, and family structure were the primary differentiators of participation willingness. In terms of project attributes, comfort, openness, and sensory appeal were found to positively influence participation. External environmental factors, including policies, social atmosphere, and available information, indirectly impacted participation through residents’ perceptions. Furthermore, residents’ subjective perceptions, such as perceived usefulness and overall attitude, had direct positive effects on their willingness to participate. These findings contribute valuable insights to the field of urban sustainable development and the long-term viability of community spaces. They also provide actionable recommendations for community managers to develop targeted renovation and governance strategies that effectively engage residents. Full article

With the growing focus on sustainable development, light rail transit (LRT) systems are increasingly viewed as key drivers of low-carbon mobility and spatial equity. However, as urban spatial structures become more stable, it remains unclear whether LRT systems can still enhance quality of life, property values and contribute to inclusive urban regeneration. This study explores Manchester, Sheffield, and Nottingham, three UK cities with recent LRT development experience, as case studies. Using LRT constructed or expanded between 1995 and 2019 as a quasi-natural experiment, a difference-in-differences (DID) model is applied to estimate the causal impact of LRT expansion on property prices. The results indicate that LRT construction can lead to a 4.44% to 8.29% increase in nearby property values, with a lagged effect observed after implementation. The impact is more pronounced in areas with well-developed bus networks and in lower-income areas. Further mechanism analysis suggests that the effect is indirectly driven by improved accessibility and enhanced convenience of access to local amenities. Full article

Background. Climate change is increasingly recognized as a threat to mental health, giving rise to constructs such as eco-anxiety and solastalgia. Although these phenomena have gained attention, quantitative data from European populations remain scarce. Objectives. This study investigated the prevalence and correlates of eco-anxiety in an Italian sample, focusing on associations with demographics, environmental disaster exposure, psychological distress, psychosis-risk indicators, and quality of life. Methods. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 1051 participants. Measures included the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS-13), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-16), SF-36 Health Survey, and a socio-demographic/environmental exposure questionnaire. Data were analyzed using correlations, t-tests, and regression analyses. Results. Eco-anxiety was higher among younger participants, women, and individuals without children, while education showed a weak negative association. No differences emerged by rural vs. urban residence. Participants exposed to floods, droughts, wildfires, and landslides reported elevated eco-anxiety. Scores correlated strongly with general distress (r = 0.57), positively with psychosis-risk indicators (PQ-16 distress, r = 0.42), and negatively with quality of life (r = −0.25). Conclusions. Eco-anxiety in Italy is linked to socio-demographic vulnerabilities, disaster exposure, and impaired mental health. These findings highlight eco-anxiety as a pressing public health concern and stress the need for prevention and interventions that promote adaptive coping and engagement with climate change. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity and nutritional inequalities remain major public health challenges, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged settings. In Spain, these disparities are reflected in unequal access to healthy food and differing health outcomes among the young population. This study aimed to explore how social vulnerability influences dietary patterns, body composition, and food insecurity among children and adolescents, with a particular focus on sex differences. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 280 participants aged 6 to 15 years old, recruited from urban areas across Spain. Two groups were evaluated, a socioeconomically vulnerable group (VG) (n = 175) and a non-vulnerable group (NVG) (n = 105), classified according to socioeconomic and social established criteria. Validated tools were used to assess diet quality, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), and household food insecurity. Anthropometric measurements were also collected, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated using both national and international reference standards. Results: Vulnerable children and adolescents showed higher prevalence of food insecurity, less favorable body composition indicators, and lower global dietary quality, characterized by lower adherence to the MD and higher consumption of UPF. Multivariate analysis confirmed that socioeconomic vulnerability was significantly associated with female sex, higher BMI, lower adherence to the MD, and greater consumption of UPF. Conclusions: Our findings highlight a concerning pattern of health and nutritional inequality among children and adolescents based on socioeconomic status. There is a clear and urgent need for effective public health strategies with an equity focus that promote healthy and affordable eating habits from early life, especially in the most disadvantaged environments and targeted by gender. Full article

This study investigates the nonlinear, interactive, and temporally dynamic effects of urban form on street vitality within community-oriented metro station areas (MSAs) in Beijing. It offers potential reference value for other cities facing comparable challenges in MSA implementation and increasing motorization. This research addresses gaps in prior studies concerning the integration of multi-source data, nonlinearity, and diurnal variation. Utilizing an extended node-place-design framework, urban form is conceptualized through network, interface, and functional dimensions. The empirical analysis employs multi-source datasets, including 128,199 mobile device trips recorded in April 2024, OpenStreetMap for network data, Baidu points of interest for functional data, and Grasshopper for interface metrics, covering 183 street samples within a 1000 m radius of metro stations. Traditional regression models—such as ordinary least squares and spatial autocorrelation and cross-correlation—are used as baselines, while a novel gradient-boosting decision tree with latitude and longitude features is applied to enhance predictive performance. The results indicate that key contributors include road network density (16.89%), road intersections (10.56%), and point-of-interest density (9.74%), with Shapley Additive Explanations dependence plots demonstrating nonlinear thresholds. The analyses reveal synergistic or antagonistic interactions among features. Temporal fluctuations in feature importance further support the presence of diurnal dynamics. The study provides insights for time-sensitive urban planning aimed at enhancing MSA vitality, sustainability, and resident quality of life, while acknowledging that the conclusions are context-specific to Beijing and require additional validation in other urban environments. Full article

Facing the significant challenges posed by global population growth and urbanization, plant factories, as an efficient closed cultivation system capable of precise environmental control, have become a key direction in the development of modern agriculture. However, high energy consumption, particularly lighting (which accounts for over 50%), remains a major bottleneck limiting their large-scale application. This study systematically explored the effects of dynamic light regulation strategies on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth, physiological and biochemical indicators (such as chlorophyll, photosynthetic, and fluorescence parameters), nutritional quality, energy utilization efficiency, and post-harvest shelf life. Four different light treatments were designed: a stepwise increasing photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) from 160 to 340 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ (T1), a constant light intensity of 250 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ (T2), a three-stage strategy with high light intensity in the middle phase (T3), and a three-stage strategy with sequentially increasing light (T4). The results showed that the T4 treatment exhibited the best overall performance. Compared with the T2 treatment, the T4 treatment increased biomass by 23.4%, significantly improved the net photosynthetic rate by 50.32% at the final measurement, and increased ascorbic acid (AsA) and protein content by 33.36% and 33.19%, respectively. Additionally, this treatment showed the highest energy use efficiency. On the 30th day of treatment, the light energy use efficiency (LUE) and electrical energy use efficiency (EUE) of the T4 treatment were significantly increased, by 23.41% and 23.9%, respectively, compared with the T2 treatment. In summary, dynamic light regulation can synergistically improve crop yield, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, nutritional quality, and energy utilization efficiency, providing a theoretical basis and solution for precise light regulation and energy consumption reduction in plant factories. Full article

Currently, an active debate is underway among the academic community, urban planners, and policymakers regarding optimal models of urban development, given that the majority of the population now resides in cities. One concept under discussion is the 15 min city, which posits that all urban residents should be able to reach key, frequently used services within a 15 min walk or cycle. Although the literature suggests numerous potential benefits, debate persists about whether such cities would be optimal from the standpoint of sustainable development objectives and residents’ quality of life. The ongoing discussion also concerns the extent to which existing cities are capable of aligning with this concept. This is directly linked to the actual spatial distribution of individual services within the city. The literature indicates a research gap arising from a shortage of robust case studies that would enable a credible assessment of the practical implementation of this idea across diverse cities, countries, and regions. This issue pertains to Poland as well as to other countries. A desirable future scenario would involve comprehensive mapping of all cities, with respect to both the spatial distribution of specific services and related domains such as the quality and coherence of linear infrastructure. This article presents an analysis of the spatial accessibility of basic urban services in the context of implementing the 15 min city concept, using the city of Koszalin (Poland) as a case study. This city was selected due to its representative character as a medium-sized urban centre, both in terms of population and area, as well as its subregional functions within Poland’s settlement structure. Koszalin also exhibits a typical spatial and functional layout characteristic of many Polish cities. In light of growing challenges related to urbanisation, climate change, and the need to promote sustainable mobility, this study focuses on evaluating access to services such as education, healthcare, retail, public transport, and green spaces. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools enabled the identification of spatial variations in service accessibility across the city. The results indicate that only 11% of Koszalin’s area fully meets the assumptions of the 15 min city concept, providing pedestrians with convenient access to all key services. At the same time, 92% of the city’s area offers access to at least one essential service within a 15 min walk. Excluding forested areas not intended for development increases these values to 14% and 100%, respectively. This highlights the extent to which methodological choices in assessing pedestrian accessibility can shape analytical outcomes and the interpretations drawn from them. Moreover, given this article’s objective and the adopted analytical procedure, the assumed pedestrian walking speed is the key parameter. Accordingly, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, comparing the reference scenario (4 km/h) with alternative variants (3 and 5 km/h). This approach demonstrates the extent to which a change in a single parameter affects estimates of urban-area coverage by access to individual services reachable on foot within 15 min. The analysis reveals limited integration of urban functions at the local scale, highlighting areas in need of planning intervention. This article proposes directions for action to improve pedestrian accessibility within the city. Full article

This paper describes the implementation of a rainwater harvesting and treatment system in an informal urban community in Bogotá, using a participatory methodology based on Service Learning (SL). The project began with a territorial diagnosis and community prioritization of needs, identifying access to water and its quality as the main issue. Together with the community, a system for rainwater capture, pretreatment, storage, and filtration was designed and built, adapted to local conditions. Monitoring of physicochemical and microbiological parameters across different climatic periods showed significant improvements in the quality of treated water, meeting national standards for most indicators. Simultaneously, an educational process was carried out through workshops and hands-on activities, strengthening local capacities and promoting hygiene and water management practices. The analysis highlights the system’s adaptability to climate variability, community ownership, and the replicability of the model. It concludes that the integration of appropriate technology, community participation, and education can effectively improve access to and quality of water in vulnerable urban contexts, contributing to quality of life and sustainable development. Full article

Background: Dental patient-centred outcomes are essential in clinical practice and research. To enhance feasibility, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) instruments often need to reduce administration time. In Serbia, longer OHIP versions exist (OHIP-14, OHIP-EDENT), but the ultrashort OHIP-5 has not yet been available. Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the five-item Serbian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP5-Srb). Materials and Methods: The OHIP5-Srb was translated using a standard forward–backward procedure. Participants were recruited between June and September 2025 using a convenience sampling approach. Psychometric testing—including internal consistency, exploratory (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and convergent and known-groups validity—was conducted on 236 participants (mean age 47.4 years). Test–retest reliability was evaluated in 35 dental students, and responsiveness in 45 patients undergoing dental treatment. Results: Cronbach’s alpha was 0.784, indicating adequate internal consistency. Test–retest reliability was excellent (mean ICC = 0.96; all inter-item correlations > 0.20). Convergent validity was supported by a strong negative correlation between OHIP5-Srb summary scores and a single-item measure of overall oral/dental health (Spearman’s rho = −0.861, p < 0.01). Known-group validity was confirmed by significant differences between removable denture wearers and individuals with natural teeth (and/or fixed partial dentures), after adjusting for age, and between participants perceiving a need for dental treatment and those who did not. EFA indicated a one-factor structure explaining 55.1% of variance. The one-factor model was confirmed by CFA and showed good fit (χ² = 15.08, df = 5; CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.092; SRMR = 0.04). Responsiveness analysis demonstrated significant decreases in OHIP5-Srb scores following various dental treatments. Conclusions: The OHIP5-Srb is unidimensional, reliable, valid, and responsive. Its brevity and robust psychometric properties make it suitable for assessing self-perceived oral health-related quality of life in the Serbian urban population, particularly when minimizing respondent burden is critical. Full article