scholarly journals Microplastics Determination in the Rivers with Different Urbanisation Variances: A Case Study in Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-125
Author(s):  
Georgina Johnson ◽  
Wen San Hii ◽  
Samuel Lihan ◽  
Meng Guan Tay
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
River System ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Domestic Waste ◽  
Shape Identification ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Main Factor

The presence of microplastics in aquatic systems is mainly due to the anthropogenic activities such as domestic waste dumping. Undeniably, rivers either in urban or suburban areas are always a waste dumpling sites from the surrounding residences. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between microplastic abundance and different degree of urbanization across Kuching in Sarawak. Three sampling locations with different degrees of urbanisation had been studied across Kuching. A total of 137 pieces of microplastics were collected along the study and analysed using stereoscopic microscope for the shape identification and FTIR spectrophotometer for functional groups present in the microplastics. Filament was the most abundant microplastics shape found, whereas the IR results showed that ethylenevinylacetate (9%), polyamides or nylon (15%), polypropylene (42%), poly(methylmethacrylate) (16%) and polystyrene (18%) were found in the study. The most abundant microplastics in the water samples was polypropylene (42%), whereas ethylenevinylacetate (9%) was the least. The degree of urbanisation does not directly relate to the microplastic present in the river system in Kuching City, but the anthropogenic activity is the main factor that affecting the microplastic abundance in the river.   Keywords: anthropologenic activity, FTIR, microplastics, polymer identification, urban, sub-urban

scholarly journals Analysis of the Relationship between Turning Signal Detection and Motorcycle Driver’s Characteristics on Urban Roads; A Case Study

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micucci ◽  
Mantecchini ◽  
Sangermano
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽  
Turn Signal ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Road Intersections ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Driver’S Characteristics

The investigations on the effectiveness of the turn signal in motorcyclists understanding of motorists’ potential intentions in potentially dangerous car–motorcycle interactions and on the relationships among some variables that could influence the perception of rear and front turn signal status are examined in this paper. The investigations have been based on data pooled from the answers of a survey of 136 motorcycle riders, with special regards to the correct detection of turning indicators. Experimental videos have been realized during in-situ simulations, both in urban and suburban areas, recording vehicular interactions in three-leg road intersections, able to potentially generate crash risks, through a 360-camera mounted on a motorcyclist’s helmet. The blinkers detection rate has been combined with other factors related to motorcyclist’s characteristics and test context (e.g., age, gender, location of the test site, presence of a car behind tester vehicles and if the motorcyclist are also habitual car or bicycle drivers) in a stepwise logistic regression that modelled the odds of detecting the turn signal turned on as a function of significant factors. Within the limits of the proposed methodology, the results highlight the low percentage of correct sighting of the turn indicators and confirm the existence of a relation between the detection of the turn indicators aspect and some of the variables considered (e.g., age, being habitual cyclist or car driver and the presence of a car occluding the views), suggesting the opportunity to further investigate the phenomenon through the use of ad-hoc simulations, in order to highlight connections among the factors that can influence the perception of turning indicators in potentially dangerous contexts for cars and motorcycles.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Relationship Between Turning Signal Detection and Motorcycle Driver’s Characteristics on Urban Roads. A Case Study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Micucci ◽  
Luca Mantecchini ◽  
Maurizio Sangermano
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Signal Detection ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Correct Detection ◽  
Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽  
Turn Signal ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Driver’S Characteristics

The relationships among the potential causes of a car and motorcycle collision involving turn maneuvers as well as the perception of rear and front turn signal (on/off) configuration is examined in this paper. The investigation has been based on data pooled from the answers of a survey proposed to 136 people, with special regards to the correct detection of indicators aspect. Experimental videos have been realized during the tests campaign, both in urban and suburban areas, using a 360-camera attached to a motorcyclist’s helmet, reproducing vehicular conflicts able to potentially generate crash risks. The detection of the blinker was combined with other factors (e.g. age, gender, location of the test site, presence of the car behind tester vehicles and if the bikers are also habitual car or bike drivers) in a stepwise logistic regression that modelled the odds of detecting the turn signal turned on as a function of all of these factors. The results suggest the existence of a connection between the detection of the turn signal aspect and some of the variables considered (e.g. age, being a cyclist or a car driver and the presence of a protecting car).

scholarly journals Development of Areas and Public Purpose Investments in Suburban Territories

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-97
Author(s):  
Ada Wolny ◽  
Alina Źróbek-Rózańska ◽  
Ryszard Źróbek ◽  
Marek Piotrowski ◽  
Jens Frey
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Public Investments ◽  
Public Purpose ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Suburban areas are subjected to particularly strong investment pressure, thus facing the challenge arising from the need to impose new spatial order. Satisfying the residents’ expectations by implementing necessary technical and social infrastructure becomes a priority. Therefore, public investments play an important role in suburban areas. The article discusses the role of public purpose goals and their achievement using a case study which encompassed the outskirts of Olsztyn and consisted of detailed analyses of two gminas (communes) adjacent to the city. The research covered the time period from 2006 to 2010. The relationship between the development of housing functions in a suburban area and the location of public purpose investments such as technical and social infrastructure has been documented. The execution of public purpose projects is a follow-up of the development strategies prepared for the gminas where public investments are shown as a stimulant of suburban development. It has been demonstrated that decisions permitting such investments to be carried out are issued in response to the needs of the local community and investors moving to suburban territories.

scholarly journals Study on Relationship between Roles of Public Open Spaces and Pedestrians Inside Campus

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-41
Author(s):  
Chompoonut Kongphunphin ◽  
Pál Hegyi ◽  
Csaba Koren
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Geographic Information System ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Physical Layout ◽  
Main Factor ◽  
Public Open Spaces

Public open spaces in campuses are social places for students and staffs. Convenient accessibility both physical and visual is the main factor that attracts people to use these spaces. This article analyses the physical layout of public open spaces through their relationship with the surrounding. The purpose of this study is to compare the relationship between public open spaces and pedestrians in the campuses. The case study conducted in four campuses located in Thailand and Hungary. In order to get the required data, spatial analysis from Geographic Information System and observation survey was employed as qualitative techniques. The study revealed that pedestrian facilities are the most important accessibility types in public open spaces in each campus. The different lengths of pedestrian facilities are related with three factors of campuses’ layout. They are the size, surrounding and design elements of the campuses and their public open spaces.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN ON AIR QUALITY IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS OF EXTREMADURA, SOUTHWEST SPAIN: A CASE STUDY IN USUALLY LOW POLLUTED AREAS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cerrato-Álvarez ◽  
Conrado Miró-Rodríguez ◽  
Eduardo Pinilla-Gil
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Benzene Toluene

Lockdown measures were established in Spain from 14th March 2020, to flatten the pandemic curve of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The increasingly stringent implementation of these measures has made it possible to assess the effect of anthropogenic activities on the most relevant air pollutants present in ambient air. Whereas most published reports focus on highly polluted urban areas, the present work aims to quantify variations in the levels of NO2, O3 and BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) due to the COVID-19 lockdown in usually low polluted urban and suburban areas within Extremadura (Spain). Compared to the reference period from 2010 to 2019, significant reductions in NO2 levels occurred in the suburban stations of Badajoz, Cáceres, Mérida, Plasencia and Zafra (–50.4 %, –71.6 %, –55.2 %, –64.6 % and –51.8 %, respectively), likely due to the limitation of road traffic as the primary source of nitrogen oxides (NOx). These percentages of reduction are similar to data reported in high polluted areas. Similarly, O3 levels have decreased slightly by –9.9 % in Badajoz, –9.5 % in Mérida and –18.2 % in the Monfragüe National Park. The reduction in O3 levels may be due to a decrease in NOx limiting atmospheric conditions and the influence of weather conditions (high cloudiness and rainy days) during the lockdown period. No defined trend was observed for VOCs (BTX), probably due to the very low levels of these contaminants, close to the detection limit both during the lockdown and the reference periods.

Kämpfe um Bergbau und die Möglichkeiten demokratischer Transformation

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (189) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Dietz
Keyword(s):  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Political Effects ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Relationship

The article explores the political effects of popular consultations as a means of direct democracy in struggles over mining. Building on concepts from participatory and materialist democracy theory, it shows the transformative potentials of processes of direct democracy towards democratization and emancipation under, and beyond, capitalist and liberal democratic conditions. Empirically the analysis is based on a case study on the protests against the La Colosa gold mining project in Colombia. The analysis reveals that although processes of direct democracy in conflicts over mining cannot transform existing class inequalities and social power relations fundamentally, they can nevertheless alter elements thereof. These are for example the relationship between local and national governments, changes of the political agenda of mining and the opening of new spaces for political participation, where previously there were none. It is here where it’s emancipatory potential can be found.

Interactive acculturation of Turkish-Belgian parents and children in Flanders: A case study of Beringen

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-428
Author(s):  
Özgün Ünver ◽  
Ides Nicaise
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Maternal Employment ◽  
Domain Specificity ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Town

This article tackles the relationship between Turkish-Belgian families with the Flemish society, within the specific context of their experiences with early childhood education and care (ECEC) system in Flanders. Our findings are based on a focus group with mothers in the town of Beringen. The intercultural dimension of the relationships between these families and ECEC services is discussed using the Interactive Acculturation Model (IAM). The acculturation patterns are discussed under three main headlines: language acquisition, social interaction and maternal employment. Within the context of IAM, our findings point to some degree of separationism of Turkish-Belgian families, while they perceive the Flemish majority to have an assimilationist attitude. This combination suggests a conflictual type of interaction. However, both parties also display some traits of integrationism, which points to the domain-specificity of interactive acculturation.

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