scholarly journals Vegetation and microclimate in open urban areas. Cuiabá, Mato Grosso - Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1089-1099
Author(s):  
Maria Corette Pasa ◽  
Lucas Henrique Vieira Lenci ◽  
Nhaára Da Vila Pereira ◽  
Rosenil Antonia de Oliveira Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Significant Difference

The influence of vegetation on the reduction of heat in open urban environments by providing a milder and more pleasant microclimate is highlighted in modern science. The objective of this study was to evaluate the trend of microclimatic variables and thermal comfort, in the Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT campus, in open spaces (forest fragment, cerrado and paved) with and without afforestation. Three collection points were selected in open spaces (wooded and without afforestation) at the UFMT campus in Cuiabá. To record the data, we used the Alloet Thermohigrometer mini-markers, model TA-318 with 0.1%. The collections took place in May of 2018, period that begins the local winter. The microclimatic variables such as air temperature, relative humidity (%), wind speed, ultraviolet index and chance of rain were analyzed daily from 09:00 to 17:00 for 15 days. The results highlight the importance of the shade provided by the tree vegetation in the forest fragment, which revealed a significant difference for the thermal comfort in relation to the other sample points and without afforestation. The microclimatic parameters present variations of the temperature and relative humidity of the air at the points allocated, with emphasis on the thermal comfort sensation for the wooded area. The research also suggests new scientific investments in studies on urban micro-climates as a way to stimulate and raise awareness of the importance of vegetation in thermal comfort, which can directly reflect the health and well-being of people in general. 

scholarly journals Parasites of Zoonotic Interest Detected in Felis catus domesticus in Midwestern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Stephanie Ballatore Holland Lins ◽  
Maria Elizabeth Cavalheiros Dorval ◽  
Elenir Rose Jardim Cury Pontes ◽  
Ana Paula Antunes Nogueira ◽  
Eduardo de Castro Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Aelurostrongylus Abstrusus ◽  
Parasitic Species ◽  
Dipylidium Caninum ◽  
Parasitic Zoonoses ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

Interactions between humans and animals can be considerably beneficial to human well-being, and the demand for domestic cats as pets has increased in recent years. Despite these benefits, however, cats may  contribute to environmental dissemination of zoonotic pathogens, with potential risks to human health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and diversity of feline parasites of zoonotic interest in Campo Grande, the capital city of Mato Grosso do Sul state, Midwestern Brazil, where studies on feline parasitic fauna remain scarce. Fecal samples from 210 male and female cats of varying ages, sheltered at the local Center for Zoonosis Control, were examined. Spontaneous and ether centrifugal sedimentation were used to detect the parasites, found in 149 animals (71.0%), 93 (62.4%) of which were infected with a single parasitic species and 56 (37.6%) with two or more species. Ten parasitic species were detected, where Ancylostoma sp. was the most frequent (65.2%), followed by Platynosomum concinnum (21.0%), Cystoisospora sp. (7.1%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (1.9%), Strongyloides sp. (1.9%), Dipylidium caninum (1.4%), Giardia sp. (1.0%), Toxocara sp. (1.0%), Physaloptera praeputialis (1.0%), and Sarcocystis sp. (0.5%). The results obtained are relevant to human and veterinary public health policies and demonstrate the cats’ role in the transmission chain of parasitic zoonoses, particularly in urban areas. The findings can also serve to raise awareness among veterinarians and cat owners on the importance of preventive interventions to ensure healthier cohabitation with pets by reducing human exposure to cat borne parasites in urban areas.   Keywords: Zoonoses. Felines. Helminths. Protozoa. One Health. Resumo As interações entre humanos e animais podem ser consideravelmente benéficas para o bem-estar humano, e a demanda por gatos domésticos como animais de estimação aumentou nos últimos anos. Apesar desses benefícios, no entanto, os gatos podem contribuir para a disseminação ambiental de patógenos zoonóticos, com riscos potenciais para a saúde humana. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a prevalência e diversidade de parasitos de interesse zoonótico em felinos de Campo Grande, capital do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, no Centro-Oeste do Brasil, onde estudos sobre a fauna parasitária felina permanecem escassos. Foram examinadas amostras fecais de 210 gatos machos e fêmeas de idades variadas, abrigados no Centro de Controle de Zoonoses local. Sedimentação espontânea e sedimentação por centrifugação em éter foram utilizadas para detectar os parasitos, encontrados em 149 animais (71,0%), 93 (62,4%) dos quais foram infectados com uma única espécie parasitária e 56 (37,6%) com duas ou mais espécies. Foram detectadas dez espécies parasitárias, sendo Ancylostoma sp. o mais frequente (65,2%), seguido por Platynosomum concinnum (21,0%), Cystoisospora sp. (7,1%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (1,9%), Strongyloides sp. (1,9%), Dipylidium caninum (1,4%), Giardia sp. (1,0%), Toxocara sp. (1,0%), Physaloptera praeputialis (1,0%) e Sarcocystis sp. (0,5%). Os resultados obtidos são relevantes para as políticas de saúde pública humana e veterinária e demonstram o papel dos gatos na cadeia de transmissão das zoonoses parasitárias, principalmente nas áreas urbanas. As descobertas também podem servir para conscientizar os veterinários e donos de gatos da importância de intervenções preventivas para garantir uma coabitação mais saudável com animais de estimação, reduzindo a exposição humana a parasitos transmitidos por gatos em áreas urbanas.   Palavras-chave:  Zoonoses. Felinos. Helmintos. Protozoários. Saúde Única.

Understanding the Role of Urban Morphology and Green Areas Configuration During Heat Waves

2020 ◽  
pp. 502-517
Author(s):  
Marialuce Stanganelli ◽  
Carlo Gerundo
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Statistical Correlation ◽  
Urban Morphology ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
Planning Strategies

This paper focuses on urban planning strategies to adapt cities to the increasing rising of temperatures during summer heat waves. The main target is to investigate which configuration and distribution pattern of green spaces could effectively improve natural cooling of urban environments. Although the benefit that green areas give to natural cooling is well known, this kind of studies has hardly been carried out, especially at an urban scale where it is crucial to define quantities and density of green areas to address open spaces design. To reach this goal, a methodology based on the interpretation of the statistical correlation among temperature, urban parameters and green areas configurational indicators was implemented and applied to the case study of the Municipality of Naples, performing all the analysis in a GIS. Results provide guidelines to improve natural cooling in urban areas adopting the most effective configuration and distribution of green areas within a densely-built context.

scholarly journals CHARACTERIZATION OF CANINE LEISHMANIASIS BY PCR-RFLP IN CUIABA, MATO GROSSO, BRAZIL

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arleana Do Bom Parto Ferreira Almeida ◽  
Daphine Ariadne Jesus de Paula ◽  
Valéria Dutra ◽  
Edson Moleta Colodel ◽  
Luciano Nakazato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Canine Leishmaniasis ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Surrounding Area ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pcr Rflp ◽  
Cutaneous Form ◽  
Canine Infection

Leishmaniases are neglected zoonoses that are increasing in Brazil. The dog is considered the main reservoir of the visceral form in urban areas of Brazil and also important in maintaining the cycle of transmission of the cutaneous form in endemic areas. We used PCR-RFLP to identify the species of Leishmania involved in canine infection in Cuiaba City, Mato Grosso. Samples of bone marrow and lymph were collected from 181 dogs, of which 7.2% tested positive with indirect immunofluorescence and 24.9% using PCR-RFLP; a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05), had been possible to characterize the species Leishmania (L.) chagasi. This will aid in developing prevention measures and in the control of disease in Cuiaba and the surrounding area.

scholarly journals Mental Health & Resiliency: Designing Participatory Nature Dependent Environments and Communities for a Sustainable Future

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Beam ◽  
Nawari O. Nawari ◽  
Bill Tilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Community Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Natural Environments

Sustainable design trends have historically wended down a road that supports the idea of densely populated urban planning as a strategy for mitigating sprawl. Creation of dense urban areas aims at the reduction of carbon emissions. However, studies show that densely populated areas often come with a panacea of mental health, resiliency, and quality of life ails for a community.The following research explores the possibility of combining densely populated design approaches with ancient community planning methods that encourage relationship building: close contact with natural environments and social interchange. Community planning that also creates a day to day contact with nature could be a crucial strategy for both sustaining healthy ecosystems and the development of sustainable communities. The potential for integrating dependence upon nature within built urban environments, as well as the possibility of positive place-making by harvesting nature dependent cultural and social assets in communities and neighborhoods, is, therefore, a wealthy area worthy of exploration.To explore these areas, mental health research on the effects of nature on the brain, as well as the three leading determinants of social, environmental and economic well-being, worldwide, and the founding cultures of these determinants were reviewed. Resilient indigenous groups and case studies of the happiest nation, of Norway and two leading environmentally sustainable and resilient countries, Costa Rica, Cuba, and New Mexico are examined. The paper provides recommendations for improving mental health and resilience by integrating strategies for nature and community needs in urban planning and built environments design.

Adventure Education

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Mitten ◽  
Lewis Ting On Cheung ◽  
Wanglin Yan ◽  
Robert Withrow-Clark
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Adventure Education ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Environmental Behaviors ◽  
Urban Environmental Education ◽  
Group Experiences

This chapter examines the benefits of adventure education and of pairing adventure and environmental education in urban environments. By participating in outdoor activities, people learn about their surroundings and places they might not otherwise visit. These group experiences enhance social ties and may promote pro-environmental behaviors, which contribute to ecosystem health and human well-being as well as urban sustainability. Benefits of adventure education include positive relationships with self, other people, places, and the natural world. After explaining what adventure education is, the chapter considers adventure education in urban areas such as metropolitan Hong Kong, Minneapolis (Minnesota), and Japan. It shows that adventure education can be used by educators as a catalyst for urban environmental education.

Índice de Temperatura e Umidade (ITU) Visando o Conforto Térmico para o Parque Mãe Bonifácia, Cuiabá-MT

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Jonathan Willian Zangeski Novais ◽  
Ana Carolina Amorim Marques ◽  
Angelica Yara Siqueira ◽  
Nathalia Martins da Silva Reis ◽  
Susana Pacheco Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Parks ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Urban Region ◽  
General Average ◽  
Lower Temperature

A temática sobre parques em áreas urbanas é extremamente importante, permitindo diversas reflexões e perspectivas de análise. Neste trabalho, procura-se dar ênfase e articular discussões acerca dos benefícios ambientais proporcionados por parques urbanos e suas contribuições para a qualidade de vida da população, bem como avaliar o conforto térmico pelo índice de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar - ITU, verificando-se os horários pertinentes para prática de atividades físicas e de lazer pela população. O parque Mãe Bonifácia desempenha diferentes funções no espaço urbano devido a vegetação arbórea que o constitui, dentre estas os benefícios para a qualidade ambiental, para a saúde e bem-estar da população. Os índices de temperatura e umidade obtidos resultaram em valores mais amenos de temperatura e mais elevados de umidade e, consequentemente, maior conforto térmico no interior do parque em comparação aos valores obtidos na média geral de toda região urbana.Partindo-se desta premissa, é de extrema relevância estudos, que discutam a importância destas áreas no espaço urbano. Palavras-chave: Parques Urbanos. Ilha de Calor. Qualidade de Vida.AbstractThe issue on parks in urban areas is extremely important,allowing multiple looks and analytical perspectives. In this work, it was sought to emphasize and articulate discussions about the environmental benefits provided by urban parks and their contributions to the population’squality of life, to evaluate the thermal comfort by the index of temperature and relative humidity of the air (ITU), being verified, the pertinent schedules for practice of physical activities and leisure by the population. Mãe Bonifácia park has different functions in the urban space due to the arboreal vegetation that constitutes it, among them benefits for the environmental quality, for the population’s health and well-being. The temperature and humidity indices obtained resulted in lower temperature values and higher humidity and consequently, greater thermal comfort within the park compared to values obtained in the general average of the entire urban region. Starting from this premise, it isextremely relevant that studies discuss the priority to non-urban space areas. It is important to emphasize the importance that park users must have when carrying out activities after 10 o’clock, mainly in relation to the use of sunscreen, use of light clothes and light colors and constant hydration, to relieve discomfort generated at these times.Keywords: Urban Parks. Heat Island. Quality of Life.

ESTABLISHING THE WELL-BEING OF THE RURAL-URBAN ELDERLY POPULATION: A CASE STUDY OF INDONESIA

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (02) ◽  
pp. 105-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAIDATULAKMAL MOHD ◽  
AZLINDA AZMAN ◽  
JAMALLUDIN SULAIMAN ◽  
ISMAIL BABA
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Urban Elderly ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Significant Difference

This study determines and compares the influence of various demographic factors in achieving well-being of the elderly population in the rural and urban areas in Indonesia. Age, marital status, social class, perceived health and economic condition are some of the main contributing factors in measuring well-being. In addition, social aspects such as living and familial arrangement were also investigated to establish elderly population well being. Data were collected using a survey-interview method. A total of 157 elderly in the urban areas and 145 elderly in the rural areas were surveyed. A causal model of well-being was employed to analyse the data obtained. The model of well-being was then tested using path analysis to test the causal relationships among the variables. Although the study indicated that there was no significant difference of well-being between the rural and urban elderly, the social support variables generally help improve the well-being of the elderly population.

scholarly journals Mapping Local Climate Zones and Their Applications in European Urban Environments: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Development Trends

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
Michal Lehnert ◽  
Stevan Savić ◽  
Dragan Milošević ◽  
Jelena Dunjić ◽  
Jan Geletič
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Zones ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Local Climate Zones ◽  
Scale Modelling

In the light of climate change and burgeoning urbanization, heat loads in urban areas have emerged as serious issues, affecting the well-being of the population and the environment. In response to a pressing need for more standardised and communicable research into urban climate, the concept of local climate zones (LCZs) has been created. This concept aims to define the morphological types of (urban) surface with respect to the formation of local climatic conditions, largely thermal. This systematic review paper analyses studies that have applied the concept of LCZs to European urban areas. The methodology utilized pre-determined keywords and five steps of literature selection. A total of 91 studies were found eligible for analysis. The results show that the concept of LCZs has been increasingly employed and become well established in European urban climate research. Dozens of measurements, satellite observations, and modelling outcomes have demonstrated the characteristic thermal responses of LCZs in European cities. However, a substantial number of the studies have concentrated on the methodological development of the classification process, generating a degree of inconsistency in the delineation of LCZs. Recent trends indicate an increasing prevalence of the accessible remote-sensing based approach over accurate GIS-based methods in the delineation of LCZs. In this context, applications of the concept in fine-scale modelling appear limited. Nevertheless, the concept of the LCZ has proven appropriate and valuable to the provision of metadata for urban stations, (surface) urban heat island analysis, and the assessment of outdoor thermal comfort and heat risk. Any further development of LCZ mapping appears to require a standardised objective approach that may be globally applicable.

scholarly journals Urban Open Space as a Place for Social and Physical Well-being: Narratives from two Different Urban Settings of Kathmandu, Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Prasad Timalsina
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Urban Settings ◽  
Urban Open Space ◽  
Urban Greenery ◽  
Conversational Interviews

Increasing population and densification of the cities lead to increasing land value by the high demand of land for housing and other infrastructure developments are the reasons that tend to decreasing open spaces in Kathmandu Valley in general, and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) in particular.  Urban open space has been considered as a place that is accessible to all residents and is important in the urban context as such space provides an opportunity as a place for social interaction, networking, recreation, and various physical health exercises. However, different social and economic contexts of the society reflect different patterns of its uses. Two different urban settings (core urban area having indigenous dominant population and fringe urban areas having migrants’ dominant population) have been taken as a basis for analysis in this paper to look at how different urban societies use open spaces differently. Open spaces are not only important for maintaining urban greenery and beauty but are valued for accumulating social capital and enhancing physical well-being to the urban communities. These issues are analyzed through the interpretative research methodology by collecting the data through in-depth interviews, key informants’ interviews, informal conversational interviews, and non-participatory observation from two different urban settings of KMC. 

scholarly journals Sky View Factors from Synthetic Fisheye Photos for Thermal Comfort Routing—A Case Study in Phoenix, Arizona

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Middel ◽  
Jonas Lukasczyk ◽  
Ross Maciejewski
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Routing Algorithm ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
View Factor

The Sky View Factor (SVF) is a dimension-reduced representation of urban form and one of the major variables in radiation models that estimate outdoor thermal comfort. Common ways of retrieving SVFs in urban environments include capturing fisheye photographs or creating a digital 3D city or elevation model of the environment. Such techniques have previously been limited due to a lack of imagery or lack of full scale detailed models of urban areas. We developed a web based tool that automatically generates synthetic hemispherical fisheye views from Google Earth at arbitrary spatial resolution and calculates the corresponding SVFs through equiangular projection. SVF results were validated using Google Maps Street View and compared to results from other SVF calculation tools. We generated 5-meter resolution SVF maps for two neighborhoods in Phoenix, Arizona to illustrate fine-scale variations of intra-urban horizon limitations due to urban form and vegetation. To demonstrate the utility of our synthetic fisheye approach for heat stress applications, we automated a radiation model to generate outdoor thermal comfort maps for Arizona State University’s Tempe campus for a hot summer day using synthetic fisheye photos and on-site meteorological data. Model output was tested against mobile transect measurements of the six-directional radiant flux density. Based on the thermal comfort maps, we implemented a pedestrian routing algorithm that is optimized for distance and thermal comfort preferences. Our synthetic fisheye approach can help planners assess urban design and tree planting strategies to maximize thermal comfort outcomes and can support heat hazard mitigation in urban areas.

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