The relationship between urbanization and economic growth has been perplexing. In this paper, we identify the pattern of global change and the correlation of urbanization and economic growth, using cross-sectional, panel estimation and geographic information systems (GIS) methods. The analysis has been carried out on a global geographical scale, while the timescale of the study spans the last 30 years. The data shows that urbanization levels have changed substantially during these three decades. Empirical findings from cross-sectional data and panel data support the general notion of close links between urbanization levels and GDP per capita. However, we also present significant evidence that there is no correlation between urbanization speed and economic growth rate at the global level. Hence, we conclude that a given country cannot obtain the expected economic benefits from accelerated urbanization, especially if it takes the form of government-led urbanization. In addition, only when all facets are taken into consideration can we fully assess the urbanization process.
Bacterial strains that inhabit the gastrointestinal tracts of hominids have diversified in parallel (co-diversified) with their host species. The extent to which co-diversification has been mediated by partner fidelity between strains and hosts or by geographical distance between hosts is not clear due to a lack of strain-level data from clades of hosts with unconfounded phylogenetic relationships and geographical distributions. Here, I tested these competing hypotheses through meta-analyses of 7121 gut bacterial genomes assembled from wild-living ape species and subspecies sampled throughout their ranges in equatorial Africa. Across the gut bacterial phylogeny, strain diversification was more strongly associated with host phylogeny than with geography. In total, approximately 14% of the branch length of the gut bacterial phylogeny showed significant evidence of co-diversification independent of geography, whereas only approximately 4% showed significant evidence of diversification associated with geography independent of host phylogeny. Geographically co-occurring heterospecific hosts ( Pan and Gorilla ) universally maintained distinct co-diversified bacterial strains. Strains whose diversification was associated with geography independent of host phylogeny included clades of Proteobacteria known to adopt free-living lifestyles (e.g. Escherichia ). These results show that co-diversification of gut bacterial strains with hominids has been driven primarily by fidelity of strains to host lineages rather than geography.
Sen GAO, Jazmin Binti Mohamad JAAFAR, S. Siti SUHAILY
et al.
Purpose: This study aims to explore the continuity of Han Dynasty aesthetics in modern Chinese art and its influence
on contemporary urban landscapes. Han Dynasty, being the foundation of China history, was founded by Emperor Gaozu, whom
also stabiized and unified the land of China, similar to modern territory. By investigating the historical achievements and artistic
legacy of the Han Dynasty, the study seeks to identify key aesthetic principles, motifs, and techniques that continue to shape
modern Chinese art and urban design. Moreover, the research aims to understand the role of Confucianism and Daoism in
shaping Han Dynasty aesthetics and their enduring impact on cultural practices and urban development in China. Method: This
qualitative study conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, including urban planners, artists, policymakers, and
cultural practitioners in China. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, focusing on identifying patterns, themes,
and relationships related to Han Dynasty aesthetics, contemporary public art characteristics, cultural continuity, urban
development factors, and urban aesthetics. Findings: The findings of this study highlight the enduring influence of Han Dynasty
aesthetics on contemporary Chinese art and urban landscapes. Key themes include the integration of traditional motifs and
techniques into modern artistic expressions, the role of cultural continuity in shaping urban aesthetics, and the moderating
influence of urban development factors on the preservation and integration of Han Dynasty aesthetics within contemporary urban
environments. Implications/Originality: This research contributes to theoretical frameworks in art history, cultural studies, and
urban studies by providing new insights into the continuity of Han Dynasty aesthetics and its implications for modern Chinese
culture and society. Moreover, the findings have practical implications for policymakers, urban planners, artists, and cultural
practitioners involved in the development and management of urban environments in China. Overall, this study shows the farreaching impacts of Han Dynasty, spanning across time to affect the current society in the form of urban asthetics, cultures, and
even to the policymakers ; while adds to the understanding of the dynamic relationship between tradition and innovation in
Chinese art and culture and its significance for contemporary urban landscapes.
El contacto intergeneracional constituye una fuente de indudable valor para el aprendizaje geográfico. Las relaciones entre personas jóvenes y mayores ofrecen oportunidades didácticas que han sido aprovechadas con cierta frecuencia en contextos formativos informales; sin embargo, el impulso de proyectos educativos que faciliten el vínculo entre generaciones ha sido menos frecuente en el ámbito de la educación formal y es a partir de la última reforma normativa cuando su importancia aparece recogida en los currículos oficiales. La presente propuesta analiza el potencial de la perspectiva intergeneracional en el marco del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la Geografía y ofrece una experiencia práctica de su empleo en la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO). El proyecto “Cosechando experiencias” ha propiciado el acercamiento del alumnado a su entorno social mediante un proceso de aprendizaje activo, significativo y contextualizado que promueve actitudes de participación y transformación en el ámbito local y comunitario.
Adenauro Martini, Renato Ribeiro Guimarães, Dulce Maria Strieder
A abordagem dos aspectos históricos no Ensino de Ciências tem sido apresentada na literatura como um importante recurso pedagógico para promover a Educação Científica. Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar e analisar os principais aspectos históricos presentes nos livros didáticos, buscando compreender como as perspectivas e argumentos históricos estão incorporados no Ensino de Física. O estudo é norteado pela seguinte questão: Quais são os principais elementos históricos abordados na apresentação do conteúdo 'Leis de Newton' nos livros didáticos do Ensino Médio e suas implicações para o Ensino de Física? A pesquisa apresenta uma discussão teórica de natureza qualitativa, pautada metodologicamente numa Análise Documental. Os dados foram explorados por meio de categorias baseadas na Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin, 2016. A análise de livros didáticos evidenciou, em sua maioria, a ausência de contextualização dos aspectos históricos, fragilidades na indicação de fontes bibliográficas e na apresentação de histórias secundárias, essenciais para uma Educação Científica completa e para preparar os estudantes para enfrentar os desafios do século XXI. Os principais resultados mostram que existem desafios a serem enfrentados, como a necessidade de uma maior integração interdisciplinar e a inclusão de múltiplos atores históricos para uma visão mais abrangente da construção do conhecimento científico.
Food quality and safety are strongly related to human health. Food quality varies with variety and geographical origin, and food fraud is becoming a threat to domestic and global markets. Visible/infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging techniques, as rapid and non-destructive analytical methods, have been widely utilized to trace food varieties and geographical origins. In this review, we outline recent research progress on identifying food varieties and geographical origins using visible/infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging with the help of machine learning techniques. The applications of visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared spectroscopy as well as hyperspectral imaging techniques on crop food, beverage, fruits, nuts, meat, oil, and some other kinds of food are reviewed. Furthermore, existing challenges and prospects are discussed. In general, the existing machine learning techniques contribute to satisfactory classification results. Follow-up researches of food varieties and geographical origins traceability and development of real-time detection equipment are still in demand.
Abstract Using Chinese Social Survey data for 6205 geographically distributed rural households, this paper assesses the impact of Internet usage on social fairness perceptions (SFPs) among Chinese farmers. To address the potential selection bias associated with voluntary Internet usage, the analysis employs an endogenous ordered probit model whose results suggest that, in general, Internet usage has a statistically significant and negative impact on farmer SFPs. Nonetheless, an additional disaggregated analysis reveals that this impact is heterogeneous among different age groups and geographic regions, as well as between male and female household heads.
Abstract. As an important part of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Question Answering (QA) aims at generating answers to questions phrased in natural language. While there has been substantial progress in open-domain question answering, QA systems are still struggling to answer questions which involve geographic entities or concepts and that require spatial operations. In this paper, we discuss the problem of geographic question answering (GeoQA). We first investigate the reasons why geographic questions are difficult to answer by analyzing challenges of geographic questions. We discuss the uniqueness of geographic questions compared to general QA. Then we review existing work on GeoQA and classify them by the types of questions they can address. Based on this survey, we provide a generic classification framework for geographic questions. Finally, we conclude our work by pointing out unique future research directions for GeoQA.
This paper takes a new look at the economic potential of investment decisions to optimize the transport system by minimizing the organizational and operational costs of cargo routing. We present a methodology of scenario forecasting based on statistical methods. Its application makes it possible to achieve a result using the optimal trend function. At the same time, correcting additive and multiplicative parameters allows gaining a given accuracy. The precision and the accuracy of the forecasting model were checked by both additional resulting indicators and the distribution of the model residuals. The simulated scenario forecast of freight turnover was used to formulate the conditions of the transport problem within a certain transport system, limited infrastructure, and the capabilities of a particular carrier. The solution to the transport problem with dynamic adjustment of restrictions determined the possibility of altering the number of routes for the transport work plan. Thus, the dynamics of transportation costs with a certain cargo turnover in various scenarios and an adjustable number of routes with changing restrictions on the throughput and carrying capacity of the transport system and a specific transport market entity will have a significant impact on the economic efficiency of the transportation. The findings of the study demonstrated a need for investment analysis of the possible removing some restrictions on throughput and carrying capacity in a certain economic situation, taking into account the development potential of both an entity and the transport system in general.
Geographic Variation in Prevalence of Adult Obesity in China: Results From the 2013–2014 National Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance Background: Obesity prevalence has grown rapidly worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the global prevalence of obesity nearly doubled between 1980 and 2008. This increase in obesity prevalence has been observed in China as well, but most national efforts have focused on childhood obesity (1). Data from the first China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance (CCDRFS) in 2004 indicate that the prevalence of general obesity (defined as a body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m) among adults was 3.3% and that 25.9% of participants were considered to have abdominal obesity on the basis of criteria at that time (a waist circumference [WC] ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women). The more recent national estimates of adult obesity in China, which lack provincial prevalence estimates, were made in 2007 and 2010 and indicate that the prevalence of general obesity was 3.1% and 5.2%, respectively, and the prevalence of abdominal obesity 27.5% and 32.3%, respectively. An updated estimate is urgently needed to develop more efficient health interventions and policies. Objective: To estimate the national and provincial prevalence of general and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults and by sex. Methods and Findings: The CCDRFS is an official, nationally representative, successive, cross-sectional survey that has been done every 3 years since 2004. We used the wave of CCDRFS conducted from August 2013 to April 2014. The CCDRFS uses a complex, multistage, probability sampling design to provide a representative sample of Chinese adults aged 18 years or older (2). Anthropometric variables were measured on the day of the face-to-face interview. After participants removed heavy clothes and shoes, trained personnel used standardized techniques and protocols to measure height, weight, and WC to the nearest 0.1 cm, 0.1 kg, and 0.1 cm, respectively. The BMI was calculated by dividing weight (in kilograms) by squared height (in meters). Current Chinese criteria define general obesity as a BMI of 28 kg/m or higher and abdominal obesity as a WC of at least 90 cm for men and at least 85 cm for women. According to criteria from the World Health Organization, general obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m or higher; according to criteria from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, abdominal obesity is defined as a WC of at least 102 cm for men and at least 88 cm for women. After exclusion of 1694 persons with missing anthropometric measurements (weight, height, or WC), 174 840 participants were included in the analysis. The study protocol was approved by the ethical review committee of the National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. All participants provided written informed consent. The weighted prevalence of general and abdominal obesity at the province level was calculated and mapped by sex, where survey weights accounted for the complex survey design and nonresponse, and prevalence estimates were nationally representative of the Chinese adult popuFigure 1. The weighted prevalence (95% CI) of general obesity in men (A), general obesity in women (B), abdominal obesity in men (C), and abdominal obesity in women (D) across provinces of China.
El objetivo de este artículo es proponer un marco conceptual y teórico para entender las percepciones, las actitudes y los tipos de masculinidades como aspectos que pueden presentarse entre la población y la adopción de medidas en materia de población en Costa Rica durante la segunda mitad del siglo xx. La construcción de la propuesta se hizo a partir de la revisión de bibliografía secundaria. La principal reflexión es, a pesar de que en Costa Rica no hubo una política con objetivos específicos para controlar la natalidad, si se dio la creación de una serie de instituciones con objetivos en materia de población. En el actuar individual ante dichas instituciones y objetivos, mediado por el contexto y por el impulso del Estado (de todo el aparato desarrollado entre las instituciones nacionales e internacionales) se ponen en evidencia las percepciones, actitudes y roles de género, así como la influencia de actores como la iglesia católica.
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation, Political science (General)
Georgia Day, Richard A. Fuller, Cassandra Nichols
et al.
Abstract The biodiversity crisis poses a real and present global threat to humanity. The acceleration of species and ecosystem decline coupled with climate change suggests that as it stands, nature cannot absorb the pressure humanity is placing on the planet. Bold new approaches to biodiversity conservation are needed. Promoting an engaged community is an important part of achieving conservation outcomes. Research shows that citizen science has the potential to elicit conservation engagement. However, research has not specifically explored how intensive citizen science expedition programs contribute to change. Here we use transformative learning theory as a tool to investigate how participation in citizen science programs influences conservation engagement. We analysed evaluation surveys of Earthwatch Institute citizen science participants (N = 608) and conducted in‐depth interviews (N = 11), to examine the links between citizen science experiences and engagement outcomes. We discovered that while nature‐based components of citizen science programs attract participants and create a salient environment for transformation, these are not objectively associated with engagement outcomes. Strengthened awareness was associated with learning, social interactions and cultural experiences, whereas intentions to engage in conservation action was only influenced by experiencing a sense of contribution. Rather than focusing only on learning and nature experiences, our results suggest that the elements of citizen science programs which support social change may require allowing participants to develop a sense of contribution amid an interactive social environment. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.