Data from Berlin (Germany) show a significant correlation between the increase in the stork population around the city and the increase in deliveries outside city hospitals (out-of-hospital deliveries). However, there is no correlation between deliveries in hospital buildings (clinical deliveries) and the stork population. The decline in the number of pairs of storks in the German state of Lowe...

Particulate phosphorus (PP) is often the largest component of the total phosphorus (P) load in stormwater. Fine-resolution measurement of particle sizes allows us to investigate the mechanisms behind the removal of PP in stormwater wetlands, since the diameter of particles influences the settling velocity and the amount of sorbed P on a particle. In this paper, we present a novel method to esti...

Road dust is composed by natural and anthropogenic particles, to be collected on surface and along roadsides. This material contributes significantly to atmospheric particulate matter by resuspension of finer particles [1]. In urban, suburban or industrial centers, it may even represents the dominant source of PM10 (particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 m). The objectives of this wor...

Microplastics contamination of Lake Ontario sediments is investigated with the aim of identifying distribution patterns and hotspots in nearshore, tributary and beach depositional environments. Microplastics are concentrated in nearshore sediments in the vicinity of urban and industrial regions. In Humber Bay and Toronto Harbour microplastic concentrations were consistently >500 particles per k...

the main goal of the present study was to implement a hybrid pattern of cellular automata model and particle swarm optimization algorithm based on tm and etm+ imagery of landsat satellite from 1988 to 2010 for simulating the urban sprawling. in this study, an alternative model was implemented in two ways: the first method was based on two images (1988 and 2010) and the second one was based on t...

Outdoor and indoor (subway) samples were collected by passive sampling in urban Seoul (Korea) and analyzed with computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (CCSEM-EDX). Soil/road dust particles accounted for 42%-60% (by weight) of fine particulate matter larger than 1 µm (PM(2.5-1.0)) in outdoor samples and 18% of PM2.5-1.0 in subway sample...

In regions where studded tyres and traction material are used during winter, e.g. the Nordic countries, northern part of USA, Canada, and Japan, mechanically generated particles from traffic are the main reason for high particle mass concentrations in busy street and road environments. In many Nordic municipalities the European environmental quality standard for inhalable particles (PM(10)) is ...

Rapid urbanization has made the inner city change quickly with the urban sprawl of the whole city. In China, a mass of urban renewal projects have been carried out for meeting the new need of people’s life. However, the traditional means of total renewal has destroyed the urban heritage seriously, which especially led to the diminishing of historical district space. It is urgent to protect and ...

Purpose Urban consolidation centres (UCCs) are often conceived to improve services in retail stores and potentially reduce costs. However, few studies have examined how retail stores perceive the services a UCC could provide. The purpose of this article is to explore retail stores’ potential demands for different services that a UCC could provide in order to foster the development and implement...

Social workers delivering services in health care settings face unique challenges and opportunities. The purpose of this study was to solicit input from social workers employed in urban hospitals about their perceptions of the roles, contribution, and professional functioning of social work in a rapidly changing health care environment. Using qualitative methods, the university and hospital-bas...