Spatial Pattern Evolution and Influencing Factors on Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in Small Town Areas under the Background of Rapid Industrialization.

To promote sustainable agricultural development in small town areas during rapid industrialization, it is important to study the evolution of agricultural non-point source pollution (ANSP) and its influencing factors in small town areas in the context of rapid industrialization. The non-point source inventory method was used to study the characteristics of ANSP evolution in 14 small town areas in Gongyi City from 2002 to 2019. Using the spatial Durbin model and geographical detectors, the factors influencing ANSP in small town areas were analyzed in terms of spatial spillover effects and the spatial stratified heterogeneity. The results showed a zigzagging downward trend of ANSP equivalent emissions over time. Spatially, the equivalent emissions of ANSP showed a distribution pattern of being high in the west and low in the east. There was a significant positive global spatial autocorrelation feature and there was an inverted "U-shaped" Environmental Kuznets Curve relationship between industrialization and ANSP. Affluence, population size, and cropping structure positively contributed to the reduction of ANSP. Population size, land size, and industrialization were highly influential factors affecting the spatial variation of ANSP and the interaction of these factors was bivariate or nonlinearly enhanced. This study provides a feasible reference for policymakers and managers to develop reasonable management measures to mitigate ANSP in small town areas during rapid industrialization.

Social innovation and food provisioning initiatives to reduce food insecurity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This paper examines food provisioning initiatives that were implemented to reduce food insecurity during the period of the spread of Covid-19. Food insecurity increased sharply during this time, particularly among those who contracted the virus and had to remain in quarantine, and those who suddenly lost their jobs. As a possible solution to alleviate the problem, voluntary organisations collected food from stores with surplus produce (such as restaurants that were forced to close, supermarkets, etc.) and redistributed it to people in need. This redistribution occurred in several Italian cities, including Cremona, which was one of the first towns in Italy to be dramatically affected by the pandemic. Looking through the lens of social innovation theory, this paper analyses redistribution initiatives in this town and assesses their capacity to enhance their impact on social wellbeing and to involve local society in response to social challenges. Thanks to desk research and interviews with several volunteers, it demonstrates that these initiatives are good examples of social innovation, as they address emerging social challenges and generate benefits for the entire society (not just food aid recipients), reconfigure previous aid models, actively involve local population, and assume educational and social assistance purposes.

Gossip and Addiction Recovery in Rural Communities.

Features of rural life, such as low population density and greater distances from urban areas, could worsen the prospects of addiction recovery for rural residents. Gossip is a central feature of rural life, and studies have shown that being the target of it can worsen health and well-being. However, no previous study has focused on the impact of gossip on addiction in rural communities. The current study employed semi-structured interviews with individuals in recovery, as well as addiction providers, to create a conceptual model of the relationship between gossip and addiction recovery in a rural region of Minnesota. The conceptual model depicted a bi-directional relationship between the individual and the community and suggested that gossip transforms from negative to positive over the course of addiction, early recovery, and long-term recovery. These data demonstrate that education at both the community and individual levels could support the transition to long-term recovery.

Effect of operational strategies on microbial water quality in small scale intermittent water supply systems: The case of Moamba, Mozambique.

Intermittent drinking water supply affects the health of over 300 million people globally. In Mozambique, it is largely practiced in cities and small towns. This results in frequent microbial contamination of the supplied drinking water posing a health risk to consumers. In Moamba, a small town in Southern Mozambique with 2,500 water connections, the impact of changes in operational strategies, namely increased chlorine dosage, increased supply duration and first-flush, on the microbial water quality was studied to determine best practices. To that aim, water quality monitoring was enhanced to provide sufficient data on the microbial contamination from 452 samples under the different strategies. The water at the outlet of the water treatment plant during all strategies was free of E. coli complying to the national standards. However, E. coli could be detected at household level. By increasing the chlorine dosage, the number of samples that showed E. coli absence increased at the two sampling locations in the distribution network: in Cimento from 72% to 83% and in Matadouro from 52% to 86%. Modifying the number and duration of supply cycles showed a different impact on the water quality at both locations in the distribution network. A positive effect was shown in Cimento, where the mean concentrations decreased slightly from 0.54 to 0.23 CFU/100 mL and 16.7 to 7.3 CFU/100 mL for E. coli and total coliforms respectively. The percentage of samples positive for bacteria was, however, similar. In contrast, a negative effect was shown in Matadouro where the percentage of positive samples increased and the mean bacterial concentrations increased slightly: E. coli from 0.9 to 1.5 CFU/100 mL and total coliforms 17.6 to 23.0 CFU/100 mL. Enhanced water quality monitoring improved operational strategies safeguarding the microbial water quality. The E. coli contamination of the drinking water at household level could point at recontamination in the distribution or unsafe hygienic practices at household level. Presence of faecal contamination at household level indicates potential presence of pathogens posing a health risk to consumers. Increasing chlorine dosage ensured good microbiological drinking water quality but changing the number of supply cycles had no such effect.

Small Towns and Land Reform in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's land reform from 2000 radically transformed the agrarian structure, and with this small towns in rural areas. This article explores three such towns-Mvurwi, Chatsworth and Maphisa-examining changes in population, housing, transport and business activity between 2000 and 2020. Case studies highlight the importance of networks and social relationships between rural and urban areas, linked to new patterns of migration and a massive growth in the informal economy. Despite the lack of state investment in basic infrastructure, the economies of these small towns have grown significantly, with a major shift in agrarian relations generating new economic activity and employment. This suggests the potential of a territorial focus for local economic development following land reform, encompassing both urban and rural areas.

La reforme rurale du Zimbabwe a, à partir de l'année 2000, radicalement transformé la structure agraire, et avec celle-ci les petites villages dans les zones rurales. Cet article explore trois parmi ces villages - Mvurwi, Chatsworth and Maphisa ­ en examinant les changements de population, de logement, de transport et d'activité commerciale entre 2000 et 2020. Etudes de cas soulignent l'importance des réseaux et relations sociales entre les zones rurales et urbaines, associés aux nouveaux modèles de migration et à la croissance massive de l'économie parallèle. En dépit de la manque d'investissement publique dans les infrastructures de base, les économies des petites villes étudiés a augmenté de manière considérable, avec un changement important dans les relations agraires, ce qui a généré des nouvelles activités économiques et des nouveaux emplois. Ceci suggère que, suite a des reformes rurales, viser un axe territorial (qui comprend des zones urbaines et rurales) offre du potentiel au développement économique locale.

Earthquake-strengthening policy for commercial buildings in small-town New Zealand.

New Zealand introduced a seismic retrofitting policy in the wake of the catastrophic Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-11. The aim was to enforce seismic strengthening of earthquake-prone commercial buildings throughout the country. This study focuses on regional urban centres and the economic obstacles to strengthening their aging building stock. In investigating one town, Whanganui, we describe conditions, analyse cases, and identify incentives that apply equally to many other towns in New Zealand. We argue that incentives that suit high-growth, high-value major urban centres are a poor fit for the periphery. Around the world, many places need to upgrade their privately-owned building stock to protect it from disasters, while governments face similar challenges as they struggle to initiate the strengthening of commercial buildings. We analyse the current incentive schemes that aim to support the achievement of policy goals and suggest alternative incentive schemes that can be implemented to improve strengthening outcomes.

What Proportion Counts? Disaggregating Access to Safely Managed Sanitation in an Emerging Town in Tanzania.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 sets an ambitious target of leaving no-one without adequate and equitable sanitation by 2030. The key concern is the lack of local human and financial capital to fund the collection of reliable information to monitor progress towards the goal. As a result, national and local records may be telling a different story of the proportion of safely managed sanitation that counts towards achieving the SDG. This paper unveils such inconsistency in sanitation data generated by urban authorities and proposes a simple approach for collecting reliable and verifiable information on access to safely managed sanitation. The paper is based on a study conducted in Babati Town Council in Tanzania. Using a smartphone-based survey tool, city health officers were trained to map 17,383 housing units in the town. A housing unit may comprise of two or more households. The findings show that 5% practice open defecation, while 82% of the housing units have some form of sanitation. Despite the extensive coverage, only 31% of the fecal sludge generated is safely contained, while 64% is not. This study demonstrates the possibility of using simple survey tools to collect reliable data for monitoring progress towards safely managed sanitation in the towns of global South.

Determinants of high availability of methamphetamine, cannabis, LSD and ecstasy in New Zealand: Are drug dealers promoting methamphetamine rather than cannabis?

BACKGROUND: Small towns in New Zealand have reported high availability of methamphetamine, and conversely a shortage of cannabis. Stakeholders have suggested drug dealers are purposely promoting methamphetamine rather than cannabis. AIMS: (1) To compare the availability of methamphetamine and cannabis in different size communities; (2) Identify determinants of the high availability of methamphetamine, including low availability of cannabis. METHOD: An online drug survey was promoted via a broadly targeted Facebook™ campaign. Participants were asked if they lived in a "city", "small town" or "rural area", their drug use patterns, and local drug market characteristics, including current availability. A total of 6311 people completed the survey. Logistic regression models were constructed to identify independent predictors of reporting high availability of methamphetamine, cannabis, ecstasy and LSD respectively, with low availability of cannabis included as a predictor in the non-cannabis markets. RESULTS: Methamphetamine was reported to be more available than cannabis in all regions. Methamphetamine was more available in towns/rural areas than in cities. Significant predictors of high availability of methamphetamine were living in a town/rural area (OR = 1.38), purchasing from a gang member (OR = 1.88), daily methamphetamine use (OR = 2.41), Maori ethnicity (OR = 1.36) and reporting low availability of cannabis (OR = 1.89). Low availability of cannabis was not a predictor of high availability of ecstasy or LSD. Living in a town/rural area was not a predictor of high availability of cannabis, LSD or ecstasy. Purchasing from a gang member was a predictor of high availability of cannabis (OR = 1.80) and LSD (OR = 4.61). CONCLUSIONS: Further research is required to identify what causal relationships, if any, there are between the statistical associations of high methamphetamine availability, living in a small town, purchasing from a gang, and low cannabis availability. It may be the case that small towns offer an environment where a gang can control the local drugs market.

Uma contribuição da metodologia Peir para o estudo de uma pequena cidade na Amazônia: Ponta de Pedras, Pará / A contribution from the DPSIR methodology to the study of a small town in the Amazon: Ponta de Pedras, Pará, Brazil

Resumo Este artigo objetivou analisar a contribuição da metodologia Peir para estudo de uma pequena cidade da Amazônia a partir da análise do modo de vida da população. Como procedimento metodológico procurou-se entender a relação entre aspectos de urbanização conectados à globalização e saúde da população dessa cidade. Foram obtidos dados em campo, os quais permitiram analisar a situação de saúde em dois setores urbanos. A metodologia Pressão-Estado-Impacto-Resposta (Peir), desenvolvida pelo Programa das Nações Unidas para o Meio Ambiente (Pnuma) e adaptada pela Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE), servirá de suporte para a compreensão dos impactos na saúde da população a partir do acesso a infraestruturas disponíveis, entre elas o abastecimento de água. O local de estudo é cidade de Ponta de Pedras, situada na Ilha do Marajó, estado do Pará, Brasil. Como resultado nota-se a necessidade de intervenções imediatas por parte do poder público para minimizar os impactos das condições de vulnerabilidade sobre as populações.

Abstract This article aimed to analyze DPSIR approach's contribution in an Amazonian small town, according to the local people's lives. As methodological procedure, we sought to understand the relation between urbanization aspects connected to globalization and the population health of said small town. For this research, data were obtained in field, which allowed an analysis of the health situation in two urban sectors. The DPSIR methodology - Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response, developed by United Nations Environment (UNE) and adapted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), will serve as support for the understanding of impacts on the population's health, analyzing issues as access to available infrastructure, including water supply. As a result, Ponta de Pedras town, located in Marajó Island (PA), Brazil - where the research was performed -, requires an immediate intervention from the public authorities to minimize impacts of population's exposure to vulnerable conditions.

Isochrones as Indicators of the Influence of Traffic in Public Health: A Visual Simulation Application in Ávila, Spain.

It is well known that excessive rescue times after traffic accidents negatively affect the health of those injured. There is a need to quantitatively measure the impact of unexpected events like ambulance availability, weather, floating population and congestion in those rescue times. A family of indicators based on isochrones is disguised and proposed to understand the risk of the whole population as the probability of not being assisted on time. Indicators of health risk for local towns are also defined. The indicators are calculated using a simulation model and visualized in web format. The framework of analysis is validated using Ávila (Spain) and the problem of the optimal deployment of ambulances as a test-bench.

Avaliação da satisfação do usuário do Programa de Saúde da Família na zona rural de dois pequenos municípios do Rio Grande do Norte / Evaluation of user's satisfaction with the Family Health Program in the rural area of two smalls cities in Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil

Este estudo objetiva avaliar a satisfação do usuário quanto ao cuidado do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) de dois pequenos municípios do Rio Grande do Norte. Foi realizado um Estudo de Caso entre outubro e dezembro de 2007 utilizando 4 grupos focais com 60 usuários. O método de análise foi o de conteúdo, com as seguintes categorias: concepções sobre necessidades de saúde e PSF; integralidade do cuidado (acolhimento, vínculo, visita domiciliar), ações de promoção da saúde, facilidades e dificuldades em relação aos atendimentos, e participação social. Os resultados mostraram: percepção das necessidades de saúde como assistência; desconhecimento do programa; satisfação pela ampliação do acesso; melhoria da qualidade; vínculo; acolhimento; e visita domiciliar. O motivo de insatisfação foi a presença descontínua das equipes e a falta de centros de saúdes. Ações de promoção e controle social eram praticamente inexistentes, direcionando as reivindicações aos políticos locais. Concluiu-se que não houve conversão, e sim reprodução de um modelo de atenção simplificada, não articulado nem com promoção nem com saúde como direito social.

This study aims to evaluate the user's satisfaction with the Family Health Program in two small municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte. A case-study was conducted from October to December 2007, using four focus groups with 60 users. The method was the content analysis, with the following categories: conceptions of health needs and PSF; comprehensive care (welcoming, bond, home visits), health promotion activities, facilities and difficulties in relation to care, and social participation. The results show perception of health needs such as care; unfamiliarity with the program; satisfaction with broad accesses; improvement of quality; bond; welcoming, home visits. The reason for dissatisfaction was the lack of continuous teams and lack of central health clinics. Actions to promote better quality and social control hardly existed, directing the claims to local politicians. We concluded that there was no conversion, but a reproduction of a simplified model of attention, disarticulated both with health promotion and with health itself as a social right.

Nosocomial Infections in Clinical Laboratory of Hospital Attached to Health Center of Small Towns:Hidden Danger and Administration Strategy / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To prevent and control nosocomial infection in clinical laboratory of health center in small towns.METHODS Hidden danger of nosocomial infection was investigated and analyzed to formulate the strategy of precaution and control.RESULTS Management status in laboratory was not standardized and occurred several administration shortages such as supervising system,precaution consciousness,operating instruction,contamination zonation,medical garbage disposal,etc.CONCLUSIONS Adopting comprehensive management,establishing relevant rules and carrying on standardized administration are essential for prevention and control of nosocomial infections in laboratory of health center in small towns.