Long-term urbanization dynamics and the evolution of green/blue areas in eastern europe: Insights from Romania

Urbanization is a dynamic process performed at the expense of natural and/or semi-natural areas, with direct impacts on the ecosystem services provided to human society. The increasing population density in urban areas and the associated demand for housing and public services have led to progressive changes in the structure, architecture, and design of urban areas. The present study analyzes long-term urban development in Western Romania, focusing on green/blue areas’ strategies in Timisoara over centuries. The empirical results of a literature review carried out with a historical perspective have delineated the time periods that favored “urban green development” (1716–1918 and 1918–1940) and those restricting their development (1940–2000), as well as the factors that influenced long-term urbanization dynamics and the evolution of green/blue areas. These factors can be generalized to other socioeconomic contexts in Eastern Europe. Characteristic issues of this geographical area impacting the evolution of urban green/blue areas include (i) common historical aspects (e.g., the influence of geo-political and strategic dimensions, the dominations of former great empires such as the Turkish empire and the communist period) and (ii) population migration after 1990

Rapidity of change in population age structures: A local approach based on multiway factor analysis

In the light of complex adaptive system thinking, population age structures in Europe have increasingly reflected the interplay between 'fast' and 'slow' socioeconomic dynamics driven by natural population growth and migration. Assuming the importance of demographic dynamics shaping regional growth in recent times, a diachronic analysis of local-scale population age structures was developed for 156 districts of Greece between 1971 and 2011. By using appropriate indicators, the analysis was aimed at demonstrating how 'fast' and 'slow' transitions contribute to socioeconomic change in both urban and rural areas. Acomprehensive analysis of change in population age structures between 1971 and 2011 allows identification of latent spatial structures as a result of population re-distribution from urban cores to broader rural regions. Following residential mobility, the empirical results of this study indicate (i) a late phase of urbanization (1971-1981) with population densification and settlement compactness, (i) a rapid suburbanization (1981-1991) consolidating distinctive demographic structures in urban and rural areas, (ii) a mild counter-urbanization (1991-2001) with moderate aging of suburban populations and (iii) a latent re-urbanization (2001-2011) reducing the suburban-urban divide in population age structures. Residential mobility contributed to a more balanced age structure during suburbanization and an increased demographic divide in the subsequent urban waves. A refined analysis of long-term population dynamics in metropolitan regions reflects spatial outcomes and latent aspects of demographic transitions shedding light on the debate over the future development of urban and rural societies in advanced economies

Band structure from random interactions

The anharmonic vibrator and rotor regions in nuclei are investigated in the framework of the interacting boson model using an ensemble of random one- and two-body interactions. We find a predominance of L(P)=0(+) ground states, as well as strong evidence for the occurrence of both vibrational and rotational band structures. This remarkable result suggests that such band structures represent a far more general (robust) property of the collective model space than is generally thought.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett., in pres

Found in Complexity, Lost in Fragmentation: Putting Soil Degradation in a Landscape Ecology Perspective

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) assumes spatial disparities in land resources as a key driver of soil degradation and early desertification processes all over the world. Although regional divides in soil quality have been frequently observed in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, the impact of landscape configuration on the spatial distribution of sensitive soils was poorly investigated in Southern Europe, an affected region sensu UNCCD. Our study proposes a spatially explicit analysis of 16 ecological metrics (namely, patch size and shape, fragmentation, interspersion, and juxtaposition) applied to three classes of a landscape with different levels of exposure to land degradation (‘non-affected’, ‘fragile’, and ‘critical’). Land classification was based on the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI) calculated for Italy at 3 time points along a 50-year period (1960, 1990, 2010). Ecological metrics were calculated at both landscape and class scale and summarized for each Italian province—a relevant policy scale for the Italian National Action Plan (NAP) to combat desertification. With the mean level of soil sensitivity rising over time almost everywhere in Italy, ‘non-affected’ land became more fragmented, the number of ‘fragile’ and ‘critical’ patches increased significantly, and the average patch size of both classes followed the same trend. Such dynamics resulted in intrinsically disordered landscapes, with (i) larger (and widely connected) ‘critical’ land patches, (ii) spatially diffused and convoluted ‘fragile’ land patches, and (iii) a more interspersed and heterogeneous matrix of ‘non affected’ land. Based on these results, we discussed the effects of increasing numbers and sizes of ‘critical’ patches in terms of land degradation. A sudden expansion of ‘critical’ land may determine negative environmental consequences since (i) the increasing number of these patches may trigger desertification risk and (ii) the buffering effect of neighboring, non-affected land is supposed to be less efficient, and this contains a downward spiral toward land degradation less effectively. Policy strategies proposed in the NAPs of affected countries are required to account more explicitly on the intrinsic, spatio-temporal evolution of ‘critical’ land patches in affected regions

Land degradation and mitigation policies in the mediterranean region. A brief commentary

Land degradation is more evident where conditions of environmental vulnerability already exist because of arid climate and unsustainable forms of land exploitation. Consequently, semi-arid and dry areas have been identified as vulnerable land, requiring attention from both science and policy perspectives. In some regions, such as the Mediterranean region, land degradation is particularly intense, although there are no extreme ecological conditions. In these contexts, a wide range of formal and informal responses is necessary to face particularly complex and spatially differentiated territorial processes. However, the fit of responses has been demonstrated to be different over time and space according to the underlying socioeconomic context and the specific ecological conditions. The present commentary discusses this sort of \u201centropy\u201d in the policy response to land degradation in Southern Europe, outlining the intrinsic complexity of human\u2013nature dynamics at the base of such processes. Reflecting the need of differentiated regional strategies and more specific national measures to combat desertification, three policy frameworks (agro-environmental, economic, social) with an indirect impact on fighting land degradation have been considered, delineating the importance of policy assemblages. Finally, the importance of policy impact assessment methodologies was highlighted, focusing on the possible responses reinforcing a continental strategy against land degradation. By evidencing the role of participatory planning, developmental policies indirectly addressing land degradation reveal to be an important vector of more specific measures abating desertification risk, creating, in turn, a favorable context for direct interventions of mitigation or adaptation to climate change

Phase Transitions in Finite Nuclei and the Integer Nucleon Number Problem

The study of spherical-deformed ground--state phase transitions in finite nuclei as a function of N and Z is hindered by the discrete values of the nucleon number. A resolution of the integer nucleon number problem, and evidence relating to phase transitions in finite nuclei, are discussed from the experimental point of view and interpreted within the framework of the interacting boson model.Comment: 8 pages Latex + 8 figs (postscript). In Phys Rev Lett, June 199

Uncovering demographic trends and recent urban expansion in metropolitan regions. A paradigmatic case study

While urbanization trends have been characterized for a long time by deconcentration of inner cities with expansion of low-density settlements, economic repolarization leading to re-urbanization and recovery of central districts are now counterbalancing population shrinkage in compact urban areas and slowing down suburban growth. In this context, the recent demographic evolution of a large metropolis such as Athens (Greece)-following expansion, crisis, and a more subtle economic recovery-may reveal original relationships between form and functions at the base of recent urban growth. Based on an exploratory analysis of demographic indicators on a metropolitan and urban scale, the present study provides an updated and integrated knowledge framework that confirms and integrates the most recent urban trends in southern Europe. Documenting the emergence of more individualized paths of urban expansion at the local scale (recovery of the historic center, shrinkage of semicentral neighborhoods, 'reverse gentrification' of disadvantaged peripheral areas, late suburbanization of accessible peripheral areas), results of the present study justify an ad hoc analysis of metropolitan growth based on demographic indicators as a proxy for sustainable land management and local development

Simulation of Subsurface Drainage in the Sugarcane Crop under Different Spacing and Drain Depths

Agricultural land drainage is an instrument for growing production and a tool for the conservation of land resources. The performance of land drainage systems is thus critical for achieving sustainable agricultural production Recently, many types of software have been developed in this field for modeling and simulating the performance of these systems. SISDRENA is a simulation model of the performance of underground drainage systems. The main objectives of this paper are to simulate different combination of depths and spaces between drains and to analyze their impact on potential sugarcane productivity in the western plains of Venezuela using a land drainage system model. Therefore, three climatic scenarios were defined by annual precipitation: dry years (25% below average), normal (mean) and humid (75% above average). The scenarios were implemented in three different soil types: sandy loam, loam and silt loam, with a hydraulic conductivity of 0.19, 0.26 and 0.04 m day−1, respectively. The simulation of the yield related to soil deficit (YRD) and water stress (YRW) indicated that the highest yields were reached for the larger spacing between drains and the high conductivity hydraulic of soils. In relation to the average relative productivity (YT), it was shown that in soils with a greater water retention capacity there is an inversely proportional relationship between the spacing between drains and the productivity. We concluded that in order to reach the maximum sugarcane yield, the effect of hydraulic conductivity is more important than the changes in the precipitation pattern

Liver procurement as part of multiple organ procurement

Departamentul de Chirurgie Generală şi Transplant Hepatic “Dan Setlacec”, Institutul Clinic Fundeni, Bucureşti, România, Al XII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova cu participare internațională 23-25 septembrie 2015Scop: Prelevarea hepatică, etapă premergătoare transplantului hepatic, parte din prelevarea multiorgan, contribuie prin acuratețea și corectitudinea intervenției la obținerea unei grefe hepatice de bună calitate cu rezultate bune ale transplantului atît imediate cât și pe termen lung. Lucrarea de față își propune să evidențieze importantul rol al identificării variantelor anatomice și adaptarea metodelor de prelevare în funcție de acestea.Material şi metode: Pe parcursul perioadei 1 ianuarie 2000-16 iunie 2015 s-au efectuat în Centrul nostru 666 prelevări multiorgan. O importanță deosebită a fost acordată recunoașterii variantelor anatomice arteriale, acestea adaugând un grad de dificultate procedurii, dar fiind totodată esențiale pentru asigurarea succesului intervenției. Rezultate: Caracteristicile heterogene ale donatorilor au obligat la aplicarea unei game variate de tehnici de prelevare, adaptate fiecărei situații, așa cum au fost descrise în lucrarea de față, un pas cheie pentru obținerea unei grefe viabile pentru transplant. Concluzii: Multiplele tehnici de prelevare hepatică pot fi aplicate cu succes când sunt adaptate fiecarui donator, scurtând timpul de prelevare și furnizând o grefă de cea mai bună calitate.Purpose: Liver procurement, the preliminary stage of liver transplantation, is a part of multi-organ procurement, and it contributes, with its accuracy and correctness to the high quality liver graft, with the best results in the transplantation process (both immediate and long term). This paper is framed to enlighten the important role of identification of anatomical variants and the selection of the procurement technique that suits most. Material and methods: During 1st Jan 2000-16th Jun 2015 a number of 666 multi-organ procurements were performed in our center. A special attention was paid in recognizing of anatomical variants of blood vessels (especially arterial blood vessels), which added a high degree of difficulty to the procedures, but was considered to be vital in order to ensure the success of the intervention. Results: Heterogeneous characteristics of donors imposed the implementation of a variety of sampling techniques, adapted on each situation as was described in the paper, an essential step to obtain a viable liver / organ graft suitable for the transplant. Conclusions: The multiple methods of liver procurement can be successfully applied when it is adapted to each of the donors, thus shortening the actual time of the liver harvesting, delivering the best quality of the new liver graft