Public space planning in minor historic centres exposed to seismic risk: lessons learnt from the experience in Navelli (AQ)

Risk reduction in minor historic centres exposed to seismic hazards is essential for the protection of life and cultural heritage but also for social and economic development and requires appropriate strategies. The current state of knowledge and technology suggests that intervention on sensitive mitigation of urban systems vulnerability is the most desirable solution to prevent the devastating earthquake’s effects. This requires a careful planning of both built and public spaces. Within this framework, the contribution illustrates an integrated methodology that accompanied the drafting of the Reconstruction plan of Navelli (AQ) and Civitaretenga, drawn up in response to the earthquake that struck the Abruzzo Region in 2009. Although dated, this methodology can be considered a best practice due to the innovative systematic assessment of both built heritage and open space in the two historical centres, supported by an Integrated Information System (IIS). An innovative approach to the assessment of vulnerability and accessibility of public spaces is also introduced. Monitoring the first outcomes of the Plan implementation provides a pretext for a critical reflection, about 10 years later, on the role of post-earthquake planning tools and on the evident relations or gaps between the scientific and technical contribution of the university and ordinary reconstruction processes in minor urban centres, generally prioritising interventions on the built heritage over the public space

From urban planning techniques to 15-minute neighbourhoods. A theoretical framework and GIS-based analysis of pedestrian accessibility to public services

The enthusiasm with which several metropolises have promoted and embraced the idea of the '15-minute city' may now provide a useful opportunity to reflect once again on the well-known relationship between urban planning and mobility planning. Urban policies and plans are recently rediscovering a new focus on the proximity dimension and active mobility, progressively excluding the obsolete car-centric model. In this perspective, the paper aims at assessing 15-minute neighbourhoods through a GIS-based model to evaluate pedestrian accessibility to urban services and spaces. The implemented methodology integrates the assessment of walking distances and the mapping of the resident population distribution. The method is then applied to measure the current performance of an existing neighbourhood in Parma, assessing accessibility based on home-facility travel times and the resident population within reach. A reflection is proposed on what has been learned and on the possible contribution that the method can bring to urban monitoring and planning

The Evolution of Sustainable Mobility and Urban Space Planning: Exploring the factors contributing to the Regeneration of Car Parking in Living Spaces

Strategies and actions to promote sustainable mobility must be based on the characterization of the mobility supply and the promotion of decarbonization policies (e.g. the management of public spaces). The presence of parkings, especially in urban areas, has a significant impact on the occupancy of physical spaces. In this framework, referring to the last decades and the recent pandemic, the paper focuses on the evaluation of influencing factors that have contributed to the changes of planned and designed parking spaces in urban areas. Parklets can support post COVID-19 (Phase 3) pandemics by improving the quality of public space and social distancing close to shops and activities, benefiting from this micro-urban regeneration. Moreover, they can be considered as an extension of the pavement and their implementation can encourage the reduction of private traffic by promoting soft mobility (i.e. walking and cycling). The article defines and highlights the features for the identification and planning of spaces where parklets can be implemented, to improve sustainability and support the post-pandemic recovery

Widespread Urban Regeneration of Existing Residential Areas in European Medium-Sized Cities. A Framework to Locate Redevelopment Interventions

Within the scientific debate on urban regeneration, this paper intends to question possible planning techniques to address the implementation of widespread regeneration interventions in obsolete residential areas within medium-sized European cities, with particular attention to constructing a cognitive framework to locate redevelopment interventions. The widespread urban regeneration approach has yet to be sufficiently explored in the scientific literature, which focuses much more on replacing large derelict areas, though it seems particularly relevant for research and urban practice. This paper aims to illustrate a methodological framework for defining obsolete and degraded areas (at the block scale) suitable for redevelopment. Various criteria are considered, e.g., land use, buildings’ dating, state of preservation, population density, public spaces, and facility provision, and degree of accessibility. The methodological framework is then tested in the medium-sized Italian city of Parma. Data set parameters and threshold values to quantify the previously introduced criteria and perform GIS-based statistical and spatial analysis. The results show 96 areas potentially in need of regeneration, providing an opportunity to reflect on the criteria of suitability and priority for transformation and the framework of past and future planning scenarios

How Are Medium-Sized Cities Implementing Their Smart City Governance? Experiences from the Emilia-Romagna Region

Within the smart city debate, this paper aims to reflect on whether and how medium-sized Italian cities are organizing their smart transition technically as well as administratively. The smart city concept was developed in the 1990s when major European cities began a smart transition through widespread urban regeneration projects and the introduction of advanced technologies applied not only to the physical city but also to governance, policymaking, and communication, involving multiple sectors of city administrations. In the last decade, medium-sized cities have also started this transition process, although with lower emphasis than metropolitan cities. In most medium-sized Italian cities, this transition, in accordance with national and regional guidelines, has sometimes led to competencies reorganization within local governments. Within this framework, the paper examines the tools with which medium-sized Italian cities’ administrations address the smart transformation in their territories, comparing a sample of 10 cities in Emilia-Romagna and considering policymaking, governance structure, past and current projects, and communication transparency. The expected result is therefore a systematic review of experiences to reconstruct a complex picture of the political and administrative choices that have led to the implementation or setting in motion of smart transformation processes to draw some useful lessons

Exploring the 15-minute neighbourhoods. An evaluation based on the walkability performance to public facilities

Recent trends in urban policies are rediscovering a new focus on different urban life models that exclude the obsolete vehicle model and lead to renewed attention on the proximity dimension and active mobility. This vision takes concrete form in the concept of the 15-minute city model, focused on pedestrian accessibility from one’s home to nearby urban services and spaces. In this perspective, the paper aims at exploring the theme of 15-minute cities through a GIS-based model to evaluate pedestrian accessibility to neighbourhood facilities. The implemented methodology integrates the assessment of walking distances, considering the time factor as crucial, and mapping the resident population. The method is then applied to measure the current performances of an existing neighbourhood in Parma from the 15 minutes city perspective, assessing accessibility based on home-facility travel times and the resident population distribution within reach. A reflection is proposed on what has been learned and on the possible contribution that the method can bring to monitoring the 15-minute city and to urban planning

Distribution of different HBV DNA forms in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of chronically infected patients with low or undetectable HBV plasma viremia

Few studies have documented hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We developed real-time PCR methods for differential amplification of covalently closed circular (cccDNA) and total HBV DNA (tDNA). The different distribution of cccDNA and tDNA in plasma and PBMCs was evaluated in 37 patients with low or undetectable viremia. Plasma tDNA measured by the Abbott reference system and the in-house assay correlated well (Spearman rho = 0.804; P<0.0001). tDNA was detected in four PBMC samples, all from patients with detectable plasma viremia (range 633-6,406 IU/ml), cccDNA was not detected in any sample. The reasons for apparently discrepant results need further investigation but possibly include the high diversification of HBV status and plasma viremia levels

Pure and Fe-doped mesoporous titania catalyse the oxidation of acid orange 7 by H2O2 under different illumination conditions: Fe doping improves photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light

A sample of mesoporous TiO2 (MT, specific surface area = 150 m2\uc2\ub7g\ue2\u88\u921) and two samples of MT containing 2.5 wt.% Fe were prepared by either direct synthesis doping (Fe2.5-MTd) or impregnation (Fe2.5-MTi). Commercial TiO2 (Degussa P25, specific surface area = 56 m2\uc2\ub7g\ue2\u88\u921) was used both as a benchmark and as a support for impregnation with either 0.8 or 2.5 wt.% Fe (Fe0.80-IT and Fe2.5-IT). The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 isotherms at \ue2\u88\u92196\ue2\u97\ua6C, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Diffuse Reflectance (DR) ultra-violet (UV)-Vis and M\uc3\ub6ssbauer spectroscopies. Degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) by H2O2 was the test reaction: effects of dark-conditions versus both UV and simulated solar light irradiation were considered. In dark conditions, AO7 conversion was higher with MT than with Degussa P25, whereas Fe-containing samples were active in a (slow) Fenton-like reaction. Under UV light, MT was as active as Degussa P25, and Fe doping enhanced the photocatalytic activity of Fe2.5-MTd; Fe-impregnated samples were also active, likely due to the occurrence of a photo-Fenton process. Interestingly, the Fe2.5-MTd sample showed the best performance under solar light, confirming the positive effect of Fe doping by direct synthesis with respect to impregnation