Evaluation and obstacle analysis of sustainable development in small towns based on multi-source big data: A case study of 782 top small towns in China.

Evaluating the sustainable development level and obstacle factors of small towns is an important guarantee for implementing China's new-type urbanization and rural revitalization strategies, and is also a key path to promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11). Traditional evaluation methods (such as Analytic Hierarchy Process, AHP, and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, TOPSIS) mainly calculate the comprehensive score of each indicator through weighting. These methods have limitations in handling multidimensional data and system nonlinearity, and they cannot fully reveal the complex relationships and interactions within the sustainability systems of small towns. In contrast, the evaluation model combining Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Catastrophe Progression Method (CPM) used in this study can better handle multidimensional data and system nonlinear relationships, reducing subjectivity in evaluation and improving the accuracy and reliability of the assessment results. The specific research process is as follows: First, based on the United Nations SDG11 framework, using multi-source big data, a theoretical framework and evaluation index system for the sustainable development of small towns suitable for the Chinese context were established. The impact of county-level factors on the sustainable development of small towns was also considered, and an entropy weight-grey correlation model was used to measure these impacts, resulting in a town-level dataset incorporating county-level influences. Secondly, the sustainability levels of 782 top small towns in China were evaluated using the comprehensive evaluation model based on PCA-CPM Model. Finally, an improved diagnostic model was used to identify obstacles influencing the sustainable development of small towns. The main findings include: 52.69% of the small towns have a sustainable development score exceeding 0.7255, indicating that the overall performance of small towns is at a medium to high development level. The development of small towns exhibits significant differences across regions and types, which are closely linked to county-level effects. Economic and social factors are the main obstacles to the sustainable development of small towns, and the impact of these obstacles intensifies from the eastern to the central, western, and northeastern regions. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers and scholars, promoting a deeper understanding of the sustainable development of small towns.

Survey and analysis on the resource situation of primary health care institutions in rural China.

Background: China's rural population is immense, and to ensure the well-being of rural residents through healthcare services, it is essential to analyze the resources of rural grassroots healthcare institutions in China. The objective is to examine the discrepancies and deficiencies in resources between rural grassroots healthcare institutions and the national average, providing a basis for future improvements and supplementation of rural healthcare resources. Methodology: The study analyzed data from 2020 to 2022 on the number of healthcare establishments, the capacity of hospital beds, the number of healthcare professionals, and the number of physicians in both rural and national settings. Additionally, it examined the medical service conditions and ratios of township health centers in rural areas to assess the resource gap between rural areas and the national average. Results: Healthcare establishments: On average, there were 2.2 fewer healthcare institutions per 10,000 persons in rural areas compared to the national average over three years. Hospital beds: On average, there were approximately 36 fewer hospital beds per 10,000 persons in rural areas compared to the national average over three years. Healthcare professionals and physicians: On average, there were about 48 fewer healthcare technical personnel and 10 fewer practicing (including assistant) physicians per 10,000 persons in rural areas compared to the national average over three years. Conclusion: Compared to the national average, there are significant discrepancies and deficiencies in grassroots healthcare resources in rural China. This underscores the necessity of increasing funding to progressively enhance the number of healthcare institutions in rural areas, expand the number of healthcare personnel, and elevate medical standards to better align with national benchmarks. Improving rural healthcare resources will strategically equip these institutions to cater to rural communities and effectively handle public health emergencies. Ensuring that the rural population in China has equal access to healthcare services as the rest of the country is crucial for promoting the well-being of rural residents and achieving health equity.

Evaluation of primary-level credit environment, indicator system and empirical analysis: A case study of credit construction in China county and district.

Townships (towns, streets) represent the foundational layer of China's administrative structure, and the quality of their credit environment is crucial for underpinning the development of a primary-level social credit system. This initiative aims to accelerate the establishment of the social credit system and cultivate a trustworthy economic and social environment. Starting from the three major fields of government, business and society, and focusing on integrity culture and credit innovation, the article proposes an innovative evaluation framework for primary-level credit environment and it can become a point of reference as a policy tool in international evaluation programs. Using clustering and the coefficient of variation methods, we quantitatively refine our indicator system, establishing a set of criteria to assess the primary-level credit environment. We incorporate hierarchical analysis, the entropy weight method, and machine learning models to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the credit environments within 24 townships (towns, streets) of Fuyang District in Hangzhou City for the year 2023. The findings underscore the need for a realistic appraisal of the current state and deficiencies of the primary-level credit environment. We advocate for the bolstering of credit development within governmental, business, and societal realms. It's imperative to leverage the normative influence of honesty and integrity culture, enhance the breadth and application of credit innovations, and thereby foster the high-quality growth of the primary-level social credit system.

Colleges and Crime-Comparing Homicide and Suicide Rates Among College Towns and Their Counterparts.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate differences in homicide and suicide rates across college town status and determine whether college towns were predisposed to changes in rates over time. METHODS: We analyzed county-level homicide and suicide rates (total and by firearm) across college town status using 2015-2019 CDC death certificate data and data from the American Communities Project. RESULTS: Population-level homicide rates were similar across college town status, but younger age groups were at increased risk for firearm homicide and total homicide in college towns. College town status was associated with lower population-level firearm suicide rates, but individuals aged less than 18 y were at increased risk for total and firearm suicide. Finally, college towns were not classified as outliers for changes in either firearm homicide or suicide rates over time. CONCLUSIONS: College towns had similar homicide rates and significantly lower firearm suicide rates than other counties; however, individuals aged less than 18 y were at increased risk for both outcomes. The distinctive demographic, social, economic, and cultural features of college towns may contribute to differing risk profiles among certain age groups, thus may also be amenable to focused prevention efforts.

Using neural networks and remote sensing for spatio-temporal prediction of air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study aims to monitor air pollution in Iranian metropolises using remote sensing, specifically focusing on pollutants such as O3, CH4, NO2, CO2, SO2, CO, and suspended particles (aerosols) in 2001 and 2019. Sentinel 5 satellite images are utilized to prepare maps of each pollutant. The relationship between these pollutants and land surface temperature (LST) is determined using linear regression analysis. Additionally, the study estimates air pollution levels in 2040 using Markov and Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov chains. Furthermore, three neural network models, namely multilayer perceptron (MLP), radial basis function (RBF), and long short-term memory (LSTM), are employed for predicting contamination levels. The results of the research indicate an increase in pollution levels from 2010 to 2019. It is observed that temperature has a strong correlation with contamination levels (R2 = 0.87). The neural network models, particularly RBF and LSTM, demonstrate higher accuracy in predicting pollution with an R2 value of 0.90. The findings highlight the significance of managing industrial towns to minimize pollution, as these areas exhibit both high pollution levels and temperatures. So, the study emphasizes the importance of monitoring air pollution and its correlation with temperature. Remote sensing techniques and advanced prediction models can provide valuable insights for effective pollution management and decision-making processes.

Industrial Vestiges: Legacies of Ancillary Impacts of Resource Development.

This article offers a different way to understand the heritage of extractive industries by exploring the material afterlives of what has been termed the "ancillary impacts of resource development"-a variety of quarries, forest cuts, transportation corridors, and power lines that surround industrial operations, especially those created in areas distant from established industrial population centers. To study this, the article expands upon the concept of "vestige" to explore the landscapes around two single-industry mining towns in Kola Peninsula, Russia, and in Labrador, Canada, by specifically focusing on two abandoned quarries located in each. The results highlight the need to explore developments that trail behind industrial settlement of colonial hinterlands. By focusing specifically on the afterlives of such developments, the article demonstrates how chronological and geographical boundaries of resource extraction are blurred over time, creating a deep, unruly, self-perpetuating set of legacies.

Este artículo ofrece una manera diferente de comprender el patrimonio de las industrias extractivas mediante la exploración de las vidas materiales posteriores a lo que se ha denominado los "impactos secundarios del desarrollo de recursos": una variedad de canteras, cortes de bosques, corredores de transporte y líneas eléctricas que rodean las operaciones industriales, especialmente aquellas creadas en áreas distantes de los centros de población industrial establecidos. Para estudiar esto, el artículo amplía el concepto de "vestigio" para explorar los paisajes alrededor de dos pueblos mineros de una sola industria en la península de Kola, Rusia, y en Labrador, Canadá, centrándose específicamente en dos canteras abandonadas ubicadas en cada uno. Los resultados resaltan la necesidad de explorar los desarrollos que vienen después de los asentamientos industriales del interior colonial. Al centrarse específicamente en las vidas posteriores de tales desarrollos, el artículo demuestra cómo los límites cronológicos y geográficos de la extracción de recursos se desdibujan con el tiempo, creando un conjunto de legados profundos, rebeldes y que se perpetúan a sí mismos.

Cet article propose une manière différente de comprendre le patrimoine des industries d'extraction par l'étude des vies postérieures matérielles de ce qui est désigné sous le terme d'« impacts accessoires du développement de ressources ¼­plusieurs carrières, abattages de forêts, corridors de transport et lignes électriques entourant les exploitations industrielles, en particulier ceux créés dans des zones distantes des centres établis de population industrielle. Aux fins de cette étude, cet article expose en détail le concept de « vestige ¼ pour explorer les paysages environnant deux villes minières à industrie unique dans la Péninsule de Kola en Russie et dans le Labrador au Canada, et s'intéresse tout particulièrement à deux carrières abandonnées dans chacune d'entre elles. Les résultats soulignent la nécessité d'une étude des développements faisant suite à l'implantation industrielle des arrières-pays coloniaux. En s'intéressant plus particulièrement aux vies postérieures de ces développements, l'article démontre comment les limites chronologiques et géographiques de l'extraction de ressources deviennent floues au cours du temps, créant de ce fait un ensemble enraciné, chaotique et se répétant sans cesse de transmissions.

Levelling Up for health in towns? Development of a new deprivation index: the 'Stronger Towns Index' and its association with self-rated health and migration in England, between 2001 and 2011.

Aim: To develop the 'Stronger Towns Index': a deprivation index that took into account characteristics of areas encompassing towns that may be eligible for redevelopment funding and explore how this index was associated with self-rated health and migration within England between 2001 and 2011. Subject and methods: All members of the ONS Longitudinal Study in England aged 16 and over in 2001 whose records included a self-rated health response and a valid local authority code.Local authorities in England were ranked using a composite index developed using the five metrics set out in the Stronger Towns Funding: productivity, income, skills, deprivation measures, and the proportion of people living in towns.The index was split into deciles, and logistic regression carried out on the association between decile and self-rated health in 2001 in the main sample (n = 407,878) and decile change and self-rated health in 2011 in a subsample also present in 2011, with migration information (n = 299,008). Results: There were areas in the lowest deciles of Town Strength who did not receive funding. After multiple adjustment, LS members living in areas with higher deciles were significantly more likely (7% to 38%) to report good health than those in the lowest decile in 2001. Remaining in the same decile between 2001 and 2011 was associated with 7% lower odds of good self-rated health in 2011. Conclusion: It is important to consider health in towns when allocating funding. Areas in the Midlands may have missed out on funding which might help mitigate poor health.

How Strong is Local Politics' Grip on Local Economic Development? The Case of Swiss Small and Medium-Sized Towns.

Economic development directly manifests itself in the form of employment at the local level. This paper examines the ability of local politics to shape this development in a competitive federalist environment by examining how local party-political developments affect local economic development in Swiss small and medium-sized towns (SMSTs). Local economic development in the form of employment is a central local policy domain in federal and polycentric Switzerland. This paper argues that party-political influence is conditional on the characteristics of four distinguished economic sectors that differ in their dependence on the regional context. By analyzing the panel data of all Swiss SMSTs, the paper finds that local party-political developments only systematically precede growth in the residential economy, while regional processes determine the economic sectors in ambiguous ways. The grip of local politics on the development of export-oriented economies therefore is not guided by party-political development and more influential at regional levels.

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.

Managing the challenges of competing interests of different regions in setting the boundaries of neighboring urban areas: the case of Addis Ababa city administration and oromia regional state, Ethiopia.

In Ethiopia, urban boundary roles are ineffective, leading to conflicting urban development, particularly on areas share borders and are administered by different regional governments. Therefore, this study examined the nature of shared urban boundaries and related social-ecological challenges. It employed a case study approach, and the findings are conceptualized to the broader urbanization and urban planning trends, with particular relevance to any urban areas sharing borders. Temporal satellite images from 2005 and 2018 were used to examine land use/land cover changes around shared urban regions, and their proposed and existing land-uses were compared with the aid of Geographical Information System and ERDAS IMAGINE. The findings show lack of clear criteria to delineate urban boundaries in Ethiopian urban planning; absence of regional planning leading to indistinct and overlapping boundary setting, which triggered challenges related to: rapid conversion of ecosystem service providing sites to settlements, conflicts over land administration, and land ownership insecurity. Furthermore, non-integrated urban planning trends between urban areas sharing borders amplify the proposal of conflicting and incompatible land uses. As a result, policymakers and planners should employ integrated and participatory urban and regional planning concepts for the effectiveness of urban areas sharing boundaries and administered by different regions.

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.

Visualizing and Understanding Shrinking Cities and Towns (SCT) Research: A Network Analysis.

The world is undergoing an unprecedented trend of fast urbanization, which causes a range of socio-environmental consequences, one of which is shrinking cities and towns (SCT). SCT refer to the cities or towns that are experiencing population decline and economic downturn. In the existing literature, there have been numerous studies on SCT; however, there is a lack of study which investigates its knowledge domains. Therefore, this paper aims to conduct a scientometric analysis to achieve an outline of the SCT research status. Through the procedures of literature search and screening, a total of 716 SCT-related studies were extracted from the Scopus. The VOSviewer software system program was then utilized to visualize the present SCT-related studies. The visualization results revealed that the journal of Sustainability made significant contributions to the SCT research in terms of relevant publications. In addition, Haase, Annegret received the most co-citations, and was also the most productive author in this field. Furthermore, it was identified that current SCT research is mainly conducted in developed countries. Through the analysis of keywords, the emerging research topics were revealed. Discussions were further made from the perspectives of prevailing research methods, evaluation criteria, and solutions for SCT problems.

Navigating the Unseen City: Town Planners, Architects, Ophthalmic Professionals, and Charity Opinions on Navigating of the Built Environment with a Visual Impairment.

People with a visual impairment often find navigating around towns and cities difficult. Streetscape features such as bollards, street cafés, and parked cars on pavements are some of the most common issues. in this paper semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders including built environment professionals, visually impaired individuals, ophthalmic professionals, and sight loss charities. All stakeholders felt there were barriers and enablers to navigating streets with a visual impairment. Stakeholders agreed these can have an impact on the daily lives of those with a visual impairment. While built environment professionals knew of policies and guidance around accessibility for people with a visual impairment, there was a lack of professional knowledge about the spectrum of visual impairment. Despite this, stakeholders felt these small changes could have a positive impact, making accessible cities for all. A collaborative approach to streetscape design and further education could help create better environments for all.

Adaptive Renewal of Mountainous Historical Towns Based on the Stability of the Social Network Structure: A Case Study in Chongqing, China.

The stability of social network structure (SSNS) in historical towns is influenced by changes in built environments and demographic factors. The historical towns in China have evolved into massive rural-urban migration under the rapid urbanization over the past forty years. In this context, many of these historical towns experienced "declining built environment and disintegrating social networks," which does not contribute to the adaptive renewal of the built environment and social networks in historical towns, as well as the psychological health of residents. This article intends to explore the adaptive renewal of the built environment and social networks of historical towns based on the SSNS. Data on "households" and "social ties" (i.e., kinship, geographic, and job relationship) among households were collected via a field survey in seven historical towns in Chongqing, China. K-core models of social network analysis (SNA) were calculated to analyze SSNS. The result shows that the social networks of historical towns with centripetal-shaped structures were more stable than historical towns with divergent-shaped structures. Moreover, spatial layout forms and functions of households might affect the stability of social networks in historical towns. Based on the results of the analysis of SSNS, strategies for adaptive renewal of the built environments and social networks were put forward in two aspects. The built environment, such as the classification of public spaces and service facilities, can be designed based on the k-core indicator for increasing the spatial connection of households in the historical towns. In addition, increased social activities in historical towns with weak SSNS may promote social connection of households, and are also helpful in boosting public health in psychological aspects.

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.

Producción científica sobre depresión en poblaciones quechua hablantes: Una revisión narrativa / Scientific production on depression in Quechua-speaking populations: A narrative review

Resumen: Antecedentes: Las poblaciones quechua hablantes se extienden por siete países latinoamericanos y por sus características requieren de atención diferenciada sobre la depresión. Objetivo: Describir la atención y producción científica sobre depresión en poblaciones quechua hablantes. Método: Revisión narrativa realizada con búsqueda en PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE y SCOPUS, incluyendo estudios en inglés y/o español, la estrategia de búsqueda se desarrolló con descriptores para depresión y población quechua hablante, la búsqueda fue realizada por dos revisores, quienes organizaron los resultados de la búsqueda en Microsoft Excel. Se incluyeron estudios que consideraron a la depresión y que se haya estudiado en poblaciones quechua hablantes de cualquier variante del quechua. Resultados: Se encontró 7 estudios, la prevalencia de la depresión en quechua hablantes fue de 38.9 % en Ayacucho Perú y (4 de 7 estudios) emplearon instrumentos psicométricos para evaluar la depresión. Existen escasas investigaciones sobre depresión en poblaciones quechua hablantes, principalmente son de tipo transversal y el instrumento utilizado es válida solo para una variante del quechua. Conclusiones: Se encontraron escasas investigaciones en poblaciones quechua hablantes, las publicaciones son principalmente estudios transversales, aún no se tienen instrumentos adaptados y validados a todas las variantes del quechua. Los síntomas depresivos parecen ser mayores especialmente en las mujeres. Por otro lado, el acceso a los servicios de atención en salud es limitada por las dificultades de aculturación, dominio del idioma por parte del profesional de salud; así como por el estigma y desconocimiento de la depresión por esta población.

Abstract: Background: Quechua-speaking populations span seven Latin American countries and, due to their characteristics, require differentiated attention to depression. Objective: Describe the attention and scientific production on depression in Quechua-speaking populations. Method: Narrative review carried out with a search in PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE and SCOPUS, including studies in English and / or Spanish, the search strategy was developed with descriptors for depression and Quechua-speaking population, the search was carried out by two reviewers, who organized the search results in Microsoft Excel. Studies that considered depression and that have been studied in Quechua populations speaking any variant of Quechua were included. Results: 7 studies were found, the prevalence of depression in Quechua speakers was 38.9% in Ayacucho Peru and (4 of 7 studies) used psychometric instruments to evaluate depression. There is little research on depression in Quechua-speaking populations, they are mainly cross-sectional and the instrument used is valid only for a variant of Quechua. Conclusions: Little research was found in Quechua-speaking populations, the publications are mainly cross-sectional studies, and there are still no instruments adapted and validated for all variants of Quechua. Depressive symptoms seem to be greater especially in women. On the other hand, access to health care services is limited by the difficulties of acculturation, command of the language on the part of the health professional; as well as the stigma and ignorance of depression by this population.

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.

N, P, and COD conveyed by urban runoff: a comparative research between a city and a town in the Taihu Basin, China.

Stormwater runoff containing various pollutants exerts adverse effects on receiving water bodies and deteriorates the urban aquatic environment. Although numerous studies have been conducted on runoff pollution, research comparing its characteristics in cities with those in towns is rare in the literature. To close this gap, the present study was conducted. The instantaneous concentrations of ammonia-N, TN, TP, and COD during the rainfall events in the town were higher than those in the city in most conditions. The outfall concentrations increased with the increase of rainfall intensity. EMCs (the average value of EMC) and CV (coefficient of variation) of TN and DTN in the town were higher than those in the city, which may lie in the differences of urban environment planning and management, road cleaning methods, garbage disposal methods, industrial enterprise, etc. On the one hand, EMCs and CV of TP in the city's industrial areas were lowest among three functional areas, while on the other hand, in the town it was in the commercial areas rather than the industrial areas that EMCs and CV were the lowest, which may be caused by the low level of economic development of small towns in China. The concentrations of COD in the town were generally higher than that in the city. Compared with the city, the correlation among COD and various forms of N was stronger in the town, which may illustrate a stronger similarity of pollutant sources in the town. According to the results, road runoff in the town contributed more to urban aquatic pollution; thus, further research should concentrate on this particular type of runoff.

Finding voices in the floods of Freedom Hill: innovating solutions in Princeville, North Carolina.

Princeville, NC, is the oldest town chartered by Blacks in America. Founded as Freedom Hill in 1865 and incorporated as Princeville in 1885, the town continues to be predominantly African American today. Built on the unwanted and flood-prone lands adjacent to the Tar River, Princeville has flooded multiple times throughout its history, including after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Because of the town's historical significance, residents and town officials alike have been reluctant to accept offers for widespread buyouts from the government. Despite having limited financial resources and political clout, the town has developed a unique approach to managed retreat while rebuilding from Matthew-one that emphasizes the importance of historical sites while also recognizing the need to relocate residents out of harm's way from future floods. This manuscript uses a historical and narrative approach to examine how Princeville's unique history, and the relationship between the town and the Tar River, play important roles in the town's decisions regarding retreat and redevelopment in the aftermath of major flooding events. We highlight the voices of current residents, including leaders, as well as the structural and cultural conditions that both constrain and enable the town's collective agency. While focused on the present day, this case study is historically informed, using oral histories and archival documents.

Exploration of Social Benefits for Tourism Performing Arts Industrialization in Culture-Tourism Integration Based on Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology.

As a product of the tourism performing arts industry in culture-tourism integration development, to develop a featured culture-tourism town is a new trend for tourism development in the new era. To analyze the social benefit of the culture-tourism industry, in this study, an artificial intelligence model for social benefit evaluation is constructed based on backpropagation (BP) neural network and fuzzy comprehensive analysis, with Yiyang Town taken as an example. The criterion layer in the model includes three indexes (life benefit G1, environmental benefit G2, and economic benefit G3), and the index layer contains 11 indexes (H1-H11). The weight values of cultural inheritance and protection, ecological environment improvement, and commercial economy development to the social benefit of the town are 0.522, 0.570, and 0.424, respectively. For G1, 41.20% is excellent; for G2, 39.5% is excellent; and for G3, 40.5% is good. In general, 30.76% of the total social benefit is excellent, with 37.69% being good, 21.48% being qualified, and 10.07% being unqualified. It is inferred that the total social benefit level of Yiyang Town is good according to the constructed model. Therefore, the culture inheritance and protection, the ecological environment improvement, and the commercial economy development are the key evaluation factors of social benefit.