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Background: Children's physical inactivity is a persisting international public health concern. While there is a large body of literature examining physical activity interventions for children, the unique physical activity context of low-density communities in rural areas and smaller urban centres remains largely underexplored. With an influx of families migrating to rural communities and small towns, evaluations of health promotion efforts that support physical activity are needed to ensure they are meeting the needs of the growing populations in these settings. The aim of this community-based research was to explore service providers' and parents' perspectives on physical activity opportunities available in their community and recommendations toward the development and implementation of efficacious physical activity programming for children in rural communities and smaller urban centres. Methods: Three in-person community forums with recreation service providers (n = 37 participants) and 1 online community forum with the parents of school-aged children (n = 9 participants) were hosted. An online survey and Mentimeter activity were conducted prior to the community forums to gather participants' views on the barriers and facilitators to physical activities and suggestions for activity-promoting programs. The service provider and parent discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following a deductive approach guided by Hseih and Shannon's (2005) procedure for direct content analysis. A code list developed from the responses to the pre-forum survey and Mentimeter activity was used to guide the analysis and category development. Results: Seven distinct categories related to the existing physical activity opportunities and recommendations for programs in rural communities and smaller urban centres were identified during the analysis: (1) Recovery from Pandemic-Related Measures, (2) Knowledge and Access to Programs, (3) Availability, (4) Personnel Support, (5) Quality of Programs and Facilities, (6) Expenses and Subsidies, and (7) Inclusivity and Preferences. Conclusion: To improve the health and well-being of children who reside in low-density areas, the results of this study highlight service provider and parent recommendations when developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs and interventions in rural and smaller urban settings, including skill development programs, non-competitive activity options, maximizing existing spaces for activities, and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an insight into the visual information (colours, symbols) of waste classification based on the three principles of closure, similarity and continuation of Gestalt theory. A field survey of Xiamen University Town in China and a survey of 1,000 local and international university students in the area were used to understand the level of awareness of visual information on waste recycling and segregation. The study found that the current level of awareness of visual classification information (colours, symbols) in the Xiamen University Town urban area and among students is low. Visual messages must convey accurate and standardised information such as colours and symbols. In addition, the purpose of this study was to illustrate the need for accuracy in visual information. This study concludes the need for uniform colour and symbol standards for waste recycling and segregation under the Gestalt theory to help achieve SDG goal 12, responsible consumption and production, as this study highlights the potential ripple effect on future stakeholders, especially considering the international mobility of university students, who epitomise global diversity. As users travelled across countries, ambiguous visual messages about waste classification became a key issue in responding to UN advocacy for a sustainable future. Addressing and correcting these visual discrepancies is critical to effective waste management strategies on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimates of resident satisfaction with public education have great utility in public administration, especially among decision makers in shrinking small communities. But such estimates are typically obtained via surveys, which are costly and often unreliable at high spatial resolutions given low response rates. Our study found that satisfaction with public schools among residents of small communities can be reasonably estimated at the community level using public data. Several models generalized adequately to unseen data—these models typically included the following covariates: state student assessment scores, school reorganizations, net open enrollment, and the cost of educational outcomes relative to neighboring districts. Our findings thus amount to a cost‐effective survey alternative for gauging satisfaction with public schools in small Iowa communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, Act LXXVIII of 1997 on the Development and Protection of the Built Environment redefined the types of plans used in settlement development and planning. The Act introduced the so-called "settlement plan" as a comprehensive plan type that integrated both the settlement development strategy and the settlement regulation plan. Government Decree No. 419/2021. (VII. 15.) on the content, and the orders of preparation and approval of the settlement plans, and some specific legal institutions of settlement regulation declares which settlements are required to prepare a detailed settlement plan, and which settlements are allowed to prepare a "simplified" settlement plan. The legal provision considers a population threshold of 5,000 inhabitants to classify settlements into two groups, indirectly suggesting that settlements over 5,000 inhabitants have greater potential for development than smaller ones. However, this study questions the relevance of that population threshold and assumes that a settlement's development potential is rather impacted by its legal status and geographical position. Therefore, this study compares the development volume of 27 large villages and villages over 5,000 inhabitants with 27 towns having less than 5,000 inhabitants based on the number and total amount of EU-funded projects they implemented between 2004 and 2022. The author draws the conclusion that towns, primarily due to their complex institution systems, implemented 1.62 times more development projects from about 2.9 more funding than large villages and villages with higher population. However, villages that are located in the agglomeration of a large city and have good transportation connections were also successful in acquiring EU funding, primarily due to the suburbanization of economic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work detailed here seeks to recognise features by which areas that can be deemed peri-urban differ from both city and countryside, to the extent that a separate specific identity for them can be discerned. The recognised features made it possible to identify the extent of the peri-urban area. The wealth of relevant literature is first considered, and this is seen to relate to the spatial side and to definition on the one hand, and to ongoing socio-economic processes on the other. Several Polish cities are then selected as the authors seek to discuss indicators useful in determining the spatial scope of the said peri-urban zones. The work proceeds on the assumption that these represent a real component of an urban-rural continuum characterised by reduced diversity and intensity of social and economic phenomena with steadily-increasing distance from the limits of a city in the direction of "traditional" rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the seventies, the city council of Vitoria-Gasteiz promoted a relocation policy aimed to eradicating the Gypsy slums, built on the outskirts of the city, due to the industrialization boom of the time. In this article is investigated the process of shaping the town of Gao Lacho Drom, through a timeline, where the failures that made this an architectural and urbanistic failure are revealed. On the other hand, the social virtues are manifested as the creation of the Gao Lacho Drom Association, where the social demands of the gypsy people are answered, through a network of educational support and labor reintegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenology is the branch of biology that studies the influence of meteorological factors on plant development. The present paper proposed a review of the answers provided by the specialized literature regarding two aspects: (i) the importance of phenology and the connection with climate change, and (ii) phenology and the urban environment. Regarding the relationship between phenology and climate change, research has shown that phenological changes represent a large part of all the evidence that species respond to climate change. Due to the comprehensive biological record, plants have become a model group in detecting the impact of climate change, being faithful recorders of environmental conditions. Regarding the relationship between phenology and the urban environment, research shows that the urban climate generally generates climate differences compared to the climate in the rural area, which influences plant phenology. Studies of phenology are numerous, and monitoring and documenting phenological changes worldwide is important for assessing climate impacts on ecological functioning and possible complications for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core–periphery model proposed and revised by Friedmann [Regional Development Policy; Urbanisation Planning and National Development] has influenced urban studies and urban planning for decades. Yet, the urban-rural dichotomy perhaps implied in that visionary model has been criticised for failing to take into account the complexities and blurred categories of contemporary urban aggregations. From another perspective, the critical issue has been what constitutes an urban setting and, connected to that issue, the question of where do small towns fit in a model associated with large industrial metropolitan areas. This paper explores the history and contemporary context of Sekadau, a small town in Indonesia's province of western Borneo. For centuries, Sekadau has been a link in international trade and has had to reinvent itself as political and economic structures shifted. How has it developed with no industry and no urban planning? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the relationship between the novel, the cinema and the city to reinterpret the imaginaries about the modernization of Mexico City between 1940 and 1970, through a methodology designed based on intertextual analysis and the Deep Hermeneutics Method. For this reason, three Mexican films are studied: El complot mongol, Mariana, Mariana, and Novia que te vea, and the novels from which they were adapted. In addition, the purpose is to analyze the modernization of this city during this period, where a sociohistorical context was consolidated with a tight control of the State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition and the overnutrition of children and adolescents is a severe problem in most countries. Aim of the study: Determination of fifteen-year changes in body height, and BMI in girls and boys living in towns and villages in eastern Polish voivodeships. In 2006, 2016, and 2021 a study was conducted on children and adolescents living in the Podlaskie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships (7048 girls and 7686 boys aged 7-9 years). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. In the calendar age groups, arithmetic means and dissemination measures for body height and BMI were calculated on particular time periods of the study. The statistical significance of the differences between the groups was conducted using the ANOVA analysis of variance and the Newmann-Keuls test. From the research material, study participants exhibiting underweight, overweight and those falling within a normal range of weight-to-height proportions were selected taking into account places of residence (town, village). The statistical significance of the differences between the number of people classified into the above-described groups was determined using the χ² test. In the analysed period in groups of girls, a systematic increase in body height was observed. However, in boys, such tendency was found only in rural residents. In the period of 2006–2016, greater changes in BMI were found in girls from rural areas and boys from cities. The opposite observation was recorded in the 2016-2021 period. In the years between 2006 and 2021, the incidence of both underweight and normal BMI decreased, while the incidence of overweight and obesity increased. Our results indicate the need for conducting systematic research assessing the nutritional status of young people living in the Lubelskie and Podlaskie voivodships, as well as an in-depth analysis of the causes of malnutrition and undertaking educational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the launch of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, China's rural construction in county seats and villages has made remarkable achievements. Meanwhile, towns have received insufficient attention as a traditionally important node connecting urban and rural areas. Based on historical literature and the most recent survey of Yangxi and Wengyuan counties in Guangdong Province, this study examines how the relationship between county, town, and village changes over time as the functions of towns change. Data from field investigations and villagers' questionnaires obtained from the evaluation of rural construction by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction in 2021 regarding the two case towns were employed. This study analyzes the function and role of towns in the county-town-village system and further discusses the transformation of the spatial pattern of county-town-village in two case counties. The town has been transformed into a comprehensive functional service space, providing basic services such as daily shopping, preschool education, compulsory education, and basic medical care, and has regained its importance in connecting urban and rural areas in the "hierarchical and open network" spatial structure of county-town-village. As a service center radiating through the entire county, the county seat plays an essential central role in satisfying the rural population with higher-quality modern services in addition to basic services and offering non-routine service functions such as access to medical care and house purchases. According to the differentiated functions of different scales and the contextual geographic conditions in the two case towns, the pattern of county-town-village has diverted into two different spatial structures: the classic "central place" hierarchical and the county-central one. Geographical conditions still matter; in plain areas, transportation links between counties, towns, and villages are more convenient. Therefore, the service needs of villagers are the major influencing factor while they choose where to go. Moreover, a county seat with a stronger comprehensive service capacity is preferred, and the spatial pattern has higher centrality. In hilly areas, topographic barriers, and inconvenient transportation limits public service options. Fewer villagers choose to go directly to county seats owing to the inconvenience, instead, town as a medium space has attracted some village residents. Thus, the spatial pattern of hilly areas is less central and more in the "central place" hierarchical structure. In summary, this study brings town, as a research unit, back to researchers' attention, and demonstrates the shifting roles of towns in the new era. In addition to pursuing the full coverage of facilities, to achieve the rational allocation of resources in the construction of town seats, the study suggests that the demand scale and service threshold of different types of functions should be considered. Meanwhile, the county should be viewed as an inclusive unit that can coordinate the allocation of resources to towns according to their basic conditions. Based on a complete configuration of necessary facilities, towns near urbanized areas can make full use of the radiation capacity of the county or city and reduce the construction of overly urbanized facilities; in areas where transportation within the county is less convenient, the service level of towns needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many rural areas in the United States and Europe have been changing from agricultural landscapes to a mix of farm and nonagricultural uses. The fragmentation of agricultural land reflects the higher value of nonagricultural uses but may pose a threat to agricultural operations. Vermont, a rural state, has tried to slow the loss and fragmentation of farmland. Agricultural census and land parcel data are analyzed to identify what are the supply and demand factors of fragmentation, what are the pros and cons of fragmentation, and have Vermont's efforts to regulate development and sustain farming slowed the conversion and fragmentation of farmland? The amount of Vermont farmland has declined sharply since 1959 and a considerable amount of rural land has been fragmented into lots that have limited value for dairy production, the state's primary agricultural industry. Vermont's farmland preservation programs appear to have had some success in slowing farmland loss after 2002. However, the economics of farming will continue to challenge the viability of agricultural operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossing literary evidence with archaeological data, we discuss the history of a site known as 'Marsa Djazira' by following the evolution of its toponym. During the Phoenician-Punic era, this site was described as a city/urban establishment with a harbour known as 'Gaphara'. In late Roman times its name was most likely changed to 'Minna Villa Marsi', as the Marsi family of the aristocracy of Leptis Magna probably built a luxury residence (villa) and exploited the port to export olive products from its estates in the hinterland of Leptis Magna. In the Middle Ages, the site underwent another toponymic change to 'Ras Cha c ra' and became an official maritime station (port) on the shipping lanes. In the late Middle Ages, the ancient toponym 'Gaphara' reappeared again with a slight distortion as 'Gasr Jafara/Djefara'. This last name was known when the site was already ruined and abandoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karur, one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India, embedded with its rich cultural history and heritage of over more than 2000 years can be considered a key textile hub in present times. Being perennially busy with home furnishings and garment exports, like any other "Textile" town of India or other textile players of the world, Karur was pushed into lockdown one after another from March 2020 for a few undecided months owing to the pandemic outbreak of the disease Covid-19 with a new class of corona virus, known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) being responsible for the occurrence of this disease. With uncertainty and a lack of clarity looming over their heads, many owners with the backing of their employees of the textile firms and industries jumpstarted their lives trying their best in beating the odds laid on themselves in quite successful ways backed with technical innovations. Though it happened for few, it didn't realize for some. This paper attempts to track and research on some of the life stories of achievement and the unprecedented misery few were suddenly pushed into. While this town's success stories as a meticulous process of change in its people's mindset in desperate times toward themselves and those around can be studied to be implemented as a role model for other towns, the future lying in its unpredictability can never be ascertained thereby only making the successful solutions of those a base study of learning for the next. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Qaryah" is the most frequent word belonging to the semantic field of "town/ village" in the Holy Qur'an. In recent decades, the discussions about semantic distinctions between "Qaryah" and other words belonging to the same semantic field such as "Madīnah" and "Balad" have drawn the attention of Qur'anic scholars widely. However, a review of lexicographical and exegetical sources indicates that there is not enough knowledge about (A) the construction-process of the Qur'anic word "Qaryah", (B) the semantic components of this word, and (C) the characteristics of this type of "town/village" in the context of revelation of the Holy Qur'an. Adopting the etymological approach, the present research is an attempt to trace the oldest history of the word "Qaryah" in proto-Afroasiatic, and study the semantic changes of this word towards the Qur'anic Arabic, and reexamine its semantic components in the Holy Qur'an. The present study shows that the Qur'anic word "Qaryah" is rooted in two different stems and constructed from a hybrid model. According to linguistic data and Qur'anic usages of the word, "Qaryah" was referring to the towns/villages which were playing the role of campgrounds for travelers at the time of revelation due to their locations in the middle of routes. Moreover, this research provides a new explanation for the reasons of calling Mecca 'Umm al-Qurā in the Holy Qur'an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological research carried out in 2016 in the place of the future elevator shaft in the southeastern part of the courtyard wing of the house No. 777 on Přemysl Otakar Square in Litovel contributed significantly to the understanding of the formation, use and changes of the courtyard part of the medieval town plot in Litovel, especially during the second half of the 13th century and in the 14th century. Direct evidence of the location was found in the form of a layer of original forest soil and the remains of a tree stump after tree felling. The two meters high medieval assemblage contained waste layers, insulating layers and communication reinforcement of the muddy courtyard surface. Highlights include at least two levels of wooden horse stable floors and a layer of horse hoof prints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing modernity is characterized by giving priority to reason, which intervenes in time-space, this intervention is manifested in the deterioration of nature and the creation of cities; they are the irrefutable proof of progress: wealth and inequality. Modern democracy, insofar as it is constituted through freedom, not only allows for a democratic relationship between the rulers and the ruled, it also gives the possibility of accessing wealth through action and merit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over eleven years, horses and humans have been cooperating in an unprecedented regular school bus service in the town of Vendargues in southern France. This service operates at the intracommunal level, collects over a hundred children each day at different stops in town and serves five different schools, using three different carriages. In addition, an original waste collection service is offered in the center of town. This service involves eight horses, five dedicated to the school bus service and two to waste collection. An additional back-up horse is kept as replacement in case of absence of one of the other horses. Our study is part of a monographic approach to the role of horses in Vendargues in their different jobs and occupations, along with their drivers and grooms. Based on an ethnographic study of co-working between horses and humans in this horse-drawn service, we seek to qualify the diversity of labor relationships. After exposing the theoretical and methodological framework of our research, we describe the actors, humans and horses, working every day in Vendargues as coworkers. We approach the work organization as a specific collective and/or team work. Finally, we propose to highlight the sustainability of this horse-drawn service as the result of setting the conditions that allow the emergence of an interspecific work collective, involving as partners both human and non-human collaborators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The written records testify that, apart from the Olomouc Castle on the Wenceslas hill, there existed another ruler’s residence in Olomouc in the 13th century, denominated Small castle. This object, called New small castle in 1213 (and later just Small castle), was endowed with its own administration apparatus and economic base different from that of Olomouc Castle. The location of the Small castle was debated by several well-known historians, art historians, and archaeologists. Archaeological excavations carried out in the presumed locations of the New small castle disproved most of older assumptions. This contribution supposes the location of the (New) Small castle in the area of the original house of the advocatus (Vogt) on Michael’s hill in Olomouc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sozopol the restoration of the active social and ecclesiastical life had been proceeding with great difficulties being almost impossible after the capture of the town by the Ottoman conqueror. A summarized information is given by this text on the ecclesiastical activity performed by the metropolitan archbishops of Sozopol during the Ottoman Age. The summarized available knowledge of Orthodox Ecclesiastic Diocesan life in Sozopol in that historical epoch assists the work of the local guides with a preparation and a presentation of a tour guiding lecture on the Diocese of Sozopol during the pilgrimage tours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective is to estimate the determinants of the level of visitor satisfaction based on their attributes in Todos Santos and Loreto, Baja California Sur (BCS) and El Rosario and Cosalá, Sinaloa, magic towns located in the northwest region of Mexico. Method: The methodology used consisted in the adaptation of the Tourist Satisfaction Model (MST) of the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico (SECTUR) and is supported by the estimation of a bivariate Probit model such as the suitable econometric approach to jointly model general tourist satisfaction and the tourist satisfaction derived from the culmination of the travel experience. Applied a survey and a statistical sample of 384 surveys was randomly obtained with reagents associated with nominal, ordinal and interval variables to maximize data robustness Results: The results reveal that there was a significant correlation between both satisfactions, for which evidence is shown that they are complementary. Variables independent that make up the blocks of the tourist profile, the reasons for the trip, experience of services, perception of services, and stay and spending were predictors significant for both types of satisfaction. Discussion or Conclusion: The bivariate Probit model applied to the study areas clearly reveals that the two forms of satisfaction are interrelated (satisfaction in general and satisfaction when retiring). On the other hand, within the determinants of satisfaction that refer to the tourist profile, such as age, they have shown that the older the age has a negative impact on the level of satisfaction, while in natural areas such as parks the influence of this variable is positive. The PMs, because they are tourist sites where visitors come because they are places of tranquility, older people tend to spend time with the purpose of recreation and knowledge of the places because they are natural and tourist attractions. The attributes that consist of the experience of services is a component that within the literature has positively affected satisfaction. However, in the case of accommodation, the effect was negative, the foregoing is due to the fact that in these types of places the category of accommodation is not high as in mass tourism. People who prefer tranquility and to enjoy the natural and cultural attractions come to this type of site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern Jiangsu Province has a dense water network. Under the guidance of the new concept of harmonious development between humans and nature proposed at the 19th CPC National Congress, it is of great significance to build a good spatial relationship between the town and its water system. Using the grid method, this paper calculates the fractal dimension of construction land and water space of 20 towns in Suzhou City since 1995, finding that the fractal dimension of town construction land rises rapidly, whereas that of water space drops slowly on a high dimension. In addition, the spatial form of town construction land and water space form are characterized by planar aggregation and sporadic growth respectively. The paper discusses the evolutionary characteristics of the fractal correlation of construction land and water space in towns with low-, medium-, and high-density water networks, as well as the represented spatial form relations and the underlying relationship between humans and nature. It concludes with an ecological restoration strategy of the two-way interaction between construction land and water space in different types of towns, which may provide a reference for the ecological progress of towns in southern Jiangsu Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented paper focuses on a collection of high medieval ceramics rescued by the curator of the Museum of the Capital of Olomouc Robert Smetana in 1938. The findings were located in the cellar of house No. 504, today’s 8th May Street (former Mořické Square No. 3). Only recently the majority of the material has been identified by the curator of the archaeological sub-collection of the Regional Museum in Olomouc. Based on the available analysis of the findings, the entire set can be dated back to the 15th century. The presented collection contributes to better knowledge of Olomouc burgher households equipment in the 15th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isparta which has been known since ancient times and referred as "Seperde" or "Sparda" or "Isparada" in the sources; was the centre town of Hamid Sanjak in the Ottoman Empire in XV. and XVI. century. In this study, the "population" and "settlement" structure of the town will be examined in the light of the three mufassal deed tahrir registry of 1478, 1522 and 1568, in which the Isparta Town was recorded, and the impact of the population situation on settlement will be examined as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to reconstruct the number of inhabitants in the Gubin district in the early post-war years. The statistical data available include previously unused source material in the form of reports and lists of the district administrator and the State Repatriation Office (PUR). The displacement of Germans and the influx of Poles will be discussed, the district’s population levels will be given with a division into town and village, and the speed of change in 1945–1949 will be indicated, as well as the population structure in terms of sex, age, nationality and direction of influx (repatriates from the East and West and displaced people from central Poland). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the issues of urban governance in district, nondistrict, medium-size and small-size towns of the Kharkov governorate in 1900-1917. The study is based on materials from Russian and Ukrainian historical archives and newly discovered periodicals. This article utilizes a comparative historical framework to analyse problems of urban governance based on the materials from Great Britain, Germany, the Habsburg monarchy, Poland and multiple large cities of the Russian Empire. In the early 20th century ten towns of the governorate had complete selfgovernment, while six had incomplete self-government. Until 1910 urban power was concentrated in the hands of 58 people: mayors, town headmen, members of town executive boards and support staff. We analysed the main reasons which affected the quality of urban government decisions: absenteeism of voters, quality power dynamics of urban elites, sources of the conflicts among municipal Dumas and finally town executive boards. It is important to note that towns used three strategies to overcome the managerial crises: examples of which included striving for the right to obtain complete urban self-governance, attempts to expand the number of employees in the town bureaucracy, and hiring professionals in various areas of the urban governance. As a result of re-evaluation of property values from which real estate tax was paid, a tax rates revision for trading establishments, introducing some new local taxes received from the state authorities, searching for funds toward commercial banks the cumulative expenses of urban governments increase for 2.4 times and its dynamics exceeded the population growth. After recalculating taxes per capita, the governorate towns spent 2.37-12.67 rubles, while at the same time expenses were 1.5-2 rubles per capita across the empire. The most important components of interactions between urban government and society at large were the statistical and analytical information publications by the city offices themselves, public discussion of urban problems in the pages of St. Petersburg magazine Gorodskoye delo [Urban affair], in local permanent newspapers after 1912, participation of society representatives in decision-making on a wide range of urban issues since 1907 and rise of different forms of people's self-organization particularly during the First World War. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text reflects the historical development of the Late Medieval Church of the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos in the Town of Sozopol. A concise local civilization survey has been performed of the available information about the history of this church, delineating the actuality of the examined problem, with the purpose of being useful for tourist guides to be and the ones acting at the present time to carry out their professional activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From past to present, one of the important issues that people have been dwelling on is the matter of security. Within the historical process, the cities' being surrounded by walls and building of fortresses to provide security are among the examples which shows the importance of security for people. At first, the walls and castles which used to protect the cities from external threats, are now contributing to tourism as nostalgic components. Neighbourhood, on the other hand is still continuing its activism in ensuring town safety as one of the drastic actors in the order of city from past to present. Because within the circle of neighbourhood, people are having relations with each other's, this relation is acquaintanceship and intimacy. Neighbourhood is the area where you get face to face and come across with others at its marketplace, its grocery, its mosque and its alleys. The neighbourhood which is also the initial step for town management system is also the core of the city and actually its eyes and ears with its neighbourhood representative, residents, groceries and other business organizations as a whole. In this research, it has been tried to be explained that the neighbourhood, which takes place on the first step of creating a town, has an effect which is before and after the police precautions by means of the situations like being acquaintance with others, care and contact that we don't usually notice. For this reason, it has been stated in this research that sustaining the neighbourhood culture, protecting it from the negative effects caused by modernization, and continuing its functions would result in provision of safety by building the city security system upon human relations and it has been tried to be proven that how the neighbourhood makes a contribution to the municipal security along with its streets, buildings, pavements and other components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For resolution of urban problems of the historic towns of Ganja and Shaki, the leading factors are the identification of local potentials and their rational use. The article deals with the leading directions of renovation and reconstruction of these towns in the complex development programs for the region, where towns are located, new projects and local programs for improving their external relations, quality of housing and production. Therefore, for implementation, the renovation and reconstruction of the planning structure of Ganja and Sheki, requires actions that alongside the balance in their functional zoning would create additional conditions for the rational development of these zones (residential, industrial, public, recreational and communication). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative analyses of the Basqal bath-house with other bath-houses built in the country have been given in this article. Despite a manor of an old structure of that period, the idea of the new polemic plan structure in this article has been revealed by incorrect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to determine the thoughts of the 5-6 year old children in preschool period according to their experiences in the city center and rural areas. In this study, the sample technique was used and the sample of the study consisted of 6-year students who went to the kindergarten in the central and rural areas of Ağrı province in the spring 2016-2017 period. The sample consisted of 13 girls living in the center, 12 boys and 14 girls living in rural areas and 11 boys. In this study, 10 stories were prepared in order to determine the opinions of children about the issues they encounter in daily life and have ideas. During the semi-structured interview, the stories were presented to each child respectively and the children were asked to complete the stories. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the obtained data. As a result, it has been investigated how children will be able to find ways to cope with problems by encouraging preschool children to think creatively through stories. There are differences between children in rural areas and in the city center. There were also differences between boys and girls in both regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this chapter, we will discuss the different actors in the Swedish town Nya Lödöse (1473-1624), their interactions and conflicts, and the socio-economic topography of the town according to both archaeological and archival sources. There is reason to believe that there are some phenomena particular to this town while others point to more general conditions in early modern Scandinavian towns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological state of a group of people or particular individuals in various phases of ontogenesis should be treated as a positive health measure. The aim of the study was to assess the directions of changes in body height and age at menarche of girls from eastern Poland in the years 1986-2016. The data regarding 30784 students aged 10-16 living in towns and villages of the eastern parts of such regions as Podkarpackie, Lubelskie, Podlaskie, Warminsko-mazurskie and, to a slight extent, Mazowieckie were used in the study. Body height was measured and information concerning the place of living and age at menarche (yes-no) was gathered during interviews. Acceleration of body height and age at menarche was observed in girls from the east of Poland in the period of political transformation and after European Union (EU) accession, while the level of secular trends was connected with the pace of changes in the environment. Biological effects of the EU preservation of Polish agriculture and particular care of the eastern provinces of Poland reduced developmental differences between these provinces and other regions of Poland. Moreover, in the analysed period of three decades (1986-2016), the disappearance of differences in body height and age at menarche between the inhabitants of rural and urban areas was noted, which indicates larger positive socio-economic changes in the countryside. In turn, greater body height was noted in non-menstruating girls compared to their menstruating counterparts. However, in subsequent observations, smaller differences between these groups were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to present the results of the research involving identifying tourist attractiveness of selected small towns in Lower Silesia as well as comparing its level to the level of tourist function's development in these towns. The study covered 10 out of 72 small towns in Lower Silesia. The study was based on data from 2014 to 2017. The authors use a two-dimensional indicator of the tourist function, they construct a synthetic indicator of tourist attractiveness, and then they compare obtained results for the analyzed small towns. The study demonstrates that tourist attractiveness of a small town depends on tourist values which were studied, but not just. According to the authors, the level of tourist flows is influenced additionally by: the attractiveness of the environment, tourists' habits, information and marketing activities of specific towns and enterprises offering tourist-recreation accommodation and other tourist attractions, the state of the transport infrastructure and the quality of public transport links. The research procedure was conducted with use of descriptive methods, quantitative methods and graphics methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with evidence for medieval leatherworking in České Budějovice based on movable finds. The numerous collection of artefacts coming from several rescue excavations in the city centre especially contains parts of shoes and various refuse. Finds such as scabbards, belts, straps and a poach are represented to a lesser degree. The core of the collection consists of finds from the inner section of house no. 3 in Přemysl Otakar II Square. Its composition indicates the existence of a cobbler's workshop there at the close of the 13th century. The remaining artefacts come from former cesspits and wells and date from the 15th and 16th centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the early history and gradual modernisation of Chernelytsia -- a town of Pokkuttya region. The first settlement in this region was noted on a high triangular cape on the right bank of the Dniester. Initially, it was a modestly fortified settlement located on the border of the Kievan state. However, after its incorporation into the Galicia Rostislav state and subsequently into Galicia--Volhynia Romanovich state, the settlement developed into a tri-part fortified grod of 5 ha in area. The author hypothesises that the grod ceased to be active between the 2nd half of the 16th century and the 1st half of the 17th century, after it had fallen prey to the Tatars who had raided Pokkuttya. Another period in the history of Chernelytsia is marked by the emergence of a new settlement at the area of today's town's centre. The emergence is dated at the 1st half of the 15th century. Initially, both the new settlement and the old grod were active, however, soon after being granted a municipal charter, the new settlement took the lead in social and economic activity. The town structure ossified in the 17th century when the bastion castle was built, as well as the St Archangel Michael Church and a Dominican monastery. Also, three tserkov churches were active in Chernelytsia at that time. The market square emerged, the town hall and a synagogue were built, and suburbs became discernible. The town plan changed only at the end of the 18th century when the new era in town's history started. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo's policies, a new urban paradigm has appeared at Brazilian Northern hinterlands (sertões) by means of Indian's town creation in order to civilize native people according to European Enlightenment models. Thus the aim of this paper is think of the effect that Indian's towns has brought to the sertões's urbanization as well as interpret its urban morphology in light of royal letter (or another official document) of towns foundation and cultural encounters have taken place between indigenous and European. Also it seeks to demonstrate that urban morphology acquired by those towns has presented trace elements both Enlightenment aesthetical normative as native culture re-meaning by adventitious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the zooarchaeological evidence from six Basque towns (Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Salvatierra–Agurain, Balmaseda, Orduña and Durango), and compares it with historical written sources. The key aims are a better understanding of urban diet, the provisioning of meat to towns, and the relationship between town and country, in the 12th–18th centuries. Taxonomic frequencies, kill-off patterns, butchery practices and biometrical data are examined in a diachronic perspective. The results reveal that, although there are some signs of economic specialization, patterns of urban consumption remained fairly stable. It is suggested that the strict taxation and legislation for meat supply and the ownership of livestock by urban elites meant that urban demand for meat was too tightly regulated to bring about substantial changes in the mechanisms of livestock breeding and supply. The economic system appears to have mainly been geared towards the socio-economic needs of the countryside, despite the central role of some of the Basque towns in international trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the understanding of socio-spatial trends and urban systems in Europe, with a specific focus on smaller settlements. First, a morphological delimitation of urban settlements as geographical base is used to identify the different settlement structures that characterise regions across Europe. Secondly, an analysis of population and GDP performances of NUTS 3 regions for the 29 countries of the European space (growth rates in 2001-2011) provides evidence of the variety of territorial phenomena that characterise smaller-settlement regions across Europe. Finally, the paper highlights the diversity and complexity of urbanisation structures in Europe and how general trends observed at larger scale are articulated locally according to prevailing structures of urbanisation. It shows the character of 'embeddedness' of smaller settlements within urban systems and territorial structures and how the socio-economic performances of smaller-settlement regions are defined by a combination of macro trends, national contextualisation, local dynamics and regional path dependency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite that small and medium-sized towns (SMSTs) have been, and continue to be, a central part of the history of Europe, these places have largely been neglected by urban research. The ESPON TOWN project, on which this Special Issue builds, sought to redress this neglect performing a comparative analysis of their position and role across Europe. In this introductory paper we discuss some of the theoretical and methodological challenges when it came to identifying, studying and analysing SMSTs and the theoretical framework developed to inform our understanding of SMSTs. In particular, three themes are discussed. The first one is about the ontological problem of defining a town. Administrative, morphological and functional perspectives are considered. The second one reflects on a wide array of interpretative approaches about the relationship between towns and their regional context. The third one is about the thematic and multi-scalar perspectives that can characterise the policy approach to towns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barış Bıçakçı, who emerged on the literary stage as a poet and began publishing his works of fiction in the 2000s, has reinforced his place in the literary world with his minimalist style that says many things with few words. In time terms, his tales (six novels and one book of short stories) begin from the end of the 1970s and continue through to the present day, but the vast majority of the action takes place in Ankara. Ankara, which takes the leading role in all of Bıçakçı's works, is brought to life through its roads and streets, its parks and housing blocks, its coffeehouses and bars as a city that brings people together and unites them. It is even more full of life than the novels set in it and the characters of their stories. Indeed, its colors are sometimes buffed to double the intensity in order to emphasize the colorlessness of certain individuals. The people of the metropol, who are increasingly moving away from their traditional values, have become estranged by their lack of communication with the society they find themselves in and feel a strong yearning for the past; love and passion are made feelings that isolate the individual, and the characters adopt a variety of attitudes towards death. As for the location, Ankara, it is both the witness and the subject of all that goes on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presbycusis patients (usually beyond 50 years) come to us with much loss of hearing sensitivity. The deafness unperceived starts much earlier before their perception. Objectives: To identify the severity of the subtle deafness in the cosmopolitan, small town and rural areas. Materials and methods: We had selected the people with absolutely normal hearing (claimed by the subjects) between 21-50 years. They were confident of their hearing status, even on deep probing. We divided the people into three categories like cosmopolitan, small town and rural. We had selected the people of Mumbai under the cosmopolitan category. The audiological evaluation was carried out in sound treated room meeting the ANSI Standards of permissible ambient noise levels in sound treated room. Manual Pure Tone Audiometer in a two room set up that confirm to ANSI S-3.6-1996 standard was used. The instrument used for this study was calibrated ALPS AD 2100 audiometer with TDH 49 ear phones. Results: The cosmopolitan population were affected most. Later small town people and lastly rural area people were affected. In cosmopolitan population the 4 kHz was mostly affected, suggesting the significant impact of noise on their hearing. In town population also the 4 kHz is affected, but not to the extent of cosmopolitan people. The cosmopolitan people were affected worst among the three categories. And interestingly the small town population and rural population have almost the same hearing thresholds. Conclusion: The severity of subtle deafness is most in cosmopolitan, lesser in small town and least in rural population. The pure tone audiometry should be done in cosmopolitan people in early twenties, in small town people in early thirties and in rural population in early forties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Place and time play an important role in Sayyab poetry that is closely related to literature and social life and this is regarded as an important element in Sayyab poetry. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the time and place in poems of Badr Shakir al-Sayyab as well as his semiology in creating the comprehensive artwork. Semiology creates communicational - psychological effect on listener and puts a photographic form in mind and through verb between the speaker and the listener. Sayyab used spatial cues of aesthetic particles in poem subjects for himself. Spatial semiotics has recently come to the attention of linguistics that Swiss scientist Ferdinand de Saussure used it for symptoms of knowledge in the process of communication and exchanging the information. This study analyzes poems of Sayyab by using descriptive-analytical method from this perspective. The spatial cues help us to locatr beauty in Sayyab poetry and the treasures of intellectual knowledge that is hidden amidst his poems through the village, town and where he met with his beloved have been found out. In this study, we rely on the full poetry implementation of Badr Shakir Sayyab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turgutlu, the topic of our study, was a village in Yengi subdistrict of Manisa in the XVIth Century. A Bazaar has been established in Turgutlu which has got five quarters since 1610. Turgutlu has been called a town since that date and it has become the centre of Yengi subdistrict. The term of Kasaba has begun to be used more widely instead of Turgutlu among the people since that time. Turgutlu after being a town grew rapidly, three quarters have been added in XVIIIth century in addition to its five quarters in XVIth century. Although there are some studies examining the social and economic structure of the town in XVIth and XIXth century, any study related with its position in XVIIIth century hasn't been conducted so far. In this article, it is intended to reveal the social end economic situation of the Town between the years 1690-1835 by using hurûfât records. The quarters and villages, social and religious structures such as the mosque, fountains, wells, schools, madrasahs of Turgutlu have been identified by using the information in hurûfât records. The information about what kind of officials were employed in these institutions and how they were appointed to these tasks has also been specified in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has the essential purpose of defining a set of general criteria and reporting elements that help to guide the implementation action, locally, of a draft child and youth participation. This wants to be, ultimately, a framework document that inspires a certain model of intervention of the youngest in the life of their cities. A model which promotes a transformative dimension of the town or village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the zooarchaeological evidence from six Basque towns (Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Salvatierra–Agurain, Balmaseda, Orduña and Durango), and compares it with historical written sources. The key aims are a better understanding of urban diet, the provisioning of meat to towns, and the relationship between town and country, in the 12th–18th centuries. Taxonomic frequencies, kill-off patterns, butchery practices and biometrical data are examined in a diachronic perspective. The results reveal that, although there are some signs of economic specialization, patterns of urban consumption remained fairly stable. It is suggested that the strict taxation and legislation for meat supply and the ownership of livestock by urban elites meant that urban demand for meat was too tightly regulated to bring about substantial changes in the mechanisms of livestock breeding and supply. The economic system appears to have mainly been geared towards the socio-economic needs of the countryside, despite the central role of some of the Basque towns in international trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]