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The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil provided one of the most severe examples of its impacts on health and society. The country had death rates above the global average and acute impacts in increased unemployment, poverty, and threats to food security marked along ethnic and social lines. This study asks how different degrees of vulnerability between Brazilian cities lead to varying survival probabilities of their population in the phases of the pandemic in the country. To answer this question, this research presents a descriptive and analytic exploration of the relationship between vulnerability and COVID-19 from February 2020 to February 2021. We describe this period in seven distinct phases, characterised by geographic units, vectors of virus transmission, and infected cases and fatality numbers. In this context, we implement an exploratory survival analysis of COVID-19 fatalities using the Kaplan-Meier estimator (KME) in a set of cities with different social vulnerability degrees. The KME is a common analytic tool in medicine, and we implement it in a geographic investigation to focus on the temporal dimension of the crisis and examine socio-territorial vulnerability. Our results present a clear association between vulnerability and COVID-19 deaths. Highly vulnerable cities show low survival probabilities, and there are statistically significant differences in survival probability between low- and high-vulnerability cities. Further research should advance by investigating spatio-temporal dynamics, providing fine-resolution empirical information, and addressing behavioural components related to COVID-19 cases and deaths in the Global South.

The early 2000s witnessed an explosion of available geographical information made possible by Web 2.0 technologies that include Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), a set of methods that brings user contribution to the center of geographic information acquisition. These methods increase the capacity of community-driven and local initiatives to create geographic information and close existing data gaps in authoritative sources. Informal settlements constitute an example of where a major vacuum exists, as maps are often incomplete, outdated, or imprecise. However, quality issues regarding VGI frequently arise, as do questions on citizen participation and empowerment. This study explores how different VGI approaches support citizen participation and user empowerment, in tandem with the opportunities and limitations of VGI to map informal settlements in Latin America. We propose a VGI comparison framework to evaluate citizen participation in two informal settlement mapping projects in São Paulo and Mexico City. Such a framework includes four assessment categories: 1) required material resources; 2) required geographic information system (GIS) literacy; 3) user agency; and 4) involvement of research subjects. The results demonstrate that higher citizen involvement in São Paulo stems from the inclusion of residents through participatory mapping methods. Conversely, Mexico City's case demonstrates how crowdsourcing may happen irrespective of and contrary to the goals from those represented in the data. We suggest that VGI is a powerful tool for generating timely and precise data on informal settlements, but research subjects should have agency over geographic information about them.

The fast and broad adoption of mechanization and chemical inputs in Mediterranean terraced agriculture, combined with warming climate trends, has led to the progressive degradation of environmental and social conditions. These factors have concurred with the increasing abandonment of smallholder agriculture. We aimed to detect and quantify the progression of cultivated and abandoned terraced fields in the Ricote Valley between 2016 and 2019 while also exploring reasons for land abandonment over the past decades. To quantify cultivated and abandoned agricultural terraces, we conducted (1) a terrace detection based on Lidar and cadaster data, (2) a land use classification based on Sentinel imagery, and (3) an investigation of the reasons for land abandonment based on participant observation and an expert survey. Our results show high rates of abandonment compared to the total available agricultural terraced area in the Ricote Valley. In 2016, 56% of the detected terraced area was classified as not cultivated. In 2019, the percentage decreased to 40%. Small parcels are cultivated to a higher percentage than large or medium-sized parcels. We identified five main reasons underlying land abandonment: (1) low income of farmers; (2) land fragmentation resulting in higher transaction costs; (3) lack of interest in agricultural activities among young generations; (4) lack of modernization; and (5) emotional bonds preventing the sale of abandoned parcels. We stressed the importance of a place-based mixed method approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the specificities of a given research area.

Lifting water is crucial to irrigate agricultural terraces in the Mediterranean region. But the energy demand and emissions of modern forms of water pumping have increased, while many traditional water wheels, which lift water at zero direct emissions, have been abandoned. We explored the state of preservation and the potential for the deployment of traditional water wheels known as “norias” in the Ricote Valley of southeast Spain, where some are still in function, while also investigating the reasons for their widespread abandonment. A mixed method approach is used here to combine GIS-based methods, an expert survey, and a technological and socio-economic assessment of noria renovation. Our findings show that norias in the Ricote Valley have mostly been replaced by thermal-engine water-lifting technologies. The reactivation of traditional irrigation technologies, many of them lying dormant but still standing, could contribute to reducing the high energy demand and the resulting emissions of irrigation systems in the Mediterranean region and beyond. It was estimated by data extrapolation that 16 renovated norias included in our analysis can irrigate 140.3 ha in the Ricote Valley, for a total achievable power of 23.8 kW. To irrigate a similar surface applying diesel motor pumps would produce up to 148 tons of emissions/year and cost up to approx. 70,000 €/year based on a price of 1.25€/l diesel for a maximum of 8760 working hours/year. In the case of electric pumps, we estimate that up to 55 tons of emissions/year and costs up to approx. 48,000 €/year can be saved. Therefore, we argue that rediscovering traditional technologies has potential to contribute to achieving climate actions that reduce GHG emissions (Sustainable Development Goal 13). Moreover, these technologies provide multiple functions and services for a sustainable life on land (Sustainable Development Goal 15), which needs to be considered within a holistic approach. This research was funded by Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES, Germany) and partly supported by the CLICCS Cluster of Excellence (Grant ID: 2037) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Purpose Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is a therapy designed for patients with central sleep apnea (CSA) and Cheyne Stokes respiration. The aim of this study was to find predictors of ASV usage in patients with CSA in a routine sleep clinic cohort. Methods In this retrospective study, consecutive patients in whom ASV therapy was initiated at the University Hospital Regensburg between 2011 and 2015, were analyzed. Analysis included polysomnographies of diagnostic and ASV initiation nights, a phone questionnaire on ASV usage, readout of the ASV device 1 month after initiation (“early ASV usage,” 1 month after ASV initiation), and the readout of the last month before a reappointment date set in 2015 (“late ASV usage,” median 17 months after ASV initiation). Results In 69 consecutive patients, the mean early and late ASV usage per night was 4.8 ± 2.5 h and 4.1 ± 3.0 h, respectively. Seventeen months after initiation, 57% of patients used the device ≥ 4 h per night, and of those 91% reported a subjective benefit from ASV therapy. Early ASV usage was significantly associated with late ASV usage (univariable regression: Beta 0.8, 95%CI [0.6; 1.0] p < 0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, short duration of slow wave sleep (N3) during diagnostic polysomnography (Beta − 6.2, 95%CI [− 11.0; − 1.5]; p = 0.011) and subjective benefit from ASV (Beta 174.0, 95%CI [68.6; 279.5]; p = 0.002) were significantly associated with longer late ASV usage. Conclusion Early ASV usage predicts late ASV usage. In addition, low slow wave sleep before ASV initiation and subjective benefit from ASV may contribute to higher late ASV usage.

This article applies a multi-method approach to develop a better measurement of urbanization dynamics using remote and human sensing based on a GIS platform. The results demonstrate the benefits of bringing human and remote sensing sources together in a framework of hot spot analysis for a megacity such as Mexico City. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that human and remote sensing work well together in detecting the expansion of illegal urban settlements. Looking at the driving factors of illegal settlements, the existence of strong association between the expansion of illegal urban settlements and socioeconomic factors such as unemployment, provides some answers and reveals new questions. Illegal urban growth often leads to the loss of ecological areas in the urban frontiers, especially in areas where the urbanization potential is high. As a consequence, there are conflicts with legal settlers who dislike the illegal expansion. This approach can be extended to and replicated in new urbanizing areas, in particular in Africa and Asia.

Land fragmentation is widespread in traditional field systems of the Mediterranean region. A typical case for high fragmented properties is the Valley of Ricote. It is dominated by smallholder agriculture. To promote smart sustainable development in rural areas it is important to address the specific needs of these small agricultural producers; especially considering that agriculture is the most important consumer of water worldwide and that the great majority of farms are small production units extending over

Due to the availability of Web 2.0 technologies, volunteered geographic information (VGI) is on the rise. This new type of data is available on many topics and on different scales. Thus, it has become interesting for research. This article deals with the collective potential of VGI and remote sensing to detect peri-urbanization in the conservation zone of Mexico City. On the one hand, remote sensing identifies horizontal urban expansion, and on the other hand, VGI of ecological complaints provides data about informal settlements. This enables the combination of top-down approaches (remote sensing) and bottom-up approaches (ecological complaints). Within the analysis, we identify areas of high urbanization as well as complaint densities and bring them together in a multi-scale analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Furthermore, we investigate the influence of settlement patterns and main roads on the peri-urbanization process in Mexico City using OpenStreetMap. Peri-urbanization is detected especially in the transition zone between the urban and rural (conservation) area and near main roads as well as settlements.

Reduced sleep quality is associated with impaired quality of life and increased mortality in patients with heart failure. The aim of this study was to observe changes in sleep fragmentation and sleep quality in patients with heart disease and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (pEF) treated with adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy for treatment of emergent central sleep apnea (TECSA) or central sleep apnea (CSA). 114 patients with structural heart disease and pEF introduced to ASV therapy between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified into two groups; TECSA (n = 60) or CSA (n = 54). Changes of sleep fragmentation and sleep quality from baseline to ASV initiation were compared. ASV therapy leads to a significant reduction of apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) and arousal index in patients with TECSA and CSA (∆AHI: − 43 ± 21 vs. − 47 ± 22/h; ∆arousal index − 11 ± 15, vs. − 11 ± 21/h). ASV treatment leads to a significant increase in sleep efficiency in TECSA compared to CSA (∆SE: 10 ± 19 vs. 1 ± 18%, p = 0.019). Both groups had significantly longer stage N3 (N3) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) on ASV (∆N3: 8 ± 11 vs. 9 ± 13%; ∆REM 7 ± 9 vs. 3 ± 8%; p

Recent evidence has shown that adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is contraindicated in patients with predominant central sleep apnea (CSA) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤45%). The objective of this study was to assess the clinical usage of ASV in patients at the time-point of the release of a safety warning by type of SDB, breathing pattern and LVEF. Patients of a cardiac and a respirology sleep center, both in Germany, who received ASV therapy were contacted between May and October 2015. Retrospective analyses included diagnostic polysomnography, polysomnography with continuous positive airway pressure prior to ASV initiation and echocardiography. Treatment emergent CSA was diagnosed after an appropriate treatment period on CPAP. 285 patients receiving ASV therapy (91 in the cardiac and 194 in the respirology setting) underwent diagnostic polysomnography. 233 (82%) patients had severe SDB, 94 (33%) predominant CSA, and 185 (65%) periodic breathing. 20% (n = 52) of patients had an LVEF of ≤45%. The most common indications for ASV were CSA in heart failure (41%) in the cardiac setting and treatment emergent CSA (80%) diagnosed after an appropriate period on CPAP in the respirology setting. The proportion of patients in whom ASV was contraindicated (CSA and LVEF ≤45%) was 16% in the cardiac setting and 9% in the respirology setting. Clinical usage of ASV changed for a small subgroup of patients after release of the SERVE-HF results. Nevertheless, ASV treatment should be monitored and evaluated with diligence in the reminder indications.

Das Drei-Saulen-Modell einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung der Enquete-Kommission des Bundestags beschreibt die Verbindung von okologischen, sozialen und okonomischen Zielen. Nach diesem Modell ist es zu wenig, Nachhaltigkeit nur auf die Umwelt zu beziehen. Die drei Dimensionen Okologie, Okonomie und Soziales sollen ihre Ziele und Bedarfe in einer nachhaltigen Gesellschaftspolitik austarieren, weil zwischen diesen Dimensionen Verbindungen und teilweise sogar Abhangigkeiten bestehen und sie somit nicht getrennt voneinander zu betrachten sind (Wissenschaftliche Dienste des Bundestages 2004).

Zurich has a long tradition in hosting the creative class. Today, the City of Zurich is a «creative city» of not only national but also international importance. In 2007, the City Council launched its “Strategies for Zurich 2025” and declared the creative industries to one out of six industries it intends to promote for the city's economic future. Based on insights to the creative industries' “habitat conditions” and networking gained from interviews with creative workers in the City of Zurich this article discusses the challenges urban policy has to be aware of when intending the fostering of existing or the initiation of new creative urban clusters.

The incidence of all spontaneously occurring histologic lesions was determined for control Fischer-344 (F-344) rats from 90-day (13-wk) prechronic National Toxicology Program (NTP) toxicity studies. A total of 319 rats, represented by control groups of 10 males and 10 females each from dosed feed ( n = 8), inhalation ( n = 4), and gavage ( n = 4) studies were included in the review. All protocol required tissues routinely collected for evaluation were reexamined for potential nonneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Histopathologic findings in tissues included a spectrum of degenerative and inflammatory lesions. The most common lesions in male rats were nephropathy [145/160 (90.6%)] and cardiomyopathy [125/158 (79.1%)]. These changes were also present in the female rats, however, at much lower incidence rates [nephropathy = 30/157 (19.1%); cardiomyopathy = 36/158 (22.8%)]. Other less frequently occurring lesions included inflammation of the preputial [36/152 (23.7%)] and clitoral [34/155 (21.9%)] glands and inflammation of the liver consisting of either foci of mononuclear inflammatory cells [19/159 (11.9%) in males and 33/159 (20.8%) in females] or focal granulomatous inflammation [1/159 (0.6%) in males and 14/159 (8.8%) in females]. Pancreatic acinar cell atrophy occurred in both males [11/160 (6.9%)] and females [8/159 (5.0%)]. A variety of other less common nonneoplastic lesions were identified in both sexes of rats. Also recorded in this review are histologic changes generally considered to be components of the normal morphology of a particular tissue or organ for the F-344 rat (i.e., extramedullary hematopoiesis and hemosiderin deposition in the spleen, renal mineralization, uterine dilation, etc.). These findings were included and discussed due to potential treatment effects that may result in an increase or decrease in these changes compared to controls. Neoplasms were not observed in rats from the prechronic studies evaluated.

In the early 2000s, Web 2.0 technologies prompted an explosion in geographic data that include Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), a set of methods that brings user contribution to the center of data acquisition. These methods increase the capacity of community-driven and local initiatives to create geographic information and close existing data gaps in authoritative sources. Informal settlements constitute an example of where a major vacuum exists, as maps are often incomplete, outdated, or imprecise. However, quality issues regarding VGI frequently arise, as do questions on citizen participation and empowerment. This study explores how different VGI approaches support citizen participation and user empowerment, in tandem with the opportunities and limitations of VGI to map informal settlements in Latin America. We propose a VGI comparison framework to evaluate citizen participation in two informal settlement mapping projects in São Paulo and Mexico City. Such a framework includes four categories: (1) required material resources; (2) required geographic information system (GIS) literacy; (3) user agency; and (4) involvement of research subjects. The results demonstrate that higher citizen involvement in São Paulo stems from the inclusion of residents through participatory mapping methods. Conversely, the Mexico City’s case demonstrates how crowdsourcing may happen irrespective of and contrary to the goals from those represented in the data. We suggest that VGI is a powerful tool for generating timely and precise data on informal settlements, but research subjects should have agency over geographic information collected about them.