The equity implications of TOD in Curitiba

In this paper we analyze how socio-spatial inequalities have been shaped by transport and land-use planning in Curitiba (Brazil), a city internationally recognized for its Transit Oriented Development (TOD) planning based on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). We examine how the spatial organization of the BRT system is associated with the distribution of population densities, socioeconomic groups, and real-estate values and its implications in terms of inequalities of access to employment and health services. The results show that Curitiba's TOD has had limited influence on population densities, but has shaped the concentration of high-income classes and premium real-estate along its main BRT corridors. These effects contribute to the peripheralization of low-income communities with limited accessibility benefits from the transit system. Our findings suggest that Curitiba’s success story should be seen as a cautionary tale about the consequences of TOD planning, which perpetuate the spatial concentration of resources and reinforce inequalities of access to opportunities.

Methodologies to Associate COVID-19 Spreading Data to Space and Scale

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the correlation between the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 virus and a number of epidemiological parameters has been a key tool for understanding the dynamics of its flow. This information has assisted local authorities in making policy decisions for the containment of its expansion. Several methods have been used including topographical data, artificial intelligence and machine learning data, and epidemiological tools to analyze factors facilitating the spread of epidemic at a local and global scale. The aim of this study is to use a new tool to assess and categorize the incoming epidemiological data regarding the spread of the disease as per population densities, spatial and topographical morphologies, social and financial activities, population densities and mobility between regions. These data will be appraised as risk factors in the spread of the disease on a local and a global scale.

Population density and structure of a breeding bird community in a suburban habitat in the Cuvelai drainage system, northern Namibia

In a suburb (c. 100 ha) of Ongwediva, a total of 30 breeding bird species were recorded in 2018. Shannon’s Diversity Index was 2.01. Passer domesticus comprised almost half of all breeding pairs (36.4 pairs / 10 ha). Granivores were by far the most numerous feeding guild, comprising 77.5 % of all birds breeding. Birds nesting on/in buildings were represented by two species only, but they comprised almost half (49.9 %) of all breeding birds. In comparison with other southern African towns, the number of bird species breeding in Ongwediva was low. This was compensated by high population densities of some species.

Machine Learning Model and Statistical Methods for COVID-19 Evolution Prediction

In this paper, we discuss the statistical processing of COVID-19 data. COVID-19 was initially recognized in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019. It then spread to other parts of the world, so it became known as a pandemic. It has received interest due to its sudden emergence as a deadly human pathogen. The effect is not only confined to morbidity and mortality but also extends to social and economic consequences. Statistical analysis is required to measure the damage done to humans and take the necessary measures to limit this damage. The objective of the work was to examine the effects of various factors on the deaths due to COVID-19. To achieve this goal, we applied a logistic regression (LR) model, as a statistical method, and a decision tree model, as a machine learning method, to model the deaths due to COVID-19 in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The predictive abilities of these two models were compared. The overall accuracies of the decision tree and LR were 94.1% and 93.9%, respectively. It was also observed that countries with high population densities tended to have more cases than those with smaller population densities. There were more female deaths than male deaths in the United Kingdom, and more deaths occurred for those aged 65 years and older. The data were collected from the World Health Organization’s official website from January 11, 2020, to May 29, 2020. The results obtained were in agreement with the previous results obtained by others.

Assessing direct and residual effects of cover crops on the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine if cover crops directly decrease population densities of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, and/or have residual effects on reproduction of the nematode on soybean (Glycine max). Population densities of SCN were not significantly decreased by nine cover crop plants or three cover crop mixes compared to a non-planted soil control in a repeated 60-day-long greenhouse experiment. When susceptible soybeans were grown in the soils after cover crop growth, fewer SCN females formed following three annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) cultivars (Bounty, King, and RootMax), the Daikon radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) cultivar CCS779, Kodiak mustard (Brassica juncea), and a mix containing cereal rye, crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), plus Daikon radish (cultivars not stated) compared to following the non-planted control. In another repeated experiment, cover crops were grown for 56 days in SCN-infested soil in the greenhouse then exposed to Iowa winter conditions for 28 days to simulate winter termination of the plants. One treatment, a cover crop mix containing Bounty annual ryegrass plus Enricher Daikon radish, had a decrease in SCN population density greater than the non-planted control at the end of the experiment. Significantly fewer SCN females formed on soybeans grown following several cover crops, including the three annual ryegrass cultivars that had the suppressive residual effects in the first experiment. In summary, there were no cover crop treatments that consistently decreased SCN population densities across experiments, and only one cover crop treatment in one experiment significantly reduced SCN population densities more than a non-planted soil control. However, there was a somewhat consistent, adverse, residual effect of cover crops on reproduction of SCN on susceptible soybeans following growth of multiple cover crops.

Productivity of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) genotypes under Varying Population Densities

To investigate the influence of three population densities (88,000, 44,000, and 29,000 plants/ha) on the growth and yield of five cowpea varieties (IT97K-461, IT97K-568-18, IT98K-131-2, IT99K-1060 and IT99K-`245), a field experiment was conducted at Teaching and Research farm of Landmark University. Growth parameters such as germination count, plant height, and number of trifoliate leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, flower production dynamics and dry matter determination were measured, while harvest index, shelling percentage, number of seeds per pod, see weight pods per plant and grain yield were measured at harvest as yield components. Data were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS Institute. Significant means were separated using Duncans Multiple Range Test at 5% probability level. Results revealed that there were no constant trends in growth parameters response to population density. Plant height and flower production decreased with increased population density, while number of leaves per plant and dry matter increased with increasing population density. There was no appreciable effect of population density on branching. All these parameters were significantly (p≤0.05) affected with variety, while there was no significant (p≤0.05) interaction effect. Most yield components decreased with increasing population density while grain yield however, slightly increased with increasing population density. All yield parameter and grain yield significantly varied with variety, while there were no appreciable interaction effect. In conclusion, a population density of 88,000 plants /ha gives the highest growth and grain yield. While, variety, IT97-568-18 gives the higher growth and grain yield than other varieties studied.

Quantitative study of activated sludge population structure

A quantitative study of the population structure of activated sludge is an important component of biological wastewater treatment control. However, in the studying of live samples of the activated sludge, some complications arise, in particular, associated with the relatively short time of the subsample suitability. A subsample is the part of the sample that is placed on a glass slide and in which organisms are counted. The issue of optimization of counts of organisms with large amplitude of population density is considered. The results of counting ciliated protozoa in activated sludge were described. The samples were counted in 45 sub-samples of 25 µl each. An average of 10 counts was required to achieve high reliability in determining population densities with more than or equal to 1 specimen per 25 µl in sub-samples. For small population densities (less one specimen per 25 µl) of free-swimming, crawling, and sessile ciliates, 30 counts are necessary. When the density of colonial protozoan populations is established, the number of counts should be increased to 40, especially when colonies with significant differences in the number of zooids are found.

Beet-arugula intercropping under green manuring and planting density induce to agro-economic advantages

ABSTRACT One of the biggest challenges in the intercropping system of two crops is to obtain the optimal dose of green manure and the adequate population density of the crops. So, the objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of beet and arugula intercropping, influenced by green manuring with Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera and arugula population densities in two cultivation years, in semi-arid environment. The experimental design used was in randomized complete blocks, with the treatments arranged in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme, with 4 repetitions. The first factor of this scheme consisted of equitable amounts of M. aegyptia and C. procera biomass (20, 35, 50 and 65 t ha-1 on a dry basis) and the second factor, by arugula population densities (40, 60, 80 and 100% of the recommended density for single cropping, corresponding to 400, 600, 800 and 1,000 thousand arugula plants ha-1). The production and its components were evaluated on beet and arugula. In addition to these characteristics, the following agro-economic indicators were also determined for each treatment: system productivity index (SPI), land equivalent coefficient (LEC) and monetary equivalent ratio (MER). The greatest agro-economic advantages of the beet with arugula intercropping were achieved with a system productivity index (SPI) of 53.47 t ha-1, land equivalent coefficient (LEC) of 0.84 and a monetary equivalent ratio (MER) of 1.56, respectively, combining 65 t ha-1 of M. aegyptia and C. procera biomass with the arugula population density of 1,000 thousand plants ha-1. The maximum optimized commercial productivity of beetroots in the system intercropped with arugula was 23.20 t ha-1 using 65 t ha-1 of M. aegyptia and C. procera and in the arugula population density of 1,000 thousand plants ha-1, while the maximum arugula productivity intercropped with beet was 9.65 t ha-1, in the same combination of green manures amount and arugula population density.