Sustainably managing vehicles at their end-of-life stage(ELVs)presents significant potential forresource recovery,effectively addressing resource scarcity through the closure of the material loop.While ELVs in countri...Sustainably managing vehicles at their end-of-life stage(ELVs)presents significant potential forresource recovery,effectively addressing resource scarcity through the closure of the material loop.While ELVs in countries like Morocco have traditionally been treated as waste rather than secondaryresource material(SRM),they have the potential to reduce reliance on primary materials when usedjudiciously.Despite policymakers aiming for increased resource efficiency in the automobile sector,there is limited research exploring the role of the informal sector in recovering materials and parts fromELVs.This study investigates the ELV processing scenario at Salmia scrap market,recognized as one of Africa’s largest informal markets for ELVs.Using a mass-balance approach,the disposal of sedan cars isexamined,and a conceptual framework illustrating the process flow and interactions among multiplestakeholders is developed.From sampled sedan cars,approximately 7% of aluminum and 76%of iron,by weight,are recovered.These findings contribute to estimating the potential for recycling andrecovering materials from ELVs processed by the informal sector in Morocco.In a standard operationalcontext,estimations suggest that the sector holds substantial potential to recover aluminum and iron by2030.This underscores the importance of formalizing operations and integrating informal players intothe value chain to effectively address resource scarcity within a circular economy.展开更多
This study focused on realizing Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)6 for inclusive clean water and sanitation;in particular Target 6.3,which aims to reduce untreated wastewater by 2030 while promoting circular wastewate...This study focused on realizing Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)6 for inclusive clean water and sanitation;in particular Target 6.3,which aims to reduce untreated wastewater by 2030 while promoting circular wastewater reuse and recycling globally.The main objective was to assess the adequacy and efficiency of communal septic tank systems in informal settlements while helping local planners and authorities in their decision-making regarding Target 6.3.Quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed with secondary data from previous researchers,and primary data were collected from field surveys,observations,and interviews with members of the local community.The research was delimited to two village administrative divisions known as Rukun Warga(Village Administrative Division,RW):RW 7 and RW 8 of Lebak Siliwangi Kampung in Coblong District,Bandung,West Java,Indonesia.The findings were also compared with situations in other informal settlements in Brazil,Bangladesh,and Nairobi.The results indicated the inadequacy of communal septic tanks in informal settlements due to factors such as substandard system design,limited support and communication between authorities and residents,and the gap between septic tank availability and capacity vis-a-vis demand.Other limiting factors included limited land availability and irregular geomorphology,the latter of which affected the siting and operation of septic tanks due a lack of room for upgrades or expansion in response to continuous population growth.These findings illustrate the need to complement communal septic systems with flexible centralized or decentralized systems to achieve Target 6.3 of SDG 6.展开更多
With China’s rapidly aging population and the growing preference for aging in place,digital monitoring technologies have emerged as potential tools to support older adults in managing their activities of daily living...With China’s rapidly aging population and the growing preference for aging in place,digital monitoring technologies have emerged as potential tools to support older adults in managing their activities of daily living(ADLs).This study explores the perceptions and acceptance of these technologies among elderly individuals living alone and their informal caregivers(ICs)in Nanshan District,Shenzhen.Grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT),the study employed semi-structured and photo-elicitation interviews to analyze how performance expectancy,effort expectancy,social influence,and facilitating conditions shape technology adoption.The findings reveal clear intergenerational differences:caregivers show higher acceptance and a better understanding of the benefits and functionalities of wearable and environmental monitoring devices,while older adults often express skepticism due to concerns over privacy,usability,and cost.Many elderly participants also cite discomfort,technical complexity,and lack of training as barriers to adoption.Despite these obstacles,both groups acknowledge the potential safety and health benefits of such technologies.The study highlights the need for privacy-by-design features,customized user interfaces,and enhanced digital literacy programs tailored to both elderly users and their caregivers.The research contributes to a sociotechnical understanding of aging-in-place technologies in China and provides actionable insights for developers,policymakers,and healthcare practitioners aiming to enhance home-based elder care.展开更多
Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has ...Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has reached the end of its life is mainly informal. This professional environment is characterized by the disintegration of the sector and the social heterogeneity that can be found there. The objective of this study is to assess the standard of living of electrical and electronic equipment waste handlers in the Dakar region, as well as their perception of their health. A survey was used to obtain information on sociodemographic background, living arrangements, perception of health status, and good practices to be implemented in case of work-related health problems. Life style, perception of general health and health problems were ranged as excellent, very good, good, average and poor. Informal recyclers in the Dakar region lived mainly in rooms and buildings as tenants (49.1%), or in family homes (48.4%) before starting this activity, and 51.2% continue to live in rooms and buildings as tenants compared to 41.4% who still live in a family home. The perception of health status ranged from poor to excellent, and 4.9% believe that they are limited in work due to a disability or health problem. Informal work is a heterogeneous phenomenon that makes research and policymaking particularly complex. There are several external factors within informal WEEE re-cyclers that can cause health problems or functional disability. However, the living conditions and the perception they have of their state of health are contradictory to the working conditions and the social environment to which they belong. A biomedical approach would consolidate these achievements by confirming or invalidating them.展开更多
While China and India have both experienced large-scale urbanization in recent decades,a substantial proportion of their urban population lives in various forms of informal settlements.The redevelopment of informal se...While China and India have both experienced large-scale urbanization in recent decades,a substantial proportion of their urban population lives in various forms of informal settlements.The redevelopment of informal settlements takes place in major cities of both countries,but the outcomes vary significantly.In Guangzhou,the redevelopment of urban villages often leads to upscale real estate development and significant improvement in the living conditions of villagers.In Mumbai,slum redevelopment provides free rehabilitation housing for slum dwellers,but their housing quality and service provision remain limited compared to middle-class residents.Drawing on comparative historical analysis and extensive fieldwork conducted in China and India from 2016 to 2019,this study demonstrates that the divergent outcomes of urban redevelopment are primarily shaped by the different models of urban governance in China and India.Whereas urban governance is coordinated in China,it is transactional in India.The two models of urban governance shape the policy process in distinct ways and lead to varied redevelopment outcomes.The comparison demonstrates that urban governance is a multilevel process shaped by the distribution of authority across governmental levels and the interaction between state and non-state actors.展开更多
With the development of the economy and society, employment forms have shown a trend of diversification. Informal employment has become an important form of employment, and governments have introduced policies to prot...With the development of the economy and society, employment forms have shown a trend of diversification. Informal employment has become an important form of employment, and governments have introduced policies to protect the rights of informal workers. This paper reviews the literature on informal employment and summarizes the definition, role, and impact of informal employment, governance, rural informal employment, and women’s power in informal employment. The study concludes that the impact of informal employment is twofold. On the one hand, informal employment provides employment opportunities and contributes to economic growth. On the other hand, the wages, working environment, and institutional security of informal workers are inferior to those of formal workers. In addition, most studies have focused on urban spaces, and there are fewer studies on rural informal employment, especially for rural women. Due to gender, education level, and family care, informal employment has become the main employment form of the rural female labor force, and it is particularly important to study their employment status and rights protection.展开更多
Toadies cities are accumulating the global population in their territories, occurring formally and informally. The increase of urban informality is the most significant trend shaping the 21st century world. Furthermor...Toadies cities are accumulating the global population in their territories, occurring formally and informally. The increase of urban informality is the most significant trend shaping the 21st century world. Furthermore, the urban informality ＂theory＂ should be considered in urbanization courses and development studies. With the rapid economic market development, changes mapped the major Syrian cities. Damascus is in the midst of a profound transformation of architectural and planning changes. Damascus urbanization is crowded simultaneously with informal settlements. In consequence, a detonation of urban sprawl placing random districts and informal settlements around the city （elmokhalafat ＆ elmanatiq elashwaiya） Damascus urban informality is a way of supplying shelters and houses as a fundamental human need. The study hereby high-lights the informal phenomenon and its effects on the city at present through analytical study showing solutions and asking questions, and, finally, deals with informality in an urbanized way with self-help constructs and upgrades to aid the low income and urban poor.展开更多
Informal networks, practices and institutions may be observed in many different social contexts, particularly in politics. In certain political regimes, certain forms of informality are to be expected and are also tol...Informal networks, practices and institutions may be observed in many different social contexts, particularly in politics. In certain political regimes, certain forms of informality are to be expected and are also tolerated more than in others. Political informality in Eastern Europe may be presented on an axis with two poles, with many variants or combinations of informality and formality between them. These positions also allow the identification of specific regime types and legal systems. This chapter seeks to contextualize the distinction between the formal and the informal and to relate it to types of political regime, the principal focus resting on informal politics. Specific political contexts may produce practices of informality that have become so generalised that they can be described as cultures of informality. The interesting question is： to what extent are specific forms of informal structures more resilient in particular regime types than in others？ Particularly looking at some of the more-or-less autocratic Euroasiatic states, one can easily recognize that the very purpose of informal politics and institutions is to restrict or eliminate political competition. Forms and meanings of what is informal and formal change the further one moves eastwards. Formal rules are and may be used together with informal institutions to control society. All this points to specific cultures of informality that can be observed, as well as different cultures of trust and distrust. On the other hand, such cultures of informality have to be considered in the context of specific political systems, together with their regimes （the concrete configurations of political power） and their organisations. This paper looks particularly at hybrid non-democracies and suggests one might consider them, in the perspective ofNiklas Luhmann＇s system theory, as parasites of functional differentiation.展开更多
Commercial behavior in towns and cities is mainly divided into formal and informal behavior.Rapid urbanization has enabled formal commerce to develop more and more perfectly in towns,basically meeting the living needs...Commercial behavior in towns and cities is mainly divided into formal and informal behavior.Rapid urbanization has enabled formal commerce to develop more and more perfectly in towns,basically meeting the living needs of residents. However, because of problems such as urban history and management mechanism, informal commercial behavior formed by floating stallholders and other employed people is widespread in towns. Due to the characteristics of instability, flexibility and richness,informal commerce has gradually developed into an important business to attract residents and tourists. In this paper, the general characteristics of informal commercial behavior in towns, the characteristics of the urban public space bearing this kind of commerce, and residents' demand for informal commercial space were summarized, and then the optimization strategies of this kind of public space were put forward to help towns make full use of their scattered space, create diversified commercial places, and add vitality to urban space while providing residents and tourists with daily life needs and convenience.展开更多
Objective This study aimed to reveal the insomnia burden and relevant influencing factors among informal caregivers(ICs)of hospitalized patients with lung cancer.Methods A cross-sectional study on ICs of hospitalized ...Objective This study aimed to reveal the insomnia burden and relevant influencing factors among informal caregivers(ICs)of hospitalized patients with lung cancer.Methods A cross-sectional study on ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer was conducted from December 31,2020 to December 31,2021.ICs’burden was assessed using the Caregiver Reaction Assessment(CRA),Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),and Insomnia Severity Index(ISI).Linear and logistic regression models were used to identify the influencing factors.Results Among 289 ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer,83(28.72%),53(18.34%),and 14(4.84%)ICs experienced mild,moderate,and severe insomnia,respectively.The scores concerning self-esteem,lack of family support,financial problems,disturbed schedule,and health problems were 4.32±0.53,2.24±0.79,2.84±1.14,3.63±0.77,and 2.44±0.95,respectively.ICs with higher Activities of Daily Living Scale(ADLS)scores were associated with a lower risk of insomnia,with an odd ratio(OR)and 95%confidence interval(CI)of 0.940(0.898–0.983).Among the ICs,female gender(OR=2.597),alcohol consumption(OR=3.745),underlying medical conditions(OR=11.765),long-term caregiving experience(OR=37.037),and higher monthly expenses(OR=5.714)were associated with a high risk of insomnia.Conclusion Of the hospitalized patients with lung cancer,51.9%experienced insomnia.Patients’ADL,ICs gender,alcohol consumption,underlying medical conditions,caregiving duration,and monthly expenses were influencing factors.Therefore,prompt screening and early intervention for ICs of patients with lung cancer is necessary.展开更多
This paper aims to the debate on the nexus between informal economies and the environment by investigating the long-term dynamic impacts of China’s informal economies on pollution and considering regional differences...This paper aims to the debate on the nexus between informal economies and the environment by investigating the long-term dynamic impacts of China’s informal economies on pollution and considering regional differences in informal economies’ pollution.This paper uses the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes(MIMIC) model to estimate the size of informal economies and employs econometric models to examine their relationships to pollution based on provincial-level panel data from 2000 to 2017. The results indicate that informal economies’ effects on environmental pollution are not purely positive or negative. Rather, our model indicates that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between informal economies and pollution in the long run in China;this means that the level of environmental pollution increases at first and then decreases with the growth of informal economies. Further analysis shows that while this inverted, U-shaped relationship is significant in different regions of China, it is affected by different environmental impact factors. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications for environmental protection and sustainable development.展开更多
This paper examines the rise of informal economies in China,a hidden driving force overlooked in studies on China’s urbanization.Estimating the size of informal economies using the multiple indicators multiple causes...This paper examines the rise of informal economies in China,a hidden driving force overlooked in studies on China’s urbanization.Estimating the size of informal economies using the multiple indicators multiple causes model,the paper employs mathematical models to examine the driving effect of informal economies on urbanization and to reveal the paths by which such effect works.The results were as follows.(1)In 2018,the size of the informal economy in China accounted for 23.5%of GDP with an output value of 21.16 trillion yuan.(2)The informal economy had a driving effect on China’s urbanization,and every 1-percentagepoint increase in its share of the GDP led to an increase of 0.291 percentage points in the urbanization rate.(3)The informal economy’s effect on urbanization showed regional differences,decreasing in size from the eastern to the central to the western regions.(4)The informal economy drives urbanization through four paths-by promoting foreign direct investment(FDI),fixed asset investment(FAI),social consumption(SC),and secondary sector employment(SSE).Their effect sizes are ranked in descending order as follows:FDI>FAI>SC>SSE.This paper contributes to theories on urbanization dynamics and process in China by highlighting the role of the informal economy as a hidden economic power lurking in the city.展开更多
AIM: To study the effectiveness of Reitman Centre "Coaching, Advocacy, Respite, Education, Relationship, and Simulation"(CARERS) program, which uses problem-solving techniques and simulation to train informa...AIM: To study the effectiveness of Reitman Centre "Coaching, Advocacy, Respite, Education, Relationship, and Simulation"(CARERS) program, which uses problem-solving techniques and simulation to train informal dementia carers. METHODS: Seventy-three carers for family members with dementia were included in the pilot study. Preand post-intervention data were collected from carers using validated measures of depression, mastery, role captivity and overload, caregiving competence and burden, and coping styles. To assess program effec-tiveness, mean differences for these measures were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used to determine if change in scores is dependent on the respective baseline scores. Clinical effects for measures were expressed as Cohen's D values. RESULTS: Data from 73 carers were analyzed. The majority of these participants were female(79.5%). A total of 69.9% were spouses and 30.1% were children of the care recipient. Participants had an overall mean age of 68.34 ± 12.01 years. About 31.5% of participating carers had a past history of psychiatric illness(e.g., depression), and 34.2% sustained strained relationships with their respective care recipients. Results from carers demonstrated improvement in carers' selfperception of competence(1.26 ± 1.92, P < 0.0001), and significant reduction in emotion-focused coping(measured by the Coping Inventory of Stressful Situations,-2.37 ± 6.73, P < 0.01), Geriatric Depression scale(-0.67 ± 2.63, P < 0.05) and Pearlin's overload scale(-0.55 ± 2.07, P < 0.05), upon completion of the Program. Secondly, it was found that carers with more compromised baseline scores benefited most from the intervention, as they experienced statistically significant improvement in the following constructs: competence, stress-coping style(less emotion-oriented), sense of mastery, burden, overload. CONCLUSION: Study results supported the effectiveness of the CARERS Program in improving caregiving competence, stress coping ability and mental well-being in carers caring for family members with dementia.展开更多
Background: Caregiving for someone is a huge task for informal caregivers. The caregiving role is often challenging and overwhelming for them. Stress, burden, and depression have been frequently identified as the nega...Background: Caregiving for someone is a huge task for informal caregivers. The caregiving role is often challenging and overwhelming for them. Stress, burden, and depression have been frequently identified as the negative caregiving experiences. This systematic review synthesized the available evidence for the problem-based intervention provided for caregivers as there is little insight about the effects of problem-based intervention on caregivers. Objectives: To describe: 1) the design of problem-solving intervention;2) the effects of problem-solving intervention for caregiver outcomes. Methods: This review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews which entail setting research questions, selecting relevant studies, charting the data and synthesizing the results. FPRISMA guidelines were adopted and several databases were searched including MEDLINE;EMBASE;web of science. This review contains literature from 2012 to 2019 on problem-solving-based intervention which intended to caregivers. Results: 41 publications representing 27 unique problem-based interventions. Problem-solving-based intervention has different extent effects on caregiver emotion status, burden and quality of life. Conclusions: Problem-solving intervention is promising in caregiver intervention which could reduce caregiver depression, anxiety and burden.展开更多
<i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> inf...<i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection is estimated to cause 2.9 million diarrheal cases yearly among children aged under 24 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have shown long-term climatic variations can affect infectious diseases. The burden of cryptosporidiosis in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa is well characterized. However, the trend of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection is not known, especially in informal urban settings. This study therefore sought to determine cryptosporidiosis trends, and further explore the association between year and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection among children below 24 months in Kibera urban informal settlement in Kenya. Data collected by the Kenya Medical Research Institute longitudinal study in Tabitha clinic in Kibera from 2009 to 2015 were used. At least 3000 children aged < 24 months receive free health care at the clinic. In the longitudinal study</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">,</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> children presenting with diarrhea were eligible for stool sample collection (</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">n</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> = 477), out of which 421 stool samples were tested using TaqMan</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">™</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Array Card (TAC) polymerase chain reaction panel that included a target for </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> genus. Data for the 421 children were included in the analysis. Logistic regression was used to explore the difference between the seven years and cryptosporidiosis. Overall, the pooled data indicated that 23.5% of the children who were tested had </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection, with the highest proportions of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium-</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">positive cases observed in 2015 (45.2%). The logistic regression results also indicated that children who were tested in the year 2015 were more likely to have </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection (OR = 3.39;95% CI: 1.44 - 7.96;</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">p</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> = 0.005) than those in 2009. Watery stool was also found to be an important symptom of cryptosporidiosis. There was a high prevalence of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection among young children, especially in the most recent year. Routine testing of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection using molecular methods, constant monitoring and identification of the infection sources is therefore necessary towards reducing the disease burden in the low resource settings.</span></span>展开更多
Informal urban development is seldomly covered in academic studies or professional architectural training. This article sets forth the first stage of a novel study that observes the informal city using the methodology...Informal urban development is seldomly covered in academic studies or professional architectural training. This article sets forth the first stage of a novel study that observes the informal city using the methodology of analysis of architecture called shape grammars. The idea is to recognize peculiarities in the occupation of the land and the volumetric features of the buildings. Rocinha favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is taken as a case study with the primary aim of extrapolating a set of rules for its morphological features so that these rules can be used to generate new shapes, whilst bearing in mind the issues of adaptation and transformation which are so characteristic of informal settlements. There is some expectation that this study may help improve the housing and public space in the favela and enable new housing programs to observe the way the buildings and different architectural elements combined, forming a new channel of interchange with the spatial organization of the favela.展开更多
Relocating people in informal settlements and upgrading the lives of those people requireconsistent commitment, good strategies, and supporting systems. In South Africa, in order toallocate subsidized housing to benef...Relocating people in informal settlements and upgrading the lives of those people requireconsistent commitment, good strategies, and supporting systems. In South Africa, in order toallocate subsidized housing to beneficiaries of an informal settlement, beneficiary administration needs to determine the number of people who qualify for subsidized houses. Withoutgeo-spatial data-based technical verification, conventional methods of occupancy audits areoften cumbersome, are unreliable, and do not promote smart and evidence-based decisionmaking. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to propose and develop an Oracle-based mobileGIS tool to conduct an occupancy audit for Ulana, an informal settlement in EkurhuleniMunicipality in South Africa. Android-based tablets were used to collect the geographicand socio-economic attributes of the informal dwelling units (DU). Spatial analysis (inArcGIS software and geo-spatial modeling environment) and statistical analysis were conducted to produce the occupancy audit. The results indicated that the use of mobile GISprovides up-to-date, accurate, comprehensive, and real-time data so as to facilitate thedevelopment of smart and integrated human settlements. The results of this audit alsoindicated that only 57% of the households residing in Ulana could potentially benefit fromreceiving a subsidized house. Accordingly, the occupancy audit enables planners to planappropriate upgrading and housing development strategies for informal settlement. Thisstudy demonstrates that successful planning of housing delivery for post independentintegrated neighborhoods is not a mere political rhetoric but is viable when it is based onreasonable geo-spatial techniques and information. The use of mobile GIS therefore needs tobe extended to other informal settlement upgrading projects in South Africa as well as othercities in the global south. However, proper professional training is required to ensure thesuccessful usage of smart mobile GIS tools.展开更多
Science recreation workshops(SRWs) create dynamic experiences in which participants discover, explore and understand natural phenomena. This serves as a unique and valuable means of the public communication of science...Science recreation workshops(SRWs) create dynamic experiences in which participants discover, explore and understand natural phenomena. This serves as a unique and valuable means of the public communication of science and technology and informal science education activities, with the public at the centre of the process. To achieve this, SRWs integrate action and reflection not as a dichotomy, but as a complementary relation in which sensorial interaction is not a thoughtless process and mental activity is not disembodied. In this way, SRWs create virtuous cycles of meaningful learning.However, SRW practitioners thus far have not paid enough attention to the development of a theoretical foundation to support their strategies;they remain highly dependent on empirical experience and tacit knowledge. The little attention paid to the creation of a conceptual framework represents a critical barrier for reflection, discussion and, with them, the maturation of the SRW community.This work links a characterization of the SRW, built upon empirical experiences, to a variety of learning theories to identify an essential basis for discussion on the subject. Our objective is to complement the rich empirical tradition of the SRW with analytic elements intended to encourage discussion and promote—as tends to happen in activities with the public—virtuous cycles of theory and practice.展开更多
Today＇s automation industry is driven by the need for an increased productivity, higher flexibility, and higher individuality, and characterized by tailor-made and more complex control solutions. In the processing in...Today＇s automation industry is driven by the need for an increased productivity, higher flexibility, and higher individuality, and characterized by tailor-made and more complex control solutions. In the processing industry, logic controller design is often a manual, experience-based, and thus an error-prone procedure. Typically, the specifications are given by a set of informal requirements and a technical flowchart and both are used to be directly translated into the control code. This paper proposes a method in which the control program is constructed as a sequential function chart （SFC） by transforming the requirements via clearly defined intermediate formats. For the purpose of analysis, the resulting SFC can be translated algorithmically into timed automata. A rigorous verification can be used to determine whether all specifications are satisfied if a formal model of the plant is available which is then composed with the automata model of the logic controller （LC）.展开更多
文摘Sustainably managing vehicles at their end-of-life stage(ELVs)presents significant potential forresource recovery,effectively addressing resource scarcity through the closure of the material loop.While ELVs in countries like Morocco have traditionally been treated as waste rather than secondaryresource material(SRM),they have the potential to reduce reliance on primary materials when usedjudiciously.Despite policymakers aiming for increased resource efficiency in the automobile sector,there is limited research exploring the role of the informal sector in recovering materials and parts fromELVs.This study investigates the ELV processing scenario at Salmia scrap market,recognized as one of Africa’s largest informal markets for ELVs.Using a mass-balance approach,the disposal of sedan cars isexamined,and a conceptual framework illustrating the process flow and interactions among multiplestakeholders is developed.From sampled sedan cars,approximately 7% of aluminum and 76%of iron,by weight,are recovered.These findings contribute to estimating the potential for recycling andrecovering materials from ELVs processed by the informal sector in Morocco.In a standard operationalcontext,estimations suggest that the sector holds substantial potential to recover aluminum and iron by2030.This underscores the importance of formalizing operations and integrating informal players intothe value chain to effectively address resource scarcity within a circular economy.
文摘This study focused on realizing Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)6 for inclusive clean water and sanitation;in particular Target 6.3,which aims to reduce untreated wastewater by 2030 while promoting circular wastewater reuse and recycling globally.The main objective was to assess the adequacy and efficiency of communal septic tank systems in informal settlements while helping local planners and authorities in their decision-making regarding Target 6.3.Quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed with secondary data from previous researchers,and primary data were collected from field surveys,observations,and interviews with members of the local community.The research was delimited to two village administrative divisions known as Rukun Warga(Village Administrative Division,RW):RW 7 and RW 8 of Lebak Siliwangi Kampung in Coblong District,Bandung,West Java,Indonesia.The findings were also compared with situations in other informal settlements in Brazil,Bangladesh,and Nairobi.The results indicated the inadequacy of communal septic tanks in informal settlements due to factors such as substandard system design,limited support and communication between authorities and residents,and the gap between septic tank availability and capacity vis-a-vis demand.Other limiting factors included limited land availability and irregular geomorphology,the latter of which affected the siting and operation of septic tanks due a lack of room for upgrades or expansion in response to continuous population growth.These findings illustrate the need to complement communal septic systems with flexible centralized or decentralized systems to achieve Target 6.3 of SDG 6.
文摘With China’s rapidly aging population and the growing preference for aging in place,digital monitoring technologies have emerged as potential tools to support older adults in managing their activities of daily living(ADLs).This study explores the perceptions and acceptance of these technologies among elderly individuals living alone and their informal caregivers(ICs)in Nanshan District,Shenzhen.Grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT),the study employed semi-structured and photo-elicitation interviews to analyze how performance expectancy,effort expectancy,social influence,and facilitating conditions shape technology adoption.The findings reveal clear intergenerational differences:caregivers show higher acceptance and a better understanding of the benefits and functionalities of wearable and environmental monitoring devices,while older adults often express skepticism due to concerns over privacy,usability,and cost.Many elderly participants also cite discomfort,technical complexity,and lack of training as barriers to adoption.Despite these obstacles,both groups acknowledge the potential safety and health benefits of such technologies.The study highlights the need for privacy-by-design features,customized user interfaces,and enhanced digital literacy programs tailored to both elderly users and their caregivers.The research contributes to a sociotechnical understanding of aging-in-place technologies in China and provides actionable insights for developers,policymakers,and healthcare practitioners aiming to enhance home-based elder care.
文摘Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has reached the end of its life is mainly informal. This professional environment is characterized by the disintegration of the sector and the social heterogeneity that can be found there. The objective of this study is to assess the standard of living of electrical and electronic equipment waste handlers in the Dakar region, as well as their perception of their health. A survey was used to obtain information on sociodemographic background, living arrangements, perception of health status, and good practices to be implemented in case of work-related health problems. Life style, perception of general health and health problems were ranged as excellent, very good, good, average and poor. Informal recyclers in the Dakar region lived mainly in rooms and buildings as tenants (49.1%), or in family homes (48.4%) before starting this activity, and 51.2% continue to live in rooms and buildings as tenants compared to 41.4% who still live in a family home. The perception of health status ranged from poor to excellent, and 4.9% believe that they are limited in work due to a disability or health problem. Informal work is a heterogeneous phenomenon that makes research and policymaking particularly complex. There are several external factors within informal WEEE re-cyclers that can cause health problems or functional disability. However, the living conditions and the perception they have of their state of health are contradictory to the working conditions and the social environment to which they belong. A biomedical approach would consolidate these achievements by confirming or invalidating them.
文摘While China and India have both experienced large-scale urbanization in recent decades,a substantial proportion of their urban population lives in various forms of informal settlements.The redevelopment of informal settlements takes place in major cities of both countries,but the outcomes vary significantly.In Guangzhou,the redevelopment of urban villages often leads to upscale real estate development and significant improvement in the living conditions of villagers.In Mumbai,slum redevelopment provides free rehabilitation housing for slum dwellers,but their housing quality and service provision remain limited compared to middle-class residents.Drawing on comparative historical analysis and extensive fieldwork conducted in China and India from 2016 to 2019,this study demonstrates that the divergent outcomes of urban redevelopment are primarily shaped by the different models of urban governance in China and India.Whereas urban governance is coordinated in China,it is transactional in India.The two models of urban governance shape the policy process in distinct ways and lead to varied redevelopment outcomes.The comparison demonstrates that urban governance is a multilevel process shaped by the distribution of authority across governmental levels and the interaction between state and non-state actors.
文摘With the development of the economy and society, employment forms have shown a trend of diversification. Informal employment has become an important form of employment, and governments have introduced policies to protect the rights of informal workers. This paper reviews the literature on informal employment and summarizes the definition, role, and impact of informal employment, governance, rural informal employment, and women’s power in informal employment. The study concludes that the impact of informal employment is twofold. On the one hand, informal employment provides employment opportunities and contributes to economic growth. On the other hand, the wages, working environment, and institutional security of informal workers are inferior to those of formal workers. In addition, most studies have focused on urban spaces, and there are fewer studies on rural informal employment, especially for rural women. Due to gender, education level, and family care, informal employment has become the main employment form of the rural female labor force, and it is particularly important to study their employment status and rights protection.
文摘Toadies cities are accumulating the global population in their territories, occurring formally and informally. The increase of urban informality is the most significant trend shaping the 21st century world. Furthermore, the urban informality ＂theory＂ should be considered in urbanization courses and development studies. With the rapid economic market development, changes mapped the major Syrian cities. Damascus is in the midst of a profound transformation of architectural and planning changes. Damascus urbanization is crowded simultaneously with informal settlements. In consequence, a detonation of urban sprawl placing random districts and informal settlements around the city （elmokhalafat ＆ elmanatiq elashwaiya） Damascus urban informality is a way of supplying shelters and houses as a fundamental human need. The study hereby high-lights the informal phenomenon and its effects on the city at present through analytical study showing solutions and asking questions, and, finally, deals with informality in an urbanized way with self-help constructs and upgrades to aid the low income and urban poor.
文摘Informal networks, practices and institutions may be observed in many different social contexts, particularly in politics. In certain political regimes, certain forms of informality are to be expected and are also tolerated more than in others. Political informality in Eastern Europe may be presented on an axis with two poles, with many variants or combinations of informality and formality between them. These positions also allow the identification of specific regime types and legal systems. This chapter seeks to contextualize the distinction between the formal and the informal and to relate it to types of political regime, the principal focus resting on informal politics. Specific political contexts may produce practices of informality that have become so generalised that they can be described as cultures of informality. The interesting question is： to what extent are specific forms of informal structures more resilient in particular regime types than in others？ Particularly looking at some of the more-or-less autocratic Euroasiatic states, one can easily recognize that the very purpose of informal politics and institutions is to restrict or eliminate political competition. Forms and meanings of what is informal and formal change the further one moves eastwards. Formal rules are and may be used together with informal institutions to control society. All this points to specific cultures of informality that can be observed, as well as different cultures of trust and distrust. On the other hand, such cultures of informality have to be considered in the context of specific political systems, together with their regimes （the concrete configurations of political power） and their organisations. This paper looks particularly at hybrid non-democracies and suggests one might consider them, in the perspective ofNiklas Luhmann＇s system theory, as parasites of functional differentiation.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51768026)Humanities and Social Sciences Project of Colleges and Universities in Jiangxi Province,China (YC2021-S225)。
文摘Commercial behavior in towns and cities is mainly divided into formal and informal behavior.Rapid urbanization has enabled formal commerce to develop more and more perfectly in towns,basically meeting the living needs of residents. However, because of problems such as urban history and management mechanism, informal commercial behavior formed by floating stallholders and other employed people is widespread in towns. Due to the characteristics of instability, flexibility and richness,informal commerce has gradually developed into an important business to attract residents and tourists. In this paper, the general characteristics of informal commercial behavior in towns, the characteristics of the urban public space bearing this kind of commerce, and residents' demand for informal commercial space were summarized, and then the optimization strategies of this kind of public space were put forward to help towns make full use of their scattered space, create diversified commercial places, and add vitality to urban space while providing residents and tourists with daily life needs and convenience.
基金supported by Technical field fund of the basic strengthening plan of the military science and Technology Commission[2021-JCJQ-JJ-0528]The Project of Beijing Science and Technology“capital characteristics”[Z181100001718007]+1 种基金Construction project of military medical teaching at PLA Medical College[145bxl090009000x]Central Military Health Care Commission[20BJZ46].
文摘Objective This study aimed to reveal the insomnia burden and relevant influencing factors among informal caregivers(ICs)of hospitalized patients with lung cancer.Methods A cross-sectional study on ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer was conducted from December 31,2020 to December 31,2021.ICs’burden was assessed using the Caregiver Reaction Assessment(CRA),Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),and Insomnia Severity Index(ISI).Linear and logistic regression models were used to identify the influencing factors.Results Among 289 ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer,83(28.72%),53(18.34%),and 14(4.84%)ICs experienced mild,moderate,and severe insomnia,respectively.The scores concerning self-esteem,lack of family support,financial problems,disturbed schedule,and health problems were 4.32±0.53,2.24±0.79,2.84±1.14,3.63±0.77,and 2.44±0.95,respectively.ICs with higher Activities of Daily Living Scale(ADLS)scores were associated with a lower risk of insomnia,with an odd ratio(OR)and 95%confidence interval(CI)of 0.940(0.898–0.983).Among the ICs,female gender(OR=2.597),alcohol consumption(OR=3.745),underlying medical conditions(OR=11.765),long-term caregiving experience(OR=37.037),and higher monthly expenses(OR=5.714)were associated with a high risk of insomnia.Conclusion Of the hospitalized patients with lung cancer,51.9%experienced insomnia.Patients’ADL,ICs gender,alcohol consumption,underlying medical conditions,caregiving duration,and monthly expenses were influencing factors.Therefore,prompt screening and early intervention for ICs of patients with lung cancer is necessary.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41930646,41771137)the Guangdong Academy of Sciences(GDAS)Project of Science and Technology Development(No.2019GDASYL-0104004)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.20lgpy31)。
文摘This paper aims to the debate on the nexus between informal economies and the environment by investigating the long-term dynamic impacts of China’s informal economies on pollution and considering regional differences in informal economies’ pollution.This paper uses the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes(MIMIC) model to estimate the size of informal economies and employs econometric models to examine their relationships to pollution based on provincial-level panel data from 2000 to 2017. The results indicate that informal economies’ effects on environmental pollution are not purely positive or negative. Rather, our model indicates that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between informal economies and pollution in the long run in China;this means that the level of environmental pollution increases at first and then decreases with the growth of informal economies. Further analysis shows that while this inverted, U-shaped relationship is significant in different regions of China, it is affected by different environmental impact factors. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications for environmental protection and sustainable development.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42122007,No.41930646Guangdong Academy of Sciences Project of Science and Technology Development,No.2019GDASYL-0104004。
文摘This paper examines the rise of informal economies in China,a hidden driving force overlooked in studies on China’s urbanization.Estimating the size of informal economies using the multiple indicators multiple causes model,the paper employs mathematical models to examine the driving effect of informal economies on urbanization and to reveal the paths by which such effect works.The results were as follows.(1)In 2018,the size of the informal economy in China accounted for 23.5%of GDP with an output value of 21.16 trillion yuan.(2)The informal economy had a driving effect on China’s urbanization,and every 1-percentagepoint increase in its share of the GDP led to an increase of 0.291 percentage points in the urbanization rate.(3)The informal economy’s effect on urbanization showed regional differences,decreasing in size from the eastern to the central to the western regions.(4)The informal economy drives urbanization through four paths-by promoting foreign direct investment(FDI),fixed asset investment(FAI),social consumption(SC),and secondary sector employment(SSE).Their effect sizes are ranked in descending order as follows:FDI>FAI>SC>SSE.This paper contributes to theories on urbanization dynamics and process in China by highlighting the role of the informal economy as a hidden economic power lurking in the city.
基金Supported by Social Development Partnerships Program,Human Resources and Skills Development Canada,No.8470775
文摘AIM: To study the effectiveness of Reitman Centre "Coaching, Advocacy, Respite, Education, Relationship, and Simulation"(CARERS) program, which uses problem-solving techniques and simulation to train informal dementia carers. METHODS: Seventy-three carers for family members with dementia were included in the pilot study. Preand post-intervention data were collected from carers using validated measures of depression, mastery, role captivity and overload, caregiving competence and burden, and coping styles. To assess program effec-tiveness, mean differences for these measures were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used to determine if change in scores is dependent on the respective baseline scores. Clinical effects for measures were expressed as Cohen's D values. RESULTS: Data from 73 carers were analyzed. The majority of these participants were female(79.5%). A total of 69.9% were spouses and 30.1% were children of the care recipient. Participants had an overall mean age of 68.34 ± 12.01 years. About 31.5% of participating carers had a past history of psychiatric illness(e.g., depression), and 34.2% sustained strained relationships with their respective care recipients. Results from carers demonstrated improvement in carers' selfperception of competence(1.26 ± 1.92, P < 0.0001), and significant reduction in emotion-focused coping(measured by the Coping Inventory of Stressful Situations,-2.37 ± 6.73, P < 0.01), Geriatric Depression scale(-0.67 ± 2.63, P < 0.05) and Pearlin's overload scale(-0.55 ± 2.07, P < 0.05), upon completion of the Program. Secondly, it was found that carers with more compromised baseline scores benefited most from the intervention, as they experienced statistically significant improvement in the following constructs: competence, stress-coping style(less emotion-oriented), sense of mastery, burden, overload. CONCLUSION: Study results supported the effectiveness of the CARERS Program in improving caregiving competence, stress coping ability and mental well-being in carers caring for family members with dementia.
文摘Background: Caregiving for someone is a huge task for informal caregivers. The caregiving role is often challenging and overwhelming for them. Stress, burden, and depression have been frequently identified as the negative caregiving experiences. This systematic review synthesized the available evidence for the problem-based intervention provided for caregivers as there is little insight about the effects of problem-based intervention on caregivers. Objectives: To describe: 1) the design of problem-solving intervention;2) the effects of problem-solving intervention for caregiver outcomes. Methods: This review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews which entail setting research questions, selecting relevant studies, charting the data and synthesizing the results. FPRISMA guidelines were adopted and several databases were searched including MEDLINE;EMBASE;web of science. This review contains literature from 2012 to 2019 on problem-solving-based intervention which intended to caregivers. Results: 41 publications representing 27 unique problem-based interventions. Problem-solving-based intervention has different extent effects on caregiver emotion status, burden and quality of life. Conclusions: Problem-solving intervention is promising in caregiver intervention which could reduce caregiver depression, anxiety and burden.
文摘<i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection is estimated to cause 2.9 million diarrheal cases yearly among children aged under 24 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have shown long-term climatic variations can affect infectious diseases. The burden of cryptosporidiosis in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa is well characterized. However, the trend of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection is not known, especially in informal urban settings. This study therefore sought to determine cryptosporidiosis trends, and further explore the association between year and </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection among children below 24 months in Kibera urban informal settlement in Kenya. Data collected by the Kenya Medical Research Institute longitudinal study in Tabitha clinic in Kibera from 2009 to 2015 were used. At least 3000 children aged < 24 months receive free health care at the clinic. In the longitudinal study</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">,</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> children presenting with diarrhea were eligible for stool sample collection (</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">n</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> = 477), out of which 421 stool samples were tested using TaqMan</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">™</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Array Card (TAC) polymerase chain reaction panel that included a target for </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> genus. Data for the 421 children were included in the analysis. Logistic regression was used to explore the difference between the seven years and cryptosporidiosis. Overall, the pooled data indicated that 23.5% of the children who were tested had </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection, with the highest proportions of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium-</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">positive cases observed in 2015 (45.2%). The logistic regression results also indicated that children who were tested in the year 2015 were more likely to have </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection (OR = 3.39;95% CI: 1.44 - 7.96;</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">p</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> = 0.005) than those in 2009. Watery stool was also found to be an important symptom of cryptosporidiosis. There was a high prevalence of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection among young children, especially in the most recent year. Routine testing of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cryptosporidium</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> infection using molecular methods, constant monitoring and identification of the infection sources is therefore necessary towards reducing the disease burden in the low resource settings.</span></span>
文摘Informal urban development is seldomly covered in academic studies or professional architectural training. This article sets forth the first stage of a novel study that observes the informal city using the methodology of analysis of architecture called shape grammars. The idea is to recognize peculiarities in the occupation of the land and the volumetric features of the buildings. Rocinha favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is taken as a case study with the primary aim of extrapolating a set of rules for its morphological features so that these rules can be used to generate new shapes, whilst bearing in mind the issues of adaptation and transformation which are so characteristic of informal settlements. There is some expectation that this study may help improve the housing and public space in the favela and enable new housing programs to observe the way the buildings and different architectural elements combined, forming a new channel of interchange with the spatial organization of the favela.
文摘Relocating people in informal settlements and upgrading the lives of those people requireconsistent commitment, good strategies, and supporting systems. In South Africa, in order toallocate subsidized housing to beneficiaries of an informal settlement, beneficiary administration needs to determine the number of people who qualify for subsidized houses. Withoutgeo-spatial data-based technical verification, conventional methods of occupancy audits areoften cumbersome, are unreliable, and do not promote smart and evidence-based decisionmaking. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to propose and develop an Oracle-based mobileGIS tool to conduct an occupancy audit for Ulana, an informal settlement in EkurhuleniMunicipality in South Africa. Android-based tablets were used to collect the geographicand socio-economic attributes of the informal dwelling units (DU). Spatial analysis (inArcGIS software and geo-spatial modeling environment) and statistical analysis were conducted to produce the occupancy audit. The results indicated that the use of mobile GISprovides up-to-date, accurate, comprehensive, and real-time data so as to facilitate thedevelopment of smart and integrated human settlements. The results of this audit alsoindicated that only 57% of the households residing in Ulana could potentially benefit fromreceiving a subsidized house. Accordingly, the occupancy audit enables planners to planappropriate upgrading and housing development strategies for informal settlement. Thisstudy demonstrates that successful planning of housing delivery for post independentintegrated neighborhoods is not a mere political rhetoric but is viable when it is based onreasonable geo-spatial techniques and information. The use of mobile GIS therefore needs tobe extended to other informal settlement upgrading projects in South Africa as well as othercities in the global south. However, proper professional training is required to ensure thesuccessful usage of smart mobile GIS tools.
文摘Science recreation workshops(SRWs) create dynamic experiences in which participants discover, explore and understand natural phenomena. This serves as a unique and valuable means of the public communication of science and technology and informal science education activities, with the public at the centre of the process. To achieve this, SRWs integrate action and reflection not as a dichotomy, but as a complementary relation in which sensorial interaction is not a thoughtless process and mental activity is not disembodied. In this way, SRWs create virtuous cycles of meaningful learning.However, SRW practitioners thus far have not paid enough attention to the development of a theoretical foundation to support their strategies;they remain highly dependent on empirical experience and tacit knowledge. The little attention paid to the creation of a conceptual framework represents a critical barrier for reflection, discussion and, with them, the maturation of the SRW community.This work links a characterization of the SRW, built upon empirical experiences, to a variety of learning theories to identify an essential basis for discussion on the subject. Our objective is to complement the rich empirical tradition of the SRW with analytic elements intended to encourage discussion and promote—as tends to happen in activities with the public—virtuous cycles of theory and practice.
基金the European Union through the Network of Excellence Hybrid Control (HYCON) under contract IST-511368.
文摘Today＇s automation industry is driven by the need for an increased productivity, higher flexibility, and higher individuality, and characterized by tailor-made and more complex control solutions. In the processing industry, logic controller design is often a manual, experience-based, and thus an error-prone procedure. Typically, the specifications are given by a set of informal requirements and a technical flowchart and both are used to be directly translated into the control code. This paper proposes a method in which the control program is constructed as a sequential function chart （SFC） by transforming the requirements via clearly defined intermediate formats. For the purpose of analysis, the resulting SFC can be translated algorithmically into timed automata. A rigorous verification can be used to determine whether all specifications are satisfied if a formal model of the plant is available which is then composed with the automata model of the logic controller （LC）.
