The association between ambient temperature and mental health has been explored previously. However, research on the psychological effect of temperature in vulnerable groups and neighborhood scales have been scarce. Based on the survey and temperature data collected from 20 neighborhoods in Guangzhou, China, this study estimated the association between ambient temperature and community mental health among the elderly, adopting a fixed-effects methodology. According to this empirical analysis, compared to a comfortable temperature range of 20℃-25℃, measures of worse mental health among elderly were significant in high and low temperatures with increases in negative outcomes observable at both ends of the temperature range, leading to the U-shaped relationship. Second, the association between ambient temperature and worse mental health was found in the subcategories of gender, income, and symptom events. Specifically, from the hot temperature aspect, elderly males were more sensitive than elderly females. The effect on the low was far more than on the middle-high income group, and the probability of each symptom of the elderly\'s mental health significantly increased. From the cool temperature aspect, the temperature in the range of 5ºC-10ºC was significantly associated with the probability of some symptoms (feeling down, not calm, downheartedness, and unhappiness) and the middle-high income group. Our research enriches the empirical research on ambient temperature and mental health from a multidisciplinary perspective and suggests the need for healthy aging and age-friendly planning in Chinese settings.

Mortality is an economically important trait usually handled as a discrete outcome from hatch time until selection in most broiler breeder programs. However, in other species, it has been shown that not only does the genetic component change over time, but also there are maternal genetic effects to be considered when mortality is recorded early in life. This study aimed to investigate alternative trait definitions of mortality with varying models and effects. Three years\' worth of data were provided by Cobb-Vantress, Inc. and included 2 mortality traits. The first trait was binary, whether the bird died or not (OM), and the second trait was a categorical weekly mortality trait. After data cleaning, 6 wk of data for the 2 given mortality traits were used to develop 5 additional trait definitions. The definitions were broiler mortality (BM), early and late mortality (EM & LM), and 2 traits with repeated records as cumulative or binary (CM and RM, respectively). Variance components were estimated using linear and threshold models to investigate whether either model had a benefit. Genomic breeding values were predicted using the BLUP90 software suite, and linear regression validation (LR) was used to compare trait definitions and models. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.01 (0.00) to 0.16 (0.01) under linear and 0.04 (0.01) to 0.21 (0.01) under threshold models, indicating genetic variability within the population across these trait definitions. The genetic correlation between EM and LM ranged from 0.48 to 0.81 across the different lines, indicating they have divergent genetic backgrounds and should be considered different traits. The LR accuracies showed that EM and LM used together in a 2-trait model have comparable accuracies to that of OM while giving a more precise picture of mortality. When including the maternal effect, the direct heritability considerably decreased for EM, indicating that the maternal effect plays an important role in early mortality. Therefore, a suitable approach would be a model with EM and LM while considering the maternal effect for EM. Single nucleotide polymorphism effects were estimated, and no individual SNP explained more than 1% of the additive genetic variance. Additionally, the SNP with the largest effect size and variance were inconsistent across trait definitions. Chicken mortality can be defined in different ways, and reviewing these definitions and models may benefit poultry breeding programs.
Mortality is a significant concern in livestock species, especially in chickens, as they have been selected for fast growth and increased meat yield. Chicken mortality is currently being measured as whether the bird survives a certain grow-out period or not. However, mortality is a complex trait influenced by genetics, maternal ability, and environmental conditions throughout a chicken’s life. This study investigated alternative ways to define and model mortality to enhance current evaluation methods. Five alternative trait definitions were developed using the original phenotypes collected on the farm from 3 different chicken lines. Each trait definition was modeled and then validated using linear regression validation techniques. This study showed there are differing genetic factors influencing mortality during different points of life, including maternal genetic effects, especially in the earliest weeks of a chick’s life. Segmenting mortality into early and late and using them in a 2-trait model showed comparable accuracies while giving a more precise picture of mortality. Therefore, reviewing trait definitions and models for mortality may benefit poultry breeding programs.

Livability, or how a place and its systems (e.g., housing, transportation) supports the ability to lead a livable life, is a determinant of health. There is a lack of standard, validated measures to assess livability in the US. This study employed factor analytic methods to create measures of livability in Connecticut using data from the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey (DCWS) (n = 32,262). Results identified a 3-factor model (safety, opportunity, and infrastructure) as the best fit, explaining 69% of the variance in survey items. Newly created livability measures had high internal consistency, in addition to high convergent validity with other area-level measures.

\"What does livability mean to us? Creating communities that care.\" This reflective praxis think-piece was a collective effort by graduates of the Livability Academy program, a community leadership program hosted in eastern North Philadelphia. Program participants worked in teams to implement programs to improve neighborhood quality of life, as those involved in implementing Livability Academy collaborated to strengthen the bottom-up, asset-based, network-driven model. Our reflections on successes and areas for improvement can strengthen future cohorts of Livability Academy and keep us connected to continue making our neighborhoods more livable.

Connecting evidence-based public health recommendations to livability, a popular and relatable construct, can increase the policy relevance of research to improve community design. However, there are many different definitions and conceptualizations of livability and little consensus about its measurement. Improved measurement, including standardization, is needed to increase understanding of livability\'s influence on health and to facilitate comparisons across contexts. This study sought to review existing livability measures, how they were created, and evidence regarding their reliability and validity. A scoping review of three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) identified 744 eligible studies. After screening, 24 studies, 15 from the original search and 9 through backward citation searches, were included in the review. Most studies were carried out in an urban context. There was minimal consensus across studies on the conceptualization of livability. However, measure domains and indicators overlapped significantly. While the process used to validate the measures varied, most studies reported high levels of reliability and found that livability was correlated with similar measures (e.g. place satisfaction, neighborhood safety, and sense of place) and self-reported health and wellbeing. Further research is needed to develop parsimonious, standardized measures of livability in order to create and sustain livable communities worldwide.

BACKGROUND: Livability is a concept commonly featured in health research to help shape public policy decisions and improve local place settings. Although widely used, it is a contested concept known for its ambiguity and inconsistency of measurements. Other criticisms include the lack of equity perspectives and the underrepresentation of people with disabilities and inhabitants of non-metropolitan places.
OBJECTIVE: This review sought to identify the extent to which people with disabilities and non-metropolitan places are included in measurements of livability and to critically review and summarise i) livability definitions and uses, ii) livability places and populations, and iii) livability measurements.
METHODS: The scoping review followed Arksey and O\'Malley\'s methodological framework and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. The data extraction used meta-aggregation techniques to evaluate findings. A standardised mixed methods appraisal tool was used, and a novel classification of measurements was created.
RESULTS: Seventy-seven articles were included, and 1955 measurements were extracted. The overarching findings were: i) livability is inconsistently defined and assessed by measuring the performance of related and independent domains, ii) the population sample or the studies\' participants are often not disclosed, non-metropolitan settings are overlooked, and equity is not generally applied or operationalised in measurements, and iii) there is an extensive lack of measurements considering people with disabilities and diversity within disabilities.
CONCLUSIONS: The assumptions of homogeneity in study populations in livability measurement literature overlook inequities experienced by people with disabilities and inhabitants of non-metropolitan settings. This review suggests recommendations for future research to assess livability from perspectives inclusive of human diversity.

This research investigated the growth and other production traits of four distinct lines (L1, L2, L3, and L4) of Japanese quail (Cortunix japanoica) kept in the tropical climate of Tamil Nadu, India. The traits related to body weight at different weeks and weight gain were measured in 180 birds (90 males and 90 females) per line up to the fifth week of age, and then 90 birds (females only) from the sixth to the 16th week of age, with egg production and feed efficiency parameters measured in 10 observations per line. The traits were analysed using the General Linear Model procedure, and Tukey\'s HSD was used to test for statistical differences (p < 0.05) between the means for subclasses under a specific effect. The results revealed a highly significant difference (p < 0.01) in body weight from hatch to fifth week of age. At 5th week of age, the L3 and L2 did not differ (p > 0.05) based on Tukey test; therefore, both presented the highest values and were statistically significant (p < 0.01) with L4 with a lowest value of 203.62 g. The cumulative fifth week feed conversion ratio showed non-significant difference (p > 0.05) at first and second week, and highly significant difference (p < 0.01) from third to fifth week of age. The age at 50 per cent egg production was 60.2 (L4), 61.4 (L2), 65.1 (L3) and 66.0 (L1) days and the L1 egg production differed significantly (p < 0.01) from L4 line. The highest bodyweight (g) during the laying period (at 15 weeks of age) was observed in L2 (327.08) and L3 (326.54) and differed significantly (p < 0.01) from L1 (309.24) as well as L4 (288.69) lines. The mean egg weight (g) of different lines showed non-significant difference (p > 0.05) at all weeks, except at 11th week of age (p < 0.01). The mean feed consumption (g)/bird/day differed significantly (p < 0.01) from 6th to 16th week of age, except at sixth and eighth week of age, where it was non-significant (p > 0.05). The overall feed efficiency/dozen of eggs (from 6th to 16th weeks) ranged from 1.33 (L1) to 1.98 (L3). The livability from 6 to 16 weeks of age was 100 per cent in all the lines. In order to boost Japanese quail production in the tropics, L3 and L4 may be selected for body weight and egg production, respectively.

This study investigated the effect of the concentration of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a transboundary air pollutant, on the livability of neighboring areas of China and South Korea with the aim of informing common policy development. Grey relational analysis (GRA) and panel regression analysis were performed to examine the effect of PM2.5 concentration on various livability indicators. The results revealed that urban living infrastructure was an indicator of effect in both South Korea and China. Based on the high correlation between urban living infrastructure and PM2.5 concentration, it can be seen that PM2.5 clearly affects livability, shown by panel regression analysis. Other key livability indicators were traffic safety, culture and leisure, and climate indicators. Spatial analysis of the livability index revealed that from 2015 to 2019, livability improved in both South Korea and China, but there was a clear difference in the spatial distribution in China. High-vulnerability areas showed potential risks that can reduce livability in the long run. In South Korea and China, areas surrounding large cities were found to be highly vulnerable. The findings of this research can guide the establishment of policies grading PM2.5 pollution at the regional or city macro-level.

Quantitative assessment of livability within a city facilitates the identification of urban problems and targeted improvements to the environment. Available studies are mostly limited to static analysis of a particular phase. It is difficult to reveal the dynamic development state of cities at the micro level. Taking Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city as an example, we established an evaluation index system for the livability of the eco-city from five dimensions, including environmental health, transportation convenience, urban security, facility convenience, and economic prosperity. Multi-source data from 2016 to 2020, including the remote sensing images, points of interest, and planning data, combined with the entropy method and the TOPSIS method were used to dynamically monitor the livability of the eco-city in a long-term series. The results showed that during the study period, the livability levels of different areas in the eco-city had strong spatial and temporal variations. Spatially, with the southern part of the Sino-Singapore Eco-city Cooperation Zone as the core, the overall livability was characterized by a high center and a low edge. The convenience of facilities, traffic convenience, and economic prosperity were characterized by a high center and a low edge. Urban security and environmental health showed the characteristics of low center and high edge. From 2016 to 2020, the livability improvement rate of the eco-city had gradually accelerated, with the the most obvious improvement in the southern part of the China-Singapore Cooperation Zone.
定量评估城市内部宜居性便于发现城市问题从而针对性改善环境。现有研究多囿于单一时相的静态分析,难以在微观层面揭示城市动态发展状态。本研究以中新天津生态城为例,从环境健康性、交通便捷性、城市安全性、设施便利性和经济繁荣性5个维度创建生态城宜居性评估指标体系,利用研究区2016—2020年的遥感影像、兴趣点、控制性详细规划数据等多源数据,结合熵值法和优劣解距离法从居住地块尺度对生态城内部宜居情况进行长时间序列的动态监测。结果表明: 研究期间,生态城内不同片区宜居水平有较强的时空差异性。空间上,以生态城中新合作区南部为核心,宜居性整体呈现出中心高、边缘低的特点,设施便利性、交通便捷性和经济繁荣性呈现出中心高、边缘低的特点,而环境健康性和城市安全性则呈现出中心低、边缘高的特点。2016—2020年间,生态城宜居性提升速度逐步加快,中新合作区南部的宜居性整体提升最明显。.

As age-friendly community (AFC) initiatives grow, it will be essential to determine whether older adults who live in an AFC have better health than those who live in other environments. This study uses data from the 2017 AARP AFC Surveys and the AARP Livability Index to assess whether AFCs promote the health of older adults. We analyze data for 3027 adults aged 65 and older who reside in 262 zip code areas. Following AARP guidelines, we allocated the sample into two groups: an AFC group (livability score of 51+; n = 2364) and a non-AFC (score ≤ 50, n = 663). The outcome variable was self-rated health (M = 3.5; SD = 1.1; range: 1-5). We used an inverse probability weighting approach to evaluate whether older adults who live in an AFC reported better self-rated health than those who live in a non-AFC. Findings showed that older adults who lived in an AFC had better self-rated health than those in a non-AFC (b = 0.08, p = 0.027). Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Black and Hispanic older adults reported worse self-rated health. Inasmuch as living in an AFC can promote the well-being of older adults, policymakers and practitioners should continue to develop and sustain high-quality, accessible built and social environments.