This thesis envisions a new way of living in the city of Toronto. It is a vision that evolves not from the ideologies on which Toronto was founded, set out over 100 years ago when all multi-family dwellings were called tenements and tenements were considered, among other things, immoral. Instead, it is a vision founded on a city that has seen immense change over the last century, and faces an even greater rate of change over the next. Our city prides itself on its cultural and social diversity, yet, architecturally, we still struggle to adapt within a fabric of single-family homes. The Dutch provide an edifying example of an architecture of daily life, embodied by their attitude toward issues of privacy, toward traffic, toward work and play. Based on a case study of housing in the Netherlands, a country that has successfully and creatively adapted to the demands of housing in a climate of rapid immigration and a diversifying population, this thesis proposes new, high density urban housing typologies for the city of Toronto. This new vision for the city serves not only to add the necessary density to our existing neighbourhoods, but to foster a strong community life and to provoke new ideas about urban living.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

Bringing together field-based empirical studies, a simulation modelling experiment, and a critical analysis of the natural disturbance emulation paradigm, this thesis evaluates partial harvesting in the black spruce boreal forest. Forest management in Ontario is required to emulate natural disturbances, but in regions of the boreal forest where fire cycles are long, regulated even-aged management by clearcutting has truncated forest age-class distributions. Partial harvesting has been proposed as a means to maintain the structural complexity and biodiversity associated with old forests while allowing continued timber production. Despite the potentially important role of partial harvesting in a strategy for sustainable boreal forest management, little research has examined post-harvest stand development, a critical determinant both of habitat and timber supplies.I used a chronosequence approach in combination with dendroecological techniques, a neighbourhood modelling framework, and maximum likelihood statistical methods to quantify stand dynamics over the first decade after partial harvest in the black spruce (Picea mariana) boreal forest of northeastern Ontario, Canada. Residual trees displayed large but time-lagged growth responses to partial harvest. The largest responses were found in young trees, while old trees were largely unable to react to improved post-harvest resource availability. Growth responses were offset by elevated rates of residual-tree mortality, which peaked in the first year after harvest at nearly 13 times the pre-harvest level. Proximity to harvest machinery trails severely escalated the risk of mortality for residual trees. Considering growth and mortality responses together in a forest simulator model, I found that stand development proceeded most rapidly where skidding intensity was reduced and retention areas were aggregated. Given appropriate prescriptions, my results indicate that partial harvesting can be a viable silvicultural option for black spruce boreal forests. However, the ability of partially harvested stands to emulate natural disturbance is questionable, particularly given the strong influence of harvest machinery impacts on post-harvest stand development. I argue that the natural disturbance emulation framework has important flaws and falls short of a justifiable approach for forest management in Ontario.

Bringing together field-based empirical studies, a simulation modelling experiment, and a critical analysis of the natural disturbance emulation paradigm, this thesis evaluates partial harvesting in the black spruce boreal forest. Forest management in Ontario is required to emulate natural disturbances, but in regions of the boreal forest where fire cycles are long, regulated even-aged management by clearcutting has truncated forest age-class distributions. Partial harvesting has been proposed as a means to maintain the structural complexity and biodiversity associated with old forests while allowing continued timber production. Despite the potentially important role of partial harvesting in a strategy for sustainable boreal forest management, little research has examined post-harvest stand development, a critical determinant both of habitat and timber supplies.I used a chronosequence approach in combination with dendroecological techniques, a neighbourhood modelling framework, and maximum likelihood statistical methods to quantify stand dynamics over the first decade after partial harvest in the black spruce (Picea mariana) boreal forest of northeastern Ontario, Canada. Residual trees displayed large but time-lagged growth responses to partial harvest. The largest responses were found in young trees, while old trees were largely unable to react to improved post-harvest resource availability. Growth responses were offset by elevated rates of residual-tree mortality, which peaked in the first year after harvest at nearly 13 times the pre-harvest level. Proximity to harvest machinery trails severely escalated the risk of mortality for residual trees. Considering growth and mortality responses together in a forest simulator model, I found that stand development proceeded most rapidly where skidding intensity was reduced and retention areas were aggregated. Given appropriate prescriptions, my results indicate that partial harvesting can be a viable silvicultural option for black spruce boreal forests. However, the ability of partially harvested stands to emulate natural disturbance is questionable, particularly given the strong influence of harvest machinery impacts on post-harvest stand development. I argue that the natural disturbance emulation framework has important flaws and falls short of a justifiable approach for forest management in Ontario.

In this thesis, we describe linear codes over prime fields obtained from incidence designs of iterated line graphs of complete graphs Li(Kn) where i = 1, 2. In the binary case, results are extended to codes from neighbourhood designs of the line graphs Li+1(Kn) using certain elementary relations. Codes from incidence designs of complete graphs, Kn, and neighbourhood designs of their line graphs, L1(Kn) (the so-called triangular graphs), have been considered elsewhere by others. We consider codes from incidence designs of L1(Kn) and L2(Kn), and neighbourhood designs of L2(Kn) and L3(Kn). In each case, basic parameters of the codes are determined. Further, we introduce a family of vertex-transitive graphs 􀀀n that are embeddable into the strong product L1(Kn) ⊠ K2, of triangular graphs and K2, a class which at first sight may seem unnatural but, on closer look, is a repository of graphs rich with combinatorial structures. For instance, unlike most regular graphs considered here and elsewhere that only come with incidence and neighbourhood designs, 􀀀n also has what we have termed as 6-cycle designs. These are designs in which the point set contains vertices of the graph and every block contains vertices of a 6-cycle in the graph. Also, binary codes from incidence matrices of these graphs have other minimum words in addition to incidence vectors of the blocks. In addition, these graphs have induced subgraphs isomorphic to the family Hn of complete porcupines (see Definition 4.11). We describe codes from incidence matrices of 􀀀n and Hn and determine their parameters.

Objectif: Examiner le lien entre la participation des parents aux activités physiques (AP) de leur enfant et les habitudes de vie et le statut pondéral de ces derniers. Méthode: Les données proviennent de l’Enquête Sociale et Santé des Enfants et des Adolescent Québécois (1999), comprenant des échantillons représentatifs de jeunes de 9, 13 et 16 ans (n=2511). L’implication des parents est définie par aucun, 1 seul, ou 2 parents faisant de l’AP avec leur enfant ≥1/semaine. Un rappel 7 jours a servi à classer les jeunes selon leur niveau d’AP, soit faible, modéré ou élevé. Le temps d’écran a été défini par: ≤14 vs. >14 heures/semaine. Le statut pondéral a été défini selon les critères de Cole. Résultats: Lorsque les deux parents participent aux AP du jeune, le niveau d’AP des adolescents de 13 (OR 3.89, IC 95%: 1.85-8.18) et 16 ans (OR 3.45, IC 95%: 1.32-9.01) est davantage élevé, et le temps d’écran moindre (OR 2.36, IC 95%: 1.30-4.25) chez ceux de 13 ans. Des analyses secondaires montrent que le lien entre l’implication des parents et le niveau d’AP des jeunes est présent chez les familles biparentales seulement; le lien avec le temps d’écran est présent dans les quartiers sécuritaires seulement. Aucune association n’est observée pour le statut pondéral. Conclusion: Les stratégies de promotion de la santé ciblant la participation des parents aux AP de leurs enfants pourraient réduire le fardeau des maladies chroniques, étant donné l’association favorable entre leur implication et les habitudes de vie des jeunes. / Objective: To examine the association between parental involvement in their child’s physical activity (PA) and child lifestyle behaviours and weight status. Methods: Data were from the 1999 Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey, comprising representative samples of youth aged 9, 13, and 16 years. Parental involvement in PA with their child was assessed and measured as both, one, or neither parent engaging in PA with their child ≥once/week, based on parent reports. A 7-day PA recall was used to categorize youth as inactive, moderately-active, or highly-active. Screen time was classified as ≤14 and >14 hours of TV and video viewing/week. Overweight status was defined according to Cole’s sex- and age-specific BMI cut-points. Results: Participants (n=2511) with both parents engaging in PA with them ≥once/week (vs. neither parent) were more likely to be highly-active at ages 13 (OR 3.89, 95% CI: 1.85-8.18) and 16 (OR 3.45, 95% CI: 1.32-9.01), and to report ≤14 hours/week of screen time at age 13 (OR 2.36, 95% CI: 1.30-4.25). No associations were observed for weight status. We examined effect modification in post-hoc analyses; the association between parental involvement and youth PA was present in two-parent households only, while the association between parental involvement and screen time was only present in neighbourhoods perceived to be safe by parents. Conclusion: Health promotion strategies targeting parental involvement in youth PA may reduce the future burden of chronic disease, given the favorable association of parental involvement with several youth lifestyle behaviours.

Study 1 - Individual - The purpose was to determine whether a 12-week behavioural risk reduction intervention caused self-reported MVPA to increase and to identify associated Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs. Three hundred twenty-four physically inactive (<150 minutes/week moderate-vigorous PA) participants were included. Intervention participants were significantly more likely to meet PA guidelines at 12-weeks (OR=3.54, 95% CI 2.22-5.63, p<.001), which was significantly correlated with increases in TPB constructs. // Study 2 - Family - Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 participants to elicit perceptions of factors that influence PA. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, coded and analyzed. Spouses were more likely to engage in PA with their spouse after the CHD event; however this may be limited by their partners’ capabilities. The data suggests awareness of an increased susceptibility to CHD is not stimulating participants to increase their own PA to prevent future risk, particularly among offspring, but they may take other actions. The shared family environment can promote PA, although intensity may be limited. // Study 3 - Neighbourhood - Self-reported PA from a prospective behavioural risk reduction intervention was explored in the context of objectively measured Walk Scores and neighbourhood walkability in Ottawa, Canada. Participants in the intervention arm had significantly higher odds of meeting PA guidelines at 12-weeks compared to the standard care control group. This was not influenced by Walk Scores or walkability. This individual-level intervention was effective in assisting participants to overcome potential structural barriers presented by their neighbourhood to meet PA guidelines at 12-weeks.

This thesis aims to scrutinize the Visegrad Quadruple Initiative as a device of the Central European countries in the process of involving into the re-negotiations in Europe and in world politics. The thesis argues that the Visegrad group was built in order to respond the demands of changing Europe and Euro-Atlantic structures, and thus to overcome the double process of transition and integration. However that was not the only reason to launch the Visegrad regional cooperation. The group produced an affirmative discourse that its members are distinguished from the other countries in transition, so that they are constantly one step forward to &lsquo / return to Europe&rsquo / . In the aftermath of the eastern enlargements of NATO and the EU alike, the original mission of the group, integration with the West, was achieved. That created a profound discussion about the survival of the group. As it is argued in this thesis, the group, as a prosperous and substantial regional cooperation, should rather continue to work in order to have more words to say in the re-negotiations processes. Another argument of the thesis is that the Visegrad group, taking Benelux group as a model in its continuity, is beneficial to produce a common foreign policy tendency among its members as long as the interests of its members are overlapping, otherwise the group is just being a political platform in which its members can share their views in such areas as regional regulations.

Det finns betydande skillnader i hälsa beroende på utbildning, socioekonomisk status, etnicitet, ålder och kön och det har konsekvenser för människors livslängd, livskvalitet och hälsa. Ojämlikheter i hälsa blir särskilt tydliga när man jämför olika geografiska områden, där vissa områden har hög koncentration av fattiga och socialt utslagna människor med dålig hälsa, arbetslöshet och låg utbildning. Att vidta åtgärder mot de utbredda hälsoskillnader som finns mellan människor med vitt skilda förutsättningar är en viktig utmaning för hälsofrämjande arbete. En strategi för att minska skillnader i hälsa mellan människor är att arbeta med områdesutveckling i prioriterade bostadsområden. Ett svenskt samarbete, Partnerskap för Hållbar Välfärdsutveckling, bildades 2003 mellan Helsingborg, Norrköping, Västerås och Örebro, kommunala bostadsbolag i dessa städer, flera nationella parter samt forskare vid Örebro universitet. Det centrala i partnerskapet var att genom erfarenhetsutbyte, metodutveckling och kunskapsspridning arbeta för en hållbar välfärdsutveckling i prioriterade bostadsområden (ett område från varje stad valdes ut). Integrerat i detta arbete var forskningsprogrammet ”Den hälsosamma staden - social integration, nätverkspolitik och hållbar välfärdsutveckling”, som följt partnerskapet vetenskapligt mellan åren 2003 och 2010. Det är av stor betydelse att integrera politik, praxis och forskning för att få kunskap om förutsättningar för en hälsosam utveckling i utsatta bostadsområden. Detta är en unik del av det nästan sjuåriga partnerskapsarbetet. Avhandlingens övergripande syfte har varit att inom ramen för Partnerskap för Hållbar Välfärdsutveckling studera folkhälsostrategier och lokalt utvecklingsarbete i kommuner och bostadsområden med särskild betoning på boendes deltagande för en hälsosam utveckling. Avhandlingens första studie syftar till att beskriva och analysera strategiskt folkhälsoarbete och lokalt områdesutvecklingsarbetet i fyra svenska kommuner samt den tidiga implementeringsfasen av Partnerskap för Hållbar Välfärdsutveckling. Datamaterialet består av dokumenterade intervjuer med folkhälsosamordnare och områdesutvecklare, deltagande observationer och skriftliga dokument. Resultatet visar att det redan i början av partnerskapsperioden fanns formella strukturer för folkhälsoarbetet i kommunen, till exempel ett folkhälsopolitiskt program, en utsedd samordnare, ett kontor och administrativa resurser samt politiker med särskilt ansvar för folkhälsofrågor. I uppbyggandet av de formella strukturerna var också de svenska nationella folkhälsomålen ett viktigt underlag. Vad gäller det lokala bostadsområdes arbete kan det ta sig olika uttryck även om målet är det samma. I partnerskapet fanns också tidigt höga förväntningar KARIN FRÖDING Public Health, Neighbourhood Development, and Participation I 83 att det skulle fungera som en sammanhållande kraft för ömsesidigt lärande och en positiv utveckling av prioriterade bostadsområden. Avhandlingens andra studie syftar till att analysera vad som karaktäriserar människor som deltar i områdesutveckling. Boende från tre av partnerskapskommunerna svarade på en enkät och resultatet visade på att människor som försökt påverka politiken i kommunen på olika sätt i större utsträckning deltar i områdesutveckling. Denna påverkan kan ske genom att kontakta en politiker eller lämna in ett medborgarförslag. Högt engagemang och aktivt deltagande var oberoende av individens sociodemografiska faktorer såsom utbildning eller inkomstnivå. Det var endast personer födda utanför Norden som i mindre utsträckning deltog i områdesutveckling. Avhandlingens tredje studie syftar till att undersöka en områdesbaserad interaktion mellan professionella (anställda), boende och forskare i en av partnerskapets utvalda stadsdelar. Baserat på deltagande observation under två år visar studien ett entydigt resultat: för att processen skall fungera krävdes att deltagarna öppet diskuterade enskilda situationer, personliga åtaganden och ömsesidiga förväntningar. Vidare var det viktigt att demaskera makt och auktoritet bland dem som deltar i processen för att inte några skulle ha mer inflytande på arbetet än de andra. Tiden visade sig vara viktig, att processen fick ta den tid det tog med konsensus som ett ledord. Slutligen var det viktigt att acceptera olika nivåer av deltagande. Allt detta bidrar till att skapa en gemensam känsla av engagemang och demokratisk dialog som är så viktigt i ett interaktivt samarbete. I avhandlingens fjärde studie är syftet att studera utvecklingsprocesser för att nå hållbara strukturer för lokalt områdesutvecklingsarbete i de fyra partnerskapsstäderna. Arbetet i Partnerskap för Hållbar Välfärdsutveckling har liksom kommunerna och det lokal områdesarbetet följts mellan åren 2003-2009. Genom en serie studier inom forskningsprogrammet med intervjuer, enkäter, deltagande observation och dokumentanalys har det utformats en databas för fallstudier. Resultatet visar att det under partnerskapsperioden fanns byggstenar i form av politiskt stöd, lokala partnerskap och boendes deltagande i områdesarbetet. När Partnerskap för Hållbar Välfärdsutveckling upphörde fanns dock få hållbara strukturer för områdesutveckling kvar. Det politiska stödet för områdesutveckling var under partnerskapstiden konstant högt men cykliskt, vilket innebar att prioriteringar ändrades. I samtliga fyra studerade stadsdelar hade områdesarbetet delvis avstannat och politiskt stöd och resurser lagts på andra områden i respektive kommun. I ett lokalt partnerskapssamarbete mellan kommun och kommunalt bostadsbolag finns dock möjlighet att bilda hållbara strukturer när såväl det strategiska som det lokala involveras i den praktiska delen av områdesutveckling. Medborgarnas deltagande verkar också utgöra en viss hållbar struktur för områdesutveckling, trots minskat politiskt stöd och resurser. Sammanfattningsvis visar denna avhandling att ett partnerskap för lokalt folkhälsoarbete kan fungera som en sammanhållande länk för lärande och utveckling bland alla inblandade aktörer. För ett fungerande områdesutvecklingsarbete är den lokala kontexten av största vikt liksom formella strukturer och ett nationellt stöd. Det är dessutom nödvändigt att beakta alla boende som potentiella deltagare i områdesutveckling oberoende av utbildning, kön eller inkomstnivå. När ett projektbaserat partnerskap avslutas måste det dessutom finnas strukturer som kan ta vid efter projekttidens slut. Avslutningsvis visar avhandlingen att ett områdesbaserat samspel med deltagande av professionella, boende och forskare ställer krav på en öppen, jämbördig dialog med ett accepterande förhållningssätt till olika nivåer av deltagande samt stort tidsutrymme. / Efforts to combat the widespread health disparities are an important challenge in public health and health promotion. A partnership between four Swedish cities was constituted to face this challenge. Within the context of that partnership, the overall aim of this thesis is to study public health strategies and local development work in municipalities and neighbourhoods, with a special emphasis on residents’ participation. Study I analyses strategic public health work, neighbourhood development, and the early implementation phase of the partnership. Interviews, participant observation, and documents were used as data sources. The study shows that a partnership for local public health work can serve as a connecting link for development and learning among stakeholders involved. Formal structures and national support are crucial preconditions for success in neighbourhood development. Study II analyses what characterizes people who participate in neighbourhood development. A cross-sectional study with a random sample of 1,160 participants from three of the partnership cities was analysed. Citizens who had previous experience of trying to influence policy in the municipality in some way were more likely to be active in neighbourhood development than those who had no such prior experience. Study III analyses a community-academic partnership and a communitybased participatory research process through participant observation. It shows that a community-academic partnership requires an open, equal dialogue, an accepting attitude toward different levels of participation, and a lengthy period of time. Study IV uses a case-study database to analyse the development processes for achieving sustainable structures in neighbourhood development in the four partnership cities. A partnership has the potential to allocate resources on a area-based level, but in this case few resources remained when the partnership ended.

This thesis presents the results from a comparative study of travel patterns among residents of four suburban residential areas in metropolitan Adelaide. Using existing datasets together with inventory data of urban environment characteristics from original fieldwork, this research examines to what extent there are associations between various attributes of a particular urban location as they relate to travel behaviour and household socio-economics. The findings derived from quantitative and qualitative methods suggest that urban form/design must be taken into consideration in policy making for mobility reduction.