Provincial Cities Research Articles

The population of the cities of Tobolsk province (based on the materials of the 1917 census)

On the basis of archival sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the issues of preparation, the peculiarities of conducting the census of the urban population of the Tobolsk province in 1917 are revealed, and its results are analyzed. The census materials were in demand to coordinate the food issue, supply the population with food, the urban economy as a whole, and prepare for elections to the Constituent Assembly and local authorities. In the study of the processes of formation of urban settlements and their transformation, various methodological approaches are traced. In this regard, the modernization theory of social development is of interest, where, according to the concept, urbanization is considered through the prism of demographic processes primarily in cities. The work is based on the materials of the 1917 urban census in the Tobolsk province. To analyze documentary sources, a set of statistical methods was used, as well as historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-typological research methods, methods of graphical representation of the obtained statistical data. Based on newly introduced and published sources of population statistics. The author made the following conclusions: despite the presence of general instructions, there are specific features in the preparation and conduct of the census associated with tight deadlines, lack of qualified personnel and other reasons; the results obtained, although they had a number of drawbacks, suggest an increase in the proportion of the alien population, a decrease in the number of males due to mobilization to the front. The author made the following conclusion: despite the presence of general instructions, there are specific features in the preparation and conduct of the census associated with tight deadlines, lack of qualified personnel and other reasons.

Understanding HIV service preferences of South African women 30-49 years old missing from or linked to care: An exploratory study of Gauteng and Limpopo provinces.

The HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa has a disproportionate gender impact, with women bearing the brunt of the epidemic. South Africa carries the largest share of the global HIV burden, with similar trends seen for women due to unequal socio-cultural and economic status. This study aims to understand 30-49 year-old women's barriers and facilitators to accessing HIV services in order to maximize health in resource limited settings and reach women missing from HIV care. Employing a convenience sampling strategy, we recruited, informed, and consented participants at clinics and public areas. Interviews were conducted in respondent's preferred languages, transcribed verbatim, translated into English if needed, and thematically analyzed using grounded theory. We conducted 81 interviews with women aged 30-49 either missing from care (n = 21), having unknown HIV status (n = 30) or linked to care (n = 30) within two sites: City of Johannesburg district, Gauteng Province and Mopani district, Limpopo Province. Participants missing from care reported negative staff attitudes, queues, family rejection, medication side effects, and painful blood tests as key deterrents. Participants with an unknown status were deterred by fear of being diagnosed as HIV positive and family rejection, which was similar to women missing from care who often dropped out from care due to actual family rejection. Participants linked to care reported that long queues and staff shortages were challenges but stayed in care due to a will to live for themselves and their children, in addition to counselling and feeling emotionally supported. Interestingly, participants missing from care often accessed medication from friends but, similarly to those with unknown status, noted that they would access care if attended to by supportive nurses and by having non-clinical HIV services. The accounts of women in this research highlight significant improvements needed to address inequities in the fight against HIV in South Africa. Additionally, the healthcare service access preferences of women aged 30-49 need to be further explored quantitatively in order to design policy relevant interventions.

Effects of Tariff on the Management of Blood Products in Fars Province Hospitals

Background In Iran, blood products were being delivered to healthcare centers without charge. For optimum usage and reducing wastage, the tariff was set on October 23, 2015. Thus, hospitals must pay for blood products to blood transfusion services and then the expenses are paid to healthcare centers by the insurance. Objectives This study aimed to explore the effects of the tariff policy on utilization pattern of blood products in healthcare centers of Fars province, Iran. Design This is a retrospective study which analyzes the recorded data. Methods Throughout this retrospective study, the number of units requested, delivered, returned, and return/delivery ratio of RBC, FFP, cryoprecipitate, and platelet were examined before and after the tariff in different cities of Fars province of Iran. Results After the tariff, return/delivery ratios of FFP, cryoprecipitate, and platelet increased in comparison with before tariff but were not statistically significant which means the return of unused units was increased after imposing tariff. Conclusion The results of this investigation showed that tariff may lead to more return of FFP, cryoprecipitate, and platelet units to the transfusion services of Fars province. More research must be performed to further approve it.

Comparison of the position of agricultural products in the cities of Gilan province in terms of two indicators of social benefits and economic profitability

Comparison of the position of agricultural products in the cities of Gilan province in terms of two indicators of social benefits and economic profitability

Exploration of PrEP/PEP service delivery model in China: A pilot in eastern, central and western region.

Since 2017, China has started a pilot exploration of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)/post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) service aiming for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control. Efforts to summarize the pilot experience and sort out the gaps in service provision must be prioritized. In June-October, 2023, three provincial capital cities with two years of PrEP/PEP pilot experience in eastern, central and western China were chosen. A structural information collective tool was developed, as a framework to identify key links and steps in reviewing service procedures for PrEP/PEP service. Two main service models have been formed, including the independent offline service model led by professional health institutions and Multi-agencies (health institution/Community Based Organizations (CBOs)/Internet platform) online and offline collaborative service model. The pilot experience conceptualizes opportunities to integrate PrEP/PEP into HIV prevention efforts and, illustrates the optimizing path to move forward to reach for a high level HIV prevention and care continuum. Systematic barriers during the process of integration need to be noted and addressed. It is urgent to establish a realistic and feasible online and offline monitoring system to achieve a balance between standardized, safe, simplified and convenient services.

The Impact of Digital Economy on Industrial Structure Upgrading under the Perspective of Political Economy

Abstract The rapid development of the new generation of digital technology and the increasing importance of the digital economy have brought new opportunities for China’s development and provided new ideas for the optimization of industrial structure as well as the improvement of industrial efficiency. In this paper, under the perspective of political economy, the evaluation index system of the comprehensive development level of the digital economy is constructed with the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces and municipalities from 2014 to 2023 as a sample, and the entropy weighting method is used to calculate the index of development. The rationalization and advanced upgrading of the industrial structure of the 30 provincial and municipal cities is studied by combining the Tel index and the added value of the tertiary/secondary industry. On this basis, the structural equation model was used to explore the role of the “digital economy” on “industrial structure upgrading”. The results of the study are as follows: the development level of China’s digital economy shows a stable growth trend from 2014 to 2023, with its average value increasing by 185.32%, and the average values of the advanced and rationalized levels of China’s industrial structure increasing and decreasing by 4.47% and 47.90%, respectively. The direct effect of the level of development on the improvement of industrial structure (i.e., Path 1) is significant, and the standardized path coefficient between the two is 0.162. The results of the study emphasize the need to comprehensively improve the level of development and to build an intermediary bridge between the digital economy and industrial structure upgrading by taking human capital, scientific and technological innovation, and consumption upgrading as important tools.

Investigating alcohol consumption in China via wastewater-based epidemiology.

Alcohol abuse and addiction is a public health issue of global concern. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a forceful and effective complementary tool for investigating chemical consumption. This study examined alcohol consumption in major cities of China via WBE and compared WBE estimates with other data sources. A simple and valid ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of two alcohol metabolites, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) in wastewater. The optimized method was applied to 62 sewage samples collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 31 provincial capital cities across China in the fourth quarter of 2020. The methodology established in this study was validated with the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) up to 0.1μg/L, good linearity in the range of 0.1-50μg/L, intra-day and inter-day precision less than 5.58% and 5.55%, respectively, and the recoveries of the extracts were higher than 97.14%. The consumption range of alcohol estimated via WBE was 6.09 ± 4.56 ethanol/person/day (EPD) in the capital cities of China. Alcohol consumption varies significantly between cities in China, with WBE estimating lower alcohol consumption than WHO and lower than foreign countries. Investing in alcohol consumption based on WBE has great potential to accurately and efficiently estimate alcohol consumption.

Spatial correlation network structure of operational efficiency and its driving factors: A case study of star-rated hotels in China.

Accurately grasping the spatial network correlation structure of operational efficiency in star-rated hotels and its influencing factors is of great significance for promoting high-quality coordinated development of star-rated hotels and the regional tourism reception industry. Using a comprehensive approach integrating the Super-DEA model, modified gravity model, and social network analysis to explore the evolving characteristics of spatial network structure in operational efficiency of provincial star-rated hotels in China from 2013 to 2022, and their underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that: (1) During the study period, the average operational efficiency of star-rated hotels in China was 0.618, with spatial efficiency values showing a distribution pattern of "Eastern > Central > Western > Northeastern". (2) The spatial correlation network of operational efficiency among provincial star-rated hotels in China overall exhibits characteristics of densification, hierarchical structure, and reinforcement. Provinces such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Jiangsu in the eastern region play central roles as "central actors" in the network, while provinces in the western and northeastern regions such as Heilongjiang, Tibet, and Xinjiang play roles as "passive actors" in the spatial network. (3) Members of the "Net benefit" and "Two-way spillover" are primarily from the eastern and some central provinces, while members of the "Net overflow" are mainly from the northeastern and western provinces. (4) Factors such as economic development level, residents' consumption level, and distance from provincial capital cities collectively drive the evolution and optimization of the spatial network structure of operational efficiency among provincial star-rated hotels in China. This study not only enriches the research findings on hotel operational efficiency but also provides a reference for constructing a cross-regional collaborative mechanism to enhance the operational efficiency of star-rated hotels.

Study on the Role of Public Sector Human Resource Management in Educational Management Reforms

Abstract The principles and methods of human resource management have been introduced into the field of education for some time, but the analysis of the current state of research, specifically on educational management, is still insufficient. The first part of this paper analyzes the measures that are related to human resource management in education management reform in each sector and further investigates the factor analysis method in the public sector human resource management system. By constructing the factor analysis model and factor calculation method, we can provide an algorithmic basis for studying the role of public sector human resource management in education management reform. The article utilizes the factor analysis method to conduct an empirical study by using the educational resources of different schools in 11 cities of Province A as test objects. According to the study, the first principal component has seven-factor loadings that are higher than 0.72, which indicates that all seven factors have a positive impact on the allocation efficiency of higher vocational education. The second principal component has four-factor loadings greater than 0.80, suggesting that all four factors have a positive effect on the allocation efficiency output of higher vocational education. From the sample data of the school education resource allocation status of each city, it can be obtained that the school education resource allocation status of city A is the most favorable, with the highest overall score of 43,153.1, followed by city B and city D, with 25,431.9 and 12,136.4, respectively. This indicates that the education resource allocation effect of these three cities is better and belongs to the upstream level in province Z.

Innovative Research on Cultivation Mechanism and Introduction Mechanism of Top Talents in Colleges and Universities under the Background of Big Data

Abstract In the context of fierce competition for talents in colleges and universities, cultivating and introducing outstanding young talents are crucial to the construction and sustainable development of talents in colleges and universities. The article utilizes the IPO model to construct an evaluation system for the quality of cultivation of top talents and the implementation effect of talent introduction policy in colleges and universities. The study takes eight colleges and universities in the university city of Province P as examples, uses the EWM method to determine the weights of the indicators, and carries out a comprehensive evaluation through the improved TOPSIS method and the Data Envelopment Analysis Model (DEA). The results show that in talent cultivation, the weight of the result quality is 18.09% higher than the essential quality. In contrast, in implementing the talent introduction policy, the maximum difference of each weight value is only 1.24%.The effective decision-making unit of the DEA reaches the optimal value of 1.00 in the comprehensive technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency. The study reveals the shortcomings of implementing talent cultivation and introduction policy in universities. It guides the universities to improve the mechanism of cultivation and introduction of top talents, to enhance the core competitiveness.

Лирическая поэтика романа И. Бунина «Жизнь Арсеньева»

The paper examines such features of the lyrical poetics of the novel “The Life of Arseniev” in terms of its thematic and motivic repetitions, fragmentary and variegated style, and overall sense of ambivalence and uncertainty. An emphasis is placed on how various settings are described, including manor and urban locales and on the punctuated lyrical narrative of the Fifth Book of the novel. Ivan Bunin depicts several manors near Arseniev’s residence characterized by their similarities and significant historical connections to renowned Russian writers. The lyricism of the manor theme is enhanced by various variations, lending it a substantial semantic richness. The transitions between different spaces, the layered descriptions, and the concentration of similar plots within each chapter are all points of interest. The urban space is built under the same laws as the manor. The technique used to depict cities entails the repetition of similar characteristics, with the images of the provincial city of Orel gradually merging with those of an unnamed county town in Book Five. The lyrical plot of Book Five is structured around the multiplication of similar situations, with several climaxes. The spatial and plot structures exhibit duplication, complementarity, and induction elements. The multiplication of similar motifs and plot situations skillfully confuses the reader, introducing a subject ambiguity underlying the lyrical poetics of the novel. The lyrical poetics of the novel shares similarities with the classical Russian elegy, including specific details and a melancholic tone.

Environmental marketing of the provincial cities in Poland

Environmental marketing of the provincial cities in Poland

Деятельность городского самоуправления Ярославля по организации трамвайного движения в городе в конце XIX-начале XX века

Introduction. The article is devoted to the study of the activities of the Yaroslavl City Duma and the city council on the construction of a city tram in the late XIX-early XX century, during the most active development of the urban economy of Russian cities. Materials and methods. The research is based on the analysis of published and unpublished sources: reports of the Yaroslavl City Council and journals of the Yaroslavl City Duma, periodicals, office records and funds of the State Archive of the Yaroslavl region. Chronological, comparative-historical, historical-system methods were used in the work. Results. The opening of the Yaroslavl tram dates back to 1900, although in many provincial cities the tram already existed by that time. The contract for the construction of the Yaroslavl tram was signed with the Belgian society of French-Russian workshops. The importance of the tram for city self-government bodies is evidenced by the existence and active activity of the tram commission under the city government. The members of the commission were engaged in carrying out inspections of the condition of the cars, resolving issues on the implementation of new tram lines, modernization of old ones. Conclusion. The opening of the Yaroslavl tram in 1900 was an important event of city life. Despite the fact that the owners of the tram were Belgian entrepreneurs, the municipal authorities played a significant role in its organization and operation. From the very beginning of the appearance of the tram, the actions of the Belgian society were put under the control of the tram commission of the city council. A significant disadvantage of the Yaroslavl tram during the period under consideration in the work was that private entrepreneurs accumulated profits from its operation, and several initiatives put forward in the city Duma to buy the tram to the city treasury remained unfulfilled.

Inclusive Finance for SMEs in Pakistan: A Supply-Side Perspective

Objective: Inclusive finance aims to escalate the access and usage of financial services among SMEs and individuals as well. Therefore, it is mainly concerned with efforts towards financial inclusion, which means easy access and usage of a wide range of affordable financial products and services by everyone, provided by a variety of sound, responsible, and sustainable financial institutes. In Pakistan, SMEs face severe issues towards access to formal finance and bound to meet their financial needs by using informal finance. This study aims to highlight the supply-side factors impacting SME's access to finance in Pakistan. Methodology: This quantitative research has been conducted in the five big cities of Punjab province. By using a stratified sampling technique SMEs from three main sectors have been included in this study manufacturing, services and trading. Findings: In line with prior research study concluded that for inclusive growth and development, provision of resources, favourable policies and regulatory reforms, financial and other national institutions, international bodies support can bring significant change in the status of SMEs in Pakistan. Implications: Current study will be helpful for policy makers and financial institutions to formalize their structure and strategies to facilitate SMEs in Pakistan.

Identifying Effective Factors on Promoting Health and Hygiene Education in Secondary Schools of Sistan and Baluchistan Province: A Qualitative Study

Background: This was a qualitative study with the aim of specifying effective factors regarding the improvement of health and hygiene education in secondary schools of education and training in Zahedan city in Sistan and Baluchistan province.
 Methods: The research community included all the academic experts, principals, and healthcare providers of Sistan and Baluchistan province in the academic year 1401-1402. Purposive sampling method was conducted on the statistical population, and those who met the criteria for entering the study were selected through snowball method. The number of samples was selected based on the principle of theoretical saturation, and 20 people were selected. Data were analyzed using content analysis method and theme analysis approach.
 Results: The results of the study led to the identification of effective factors on the promotion of health and hygiene education in secondary schools, which can be considered in health education plans of schools.
 Conclusion: By identifying effective factors on the promotion of health and hygiene education in secondary schools, effective measures can be taken in maintaining and promoting healthy lifestyle in future generations.

Relationship between Vaccine Hesitancy and Psychological Distress in Elderly Population of South Punjab

Vaccines have eliminated and prevented several deadly diseases, yet they face skepticism from the public. This research aimed to find the moderating role of optimism in elderly people on the relationship between vaccine skepticism of COVID-19 booster dose and the psychological distress because of it. The purpose of this research was to find out hesitant attitude of elders towards COVID-19 booster dose, explore level of psychological distress among elderly people who were already vaccinated and find out life optimism among elderly people (age range of 45-65 years, M=55.75, SD=6.51). Correlational research design and systematic random sampling technique were used to collect data from elders (n=427, M= 264, F=161). The data was collected from different cities of Punjab province namely Muzaffargarh, Lodhran, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Vaccine skepticism, psychological distress and optimism were checked using “Oxford COVID-19 Scale of Vaccine Hesitancy, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) and Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). Data was analysed using Correlation, t test, and ANOVA. The results found a positive relationship between psychological distress and life orientation. On the other hand, vaccine hesitancy was found to be negatively correlated with psychological distress and life orientation. The males were found high on vaccine hesitancy and psychological distress. People above age 60 years had lowest psychological distress.

Planning For The Development of Urban Tourism Destinations (A Study on The Tourism Office of Kupang City

The relatively low revenue from the tourism sector indicates that tourism management in Kupang City requires serious attention from the local government, considering the promising tourism potential of Kupang City, which can be an option to increase local revenue and boost the community's economy towards building the region for the better. This research is qualitative, and the data were obtained from primary and secondary sources collected through observation, interviews, and document review with 40 informants. The collected data were analyzed using data analysis techniques (Creswell, 2016). The research findings indicate that the planning for the development of urban tourism destinations at the Kupang City Tourism Office revealed: (a) the actors involved in the planning process include both official and unofficial actors; (b) a review of the situation and identification of issues from an economic perspective shows that the threat is the community's mindset, which is difficult to change, while the opportunity lies in the economic development involving many creative economic players in Kupang City. The weakness is the lack of budget for urban tourism development, but we have the strength of being the capital city of NTT province and a gateway to Timor Leste; (c) forecasting indicates that the current tourism condition is still limited to natural tourist destinations, while urban tourism development has not been maximized. The actors strongly support the planning for more advanced urban tourism development; (d) the establishment of goals and strategy formulation refers to the vision and mission of the Kupang City Government. In implementing tourism development strategies, the organization first conducts communication among stakeholders and the local community; (e) the approval of plans indicates that, to date, the development plan for urban tourism destinations at the Kupang City Tourism Office is still in the planning stage

Descriptive Analysis of Regional Development Indicators by Regency-City in West Nusa Tenggara Province

The success of a region's development is measured by several indicators such as HDI, regional inequality, economic growth and poverty levels. The aim of the research is to determine the success of regional development according to city districts in West Nusa Tenggara Province based on regional development indicators. The research method used is a qualitative research method based on quantitative data. The results of the research show that the HDI of districts and cities in West Nusa Tenggara province is in the medium category, namely 50-79. in districts and cities in West Nusa Tenggara Province is fluctuating and tends to increase in 2021

Can TV Politics Improve the Trust Pattern of “Intimate Central Government and Alienate Local Government”?

The hierarchical and descending trust pattern among Chinese citizens toward governments at all levels, characterized by a stronger trust in the central government and a weaker trust in local governments, often leads to the “Tacitus trap” in local government governance. As a new platform for public participation and local government supervision, can TV political programs improve the trust pattern of “intimate central government and alienate local government,” and achieve a balance of trust between the central and local governments? Using data from the Social Consciousness Survey Data of Netizens 2018, we conducted an empirical analysis of the impact of TV political programs on residents’ trust patterns toward different levels of government. The results of this study show that: first, the opening of TV political programs can significantly narrow the trust gap between the central and local governments. This primarily achieved by significantly increasing the level of trust that residents have in the provincial government. Second, influence mechanism reveals that the introduction of of TV political programs can reduce the residents’ trust gap between central and local governments mainly by bolstering government transparency, fortifying government responsiveness, and boosting residents’ political efficacy. Third, the heterogeneity analysis indicates that TV political programs can significantly improve the trust gap between central and local governments among various groups, including women, youth, democratic party members and the public, high digitalization ability, residents in the east and provincial capital cities. Fourth, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of TV political programs significantly increase residents’ trust in the central government but do not significantly raise residents’ trust in local governments. This may, to some extent, reinforce the trend of “intimate central government and alienate local government” among the public .

THE TYPICAL STATE MEDALS AND REWARDS AS AN OPTION OF ENCOURAGEMENT OF ODESA CITY MAYORS IN THE CITY SELF- GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WITHIN THE PERIOD FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY TO THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY

The article considers one of the possible characteristics for encouraging the activity of historical figures in the professional field as awards and honors. Preference was given primarily to the state award system, which extended to various sectors of the population, including professional groups – elected positions of city mayors. In the second half of the 19th – at the beginning of the 20th century the municipal self-government of Odesa was headed by nine people – Semen Vorontsov, Mykola Novoselskyi, Grigory Marazli (Grigorios Maraslis), Valerian Ligin, Petro Kryzhanovskyi, Pavlo Zelenyi, Vasyl Protopopov, Mykola Moiseyev and Borys Pelikan. On the basis of the collected sources and the works of researchers, a list of the most typical state orders among the figures of city heads with a chronological reference and brief generalizations regarding the conditions of awarding was revealed. With the beginning of the creation of the post of city mayor, the duties performed did not provide for a normalized and regular financial reward, which is one of the motivating elements in the work process of a person. Awards were one of the options for encoura- gement – thanks from the government, provincial administration, national awards, distinctions, etc. According to the City Regulation of 1870, to represent the power and status of the mayor, was introduced a badge with the image of the city coat of arms on a large silver chain, with the right to the 5th category uniform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the heads of provincial cities and cities that were equated to them. Over the years of their life and various activities, Odessa mayors could receive many awards and distinctions that affected their status and position. Among the typical national awards, the following three orders were identified: St. Volodymyr (2nd and 3rd degrees), St. Anna (1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees) and St. Stanislav (1st degree). During the years of activity in the post of mayor, only five people received orders – M. Novoselskyi, G. Marazli, V. Ligin, M. Moiseyev and B. Pelikan. P. Zelenyi worked for a long time in self-governing institutions at the zemstvo level. P. Kryzhanovskyi and V. Protopopov are known for their professional judicial career, which contributed to receiving orders. The first mayor of the post-reform period, S. Vorontsov, was a military man, and he won his main awards on the battlefield.