Rural Network Research Articles

Rural settlement of urban dwellers in China: community integration and spatial restructuring

With rapid urbanization in China, an increasing number of urban dwellers are migrating to rural areas, becoming “new villagers”. This phenomenon provides both opportunities and challenges for rural revitalization. This study aims to examine the community integration dilemmas of these new villagers from the perspective of social space production theory. Through oral history investigations, in-depth interviews and participant observations, this qualitative study explores the integration predicaments of new villagers across four dimensions—living space, production space, cultural space, and social space. The findings indicate that the integration dilemmas arise from disparities between new villagers and native villagers in status, cultural identity, values, and customs. New villagers face risks of exclusion in obtaining living space, cultural conflicts in production activities, value clashes with traditional rural culture, and social closure from existing rural networks. To better integrate new villagers into local communities, fostering cultural communication, shaping common values, and restructuring rural space are essential, providing insights for rural talent retention policies. This research offers implications for rural talent revitalization mechanisms in the context of urban–rural migration in China.

Provider-to-provider telehealth for sepsis patients in a cohort of rural emergency departments.

Telehealth has been proposed as one strategy to improve the quality of time-sensitive sepsis care in rural emergency departments (EDs). The purpose of this study was to measure the association between telehealth-supplemented ED (tele-ED) care, health care costs, and clinical outcomes among patients with sepsis in rural EDs. Cohort study using Medicare fee-for-service claims data for beneficiaries treated for sepsis in rural EDs between February 1, 2017, and September 30, 2019. Our primary hospital-level analysis used multivariable generalized estimating equations to measure the association between treatment in a tele-ED-capable hospital and 30-day total costs of care. In our supporting secondary analysis, we conducted a propensity-matched analysis of patients who used tele-ED with matched controls from non-tele-ED-capable hospitals. Our primary outcome was total health care payments among index hospitalized patients between the index ED visit and 30 days after hospital discharge, and our secondary outcomes included hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, 90-day mortality, 28-day hospital-free days, and 30-day inpatient readmissions. In our primary analysis, sepsis patients in tele-ED-capable hospitals had 6.7% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1%-11.5%) total health care costs compared to those in non-tele-ED-capable hospitals. In our propensity-matched patient-level analysis, total health care costs were 23% higher (95% CI 16.5%-30.4%) in tele-ED cases than matched non-tele-ED controls. Clinical outcomes were similar. Tele-ED capability in a mature rural tele-ED network was not associated with decreased health care costs or improved clinical outcomes. Future work is needed to reduce rural-urban sepsis care disparities and formalize systems of regionalized care.

Teleophthalmology at a primary and tertiary eye care network from India: environmental and economic impact.

To evaluate the environmental and economic impact of teleophthalmological services provided by a primary (rural) and tertiary (urban) eyecare network in India. This prospective study utilised a random sampling method, and administered an environmental and economic impact assessment questionnaire. The study included 324 (primary: 173; tertiary: 151) patients who received teleconsultations from July to September 2022. The primary network (rural) used a colour-coded triage system (Green: eye conditions managed by teleconsult alone; yellow: semi-urgent referral within 1 week to a month, red: urgent referral within a day to a week). The tertiary network (urban) included new and follow-up patients. The environmental impact was assessed by estimating the potential CO2 emissions saved by avoiding travel for various transport modes. Economic impact measured by the potential cost savings from direct (travel) and indirect (food and wages lost) expenses spent by yellow and red referrals (primary) and the first-visit expenses of follow-up (tertiary) patients. The primary rural network saved 2.89 kg CO2/person and 80 km/person. The tertiary urban network saved 176.6 kg CO2/person and 1666 km/person. The potential cost savings on travel expenses were INR 19,970 (USD 250) for the primary (average: INR 370 (USD 4.6) per patient) and INR 758,870 (USD 9486) for the tertiary network (average: INR 8339 (USD 104) per patient). Indirect cost savings (food and wages) were of INR 29,100 (USD 364) for the primary and INR 347,800 (USD 4347) for the tertiary network. Teleophthalmology offers substantial environmental and economic benefits in rural and urban eyecare systems.

Health poverty alleviation in China from the perspective of historical institutionalism: policy changes and driving factors.

Health poverty alleviation is an effective tool for improving the living quality and developmental conditions of impoverished populations. Since 1978, China has been actively implementing health poverty alleviation projects, resulting in a more robust rural healthcare service network and increased convenience for the local population to access medical treatment. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that China still faces a complex situation with the simultaneous existence of multiple disease threats and the interweaving of various health influencing factors. Ongoing risks of emerging infectious diseases persist, and some previously controlled or eliminated infectious diseases are at risk of resurgence. The incidence of chronic diseases is on the rise and exhibits a trend toward affecting younger populations. Therefore, examining the successful experiences of China's health poverty alleviation over the past 40 years becomes a critically important issue. The study focuses on China's health poverty alleviation policies, employing historical institutionalism as a theoretical perspective to analyze the historical changes and evolutionary logic of health poverty alleviation policies. A historical institutionalist analytical framework for health poverty alleviation policies is constructed. The research findings reveal that China's health poverty alleviation policy has undergone three distinct periods since 1978: the initial phase (1978-2000), the exploratory phase (2000-2012), and the stable development phase (2013-present). At the macro level, the political, economic, and social contexts of different periods have influenced the evolution of health poverty alleviation policies. On the meso level, coordination effects and adaptive expectations have had an impact on China's health poverty alleviation policy. At the micro level, various actors, including the central government, local governments at different levels, social forces, and impoverished communities, interact during the evolution of health poverty alleviation policies. This paper summarizes the theoretical aspects of China's health poverty alleviation policy experience. The research conclusions, viewed through the lens of historical institutionalism, offer practical insights into the evolution of government policies. This provides directional guidance for enhancing health poverty alleviation projects.

Assessment of the reliability of the mathematical model of the 0.4 kV rural electric network in Matlab Simulink on the example of a study of the steady-state mode of a single-phase short circuit

PURPOSE. Currently, modeling is one of the most reliable ways to study normal and emergency modes of operation of electrical networks. In this regard, a mathematical model of the 0.4 kV rural electric network was developed in the MATLAB Simulink program.PURPOSE. Evaluation of the accuracy of the parameters of the operating modes of the 0.4 kV rural electric network obtained by modeling in MATLAB Simulink by estimating the values of the steady-state single-phase short circuit current at different distances from the transformer substation.METHODS. The currents obtained using the 0.4 kV electrical network model developed in MATLAB Simulink were compared with the currents obtained using other calculation methods (according to GOST 28249-93, the simplified phase-zero loop method and the mathematical model «Project RZA»).RESULTS. It was revealed that the discrepancy in the results at individual points was 9-11%. When simulating a steady-state single-phase short circuit in MATLAB Simulink, it was found that the voltage of the damaged phase A decreases to 0 V, while the voltages on the two remaining intact phases increase by 1.4-1.5 times, i.e.E. by a factor of 2 to the values of 335-354 V when short-circuiting at the transformer terminals and to the values of 329-338 V when short-circuiting behind a section of a 0.4 kV power line.CONCLUSIONS. The resulting mathematical model of a 0.4 kV rural electric network in the MATLAB Simulink program can be used to study normal and emergency operating modes, study the modes of joint operation of renewable energy sources with a centralized network, and the processes of switching on backup generation sources.

Predicting the california bearing ratio via hybrid method of multi-layer perceptron

The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) holds significant importance in the design of flexible pavements and airport runways, serving as a critical soil parameter. Moreover, it offers a means to gauge the soil response of subgrades through correlation, an aspect pivotal in soil engineering, particularly in shaping subgrade design for rural road networks. The CBR value of soil is influenced by numerous factors, encompassing variables like maximum dry density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC), liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL), plasticity index (PI), soil type, and soil permeability. The condition of the soil, whether soaked or unsoaked, also contributes to this value. It is worth noting that determining CBR is time-consuming and extensive. Acknowledging the gravity of this determination, the study introduces a pioneering approach employing machine learning. This innovative technique uses a foundational multi-layer perceptron model, harnessing the algorithm’s robust capabilities in addressing regression challenges. A hybridization approach enhances the multi-layer perceptron’s performance and achieves optimal results. This approach integrates the Bonobo Optimizer (BO), Smell Agent Optimization (SAO), Prairie Dog Optimization (PDO), and Gold Rush Optimizer (GRO). The hybrid models proposed in this study exhibit promising results in predicting CBR values. The MLAO3 hybrid model is particularly noteworthy, emerging as the most accurate predictor among the range of models, with an impressive R2 value of 0.994 and an RMSE value of 2.80.

Neighborhood Does Matter: Farmers’ Local Social Interactions and Land Rental Behaviors in China

The transfer of farmland is an important area of rural development research; however, the impact of rural social networks has been neglected in studies. The aim of this study is to explore the effects, mechanisms, and heterogeneity of neighbors’ behavior on the process of land renting by farmers. Based on the data of the China Family Panel Studies in 2018, this research empirically analyzes the impact of community-level, local social interactions on the land rental behavior of farmers and its mechanisms using a spatial probit model. The results of this study indicate that neighbors’ land rental behavior positively and significantly affects that of other farmers in the same village. In addition, neighbors’ land rental encourages other farmers in the same village to follow suit through an increase in the perceived importance of the Internet among the farmers. In addition, there is heterogeneity in neighborhood influence. Notably, the impact of social networks on the renting out of the land by farmers, as evidenced in this study, is a key factor in accelerating the circulation of rural land and promoting rural development, thus contributing to the process of rural revitalization and its recording in the literature.

APLICAÇÃO DE PROCEDIMENTOS PARA SERVIÇOS DE ENGENHARIA EM ESCALADAS EM ÁRVORES A PARTIR DA NR-35

This paper addresses the importance of safety when working at heights, focusing on tree climbing and related activities. The primary need for adequate training for workers who deal with unstable and potentially dangerous activities is highlighted. The presence of equipment such as chainsaws, mowers,foragers and cranes increases the risks associated with these tasks, requiring special attention and safety measures. The implementation of Regulatory Standard NR-35 proved to be a crucial milestone in establishing specific and mandatory guidelines for safety when working at heights. However, authors emphasize that the regulation may not cover all the nuances of different activities at height, requiring a flexible and specialized approach in applying the standard. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present instrumental procedures for working at height to prun trees in the energy distribution sector so that this does not harm and cause surges of both an electrical nature and worker safety. Emphasizing the standard in RDR – Rural distribution network with a right-of-way that can correspond to 3.0 meters for BT networks and 6.0 meters for MV networks in which the NR-35 standard would apply. The results were based on the use of standards and laws that govern the country and presents an instrumental procedure that found the use of 30kN anchor cables and all other protective equipment for services of this nature.

Planning model for rural distribution networks with integrated energy stations via robust optimization method

With the modernization and intelligent development of agriculture, the energy demand in rural areas continues to increase, which leads to an increased operational burden on the existing rural distribution network. Integrated energy stations (IESs), in rural areas, use renewable energy sources such as biogas, wind power, and photovoltaic as energy inputs, which can fully improve energy efficiency and help reduce the operating load and peak valley difference of rural distribution networks. In this paper, a multistage planning model is proposed for rural distribution networks with IESs based on the robust optimization method. Firstly, a rural distribution network operation framework with IESs is proposed, and a mathematical model of rural IESs is built based on the energy hub (EH). Then, the multistage robust planning model of rural distribution net-works with IESs is developed and typical scenarios of stochastic source and load are generated based on improved k-means. An iterative solution method for a two-stage robust optimization method is proposed based on the nested column constraint generation (NC&CG) algorithm. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented model and solution approach is assessed through case studies on a modified IEEE 33-node distribution network and a real 152-node distribution network.

Study of reliability indicators of cable lines in rural areas

In this article, the investigation of the power supply system's reliability in our Republic, particularly focusing on the cable lines utilized in rural power networks, is highlighted as a pressing concern within the energy sector today. A crucial task in addressing this issue successfully involves researching the reliability metrics of existing cable lines, specifically self-contained insulated conductors in rural power networks with dynamic variable loads, and formulating pertinent recommendations. The reliability indicators of cable lines in rural areas were assessed using a comprehensive method that integrates modern approaches and the latest advancements in science and technology. The method's superiority over others is grounded in scientific principles. Furthermore, factors influencing the reliability metrics of cable lines in rural power networks, such as cable line failures, are systematically categorized.

Хозяйственная жизнь и быт крестьян как отражение процесса формирования сельской поселенческой сети на территории Среднего Прииртышья в конце XIX - начале ХХ в.

In the process of formation of the rural settlement network of the Middle Irtysh region, several stages can be distinguished, among which an important place is occupied by the period of the late 19th - early 20th century. At this time, a large number of new rural settlements appeared on the map of the modern Omsk region, and the number of existing settlements increased significantly. The circumstances that determine this process within the designated chronological framework are of interest today in the interdisciplinary scientific field. Considering the stated problem, both objective and subjective factors should be taken into account; take into account the influence of state policy, natural and climatic, geographical, socio-economic conditions. One of the indicators of the process of formation of a rural settlement network on the territory of the Middle Irtysh region in the late 19th - early 20th century. the organization of the economic life and life of the peasants. It was they who, in many ways, determined the microclimate in the village or the need to find a new place of residence. The construction and maintenance of the railway, the availability of land, forests and pastures suitable for farming, the availability of sources of drinking water created the conditions for the emergence of new settlements in the Irtysh region. Their foundation was the result of both the resettlement of peasants from beyond the Urals, and the result of internal migration. The basis of economic life was arable farming and cattle breeding. Crafts, which directly depended on the place of residence of the peasants, played an important role in economic life. An important condition for settling in a new place was the construction of houses. The type of dwelling depended on the zone of settlement: in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, the main types of dwellings of the settlers at the first stage were dugouts, huts and booths, in the taiga regions the material for construction was wood.

Research on the Root Cause Analysis and Governance Measures of Frequent Power Outages in Electric Power Enterprises

Abstract Accompanied by the rapid development of the economy and the great strides of reform, the whole society puts forward higher and higher requirements for the safety and stability of the power grid, and the frequent power outage events will bring great losses to the power enterprises. In this paper, we employ the linear encoding function in the MAGNN method to linearly process the risk factors associated with frequent power outages in electric power enterprises. We then assign weights to these linearly processed risk factor vectors using a graph attention mechanism. Finally, we apply the correction matrix of outage risk factors to identify the risk of power outages in electric power enterprises and design an intelligent power outage control system. The study discovered that 10 kV system failure is the primary cause of frequent outages in Power Enterprise-A. The number of failures occurred 129 times due to 10kV feeder system failures in rural distribution networks. The study also reveals that the implementation of an intelligent outage control system resulted in a 73.60% year-over-year decrease in the reliability loss of fault outages in power enterprise A, thereby effectively addressing the issue of frequent outages and reducing the economic losses incurred by power enterprises. This paper provides an effective method for resolving frequent power outages in electric power enterprises and provides a guiding direction for improving power supply reliability in electric power enterprises.

Systemic effects of the COVID pandemic on rural black American men's interpersonal relationships: A phenomenological examination.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a socionatural disaster that unprecedentedly disrupted the daily lives of individuals, families, and communities. Prior research indicates that Black American men living in rural contexts, particularly in Southern parts of the United States of America, were disproportionately affected by the psychological and economic effects of the pandemic. Despite these disparities, few studies have examined the pandemic's impact on rural Black American men's social networks. This study aimed to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural Black American men's interpersonal relationships. Informed by the principles of critical ethnography and guided by van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology, seventeen men were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using an iterative thematic reduction process consistent with van Manen's approach. Four themes were generated: Familial Reorganization, Adaptive Fatherhood, Rona Romance, and Essential Community. Participants recounted how the pandemic motivated them to improve their relationships with family members and children but contributed additional stress to their romantic relationships. Participants further recounted how their friendships were the least impacted as they were willing to make exceptions to their normal protective protocols to socialize with close friends. Participants also noted feeling disconnected from their wider community because they could not attend church even though their religious beliefs remained unchanged. Findings highlight the need for scholars, clinicians, and policymakers to consider men's relational health when developing and implementing pandemic recovery efforts, as it can significantly influence their ability to recuperate mentally and physically. Future research should be dedicated to (1) investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on fathers, as prior research has nearly exclusively focused on mothers' experiences and (2) delineating protective effects of rural Black American men's involvement in the Black Church from their individual spiritualities to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the influence of contextual crisis on their long-term health and wellbeing.

Защита электрогенераторов объектов распределенной генерации от аварийных режимов

Distributed generation is a good solution for areas remote from centralized power supply sources as it helps increase the reliability of consumer operation. Distributed generation power supply systems use renewable sources of electricity, diesel generators and gasoline generators in the form of mobile power stations, which in most cases are not equipped with modern means of protection. This study presents an analysis of existing means of protecting electric generators from abnormal and emergency operating conditions, including voltage asymmetry, which is one of the factors reducing the service life of generators and is typical for rural electrical networks. During the analysis, the authors determined the main types of generator protection against emergency operation modes: protection of stator windings, protection against underfrequency and overfrequency, protection against undervoltage and overvoltage, protection against voltage (current) asymmetry. It is noted that the main cause of voltage asymmetry leading to mechanical vibration and rapid overheating of the rotor is single-phase loads in the system, which are unevenly distributed over three phases. The problem of voltage asymmetry is mainly solved by redistributing loads in transmission lines and/or installing compensating devices. However, in rural power supply systems, unbalanced load distribution is rarely corrected. The voltage asymmetry can be compensated through the use of hybrid active power filters of series compensation and improved control methods of these filters. Voltage converters that are effective in equalizing voltage asymmetry in PV systems can effectively protect small capacity diesel power generators provided that the use of additional equipment is economically viable.

Examining the Influence of Rural Road Network Development on Livelihood - A Case Study on Kilinochchi District

TThe population of Sri Lanka, an island country in the Asian zone, is projected to be about 22 million in mid-2030. In Sri Lanka, the transportation economy plays a significant role. Roads provide the benefits to enhance the socio-economic conditions of communities. Roads are linked to locations, individuals, and social and economic activities. Better road conditions promote better connections between rural and social and economic activities. While rural road investment is widely believed to reduce poverty, there has been little systematic analysis or evidence on whether rural roads affect people experiencing poverty or the impact. After the war ended in 2008, the government carried out some road projects nationwide. Kilinochchi district is also not exceptional. This study focused only on rural roads and how they relate to livelihood. A questionnaire survey was conducted, covering four dimensions; impact on (i) Transportation Services, (ii) Traveling Patterns, (iii) Village Profile, and (iv) Income and Welfare before and after the road projects in Kilinochchi District. One hundred twenty-two families were selected for the research. For the change in the aesthetic value of the village after the road development, none of the respondents rated it as reduced or reduced dramatically. Around 100 respondents accepted that school connectivity has significantly improved after road development. The study proves that road development positively impacts people’s social and economic practices.

Research on Improving the Quality of Rural Medical Services in Shandong Province Based on the SERVQUAL Model

Rural healthcare is an essential aspect to consider in rural revitalization. Using the SERVQUAL model to examine the present state and challenges of healthcare service quality in Shandong Province, it was observed that rural people's perception of actual value falls short of their expectations in five different areas: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The primary challenges entail inadequate public health consciousness among particular villagers, deficient modernization of rural healthcare facilities, and illogical regional health strategizing. Hence, to enhance the standard of living in rural regions and foster the building of a rural public health network, it is imperative to take initiatives to enhance villagers' hygiene awareness, promote the modernization of rural medical aid, and enhance practitioners' expertise via various means.

Worn Power Transformers Influence on the Rural Electrical Networks Electrical Supply Reliability

The energy supply of agricultural enterprises is characterized by a number of significant problems, the solution of which has been an urgent task for several decades. Characteristic problems are widely known and considered in the scientific and educational literature: the location of agricultural objects on a large territory, their remoteness from central substations, remoteness from the road network, which makes it difficult for emergency teams to access in case of accidents, a high degree of operation of substation equipment and air lines At the same time, the re-equipment of the park of technological equipment of agricultural enterprises makes it necessary to look at the quality of energy supply in a new way - the microprocessor technology used in modern agricultural production makes high demands on the reliability of energy supply. Also, the issue related to emergency modes in the energy supply system, which lead to millions of losses due to product spoilage due to the termination of the technological process, does not lose its relevance. As you know, the energy supply system should be a model of high reliability, but upon inspection, the situation looks a little different: due to various reasons (including both the power deficit and the wear and tear of the equipment in use), the energy supply does not always meet the expectations of consumers in terms of the quality of the services provided. In the case of interruptions in the energy supply of enterprises (including agricultural ones), interruptions in the energy supply cause much more serious consequences, related to spoilage and underproduction of products and millions of losses.

Rural Settlement Network in Territory of Contemporary Omsk Region from Last Quarter of 19th Century to Early 20th Century

The article examines the characteristics of the formation of the rural settlement network in the territory of modern Omsk region during the last quarter of the 19th century through the early 20th century. The relevance of this study is driven by societal and governmental interest in rural history, as well as by the expansion of the source base, which is related to the popularization of museum collections and personal archives. Throughout the research, the author analyzes a wide range of sources and identifies features of the territory’s settlement, lifestyle, and everyday life of peasants, as well as the nature of relationships between settlers and natives. The author concludes that natural and geographical conditions played a significant role in shaping the network of rural settlements, organizing economic life, and the daily routines of peasants. Particular attention is paid to the study of the economic life of peasants, as it was one of the defining factors in the formation of the rural settlement network of the territory. The investigation reveals that agriculture was the main occupation for peasants in the Omsk Irtysh region, despite the limited amount of arable land available. Livestock breeding was confined to its economic significance. Additional income for peasants depended on their settlement location and was determined by the natural resources of the territory. Natural and geographical conditions also dictated the external appearance of settlements.

Возможности периодической печати для изучения истории сельских поселений Омской области

The article touches upon the issues of determining the possibilities of periodicals for studying the history of rural settlements on the territory of modern Omsk Region. Based on a frontal analysis of periodical press mate-rials from the pre-revolutionary, Soviet and post-Soviet periods, the authors identify a range of questions, the answers to which can be obtained using newspapers and magazines as a historical source. Particular attention is paid to the problems that a researcher faces when working with periodicals. In the course of the study, the authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to use periodical press materials as part of the source base to study the process of formation of the rural settlement network of the territory. This will allow us to obtain an objective picture of historical events, take into account the opinions and sentiments of their participants, and introduce rare information into scientific circulation.

Advancing Rural Building Extraction via Diverse Dataset Construction and Model Innovation with Attention and Context Learning

Rural building automatic extraction technology is of great significance for rural planning and disaster assessment; however, existing methods face the dilemma of scarce sample data and large regional differences in rural buildings. To solve this problem, this study constructed an image dataset of typical Chinese rural buildings, including nine typical geographical regions, such as the Northeast and North China Plains. Additionally, an improved remote sensing image rural building extraction network called AGSC-Net was designed. Based on an encoder–decoder structure, the model integrates multiple attention gate (AG) modules and a context collaboration network (CC-Net). The AG modules realize focused expression of building-related features through feature selection. The CC-Net module models the global dependency between different building instances, providing complementary localization and scale information to the decoder. By embedding AG and CC-Net modules between the encoder and decoder, the model can capture multiscale semantic information on building features. Experiments show that, compared with other models, AGSC-Net achieved the best quantitative metrics on two rural building datasets, verifying the accuracy of the extraction results. This study provides an effective example for automatic extraction in complex rural scenes and lays the foundation for related monitoring and planning applications.